Better in Every Way: My Guide to Building a Race-Ready Yamaha YFZ450R
Digging Deep ATVMX Podcast’s Cody Janssen – July 20, 2022
Rise of the YFZ450R
Over a decade ago, when Chad Wienen (who had never won a professional ATV Motocross National title despite being arguably the fastest man on four wheels for years) found himself without a ride, he opted to start his own “team” after a great deal of consideration – and at that very moment, Wienen Motorsports was born. We soon learned that the race winner, who had now been left without a ride by multiple different race teams, would choose Yamaha’s YFZ450R as his weapon of choice for the 2012 season. At the time, the choice seemed questionable as Yamaha’s “new” version of the YFZ was relatively unproven, underdeveloped, and had only seen the ATV Motocross Pro Class podium a total of five times in the three seasons that the machine had been in competition. We didn’t know it then, but it was a longshot move that would not only completely alter the course of Chad Wienen’s career, ATV motocross history as we know it, and the trajectory of the Japanese manufacturer in this space.
A decade after a decision that would help shape the sport as we know it, we know the manner in which Chad Wienen spring-boarded Yamaha’s ATV program – and he did the same for the Digging Deep ATVMX Podcast when he joined our very first episode in May of 2019. While doing so, he told us the story of how Michael Walsh (of Walsh Racecraft), Ryan Cox (his longtime mechanic at multiple different Factory Teams), and himself locked themselves in the shop at Walsh Racecraft and spent the offseason learning the YFZ450R from front to back. During that time, the trio turning the YFZ450R into into a capable race-winning quad that would be able to withstand the pounding of a manhandling rider like Chad Wienen. Thomas Brown, longtime friend of Wienen, had been the only rider competing aboard the blue machine in professional ATV motocross prior to the brand switch. Tbrown had finished on the podium and even won the opening moto at Redbud in 2011, but 2012 would see unprecedented success for Yamaha. In that first season, Chad Wienen would rack up six overall victories on his way to the first ever Pro Class title of his career, handing Factory Yamaha their first-ever title in the Pro ATVMX division in the process. The Yamaha YFZ450R was officially on the map!
In the seasons that followed, Chad Wienen piled up 53 national event overall wins on his way to tying Gary Denton’s record of eight titles. Not to be forgotten, Wienen also piloted his Yamaha to what may be ATV motocross’ greatest streak. Starting with his debut on his new machine at Aonia Pass 2012, Chad Wienen and his Yamaha YFZ450R wouldn’t miss an ATV Motocross Pro Class podium until Redbud 2019 – where he finished 6th overall due to a fluke chain failure in Moto 2. It had been 2,898 days since there was an event where he didn’t place in the top three — or 7 years, 11 months, & 7 days. His streak consisted of 78 events, 152 motos, & 6 titles in 7 years. And since then he’s just put together another impressive run by podiuming 29 of the 30 events since that day three years ago, added two more championships along the way. Chad Wienen is one of, if not, the greatest ATV racers ever, and he proved it by tasting victory on every brand he rode – previously on Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Can Am. But only when he joined forces with Yamaha, did he become a nearly unstoppable force. How unstoppable? Well, after his main rival came up short yet again in 2020, even Joel Hetrick decided “if you can’t beat him, join him [on Yamaha’s YFZ450R].”
When Chad Wienen debuted on Yamaha’s YFZ450R in early 2012, the machine was the choice of only one other pro rider. Little by little, year after year, the Wienen Motorsports team (and some others) fine-tuned the YFZ450R into the machine we know it as today. On the OEM side, the manufacturer was also doing their part by making constant improvement to the machine – additions like a slipper clutch system made it obvious that Yamaha had performance on their mind with a dedication to endless enhancement of the machine. In 2020, as Chad Wienen and Joel Hetrick (still on a Honda) duked it out down the stretch of the season, it finally looked as if other [outdated] machines simply couldn’t compete with the new and innovative Yamaha YFZ450R. So, in 2021, Joel Hetrick’s move to Yamaha helped spark a mass exodus from all other brands and by the conclusion of last season Yamaha’s market share in ATV motocross had risen to 25% -- which was up nearly 15% from 2014, and ironically enough Yamaha’s main competitor saw their brand share decrease over 15% during that time. Everyone was making the switch to the unrivaled Yamaha YFZ450R, and many more have for this 2022 season that is well underway…. including me.
