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Written By: Steve Havlicek
Weight: 210 Pounds/Height: 6’1/Age:40/Occupation: Water Construction Supervisor
The Yamaha YZ 250 model is the longest running production motorcycle at 50 years. For 2024 Yamaha is offering a 1993 retro look which takes me back to the factory Yamaha days with Jeff Emig. There is something about the sound and smell of a well jetted two stroke that puts a grin on your face.The first thing that you notice on the 2024 YZ250 is the sleek styling and clean cockpit. In 2022 the YZ received a facelift that made the bike much closer to the YZF line. This includes a new sub frame with different channels in the airbox to increase airflow, a flatter seat, and slimmer tank and shroud area. All of this translates to a more modern feeling two-stroke. At first glance with the white plastics and purple/pink accents I was blown away, Yamaha knocked it out of the park for 2024. IOddly enough I found myself grabbing a five gallon jug to mix up some good fuel, reached for some unfamiliar things such as the fuel petcock, choke knob, and kick starter. The YZ 250 starts easily and there is a slight vibration you feel in your hands and feet that reminds you that you’re on a two stroke. I found myself reaching down to see if the radiators were warm and even put my hand at the end of the silencer. Isn’t this the standard for two-stroke guys? I then made my way over to the vet track at Glen Helen to see if the YZ250 performs as good as it looks.
Braaaaaaaap!!!!!!! On the track the YZ rewards you with a nice hit off the bottom that pulls hard into the mid range, the motor feels light and quick revving and I found myself shifting more frequently coming off four strokes, but I adjusted in a few laps. The YZ 250 motor sounds healthy and jetted very well right out of the box. At 6 foot one, 215 pounds, I found myself working harder and getting arm pump quicker than normal. I feel you have to be on your game when riding the YZ 250 compared to a four-stroke. I can honestly say four strokes have ruined my ability to stay consistent on a steed like this. Enough of my excuses and back to the motocross stuff. The YZ 250 corners well and doesn’t do anything abnormal in this department. On faster straightaways, I did notice myself adjusting to the lack of engine braking with the YZ 250. I started to depend on breaking technique coming into corners with the lack of engine braking the bike has compared to the four strokes. I thought stability was good, but felt cramped in the cockpit area of the machine. Lowering the pegs would be a good option for taller riders, if I was to keep this bike long term, this would be a must. Handlebars felt comfortable and I moved them forward slightly to get more reach, again this is preference and depends how you set up your rider triangle. The MX33 Dunlop tires hook up decent and unlike Keefer, I didn’t have any complaints about them.
The KYB suspension felt firm enough to give me good hold up as well as eat up the small bumps well. I set sag at 105mm and moved the front forks to the first line. The YZ250 felt well balanced and rewarded you with decent bottoming resistance. I feel out of the box the KYB is easy to set up compared to other brands. Most riders, depending on their weight and skill level will re-valve and set up to their liking. The YZ 250 KYB platform has been around since 2006, so finding a good suspension setting should come fairly easy. Yamaha does a great job with the YZ 250’s simplicity. When working on the YZ 250 you soon remember how easy they come apart. Pulling a sub frame and exhaust is quick work. Moving down to the engine department and replacing a top end or re jetting, are all things that can be done by you in the garage with minimal tools and knowledge. Yamaha continues to produce great two-stroke motorcycles, the 2024 YZ 250 is a modern looking, easy to work on and it’s priced fairly well at $8199.00 as tested. The YZ 250 has always been a staple in motocross and whether you are pro level racer or a weekend warrior this bike can be tailored to fit your needs. There’s definitely a fun factor when you swing a leg over this bike and smell premix. Again simplicity is the name of the game for this bike, cheers! A two stroke review doesn’t have to be complex, it’s just fun and brings back great memories for us older riders.
