Yamaha’s WR450F: Sales & RRP History

You may have heard Yamaha Motor Australia (YMA) refer to their WR450F as “Australia’s favourite dirt bike”. But just how well has this machine sold (in its combined 400, 426 and 450cc model designations) since the WR400F first arrived back in 1999? The following table gives you a snapshot of this phenomenally successful model’s sales and RRP history over the past 20 years. Yep, 27,770 units and counting! And that’s before the 1800 units of the totally overhauled 2019-model WR450F that YMA anticipates it’ll shift.

Is that 1800-bike estimate for 2019 realistic? “Admittedly, it’s a fair jump from 2018 to ’19,” concedes as Yamaha’s Marketing Manager, Sean Goldhawk. “But those estimated 2019 sales are based on the fact this model is a big step up its predecessor, and only $100 more at the dealer. And thanks to the efforts of Off-Road Platform Developer, Josh Coppins, and Brand Development Manager, Peter Payne, that step has been made with the Aussie rider in mind – more compact, easier to ride, but with heaps of linear power,” Goldhawk went on to say.

We’ve had one of these landmark new Yamahas on our project bike fleet for the past few months, and the fact it’s taken a quantum leap forward in performance from its predecessor sure lends weight to YMA’s optimistic sales projections. But where are the bikes? Weren’t these 2019 WR450Fs supposed to be in dealers by January? It’s a question being asked frequent on social media channels in the past few weeks.

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According to YMA, a few minor hold-ups in the new model’s ADR (Australian Design Rules) compliance have caused delays. YMA is now indicating that these 2019 machines should be in Australian dealers in March.