Yamaha are known for building motorcycles that are arguably the most powerful in their classes, but how is their reliability and build quality? I’ve had my 2024 Yamaha 450 for a little over a year and have logged just over the 40-hour mark. This is how those 40 hours have gone, a few tips and likes and dislikes regarding the YZ450F.
A lot of people when they get a new bike change things for personal preference, such as handlebars, grips, foot pegs, etc. However, I like to get a feel for the bike’s in-stock trim before making any adjustments. After the initial ride, it is wise with any brand to go around with your 8mm and 10mm tee bars and check all of those bolts. After doing this I have not had an issue with a loose bolt all year.
The stock grips are certainly built to last as they are incredibly hard. They win no awards in the comfort department that is for sure. So these were one of the first things I changed to a grip with a softer compound.
Below is a list of hard parts I have changed and the reason why I changed them:
Tyres (Self-explanatory, general wear and tear on hard tracks and riding all year.) Grips (As mentioned above, they were too hard for my delicate hands.) Levers (Absolutely nothing wrong with the stock lever. We were sent different levers to try and I haven’t gotten around to putting the stock ones back on.)
Filter cage (I upgraded the filter cage to the twin air one as it doesn’t have the mesh that all standard 4 strokes come with. This just cleans up the bottom end a little and makes it more crisp.)
Chain and sprockets (General ware and tare and the sprocket teeth and chain stretching, nothing you wouldn’t expect after the 20-hour mark.)
Brake pads (The same as above. The standard pads are brilliant and have a good constant feel to
them as well as good durability.)
Plastic set (I had fresh plastics for the new graphics, the only reason for swapping out the standard plastics.)
Exhaust system (I ran the GYTR (Akrapovic) system all year, it gave the bike a stronger feel pulling
through softer conditions, and would rev on slightly longer than the stock exhaust. The stock exhaust is also quite heavy compared to the titanium Akrapovic.) Radiator cap (The stock cap is only rated at 1.2, which in deep sand or muddy conditions, can be prone to overheating so I upgraded this to a 2.0.)
Things like oil and filters I have left off as this is just general maintenance, but for 40 hours I have not changed a lot.
I am still on the original piston, but I will be putting a fresh one in shortly now that conditions are beginning to get heavier, putting more strain on the engine. I have had 0 issues with the clutch and have not even taken the clutch cover off. There are the odd adjustments here and there, but besides that, it has been golden all year.
In short, I have not had to go anywhere near the inside of the engine. The closest I have gotten is changing the oil filter. So unless you are a guy or girl who’s heavy on the clutch, you can be confident that your YZ450F is going to be good for upwards of 40 hours.
It is hard to pick fault in this bike but there are a few things that do stick in my head and I feel they could be better designed. The first thing is the location of the drain bolt. It is located on the back of the engine, but the problem is you have to undo it with a spanner. There isn’t enough room between the bolt and the linkage to get a socket on there. I could get a ratchet spanner I know but it was just something that kind of annoys me when I have to keep re-positioning the spanner.
Brighter minds than me have designed this bike so I’m sure they have their reasons for it.
Now one thing, for the life of me I can not think of one good reason for is the bolts that hold the fork guards on. And not just the type of bolt but their positioning. The fork guards are held on by 3 Allen key bolts, which are evenly spaced around the bottom of the fork guard. The problem with this is unless you have a very stumpy Allen key you can’t undo one of the bolts because the wheel is in the way. I don’t understand why they couldn’t ask KYB to put 2 threads on the front of the fork and one on the outside. To me, it seems straightforward.
Now the bolt itself. Not only are they very easy to round off, but they fill with mud and dirt when you’re riding. I don’t understand why they can’t have a nice 8mm bolt. I have noticed that it isn’t just Yamaha that has these bolts, Honda and Kawasaki do too. So perhaps it is a Japanese thing.
Those are the only things that I don’t particularly like about this bike, so it’s not doing too badly.
There are lots of positive things I could say about this bike but I will try and pick my favourite 2 to keep it even. My favourite part is the mapping box. The adjustability you have in the power tuner app to customise settings is unbelievable. This coupled with the ability to alter your RPM when the launch control is engaged is nothing short of amazing. The ease of the app and how well it works is something I would definitely miss riding another brand.
The second thing is the KYB suspension. The forks and shock work so well together, I have made minimal changes all year to the clickers and it still feels so plush. The hold-up over braking bumps coming into corners is by far the best of any bike I have ridden. And after riding the 2025 model this is actually improved further. The front forks also have clickers that can easily be adjusted by hand and you do not need to get a screwdriver to do it.
With the minor improvements to the suspension and other little tweaks to the bike, I feel confident in saying that the 2025 models will be better again than an already great bike. However, if you’re not in a position to buy a new bike, at least now you know that a 2024 YZ450F with 20 hours on is still a sound investment and will see you right.
Tested and written by Brad Wheeler
