I haven't ridden for a while, because I got bored. I grew up riding on fields, and loved it . I had an mt03 a few years ago, that i smashed, I had 10 days in hospital after that break up from a broken heart (or maybe it was the foot). It had low end power and not a lot else, the bike wasn't fast, but the gearing was, and it was the most fun bike I've ever had. Since that I've ridden all kinds of bikes, and none have managed to satisfy the way my mt03 could. My last bike was a vfr750, 0-60 in about 3 seconds, cornered great, it was too predictable and boring. I want something I can fold the foot pegs on, something with a front wheel that wants to disprove gravity, and something I can take off road every now and then. After watching this, you have confirmed to me that this is the bike I need... Minus the supermoto wheels and tyres that is
Thanks for this review. I have similar thoughts about leaning towards a WR250F and that will likely be my next bike. A carburated 450x is also in the cards as a more mellow option.
I added the G2 throttle tamer, Tubliss, and free mod this same bike. It put it in the sweet spot for me. First and second gear don't want to throw me off anymore. Great for technical riding, engine braking is beautiful when descending. Also, an absolute beast for climbing steep hills. Highly recommended but don't underestimate it. :D
@@fynn8252 When the motorbike was first new, yes it would stall a little too easy. After about 15-20 hours on the bike. It seems to have learned my riding style. It doesn't stall as easily now. But forces you to learn clutch/front brake controls. My next step will be to add an ECU to program the bike with a linear powerband. Hope this helps. Cheers.
I love my wr 450. It is awesome I love that it has so much power. I put a 60 40 tire on it and it bakes it in the trails it's like riding on ice it's so much fun and rides awesome on the road. I love that it comes up in every gear when ever I want it to.
I have the 2018 we 450 best bike I have ever owned I tip the scale on the bigger guy side and also am 6’4” I moved my bars to the forward holes on the triple clamps and installed a tall seat also did pipe air box mod and gytr Ecu with throttle srew I really hope this bike will last me forever haha really enjoy riding the wr
just bought a 2024 wr450f… i did all the free mods too, i also find the touchy down low and going to try your settings next ride…. love the power but ya alittle less touch at low speeds would be great
The reason I bought my YZ450FX was the app. (and the suspension) I can program it to do singletrack (torque map) or motocross (mx map) or dual sport (high mileage). Now, if they would just put a 6-speed transmission in it, that would be a dream come true.
Looking at the WR but I have a question about the app. Can you tune the bike in a way where it doesn’t rip your arms off? Like turning a race machine into a docile beginner ish friendly one? I’m also worried the longevity of the motor. Can I expect to get 400 hours before needing to take it apart? Deciding between this, the Honda 450L & KTM 500.
@@fynn8252 I've never tried to make it beginner-friendly. If you are looking for a dual sport, the 450L and KTM 500 would be a better choice. The WR450F and YZ450FX have a powerful top end surge. The other two bikes are a little more linear. All of these bikes will go 400 hours before a rebuild if you treat them well, clean the air filter often and change the oil often. The issues I have with the 450L is it is heavy and vibey. The issue I have with the 500 EXC is it is extremely vibey. My hands go numb on the 500 in 10 minutes. The YZ is electric-smooth - almost no vibes. What I don't like about the Yamaha is the 5-speed transmission. It really needs a 6th gear to be a good dual sport but that is not what it was designed for.
@@Navaho66 Thanks for the info! I ride 90 - 95% on the dirt so big road miles aren't going to be made. I trailer my bike almost everywhere with my truck now anyway. My friend has a YZ450F and he does long rides in Baja Mexico every summer (100+ miles) and it does a great job! I'm surprised you tell me the Honda is vibey, people say it's like butter compared to the KTM.
Install a flywheel weight will smooth out the power delivery some.. also a rekluse clutch ..you can adjust the engagement so it’s not so grabby..or a slight gear change smaller rear sprocket.. all things will help with smoothing out that Power hit for trail riding just a few ideas for helping with the snappy power down low.. I owned a wr 450 .
