• Hi everyone,

    As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.

    When he passed, I worked with his kids to gather the necessary credentials to keep this site running. Since then (and for however long they worked with Coffee), Woodschick and Dirtdame have been maintaining the site and covering the costs. Without their hard work and financial support, CafeHusky would have been lost.

    Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working to migrate the site to a free cloud compute instance so that Woodschick and Dirtdame no longer have to fund it. At the same time, I’ve updated the site to a current version of XenForo (the discussion software it runs on). The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.

    Unfortunately, the new software version doesn’t support importing the old site’s styles, so for now, you’ll see the XenForo default style. This may change over time.

    Coffee didn’t document the work he did on the site, so I’ve been digging through the old setup to understand how everything was running. There may still be things I’ve missed. One known issue is that email functionality is not yet working on the new site, but I hope to resolve this over time.

    Thanks for your patience and support!

Like the Berg 70 degree motor and the 449/511 Yamaha pushes the mass centralization approach...

And I got the WR400 '00 as my first new bike and regretted the porker. I should have gotten the yz250 :-)
Ended up changing it for a new WR250f '01 as soon as it came out.
Two years later and some mods I got a new yz450 '03 that I used a lot for 5 years. It wore like iron.
A gas-gas 300, a sherco 450 and a husaberg 450 later I'm on the tiddler wr125.
The search for the perfect bike seems to never end ;-)
 
Actually the YZ450F carries more weight on the front stock than any other 450F - and yet the Dubach 2.5mm kit seems to help. I have owned a YZ250 smoker since I started riding 7 years ago - still have one for my 'beater'. I'd like to try a YZ450F - I've seen pictures of SX YZ's with the rear exhaust wrapped around the engine and up to the muffler - this would free up a lot of space under the seat for more gas capacity.

edit:I should have read the article first :) wraparound exhaust.
 
2014_yamaha_20.jpg
 
I think it's cool. Yamaha has always been a step ahead in innovation. The old YZ's had Monoshock years before Suzuki came out with
their "Full Floater", which was also innovative. My 81' YZ 125 back in the day was the first water cooled motocrosser. Of course with a couple
years they were all water cooled.
We'll see if this idea catches on.
 
jerbear610 said:
I think it's cool. Yamaha has always been a step ahead in innovation.
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They really do seem to like to push new tech. I had a half year YZ125 way back in the day with air forks! no spring. they sucked :p

yamaha_yz_125x_026.jpg


590119125_o.jpg



they also pioneered the boost bottle, BASS rear brake that was linked tot he shock damping, mono shock, water cooling, disk brake etc. They try hard for sure.
 
BASS cracked me up jam on the rear brake open your valving to prevent wheel hop....everyone simply disconnected it.
As a fishing enthusiast even funny back then....it was a funny term for a moto tech item. Smelled kinda fishy!!
 
Seems like they are sorting the new mass central YZF designs and getting some results. Josh Grant took a 5th at Unadilla and Jeremy Martin took a second. Very good results. I don't know why I cant stop looking at and thinking about that YZF250.
 
Motosportz said:
Seems like they are sorting the new mass central YZF designs and getting some results. Josh Grant took a 5th at Unadilla and Jeremy Martin took a second. Very good results. I don't know why I cant stop looking at and thinking about that YZF250.
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Yamaha was always my brand and the new yz250f sounds awesome. I'm glad that bike finally got some major updating. Not that it was really a concern though. Some of the reviews still hint that its not going to win the tests but I bet it's still one of the most reliable in the tests.
 
LandofMotards said:
Yamaha was always my brand and the new yz250f sounds awesome. I'm glad that bike finally got some major updating. Not that it was really a concern though. Some of the reviews still hint that its not going to win the tests but I bet it's still one of the most reliable in the tests.
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Cycle world just did a sneak peek ride / test on it and said it is a VERY good bike. Great motor, feels light, handles great.

http://cyclenews.uberflip.com/t/24308
 
If I wasn't drooling over Huskies I'd be all over it, don't need convincing lol. My neighbor just upgraded from a 04 yz250f to the new yz450f. His old one finally needed relatively serious work so he went shopping. He's had it this whole season and doesn't have any complaints. We all know that they pick things apart with magazines and he was thankful because he was able to get a great price because of it lol. Either way I'm still dreaming of a TC449 :).
 
