CRF450R vs. YZ426

[Tolson]

I know you guys don't believe a word we say, but the Honda CRF450 is a great bike although it isn't perfect. Personally I think the Yamaha is faster and turns better. The Honda is a lot lighter has a good easy to ride and start motor. The handling and suspension are also very good.

If had to spend my own hard earned money I'd go with the Honda. It's a lot easier to make a bike turn than it is to shed 16.5 pounds.

On our scale the YZ426 weighs 251 and the CRF weighs 234.5.

Sincerely,

Tim Olson
Motocross Action
Root of the problem since 1973.

 

[John.T]

And why is this a flame?:silly:

3...2...1

 

[oldguy]

John I am with you on this?

Tolson yes MXA takes a beating here sometimes but this looks more like an opinion or evaluation than a flame- or do you just like sitting in a heated room;)

 

[BenjaminPQ]

I know, I know, pick me, pick me!

Perhaps Olson just knows that people will flam him for saying the CR450F isn't completly flawless......GASP!

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by Tolson

If had to spend my own hard earned money I'd go with the Honda. It's a lot easier to make a bike turn than it is to shed 16.5 pounds.

i doubt that it will happen but if we see this in print, you just might gain a little credibility.

 

[Sawblade]

Originally posted by Tolson
Root of the problem since 1973.

Tim,
Why not be the root of the solution? :think This statement demonstrates the overall negativity that MXA has portrayed for years. Pull Jodys head out of Kalifornia. There's a much larger world of MX other then then movieland!

Print factual information that your readership can relate to outside of Kalifornia. Hell, print what you posted here about the CR450F when you write up the test story, you may find it refreshing! Hint, what I would spend my money on.

If you guys ran your business the same as you did 15 or 20 years ago in the "real" world, pun intended. You wouldn't have a job. I know I wouldn't. I don't run my business the same as I did a year ago. It's called keeping ahead of the curve. You need to look at the surveys you conduct each year in your magazine, and on your web site when you have contest. Does it really matter if I have a BMX bike? Survey's can tell a lot, but only if you ask better questions. Many of these questions are turning 15 years old. Do your really know your customer? How is your readership compared to last year? Is your business growing? :think

MX has changed a lot in the last 20 years. MXA has not. I'm not talking about changing your principals on some types of advertisements. I'm more concerned with factual information in test of bikes and products.

To say the least your bike test format is very long in the tooth. Question One: How fast is it? Question Two: Hows the suspension? Etc. Please come up with a different format!

One last comment. How come Jody Weisel doesn't post on DRN? Are you doing his dirty work as the song says? Or is he the lurking type?

Sincerely,

Sawblade

 

[Senior KX Rider]

And why is this a flame

Tolson is just a little gun-shy. I think every thread involving him or MXA . has ended up in here. :think

 

[Vic]

Tim- Thanks for the info (really).:) This post actually belongs in the 'Product Reviews' forum, but I suspect you'd need a flame suit in there, too.:D

 

[CR Swade]

Thanks Tim,

I am a bit of a black sheep around here-I actually subscribe to and still enjoy MXA, Jody's Box (re-prints and all) and use the tech articles. My 01 CR uses the MXA jetting with excellent results and no muffler spooge (although my slide is a 5.5 instead of 5.0 cut)

I still think ad budget plays a role in product eveluation, but hey in this imperfect world with the tragedies going on as of yesterday, I can live with it.

Good job MXA-whoever doesn't like that, well that's their problem!


:D

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by Wade


Good job MXA-whoever doesn't like that, well that's their problem!

actually, it's mxa's problem.

when we don't like it, our solution is to stop reading it. then it becomes their (mxa's) problem.

 

[XRpredator]

Originally posted by Tolson
Root of the problem since 1973.

I gotta give Tim credit for coming in here and having a sense of humor!

Like Senior says, anything and everything having to do with MXA usually ends up here, so he probably figured he'd make it easier on the mods.;)

Now, if I see those words in print, I will be impressed.

 

[Offroadr]

Move it to the Thumper forum!

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Originally posted by Offroadr
Move it to the Thumper forum!

Bring it on :p

 

[Joe Turner]

Originally posted by Tolson
I think the Yamaha is faster

As a tester/editor for a major magazine shouldn't you KNOW if it's faster. I don't know maybe I'm off base but wouldn't measuring the acceleration be more useful than guessing?

Originally posted by Tolson

It's a lot easier to make a bike turn than it is to shed 16.5 pounds.

YOU can figure out how to make it turn when Honda could not?

