2024 450 MX Shootout In Depth | Gas Gas vs. Honda vs. Husqvarna vs. Kawasaki vs. KTM vs. Yamaha

2024 450 MX Shootout

Presented by Temecula Motorsports, Maxxis, Motul, and OGIO Powersports

Photos by SMX Pictures

Gas Gas MC 450 vs. Honda CRF450R vs. Husqvarna FC 450 vs. Kawasaki KX450 vs. KTM 450 SX-F vs. Yamaha YZ450F

It’s that time of year again; time to gather all of the current 2024 450 MX bikes, a handful of test riders, and technicians from every manufacturer, to ride them all back-to-back one last time to see how they stack up against one another. This year, the only all-new bikes are the Gas Gas MC450 and Kawasaki KX450; the other four machines return with minimal or no changes at all. While the Gas Gas is all-new for the brand only because the ’23 model did not get the chassis updates that the other two Austrian machines did, the Kawasaki boasts an all-new chassis, bodywork, and engine.

For our grand finale, we gathered at Cahuilla Creek MX and asked that the track be left rough from the previous day. Technicians from all six manufacturers were on hand to assist with rider sag, suspension adjustments, etc. To ensure consistent traction, we outfitted all of the bikes with the excellent new Maxxis SI tires. Testers were asked to adjust each machine until they were satisfied that it was ideal before filling out their machine evaluation forms and moving on to the next bike.

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