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2023 450 Shootout

2023 SML 450 Shootout | In Depth

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TEST RIDER FEEDBACK

Pat Foster

Age: 45

Height: 6’1″

Weight: 190 lbs.

Ability: Pro

Bikes Recently Raced/Ridden: 2022 Yamaha YZ450F

  1. Yamaha YZ450F
  2. Kawasaki KX450
  3. KTM 450 SX-F
  4. Honda CRF450R
  5. Husqvarna FC 450
  6. KTM 350 SX-F
  7. Gas Gas MC 450

The Yamaha YZ450F has been my favorite through the last couple of model years, and I believe that nearly every change they made to the 2023 is a significant improvement over last year. The power feels stronger yet easier to manage. The bike is lighter, narrower, and considerably more agile, especially in. the corners. I do think that the bike has sacrificed a little high-speed stability to do so, though.

The Kawasaki is amazing because it does everything well…literally everything. The engine is strong, effective, and powerful throughout the entire range with no weak points. It offers a great balance of high-speed stability and great cornering abilities.

I love the new KTM chassis as the bike is so much more planted and deliberate, especially entering corners. The power is huge. I love map 2 which has tons of torque and is easy to manage. 

To me, the Honda is one of the most fun bikes on the track! Everything is quick; the power, the handling, the cornering…it is just plain fun. The chassis improvements they have made for 2023 are a step in the right direction; it needs a little more straight-line stability.

The Husqvarna is a great overall package, but as a taller guy, I am just not a fan of the lower suspension. The other thing that holds it back is its muted power delivery due to the airbox constraints.

The 350 KTM is super fun to ride! It feels light, exciting, and lively, compared to the bigger 450s. I need a little more grunt, but the 350 wins on the fun meter.

The Gas Gas MC 450 is a great option for a lot of riders, but to me the chassis, suspension, and engine, are too soft.

Rene Garcia

Age: 22

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 180 lbs.

Ability: Pro

Bikes Recently Raced/Ridden: 2022 Honda CRF450R

  1. KTM 450 SX-F
  2. Kawasaki KX450
  3. Yamaha YZ450F
  4. KTM 350 SX-F
  5. Husqvarna FC 450
  6. Honda CRF450R
  7. Gas Gas MC 450

The KTM 450 SX-F and Kawasaki KX450 are both really amazing bikes and it was very hard for me to make up my mind about which I liked the best. I have loved the KX450 for a couple of years now, but when I rode the 2022 KT 450 SX-F Works Edition, I knew that KTM had something special. Now, as the standard 450 SX-F, the KTM is just badass. Both the KTM and Kawi have great power, handle great, and corner well. It was a really tough choice but I went with the KTM because it is all new and the Kawasaki returns unchanged for the second year in a row.

The Yamaha YZ450F is awesome and a huge improvement over the bike it replaces. The engine is super strong and has a giant range of adjustability, but I think that the bike needs some work in the handling department. The KYB suspension is great, but the balance of the bike is off and this gives it a nervous feeling at high speeds and under deceleration.

I really believe that more people should look into the 350s. The KTM 350 SX-F has more than enough power to do all the jumps that 450s can, and it handles much differently than any of the bigger bikes because of its powerband. Super fun bike. I’d say that ego is the only thing keeping more people from going 350.

The Husqvarna is a solid bike, but it lacks some power – and especially bottom-end – in comparison to its big brother. The bike also has a heavier and harsher feel.

Honda has the best engine in the class! The CRF450R rips! It corners with precision and is easy to move on the track, but it is nervous at high speeds and a little too harsh at times.

I believe that the Gas Gas MC 450 is a great bike for novice riders or vets who are just looking for a solid performer with lots of potential. You can buy a Gas Gas and use the money you saved, to build it up exactly as you’d wish.

Donn Maeda

Age: 54

Height: 5’9″

Weight: 165

Ability: Intermediate

Bikes Recently Raced/Ridden: 2022 Kawasaki KX450SR

  1. Kawasaki KX450
  2. Yamaha YZ450F
  3. KTM 350 SX-F
  4. Honda CRF450R
  5. KTM 450 SX-F
  6. Gas Gas MC 450
  7. Husqvarna FC 450

I was very excited about our final day of comparison testing as I had ridden the Yamaha YZ450F in Florida previously but wanted to see how it stacked up against the rest. I have to say that although the Kawasaki KX450 returns with no changes for the second year in a row, it is still the best all-around package with no glaring faults. The engine is broad and easy to control and can be revved or lugged with equal efficiency. The KX450 has the second-best suspension setup and the bike handles well across the board.

