2019 85cc MX Shootout

Nothing brings me more joy than watching my son share the same passion that I do for dirt bikes. However making the decision (as a parent) to purchase the correct machine can be somewhat confusing, difficult, and expensive. That is where Keefer Inc. Testing comes in! We decided to do a 2019 85cc shootout for you moto loving parents out there, but also give you some insight on which bike might be best for you and your little one. This was a big undertaking for myself as it’s tough to get kids to open up on how each bike feels, but we can officially say that the 2019 85 MX Shootout has officially taken the checkered flag after three days of testing, over 50 pages of testing notes, eight test riders, and after countless engine hours have racked up on thee little bikes. The tracks we chose to test at were good for a wide range of abilities and wasn't so gnarly that your typical 85cc novice couldn't have some fun. We feel the tracks we tested on were the best tracks (combined with the prep that was performed) that brought out each machines strengths and weaknesses. In doing this we know the information gathered was the most accurate we could offer from our 11-14 year old testers. Below are the final rankings and a brief evaluation summary that were tallied up by using an olympic style scoring. If you want to hear more about each bike, get a much broader breakdown of each machine, and hear from one of the testers, click on the podcast tab to listen to the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Keefer Tested Podcast Presented By Fly Racing And Race Tech this week!

Check back soon for a “Best Settings” article for each machine and a full photo gallery. We also will be doing some “Living With” articles with a few of these throughout the 2019 year, in order to give you parents some feedback on what is breaking and what you can do to make these bikes even better. Just don’t go all mini parent on your kids! Let them enjoy riding their dirt bikes and having fun with their family and friends. #KeepKidsOnDirtBikes

The 2019 Suzuki RM85 wasn’t available when we had photo day, so look for more action shots of the RM85 when we post up the “Best Settings” article.

First Place: Tie KTM 85SX/Husqvarna TC85

MSRP: KTM 85SX $5,899.00

MSRP: Husqvarna TC85 $5,999.00

Unlike its bigger brothers, the KTM and Husqvarna are identical on paper and most of our test riders couldn't feel the difference between the two on the track, hence why we chose to have a tie for first place. Both engine packages are powerful enough to make even our pro test riders smile. Every test rider underestimated the power of the small but mighty engine, however it wasn't so gnarly that it scared our novice kids. Make no doubt about it though, these are racing that want to go fast. The KTM and Husqvarna have a smoother delivery down low (similar to their bigger four-stroke counterparts), but once both hit the midrange, they explode with a pulling power that gets you down the track in a hurry. Simply put the engines in both of these machines out perform all of the others in class and put smiles on every one of our young testers faces. Heck, I even rode them and it put a smile on my face! I wish I had these engines when I was on minis! The beauty of these motors is if you wanted to tame the power or move it around, you could very easily do so with the power valve adjuster. You can turn the power-valve adjuster on the right side of the engine 1/4 of a turn clockwise, have your little one ride the bike, come back to the pits and turn it 1/4 of a turn counterclockwise (from stock), and have them tell you which one he or she prefers. Doing this makes a big difference in the power delivery, so it’s worth the time and effort to give it a try to make the rider feel comfortable. Plus it’s a good evaluation to test their “test rider skills”. The top end and over-rev is what really sets these engines apart from the Yamaha. The Yamaha is better down low, but once opened up, the KTM and Husqvarna simply out pull it down the straights. You can just hear how much further the KTM and Husqvarna rev out when watching/hearing the kids ride each machine.

The hydraulic clutch was well perceived by each tester and the overall abuse that the KTM and Husqvarna clutches can take is better than the other colored machines. Usually air forks are a nightmare on big bikes, but in the world of small bikes, I don't think it’s as critical. Not one test rider complained about the 43mm WP AER fork and in fact it was easy to dial in for our wide range of testers. We normally stuck with the recommended 5 bar of fork pressure, but dialed it down to 4-4.5 bars for the lighter kids with great success. The KTM and Husqvarna do sit a little taller than the other bikes in the shootout so that is something parents will have to know going in before purchasing. Some of our smaller testers could quite touch the ground when seated, so be forewarned that you may have to lower the seat height for smaller riders. The handlebar bend is tall, wide, has some rise to it, but gives room for riders to grow into. The bar pad that KTM/Husqvarna use are horrible and should be replaced immediately with a foam style pad. The downside to these two machines? Price! They are over a grand more than any other bike in this shootout, so be sure you’re ready to pay for that “Race Ready” motto.

