Hi!
I have read almost all of your tests and reviews on your website, impressive stuff I must say! To get to the point, I have read that you more or less praise the Tech 10 boots. I am looking into buying a couple of pairs of Tech 10’s for the 2018 season however I am a bit afraid of the mixed views I have read about the durability of the boots. Don’t get me wrong I understand that motocross is an expensive sport but my budget is tight as I am going pro in Sweden this year and will be studying medicine and working at the same time. My question is, how many hours have a pair of Tech 10’s lasted for you? I can’t go around buying boots for $700 and have to put another $700 for two new pairs in the middle of the season (dealer discount).
I ride a KTM SXF 450 2018, stock pegs and frame guards. No griptape or anything like that.
Best regards, Linus Carlsson.
Linus,
Two pairs of Tech 10’s last me 8 months. That is riding four-six times per week at around 3-5 hours per day. I usually got through around 2-3 pairs a year typically. I am a worst case scenario however. if you are riding two times a week you should be good to go for at least a year.
Usually the soles will wear out first, but if you have a good cobbler near you they can get another sole on for you. I have done that in the past and it worked out great.
-KK
Keefer,
You discussed changing from the ’18 to the ’17 bar mounts of the 2018 YZ450F because Yamaha raised the new ones up 5mm. Would changing to universal bar mounts such as Pro Taper universal bar mounts instead of buying the 2018 ones have the same affect? -Taylor
Taylor,
I have no clue if the Pro Taper bar mounts would have same affect. I have never ran those. I try to stick with stock because it offers the same rigidity and offset. When going to some aftermarket bar mounts its tough to find same rigid and offset.
Buy a pair of 2017 stock mounts and live happily ever after.
Orrrrr. If you have to run aftermarket mounts try Ride Engineering mounts. They have a good feeling.
-KK
Good morning. Like the podcasts and product info. Very beneficial for me.
Quick question for you:
‘17 CRF 450. 210 pounds 30+ intermediate motocross.
Till I get my suspension done. (Soon but not soon enough) What settings do you recommend, had some time so I thought ask. I
Thanks in advance for the time.
Joel Slaughter
Joel,
Going to straight up with you. It doesn’t matter with your weight! It is going to be soft!
The key is trying to get the sag correct however. Try to get 106-107mm of sag and maybe crank your compression in a fe on each end. That is about as good as you’re going to get until you get springs and a re-valve. The target weight for that bike was 180 pounds.
Thanks,
KK
Kris, Mario Rossi here from good old New Jersey. My question is I am a Yamaha fan but due to being 50 plus I was thinking of leaving my 250f as I ride a lot of sand in the S Jersey Pines and Englishtown MX track but is there a way to tame down the 2018 yz450f (MAKE IT MORE SEINOR FRIENDLY) ,maybe a Senior Rider map or possibly adding a flywheel weight, I am just afraid a 450 may be a bit much but due to the tech on this bike it may be my next love. .Thanks as I am on the road all day and all the listening to the stuff you put out there makes my day go by much faster.. Thanks Mario
Mario,
Yes, you can get a flywheel weight on there and also tame it down via mapping on your phone. It is a very cool system.
The 250F is fun to ride and I bet you can man handle the sucker in the sand, however I feel with the 450 you might be able to ride lazier (less aggressive) and get around the track quicker.
GYTR sells a flywheel weight for that bike and there is also a traction map on the Yamaha Power Tuner app you can put into your new bike to mellow it out!
Thanks for listening and let me know when or if you get her!
-KK
Hello Kris,
I wanted start by saying I really enjoy and appreciate all the testing and content you put out.
I really like my 2017 CRF450R, I finally have the Suspension set up and working great for myself. I am a Vet novice rider in AZ. 90 % of my riding is on the local moto tracks. The one thing I am looking for on my bike is a softer hit on the initial crack of the throttle. I sent my ECU into Tokyo Mods and changes to maps 2 & 3. It is better but still has a little of a sharp or hard hit at the initial crack of the throttle so makes cornering not as smooth as I would like.
I listened to your RX podcast and was curious if you have experimented with the RX mapping on the 450r? Or could you point me in the right direction on what I could do to help smoothing the power out. I really like the power after that initial power surge. Should I talk to Tokyo Mods and have them work on it with different settings.
Thank you very much for your time and all the help you give everyone with the content. -Dan
Dan,
You can always tell Tokyo that you want it smoother or look into a flywheel weight? A flywheel weight will help that surge through corners and get you more traction.
I haven’t tried the RX mapping on the R, but as I mentioned in the RX podcast, I wish it was on the R. The 2018 mapping is a little better and maybe you can tell Tokyo to put the 2018 mapping 1-3 inside your box.
Map 1 on the 2018 R has more of a linear pulling power versus an abrupt hit.
Thanks for listening.
-KK
Good evening to you Keefer;
I have recently purchased a 2017 WR450F and was curious about what you might suggest as a good starting point for suspension setup. I haven’t touched one clicker on the forks or shock just yet, nor have I really had a chance to ride the bike due to the snow here in Montana. But, when it comes time to ride, I’d like to have a good baseline to work with if possible!
I tend to stand a lot while riding and am not blazing fast but also not tortoise slow. This bike is going to be used in quite a few conditions from tight single track, to gravel roads, to rocky and rooted uphill trails, and definitely some muddy areas as well. I weigh about 197 with gear and a pack. I know you’re a Yammerhammer guru, so I thought I’d get your educated opinion on the matter! Thank you for being such a HUGE bike enthusiast and being honest w/ your reviews! Hope to hear from ya soon!
-Stephen
Stephen,
The stock WR will be soft for you so start with what you have now and work from there.
Most likely you will turn in the low speed compression on both ends a couple clicks and see where that takes you. If it feels better, but still too soft, try going a couple more. If you still feel like it is soft you might have to go with some heavier springs for the weight you’re carrying.
Run your sag at around 103mm as that will give the WR the best balance possible.
The WR is a great bike, but is under sprung for your weight. The baseline for that is around 175 pounds.
If you do go up in spring rate just go up one rate on each. You will not need more than that. Stock valving is fine with a heavier spring rate.
-KK
Hello Kris,
First off I want to say thank you for all of the podcasts you do, I listen almost every day.
I just had a question for you regarding what bike to get next. I race hare scrambles and enduros here in Florida so we ride mostly sand. I currently ride a 2017 KTM 300 XC and it’s a great bike but it is lacking the grunt that I would like. I’m more of a lazy rider so I ride in the lower to mid RPM’s. I am thinking about getting either a Husky or KTM 350 SX as my next bike. How do you think the 350 would compare to the 300? I thought about a 450 but it is a little bit too much in the woods for me. I am 6’1 210lbs.
Thank you for taking the time to read this email.
Kurt Lucas
Kurt,
For sure look into getting a KTM 350SX-F. They have a very exciting engine feel without too much engine braking. It will be more manageable through the trees and you will love it in moto as well.
Look into an orange machine versus the white one as the orange 350 has a little more hit down low.
Also go with the SX-F and not a XC-F. If you need a bigger tank, purchase the XC-F tank separate for the SX-F. The transmission spacing and suspension are better on the SX-F.
Hope this helps!
-KK
