2026 Yamaha YZF450F Review – Motorcycle Test

6 months ago 62

ARTICLE AD BOX

2026 Yamaha YZF450F Review

A mate of mine used to spend endless hours on lathes and milling machines building his race engines. Even though he was considered one of the best speedway engine builders in the country, he was always looking to improve on what he already had, because in his eyes, good was never good enough.

This is the situation with Yamaha, and its new YZ450F. It’s a proven race-winning machine, with a reputation for not only being fast, but also reliable, and is often described as “bulletproof”. This reputation took it to the top of the 450 sales charts in 2025. Driven by a desire to keep improving, the engineers and development teams at Yamaha then set about making a good thing even better.

The 2026 YZ450F features some changes that may seem minor on the surface, but when combined, they add up to a significantly improved machine. The 2026 model is not drastically different from the previous model; it still has the same Yamaha characteristics, but these mid-generation changes are a step further in the right direction for the YZ450F.

Redesigned intake port produces more tumble effect for more efficient combustion and improved torque

The engine changes in 2026 are all based around the latest FIM noise restrictions. While these restrictions come into effect in Europe for 2026, they do not come into effect in Australia until 2027. However, Yamaha set about building an FIM-compliant motorcycle to be released globally this year.

There is a slightly modified air-box with a resonator, and a new resonator has been added to the exhaust, as well as a modified muffler. To mitigate the performance loss resulting from the sound restrictions, Yamaha has modified the intake port to make it straighter and more direct, and updated the mapping to suit.

The gearbox remains the same from the previous model, with the exception of a hydraulic clutch. On the previous model, the hydraulic clutch was a GYTR factory option made by Brembo. The 2026 model now comes standard with a Nissin hydraulic clutch. If a hydraulic clutch isn’t your thing, I am told you can order a clutch cable and the necessary components like the perch and actuator arm to convert the 2026 bike back to a cable set-up.

I’m still on the fence when it comes to cable or hydraulic clutches. For race starts I would prefer cable, as I get a more precise feel when loading the engine and gear box right before the gate drops. Yet on the track, I like the lighter feel of the hydraulic, so at the end of the day, I’m happy with either. In this case, the new Nissin hydraulic unit felt just as good as any other, with a nice, light, consistent pull at the lever and a positive engagement. So no complaints here.

Despite the changes made to meet the FIM noise restrictions, the engine felt similar to the previous model. It still behaved like a Yamaha, with strong power and earth-turning torque right off the bottom. It did seem a little cleaner in terms of throttle response, which made it more rideable and easier to manage in putting that power to the ground.

The bike still had a nice bark under power, although I did notice the intake noise had been reduced, and it is noticeably quieter at idle.

With the updated mapping and intake port, Yamaha regained the power the new bike lost, complying with noise restrictions. So, the 2026 model ended up with the same horsepower figures as the 2025 model.

The frame has also been updated. The goal in changing the frame was not only to maintain the nimble feeling Yamaha had gained with the new bike in 2023, but also to try and regain some of the stability it lost with the outgoing 2022 bike. The changes are a thinner front down-tube, with a revised inner and outer structure to create better front-end feel.

New frame design balances rigidity and flex characteristics

Yamaha YZF450F Specifications
2025 v 2026

Specification	2025 YZ450F	2026 YZ450F
Overall Length	2180 mm	2175 mm
Overall Width	825 mm	825 mm
Overall Height	1275 mm	1275 mm
Seat Height	965 mm	965 mm
Wheelbase	1480 mm	1475 mm
Ground Clearance	350 mm	345 mm
Caster Angle	26.9	27.5 mm
Trail	120	123.5 mm
Front Wheel Travel	310 mm	310 mm
Rear Wheel Travel	295 mm	295 mm
Wet Weight	109 Kg	110 Kg

To complement the changes made to the frame in 2026, the KYB suspension has seen some minor updates as far as valving is concerned.

I had some real-time comparisons to make here, as I own the previous model, the YZ450F. And compared to my bike, the 2026 model did seem more stable under brakes and on corner entry, and it felt easier to hold a tight line mid corner. Hats off to the engineers on this one, as this was a major area that needed improving, and it seems they’ve moved well and truly in the right direction.

Revised inner and outer structure including a thinner front downtube

And just to put a cherry on top of the latest suspension modifications, the rear shock now features a toolless compression adjuster.