<mod edit>
You should stick to motocross sock shootouts.

 

[Buell]

Hey Tim,

Thanks for the post. I apprecate the info.


Jeeez guy's no wonder he posts on the Flame Board! :think

 

[John.T]

Well DUH!!!! OF COURSE HE SAID THE HONDA WAS NOT PERFECT!!! Why? Because yamaha didn't make it of course! AS IF MXA is not getting kick back's from yammy! It's no lie that the 426 is fat so yamaha gave the go ahead on saying it!

DON'T BE BRAINWASHED

WWW.YAMAHAACTIONMAG.COM oops I mean motocrossactionmag.com

you could take that same bike and put blue plastic on it and yammy stickers at the guys at MXA would say it was the greatest thing to ever see dirt and it had no flaws!:D

 

[VintageDirt]

Re: Re: CRF450R vs. YZ426

Originally posted by Joe Turner
I can't tell if you are arrogant or just completely stupid.

You clowns should stick to motocross sock shootouts.

Hey! It seems to me that Tolson is a member just like the rest of us. Does he not deserve the same respect that any of us has come to expect. There are plenty of ways to disagree without the name calling. I was under the impression that name calling was never allowed.

Please continue with the Barbeque.:)

 

[mopowa]

Thanks for the report Tolsen.
Ive riden a 426 and thought the motor would be hard to beat.
I never believe what the manufacures say about the weight so
Its good to get a real scale reading.

For all you fellow flamers out there. (I 've been known to flame all the mags)
I know you get tired of hearing about Yamahas but have you ridden one?

 

[IDkTm]

You may think that Tim is biased and not like his mag, but...he is another dirtrider member. He does deserve the same treatment as the rest of us. This is coming from someone who isn't a big MXA fan but Tim is not MXA, its just his job.

 

[justql]

If you don't like his mag, don't buy it, start your own and try it. They might not be my favorite, but I do not have anything against him personally.
Sawblade made alot of good points, running a business is tough and requires constant change to be successful.:)

 

[firecracker22]

Thanks, Tim, for the info. The whole point of product reviews is to hear more than one opinion. I for one am looking forward to the chance to try one out when ours comes in.

As for magazines and biases, I feel qualified to have a small opinion . . . I have worked for both sides of the equation for a magazine and for a dealer and a manufacturer. Biases happen. We're all human. If you don't like Hondas, it's hard to be excited about anything Honda does. Advertising money is what makes magazines happen--do you really think subscriptions pay for all the costs inherent in printing and publishing a magazine? They're probably less than a drop in the bucket. Granted, the magazine I worked for was a local publication, so everything operates on a much smaller scale, but you can't ignore your advertisers . . . and it doesn't make any sense to go out and court those who won't advertise. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it happens. I don't mind MXA at all.

 

[ktmboy]

C'mon guys, we complained that the magazine guys never come in here to see what the average Joe really cares about, and then when they do we bash them. No wonder they're gun shy.Give Timmy a chance. Who knows, if he hangs around us enough, we might rub off on him a little.

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by ktmboy
C'mon guys, we complained that the magazine guys never come in here to see what the average Joe really cares about, and then when they do we bash them.

i only see one reply in this thread that i would consider to be bashing.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Re: Re: Re: CRF450R vs. YZ426

Originally posted by VintageDirt

Hey! It seems to me that Tolson is a member just like the rest of us. Does he not deserve the same respect that any of us has come to expect. There are plenty of ways to disagree without the name calling. I was under the impression that name calling was never allowed.

Clearly Mr. Olson isn't a member "just like the rest of us" . To believe otherwise is fairly naive IMO, but you're entitled to feel otherwise.

As for calling him stupid, regardless of my personal feelings it was probabaly over the line. The thread has been edited to remove that part of the post.

 

[RoadRash]

Re: Re: CRF450R vs. YZ426

Originally posted by Joe Turner
As a tester/editor for a major magazine shouldn't you KNOW if it's faster. I don't know maybe I'm off base but wouldn't measuring the acceleration be more useful than guessing?

We have to cut him some slack on this one, he didn't say it 'is' faster he stated his opinion. How often do we give threads hell for asking this very question. Faster is a tricky thing, is it faster from 0 - 60? Faster into the first turn? Faster than a novice on a Yamaha (or vice versa)? I applaud Tolson for posting here after all the cr@p he has gotten. These types of posts only serve to scare off other guests/members. Besides if we can get Tolson to let his guard down, maybe he will give us more of a personal opinion without having to always think about paying his bills at work. Just a thought.