Raptor Titanium Offset Footpegs (Yamaha YZ250F/450F)

If you’re a Yamaha guy, chances are you may be looking to get your cockpit a little more roomy right? The Yamaha YZ450/250F needs a better rider triangle in stock form so I scoured the internet to see if I could find a way to improve it. A lot of factory motocross teams run Raptor Footpegs and up until recently I didn’t even know they made custom offset pegs for current motocross machines. I discovered that Raptor Titanium makes two separate custom offset pegs that are 10mm back as well as 7mm down and weigh in at 300 grams per set. I ordered up both to see if it could help my cockpit woes.

Raptor Titanium is located in the UK and make these custom offset pegs to order, so there is some lead time on each order. I ordered my two sets and got them in approximately 25 days, which I was just fine with. Raptor pegs are developed in collaboration with OEM manufacturers and factory motocross/supercross teams, offer superior strength, crafted by British engineers using hand-fabricated, aerospace-grade 6Al-4V titanium and the latest manufacturing techniques to produce some of the most cleanest welds I have seen, they are CNC-machined back-end for precision fit, are ultra light-weight at only 300g per set (including springs), have razor-sharp teeth, a wider 24-tooth platform offering a greater surface area and come with a set of stainless springs. 

The Raptor pegs are works of art and are very light when holding them compared to the stock pegs. Installation was fairly painless, but you will notice that the Raptor pegs will slightly have an upward bend to them unlike the stock pegs which sit fairly flat. I thought the slightly upward bend would bother me, but it actually keeps the ends of the pegs from dragging up faces of jumps or from digging into the ruts as much as the stock pegs (even with the different offsets). I decided on the RX003 design which has a middle bar/cleat (with teeth), but Raptor does have a peg that offers an open cleat design which really deters mud from packing in if you prefer that route. The teeth are super sharp and offer a superb standing platform and make it easier to feel more confident when standing on the balls of your feet. Sometimes with stock pegs, the teeth aren’t sharp enough for you to ride on your toes and you will slip off the peg easier. The Raptor pegs invite you to ride on your toes/balls of your feet more and offer you the security to get into the right foot position. Below are the two offsets that I tried from Raptor Titanium and how I felt about each position on a 2021 YZ450F. 

10mm Back: 

I tried this position first and quite honestly was surprised that I didn’t like it more. The position of the peg put my knees in an awkward position when I was braking which upset my technique. I also felt that by putting the pegs 10mm back, it made shifting and braking a little more difficult to get to for my size 10 feet. I am 6’0 and I personally think going 5mm back would be a better fit for me and my stature. I do like the position when seated going through corners as it prevents my knees from getting too close to the handlebars or from smacking them with my knees. 

7mm Down:

This is was my favorite setting as it helped the cramped seated position of the stock pegs and allowed me to move around on the bike more freely because it allowed me to stand up easier without having to get too crouched. I also like that it didn't affect me when I scrubbed a jump or went through deep ruts. The 7mm down position still gave me enough ground clearance for both. Having the pegs 7mm down also gave me a more relaxed feel with the Pro Taper SX Race bar bend that I have on my bike and makes the dip in the stock seat not as apparent. If you’re 6’0 or over, I feel like a tall seat along with the 7mm down pegs could really change the way you feel on the Yamaha for the better. 

Overall:

Yes, these are pricey, but if you’re looking for a more comfy feeling out of your Yamaha then going with one of these Raptor Peg options are a god send! There are only a couple companies that make offset pegs for the Yamaha, but the Raptor pegs seem to have the most quality out of the bunch. If it was any other bike than the Yamaha, I wouldn’t spend $300.00 American dollars for a set of footpads, but the Yamaha really needs this mod to help my tall lanky ass feel more comfortable when I am riding. To me it’s spendy buy, but necessary if you’re needing some cockpit help. Head over to www.raptortitanium.com to see more and place an order.

Since these are pricey, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com

Seat Concepts OEM Race 2.0 Complete Seat

My standard 2020 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition seat didn't last long. The foam broke down, the cover ripped and my butt wasn't happy with me. I have pictures to prove it, but I'll spare all of you that nasty image. Enter Seat Concepts. After all of these years I have yet to experience any of their products until now. I wanted to get a complete seat so I had an extra one on hand and thought why not try something different. Seat Concepts offers covers, foams, complete seats and anything in between. I chose to try the standard OEM Race 2.0 seat and came away impressed. 

