Big Guys Ride Too! | 2023 Big and Tall 450 Shootout

 
Presented by Fasthouse

A few years ago, we realized that not all riders are created equal when it comes to height and weight. Of course, varying speeds and abilities affect how each bike can suit individual riders, but what about sizes? That’s why for 2020 we started the Swapmoto Live Big and Tall 450 Shootout, as plenty of larger-than-average riders and racers purchase 450cc dirt bikes. How does the new Yamaha suit someone over 6′ tall? Does the KTM WP air fork pump up firm enough for a 250-pound rider? We wanted to know!

Alas, thanks to our friends at Fasthouse, we present to you the fourth-annual Big and Tall 450 Shootout. For this comparison, we recruited our in-house Clydesdale, Dominic Gaytan, and rounded out the tester panel with Twenty-Three Media’s Michael Corlee and Shock Therapy Racing’s Steve Piatonni. All three riders tip the scales over 220 lbs. and they range in height from 5’8″ to 6’3″, and all have many years of riding experience and can get around. the track at impressive speeds.

In our “standard” 2023 450 Shootout, the Kawasaki KX450 came out on top for the second year in a row and was followed very closely by the all-new Yamaha YZ450F. The KTM 450 SX-F rounded out the podium, followed by the Honda CRF450R, Husqvarna FC 450, and the Gas Gas MC450F. For the past three years, however, the KTM 450 SX-F has reigned supreme in the Big and Tall Shootout, as its massive powerband a highly adjustable suspension won the hearts of the big boys over. Would the story remain the same in 2023? Watch the video above to find out. To read more from each of our Clydesdale test panel, please visit the pages that follow!