As I stated, we saw the Chad Wienen vs. Joel Hetrick duel make it apparent that it was no longer a fair fight. So, the gears began to turn, and I began to ponder what an eventually switch to Yamaha would look like for my race program – but it was when Yamaha decided to come on as a Digging Deep show partner that a brand change became inevitable. It has been the honor of my life to have created something at Digging Deep that Yamaha felt was worthy of their partnership. I had enjoyed a great deal of success aboard red machines over the course of the last 15+ years, but it’s finally time for an upgrade. Before any of my success on the national scene, I started on a Yamaha PW50, bombed around on a Yamaha Moto 4, and eventually got my first Yamaha Blaster (before about five more). I was born a Yamaha man and, as I stated on my social media channels when I made the announcement in October, I was now HOME. Now equipped with the unrivaled quality and performance of a Yamaha and backed by the leading OEM supporter of ATV racing, I looked forward to accomplishing my goals aboard a brand new YFZ450R.
My Yamaha YFZ450R Build Guide
This brings me to the main purpose for this writing. I knew there would be a great deal of intrigue regarding this build of mine, but I also found that there are many intricacies to building a race-ready YFZ450R and I hope that Digging Deep can help ease the process and fill some of the gaps that I found during my project. Thankfully, I had an array of well verse people in my corner that I could rely on, and I’m sure I asked a stupid question or two along the way, but I’m hopeful that with this article (and the podcast that will go along with it) I can ease the process for new bLU cRU members that will inevitably come after me.
THE BUILD. There are many lights, brackets, lines, etc. that we removed for this build, and with the motor coming out to get race-built, I started by taking the machine all the way down to the frame. Starting with the engine, I wanted to go with a Wienen Motorsports package for all the reasons I outlined in the intro of this piece. When we released photos of the build, many questions arose from the Malaska decals on the side of head – presumably because many of you knew that we built all of our own Honda engines in house at my parents’ business, Janssen Motorsports. However, I wanted to trust an already proven combination (Wienen Motorsports/Malaska) and I also wanted to be able to run a pre-programed Vortex ECU so that we knew our mapping would be close already at our starting point. The following engine parts all came from Wienen Motorsports:
· Wienen Motorsports/Malaska Cylinder Head
· CP MX1P27 Piston and Carrillo Long Rod
· Web Cam WM Grind Intake and Exhaust Cams (and Valves)
· Malaska/WM KTM Throttle Body Kit.
The engine includes a handful of Hinson Racing parts:
· Hinson Billetproof Clutch Basket (which you’ll also need an OEM Yamaha YFZ450R (09-10) style clutch basket as well to rob the gear off the back of the basket to install on your new Hinson Clutch Basket)
· BTL Slipper Complete Clutch Kit
· Fibers and Steals
· Billetproof Clutch Cover
After finishing off the clutch system. The next company that I really relied on was 38 Motorsport, which I chose to use their YFZ450R Breather Box, AIS Block Off Kit, Speed Sensor Block off, among other items that I’ll mention later. Next up is Walsh Racecraft, who was a HUGE part of this project, and I couldn’t have done it without them: I wanted to use their Spark Plug Holder, Hardened Pivot Bold Engine Bushings (after learning that the OEM bushing tend to fail), and Walsh Swingarm Pivot Bolt. For my final add-ons to the engine, I went with a Rocket Machining & Billet Aluminum YFZ450R Oil Cover (which features a convenient sight glass window), Works Connections Engine Plug Kit, Moose Racing Poly Case Saver, and a 15T Sunstar Steal Front Sprocket. Wow, it feels like a lot when I spell it all out like that…. but in reality, it didn’t seem like we had to do THAT much to this thing as the Yamaha features a beefy transmission directly from the factory and a great deal of the power is made in the electronics and dual injector system rather than pushing the engine components to the max.