Positives:

Incredible mid-top end engine delivery

Balanced Suspension 

Hydraulic Clutch 

Negatives: 

Lack of bottom end power (compared to Yamaha)

Hard feeling bar pad

Could be tall for smaller riders

Who Are These Bikes For? Riders that want to go racing and ride very aggressively.  

Third Place: Yamaha YZ85

MSRP: $4,599.00

Yamaha came in with a new YZ85 for 2019 and it was well perceived by most testers in our shootout. The engine on the 2019 Yamaha YZ 85 is very strong coming out of corners, but doesn't pull quite as far as the KTM and Husqvarna on top end/over-rev. The Yamaha has more of an exciting hit down low than the orange and white bikes, but just doesn’t have the recovery through the mid range like the front runners do. When some testers made a mistake coming out of corners they had to cover the clutch way more than they did with the KTM and Husqvarna. If the clutch was abused (like some novice kids can do) the YZ85 started to slip and drag during the course of the day. You could hear it starting to slip, so we were forced to change out the clutch plates after our second day of testing. The tighter the track we tested at the more the testers liked the power and RPM response of the Yamaha. It is a very exciting power delivery. The good news is that the jetting is clean and crisp with the Yamaha and comes ready to go right from the crate.

The 2019 Yamaha YZ 85’s suspension has a plush feel to it and to most testers had more comfort (in fork) on braking bumps than the Husqvarna and KTM. However our heavier testers couldn't quite get it to hold up enough for their aggressive style and had to really pay attention to downsiding jumps perfectly. Straight line stability was also praised as testers thought they could hit bumps faster at speed and the Yamaha remained stuck to the ground/planted. Compared to the KTM and Husqvarna though the Yamaha corners a little slower. Entering corners some testers thought it felt tough to lean the YZ85, which forced them to use outside lines more instead of getting into a tight rut. The handlebar bend was well liked by every test rider and the way the Yamaha fit all of our testers was amazing. Simply moving the bar mounts forward or back help create a smaller or larger rider triangle for each test rider. The ground clearance seemed to be just right for the wide range of riders as each felt comfortable right away. If you’re looking for a competitive bike that isn’t a KTM or Husqvarna, look no further than the YZ85. The blue bike should be your top pick simply because it’s a great bike that costs less than the top two machines. With a pipe and silencer the YZ85 could be as fast as the orange and white on top end.

Positives: 

Great bottom end power delivery

Ergonomically fits a wide range of riders

Stable at speed 

Negatives: 

Clutch life

Slightly slower cornering compared to Husqvarna and KTM

Black frame paint chips way too quick 

Who Is This Bike For? Riders who like a lot of RPM response and like to be aggressive on fast tracks. 



Fourth Place: Kawasaki KX85

MSRP: $4,349.00

Fourth place goes to the Kawasaki KX85. The green machine honestly doesn’t do anything bad, but from what we heard from each test rider, doesn’t have any real stand out “this is the best” qualities (compared to the other machines) either. The engine delivery is calculated and easy to ride, which did make our younger/novice test riders more confident in charging around the track. There is no real explosive hit out of corners, but instead the rider has tons of traction at the rear wheel that is exceptional under slippery conditions. The Kawasaki gets pulled through the mid range and top end at faster/deeper tracks and our more experienced riders were just looking for more power throughout the power curve. The jetting comes a little rich so raising the clip up one or two really helped the rich/lethargic feeling on low end. The suspension is plush yet very soft for any test rider over 100 pounds, so if you are on the bigger side, a set of heavier springs and a re-valve might be in order. The lighter/smaller kids that tested the KX85 loved the bump absorption and raved about how stable the bike was for them on rough tracks. The KX85 corners well and to most testers had the best overall cornering stability that allowed kids to push past their limits through fast sweeping corners. The Kawasaki feels longer and lower to the ground, which makes it planted once under a lean angle. The KX85 is tailor made for smaller riders as the bars are swept back/low and the rider triangle is very small. Kawasaki needs to update their bar spec and quality of handlebar as it is dated compared to the others (besides Suzuki) in the shootout. We do know with a little work the KX85 is a weapon of choice for a lot of young amateur racers, but in stock form needs some updates to make it better than the top three. 

