Technology. The Whazzap line beeps. A pic of a Yammie still in a crate. It’s the ever friendly Justin Boniface from Linex Lynwood. “Have you guys ridden the’23 YZ450 yet?”
Well… no, how about it? And, Ummm yes we are aware that we are already halfway through 2023. Plans were made and our team met him at the Dirt Bronco Track out Krugersdorp way for a spin…
We roped in the talents of Mike Wessels again. You might remember that he did the feature on the’22 model, so – it’s not a case of just riding a new bike. He was able to compare notes so to speak and fill us in on what he felt on the new bike. He brought along his very quick buddy, social rider, James Lottering to share his opinion.
What’s new for ‘23?
Lots actually. We had to do a bit of research to see exactly what the changes are, before the boys rode her:
Sharper. Narrower:
Some big visual updates… The latest bike is finished with sharper bodywork and it looks great!
The seat is flatter, and the bike looks more slender, especially around the fuel tank and airbox area. Yamaha tells us that the airbox is completely redesigned, narrower with a more efficient intake pathway.
An all new frame.
Yamaha tells us that the YZ’s bilateral aluminum frame is now made up of 10 different components that are all welded together. They say this gave the designers a more precise way of tuning in the desired amount of flex to improve feel and handling on the track.
If it ain’t broke… Suspension
Yamaha stuck with what works – but they have made the KYB SSS spring fork easier to tune by installing hand-operated compression damping adjusters. The rear shock gets updated settings to compliment the new chassis.
Engine: Lighter, more powerful.
The bike is 2 and a bit KG’s lighter than the ‘22 and the new engine is where Yamaha tells us they lost over a kilogramme of weight.
Inside, you will find new exhaust and intake port machining, bigger titanium intake valves, a new forged aluminum piston, a new cylinder, crankshaft and balancer assembly, and a new dry-sump oil scavenger system.Other internal updates include eyelets on the crank and the removal of the y-shaped water pump pipe -all aimed at weight reduction.
The rev limit has been extended by 500 rpm, and the overall power output is up five percent.
New Gearbox:
The 5-speed gearbox is also redesigned, it has a new tri-shaft layout that vertically stacks the transmission shafts. The center shaft is lifted and forms a triangle between the crank, drive shaft and main shaft. It’s all lighter and more compact.
New Clutch:
The new cable-actuated clutch loses the old-school multi-spring design in favour of a single cone-spring system. Now where have we seen that? It features a disc spring and integrates the primary gear and basket into a single steel unit. The single-spring design is lighter and more compact, and Yamaha says that it “Improves engagement and feel for the rider.”
More Electronic tech:
Launch Control is back and it features an RPM limiter that can be adjusted in 500 rpm increments from the 6 to 11 thou RPM mark. Yamaha has now also included Traction Control in three levels: high, low and off.
Launch Control and TC is controlled via Yamaha’s Power Tuner App.You can toggle from one preloaded engine map to another on the fly via one of two new handlebar-mounted switches.
Updated Ergonomics: Yamaha has reworked the handlebar/seat/footpeg layout.
Ride Impressions:
Now you need to bear in mind that Mike enjoyed the ‘22, and, after reading through all of the updates, unsurprisingly he says it feels like an all new machine.
He says: “Think entire new bike!”
Everything is different, from the ergonomics, to the handling… well everything. The new bike is noticeably narrower, especially the seat and tank setup. The previous bikes felt a bit wider. You can’t really compare the feel of the new bike to the previous model.
I adjusted the bars, you have two settings, forward and back. After a few laps, I settled on the back setting, for me, it’s pretty neutral and less aggressive than all the way forward.
They have really come out with a sleek design – from seat to tank to plastics – and the new model is a lot easier to move around on. I Love the new ergonomics, it feels different to any bike I have ridden before. In a good way. The bike just feels so narrow – a bit like the YZ250 2-stroke.The seat goes right up to the bars and allows you to get right forward and lean the bike into those tight turns. The pipe is quiet, you are more aware of induction noise than the stock pipe.
Power wise – and remember, you can adjust all of this, the bike feels really linear – and if I can explain that a bit further…
I tried the launch control and the traction control. That needs proper setup because I found it a bit intrusive on the holeshot. For holeshot, my choice would be the full power map with as little electronic intrusion as possible. Once you build a head of steam, I would switch to a more linear map, because full power will make you tired, especially on SA’s tighter tracks.
If you end up in a rut and gas her to get out, the bike doesn’t just jump out when you blip the throttle. It all feels smooth and controlled, which ultimately means greater speed.
Seriously, this bike is so fast and really smooth.
The most noticeable update is to the gear ratios – this one feels more like some factory bikes that I’ve ridden. A Long first and second gear that keeps pulling.
This translates to long legs and less shifting. The extended rev limiter and a reworked transmission, they have almost eliminated the need to shift on a longer track. Mate this with that cool mapping app, it’s great!
Getting back onto my bike… well, I’d go and buy the new bike if I had the shekels. And I’m not sure that I’d change much.
In my opinion, it doesn’t need a pipe. The suspension is impressive and is now so easy to set up and it’s really quick out of the box.
I’d probably fit a gripper seat, and I prefer wider bars. Although the new clutch feels really good, I’d look at the hydraulic conversion from GYTR – just because it’s available.
That’s about it.
A quick opinion from James Lottering:
Lots of fun! The new YZ is incredibly strong. Initially, I felt that the ‘23 is better suited to longer tracks like Glen Hellen in the US. That was, until we tuned her down. Technology is pretty amazing! Once we toned the bike right down with the tuning app, it was manageable and far easier to ride.
Riding the ‘22 back to back with the ‘23, the bikes feel completely different, especially in the ergonomics department. The new bike is narrower, it feels a bit taller, which suits taller riders.Mike, however seemed to sukkel to reach the ground which was quite amusing to watch… The new rounded seat feels right and overall, the new model feels a lot nimbler than the ‘22.
I agree with Mikes comments on the launch control system, the bike seems to bog on the start. I’d need to spend a lot more time experimenting and setting it all up.
Once you’ve set the power up, you can tackle the corners quickly, without the bike exploding underneath you.
I like that, its all smooth and predictable and – as a result, faster. I think the suspension is similar, and thats great because it’s always been good.
The bike is so balanced and smooth with lots of midrange and top end.
I’d say that this is the fastest 450 that I have ever ridden.
In closing:
Once again. Forget about the previous models, bar the blue and the badge, this is pretty much a whole new, pretty unique bike. And you need to ride one to really understand it all.
It’s fantastic to see a Japanese manufacturer changing it up so much.
Lets watch what this bike does on the racetrack this season.
Thanks to Justin for allowing us to ride his personal machine.
It will set you backR159950.00
More on the Dirt Bronco venue soon…
Linex Lynwood: www.linexyamahalynnwood.co.za
