2019 Yamaha YZ65/85 24 Hour Torture Test

At Keefer Inc. Testing we pride ourselves on riding the crap out of our test bikes. However, when it comes to smaller bikes, it’s not like I can Benjamin Button myself and ride 65’s/85’s. 1990 West Coast 125 Supercross Champion Ty Davis put together a Jr. 24 Hour Challenge Team for the 24 Hours Of Glen Helen that focuses on the younger generation of off-road racing. We need to keep kids on dirt bikes to help grow our sport and Ty has been working hard to make this happen. Dustyn Davis (son of Ty) has our 2019 YZ65 test bike, so we thought why not let him and his buddies loose on this sucker for the full 24 hours as a durability test so to speak. While those kids were at it why not have another batch of kids on our 2019 YZ85 as well. Our goal was to get the kids away from FortNite and get more riding time in, while getting some quality testing information downloaded as well. It’s a win, win! No PlayStation’s and XBOX’s here people! Below are the modifications that were performed to the 2019 Yamaha YZ65/85 and the outcome of each machine, directly from ZipTy’s team. -KK



2019 Yamaha YZ85

1. Put IMS footpegs on (wider) to help the kids feet, spreads the pressure more evenly so they don’t get sore over a long period of time

2. G2 Aluminum Throttle tube- due to kids falling, more reliable than the stock plastic.

3. Cut Bars- for kids to have better control of the bike and handle better

4. Pro-Taper bendable levers foldable to eliminate the levers from breaking if kids fell

5. Dirt Tricks Spokes for reliability and longevity

6. DID Chain for durability

7. Rekluse Manual Clutch- For reliability

8. Steahly Stator with lighting coil for the lights

9. Galfer Custom Brake line made to clear the lights

10. Uni Air Filter

11. Mousse front and rear to eliminate flats less tire changes

12. Maxxis Tires

13. VP Fuel 110 mixed 50/50

14. IMS oversized tanks for less pit stops

15. Seal Savers to keep mud out of seals

16. Baja Designs Lights for lights at night

17. Zip-Ty Custom made light brackets

18. Zip-Ty Coolant to keep the bike from overheating with muddy conditions

How It Performed:

The 2019 YZ85 survived the full 24 hours in the muddy and rainy conditions without any issues. The Yamaha handled well in the tight technical sections and was easy for the kids to maneuver. We had a wide range of riders who race NHHA, Motocross, Big 6, and WORCS. The only problem we encountered was that the kids we used were not tall enough for the YZ85. In order to get them more comfortable, we cut the bars down 5mm and took a little preload out to lower the rear of the bike. This helped get kids to touch their feet in tighter sections of the trail. The kids liked the performance of the engine as it was exciting off the bottom, but not too pipey where it wasn’t connected to the rear wheel in the slippery conditions. The engine character was aggressive enough for the more experienced kids, but easy enough to ride for the novice kids that we used. The suspension was a little stiff (even when adjusters were backed out) for the kids on small chop because all the testers were smaller in size (70-100 pounds). We knew the Yamaha was known for its durability, but this race proved it, even with five different style of riders.

The 2019 YZ85 made it 43 laps that equaled 344 miles and finished 23rd out of 38 teams.

2019 Yamaha YZ65:

1. Customized seat for easier access for air filter changes

2. Galfer Custom Brake line made to clear the lights

3. DID Chain for durability

4. Uni Air Filter

5. Vortex Sprockets

6. Mousse front and rear to eliminate flats less tire changes

7. Rekluse Manual Clutch- For reliability

8. Maxxis Tires

9. VP Fuel 110 mixed 50/50

10. Seal Savers to keep mud out of seals

11. Baja Designs Lights for lights

12. Zip-Ty Custom made light brackets

13. Zip-Ty Coolant to keep the bike from overheating with muddy conditions

14. Put IMS footpegs on (wider) to help the kids feet, spreads the pressure more evenly so they don’t get sore over a long period of time

15. G2 Aluminum Throttle tube- due to kids falling, more reliable than the stock plastic.

16. Cut Bars- for kids to have better control of the bike and handle better

17. DID Chain for durability

18. Pro-Taper bendable levers foldable to eliminate the levers from breaking if kids fell

19. Millenium Re-nickelsil the Cylinder for durability

20. AME Half waffle for the Kids hands Super glued on

21. Shock Spring one rate softer, Pushed the forks down in clamp 3mm for stability

How It Performed:

We ended up changing the front and rear brake pads once, air filter once, one rear wheel, and poured in 20 gallons of fuel. The team had to replace the stator back to stock due to a failure that made the bike cut out/misfire. Once stock stator was installed we had zero issues. Each tester loved the power and all said that they were able to keep up with the 85 team for most of the race. Why? Because the Yamaha YZ65 engine is powerful enough and can keep up with the 85 in the tighter sections of the course. With the race being so muddy this slowed the overall speed down, which helped the 65 team. The Yamaha YZ65 suspension was plush enough for the 65 team and all of the kids thought it provided enough comfort, even with several pounds of mud packed on the machine. The Yamaha YZ65 finished the event with 43 laps that equaled 344 miles and finished 24th overall out of 38 teams. With Yamaha introducing the 2019 YZ65 this year, it proves that this first year model is a reliable bike for the little ones.

2019 Yamaha YZ65

1. Customized seat for easier access for air filter changes

2. Galfer Custom Brake line made to clear the lights

3. DID Chain for durability

4. Uni Air Filter

5. Vortex Sprockets

6. Mousse Tubes front and rear to eliminate flats/less tire changes

7. Rekluse Manual Clutch- For reliability

8. Maxxis Tires

9. VP Fuel 110 mixed 50/50

10. Seal Savers to keep mud out of seals

11. Baja Designs Lights for lights

12. Zip-Ty Custom made light brackets

13. Zip-Ty Coolant to keep the bike from overheating with muddy conditions

14. Put IMS footpegs on (wider) to help the kids feet, spreads the pressure more evenly so they don’t get sore over a long period of time

15. G2 Aluminum Throttle tube- due to kids falling, more reliable than the stock plastic.

16. Cut Bars- for kids to have better control of the bike and handle better

17. DID Chain for durability

18. Pro-Taper bendable levers foldable to eliminate the levers from breaking if kids fell

19. Millenium Re-nickelsil Cylinder for durability

20. AME Half waffle for kids hands that were super glued on

21. Shock Spring one rate softer, pushed the forks down 3mm

How Did It Perform?

Changed brake pads once, air filter once, one rear wheel, and 20 Gallons of fuel. Had to replace the stator back to stock due to a failed custom stator.  Kids thought the power was fast, yet easy to ride hard as they were able to keep up with the 85 team for most of the race. The suspension seemed to be more forgiving on the Yamaha YZ65 as the kids never complained once about anything suspension/chassis related. The 65 team had a wide range of talent that ranged from motocross to off-road and each of them performed well for the 24 Hour long haul.  The Yamaha YZ65 team did 43 laps that equaled 344 miles and finished 24th overall out of 38 teams

The 65 team picked the Yamaha because Dustyn Davis (son of Ty Davis) raced it all year and we wanted to prove that the Yamaha could withstand 24 hours of kids beating the shit out of it. This raced proved that there is superb durability for a first year 65cc model from Yamaha.

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"! 

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!