Retrospective: 20 Years of Yamaha YZ Four-Stroke MXers

Yamaha introduced the YZ400F four-stroke motocross machine 20 years ago. Here’s a look back at the generations of YZs that lead to the 2018 YZ450.


1998-99 Yamaha YZ400F

four-stroke

The YZ400F was the first modern production four-stroke motocross machine. It’s large 92mm bore and short 60.1mm stroke allowed it to rev as quickly as its two-stroke rivals, and its displacement advantage gave it more torque. Being a four-stroke, it was more tractable and easier to ride fast. Once again, Doug Henry used a factory version of the YZ400F to win the AMA 250cc National Motocross Championship that season, and Andrea Bartolini won the FIM 500cc Motocross World Championship aboard a YZ400F

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