You are right about first gear being high. My brother complains about it all the time, especially with 2 people on it. Mines even worse withthe 34 rear. Dont care though. I think they made it that way you got the jump on the mx track. Makes sence to me. Then after that they are rear close with 5th being like a little taller but not much.
With my pipe, programmer, 34 rear and lid off and my girlfriend on the back I have no problem taking off with the first gear being high, its got balls. Ive never stalled it once with that setup. Now with my brothers and his gf on the back, it stalls constantly cause the powers not there down low like mine. Oh I forgot I have the crower cam. That makes a large difference with the pipe. I broke off a tooth on my new rear sprocket though. I was lugging it through a mudpit and I think something got in the chain like a rock and I heard it snapo off. lol. Buit any ways, no complaints as far as a-arms, or lose bolts other than the foot wells that break like any atv I ride. its quicker and faster than my yfz with all the mods, cam pipe, intake, true 06 wr450 motor. On the trails its a nasty ass machine with all the power. The gears are nice and tall and i love it. It does happen to sit low and with my ass on it I stiuffened up the springs front and rear and im not hitting anything. With my old yfz i had to go up 1 inch inthe front with biigger tires, it hit stuff like crazy. Those aarms on the yfz450 are the weakest out of all the 450's. Havent broken anything yet. No leaks, no nada. Airfilter is mad easy to clean too. Seats no harder than the yfz i had.
Jeff