2006 produced some mighty fine hardware in the 450F class. With all the big-time racers committing to these monsters, don't you think it's time that you followed suit?
Things surely could have been different if all six of the original bikes slated for this test had showed up. With Yamaha joining the aluminum chassis club, but with a different and very sweet approach, the totally revised YZ450F has 300 different parts than the 2005 model! As for the KTM 450SX-F, it too has some notable changes that could have allowed it to dice with the rest of the bunch. Oh well, maybe next year.
To come up with our rankings, our test riders were asked to evaluate the major components of the bikes in order to compare the highs and lows of each bike with one another. They also ranked all four of the bikes as complete machines, taking into account everything including unique quirks, styling, ease of starting, etcetera. The tallied component scores were consistent with the overall numbers, leaving no doubt as to the victor of MotorcycleUSA's 2006 450F shootout.
As is probably rather obvious, the ATK, while interesting and unique on the track, didn't get the greatest performance reviews from any of our riders. Considering the antiquated, bulky chassis and tame motor, the ATK could have been simply neglected from the start, but our riders put in their time on the grey beast. There's plenty of good things about the 450 MX.
It isn't every day that you see a 450 MX at the local track. That's one of the biggest appeals of the ATK - rarity.
The one thing that the ATK really has going for it is that nobody else has one. Having been confined to Japanese bikes for my entire life, I personally hadn't experienced the effects that a rare motorcycle will have on fellow enthusiasts. Everywhere we went someone was asking us about it and more heads turned to look at me through the pits than if I was riding a $20K James Stewart replica.
The ATK is a bit awkward and a bit funky, but it has more character and neat factor built in than the other three combined. Also, Ohlins suspension is high-quality stuff, and the fork and shock were certainly highlights for the bike. It also comes with ProTaper bars, a Magura hydraulic clutch, braided-steel brake lines and the best electric starting we've ever experienced on an off-road bike. All of our testers felt that with a little weight reduction, power gains and chassis upgrades, the ATK could easily become much more competitive. For 2006, however, it brings up the rear in our testing and is one spot off the shootout podium in fourth.
The closest battle for position was for second place between the Honda CRF450R and Suzuki RM-Z450. Despite higher marks for its four-speed transmission and suspension components, the Suzuki fell short by a slim margin to wind up in third place. Headshake was the biggest complaint from any of our riders, a product of the sharp steering geometry. Suzukis are notorious for quick handling, but there can be too much of a good thing. None of our riders gave special mention of handling superiority, but couldn't lay off the headshake issue.
Honda has won seemingly countless shootouts with its jaw-dropping CRF450R, but the competition has been learning with every defeat. Sooner or later it was bound to happen and the CRF couldn't sail away with victory this time around.
I personally enjoyed the RM-Z and very nearly put it at the top of my list. I really liked the aggressive rider position, well-rounded suspension, accessible power delivery and bright bodywork. Our riders went back and forth on the Zook's styling, but love it or hate it, the RM-Z definitely brings something different to the table with its contrasting yellow-blue scheme and angular features.
Longstanding champion of the 450F class, Honda hasn't been messing with their winning formula all that much. With the original aluminum frame, a great motor, strong brakes and lots of attention to detail, why should they? Yamaha pioneered the 4-stroke development, but it didn't take long for the majority of privateers to switch to red once the CRF450R came out. The 450R has probably won more shootouts since its release than any other big-bore thumper, but that's been changing very rapidly this year with Kawasaki arriving on the scene and the other manufacturers making long lists of improvements. However, with the exception of ATK, the Honda was the least revised for 2006.
The biggest change for the Honda this year is the repositioning of the motor and radiators 5mm lower to help improve steering prowess by lowering the center of gravity. I'm sure that Big Red doesn't like to be knocked off its pedestal, and it's probably safe to say that we'll see some major changes from Honda next year. Despite claiming the top spots in the motor and brakes departments, the CRF450R finishes runner-up to this year's MotorcycleUSA shootout winner.
Trying to pick a new bike can sometimes be like chasing your own tail. That wasn't the case in our shootout. We chased each other around the track, but when it came time to pick a winner, our decision was crystal clear.
Kawasaki's brand-new KX450F! We almost hate to say it just because Kawi won our 250F shootout as well, but hey, we call 'em how we see 'em.
It's been a rough few years for Kawasaki with its KX250 taking a beating at the hands of the other manus' big bikes. But that's all over with now, and the wait was well worth it. The KX-F cleaned house pretty much across the board, and was an easy pick for all of our testers. That makes it a clean MCUSA sweep this year for the Green company. Kawasaki has definitely gotten its MX act together, and the renewed emphasis on racing has launched the KX-F line to the front of the pack.
None of the established 450F builders are going to take kindly to being bullied on the playground, but for the time being, 2006 is a great year to be riding green. Mark my words, though, next year everything will be a little bit bigger and a little bit badder.
Get the scoop on our
test riders, JC Hilderbrand, Mike Mandahl and Anthony Rondon to see what they'd really pick if forced to throw down.
Let us know what you think about the wicked new
2006 450Fs in the MCUSA Forum.
