2005 YZ450f - My First Bike

by Jason
(Missoula, MT)

In 2008 I ended my active duty contract with the United States Marine Corps. I am currently in my IRR time until February of 2012. With deployments out of my future I strived to get the adrenaline rush the Marine Corps Infantry gave to me. I did this by buying a 2005 Yamaha yz450f to race across the terrain of Montana.

This is my first bike, and although it started as a large powerful bike for a beginner, I began to ride the bike instead of it riding me. Not knowing a lot about bikes in the beginning I was extremely hard on this machine. I was dumping it quite often, and because of the race mentality of the bike I was constantly clutching for the endurance woods riding.

I continued to get seat time in and entered my first cross country race and many more to follow. This bike has been extremely reliable and has not had any mechanical issues through the hundreds of extreme terrains that I have covered this year.

The one negative that I have, that is easily corrected, is the bikes ability to boil the radiator. With woods riding it is extremely difficult to keep the bike opened up and cooled down. I started running liquid ice and installed an over flow tank and have not had that problem since.

This bike has been such an indestructible bike that it is currently being powder coated and wrapped in new decals for the 2012 season. The bike will be dedicated the the Marines of Montana that have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

To see the bike and track me in the memory of the Montana Marines kia go to ridemtxc.com

- A YZ450f is not a bad way to get an adrenalin buzz - not sure how it compares to the Marine Corps though?! What a great idea for the graphics. I'll put you in the draw to win a new set of One Industries graphics which you could save for another season. Thanks Jason.

Hayden -