Positives: 

Stable at speed

Plush suspension for smaller riders

Rider triangle great for kids coming off of 65’s

Negatives:

Vanilla power delivery

Small cockpit for bigger kids

Soft suspension for aggressive riders over 100 pounds

Who Is This Bike For? Riders that race motocross and grand prix’s that prefer stability.

Fifth Place: Suzuki RM85

MSRP: $4,199.00

The Suzuki ranked fifth, but although the looks of the RM85 look dated, the engine is actually quite good. I would say this is the most underrated/peppy engine in the shootout. The test riders felt the RM85 had better bottom end/RPM response than that of the KX85, but couldn't quite match the top end pulling power that the other bikes ahead of it had. Top end was short and the jetting was also a little rich for sea level riding conditions. We raised the clip up one (leaner) and this helped RPM response a little through the mid and top end range. Once jetting was leaned out most testers thought the Suzuki RM85 had a lightweight feel coming in and out of corners because of the snappy throttle response down low. Lightweight testers didn't mind the mellow mid-top end pulling power feeling, but riders that were over 100 pounds and more aggressive, simply needed more engine. The suspension is soft stock and compliments lighter riders well, but if you're an aggressive or heavier 85cc rider, you will want to get some heavier springs ASAP. The ride attitude of the RM85 on the track was tougher to figure out (with aggressive riders) because most of them complained about the front end feeling low on de-cel. With some of that front end dive though came increased front end traction through corners. Just like most Suzuki’s, the RM85 turns as well as the front runners in the class and likes tight inside lines the most. If the corners are sweeping and long the Suzuki can get a little unstable/twitchy for lighter riders. Straight line stability was well perceived with larger testers and was a little harder to handle with lighter riders. A couple testers complained about vibration coming through the handlebars and the grips hurting their hands. Suzuki desperately needs to update this area of the RM85 as we think these are the same bars that were on Buddy Antunez’s Suzuki when he was an RM80 rider back in the day. Although on paper the Suzuki is heavier it feels light on the track! Even thought the Suzuki RM85 is fifth we think this is a great bike for any local or novice/intermediate racer. My son Aden says this was one of the most fun bikes he has ridden at Milestone to date! Trust me, that says something as he is pickier than his old man.  

Positives: 

Good bottom end snap

Gives riders confidence in tight corners

Lightweight feel 

Negatives: 

Mid-Top end power

Soft suspension 

Dated handlebars and grips (cockpit)

Who Is This Bike For? A lighter novice rider that needs to gain confidence through ruts/corners.  

Best Overall Categories: 

Best Bottom End: Yamaha

Best Mid Range: KTM/Husqvarna

Best Top End: KTM/Husqvarna

Best Over Rev: Husqvarna 

Best Fork: Yamaha

Best Shock: Yamaha

Best Cornering: KTM/Husqvarna 

Best Straight-Line Stability: Kawasaki

Best Lightweight Feel: Suzuki 

Best Brakes: KTM/Husqvarna

Best Ergonomics: Yamaha

Best Shifting: KTM/Husqvarna

2018 Yamaha YZ65 Update (Summer School Assignment)

Dustyn Davis is the son of 1990 AMA Supercross 125cc West Region Champion, 1995 and 1999 AMA National Enduro Champion, 1997, 1998 and 2002 AMA National Hare & Hound Champion Ty Davis. Dustyn is a little high desert ripper that is guided by his talented father and has been racing our 2018 Yamaha YZ65 test bike for a few months now. We wanted to give him some "Summer School" homework, so we decided to have him write something about the Yamaha at each race he has entered. Here is what Dustyn had on his homework sheet.

Race Report
Cedar City, UT WORCS 5/25/2018, Milestone MX Park, CA - AME Minicross 5/26/2018 Glen Helen, CA., Transworld MX 6/3/2018 Mammoth, CA - Mx Park 6/18/2018

For all of these races the I entered in the 2019 Yamaha YZ65 ran great. The suspension was so much better after my dad put a softer rear spring on it. The YZ65 was still very fast even after racing these races after putting at least 20 hours on it. One thing that kind of bothered me about the bike is that it is a little small with stock bars. Everything else felt really good though.

