A Legendary Japanese Brand’s Best Off-Road Motorcycle Somehow Just Got Even Better

Yamaha’s 70th anniversary hot streak continues with a number of impressive updates to this 450cc dirt dynamo.

Published 4 hours ago

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When you think about it, anniversaries are pretty dang arbitrary. What makes a year ending in 0 or 5 more notable than any other?

The upside of this nonsense, however, is that brands tend to step up their game during anniversary years, and consumers win. That sure seems to be the case with Yamaha lately, anyway.

yamaha yz450f full — Boring name aside, the lively new YZ450F really might be the most fun you can have on two wheels.

While the parent company emerged way back in 1887 as a reed organ manufacturer, motorcycle making did not begin until after World War II, with Yamaha Motor Corporation officially spinning off as its own separate brand in 1955.

Thus the company is celebrating turning 70 this year, and fresh off its big LED Matrix headlight news a couple weeks back, Yamaha is rolling out the 2026 edition of its biggest, baddest dirt bike, and the new YZ450F looks like a beaut.

What makes it superior to its already excellent predecessor? Let’s take a look.

Capable base

No motorcycle succeeds without a solid, reliable heart and body, and the new YZ450F has those two key components on lock.

First off, the engine is a potent 450cc liquid-cooled four-stroke single, with titanium valves and Mikuni fuel injection, shifted by a constant-mesh five-speed transmission.

yamaha yz450f engine — While 450cc may not seem that big, it’s huge on a bike that weighs less than 250 pounds wet.

With the bike’s lean 243-pound curb weight, that power plant can provide more than enough juice to accelerate quickly out of corners and rip over straight stretches of tarmac and gravel with equal aplomb.

The 2026 edition also boasts a highly evolved aluminum bilateral beam chassis that hits the golden mean between rigid and flexible.

yamaha yz450f off-road ripper — Nearly 14 inches of ground clearance let you ride this overachieving little beast just about anywhere.

That quality enables you and your bike to be like Bruce Lee’s explanation of water, adapting to whatever the terrain throws at you.

Get even more versatile with Yamaha’s Power Tuner App, which lets you pair with a smartphone to dial in your fuel and ignition mapping, track maintenance and even log course sessions.

Ridin’ dirty

With a street bike, specs like suspension and ground clearance are not nearly as critical as they are with off-roaders, as these elements dictate just how far off the beaten path you can actually go.

It’s here that Yamaha often rises above the pack, and the new YZ450F is no different. Up front you get a fully adjustable KYB spring-type fork with a whopping 12.2 inches of travel. In back its a fully adjustable KYB single shock with 11.6 inches of travel.

yamaha yz450f forks — Just over a foot of suspension travel up front plus a 21-inch wheel help you roll over obstacles big and small.

So yeah, basically a foot of rebound front and back, plus 21-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels outfitted with Dunlop Geomax MX33 tires, complemented by 13.6 inches of ground clearance.

That all adds up to major obstacle clearing ability, not to mention the ability to catch major air and land cleanly without bottoming out or telescoping your spine.

yamaha yz450f top-down view — You don’t often see this sort of image, but Yamaha clearly invites you to swing a leg over one tall but narrow saddle.

All that clearance does translate to a 38-inch seat height, which may be intimidating to newer and shorter riders. (If that’s you, there’s a Kawasaki Sherpa with your name all over it.)

Keep in mind, however, the standover width is pretty narrow, and that seat will drop once your body weight compresses the suspension. Then it’s time to twist that throttle and hit the dirt.

Availability and pricing

The 2026 Yamaha YZ450F is available now at a starting price of $10,299.

2026 Yamaha YZ450F

Starts at $10,299

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.