This leads me into my next topic and step of the process. After getting the engine (equipped with the mods above) bolted into the frame, I bolted on the KTM Throttle Body and Fuel Customs Intake. I got my intake directly from Jamie at PEP Performance tuning, so it came equipped with PEP’s Dual Injector System that is all the rage right now. I also got my Vortex ECU from PEP Performance Tuning so that I received it preprogrammed with mapping for the dual injector system. Jamie is another guy that helped endlessly with this build and the tuning that followed. Coming from the old Honda’s and their carburetors, I was initially quite scared of the electronics and addition of a second injector. However, I wish I could go back in time and reassure myself that the process would be MUCH simpler and less intimidating than I originally thought. Speaking of electronics and people that were extremely helpful, Paul Turner…..yes, the same Paul Turner that wrenched for Factory Yamaha and helped develop this machine, was a major help as he race-cut my wiring harness for me to eliminate all the unneeded wires and plugs. One thing to keep in mind is your harness will need to be wired for a KTM Throttle Body, and you’ll also need to be conscious of where you plan to mount your Vortex ECU. What a dream it was to work with Jamie from PEP Performance Tuning and Mr. Paul Turner himself; using their parts enhanced my build and eased the process for me all at the same time.
Once I had received my Walsh parts and had them powder coated by Precision Powder LLC located in Appleton, Wisconsin, it was time to kick it into overdrive so I could get this thing on the track before it was time to go racing! I bolted on my:
· Walsh Racecraft –
o Suzuki LTR Geometry Front A-Arms (with Tie Rods)
o Swingarm (stock length) with Chain Guide & Linkage
o +.25”/+1” Steering Stem & Clamp
o Lower Stem Arm (modified for LTR Spindles)
o Lowered Subframe
o Foot Pegs (Lighter & Stronger)
· Elka Suspension Stage 5 Shocks Tuned by Impact Solutions
· Rocket Machining & Design –
o Rocket Pro Hubs (LTR)
o Rocket LTR Spindles
o Rocket YFZ Rear Hubs
o Rocket Throttle Cover (04/05 TRX)
o Rocket YFZ Brake Caliper Mount
o Rocket YFZ Stem Clamp
o Rear Shock Reservoir Mount (more to come on this topic)
· Rath Racing –
o Signature Series Front Bumper
o Signature Series Nerf Bars (with Standard Pegs)
(I often get asked why I choose standard pegs, and the answer is very simple. I find that, for me, the Monster peg is simply too vast. So, it’s easy for me to lose where my pressure/leverage points are with my feet. Just a personal preference.)
o Grab Bar
· 38 Motorsports (in addition to the parts mentioned earlier) –
o Seat Pin Kit
o Tank Lowering Front Collar Kit
(I’m just going to add here that I would suggest this mod for anyone and everyone. This eliminated the plastic plate underneath the gas tank which opened up ALL KINDS of room and made this setup so clean. Not to mention all of 38 Motorsports’ products come with a QR code for easy-to-read directions and are priced shockingly cheap. Absolutely top-notch stuff here! More to come on 38 Motorsports).
