2010 Yamaha YZ450F Preview

[pplassm]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

I've got both in my garage as well. But your KTM is not one of these works-type wunderbikes. From the riders I know and the feedback I've seen on the dirt blogs I wouldn't touch any of the fancy shmancy works-type MXers with YOUR 10 foot pole. Naw, I'll stick with the DR400 style powerplants and give up a few HP for a lot more durability.

True Dat.

I hear that 2008 KX450's only get 10 hours out of a piston before cracks develop.

[Auphliam]

You guys are forgetting (or are too young to remember) why most peeps who rode a 2Smoker knew how to rebuild a 2Smoker. It was a given. They used to grenade on a regular basis. Why do you think every dirt biker you saw back then had a Wiseco sticker on their Truck, Bike, Toolbox...etc.

Especially in the days when you were trying to determine a good 30:1 mix at the gas station with an old quart bottle of oil you kept under your seat. You know, before Dad or your bike did the mixing for ya.

Maybe it's the money aspect now, but dirt saws always broke down and riders always rebuilt them. To dog all these new 4 Strokes for having the same issues 2 Strokes have been having for decades is a bit silly, IMO.

Tip of the hat to Cannondale for the progressive thinking. Yes, I remember when everyone was applauding them for their "innovation" when these designs came out...and everyone dogging the big Moto Cos for not trying as hard as the little guy. Now, a big Moto Co does the same thing and it's not innovation, now it's a fragile, stupid looking bike that's gonna blow up.

I like the approach...and I hope Bubba crushes the competition on it.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by Auphliam

You guys are forgetting (or are too young to remember) why most peeps who rode a 2Smoker knew how to rebuild a 2Smoker. It was a given. They used to grenade on a regular basis. Why do you think every dirt biker you saw back then had a Wiseco sticker on their Truck, Bike, Toolbox...etc.

Especially in the days when you were trying to determine a good 30:1 mix at the gas station with an old quart bottle of oil you kept under your seat. You know, before Dad or your bike did the mixing for ya.

Maybe it's the money aspect now, but dirt saws always broke down and riders always rebuilt them. To dog all these new 4 Strokes for having the same issues 2 Strokes have been having for decades is a bit silly, IMO.

Tip of the hat to Cannondale for the progressive thinking. Yes, I remember when everyone was applauding them for their "innovation" when these designs came out...and everyone dogging the big Moto Cos for not trying as hard as the little guy. Now, a big Moto Co does the same thing and it's not innovation, now it's a fragile, stupid looking bike that's gonna blow up.

I like the approach...and I hope Bubba crushes the competition on it.

The difference was that a piston and a hone job on a 2popper was under $100. A top end on these new wunderbikes is more like $1K. So, no it isn't the same because they aren't the same issues. 2 strokes don't even have valves to wear out every 30 hours.

[mscuddy]

[quote=Auphliam;223717]You guys are forgetting (or are too young to remember) why most peeps who rode a 2Smoker knew how to rebuild a 2Smoker. It was a given. They used to grenade on a regular basis. Why do you think every dirt biker you saw back then had a Wiseco sticker on their Truck, Bike, Toolbox...etc.]

Modern two strokes were bulletproof. That's why the big three got rid of 'em. My '87 CR500R never saw the inside of a shop after I bought it, nor did my "86 YZ490E, '72DT2 Enduro, "71 DT1MX, etc..etc..

The only way you blew up a modern two stroke dirt bike was to be a ham fisted clod who never did ANY maintenance.

Ahhh, what's the use...fours stroke dirt bikes are works quality now, but with the works maintenance. It's shrinking the sport, as few can afford the high rebuild costs. That's also why Vintage is so popular now.

I disagree with your assumption.

[sarnali2]

You're right about the Chay-Zet there shippie. This Yamaha wouldn't last a lap under my fat ass, the 400, or my da's (then mine) 380 ally tank would just grunt like beeg slovokian peeeg and torque me around the track spinning it's Barums to nubs. Then beg for more.

Same with a Maico or Husky, Bultaco or Montessa, they were built to last as well as win.

[pplassm]

Originally Posted by sarnali2

Same with a Maico or Husky, Bultaco or Montessa, they were built to last as well as win.

You sure about those Bultacos, Sarnali? I had 2. Spanish metalurgy is not that great.

[mscuddy]

I had a few Bultacos, the early ones were reliable enough if you did the usual hyper-maintenance that a Euro MXer required back then, read that keep an eye on the primary chain and dump that concentric Amal POS carb. Get a Femsa or Motoplat. Replace the rotten Spanish Pirellies...

My '76 JPR 360 Pursang was unbreakable. Never missed a beat (well one time I broke one of the coils off the frame, and it missed a little). It weighed around 220 lbs full of fluids, and was one of THE BEST handling dirt bikes I ever rode. Was competitive up 'till around the mid eighties too.

As Rick "Super Hunky" Sieman relayed to me, four strokes have ruined the sport. I agree. How many 17 year old kids can afford an eight thousand dollar dirt bike, then throw another 3 grand into it at rebuild time?

The KTM's are reliable, but you don't see too many on the podium, now do ya?

I rode a few four striker Katooms and while they were nice and all that, my CR would out handle them, and smoke 'em bad when the trail turned to open desert.

And I didn't need two oil filters coated in platnum, and a degree in engineering to adjust the valves either.

[The_AirHawk]

Originally Posted by pplassm

You sure about those Bultacos, Sarnali? I had 2. Spanish metalurgy is not that great.

Well, not so far as motos were concerned, maybe. Two words for you:

Toledo Steel.

[Kenneth_Moore]

Heh. Heh heh. Heh. He said:

"Spent gasses exit from the rear of the engine."

Heh. Heh heh.

[Auphliam]

Originally Posted by mscuddy

I had a few Bultacos, the early ones were reliable enough if you did the usual hyper-maintenance that a Euro MXer required back then, read that keep an eye on the primary chain and dump that concentric Amal POS carb. Get a Femsa or Motoplat. Replace the rotten Spanish Pirellies...

My '76 JPR 360 Pursang was unbreakable. Never missed a beat (well one time I broke one of the coils off the frame, and it missed a little). It weighed around 220 lbs full of fluids, and was one of THE BEST handling dirt bikes I ever rode. Was competitive up 'till around the mid eighties too.

As Rick "Super Hunky" Sieman relayed to me, four strokes have ruined the sport. I agree. How many 17 year old kids can afford an eight thousand dollar dirt bike, then throw another 3 grand into it at rebuild time?

The KTM's are reliable, but you don't see too many on the podium, now do ya?

I rode a few four striker Katooms and while they were nice and all that, my CR would out handle them, and smoke 'em bad when the trail turned to open desert.

And I didn't need two oil filters coated in platnum, and a degree in engineering to adjust the valves either.

Yeah, I agree with that. But whatever happened to just riding dirt? Not everyone is after a podium. Hell, every kid I knew growing up had a bike of some sort. Yamahas, Suzukis, a couple Can-Ams, and Maicos. Of everyone I knew, only a few ever saw a race track. We rode because it was hell on fun to do.