WORCS Cedar City, Utah
I finished 3rd at the track in Utah. It was a fast track, but it was also rough. I had a lot of fun racing on the track. I like how stable the Yamaha is when I am wide open down some of the rough roads that WORCS has us race down. 

Milestone AME Minicross Riverside, Californa

Tony Alessi put on this Minicross event and it was fun. It was a lot like Supercross, but also different because it was not inside a stadium. I got a 3rd and a 1st which felt amazing. The Yamaha made all the jumps from the corners without a problem, but I found out I need to have my dad work with me on my jumping skills. I am still learning how to jump, but the YZ65 gives me confidence because I know the motor is fast. I also like the suspension because I could soak up the small chatter bumps that fired on the tight track. 

Transworld MX Glen Helen, California

Transworld was also a lot of fun because we race up and down the hills. There was a lot of fast kids there, but I like competition. It was a wide-open course and really rutted up which made it feel even more exciting and challenging. I like how the Yamaha can be revved out going up the hills and I even made a couple passes on other bikes that seemed to be going all out. The Yamaha had more power than theirs, which helped me make easier passes. 

Mammoth MX Mammoth, California 

Mammoth was the race that we all looked forward to because it is such an awesome
event. It kind of feels like we are all on a family vacation. The first few days that I was at mammoth was for my dads race. I rode my bicycle to the track for extra training on the days that I was not racing. The air is fresh, but the altitude kind of sneaks up
on you which makes it harder to breathe. It also affected the bike so we had to change the jetting and use some better fuel so the bike would run better and have more power. The fuel we used was VP Racing C- 50. We used this fuel because it had low octane that burns better for high altitude and it is oxygenated for more horsepower. I had to get used to the fast, choppy Mammoth track. I dont race motocross much so I had to get used to the big jumps. It didn’t take very long, by the end of the day I was almost clearing all of them. In my main event I was on the starting line and I gave it too much throttle and accidently looped out. Be careful kids this Yamaha is powerful! Trying to recover from a not so great start I got up to 28th place. The next race I got a better start, but throughout the race I ended up falling over at the tree turn. We did very little maintenance on the bike, which made it easy on my dad. Thanks Yamaha! We jetted the bike because of the altitude and we used a Uni air filter which helped us get more air to the motor for the high elevation. We moved the bars up to help me have more control. Yamaha makes it easy because there are so many bar adjustments. Moving the bars up helped me alot because it gave me more room and more control for going down the steep hills. I loved the bike and if I had the chance to change some things, it would only be a few minor adjustments (like the stock bars and the small brake pedal) only to fit my own personal preferences. Overall, the bike did not need any major changes that I noticed. I would recommend it to anyone from the first time rider to the experience racer. I loved racing this race and can't wait until next year. Kris asked me if I wanted to get back on my other bike anytime soon and I replied with a "heck no"! 

2019 Yamaha YZ85 Review

When I heard Yamaha was coming out with a new YZ85 in 2019, I wanted to task my son with the job of writing the review. As a test rider I come in contact with a lot of new bikes, parts, etc., but I really wanted my son to know that all of this doesn't come without a cost. There is work to be done once I get these machines. This isn’t a free for all and he doesn't get free bikes just to thrash/ride. I wanted to keep this test/review as is and only clean up some grammar errors for reading purposes. I wanted to make sure this article was as good for your kids to read as it is for you, the parent, that may be in the market to  purchase a new 2019 Yamaha YZ85. I want to keep our kids on dirt bikes and not on their Playstation’s playing FortNite all day. Without further adieu here is Aden. -Kris Keefer

Aden Keefer and the 2019 Yamaha YZ85

Hi everyone, my name is Aden Keefer, I am 5’0, weigh 84 pounds, have red hair and I like to ride dirt bikes. My dad has been helping me with how to feel out a motorcycle when I go ride for the past couple years, so I thought I would give writing a review a shot. I have ridden a 2018 KX85 and 2018 YZ85 in the past, so in this article I will go back and forth and compare the 2019 Yamaha YZ85 a little between the other two bikes I have ridden. Riding dirt bikes with my dad is more fun than playing Fort Nite on my Playstation (editors note; but that doesn't stop him from wanting these things called “V-Bucks” all the time for that damn game), but now I have to do some work and write about it. My dad keeps telling me nothing in life is for free and now I know what he means. I hope you enjoy my article and get to learn something about this cool new 85 by Yamaha.  