Nice one Mate👍 I got the same bike , same time and for the same reason as you , and if I was gonna do a review I'd say all the same stuff as you did to , even regrets about 250 , go team blue 💙🇦🇺
I could agree with buying a 250. The few 450’s I’ve ridden were fun, but a 250 is more fun… however I’m picking up a 2022 wr450 on Saturday, because I plan on plating it so I can ride it to the trails, and also ride the dunes in the summer. So a 250 is a bit small for those, also I like hill climbs… a 350 would honestly be perfect..
I have the '05 WR450F street legal with free mods its a beast and am thinking about a '23 but no kick-starter. Probably a dealbreaker, dead batteries can leave you stranded that can turn into a nightmare real quick.
Hi you have the Powertuner app right? You can detune it so it is super soft off the line. Make it soft as a WR250F. So you can wring it if you want. If you dont have the GYTR CCU and ECU upgrade your missing out big time. Muddy conditions I set it to super tame mode. Hard pack double track I set it to advance timing/race tune. Makes it like 2 different bikes totally.
Picked mine up this week and I love it but yeah the throttle is super touchy. Do you think it's completely safe to max out the ignition timing? I tried -2 but couldn't feel a difference. And yeah you do get a lot of intake noise but I'm completely fine with that as it means a cleaner air box, easier filter changes, you're less likely to flood the engine and lower center of mass.
9100 otd... where do you live? How much noise do you notice from thr air box/air intake being upfront on the bike? How loud is it? Very much considering buying this bike. Your feedback would be much appreciated. Nice review. Thanks for posting. 👍
I bought the bike out of state, thats about all I can say ;) The intake noise is not a big deal, there is a thread on thumpertalk that shows how to add noise deadening material to the intake. For me it was not loud enough to need that. Thanks for the support!!
How does it does it do in the REALLY slow and tight stuff? Does it want to flame out at all? I am considering a brand new TM Racing (not a KTM) 300 2 stroke and a 2021 WR450f. I have owned several different big bore 2 and 4 strokes over the years, but I am leaning toward another 2 stroke 300 due to the lower weight and due the 4 strokes that I have ridden always wanting to flame out just when the going gets tight. ...BUT... Something about the WR keeps calling me. I am 47 years old, out of shape, and I would not be racing other than an occasional hare scramble or enduro just for fun.
Not all will agree, but the 450 is not a ideal choice for slowriding or harescrambles for me anyway. I have switched to the yz250fx (comparable to wr250f) and its a great fit. The 2021 yz250fx has a smaller stator then previous years, keep that in mind if you want to run a headlight. The wr450f can be ridden anywhere with the right clutch work but it takes skill and effort. Go the 2 stroke route if you plan on more hard enduro stuff
500exc was easier to ride as a trail bike, better and easier to control in tight woods. wr450f suspension and handling over the fast stuff is 10x better. average speed under 30mph I would take a 500exc. Faster two track, whoops, more aggressive rider the wr owns. wr is stable on sandy high lines at 80mph, no headshake and very predictable. both are good bikes ktm has come a long way. Would still give lower maintenance, lower cost of ownership to the wr. The wr turns better, faster, but cant beat the ktm in tight woods
www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/maxima-profilter-ready-to-use-air-filter-p?v=16704 I think he was referring to these. Couldn’t find them anywhere else. Rocky Mountain charges for shipping with orders that are less than $75.
@@joeb2829 Okay, so you went with the Acerbis handgaurds and the PowerMadd mirror kit. Do you know if this PowerMadd mirror kit is compatible with all handgaurds? If not, I will try to find out. Then again, I'm not sure if I want to go with handgaurds for my 2020 WR450F. I need a left mirror to be street legal and I'm having trouble deciding on all the different options. Your lucky you were able to get that GYTR muffler, BR9-E47A0-V0-00. That part is discontinued and Yamaha no longer has FMF making GYTR branded exhaust systems. Therefore, I went with the FMF titanium header and muffler. Did you also put the titanium megabomb header on your WR? I had the GYTR competition kit ECU installed along with the shorter throttle stop screw. However, I have no tuner. Do you think I will need one with the full FMF exhaust system? Awesome video and I wish I could ride where you do.
@@boelens2183 I ran the stock header, bike runs just fine without the tuner or CCU. The powermadd mirrors are universal fit, you will need to drill a hole in the handguards for them to mount to. Line up the mirrors where you want them and drill the hole, just make sure your mirrors do not stick out past the handguards, if they do you will shatter them if you tip the bike over and the mirror hits the ground before the handguard. Looking back if I had kept the bike, the best thing I could have done was learning better clutch control, that training is more valuable then a tuner good luck!
