last year. This new bike exceeds last year in a lot of aspects, including how the bike handles out on track. I was easily diving into and out of ruts, powering down straights with confidence and finding the bike much easier to ride, right away, compared to last year’ s model. At 100kg and 1.88cm( 6’ 2”), I usually expect to be stiffening the clickers from the out lap. Not this time. Out of the crate, it handled me well. Once I found my happy place with the bars( rolled them back almost a full notch), running the clamps in the forward hole but in the rearward position, the YZ450F came alive. It did take me four goes at setting the bars into the right spot, but when I nailed it, the corner entries were calm, mid-turn feel was precise, and I could trust the front without secondguessing. Is that a new hand-adjustable, low-speed compression clicker on the shock I spy? Genius! Complementing Yamaha’ s hand-adjustable clickers, introduced to the forks last year, a quick twist and you’ re set. No tools, no excuses to get that setting dialled in quickly and easily.
ERGONOMICS This bike still tells you it’ s a Yamaha when you sit on it. Surprisingly narrow through the legs, pretty neutral in the rider triangle, and … comfortable for me straight away. The addition of the new honeycomb seat cover is one of those small updates you don’ t appreciate until you’ re on it. It grips when you need it, and seemingly lets you slide front and rear when you don’ t. Really dialling in my bar position was absolutely key for me, which brought the cockpit into comfort for my size. When it was too far forward, even by a few millimetres, the front end felt a bit tall. When bang on, everything clicked. It’ s the same Yamaha layout you’ ve come to expect, just slightly more polished.
STANDOUT UPDATES One of the standout features for 2026 is the move away from a cable-operated clutch to a hydraulic unit, and it’ s instantly noticeable on track. The lever feel is lighter, more progressive, and it engages with consistency no matter how
KIWI RIDER 51