YZ450 or WR450 for snow? Or others better.

[meigsrock]

I am looking for my first dirt bike this year, used due to price. I have ridden street and sleds for years. My main use would be for snow. I am most likely looking at Yamaha YZ450F or WR450F bikes but open to others. The DRZ400 is nice due to being street legal.

Can anyone suggest what works best in the snow. I know some bikes have the gas tank over the engine and some are in the seat now.

Which transition works better for snow, the WR wide ratio or the YZ close ratio?

Obviously EFI is better but does carbs really suck for snow? I am not sure I can afford bike new enough for EFI. WR EFI started in 2012 and the YZ in 2010.

Kind of have my eye on a 09 WR450f for not too much $. low use.
I like the WR due to lights and Electric start. How hard is it to upgrade a YZ with light and E-start?

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to learning about the bikes.

 

[warner]

i just picked up a 2013 ktm 350xcf,e start and fuel injected.Timbersled st120 raw kit on order for fall,we'll see how this combo works.
looked at the older yz's but this bike puts out as much power and it has fuel injection and e start/battery/charging system so i can run light and grip heaters.
looking fwd to winter

 

[meigsrock]

I like the KTM bikes but have heard that they are expensive to work on here in the US compared to Japanese bikes.

 

[boondocker97]

I like the KTM bikes but have heard that they are expensive to work on here in the US compared to Japanese bikes.

I've got 3 KTMs in my garage right now and in my experience they are about the same or only marginally more expensive for parts. Some parts are surprisingly cheaper and some are more expensive. My buddy rebuilt his Honda engine and it was pretty close to what I had in my last KTM rebuild.

 

[AZ800]

I have a 2011 YZ450F with a short track. I've never ridden a wide ratio snowbike, but in heavy snow I can tell you I would not want a larger gear split than the YZ.
That said, it's hard to overlook E start and lights and the WR is a better dual purpose bike.
You're on a budget so I'd say it boils down to finding the best deal. Plenty of guys riding WRs in the snow too.

 

[swedenturbo]

Are you guys in US and Canada never considering the question of street legal bikes? Europeans have a big discussion weather a snowbike is a leagal snowmachine or not.
In europe, a race bike without lights and registration can only be ridden on a race track, period!
Bikes with liceanse plate, lights and insurance is the european way to in some way keep these snowvehicles legal but we are note sure. Sleds has its special registration to legally ride on snow.
YZ will never be an option in europe....

 

[kidrman]

I bought a 2015 WR holdover. Prices were great and it has a light and large stator. Yz450fx may be the ticket.

 

[Norma Stitz]

Are you guys in US and Canada never considering the question of street legal bikes? Europeans have a big discussion weather a snowbike is a leagal snowmachine or not.
In europe, a race bike without lights and registration can only be ridden on a race track, period!
Bikes with liceanse plate, lights and insurance is the european way to in some way keep these snowvehicles legal but we are note sure. Sleds has its special registration to legally ride on snow.
YZ will never be an option in europe....

I find these questions quite upsetting. Why on earth a permit to ride something on snow with "snowmobiles" wouldn't be granted simply because it does or does not have plates is beyond me. In my area I have technically no way to legally ride the bike in snow. Being street legal ads another level to it, possibly helpful, possibly not. Since I won't be allowed to purchase a snowmobile permit I'll just buy a motorbike off road permit and call it legal..

 

[AZ800]

I find these questions quite upsetting. Why on earth a permit to ride something on snow with "snowmobiles" wouldn't be granted simply because it does or does not have plates is beyond me. In my area I have technically no way to legally ride the bike in snow. Being street legal ads another level to it, possibly helpful, possibly not. Since I won't be allowed to purchase a snowmobile permit I'll just buy a motorbike off road permit and call it legal..

Look at the Swedish govt and that will answer some of your questions.
Explain what you mean in OR. Will the state not the issue a Sno machine tag for a Sno bike?
WA is a little ****ed up like that where you can't reg the kit as a Sno machine, has to be the bike vin. Then if it is or was a plated bike, it cannot be both. Title has to be bike or snowmachine. It's ****ing dumb. If you have a plated bike you can't legally use it dual purpose without changing the title twice a year! Anyone in this sitch, I'd suggest registering an old pos sled to get the stickers and fug the dmv.

 

[Norma Stitz]

Look at the Swedish govt and that will answer some of your questions.
Explain what you mean in OR. Will the state not the issue a Sno machine tag for a Sno bike?
WA is a little ****ed up like that where you can't reg the kit as a Sno machine, has to be the bike vin. Then if it is or was a plated bike, it cannot be both. Title has to be bike or snowmachine. It's ****ing dumb. If you have a plated bike you can't legally use it dual purpose without changing the title twice a year! Anyone in this sitch, I'd suggest registering an old pos sled to get the stickers and fug the dmv.

I'm not certain for sure yet what the official word is, but my understanding is that a snow bike isn't a sled, or a dirt bike, or a road vehicle so it's a bit of a bastard child. Mine is plated street legal and I'd like to keep that status obviously. So, does any snow area allow street legal vehicle use? I don't even know. My main winter riding area will be in Washington however so my plan is to just get an off road vehicle bike tag and run that in the snow. If that doesn't work then I might do something shady like you suggested, great idea!

 

[AZ800]

WA has wised up, guys used to be able to register the kit serial number to get sno machine tags for it, but the dmv wont allow it, as of this year (for me anyway, I tried).
Have plenty of time this summer, to try to register the kit. If it works, then you have both licenses.
In my experience, the fish cops only care if you have a valid sno machine tag, not the ins and outs of the dmv issues.
I didn't know it at the time I bought it, but another plus for the '11-14 YZ450 is the rear exit exhaust. No pipe hanging outside the engine to burn your pants.

 

[Mauws00]

Crf450x Is a less expensive option.

I ran a crf450x this past winter. Very similar to the wr. They are virtually unchanged 08-16. E-start, lights, but a carb. Didn't have a single problem with the carb all winter long. Started down to 10 degrees, no over fueling issues, like some injected bikes. Had a q4 muffler on mine to help it breath. Used about 1/2 the fuel the sleds I rode with. Are there other bikes that make more power and are lighter? Certainly. But for your first snow bike. It is as good an option as a wr.

Good luck with your build.

 

[roo]

I'm not certain for sure yet what the official word is, but my understanding is that a snow bike isn't a sled, or a dirt bike, or a road vehicle so it's a bit of a bastard child. Mine is plated street legal and I'd like to keep that status obviously. So, does any snow area allow street legal vehicle use? I don't even know. My main winter riding area will be in Washington however so my plan is to just get an off road vehicle bike tag and run that in the snow. If that doesn't work then I might do something shady like you suggested, great idea!

You cannot get a snowmobile or an orv tag with a street legal title in WA state. (You dont need orv tags with a plate) so far the only way to legally get your bike on the snow in WA is to retitle bike as a snowmobile, unless you get lucky and come accross a licensing department that lets it slide and registers the kit. Good luck