2010

You are forgiven if you are a Honda CRF450, Kawasaki KX450F or KTM 450SXF owner and you don?t give a twit about hopped-up Yamaha YZ450Fs. You may be thinking, ?Yamaha? I don?t own a Yamaha and don?t want to read about them.? But, you know…
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You are forgiven if you are a Honda CRF450, Kawasaki KX450F or KTM 450SXF owner and you don?t give a twit about hopped-up Yamaha YZ450Fs. You may be thinking, ?Yamaha? I don?t own a Yamaha and don?t want to read about them.? But, you know…
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You are forgiven if you are a Honda CRF450, Kawasaki KX450F or KTM 450SXF owner and you don?t give a twit about hopped-up Yamaha YZ450Fs. You may be thinking, ?Yamaha? I don?t own a Yamaha and don?t want to read about them.? But, you know…
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WHAT IS IT? A brand-new generation of Pro Taper triple clamps for the 2010 Yamaha YZ450F. WHAT'S IT COST? $439.95 (top and bottom clamps with stem), $99.95 (bar mounts). CONTACT? www.protaper.com or (951) 736-5369. WHAT STANDS OUT? Here's a…
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Crunchies Food Company offers a wide assortment of dried fruit and vegetable snacks. What makes them crunchy is their drying process?which takes place in a refrigerated vacuum. Supposedly, this allows the fruit to retain more natural flavor…
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WHAT IS IT? A first-class fix for the front and rear Kayaba SSS suspension components on 2010 YZ450Fs. WHAT'S IT COST? Forks $195.00 (plus oil), shock $245.00 (plus oil), $109.00 (fork springs), $145.00 (adjustable compression adjusters).…
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WHAT IS IT? The Fox Podium RC3 shock is the most adjustable and creative aftermarket shock on the market. The KTM shock is a new addition to the Fox family. WHAT'S IT COST? $895.00 (with spring). CONTACT? www.foxracingshox.com or (800)…
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This bike test was of interest to the MXA wrecking crew for reasons not obvious to the casual observer. What's so special about the Ice Works Honda CRF250? In an effort to boost foreign relations, the MXA gang embarked on a journey that…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 YAMAHA YZ250 BETTER THAN THE 2009 YZ250? A: No. It is identical to last year's model. Well, not identical, because there were two changes from 2009 to 2010: (1) The right-side gas tank…
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Most people take for granted the ability to go down to their local Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki or Yamaha dealer and buy a motocross bike. It wasn?t always this way. In the good old days, if you wanted to race flat track, scrambles, Hare and…
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Readers often call the palatial MXA towers with questions. The queries range from the latest racer gossip to technical problems to bike setup tips. I hear it all. And, quite honestly, I revel in helping readers find solutions. The most…
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There was a ton of buzz about the totally redesigned 2009 Honda CRF450. Some of it was good, and some of it was bad. As a magazine test rider, I have the privilege of being among the first to ride new bikes, and I had quickly established…
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At the end of every model year, I never want to give up the one bike that I?m most attached to. It should be noted that the bike I choose to ride is not an endorsement of what MXA thinks is the best bike?it is just the bike that, given my…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 KTM 450SXF BETTER THAN THE 2009 KTM 450SXF? A: Yes. For decades KTM suffered from being too ?European.? The orange bikes were tall, long and heavy. The suspension was hampered by offbeat WP suspension…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 KX450F BETTER THAN THE 2009 KX450F? A: Yes. It should be noted, however, that not every aspect of the 2010 KX450F is improved over last year. If improvements to the 2010 were viewed as a batting average,…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 CRF450 BETTER THAN THE 2009 CRF450? A: Yes and no. The small number of changes that Honda made for 2010 culminate in a bike that is a little better in several areas and a little worse in others (although…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 YZ450F BETTER THAN THE 2009 YZ450F? A: Yes. Let's be honest, even if the 2010 YZ450F's performance was identical to that of the 2009, the 2010 YZ450F gets a lot of brownie points for kicking out the…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 CRF250 BETTER THAN THE 2009 CRF250? A: No. Last year, when we tested the Honda's fuel-injected 2009 Honda CRF450, we were very clear to state that if we had to compare the 2008 CRF450 against the 2009…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 YZ250F BETTER THAN THE 2009 YZ250F? A: No. The scales of justice teeter back and forth because some aspects of the 2010 are much better than the 2009, but others aren?t. In the final analysis, we think the…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 KTM 250SXF BETTER THAN THE 2009 KTM 250SXF? A: Yes, but not night-and-day better. Q: IS THE 2010 KTM 250SXF FASTER THAN THE 2009 KTM 250SXF? A: No. On the track, the 2009…
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2010 Kawasaki KX250F: The MXA wrecking crew has always loved the KX250F powerband, although we were not always enamored by the horsepower. For 2010, Kawasaki's engineers made the power match the powerband. Kudos Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS…
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Valuable lessons: It is a shame that most young riders will never experience the joy of racing a full-size two-stroke. The KTM 150SX teaches throttle control, energy management and how to race while giggling in joy. Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST,…
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Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2010 KTM 250SX BETTER THAN THE 2009 KTM 250SX? A: Yes. KTM has a reputation for making constant upgrades to their bikes. The 2010 KTM 250SX does not obsolete the 2009 model, but it is incrementally better.…
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WHAT IS IT? An easy horsepower modification for the Kawasaki KX450F. WHAT'S IT COST? $619.99. CONTACT? www.dubachracing.com or (877) 382-2241. WHAT STANDS OUT? Here's a list of things that stand out with the 2010 DR.D KX450F exhaust. (1)…
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WHAT IS IT? An easy-to-install, drop-in, single overhead Honda camshaft for the Honda CRF450. WHAT'S IT COST? $499.95. CONTACT? www.yoshimura-rd.com or (800) 634-9166. WHAT STANDS OUT? Here is a list of things that stand out with…
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The story of Justin Brayton's path to racing success is one that crazed mini parents should take note of. In fact, they should study Brayton's carefully selected career choices. Why? Justin Brayton isn?t your typical modern day…
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WHAT IS IT? An innovative air filter design that compensates for the airflow limitations of the 2010 YZ450F's top-mounted airbox. WHAT'S IT COST? $109.95 (aluminum cage and pre-oiled filter), $32.95 (over-the-cage pre-oiled filter), $25.95…
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Since the release of the 2010 Yamaha YZ450F the aftermarket has been pushing hard to catch up. Not Pro Circuit. They were on the ball when it came to building a full-race 2010 YZ450F. Many motocross fans associate Pro Circuit with Kawasaki…
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If you own a 2006 to 2010 Yamaha YZ250, consider yourself lucky. You have one of the best motocross bikes ever made. It weighs less than a comparable four-stroke, costs less to repair and produces more horsepower per cc. And most…
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Testing a factory-level motocross bike is always special for the MXA wrecking crew. We can?t help but admire the passion and effort that factory teams invest in their bikes. Every square inch of the machine is checked, changed, strengthened…
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