WINNER: Yamaha YFZ450
Here’s the deal. Yamaha offers nine (count ’em) Pure Sport ATV models.
That’s more than anyone else and as many models as all the other manufacturers offer in this segment combined.
As a result of this incredible Pure Sport dominance both in racing and in sales, Yamaha is able to perform interesting component shuffling offering exceptional value to its legion of pure sport customers.
Offered only in the USA is the newly introduced “base” carbureted YFZ450 and it rings the bell so hard no pure sport shopper can overlook this value packed full-featured ride.
Understand this: The BIC isn’t going only to the YFZ450 super value carbed base edition, it goes to the complete YFZ line-up.
These long-travel, superbly engineered, race-ready rides are stunning examples of how far the pure sport class has come in the past decade.
This ride further exemplifies the equity Yamaha has with the younger demographic predisposed to performance riding.
I guess what we’re saying is this: If you’re shopping pure sport, you’re shopping Yamaha.
RUNNERS UP
Can-Am DS 450
Can-Am gets the runner up nod here based on attention to detail. Not only is the basic DS 450 a potent and capable pure sport ride for buyers looking for a sand lot rooster, it is rivaled only by KTM in offering true race-ready 450 class ATVs.
If you opt for either the MX or XC 450 variants you can pretty much unload a brand new one right onto the starting gate at most sanctioned events.
Everything needed to win is on the DS when you roll it out of the showroom.
That’s serious. That’s value.
Honda TRX 450
More than a few readers scream every year about the race potential of this largely-unchanged-for-5-years ride.
We agree there’s no other pure sport in the market with as many available aftermarket accessories and performance upgrades in the retail mail order marketplace.
You can literally build your own version of the 450 Honda however you will pay for this privilege.
The essentials are all there though. Great chassis design and precise handling with a fully tunable tough-as-nails engine.