Sorry man I never rode it stock. The throttle is limited to 40% on a stock bike , screw in the throttle body that stops the throttle from opening all the way. That screw came out before I rode it, as well as intake/exhaust restrictions
i rode it stock and super slow and was very disappointed…. did all the free mods and its super fast now but same thing the low end throttle is jerky but worth doing the mods cuz stock it sucks for power
Buys a WR450 and immediately uncorks it and modifies it to free up the engine to make more power...then complains about it having too much power. 🤔 Just busting your chops, great review. I would go for a WR250 per your recommendation.
This is a great review. The best Ive seen yet on this bike.
I haven't ridden for a while, because I got bored. I grew up riding on fields, and loved it . I had an mt03 a few years ago, that i smashed, I had 10 days in hospital after that break up from a broken heart (or maybe it was the foot). It had low end power and not a lot else, the bike wasn't fast, but the gearing was, and it was the most fun bike I've ever had. Since that I've ridden all kinds of bikes, and none have managed to satisfy the way my mt03 could. My last bike was a vfr750, 0-60 in about 3 seconds, cornered great, it was too predictable and boring.
I want something I can fold the foot pegs on, something with a front wheel that wants to disprove gravity, and something I can take off road every now and then. After watching this, you have confirmed to me that this is the bike I need... Minus the supermoto wheels and tyres that is
This was a great review. You do very similar riding to what I do in South East Queensland, Australia.
Thanks for this review. I have similar thoughts about leaning towards a WR250F and that will likely be my next bike. A carburated 450x is also in the cards as a more mellow option.
That bike is boss. My priority this year is to save to get 1. Hope to see more videos of your rides. 👍
I added the G2 throttle tamer, Tubliss, and free mod this same bike. It put it in the sweet spot for me. First and second gear don't want to throw me off anymore. Great for technical riding, engine braking is beautiful when descending. Also, an absolute beast for climbing steep hills. Highly recommended but don't underestimate it. :D
Does it stall easy? I own a 450X and find myself using the clutch a lot in technical riding.
@@fynn8252 When the motorbike was first new, yes it would stall a little too easy. After about 15-20 hours on the bike. It seems to have learned my riding style. It doesn't stall as easily now. But forces you to learn clutch/front brake controls. My next step will be to add an ECU to program the bike with a linear powerband. Hope this helps. Cheers.
@@antoniogalvan8488 Yes this does help!Good luck getting that ECU 👍
whats the throttle tamer?
I love my wr 450. It is awesome I love that it has so much power. I put a 60 40 tire on it and it bakes it in the trails it's like riding on ice it's so much fun and rides awesome on the road. I love that it comes up in every gear when ever I want it to.
this is so helpful. thanks man.
I love mine but I'm with you on the fact it needs to be softer on the uptake. Mines had me off twice now and I'm not a young man 🤣
I have the 2018 we 450 best bike I have ever owned I tip the scale on the bigger guy side and also am 6’4” I moved my bars to the forward holes on the triple clamps and installed a tall seat also did pipe air box mod and gytr Ecu with throttle srew I really hope this bike will last me forever haha really enjoy riding the wr
Hi From OZ
Great honest review been looking on amazon for those $10 air filter but no luck
$9.99 on www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/maxima-profilter-ready-to-use-air-filter-p?v=16704 Part # AFR-2010-02
just bought a 2024 wr450f… i did all the free mods too, i also find the touchy down low and going to try your settings next ride…. love the power but ya alittle less touch at low speeds would be great
Great Raw Review 👍🏼 thx
The reason I bought my YZ450FX was the app. (and the suspension) I can program it to do singletrack (torque map) or motocross (mx map) or dual sport (high mileage). Now, if they would just put a 6-speed transmission in it, that would be a dream come true.
Looking at the WR but I have a question about the app. Can you tune the bike in a way where it doesn’t rip your arms off? Like turning a race machine into a docile beginner ish friendly one? I’m also worried the longevity of the motor. Can I expect to get 400 hours before needing to take it apart? Deciding between this, the Honda 450L & KTM 500.