The 2.0 seat is light, the cover is beautiful and the whole seat pan itself is well built. The standard foam was a little soft for my liking, so if you’re looking for a slightly firmer feel from your OEM foam, you may want to order a firmer density from the beginning. Seat Concepts does not offer custom seat shaping or custom covers. Seat Concepts foam material starts out as a liquid, so each different seat shape requires its own mold. They do not alter existing foam shapes. Due to their current production process, cover options are limited to those shown on each specific product page on their website. The Seat Concepts foam feels different than any other foam I have tried to date. The foam has a slightly more of a cushy feel in the middle of the seat than other foams I have tried, so comfort is always at an optimal level near the middle of the seat. The front as well as the rear of the seat has a slightly firmer feel to it, but I was mostly riding in the middle cushy part. I have noticed over the years that I just like firmer foams, especially when diving into deep ruts. On small chop the seat foam was extremely friendly to my butt and took a lot of the harsh impact out of some unexpected acceleration square edge.

The Seat Concepts cover is ribbed and has plenty of traction to keep my shovel pan ass where it belongs, when on the gas hard out of corners. Did I mention that I love the way the blue color way ties in with my new graphic set up on the KTM? For $294.99 you’re getting a quality complete seat with a one year warranty and to me that seems like a fair price. If you’re as picky as me with your rider triangle, going to a Seat Concepts complete seat is a great way to better your riding experience. 

Seat Concepts makes complete seats, covers and foams for most makes and models. Check them out over on seatconcepts.com.   

GUTS Racing Firm Seat Foam And Gripper GR1 Seat Cover

If there is one area that the 2018-2019 Yamaha YZ250F/450F is lacking in, it would have to be the seat foam/seat cover area. Yamaha firmed up the seat foam for 2019, but to me it just wasn't enough for my skinny ass. If you have a Kardashian butt it might be ok, but for us skinnier riders we need a foam that doesn't sink into the fuel tank when slamming into corners. While I was searching for a firmer foam, I thought why not get a seat cover that has some ribs on it, in order to keep my but in place when coming out of corners as well! 

So I called up Andy over at GUTS Racing and he sent me their standard firm foam (not Phantom foam) and GR1 ribbed seat cover with extra padding sewn into the sides of the seat cover. Guts offers many different styles of covers and foam densities so make sure to check out gutsracing.com for all of their offerings. Swapping out seat foam isn’t that hard, it just takes patience and some trial and error to get the new cover on the seat. The foam shape is pretty much identical to the stock foam and went on the seat base without issue. The seat cover went on without much of a fuss either, but there might be a little extra material that you may have to trim once all of the staples are in.

So when you think of the words “hard” or “firm” you may think of uncomfortable right? Well in this case you would be wrong. The “firm” GUTS foam is just what the doctor ordered, especially when I am slamming into corners. The stock 2019 YZ450F foam is a little better (than the 2018 foam), but lacks density on the sides where my butt is forcing the foam down. With the GUTS firm foam the density is harder in the middle of the foam, but also on the sides of the foam where you need it (especially when riding aggressively). Your butt is not always placed directly in the middle of the seat when you're riding, so why just make the middle part of the foam firm? GUTS thought of this because all of us riders need to have a firm feel on each side of the foam as well. The GUTS Racing foam provides the correct amount of density so I am not pushing my tushy through the foam and into the plastic of the fuel cell. My butt bone thanks you GUTS Racing! 

The GR1 GUTS Ribbed Seat Cover is unique because of the extra padding that is sewn into the cover on each side. Since the Yamaha seat is designed so thin near the middle portion and on the sides, I felt like I could use a little extra padding when working the sides of the seat through flat corners. Not only did I feel like the extra foam on the sides helped me through flat corners with the slightly wider nature of the seat cover (due to the foam inserts), but it helped me grip the Yamaha better with my legs. Not to go full Ryno on you, but using your legs is crucial to going fast on a motorcycle. Gripping the machine with your legs is sometimes overlooked to an amateur rider, so with these extra foam inserts inputted into the seat cover, it really helps me grip the side of the Yamaha when I am getting tired. It may not be the most attractive looking cover (due to its width), but it sure does do what its supposed to do. The ribbed portion of the seat cover also keeps me in place, but the gripper material isn't so gnarly that it is chaffing my ass on long test days. Some gripper materials out there are so aggressive that you can only ride one full day on it before you have to have your wife rub chamois cream on your ass. 

If you own  2018-2019 Yamaha YZ250F/450F do yourself a favor and get a GUTS Racing firm seat foam and ribbed GR1 cover. Your ass can thank me later. The GUTS Racing standard height/firm seat foam will run you $89.90 and the ribbed GR1 seat cover with foam inserts on each side will cost you $149.90.