Holding the Yamaha YZ450F back for me was the lack of stability I experienced and the front-end bias. While the Yamaha engine is amazing and supremely powerful with a seemingly unlimited range of tuneability, I was caught off guard on several occasions with a front-end twitch on the blue bike. The Yamaha has the best suspension components and comfort, but the bike needs a little more set-up than the Kawasaki. And that’s what held it to second in my book.

I absolutely love the KTM 350 SX-F and it is a bike I spend plenty of time on. Thanks to its freer-revving engine it feels much, much, lighter than the full-sized KTM, allowing it to handle better and respond to rider input almost instinctively. The engine has a more power than any other 350 before it has, and it is plenty competitive against full-sized bikes in the class.

The changes Honda made to the CRF450R had me scratching my head when I read about them, but a stiffer chassis and engine mounts actually make the bike feel plusher! The smaller throttle body also beefs up the bike’s low-end throttle response, which actually makes the Honda smoother and easier to control. Amazing powerband and a big improvement!

The KTM 450 SX-F would have done better in the comparison test if we had not included the 350 SX-F. Not only because its absence would move the 450 up one spot, but because the 450 wouldn’t have felt abrupt and heavy in comparison. I love the 350 so much that it makes the 450 seem unpleasant in comparison.

I really enjoy the Gas Gas MC 450. The bike is super-easy to ride and offers a ton – and I mean a ton – of comfort. This is the best bike if you just want to ride and have fun. To race it, however, I would need to firm up the suspension and change the handlebars.

In addition to revving and building power slower than the KTM, the Husqvarna FC 450 also feels heavier thanks to its different power curve, The suspension and chassis also seemed to offer less comfort. 

Kyle Puerner

Age: 54

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 180 lbs.

Ability: Intermediate

Bikes Recently Raced/Ridden: 2022 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition

  1. Kawasaki KX450
  2. Yamaha YZ450F
  3. KTM 450 SX-F
  4. Honda CRF450R
  5. Husqvarna FC 450
  6. KTM 350 SX-F
  7. Gas Gas MC 450

Kawasaki gets the nod again this year. I don’t get the most seat time on the KX450 throughout the year but I always feel the most comfortable on the green machine. The Kawasaki is a very stable and confidence-inspiring bike that corners great at the same time. The engine is super strong but easy to make good use of. No faults in the Kawasaki, whatsoever.

The new Yamaha YZ450F was a very exciting bike to ride because it is all new. And it feels like it! The Yamaha doesn’t feel at all like a Yamaha. It is very fast with a strong engine that has tons of overrev. The suspension is again best in class with great hold up and a plush feel. The only thing that held it back from winning in my book is the busy feel of the front. I lowered the forks in the clamps (from 7 mm to 5 mm) and that seemed to help. With more seat time and testing I could race this bike.

KTM’s 450 SX-F is the most familiar to me and it is another great bike. The top three are all so close, actually. The bike has a racey feel with a strong engine, and I like the new stiffer chassis which has a very precise feel. The suspension is very versatile.

Honda made a few steps forward in 2023! The CRF450R has much-improved handling. To me, the CRF is one of the best-looking bikes and its fit and finish are always top-notch. On the track, I felt much better on this year’s bike than in years past. It is much more stable and comfortable.

The Husqvarna FC 450 is another great bike but I am not sure I care for the lower ride height. I need lots of time to adjust to the Husky as it just doesn’t have the same feel on the track as a KTM.

The KTM 350 SX-F is the most fun bike I have ever ridden. It has a light feel on the track and it is easy to ride and requires the least energy. I am just not sure how it would stack up against 450s on a track like Glen Helen.

The Gas Gas MC 450 gets last not because it’s a bad bike at all. It is set up for easy rideability and comfort, but to race it I would need some suspension work and added power.

Brian “Scrub Daddy” Smith

Age: 56

Height: 5’6″

Weight: 175 lbs.

Ability: Intermediate

Bikes Recently Raced/Ridden: 2022 Suzuki RM-Z450

  1. Yamaha YZ450F
  2. Kawasaki KX450
  3. KTM 450 SX-F
  4. Husqvarna FC 450
  5. Honda CRF450R
  6. Gas Gas MC 450
  7. KTM 350 SX-F

All of the bikes were amazing, but I picked the bikes in this order because that’s what worked for me. I am going with the Yamaha all the way because that bike is just so fast and it just goes! At first, I was caught off guard by the twitchy in the front end, but I normally ride a Suzuki so I got comfortable with that real quick. The Yamaha has a crazy fast engine and the suspension is super comfortable and I feel right at home on it. I like the new skinnier body too!