Shock now includes a hand-operated low-speed compression clicker for simplified trackside adjustments

Conditions on this particular day were a mixed bag. We had some wet corners that developed with deep ruts during the day, and dry, sometimes dusty straights leading into them. It was certainly a good track for testing a new bike. Throw in a howling wind, and we riders were also put to the test.

Braking on the 2026 model seems to have been made easier. Not because I noticed the brakes were stronger than its predecessor, but because the bike was more stable on corner entry, I felt I was able to carry the brakes deeper into the corner despite the tricky track conditions.

I made very few changes to the bike on the day, just a quick rider-sag and lever adjustment.

As the day went on, and the track started developing some decent lines, I ended up going four clicks softer on compression on both front and rear. And four clicks faster on rebound front and rear. This was to allow the suspension to move freely underneath me, given the track conditions.

Other changes to the 2026 model include some cosmetic ones. It comes in two colour options, the standard Yamaha blue, and the 70th anniversary white and red. The bike now features two-piece side number plates and a newly designed front number plate. I personally would have preferred the older style plate, or an aftermarket one, as they offer more protection to the upper fork leg from roost. But then again, there is no roost out in front of the pack, is there?

The new 2026 model also features a one-directional gripper seat, designed to prevent you from sliding backwards under acceleration, and also to allow you to slide forward with no resistance. And did this seat work? Yes. It’s not the type of gripper seat you can buy aftermarket, but it’s certainly better than the standard seats we are used to.

The updated Yamaha Power-Tuner App now features a security option. This anti-theft system allows you to lock the ECU via a password. When the ECU is locked, the bike will not start. If your bike is garaged, and the ECU is locked, all the would-be thieves stand to gain for themselves is a garage ornament, or at best, a bike they can push around.

If you choose to use this feature, be careful not to lose your password. If you do happen to lose it, the ECU is completely locked out, and you will require a new ECU from Yamaha. Just write it down a few times, and don’t let your mates play jokes, and change it on you, because that wouldn’t be funny.

Overall, the 2026 YZ450F is a much more refined and more rideable version of its predecessor. It’s still a Yamaha by nature, but a more user-friendly one, with better front-end feel and a cleaner throttle response, thus making it easier to ride. And some of the stability the YZ450F was known for in 2022 has returned. And that is so very welcome.

2026 YZ450F Specifications

Specficiations
Overall length	2175mm
Overall width	825mm
Overall height	1275mm
Seat height	965mm
Wheelbase	1475mm
Track	n/a
Minimum ground clearance	345mm
Wet(with oil and a full fuel tank)	110kg
Engine type	Liquid cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC
Cylinder arrangement	Single cylinder
Displacement	450cm3
Bore & stroke	97.0×60.8mm
Compression ratio	13.0:1
Starting system type	Electric starter
Lubrication system	Dry sump
Engine oil capacity	1.20L/1.26usqt/1.05Imp.qt
Fuel tank capacity	6.2L / 1.6usgal / 1.4Imp.gal
Induction	Fuel injection
Ignition system type	TCI (transistor controlled ignition)
Final drive	Chain
Primary reduction ratio	2.481 (67/27)
Secondary reduction ratio	3.923 (51/13)
Clutch type	Wet, multiple-disc
Transmission type	Constant mesh, 5-speed
Shift type	Return
Gear ratio-1st gear	2.000 (28/14)
Gear ratio-2nd gear	1.625 (26/16)
Gear ratio-3rd gear	1.350 (27/20)
Gear ratio-4th gear	1.136 (25/22)
Gear ratio-5th gear	1.000 (21/21)
Frame type	Semi double cradle
Caster angle	27°30′
Trail	123mm
Steering Angle	43°
Tire size(Front)	80/100-21 51M Tube type
Tire size(Rear)	120/80-19 63M Tube type
Rim size(Front)	21×1.6
Rim size(Rear)	19×2.15
Brake type(Front)	Hydraulic single disc brake
Brake type(Rear)	Hydraulic single disc brake
Diameter of brake disk(Front)	270mm
Diameter of brake disk(Rear)	240mm
Inside diameter of drum / Effective diameter of disc(Front)	244mm
Inside diameter of drum / Effective diameter of disc(Rear)	214mm
Suspension type(Front)	Telescopic fork
Suspension type(Rear)	Swingarm (link suspension)
Shock absorber assembly type(Front)	Coil spring/Hydraulic damper
Shock absorber assembly type(Rear)	Coil spring/Gas-hydraulic damper
Wheel travel(Front)	310mm
Wheel travel(Rear)	295mm
Inner tube diameter of front fork	48.0mm
Traction Control System	Equipped
Price	From $15,749