If I was the Japanese machine mode it would for sure be a Yam, when I was shopping for the last 450 the final came down between the TXC450 and the WR450. I think the new WR450 and 250 are very very nice machines , stone reliable, handle well and are capable racers after some $$ are spent.
If they built a SSS, WR300-350F.......I may be back in Japan (its a fun/interesting place to be). Its OK I'm "stuck" with my 2 310s for the time being!!
 
yamaha - go fast, last long time.

i have 234 HARD hours on my wr450f (hare scrambles, enduro's, and lots of trail time).....the valves are STILL in spec, the bike only puffs a little smoke when cold (finally time for a piston kit i guess) and in three years did not leave me stranded on the trail once. in 15 hours of owning a husky, i've been stuck on the side of the trail three occasions. lol

yamaha makes great machines - i've kept my wr450f, and put a dual sport kit and big stator on it - perfect bike for CO adventure riding (very common bike if you do have an issue, parts easy to find)

like many others on here, i'm excited about the update on the yz250f - it's going to be a pretty hot bike IMO and if it holds true to yamaha's renowned reliability it will make a great bike for people who enjoy riding and not building dirtbike engines
 
KGSloan said:
yamaha - go fast, last long time.

i have 234 HARD hours on my wr450f (hare scrambles, enduro's, and lots of trail time).....the valves are STILL in spec, the bike only puffs a little smoke when cold (finally time for a piston kit i guess) and in three years did not leave me stranded on the trail once. in 15 hours of owning a husky, i've been stuck on the side of the trail three occasions. lol

yamaha makes great machines - i've kept my wr450f, and put a dual sport kit and big stator on it - perfect bike for CO adventure riding (very common bike if you do have an issue, parts easy to find)

like many others on here, i'm excited about the update on the yz250f - it's going to be a pretty hot bike IMO and if it holds true to yamaha's renowned reliability it will make a great bike for people who enjoy riding and not building dirtbike engines
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225 hours on my TE511, zero issues, valves still stock and perfect. No smoke. No piston needed. Neeener neeener :D
 
The hype of "mass centralization" has been applied to a number of bikes, especially those with alternate motor configurations. I have yet to ride one that I though really accomplished what it claimed. Yes, they haves some nice and unique characteristics, but overall they have been more of a give and take. The 70 degree Berg would feel light in many situations, but heavy in others.

I have never been convinced that alternate configurations work that well. As for the first gen Yamaha, it didn't exactly set the world on fire. I have not ridden the new one, will be interesting to see.

As for mass centralization, I had given the concept up as sales pitch. That was until I rode the Sherco 300i. It has some handling characteristics that are completely new to me. It feels like the entire motorcycle is between your knees. I wish I could provide a better technical explanation, it works amazingly well. It is as if the very best parts of trials geometry are applied to a dirt bike. I have let a number of far more talented riders test it and they all come back scratching their head as if to say, "how does it do that"? Such as, how can it be so nimble, but completely stable at the same time?
 
Chilly said:
The hype of "mass centralization" has been applied to a number of bikes, especially those with alternate motor configurations. I have yet to ride one that I though really accomplished what it claimed. Yes, they haves some nice and unique characteristics, but overall they have been more of a give and take. The 70 degree Berg would feel light in many situations, but heavy in others.

I have never been convinced that alternate configurations work that well. As for the first gen Yamaha, it didn't exactly set the world on fire. I have not ridden the new one, will be interesting to see.
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I think it has merit it just does not have the 20-30 years of development the "standard" bikes have had. The Berg was very successful. I personally really liked the FE390.