@@fynn8252 I've never tried to make it beginner-friendly. If you are looking for a dual sport, the 450L and KTM 500 would be a better choice. The WR450F and YZ450FX have a powerful top end surge. The other two bikes are a little more linear.
All of these bikes will go 400 hours before a rebuild if you treat them well, clean the air filter often and change the oil often. The issues I have with the 450L is it is heavy and vibey. The issue I have with the 500 EXC is it is extremely vibey. My hands go numb on the 500 in 10 minutes. The YZ is electric-smooth - almost no vibes. What I don't like about the Yamaha is the 5-speed transmission. It really needs a 6th gear to be a good dual sport but that is not what it was designed for.
@@Navaho66 Thanks for the info! I ride 90 - 95% on the dirt so big road miles aren't going to be made. I trailer my bike almost everywhere with my truck now anyway. My friend has a YZ450F and he does long rides in Baja Mexico every summer (100+ miles) and it does a great job! I'm surprised you tell me the Honda is vibey, people say it's like butter compared to the KTM.
Good video. I agree that it does not matter how much power it has if it is not usable you have nothing
Very good review!
My friend is coming off a Honda 125 4 stroke... He just bought this bike he's gonna flip out with the DOHC and 450 engine !
Install a flywheel weight will smooth out the power delivery some.. also a rekluse clutch ..you can adjust the engagement so it’s not so grabby..or a slight gear change smaller rear sprocket.. all things will help with smoothing out that Power hit for trail riding just a few ideas for helping with the snappy power down low.. I owned a wr 450 .
I'm certain that the new wr450f you cant get a flywheel weight for them, you have to get a weighted clutch basket.
Nice one Mate👍 I got the same bike , same time and for the same reason as you , and if I was gonna do a review I'd say all the same stuff as you did to , even regrets about 250 , go team blue 💙🇦🇺
Thanks bud, I sold the wr450 and bought a yz250fx. Added headlight, taillight, mirror and speedometer. Happier then flies in crap now
I could agree with buying a 250. The few 450’s I’ve ridden were fun, but a 250 is more fun… however I’m picking up a 2022 wr450 on Saturday, because I plan on plating it so I can ride it to the trails, and also ride the dunes in the summer. So a 250 is a bit small for those, also I like hill climbs… a 350 would honestly be perfect..
I have the '05 WR450F street legal with free mods its a beast and am thinking about a '23 but no kick-starter. Probably a dealbreaker, dead batteries can leave you stranded that can turn into a nightmare real quick.
Hi you have the Powertuner app right? You can detune it so it is super soft off the line. Make it soft as a WR250F. So you can wring it if you want. If you dont have the GYTR CCU and ECU upgrade your missing out big time. Muddy conditions I set it to super tame mode. Hard pack double track I set it to advance timing/race tune. Makes it like 2 different bikes totally.
I would put some engine ice in there the best stuff out there
I miss my WR400F, it was just a bastard to start some times.
Can you share the mapping you used? I'm always looking to try new ones, especially smooth ones to alleviate the potential whisky throttling.
cool bike bro.
Picked mine up this week and I love it but yeah the throttle is super touchy. Do you think it's completely safe to max out the ignition timing? I tried -2 but couldn't feel a difference. And yeah you do get a lot of intake noise but I'm completely fine with that as it means a cleaner air box, easier filter changes, you're less likely to flood the engine and lower center of mass.
I wonder if the earlier WR450F's that were fuel injected have the low end throttle complaints you mentioned?
Where are you located? this trial is amazing!
Hi there!
Great review. Just wanted to know how you compare this bike to the crf450L. Thanks!
I would like to know this as well!
awesome vidoe, i find it weird 250 has 6 gears yet the 450 has 5.
9100 otd... where do you live?
How much noise do you notice from thr air box/air intake being upfront on the bike? How loud is it?
Very much considering buying this bike. Your feedback would be much appreciated.
Nice review. Thanks for posting. 👍
I bought the bike out of state, thats about all I can say ;) The intake noise is not a big deal, there is a thread on thumpertalk that shows how to add noise deadening material to the intake. For me it was not loud enough to need that. Thanks for the support!!
