Ergonomics
The fastest motorcycle on the track isn’t going to be much fun if the rider can’t get comfortable on it. Most of these 450cc machines offer some form of ergonomic tailoring via adjustable handlebar clamps and/or adjustable foot pegs to help their chassis fit a wider variety of body shapes and sizes. It’s our opinion, however, that comfort can be assessed by chassis layout, seat contour and bar height and shape more so than where the bar is positioned on the triple clamp.
For 2018, our test crew deemed the KTM 450 SX-F as the most comfortable bike on the track. The KTM’s super-compliant steel chassis, razor thin feel through the middle and smallish overall dimensions were a big hit during our shootout.
“The KTM is probably one of the smallest feeling bikes ever, and the lightest for sure,” Abbatoye said. “Everything feels pretty comfortable, but it has hard seat. Actually, they all do.”
Stover added that the KTM’s layout is “Nice and flat, really easy to move around on. It doesn’t feel like the bike is trying to hold you in one place.”
Even while complaining about it, Smith had to admit that the KTM is the best of the bunch when it comes to ergos.
“High on the tank, where the shroud mounts, it feels like your knee can kind of get caught in there,” Smith said. “The seat is stiff, but the handlebars felt neutral. Seat to pegs was a good feeling, too, and it’s really thin in the knee area.”
Surprise, surprise, the Yamaha YZ450F came in second in this category. Last year the Yamaha was roundly criticized for its wide and bulky feel through the mid-section and tank shroud areas, but the Yamaha’s new chassis is much slimmer and features a more compact air box and slimmer shrouds for a more tucked-in feel. The difference was noticeable.
“It feels a lot slimmer,” Abbatoye said. “They got rid of the bulky shrouds. It doesn’t feel as small as the Honda or the KTM. It’s closer to the Suzuki in feel. I hate to say too many positive things about it, but it really felt perfect to me. You can really tell that Yamaha put a lot into it, and they did a good job.”
Stover felt that while the YZ still feels a tad wider up front than its competition, “It’s not nearly as bad as it was last year. It is a lot easier to hang onto than it was last year.”
Smith, too, praised the Yamaha’s ergonomic improvement everywhere except for its handlebar.
“The new bodywork and everything make it feel thinner and more nimble all-around,” Smith said. “You feel like you’re in the bike and have good control, but the handlebars are high. I didn’t like the bars.”
Thanks to its new, slimmer chassis, the Suzuki RM-Z450 once again reached the podium in this category. There wasn’t a whole lot to complain about in terms of the Suzuki’s cockpit layout last year, but now it’s even thinner and smaller-feeling than before, which definitely helps to hide its heaviest-in-class 250.3-lb. weight on the track.
“The Suzuki feels really good, sitting or standing,” Abbatoye said. “It doesn’t quite feel as small as the Honda or KTM, but the seating position, bar position and peg position are all pretty much right on with the RM-Z.”
Stover agreed, saying, “The Suzuki feels very thin. The seat is a tad stiff, but overall the RM-Z feels really good, like a race machine should. Everything feels like it’s where it should be.”
Smith mentioned that the RM-Z’s riding layout felt a little cramped. “But I actually liked it,” he said. “That smaller feel, I liked it.”
The Husqvarna FC 450 was also generally praised by our crew. Although the Husky shares the same main frame as its KTM sister, the FC 450’s unique, carbon fiber subframe and full coverage side panels add noticeable width to an otherwise slim and smooth ergonomic package.
“The way everything is contoured on the bike is really smooth, so you don’t get hung up,” Smith said. “The way you sit on the bike, and the height and shape of the handlebars, were perfect for me.”
Stover also liked the FC 450 for the most part.
“The bike feels good, and the bars feel good,” he said. “The seat feels a little square to me, like you’re getting a little too much rubbing on the outside edges of the seat because it is wider than others. But the side paneling is smooth, and you really feel like you can grip it because it flares out as you move toward the back of the bike. It gives you a good feeling of control.”
On the other hand, Abbatoye was a little weirded-out by the Husqvarna FC 450’s ergos.
“It feels different,” Abbatoye said. “It’s more like the back end is too low where others feel really level. It’s a chopper-like feel. The bars are too high.”
The Honda CRF450R also boasts a comfortable feel that is on the small side, according to our testers, but there were other issues that prevented it from claiming top honors in the ergonomic category.
“The Honda’s cockpit is really comfortable,” Smith said. “It puts you right in the bike where you need to be. Its bodywork is also really smooth, so you don’t get caught on anything.”
Stover also liked the Honda.
“Very comfortable,” he said of the CRF450R. “It didn’t take any time to get used to the bike. I jumped on it and felt right at home. There’s nothing weird about it. I liked how flat the seat is, and the bars aren’t too high or too low.
However, Abbatoye had an issue with the fact that the Honda still doesn’t come with a 1 1/8” handlebar.
“No fat bars, and it needs them,” Abbatoye said. “Other than that, I didn’t have any issues. It was one of the smallest feeling bikes in the class. It feels light and small, but on paper it isn’t all that light.”
Abbatoye also marked down the Kawasaki for its lack of over-sized bars.
“The Kawasaki feels long, and why doesn’t it come with fat bars?” he griped. “They change the feel of things and give a bike a more solid feel. The Honda didn’t have them either. They should both have them. And the bars feel as though they’re too far behind the forks rather than on top of them.”
Smith also noted that the KX450F is slim but has a long feel.
“It feels like you sit on top of the bike unlike the rest of them where you sit in the bike,” he said. “I think the ergonomic triangle felt pretty neutral, but the bike feels heavy overall. From the waist down it was fine, and at least you can adjust both the foot pegs and the handlebars.”
Stover echoed Smith’s conclusions.
“The Kawi feels a little bigger than the other bikes, and it feels a little long,” Stover said. “It’s not as slim as the Suzuki or the Honda, but it isn’t as wide up front as the Yamaha. In the center, where you spend most of your time riding it, it feels a little wider than the other bikes.”
2018 450cc Motocross Shootout Ergonomics Results
1. KTM 450 SX-F
2. Yamaha YZ450F
3. Suzuki RM-Z450
4. Husqvarna FC 450
5. Honda CRF450R
6. Kawasaki KX450F
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