THE YES VOTE
The biggest mistake this industry at large has made is settling on the 450 four-stroke is the flagship model in any line. At first it was fun and intriguing to have a four-stroke performing as they did from 1998 onwards. But since then the mantra has been less weight and more power while the marketing has all about win, win, win. This is nothing new of course but it comes at a time when there are less options for those not interested in winning, winning, winning and more interested in fun, fun, fun. While there were monsters in the past, like the XR650 and the 490s through to the mighty 500s, most of us didn’t ride them. We had 125s, 175s, 200s, 250s and 300s to choose from and the majority were stoked to be out and about on anything from the 175 to 250 range. The 500s were left to those special few who could ride a 500cc 60Hp bike that had anger issues. But now the smaller capacity bikes are all but gone we’re corralled into fewer choices and with many manufactures that is one of only two bikes, a 250F or a 450F. The 450 is now hitting the output of the 500cc two-stroke as well as the weight. It’s amazing what the manufacturers have done over the last decade but it ignores one simple fact; they are so powerful that they inspire fear in many that ride them. People are becoming turned off by the bikes offered because they are far, far beyond not only anything they need but anything they want. Witness the average punter leaving a shop with a new 450 that must have a new pipe on it so he gets more power. Why? We are so ingrained that bikes need mods to be at their best that we’re totally blind to the fact that you will never ride that 450 to its potential let alone what it’s capable of with a pipe on it. Manufactures are building bikes that are too much for their target audience. Guys are getting tired wrestling 60Hp into line. They’re getting scared to rip the throttle because there is no way to bring a runaway 450 back into line. Most of us do this for fun on a weekend after slaving for the man all week and we don’t want to have our bikes dominating us all day like a paying customer at bondage brothel. The 450 has gone too far. Many pros we have spoken to agree and just about every manufacturer rep and mechanic have agreed as well. We need bikes the average guy can ride again and ride to somewhere near their potential. The pros can have the mega units all to themselves and we can at least have the choice to ride something less bombastic.
THE NO VOTE
The 450 is a modern marvel and it should left to continue developing. The argument that they’re too close to a 500cc two-stroke is crazy because you can’t compare that particular beast with a four-stroke. The two have totally different ride characteristics and there’s no way the four-stoke isn’t easier to ride than a KX500 ever was. The 450 works so well because it’s so versatile and suits such a wide range of riders. It’s like rolling three capacities into one and you can ride them fairly sedately or a pro can take the ‘bars and compete at damn near stock. That’s what we’ve always wanted isn’t it. A bike that can do everything. If anything the 450 has made it better to race because the power is more controllable than on a two-stroke and the bike itself is way more stable and plated. Every year they get easier and easier to live with as the service intervals stretch further and electronic control usurps spanners and screwdrivers. And who’s afraid of a little mumbo? Isn’t that what motorsport is all about? Getting scared every now and then is what this is all about. Taming the beast is a huge chunk of the fun, and when you do get it right there’s not much that can beat the feeling of nailing a rut on a 450 at speed. Bikes are so tuneable these days – just look at Yamaha’s new Power Tuner app for example – that you can tailor a 450s output to be almost whatever it is you prefer. You want mellow, just punch it in. You want biblical fury then there’s a setting for that as well. And anyone who’s faced down the gnarliest of hills will attest that there’s no substitute for power and the same goes for a rider looking at a triple straight out of a corner. The more on tap the better the result.