· Wienen Motorsports (in addition to the engine parts mentioned earlier) –
o Antigravity YTZ7-8 Battery
o Precision Pro Model Steering Stabilizer
o RPM Dominator II Axle with Sprocket Hub
o Streamline Brake Lines
o Radiator Louvers
o Beringer Front Brake Master Cylinder
This leads me into a topic I want to expand on briefly. I had not ridden an ATV since I came off the track at the 2021 Loretta Lynn’s ATV National. So, I was going directly from a race-built Honda to a race-built Yamaha YFZ450R. I’m very particular when it comes to my controls and feel on the machine, so what I wanted to do was mimic the controls that I was used to from the last decade and a half as much as I possibly could. I went with the same stem height I was used to on the TRXs – +.25”/+1”, the same Beringer 14mm model front brake master cylinder that I’ve used in recent years, Renthal CR High Bend FatBar Handlebars, Renthal Team Issue Bar Pad, Renthal Moto Handguards, Pro Design Tether Switch, Works Connection Elite Clutch Lever and Perch assembly, Renthal Kevlar Lock-On Grips, 04/05 Honda TRX450R Throttle Assembly (with needed throttle cable – Yamaha part number 5TG-26311-00), and I chose to use Suzuki LTR Front Brake Calipers because I had a brand new set in the shop). Overall, I am extremely glad to have prioritize comfort with my controls because from the first time I sat on my build upon assembly, it felt like home.
Having not been around too many built YFZ450Rs until now, I was completely oblivious to the fact that there is some work to be done underneath the seat to make the machine race ready. The Fuel Customs/PEP intake moves the filter back about 1.5 to 2 inches. Thankfully DJ Spurling at Rocket Machining & Design showed me how they had done up Jeffrey Rastrelli’s race bike and I was able to go about my project with those images in mind. I modified both the air box and the battery box, so that we lost the two inches needed to make everything fit…but I removed the plastic material via very small cuts so that the fit would be as tight as possible to keep as much dirt/mud/water out of my airbox down the road. I needed to make a small cut in the plastic to fit my exhaust, as well as removing one small tab on the bottom of the seat. The last hurdle in this area of the machine was the rear shock reservoir mount plate. Casey Greek informed me that Rocket Machining & Design made the piece-to-have, so DJ was able to hook me up with one of those but said that he could not take the credit for it. Come to find out, it was a design that TDR Motorsports had come up with. Regardless, this piece brought everything together, fit perfectly, and overall I felt proud of the way we fabbed everything underneath the seat.
Hard parts on this build that have yet to be mentioned –
· Global Powersports VB-4 Black Carbon Front & Rear Beadlock Wheels
· CST Pulse MXR 20x6-10 Front Tires and 18x10-8 White Label Soft Compound Rear Tires
· D.I.D Racing Chain 520 ATV2 X-Ring Chain
· Sunstar Sprockets 39T Steel Rear Sprocket
· DP Brakes Pads & Rotors all the way around
· PRP Racing Bearing Carrier
· Janssen Motorsports Parking Brake Rear Block Off Plate
· DT1 Foam Air Filter
· Baldwin Motorsports Double Stitched Nerf Bar Nets
· Pro-Tec Performance Vented Air Box Lid
· BCC Skids ¼ Inch Poly Skidplate
· FMF Factory 4.1 Carbon/Stainless System
o (I’ve been an FMF supported rider for years, yet I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to find one of these when FMF hasn’t had any in stock in some time. Thankfully, I got in touch with Ride Today Powersports LLC who had these systems in stock and took great care of me. There is nothing like the fit, finish, and durability that the FMF has to offer. It holds up well, looks good, and makes solid power. That’s all I want and need!)
To make it look good, I trusted some of the best companies in the industry as SSI Decals knocked my graphics kits out of the park like always! I wanted to go with a factory look, which we did, but also wanted to incorporate some ‘04 Chad Reed vibes with a splash of digit camo and I freaking love it! Fourwerx Carbon, who is another group that I go way back with, came through with their:
· YFZ450R Twin Scooped ‘Blue Weave’ Carbon Fiber Hood
· Carbon Fiber Frame Guard Set
· Carbon Fiber Stabilizer Roost Guard
· Carbon Fiber Master Cylinder Reservoir Guard
· Carbon Fiber Rear Number Plate
· Hump Seat Kit (Cover & Foam)
She sure is a beauty!
