I have a ‘01 YZ426. It's a little bit heavy when compared to the latest generation of 450 MX bikes, but it's still an amazing bike. The power is unbelievable; I can pull wheelies in any gear. This bike really shines down low. I race enduros and on my KX250, I had difficulty going up steep slippery hills. I had to rev the engine out to get enough power up the hill, but once the revs on the smoker get up I lose traction. NOT ON THE YZ426! These tricky hills are no longer a problem and I can speed up any of them with ease. The power delivery of the 426 is incredible, especially down low. It's a torque monster! I have never had a problem starting mine either. It starts first or second kick, hot or cold. If the manual decomp lever bothers you, you could always put a ‘03 450 cam in it which will give you automatic decompression. The WR is corked from the factory compared to the YZ (but can easily and inexpensively be brought to YZ spec). The only negative thing about the YZ426 now in 2008 is that it's very heavy compared to newer bikes. Although it could potentially be competitive on a MX track or in an enduro race with newer 450s, the weight of the YZ426 will tire the rider out more quickly. Another big advantage of the 426 is the reliability. I don't know how reliable the new Yamaha 450 is, but I check my valves once or twice a year and for the past seven years my valves are still in spec. NO ADJUSTMENT NECESSARY! Do you know of any other 4-stroke MX bike that can make that claim?
Upgrades/Accessories: Thunder Alley exhaust (LOUD), JD jet kit, Tag triples, Tag bars, DID gold X-ring chain
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