Y
amaha's XT250 is proof
that life doesn't always
have to be a blur to be
fun. Blur, meaning going fast.
More specifically, on a motor-
cycle. Backing it down a few
notches can be even more fun
than pretending every ride is a
special test section in an enduro
or ISDE. I was recently reminded
of this after spending a couple of
weekends tooling around on Ya-
maha's latest XT250 dual sport.
The XT250 has been a staple
in Yamaha's dual-sport lineup
since its debut in 1980. It was,
however, discontinued in 1991 in
favor of the XT350. The XT250
returned in 2008 as an all-new
model, replacing the XT350 and,
in the U.S., the beloved Yamaha
XT225, also known for many
years here as the Serrow, which
it is still called in many other
countries. You might recall that
2008 was the same year Yamaha
introduced the pricey WR250R,
a comparatively sophisticated
fuel-injected dual-sport with fully
adjustable suspension and USD
forks that effectively ran the
XT350 out of town while breath-
ing new life into the returning
XT250, which could be consid-
ered, for all intents and purposes,
an XT225 on steroids. While the
WR250R was aimed at more
experienced riders, the XT250
continued as Yamaha's recruit-
ment tool for attracting new or
returning riders wanting to learn
how to ride or to have something
just to bop around on.
The XT250 got its next sig-
nificant upgrade in 2013 when
it received fuel injection. It has
returned every year since as the
same motorcycle, just in different
wardrobes.
Through all this, the XT250
has been one of Yamaha's best-
selling motorcycles and for good
reason. Many have discovered
the XT250's many attributes. For
example, its motor.
There are few more reliable and
durable motors out there than the
XT's 249cc air-cooled four-stroke
SOHC two-valve single-cylinder
powerplant. It has a reputation for
being bulletproof, which is ideal
for the recreational rider who
would rather twist the throttle than
twist a wrench. Keep the air filter
clean and change the oil when
you should and the XT's motor will
easily outlive reruns of Everybody
Loves Raymond.
VOLUME 57 ISSUE 13 MARCH 31, 2020 P67
Experienced riders can
still have blast exploring
the back-canyon dirt
roads on the little XT.
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT PALMER