Finally, I will continue to use the same oil and coolant that I’ve always trusted, despite the different color of these machines. Valvoline’s ATV/UTV 4-Stroke 10W-40 extended my engine, clutch, and transmission life x5, so we’re going to keep a great thing going there! And Evans Waterless Powersports Coolant is the only brand I will ever trust when it comes to antifreeze.
If you’re STILL reading this, 1. You’re a trooper and 2. You may be gearing up for a YFZ450R build of your own. If you, in fact, are readying for your own build then this paragraph may be the most important one because there were aspects of this project that baptized me by fire. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I do wish someone could’ve briefed me on a few things to ease the process.
When the assembly process was complete with all the parts above, I was (of course) eager to start the machine. Electric start sure is a beautiful thing, by the way, and it started up right away. It was a Friday night, so I let it run for just a bit before shutting it off feeling accomplished after a long week. The quad had gone from just a frame to a running machine in five days. Well, when I returned to the shop the next day it wouldn’t run. I went over everything and eventually found that we had good spark and air flow, meaning fuel must’ve been the culprit – somehow, we weren’t getting gas to the throttle body. It took an entire day to figure out that the coupler on the fuel line to the throttle body was somehow “plugged” despite being brand new, so we freed that up with a pick and away we went!
Now the machine was running, but not running well. The Vortex has two plugs on it, the main big plug as well as a small pigtail. I found that the pigtail wasn’t entirely plugged in, which again made the machine run better but it still wasn’t right. Specifically, it didn’t like to take on much throttle. The next thing I learned was it could in the Throttle Position Sensor. Small adjustments to the TPS can make a major difference to a machine’s throttle response and the way a machine runs. So, I hopped online and found tpstool.com, who offers an easy-to-use TPS tool and pigtail. With this, I was able to adjust my TPS to the exact spec Jamie at PEP Performance Tuning instructed me to be at with my setup. The machine was more responsive but still had a noticeable “dead spot” in the power. Jamie told me to throw some fuel at it by turning up the clickers, and boy did this thing come to life! My duel-injector-powered bLU cRU ride just needed more fuel! Next stop: the 38 Motorsports Facility in Charlotte, Iowa.
I praised 38 Motorsports for their quality products earlier in this piece, but Keaton Sterk blew me away with how well he took care of me throughout this process. I received all the parts that I ordered in just 1-2 days, but when I approached him about helping me tune my Yamaha (a machine he’s become quite familiar with over the course of the last 8+ years), he got me in in just a few days. The goals were to fine tune my Vortex ECU settings, test VP113 and VP MR Pro 6 fuels, as well as test my DT1 foam filter verses a K&N. PEP conveniently mapped my Vortex for both fuels, VP113 for practicing and MR Pro 6 for race day. With the MR Pro 6 map, we were right in the middle of our box settings, but for the VP113 fuel this thing wanted all the gas it could get – hence the dead spot it had earlier. You’ll also be surprised to learn that our curve was slightly better throughout the entirety of the curve with the foam filter vs. a K&N….shocking right?! The question you’ve all been waiting to hear is one that isn’t overly important to me, simply because everyone’s dyno reads differently – but this build came in at mid 50s in terms of horsepower and mid 30s in regard to torque. The numbers don’t really matter to me, not nearly as much as the seat-of-the-pants feel does – and let me tell you, this thing freaking RIPS!
Now, anxious to take it to the track, I would do just that a few days later. Just like I had previously stated, I felt at home on the YFZ450R right away. I think I was so comfortable because I was having SO much fun. The throttle response of the EFI was incredible. What stood out to me the very most were the length of the gears, but with all the torque this machine has, I am able to shift less than I’m used to as it just keeps on pulling. The other standout trait to me is the rear end/linkage on this machine. I’ve heard everyone rant and rave about it and let me tell you it is better than advertised. The private track I’ve been riding at has a long intimidating set of “Supercross-like” whoops….and I can confidently say I’ve never hit them as fast as I was able to on this machine. Whoops and roller sections have always been a strength of mine, but on the Yamaha, it feels like I have an entirely new gear. The YFZ450R is better in every way!
