2018–2022 · Motocross · Buyer's Guide
The Reverse-Cylinder Holeshot Hammer
The 2018–2022 YZ450F is Yamaha's premier-class motocross bike, and it does things its own way. The 450 cc single has its cylinder reversed. It breathes through a forward intake, and the airbox sits on top of the bike. That layout shapes everything about it. The engine hits hard and abruptly, which is exactly what a 450 motocrosser should do. Launch control helps you manage that hit off the gate. Through the smartphone link you can change fueling and ignition maps in the pits with just your phone. On top of that comes fully adjustable suspension that set the standard for production motocross bikes of this era.
On the track it asks for commitment. The power is huge and arrives in a rush, and the bike has no traction control to smooth it over. A tired or hesitant rider feels that long before a fast one does. The suspension takes big landings in stride, and you can set it up for your weight and your track. It's a tough bike with deep aftermarket support, which matters when you race every weekend. This is a bike for the racer or serious amateur who wants a hard-hitting motor and top-shelf suspension. My honest caveat: it isn't a forgiving first 450, and a novice will spend more time surviving it than learning on it.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 58 hp (43 kW) |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 450 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 270 mm |
| Front tire | 80/100-21 |
| Rear tire | 120/80-19 |
| Wheelbase | 58.5 in (1486 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 13.0 in (330 mm) |
| Front travel | 12.2 in (310 mm) |
| Rear travel | 12.5 in (318 mm) |
| Seat height | 38.6 in (980 mm) |
| Wet weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 1.6 gal (6.1 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
Swing a leg over and the first thing you notice is the height. At 38.6 in (980 mm), the seat leaves shorter riders on tiptoe in the staging area. Grip the bike with your knees and it feels broad through the middle, wider than you'd expect from a single. Fire it up and it has a deep, hollow bark that sounds bigger than 450 cc, one of the better stock voices in the pits. At 245 lb (111 kg) wet it's no featherweight on the stand, but once it's rolling that fades. Standing on the pegs, the wide midsection changes how you lock in with your legs, and it took me a few laps to find where my knees wanted to be. After that the Yamaha feels loud, alive and eager. You stop thinking about the machine and start choosing lines.
Over the years I've collected what YZ450F owners tell me: paddock conversations, talk at the truck between motos, club-night chatter, and the messages riders send me directly. For this generation the picture is fairly clear. Owners like how the engine, clutch and fork work together, and riders who have owned earlier versions notice how much slimmer the new chassis feels. The complaints come back to weight, physical effort, intake noise and fuel range.
Owners describe an engine that makes huge power everywhere, but several say the lower midrange comes in smoothly and stays controllable instead of snapping at them. The cable clutch gets strong praise. Riders call it the best among the Japanese bikes and say the revision gives them even better feel at the lever. The electric start comes up often too. Owners like that the starter, paired with a light lithium battery, spins fast and fires the engine immediately.
Riders praise the KYB coil-spring fork again and again. What owners stress is how well it works for a wide range of riders straight from the factory, before anyone touches a clicker. People coming off earlier YZ450Fs also notice the middle of the bike. The reshaped frame spars, narrower seat and more compact bodywork make it feel clearly slimmer between the knees than previous versions.
The most common gripe is mass. Owners put it at 239 lb (108 kg) without fuel and count it among the heaviest bikes in the 450 motocross class. Add the power, and riders describe a bike that wears them out and takes real strength to ride hard. Some owners complain about intake roar. The air filter and intake tract sit high and up front, so the rider hears a lot of intake noise. The slimmer bodywork also costs something: the tank holds less than it did on earlier generations.
No widely-reported issues on record.
Where this Yamaha YZ450F pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the YZ450F is actually built for.
This is your bike. It has a hard-hitting motor, launch control for the start and suspension you can tune for every track. If you have the fitness for a big 450, it'll carry you from practice days to the race gate.
Made for Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area · Fox Raceway at Pala · Glen Helen Raceway
The suspension and toughness handle sand and rock well, but this is a closed-course racer. The abrupt hit and 1.6 gal tank keep it to short day loops, not long technical routes.
Made for Bar M / Kane Creek · Imperial Sand Dunes · Johnson Valley OHV Area
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
