04 yz450 wrist killer

[mxcrash]

I recently picked up a brand new 04 yz450 after stepping off a 00 cr250 which I'd had since new. I love most of the suspension action on this bike, its suppleness is something I could never achieve on the cr.

Unfortunately the yz seems to blow right thru the travel and bottom quite hard on the one large tabletop I cant clear at our track, I first tried raising the oil level and finally ended at the max height, then I slowly adjusted the clickers until it started to get too harsh on the rest of the track but the wrists still hurt, I'm also trying to land with the gas on.

My current settings are 5 clicks out from bottom on the compression and 8 on the rebound with oil level at the max, I weigh approx 185 lb and am a C grade racer who mostly races sand tracks.

Searching this forum I couldnt find anyone having similar probs with this model

 

[marcusgunby]

Sounds strange you are not heavy for the 450-seems like you need stiffer valving but using a 7.5 wt oil in them may help a little.

 

[mxcrash]

Thanks I'll give it a go as oil is cheap and I last used 5wt.
Is it true that the closer the clickers get to be fully in the more the damping changes with each click.

 

[frankrock363]

Does this only happen on that one jump? I have the same bike,weigh 195,and am a B rider. The front end does bottom on the worst places but it is susposed to. I have my oil hight set at 110mm comp at 12 reb at 10 stock valving. I did valve the shock softer it was kind of stiff with the stock valving. That may be the problem you are having if the shock is to stiff it will slam the front end down on a landing like that. Or just try and pin it and clear that jump. If you get it to handle that huge hit there's a good chance it won't work good anywhere else. Just my thoughts. I would like to here how you make out there realy isn't much on here about this bike.

 

[SpectraSVT]

If you're running the bike on a motocross track at only 5 clicks out then you need new fork springs. 5 clicks out is what I run my bike at for supercross style tracks. I had my midvalve revalved so it gets progressively stiffer as it travels down the stroke. On 5 clicks out I can case a 60ft triple and they won't bottom out. I'm a C rider also and I had my forks valved to make up for my mistakes. I run springs for a 210-220lb rider. I'm 200lbs. The midvalve was changed to prevent bottoming and the initial stroke is softer than stock for a plush ride. I have bottomed only 1 time in the past year when I hit a big jump with my forks 17 clicks out (trail setting).

Start with new springs...and if thats not good try revalving them.

 

[marcusgunby]

You dont want to run the clicker more than 5 from fully in, it turns into a harshness adjuster.

 

[mxcrash]

Yep only that jump, all others I clear no worries.
Good thought about the rear I'll check it, maybe I should get someone to video/watch me and check if I really am geting on the gas as I land or only after.

Wow case a 60ft triple, I only arrived at th 5 clicks after going in 1 at a time doing a couple of laps going in some more at first it got a little harsh the seemed to soften up before getting harsh again so I settled on 5 clicks, maybe it's time to go back to stock settings and revisit things again.

 

[frankrock363]

Yea sounds like a good idea to go back to stock settings and start over. Remenber don't make yourself nuts trying to tune your bike for an obstical you are doing wrong. :bang: Please don't take offence to that. It will be harsh everywhere else and your lap times will suffer. Besides if you are coming up short and it's not killing you than the worst is over. Pin it. :aj:

 

[Rcannon]

I feel for you on the forks. I broke my wrist three weeks ago while hitting a woop "incorrectly" on my YZ. Did I screw it up???Yes, obviously.

Do I want to catch the fork valving guy for the YZ's in a dark alley??? YES.

Is there any way to set these forks up where a slight mistake does not equal a cast???

I did not crash, but the fork bottomed so hard that the right handgrip was sent to the center of my brain.

 

[Studboy]

Maybe a little stiffer on the valving will help, but have you tried adding more oil (to the max level) yet?
Also, those whoops are brutal. I don't think that they are set up correctly or safely. Every time that I go fast through them my bike swaps left/right like crazy and a lot of times I crash. The only way that I've seen people go through them fast is to take the outside edge where they aren't so deep.

That aside, even with the revalving and correct springs it still feels like I blow through the stroke rather quickly sometimes. maybe you should put some showa's on your YZ. Is this possible? Assuming the same diameter tubes, I don't see why not.

 

[mxcrash]

Frank,
no offence taken, maybe it's just a combination of hitting the jump a bit harder than the CR (more drive our of the corner b4) and the extra weight, like you said no point ruining the rest of the track for 1 jump. Well our season has finished so now is the time to nail down some solution, get my skills right, who knows by the start of next season I may be able to finally clear it.

Rcannon,
I feel for you I broke my left wrist almost 12months ago, 2 corners from this jump as a result of a tank slapper whilst going down hill. Make sure you keep up your physio/stretching, mine still doesn't have full movement.

Studboy,
In my experience swapping is caused by rear shock settings, in our sand its normally too much rebound damping and then by too little low speed comp damping. No way I'm swapping these forks, I dont have the money

 

[mxcrash]

all is fixed, I had the cylinder valve replaced and valving changed to suit by the gun RaceTech guy down here and the change is amazing. I'm running the std oil height and bottoming is nolonger a problem.