Wrap-Up
I had been intrigued about a move to Yamaha for a couple years now. When Yamaha joined forces with the Digging Deep ATVMX Podcast, it then seemed inevitable – it was just figuring out when was going to be the right time to pull the trigger. About a year ago, I hopped on my friend’s (Tyler Hart) stock YFZ450R and after a couple laps felt like I could go as fast on that stocker as I could on my race TRX450Rs. Finally, last October, my YFZ450R showed up in a crate. It wasn’t quick or easy to acquire all the parts, and a lot of hard work went into the built, but it was well worth the wait. My only regret is not making the switch sooner; this Yamaha YFZ450R is SO much fun to ride. I can’t get enough of it!
Chad Wienen himself told me that this combination should easily hold up for 50 hours….my old Honda’s were lucky to make it 5 hours on a new motor. That was the biggest key factor that motivated my brand switch: reliability. And furthermore, you aren’t required with these machines to twist on them too hard because a lot of the power is being made within the Vortex ECU and PEP Performance Tuning Dual Injector System. I am SO pumped up about this build and so damn proud of it!
Credits
Major thanks to Yamaha for their support in making this happen. Special thanks to Chad & Danica Wienen at Wienen Motorsports, Jamie at PEP Performance Tuning, DJ Spurling at Rocket Machining & Design, Paul Turner, Jeffrey Rastrelli, Max Lindquist, Keaton Sterk, and anyone else who offered their guidance over the past eight months or so. This has all been such a learning process for me, I can't thank these awesome people enough for their help; I couldn't have pulled it off without you. Also, a special shout out to my dad and my right-hand man, Dan Binder, for their assistance in the assembly process. Thank you to each and every company that helped this beauty come together:
· Yamaha (@yamahaoutdoors)
· Wienen Motorsports (@wienenmotorsports)
· SSI Decals (@ssidecals)
· Walsh Racecraft (@walshrc1997)
· PEP Performance Tuning (@pepperformancetuning)
· Impact Solutions (@impact_solutions)
· Elka Suspension (@elkasuspension)
· CST Tires (@csttiresusa)
· Rocket Machining & Design (@rocketmachiningdesign)
· Valvoline (@valvoline)
· Hinson Clutch Components (@hinsonracing)
· Rath Racing (@rathracing)
· DP Brakes (@dpbrakesracing)
· Fourwex Carbon (@fourwerx)
· Global Powersports (@globalpowersports)
· Renthal (@renthal_moto)
· Sunstar Sprockets (@sunstar_ea)
· Works Connections (@worksconnection)
· All Balls Racing (@allballsracinggroup)
· FMF Racing (@fmf73)
· D.I.D Racing Chain (@didchain)
· B.C.C. Skids (@bccskids)
· Evans Powersports Coolant (@evanspowersport)
· PRP Racing (@prpracing17x)
· Precision Powder LLC (@precision_powder_wi)
· 38 Motorsports (@38_motorsports)
For parts that fell through the cracks, I relied on our Digging Deep RMATVMC link that can be found on diggingdeepatvmx.com. Link: https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/?ref=1028
Last but not least, I want to thank my personal sponsors for sticking with me despite my delayed start to the 2022 season: Thor MX, 100%, Atlas Brace, Bell Helmets, Hemauer Financial Group, Klink Equipment, E-Z UP, Northern Chill, and Cliff Cox at Oshkosh Tattoo & Good Girl Piercing. You best believe we’re about to make up for lost time with LOTS of content!
NOW, there’s only one thing left to do. Time to go racing at Round 9 of the 2022 ATV Motocross National Championship! See you at legendary Redbud Motocross in Buchanan, Michigan, on the weekend of July 30/31. See you there on my brand-new Yamaha YFZ450R….it’s better in every way!