Some of the highlights of the new 2019 YZ85 that caught my eye are the 85cc 2-stroke engine has a YPVS (Yamaha power valve system) that boosts low and mid range power, a 36mm KYB coil spring fork, an updated shock setting, new aluminum swingarm, new routing on the front brake hose, wave style brake rotors and dunlop MX3S tires. When my dad showed me all of this it got me excited because I like riding 85’s that have a powervalve more because it always made me ride smoother, which from what my dad tells me, makes me ride faster. I guess I will trust his judgment since he is so old, sorry dad. 

Here are some of the other key details of the 2019 Yamaha YZ85 that Yamaha sent us that I need to tell you about: Yamaha makes the 2019 YZ85 better by creating adjustability for growing riders as the YZ85 comes with a 4-position adjustable bar mount, with 1-1/8 aluminum Pro-Taper style handlebars and adjustable front brake/clutch levers. Yamaha’s 85cc 2-stroke engine with YPVS (Yamaha power valve system) boosts low to mid-range power with strong high-RPM power. The mechanically controlled dual valves begin to open at 8,500 and fully open at 9,000 rpm. The valve open compression increases from 8.1:1 to 8.2:1 and the valve closed compression is 9.6:1. The connecting rod is 4mm shorter with a resin balance weight added, the crankshaft oil seal ID is reduced 8mm, there is a revised crankcase shape to optimize charge flow as the primary compression ratio is increased. On the carb side of things the Keihin PW28 carburetor has some new settings with a new high-flow spacer-style reed block and high tension reed pedals,(0.42 to 0.52mm). There are new expansion chamber dimensions, a revised CDI mapping, a new higher voltage coil, new water pump housing and exit pipe, a wider base on 3rd and 4th gears that is claimed to increase gear strength and help with smoother shifting. There is a rear sprocket change from 47 to 46, a new 36mm KYB coil spring fork and shock settings, the new 36mm KYB spring front fork has a high rigid one piece outer tube, new aluminum swingarm, new front brake hose and wave style discs, new Dunlop MX3S tires, new chain adjuster, chain guide, the front brake has a more direct brake hose routing with wave style front and rear discs, updated fork guards, an oversized 1-1/8 aluminum taper style handlebar with new 4 position adjustable bar mounts and finally adjustable reach clutch and brake levers. As you can see there are tons of changes to this bike and it was tough for me to get all of them in there, but hopefully I got them all in. 

Engine: The Engine on the 2019 Yamaha YZ 85 is very strong coming out of corners, but doesn't pull my arms off the bars like my 2018 YZ85 did once it hit the powerband. My Kawasaki KX85 kind of takes a while for the power to pick up in corners and is easy to manage, but feels slightly slower off the bottom compared to the new YZ85. I have been racing the AME Minicross Series at Milestone that is basically a tamed down SX track for kids and is very fun. When I come out of the bowl corners on my 2018 KX85 it doesn't really have the pulling power as much as my 2019 YZ 85 does. The 2018 YZ 85 doesn't have the top end that the new 2019 YZ 85 has because I can jump longer tabletops easier, which makes my mom nervous. My dad can usually calm her down a little, but when she is nervous she doesn't talk. With the 2018 YZ85 I had to fan the clutch a lot through the corners, but the 2019 Yamaha YZ85, I can stay off the clutch more and that makes my dad happy. He told me once when we were at the track that he doesn't want to raise an Alex Ray. I don’t know what he means by that, but I like Alex, he's my buddy (editors note; Alex is a nice guy, but Yamaha doesn't have enough clutches in the world to help my kid if he fans a clutch like A-Ray does). What I really like about the new YZ85 is that it takes less work for me to ride fast. I don’t get as tired on the 2019, like I did with the 2018. I am able to go through corners in second gear instead of having to downshift to first. This makes me smile. 