Why does your wr450f 2020 pop up in 5th gear with no clutch and my 2022 don't but mines stock
What mapp you running
How does it does it do in the REALLY slow and tight stuff? Does it want to flame out at all? I am considering a brand new TM Racing (not a KTM) 300 2 stroke and a 2021 WR450f. I have owned several different big bore 2 and 4 strokes over the years, but I am leaning toward another 2 stroke 300 due to the lower weight and due the 4 strokes that I have ridden always wanting to flame out just when the going gets tight. ...BUT... Something about the WR keeps calling me. I am 47 years old, out of shape, and I would not be racing other than an occasional hare scramble or enduro just for fun.
Not all will agree, but the 450 is not a ideal choice for slowriding or harescrambles for me anyway. I have switched to the yz250fx (comparable to wr250f) and its a great fit. The 2021 yz250fx has a smaller stator then previous years, keep that in mind if you want to run a headlight. The wr450f can be ridden anywhere with the right clutch work but it takes skill and effort. Go the 2 stroke route if you plan on more hard enduro stuff
What makes the WR better/worse than the ktm 500 exc-f that you previously owned?
500exc was easier to ride as a trail bike, better and easier to control in tight woods. wr450f suspension and handling over the fast stuff is 10x better. average speed under 30mph I would take a 500exc. Faster two track, whoops, more aggressive rider the wr owns. wr is stable on sandy high lines at 80mph, no headshake and very predictable. both are good bikes ktm has come a long way. Would still give lower maintenance, lower cost of ownership to the wr. The wr turns better, faster, but cant beat the ktm in tight woods
@@joeb2829 Thanks for the detailed reply. I enjoyed your review. Thanks
Nice, excellent! Do you have link to air filter?
www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/maxima-profilter-ready-to-use-air-filter-p?v=16704
I think he was referring to these. Couldn’t find them anywhere else. Rocky Mountain charges for shipping with orders that are less than $75.
What hand guards do you use that accommodates a mirror? For example, can the cycris ultra hand gaurds accommodate a mirror also?
www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/acerbis-x-factory-handguards-p
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E62MUYM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
@@joeb2829 Okay, so you went with the Acerbis handgaurds and the PowerMadd mirror kit. Do you know if this PowerMadd mirror kit is compatible with all handgaurds? If not, I will try to find out. Then again, I'm not sure if I want to go with handgaurds for my 2020 WR450F. I need a left mirror to be street legal and I'm having trouble deciding on all the different options. Your lucky you were able to get that GYTR muffler, BR9-E47A0-V0-00. That part is discontinued and Yamaha no longer has FMF making GYTR branded exhaust systems. Therefore, I went with the FMF titanium header and muffler. Did you also put the titanium megabomb header on your WR?
I had the GYTR competition kit ECU installed along with the shorter throttle stop screw. However, I have no tuner. Do you think I will need one with the full FMF exhaust system?
Awesome video and I wish I could ride where you do.
@@boelens2183 I ran the stock header, bike runs just fine without the tuner or CCU. The powermadd mirrors are universal fit, you will need to drill a hole in the handguards for them to mount to. Line up the mirrors where you want them and drill the hole, just make sure your mirrors do not stick out past the handguards, if they do you will shatter them if you tip the bike over and the mirror hits the ground before the handguard. Looking back if I had kept the bike, the best thing I could have done was learning better clutch control, that training is more valuable then a tuner good luck!
Is this street legal?
Any link to the amazon filter?
Looks like sold out on amazon. Mfg Part# AFR-2010-02 www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/maxima-profilter-ready-to-use-air-filter-p
Is this bike ridable in its stock form?
Sorry man I never rode it stock. The throttle is limited to 40% on a stock bike , screw in the throttle body that stops the throttle from opening all the way. That screw came out before I rode it, as well as intake/exhaust restrictions
It’s definitely rideable in stock form. Just not as fun.
i rode it stock and super slow and was very disappointed…. did all the free mods and its super fast now but same thing the low end throttle is jerky but worth doing the mods cuz stock it sucks for power
How fast does this stock bike go?
Iv had mine at 160
Tbh it seems like you should be on a 250
edit: ah you came to same conclusion 9:40 :D
Buys a WR450 and immediately uncorks it and modifies it to free up the engine to make more power...then complains about it having too much power. 🤔
Just busting your chops, great review. I would go for a WR250 per your recommendation.