The Kawasaki was a really close second. In fact, it could have won but I chose the Yamaha because it is all new. The Kawasaki is the same as it’s been for three years now and even though it is a great bike with no weaknesses, they have to at least update something! The KX450 has a perfect engine and it is really easy to control. The suspension is great and the bike corners great, too.

The KTM is a lot easier to ride and control than it used to be. The first time swap put me on a KTM 450 SX-F I took it back real quick because it was too fast and hard to control. The new bike is a lot friendlier and I feel like I can trust it right away. It corners nice and it is easy to throw around.

The Husqvarna should feel just like the KTM, but some differences in the suspension and engine make it not as fun to ride. The bike is a little but uncomfortable in the bumps compared to the KTM but I still like the bike overall.

The Honda CRF450R is a fun bike to ride because it is so fast. It does everything fast. It accelerates fast and it handles fast. I think I coudl get along great with this bike but it does surprise me sometimes in the rough sections.

I really like the Gas Gas a lot. When I rode it alone before the shootout I was happy with it, but when you ride it against the other bikes you can tell that it is slower. It is a lot softer, too, which makes it comfortable.

I think the KTM 350 SX-F is a slow old man’s bike. That thing just doesn’t have enough power and I was scared to do all the jumps on it. I like the way it feels light and easy to throw around but it isn’t the bike for me.

Kyle Vara

Age: 30

Height: 5’8″

Weight: 165 lbs

Ability: Pro

Bikes Recently Raced/Ridden: 2022 Kawasaki KX450

  1. Kawasaki KX450
  2. KTM 450 SX-F
  3. KTM 350 SX-F
  4. Yamaha YZ450F
  5. Gas Gas MC 450
  6. Husqvarna FC 450
  7. Honda CRF450R

The Kawasaki is just so well-rounded, that it is hard to beat. The engine is powerful all the way through the power curve and it is very easy to control. I like the rear-end weight bias of the KX450 because the bike slides through corners really well under power. The Kawasaki is stable, but also takes the inside line better than you would expect a long-feeling bike to. I am completely confident on this bike and know what to expect.

KTM’s 450 SX-F has the strongest engine in the class, in my opinion. It hits super hard but it can be hard to control at times…you need to choose your map and traction control settings according to the track conditions. The bike’s ergonomics are perfect and I love the feel of the new chassis. This is a very close second for me.

I love the free-revving feel of the KTM 350 SX-F engine as it gives the bike a light, racey feel. The engine is strong throughout the rpm range and the new chassis is very nimble. The suspension feels plush, the bike corners great, and the bike is also stable in a straight line. I felt right at home on the KTM, in short order. Why don’t more people race 350s?

Yamaha’s engine is fast and controllable and it has the best bottom-end to mid-range in the class. It is easy to ride and the maps and Power Tuner app have unlimited adjustability. The suspension is good with a few adjustments; I had to drop the fork in the clamps to give the bike a better-balanced feel. In the stock settings the front-end bias was too aggressive and the bike was twitchy.

The Gas Gas MC 450 is underpowered but it revs freely with strong bottom-end power. The bike is easy and fun to ride, though…if I weren’t interested in pushing myself on the track, this is the bike I would choose to have an enjoyable time.

A lack of bottom-end throttle response really holds the Husqvarna FC 450 back. It has great mid-range and top-end but it could use more punch down low. The bike is on the soft side and I found myself blowing through the fork stroke easily. This allows the suspension to ride low in the harsh area, and that affects the comfort of the bike, too.

I was never comfortable with

the Honda CRF450R. The engine is very fast, but that combined with the nervous feel of the chassis is not good. The CRF450R corners well but entering the corner is tough because the front end is a little busy. I love the feel so. the Honda though; ergonomically it is amazing. I would like to take some weight bias off the front end and get the rear to squat more for better overall balance.

 

 

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Donn Maeda

Donn Maeda is a 30-year veteran in moto-journalism, having worked at Cycle News and Dirt Rider before launching MXracer Magazine and TransWorld Motocross Magazine. Maeda is the Editor-In-Chief at Swapmoto Live and you can catch him on a dirt bike or in the saddle of a mountain bike on most days.

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