Suspension: The 2019 Yamaha YZ 85’s suspension has a firm feel to it with excellent hold up. My dad told me to use the word “hold up” if it was firmer, so I just did. We had Race Tech re-valve my suspension on the Kawasaki KX85 and it was stiff, but that was very useful because I sometimes case jumps. The 2019 YZ85 suspension is similar to my Race Tech stuff because it doesn't react that quick and feels like it has more of a slower feel to it. I also notice that in braking bumps the Yamaha YZ85 doesn't move that much and sticks to the ground better than my last year’s Yamaha. The 2018 Yamaha moved a little more in the stroke when I hit bigger bumps, especially at Glen Helen. Last year’s YZ 85 suspension was too soft for me and it hurt my wrists at times when I landed. If I hit a large jump on the 2018 YZ85 the suspension would bottom out. However, on the 2019 YZ 85, the suspension is much better stock and I feel like I have more comfort on landings than I had on my previous year’s bike. I get more confidence with the 2019 YZ85 and that let’s me try to ride faster. I keep telling my mom and dad that I can go faster now, but they keep telling me to take my time (editors note; yes he is right, I have to pump the brakes on his “send it” button).  

Chassis: The chassis on the 2019 YZ 85 is stable when I am hauling down straights, but can give me head shake a little at times on square edge, choppy tracks. My dad softened the compression a little and it felt better on rough track days. I really like the way the 2019 YZ85 corners and to me feels lighter than last year’s bike. The 2018 YZ 85 is a hand full for me at times because it can be hard to lean over as I start to get into the middle of the corner. On my Kawasaki KX85 I felt like it cornered good and it hooked up, but felt big when the track was rutty. When I rode rutted tracks the green bike felt long and sometimes it was tough for me to line up in a rut. The 2019 YZ85 feels compact and I am able to put the bike into ruts better. I really like the way the rear pivots in bowl corners because it whips around quickly. I also love the new handlebar! The oversize crossbar-less bar fits me just great. I didn't move the position and left it stock as it fits me just fine for right now. When I grow I will be able to move he bar mounts forward to help me move around on the bike more.

My overall opinion is that the 2019 Yamaha YZ 85 is a really good bike and I enjoy it a lot. I love railing corners on this bike and hitting some bigger jumps, if my dad lets me. :( I like this bike more than the 2018 Yamaha YZ85 because it is faster and handles better to me. I look forward to ripping it up out there in the future with this bike and having fun. This has been Aden Keefer and I hope you liked my article. Go Check out KeeferInctesting.com and click on “Podcasts” so you can listen to. my dad and I talk more about the 2019 Yamaha YZ 85.

2018 Yamaha YZ65 First Impression

On Monday I had the chance to go to Yamaha’s new 2018 YZ65 introduction. As you all know I am a big believer of “Keeping kids On Dirt Bikes” and Yamaha seems to be investing in that ideology as well. Yamaha hasn’t had a 65 in their lineup since 1983 and it’s nice to see Yamaha invest in making a competitive 65 for kids to start their motorcycle lifestyle. Now that the 2018 YZ65 is here, Yamaha now has a dirt bike that is available from the time you learn how to ride, until the time comes where you have to be an adult and purchase your own motorcycle. I remember the day when my dad told me "ok son, you're 18 now, it's time for you to make your own money and buy your own bikes"! Ouch! Since my son Aden is now 12 years old and growing so fast, he just missed the cut off for the Yamaha YZ65 and let me tell you, he wasn't happy about it. I decided to bring out Dustyn Davis (son of off-road legend Ty Davis) to spin some laps and get me some feedback. Although kids are tough to get information from, one thing was for certain, Dustyn really liked this bike from the time he got on the track. Conditions at the time of the test weren't ideal as winds gusted from 40-50mph, but Dustyn literally ran the YZ65 out of gas a couple of times. That right there speaks for itself, on how much fun he was having! Here are a few notable features and a first impression about the Yamaha YZ65, that I think are worth mentioning. If you want more information on the 2018 Yamaha YZ65 you can head over to iTunes, Pulpmx.com or click the "podcast" tab on this site and listen to the Keefer Tested Podcast. We are also working on a bonus podcast next week where we stick several different kids on the Yamaha YZ65, so you are able to hear their thoughts on the little blue screamer. So grab your kids, get them off their phones and take a listen/read on what this new bike has to offer.  

