Track Tested | 2020 SML 450 MX Shootout

Rider Impressions

Connor Ericsson

Age: 25

Ability: Intermediate

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 190 lbs.

Bikes recently raced/ridden: 2019 Honda CRF450R

1. KTM 450 SX-F
2. Husqvarna FC 450
3. Honda CRF450R
4. Yamaha YZ450F
5. Kawasaki KX450
6. Suzuki RM-Z450

For me, the Husqvarna really blew me away and I was super impressed with its power and the comfortable ride that the steel chassis provides. The power was super versatile and controllable, and I really liked the traction control feature when the track got dry. But then I rode the KTM and for me, that was it! The KTM is just as great as the Husky, but with a more aggressive race-bred feel to it. The suspension was firmer and for me that’s a good thing. I felt that both bikes had a great connection with the track…I could feel every movement beneath me that gave me a feeling of having full control over the motorcycle. The KTM was easy for me to rip on, and I can see now why these bikes are becoming so popular at the track.

Pat Foster

Age: 42

Ability: Pro

Height/Weight: 6’1”, 180 lbs.

Bikes recently raced/ridden: 2019 Yamaha YZ450F

1. Yamaha YZ450F
2. Kawasaki KX450
3. Honda CRF450R
4. Husqvarna FC 450
5. KTM 450 SX-F
6. Suzuki RM-Z450

The Yamaha is a clear winner for me with what I feel is the best power delivery, the best suspension action, and the most predictable handling in the class. The engine is excellent as delivered, but the phone app adjustability is next level. The suspension action is what every manufacturer should aspire to attain, and although there are better cornering bikes, Yamaha has made impressive gains in that department. The Kawasaki was a close second with a great motor and the best blend of stability, cornering performance, and overall comfort. What held it back for me what the lack of adjustability in mapping (two optional couplers must be physically changed in the pits) and the fact that the fork was a little too soft for my tastes.

Rene Garcia

Age: 19

Ability: Pro

Height/Weight: 5’10”, 155 lbs.

Bikes recently raced/ridden: 2019 Yamaha YZ250F

1. Kawasaki KX450
2. Yamaha YZ450F
3. Honda CRF450R
4. Husqvarna FC 450
5. KTM 450 SX-F
6. Suzuki RM-Z450

The Yamaha YZ450F and Kawasaki KX450 were very close for me. I was comfortable on the Yamaha because I race a YZ250F, but even so it felt like a big bike on the track. Thinning out the YZ450F and improving its cornering performance would put the blue bike in the top spot. And that’s exactly what the Kawasaki feels like: a slim, better-turning version of the Yamaha. The KX450 and YZ450F both have great engines, suspension and comfort, but the Kawi gets the nod from me. The suspension balance of the Kawasaki was great, and the bike had a very stable and safe feel at speed. The Honda was also very close in third, but it was just a little too harsh for my liking, and it sometimes caught me off guard with some headshake or a rear-end twitch.

Donn Maeda

Age: 50

Ability: Intermediate

Height/Weight: 5’9”, 175 lbs.

Bikes recently raced/ridden: 2019 Yamaha YZ250F, 2019 Kawasaki KX450, 2020 Husqvarna FC 350

1. Kawasaki KX450
2. Honda CRF450R
3. Yamaha YZ450F
4. Husqvarna FC 450
5. KTM 450 SX-F
6. Suzuki RM-Z450

This was the hardest shootout I’ve ever ridden in as choosing between the Kawasaki, Honda and Yamaha came down to splitting hairs. The Kawasaki inspires a lot of confidence in me thanks to its awesome suspension package and stable, predictable handling. The green bike corners great in spite of its big feel, and I just feel really safe on it. Of course, the engine is great and I wouldn’t even change the pipe if it weren’t so massive and ugly. The Yamaha has the best powerband and is infinitely tunable. Throw in the best suspension in the class and much-improved handling (cornering!), and it was a really tough call. Ultimately it was the Kawasaki’s slimmer feel that earned it the nod. The Honda also has a near-perfect powerband and I love the compact ergonomics the most. Once in a while, the CRF would twitch or shake and catch me off guard, but I suspect that can be tuned out with suspension work and different engine mounts.

Kyle Puerner

Age: 51

Ability: Intermediate

Height/Weight: 6’, 185 lbs.

Bikes recently raced/ridden: 2019 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition

1. Yamaha YZ450F
2. Kawasaki KX450
3. KTM 450 SX-F
4. Honda CRF450R
5. Husqvarna FC 450
6. Suzuki RM-Z450

I have never chosen the Yamaha YZ450F as the winner of a shootout but there’s a first for everything. The issues I’ve had in previous years have all been fized and the chassis is much more predictable. The engine is amazing and you really never need to slip the clutch as it makes great power everywhere. The suspension is the best in class. The Kawasaki is the most stable bike and I feel really safe and comfortable on it. It’s very close to the Yamaha in every way, but the YZ450F just has a little more appeal. I normally race a KTM and the new 2020 outperforms my ’19 Factory Edition in every way. It is super snappy and when it is dry and slick there isn’t a better bike.

Mike Sleeter

Age: 39

Ability: Pro

Height/Weight: 5’8”, 168 lbs.

Bikes recently raced/ridden: 2019 Kawasaki KX450, 2019 Yamaha YZ450F

1. Yamaha YZ450F
2. Kawasaki KX450
3. KTM 450 SX-F
4. Husqvarna FC 450
5. Honda CRF450R
6. Suzuki RM-Z450

It’s really hard to fault the Yamaha or find a weakness in its performance. The engine is near-perfect as is, and it is super easy to fine-tune thanks to the Yamaha Power Tuner App. The optional map that Travis Preston and the Yamaha R&D team developed gives the bike even better response down low and a better spread of power from top to bottom. The Kawasaki KX450 was a very, very close second for me as it has great suspension, handles amazingly well, and has a strong engine with a nice light feel. The Kawasaki is super trustworthy and it corners better than the Yamaha. In the end, it was the little things that gave the YZ450F the nod: on-the-fly map adjustability, the Power Tuner App, and its greatly improved cornering and feel.