YZ450FX | Paul Whibley
Over the last few years life and injuries
have forced me to slow down (literally and
figuratively). During my racing career I have
always preferred the harder-edged MX bikes as
my weapons of choice. But upon my return to
riding after some serious injuries I really fell in
love with the 450FX. The mellower power and
plusher suspension really suited where I was
at with my riding. I was having fun, just riding
for fun, and not so focused on the results. And
last year’s FX ticked all the boxes for me.
With my Achilles almost back to a full range
of motion, and the fused vertebra in my back
becoming more stable (I would say more
comfortable, but that’s not a thing!) I’m
looking for a more race-focused machine
once again. It was like someone in Japan was
following my progress and delivered just
what the doctor ordered, as the releases of
the 2020 450FX again seems to be targeted
and focused on just what I’m after.
Swinging a leg over the new 450FX and it was
clear from the get-go this was a completely
new beast than the previous bike. More ‘race
focused’ is probably the best way to put it. It’s
closer in design and setup to the YZ450F.
This is a motor which really barks and it has
a suspension setup that can be pushed hard
right out of the box. Now I’m a little fussy with
setup, so riding the bike in completely stock
condition never gives me a true feeling for a
bike. So, while I had fun playing with the boys,
I really want to get the bikes home and spend
some quality time getting them sorted.
With the 450FX in stock form I felt the back
end was a little high for me. So I took a few turns
off the preload on shock, which gave the bike
a more stable feel, and removed a little of the
unloading of the back end going into turns.
Next I swapped the stock bars for a lower
set of Renthals. I’ve always preferred a low set
of bars, I find it gives me a more connected
feeling to the front end. These two small
changes really made the difference for me
and I began to feel the new bike work. With
this new comfort I was able to push harder.
After riding the 450FX at home in Taikorea
in familiar conditions I could feel the motor
definitely shares the same DNA as the YZ450F.
It really does have some bite to go with its
bark. I felt that instant snap of power and big
gobs of torque that boost you out of a corner
and over any obstacle that is in your face.
The suspension has more guts too. Last year’s
FX always was a little soft and wallowy for the
big hits and sand whoops, where the 2020 FX
takes the hits like a champ. It has amazing
plushness but it holds up under the pressure of
continued hits. It really feels like it wants to be
raced and likes to attack. But be warned, it.s a
450 for sure and as such, still demands respect.
KIWI RIDER 51