Motocross · Four stroke
Yamaha YZ450F
Yamaha's 450 motocross bike. The reverse cylinder engine, the KYB SSS suspension and the tuning app are why so many Aussie clubmen end up on one. Sold in Australia from 2003 to 2026, 24 model years.
About the Yamaha YZ450F
The YZ450F is the 450 that riders keep coming back to. Since 2010 it has run a rearward slanting cylinder with the intake at the front and the exhaust out the back, which puts the weight in the middle of the bike and gives it that planted, easy to turn feel. The KYB SSS fork is the one everybody else gets compared to, and the standard settings work for most riders straight out of the crate.
It suits a clubman or vet rider who wants strong, controllable power without a big setup job. Against the CRF450R it is a little softer and friendlier at the bottom; against the KTM 450 SX F it feels a bit heavier but more settled at speed. If you are racing every second weekend and want the bike to just work, it is hard to go past.
What changed by year
- 2010 to 2013
- The first reverse cylinder engine with fuel injection and an aluminium bilateral beam frame. Still kick start. Wide at the shrouds and a bit heavy, but bulletproof. Cheap now, and a good first 450.
- 2014 to 2017
- New engine and slimmer chassis, air filter under the seat. A big step in handling. 2016 and 2017 got a wider spread of power and a smoother clutch.
- 2018 to 2022
- Electric start, a new engine and the Power Tuner phone app so you can change mapping in the pits. 2020 brought a revised frame and more aggressive power. These are the pick for a used buyer on a budget.
- 2023 onwards
- All new bike: lighter engine, new frame, traction control and launch control through the app, and a much slimmer feel. The 2024 and later bikes are small refinements of this one.
Servicing a YZ450F
Oil is the big one. Yamaha runs a wet sump shared with the gearbox, so the oil takes a beating from the clutch as well as the engine. Change it every 5 to 10 hours depending on how hard you ride, and the filter every second change. It takes just under a litre with a filter, and a 10W 40 or 10W 50 full synthetic like Yamalube or Motul 300V is what most owners run.
Clean or swap the air filter every ride, more often in sand. Yamaha valves are known for holding their clearances, but check them at the interval in the table and any time the bike gets hard to start. A race bike wants a piston and rings around 40 to 50 hours; a trail or clubman bike can go longer if compression is still good.
Engine hours between jobs: the schedule the Digital Garage tracks for this bike, based on the manual. Racers and hard riders go sooner, as above. Ride in sand or mud and halve the engine ones.
| Job | Every |
|---|---|
| Air filter clean and re-oil | 3h |
| Chain clean, lube and adjust | 3h |
| Engine oil change | 8h |
| Oil filter replace | 8h |
| Fastener torque check | 8h |
| Spoke tension check | 8h |
| Cables and throttle lube | 15h |
| Valve clearance check | 15h |
| Spark plug replace | 25h |
| Rear brake pads | 25h |
| Silencer repack | 30h |
| Linkage bearings grease | 30h |
| Tyres, tubes and rim locks | 30h |
| Grips inspect / replace | 40h |
| Top end inspect (piston, rings, cylinder) | 40h |
| Clutch plates inspect | 40h |
| Chain slider, guide and roller | 40h |
| Fork service (oil and seals) | 40h |
| Front brake pads | 40h |
| Fuel filter / in-tank screen | 45h |
| Coolant flush | 60h |
| Chain and sprockets replace | 60h |
| Shock service | 60h |
| Swingarm bearings grease | 60h |
| Steering head bearings grease | 60h |
| Wheel bearings inspect | 60h |
| Radiator, hoses and clamps | 60h |
| Throttle body clean | 80h |
| Wiring and connectors | 80h |
| Bottom end inspect / rebuild | 100h |
Parts that fit a YZ450F
Motul 7100 Ester 100% Synthetic 10W-40 Engine Oil 4L$139.90 · members $118.92
Hiflofiltro Oil Filter for GasGas, TM & Yamaha$15.50 · members $13.18
Hiflofiltro Oil Filter HF140 for Yamaha$14.95 · members $12.71
Zeta Front Brake Reservoir Cover Kawasaki/Suzuki/Yamaha - Blue$39.95 · members $33.96
Acerbis Fuel Tank 12L Yamaha YZ250F 24-26 / YZ450F 23-26 - Clear$699.95 · members $594.96
FunnelWeb Air Filter for Yamaha YZ450F (2023-On)$49.95 · members $42.46
Motorex Formula 4 Stroke 10W40 4L$99.95 · members $84.96
Motorex Cross Power 4T 10W60 - 1L$47.50 · members $40.38
Motorex White Grease 100g$31.95 · members $27.16
Motorex Gear Oil Sae 10W30 1L$29.95 · members $25.46
Motorex Hydraulic Fluid 75-200ml$29.95 · members $25.46
Motorex 4 Stroke 20W50 4L$79.95 · members $67.96
Buying a used Yamaha YZ450F
Check the hours if it has a meter, and if it does not, look at the footpegs, the frame rails under the boots and the countershaft area for wear. Push the bike in gear and feel for a notchy clutch. Pull the seat and look at the air filter and the airbox: a dirty airbox on a bike listed as "fully serviced" tells you what you need to know. On the 2018 and later bikes make sure it starts on the button every time, because a weak battery or starter clutch is a common and annoying fault.
Prices in Australia run from a few thousand for a tidy 2010 to 2013 bike, through the middle for a 2018 to 2022, up to near new money for a 2023 onwards. The recent sold prices on the Marketplace page linked below are the best guide to what people actually pay.
Used Yamaha YZ450Fs for sale
7 listed on the MWMX Marketplace right now.
Yamaha YZ450F known issues
Starter clutch and battery on 2018 onwards
The electric start bikes can develop a starter clutch that slips, and the small battery does not like sitting flat over winter. Keep it on a tender and listen for a whir with no crank.
Heat and oil consumption
A 450 run hard in summer will use a bit of oil. Check the sight glass before every ride rather than assuming it is fine.
Throttle stop and mapping
Plenty of used bikes have a mystery map loaded from the app. Reset to standard first, then tune from there.
Yamaha YZ450F questions
- How often should I change the oil in a YZ450F?
- Every 5 to 10 engine hours for a bike that is raced or ridden hard, every 10 to 15 for a trail bike, with a new filter every second change.
- How much oil does a YZ450F take?
- Just under a litre with a filter change. Check the sight glass on the side of the engine after a short warm up, with the bike upright.
- Which year YZ450F is best?
- The 2023 onwards bike is the lightest and best handling. For a used buyer the 2018 to 2022 bikes give you electric start and the tuning app for a lot less money.
- Is the YZ450F good for a beginner?
- A 450 is a lot of bike for a first motocross bike. If you are new to the sport a YZ250F or a trail bike is a friendlier place to start.