1. The all-new 65cc two-stroke engine features Yamaha's YPVS, mechanical power valve system for a broad spread of power and torque across the entire RPM range.  Our 11 year old test rider Dustyn Davis said it was way faster than his KTM 65SX he currently rides, but didn't have a sudden hit to scare him away.

2. The new YZ65 has a six port cylinder layout, center ribbed exhaust port, one piece power valve, compact combustion chamber, 5.2cc volume, lightweight single ring piston and a compression ratio that is; 8.1

3.    With a new steel frame and an adjustable front and rear linkless suspension, the YZ65 offers smaller riders some added traction along with more flex that comes with a steel frame. 

4. Another cool feature is the 2018 Yamaha YZ65 has a removable Aluminum subframe that is super easy to take on and off. This makes life a lot easier when you want to wash the airbox out after a muddy or dusty race.  

5. Specifically developed for the 2018 YZ65 the 36mm KYB forks come with 215mm of travel, a high rigidity outer tube that is Kashima coated and a fully adjustable compression and rebound damping system. 

6. The KYB long travel shock (98mm) comes with 270mm of rear wheel travel and fully adjustable compression/rebound damping. It's also worth mentioning that the rear shock doesn't have a linkage. Yamaha wanted to get some added ground clearance for the kids that scrub, are aggressive and push the bike to its limit.  

7. The YZ65 comes with Blue Excel rims just like its bigger brothers, the front wheel is a 1.60x14 (60/100-14) and the rear wheel is a 1.60x12 (80/100-12). Maxxis Maxxcross tires comes stock on the blue Excel rims of the little blue shredding machine.

8. Aluminum Pro-Taper style crossbar-less handlebars have a four way position adjustment that gives the rider a 27mm range of freedom. An adjustable clutch and front brake lever also comes standard, just in case the little guy or gal can’t reach the levers. 

9. Accessories that will be available are a GYTR Air Filter, GYTR by FMF Expansion Chamber, GYTR by FMF Silencer, GYTR Pivoting Brake Lever, GYTR Pivoting Clutch Lever, Oil filler Cap, Yamaha Exhaust Plug, Motion Pro Fork Bleeders, GYTR Inner Clutch Hub, GYTR Clutch Pressure Plate, GYTR Billet Clutch Cover, GYTR Clutch Basket, GYTR Radiator Brace, Air Filter Wash Cap, Gripper Seat Cover, Lower Seat, MX Glide Plate and a Matrix Mini Stand w/ Wedge. 

10. How did it look on the track? I say “look” because I didn't exactly get to ride it. Dustyn Davis screamed the Yamaha YZ65 around and it seemed like he thoroughly enjoyed it. Dustyn rides a KTM 65SX normally and races some motocross and WORCS style events. He told me that the 2018 Yamaha YZ65 is definitely faster than his KTM he has now, but that the shock was a little stiff for his 70 pound frame coming into corners. The cornering of the Yamaha was easier for him because he didn't feel as cramped on the Yamaha like he does at times on his KTM. He loved the power delivery and said it didn't hit too hard, but had plenty of pull for him out of the corners. Steve Butler (Yamaha's R&D Manager) was telling the media that when he tested the unit, he had it up to 60mph! Thats a full grown size man ripping on a 65 at 60mph! Impressive! At the end of the day, as we were packing up, I over-heard Dustyn ask his dad, “can we go buy one of these for me today”? Is the Yamaha YZ65 good? I guess there’s your answer!  

2018 Yamaha YZ85 Review

KEEP KIDS ON DIRT BIKES NOT THEIR PHONES!!! It's known that kids are the future of the world, and what better way to raise those kids than on a dirt bike right? The 2018 YZ85 brings big-bike performance to a small package, all for $4,299 of mom and dad’s hard earned blue collar money. The Yamaha has 33-inch seat height and 157-pound overall weight so make sure your little guy or gal has some biceps on them. The YZ 85 package may not be small, but depending on what your kid is looking for, may be the perfect amount of punch to haul them around the track or trail. My 12 year old son Aden is a novice moto kid, is 81 pounds, 5'0 tall and loves dirt bikes. He has been riding gas powered dirt bikes since he was eight years old and has put a ton of hours on the the Yamaha YZ85 over the course of several months.

