Luke Clout successfully jumped between capacity classes for CDR Yamaha in 2023 so we took at look at how similar his YZ250F and YZ450 were.
RIDER: LUKE CLOUT YZ250F & YZ450
HOW HARD WAS IT TRANSITIONING BETWEEN BIKES?
It’s not too bad actually. As a junior, we were always able to jump from a 65 to an 85, or an 85 to a 125 and even from a 125 to a 250, so we did it a lot as kids. The fact that the bikes are so similar makes it easy and also, I like that its 450 on night one, then 250 on night two. It’s easier to step down in power than it is to step up.
The YZ450 requires more timing on the track as there is more than enough to jump anything from anywhere. Having said that, it seems that a 250 can do whatever a 450 can do on a modern supercross track and it’s rare to see a 450 only jump these days. Although this weekend did provide one with the quad just before the finish that only a few 450 guys were able to make.
The YZ250F you can ride more aggressively both with the throttle and in the turns while the YZ450 just needs that bit of patience and respect. The YZ250F you ride higher in the rpm, although I don’t mind revving my YZ450 either.
DID YOU PREFER ONE BIKE OVER THE OTHER AND WHY?
I enjoyed the change of riding the YZ250F. I have raced 450’s for the last few years so it was fun to jump back on the YZ250F. I didn’t really spend a lot of time on one, just maybe a day or two in the week leading up to each round, then on race days. It only takes a lap or two to adjust and then it’s back to just riding a bike again. So, no real preference, but I did seem to click with the YZ250F at Abu Dhabi. I felt better on the bike and far more competitive.
MANAGER: CRAIG DACK
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO HAVE LUKE RACE TWO DIFFERENT BIKES?
The main reason was to assist Clout get himself back on track as he has really struggled after breaking leg in 2022 and then breaking his arm earlier this year. We felt that Clout getting on a YZ450 for WSX with a much higher level of competition was a little too much too soon. As it turned out he had two great rides especially in Melbourne to end up 3rd in the SX2 class for WSX 2023.
When looking at our WSX rider list, you take in who is available and where their best chance of success is. There is also an element of where the rider lives and how you can service and maintain that bike with the support, they have around them. So, we felt that Clout’s best chance of success was on the YZ250F. The team could develop and maintain the bike and that Luke’s riding style and size suited the bike.
So, we elected to put him on the YZ250F for WSX, but he was contracted to race a YZ450 in the Australian Supercross Championship. I think Clout wasn’t sold on the ide at first, but I would say that’s changed now after the final two rounds and he would agree it was a good decision to make.
ALLISTER KENT – CDR YAMAHA MONSTER ENERGY TEAM TECHNICIAN
ASIDE FROM OBVIOUS CAPACITY DIFFERENCES, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE LUKE CHASED THAT WAS DIFFERENT ON EACH BIKE? DID HE WANT MORE POWER FROM THE 250 AND LESS FROM THE 450?
The YZ250F responds well to engine modifications, and coming from a YZ450, Luke did want more power. We targeted more bottom end and mid-range, more torque, and a quicker throttle response. The need for peak horsepower isn’t so important in supercross and as soon as the guys got on the 250, they commented how the power and felt good and plentiful right away. We achieved more horsepower and torque through head work, piston, cams, vortex ignition and several airbox mods, a Pro Circuit pipe and muffler, GYTR parts, etc. to come up with a great little 250 which was more than competitive.
The YZ450F has an extremely strong engine and we gained more horsepower and torque but we were a lot more careful on how we spread the power on the 450 through, head, cam, vortex ignition, Pro Circuit pipe and muffler, GYTR parts, etc.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER WEIRD SETUP DIFFERENCES IN ERGOS OR SUSPENSION?
The chassis and all the suspension components are the same on both bikes the last few years, but this year the 450 had the updated frame while we were still on the 2023 250F, so the chassis was a little different but nothing that significant that required a major rethink of how we did things.
The biggest difference in the handling ends up being the motor and the inertia generated from the size of the piston pumping up and down. So, the bikes were very similar in terms of suspension set up and valving, it was only a spring rate change that was the major difference and that is more due to the bike weight than any other factor. Clout ended up running the same Enzo KYB kit shock on both the 450 and 250 with one spring rate heaver in the 450.
Ergonomically, Clout ran the same handlebars, grips, seat and footpegs so there was a close to each other as possible, so Luke was able to quickly adjust to the different bike.
WAS HE HARDER ON ONE BIKE MORE THAN THE OTHER? ANY PARTS ON ONE HE WORE OUT MORE THAN ON THE OTHERS?
Aside from crash damage and tyre wear from riding on super hard dirt, supercross is generally easy on bikes. We had two indoor events this year, so there was little chance of mud or an over-watered track, so the bikes stayed in great shape.
Clutches would be the most obvious part because the tight nature of a supercross track means the riders are always modulating the power via the clutch. The decals also get a hard time as the riders often grip the bike so tight, especially in the whoops, so they get peeled up from the rider’s legs.
5 THINGS WE DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT LUKE’S BIKES
1 The bikes raced in the Australian Championship run different fuel to what is allowed in the World SX championship due to the FIM fuel rules vs the MA rules.
2 The CDR YZ250F was fully developed and built in Australia, with collaboration from Cisco tuning using the team’s knowledge and sponsor products.
3 Once the race bikes leave the first round of the WSX, we don’t see them again until the next round so there is little time to develop during the championship.
4 Luke’s fastest lap in the SX1 main event was 48.9 on Friday night. His final lap time in the WSX2 final race was 48.6.
5 CDR Yamaha bike and the CDR International bike have slightly different decal layouts.