I was advised by quite a few riders to look into adding a set of Ride Engineering Triple Clamps on my Yamaha. My grandpa and I just find a way to get the money because honestly, they are expensive. But boy did I get lucky. When I was at the WORCS race in Delano a pro rider camped next to us said that he was tearing down his 2022 Yamaha YZ450F because many of the parts on his bike did not fit the new 2023 YZ. He asked if I would be interested. How Much I asked; we are hurting for money. In fact just the cost of fuel to get to the race in California was close to $400.00. I won’t tell you how much but I will tell you that he and his dad were really great people.
Now I just had to find a shop to help me install them. That’s where BJ from Dixie Powersports in St George, Utah came to the rescue. He told my grandpa to bring the bike in and he would take care of it. BJ actually worked on an old 2017 Honda when the rear end exploded and the chain cracked the case and the engine froze up. BJ has a great reputation and on top of it all is a great guy and really knows bikes.
The following was the information from their site: “All new split clamp design improves comfort over previous design with sharper handling and a more planted front end feel than the stock 22mm clamps. Ride Eng. recommends the 20mm offset on the 2010-2015 YZ450f and for the 2016-2023 YZ250f. Great choice for the 2023 YZ450f for supercross and medium to tight tracks adding confidence to front end traction. Add a Showa steering dampener (2010-2022 YZ450F, 2014-2023 YZ250F) to improve control entering and exiting rough corners and in deep ruts. Most riders upgrade the bar mount to our one-piece design that reduces handlebar twist in the event of a crash (YZ-BBM00-CA) however OEM bar mounts, rubber cones and nuts all fit. Made from 2024 aluminum (same alloy the factory teams use) weight saved is about 7oz over stock. Included in kit: Top clamp; Bottom clamp, pressed in stem, lower bearing and pinch bolts. Usually compatible with aftermarket stabilizers, call the manufacturer to confirm.”
I raced my first race with the clamps installed and really felt the difference especially in the sand at Lake Havasu. I finished 12th in the 15-24 Sport 450 B. I had a good race and felt really comfortable on the bike. My second race 450 B, I started out seven spots better but on the back my throttle tube sheared off and lost power. I had to be pulled off the track. My grandpa grabbed a spare set of grips and throttle and we switched in the pit area but in the hurry we must have not run the throttle cable correctly because I only had half throttle which didn’t cut it when I hit the really, really sandy back side. I did manage to get through the gates but pulled off and got a DNF; bummer.
Next race is in a few weeks in Blythe. It’s my last week of school before I graduate from Springville High School in Utah but there is no way I miss this race! See you all there.