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Two Months with the 2023 Yamaha YZ450F

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Several weeks have passed since we took delivery of our 2023 Yamaha YZ450F test bike, and since then, we have been enjoying our time on the all-new blue bike at tracks all over SoCal. When we first threw our legs over the new machine at the press launch at the Star Racing Goat Farm, we were very impressed with the powerband that the new engine produces as it is super robust, yet easier to control than last years thanks to a smoother transition between low-end and the monstrous mid-range hit. On the perfect, chocolate-cake-type surface that we initially tested the bike on, Yamaha techs set our bike up with 95mm of shock sag; a setting that we hadn’t seen since the two-stroke glory days back in the early 2000s! During out initial test sessions back in our SoCal locale with Yamaha, the technicians recommended 100mm of sag but left to our own devices, we experimented with everything from the 100 they left us with, all the way to 110mm of sag. Obviously, the bike didn’t corner that well with that much sag, but we found that the happy spot for most of our testers was indeed the 105mm that seems to have become the norm in recent years. Yamaha delivers the YZ450F with 7mm of fork tube extending above the triple clamps, and we have found that the bike has a more stable feel without sacrificing cornering precision with the tubes lowered a couple of millimeters, to five. Of course, everyone has their own preferences (Eli Tomac told us that he runs only 92mm of sag for Supercross!), but most riders whom we have taken our test bike for a spin agree that the new blue machine feels great with 105mm of shock sag and the fork lowered to 5mm above the top triple clamp.

In the past, we’ve found that it was very, very tough for aftermarket exhaust manufacturers to beat the OEM system on the YZ450F, mostly because it is an excellent part, but also because the GYT-R Power Tuner App allows the user to customize his bike’s powerband with the press of a phone screen. Would this remain true with the all-new 2023 YZ450F? The crew at FMF Racing has been working feverishly with the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha team to maximize the power output of the new blue bikes for Eli Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis, and if there was anyone with a head start on the development, it was the Flying Machine Factory.

Don Emler Jr. sent us an FMF Factory 4.1 Titanium Muffler ($799.99) and a matching Titanium Megabomb Header ($524.99) for our test bike, and we headed to the track skeptical because we’ve always loved Yamaha’s OEM system, but hopeful because we knew that the FMF system would cut weight, look cooler, and sound better. Let’s just say that removing the stock muffler, mid-pipe, and header pipe was nothing short of an arduous task. And doing so while the motorcycle was hot (the best testing is done at the track, with back-to-back comparisons) proved even trickier. 

Thankfully, for as difficult to remove as the stock header and mid-pipe were, the FMF pieces slipped on easily and fit perfectly. The precision fit between the two intricate pieces is impressive, and the header and mid-pipe are held together tightly with supplied springs (and installed with a complimentary spring puller). 

FMF Racing is the only aftermarket exhaust manufacturer to offer its titanium mufflers with a blue anodized finish, and when mounted on a Yamaha, there is nothing cooler! Just be sure to wipe off any greasy fingerprints on the can before heating it up for the first time…you don’t want the prints to become permanent!

All told, installing the FMF system only took about 10 minutes, with the toughest task being reinstalling the three 8mm header pipe nuts. Once the system was bolted on, we hit the electric start button and took to the track with bated breath. The difference in the bike’s power delivery was immediately apparent. While the exhaust note is deeper and much more audibly pleasing, the thing that caused a wide smile to creep over our faces was the immediate throttle response and strong, linear powerband yielded by the system. Even though the new 2023 YZ450F has a smoother transition from low-end to mid-range than the violent hit of the 2022 bike, the FMF system further fills in the gap and makes the bike even easier to control and go fast on. The YZF seems to rev more freely with the system installed, providing better throttle response down low and overrev up top. 

While the powerband of the YZ450F is still widely tuneable with the Power Tuner App, the FMF system provides improvements in throttle response and engine feel that may not be obtainable through a smartphone alone. Without hesitation, we are glad to report that the FMF Factory 4.1 muffler and Powerbomb header offer noticeable, distinct performance gains over the OEM system, and we will definitely be leaving this setup on our SML YZ450F!

fmfracing.com

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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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