The YZ package has been around since 2002, but the bike got a clutch and transmission update in 2014 and then a new cylinder, bodywork, and clutch lever in 2015. The Yamaha is the only two-stroke that does not have a power valve, which shows up in less-broad power.

The Yamaha’s engine has somewhat of a weak low-end, but once into the power the blue bike pulls hard. This can be a problem for beginner or novice type riders as there is really no smooth transition from bottom to mid range.The Yamaha needs more clutch effort out of corners to get up in the revs and more shifting to stay in the mid and top-end, but Aden said that once he was in the middle to upper range the bike was fun. It was the low end that was difficult to manage at times for him, especially when he got tired. Jetting is slightly rich off bottom in stock trim, which can be ok for slower riders to help make that sudden “hit” less intimidating, but we raised the clip portion up one to clean some of that bottom end up. Aden found the shifting was smooth and I never viewed him missing shifts or hitting false neutrals while trying to pin it around the track.

Aden Keefer's butt whip

The fork and shock soaked up bumps for my 81 pound red head and seemed to work great in both high and low-speed tracks we ride at. Aden described the suspension as like pillows over bumps. I kept an o-ring around the fork to see how much travel he was using to monitor if I needed to stiffen or soften the compression on the fork. Upon inspection, we kept the forks clickers stock and overall the suspension looked to have a very dead feeling when Aden rode it. Interesting note with the suspension: I tried making some changes to the fork to see if Aden could feel the difference, but he usually came back with “ I don’t feel anything”, so I went with what I saw on the track and left the fork alone. Aden praised the YZ’s cornering ability and thought it was very nimble (despite the weight on paper) when practicing his butt whips over some kickers. Straight line stability is superb on the Yamaha under acceleration and braking bumps. Aden never really was out of control on the YZ85, but dad also gets on him about being safe, so make sure to reiterate that to your child as well. Aden did complain about the brakes being somewhat soft/spongy when we picked up the Yamaha, so we bled both ends and that gave a better feeling around the track. The overall feeling of the YZ85 is a low and compact machine when riding and inspires confidence to try new things on the track. Aden liked his sag set at 84mm as that left him with a balanced feel around most tracks. This is more of a preference thing, but a good rule of thumb is to keep the 2018 YZ85 at around 80-85mm of sag. The cockpit is roomy that seems to be meant for taller kids and wasn’t  cramped for the 5’0 length of Aden. 

The durability of the 2018 YZ85 is superb just like its bigger blue counter parts, but the clutch is one thing to watch out for. As Aden started to get a little more aggressive with the clutch, the lifespan of the plates went downhill. I changed out a clutch twice in a matter of 15 engine hours, so make sure to listen to your kid while riding to see if you can hear it slipping. Hinson and GYTR make clutch kits for the YZ85 that is stronger than stock and will last longer for your child’s clutch happy finger. Besides a clutch all we did was change air filters, transmission oil, grips and tires for the 35 hours that we have had the YZ85. The little blue ripper is a reliable piece of machinery for any young child to have fun on.   

Extra Credit: We installed GYTR’s pipe and silencer combo on the 2018 YZ85 to see what it does to the power curve. Installing this pipe and silencer combo actually smoothed out the power down low (less of a light switch feel), but increased the mid to top end pulling power. In order to test this out dad had to get his 170 pound butt on the seat and do it himself, but I was able to feel the power character change immediately. If you are looking to smooth out the low end feel of the Yamaha’s power valve-less engine, the GYTR pipe and silencer could be a great choice. You can check out all of Yamaha's hard parts over at shopyamaha.com or visit Yamahamotorsports.com.

Extra Extra Credit: We also tried a out a Bills pipe and silencer on the 2018 YZ85 to see how it compared to the GYTR version. The Bills pipe and silencer combo is a more race oriented package with more of a hit. If you're looking for more bark down low and crisper throttle response, the Bill's combo does just that. Bottom to mid RPM response was increased and the bike sounded like a miniature 125! It barked! However, it didn't rev out quite as good as the GYTR version on top end. Mid-top end performance was slightly better with the GYTR pipe/silencer, but Aden liked the looks of the cone pipe on the Bill's better than the GYTR. Kids these days, I wonder where he got that? You can visit billspipes.com to check out the Yamaha YZ85 cone pipe/silencer. 

If you have any questions about the 2018 Yamaha YZ85 feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com