YZF450-2 wheel drive

[TEXAS-HOTROD]

I saw the coolest bike ever. I was watching the Paris/Dakar rally on Speed Channel yesterday. Yamaha is supporting a team this year running YZF450s that are 2wheel drive. The front system is activated when the rear wheel starts to spin. This one rider got sideways in a muddy corner when the rear wheel cought a deep rut and was about to lay it over. The front kicked in and yanked the bike out of the rut. He placed first on the stage. There is also an American team this year.
It will be interesting to see them when they hit the dunes.
The American Pro-truck looks promising also.
It is a daily show that is aired 2-3 times daily. Catch it if you can
---TEX---

[volcomrider]

Originally Posted by TEXAS-HOTROD

I saw the coolest bike ever. I was watching the Paris/Dakar rally on Speed Channel yesterday. Yamaha is supporting a team this year running YZF450s that are 2wheel drive. The front system is activated when the rear wheel starts to spin. This one rider got sideways in a muddy corner when the rear wheel cought a deep rut and was about to lay it over. The front kicked in and yanked the bike out of the rut. He placed first on the stage. There is also an American team this year.
It will be interesting to see them when they hit the dunes.
The American Pro-truck looks promising also.
It is a daily show that is aired 2-3 times daily. Catch it if you can
---TEX---

Tht is a pretty awesome yzf but how do they get power to the front wheel and wouldnt it severly affect handling at a higher speed....tell me if im wrong

[TEXAS-HOTROD]

If I were to guess, I would say that there is a hudraulic pump connected to the counter shaft that supplies pressure to a drive system. It looks like there is a hydraulic motor mounted inside the front wheel hub with pressure supply/fluid return lines along side one of the forks. As far as an automated control system, I have no idea. If you're carrying something like 20+ gallons of fuel, what's another 30lbs. of weight. I don't think it would hurt handling any, they reach speeds over 100mph on the dry lake beds.
As crappy as Speed Channel has become there was no specific coverage of the 2X2 in the dunes. I can't recall the dudes name that was the leader of the 450Fs, but he came in 7th overall. He would have placed higher but had a huge get-off in the opening section of the final stage. Out of 400 interants total, 7th place is exceptional for a rookie.
The commentator stated that Yamaha built a total of 50 2X2 bikes. Maybe with more development, Yamaha might introduce them as a special model.

[volcomrider]

ok i see wut ure saying but i still think it would be hard to handle cause its not like a car tht has power steering u know......u would have to muscle tht thing around pretty good and it adds alot of weight guessing by what u just wrote. Wouldn't it be hard to lay over to cause the gyroscope affect almost doubles thts why i thought it would be hard to handle like in a turn or sometin. I dont know...lol

[TEXAS-HOTROD]

That's a good thought on the gyro effect. It would make for a good wheelie bike since the front wheel would keep spinning. Wheelies were always easy for me but it seemed more difficult to stabilize once the front wheel stopped spinning. The wierd thing is, the wind scooped up by the front fender would spin a knobby tire backwards, hence giving a little more stability.
If you ever see one in a show room let me know.
---TEX---

[volcomrider]

ya same to u if u ever find one in a showroom let me know to, wheelies are pretty easy for being that i have an rm80 (superlight and short wheel base) But the problem i seem to run into most is that after a little ways of wheelying the engine feels boged down and i cant maintain the wheelie. Any advice?
thx for being so fast with the replies

[TEXAS-HOTROD]

If it's loosing power, the float level might be too low. If you have a service book, get the procedure and specs on where the gas level should be in the carb. How does it feel under acceleration? Does it seem to have good power?
Maybe check the overflow tube. If it is clogged up it could be flooding the engine.

I could pull my XL600 up in 3rd gear from about 45 mph. hit 4th and cruise it steadily around 60mph, my longest was 3 1/4 miles. My Ninja would only come up in 1st, but by the time I could get it up and balanced it would already be an 80mph wheelie.
The funnest was my CR250. Seems like 3rd gear was the magic gear.
One word of advice, always keep your foot on the rear brake. My CR450 would wheel stand so unexpecd that all of a sudden I would be looking at the gas cap. Keeping a foot on the brake at all times saved my a$$ a few times.
---TEX---

[volcomrider]

Hey thx yay i have a manual for it but its not of big deal cause im selling it to get an honda 85 expert the powers fine under acceleration the carb i dont know ill have to check it out but i think its something im doin cause im holding off a little bit right now on the stunts cause i ve been looped god knows how many times hey but if u know anyone intrested in an rm80 in like great condition tell me
---volcom---

[pimp_squeak]

CHristini makes a 2WD bicycle...I'm not sure whether it woudl be the same idea but it has a spiral gear on the rear wheel...and a shaft that goes through the frame...the shaft in the fork is a collapable type...once part is a sleeve that goes around the other section of the shaft where it drives another spiral gear on the hub of the front wheel...apparently it helps keep the front wheel on the ground when you're climbing a hill or riding on the street it avoids wheelies...

[TEXAS-HOTROD]

I've seen some cool mountain bikes. Sounds like that one's a read Cadillac.
---TEX---

[neversummer525]

ive seen a jeep mountain bike that also works the same way as the Christini bike does- it has a ring gear on the hub and a pinion shaft running down one of the forks. Its hooked up somehow to the chain, i forget how.

[44014]

mate you wanna do wheelies get a husaberg 600 damn thing tryes to lift if you go hard into 6th great fun tho