Chilly said:
I have yet to ride one that I though really accomplished what it claimed.
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Mike Lafferty dominated on them even being a completely new first gen bike.

Chilly said:
As for mass centralization, I had given the concept up as sales pitch. That was until I rode the Sherco 300i. It has some handling characteristics that are completely new to me. It feels like the entire motorcycle is between your knees. I wish I could provide a better technical explanation, it works amazingly well. It is as if the very best parts of trials geometry are applied to a dirt bike. I have let a number of far more talented riders test it and they all come back scratching their head as if to say, "how does it do that"? Such as, how can it be so nimble, but completely stable at the same time?
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Most of us feel that way about the X-lights and 125 (same basic frame layout)

- I like that manufacturers are thinking somewhat out of the box and Yamaha has always done this. At the time no one thought a 4 stroke would ever be big in MX again and Yamaha pushed the light weight 4 stroke concept husky and Husaberg had pioneered to a new level and we have nothing but 4 strokes now. Back in the day when works bikes were allowed there was so much innovation and cool ideas. Now we have the same basic bike we have had for 15 years. Had we developed all these years instead of just the same old package we might be riding 160 pound rotary powered automatic bikes with anti dive non telescopic forks etc. The point of my thread here is to promote forward thinking and new and creative ideas to think about. The last few rounds of MX have shown riders on Yamahas that are not top guy but right there pushing the top guys with these Yamahas so I would not say it is hype. In a few short years and with not top riders they are right there. A few more years of development and a few top riders and yamaha could very easily put this concept on the top spot.

I'll have to look it up but read a quick ride review on the new YZF250 and they said it was a huge step forward from last years bike, feels super nimble, tracks in ruts like nothing else and works great.

On top of all this all the manufacturers are doing it to some point. Honda with the two shorter mufflers said to move the mass closer to the center. The funny looking long head pipes routed like a 2 stroke pipe to maintain the length yet push the heavy muffler forward (centered). Almost all manufacturers have rotated the cylinders back to some extent over the last few years. Most are also shoving the tank more to the center. Honda's latest CRF frame is different said to "move mass more toward the center". The Yamaha is an obvious example but all bikes are doing this to some extent because they found advantages in doing so. I don't see anyone rushing to move weigh away from center. Indy cars and superbike racing have been doing it for years. I'd say it is not hype at all.
 
I think mass centralizing is important but that isn't everything. An example is that Sherco, it could just be the geometry or even engine components. Not so much that mass centralization. Either way I like the effort put in. They may not be building full works bikes like you all speak of back in the day but there still is an attempt to cure issues developed from critique of their race programs, media, and customers.
I really missed the 2 stroke era entirely, I was riding XR's at the time and eventually a new 2003 yz250f but from the sounds of it the motor dramatically effects handling too. I went and saw a beta 300 and didn't think it felt any lighter then a 4 stroke but I guess it lightens up while riding. Heck anyone that's ridden a 449 knows that pushing it sucks but it handles much lighter then you would expect when you ride it.
Either way it's really cool that as a consumer there are so many options out there. There really is a bike for everyone out right now.
 
Seems nearly everyone is working towards this even if it is not as blatantly obvious as the Yamaha.

KX450 - "The 2012 also received a nice face-lift with new bodywork, fuel tank and a shorter muffler, which Kawasaki says helps mass centralization."

CRF450 - "The biggest change, which is evident by looking at the head tube, is that the twin spars are mounted about two inches lower. This is part of the centralization of mass plan to mellow out the CRF chassis."

"plus a strategically engineered compact dual-muffler exhaust system that tucks in closely to the center of mass. "

"Back then they talked a bunch of hokum about equalizing the weight in roll–at least this time they have centered their argument on centralization of mass (and the 7-inch shorter mufflers are, in fact, moved closer to the center of gravity)."

RMZ250 - "The redesigned swing-arm is said to improve rigidity/mass centralization "
 
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