Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

constructed a new exhaust pipe. And that wasn't all. Yamaha wanted snappier throttle response, so, as a result, the YZ250 now has a straighter airbox-to-carburetor boot, and a lighter piston and flywheel. As you can see, Yamaha did make many changes to the motor, a risky move when you consider the fact they could have very easily dumped the '95 motor in the '96 chassis and have gotten away with it. But, in spite of all the changes, the motor does ncit feel drastically different from the '95 motor. Perhaps the most noticeable differences between the '95 and '96 YZs is that the '96 does have better throttle response and, yes, an even smoother powerband, albeit slightly. The YZ certainly doesn't have that explosive, wheelie-out-of-the-tums-kind-ofhit every time you open the throttle, but has a more realistic and controllable pull that can get you from one turn to the other just as quickly as a hard-hitting motor. Explosive power is fun when rippinz a couple of hard laps on practice day, but at the end of a long moto on race day, well, you might corne to appreciate the YZ's less energy-sapping powerband. On those hot and sunny days you will also come to appreciate the YZ's smooth powerband. Simply put, the YZ shines brightly on hard-packed, dry and slippery tracks. Roll on the throttle and the YZ tracks straight and wastes little time spinning its wheels, so to speak, but on sandy or deep-loamed tracks, the YZ will get out-revved by some of the other '96 250s we have ridden, despite some of the engine changes aimed to boost top-end. However, if you short-shift the YZ and take full advantage of the Yamaha's excellent bottom-end and midrange, then your problems will magically go away. Speaking of shifting gears, the YZ does so with precision. This really isn't anything new with the YZ, but a reshaped shift fork and a repositioned shift lever didn't hurt any. As far as durability, a few transmission parts were beefed up, namely the fork governor and lever boss. Every year, the YZ's clutch-feel gets better and better. This year the reason is a new cable holder that minimizes bending in the cable's routing. Simple, but effective. even for a 160-pounder who rides semiaggressively. Bumping up the compression damping only creates a harsher ride. We eventually swapped the stock 0.45 kg spring for a stiffer 0.46 kg spring, went back to the stock damping settings, and the YZ felt as good as last year's, if not better. Even a beginner or novice rider will benefit from the stiffer springs. Once dialed in, the Yamaha's suspension eats up the whoops and holes as though you were riding on a dry lake bed. Stability is one of the Yamaha's strong points, even though the front end has slightly less trail than before. The Yamaha just feels solid on the track and definitely inspires confidence. You never worry about or wonder what the (Above) The massive 46mm Inverted Kayaba forks are slightly undersprung. With stiffer springs, the forks are up to any'task. (Right) Bottom-end was enhanced at the small expense of top-end. . (Below) A new swingarm is not only lighter but stronger. What really set the 1995 YZ250 apart from its competitors was its chassis. Right out of the crate, the YZ's suspension and overall handling stood head and shoulders above the rest. Very little shock and fork adjustments were needed to dial in the suspension for the average rider. This year, the YZ gets a larger 46mm Kayaba fork legs, and inside the huge tubes are larger 28= internal cartridges. That's up 3= from last year. This allows for a wider range of compression and rebound-damping control. Also new is the larger-diameter, hollowed-front axle, which is held in place by a new, more-rigid doublepinch design. The rear Kayaba shock features allnew valving to compensate for the new linkages, which are now mounted "through" the swingarm, instead of underneath it. The '96 linkages don't hang below the swingarm as far as they used to. Despite the "improvements," the YZ's suspension isn't quite as dialed in right out of the crate as it was last year. Luckily, there's an easy fix. Up front, the fork is just too soft, suspension is going to do next, so you can concentrate about other things, like racing. Both ends are very predictable. Some of .this can also be attributed to the beefed up frame and a stronger and lighter swingarm. The frame incorporates reinforcing tabs at key areas near the steering tube and the swingarm pivot; plus, gone is that giant hole behind the upper backbone and the front downtube junction. This all adds up to - rigidity. Braking has improved at both ends and for many reasons. Up front, there's a new master cylinder which features a fully adjustable linkage system that allows the lever position to be adjusted in or out. Plus, the front-brake hose has a straighter routing which provides better feel. In the back, the fragile rear brake pedal of old has been removed for a straighter and stronger lever. Nissin calipers with new brake-pad material grip the rotors. When it comes to getting on the brakes, the Yamaha now performs nearly as well as the Honda CR250. There's plenty of stopping power at both ends with excellent feel to match so you can enter the corners harder and faster than before. Once in the turns, the YZ corners extremely well, tight on the inside or way out in the berm. It holds it intended course without much encouragement, and with a roll of the throttle, the YZ makes a quick and controllable exit. If nothing else, the YZ250 is simply fun to ride. The YZ250 is well-balanced and comfortable to sit on. The seat is fairly thin and the padding is just firm enough. You can move all over the bike with ease, but the large upper hole in the radiator shroud did bother one tester whose knees kept slamming into the inner edges of the holes. We didn't care for the handlebars at all. They are too low and the bend curves too far upwards. We trashed them for Yamaha's optional, taller and flatter YZR Alumilite bars, which made a big improvement in overall comfort. We like the Yamaha's new looks and found the new dark-blue gas tank to be not only eye-pleasing but functionally improved, as well. The filler cap is much larger, and there's a small ballbearing device in the cap itself that prevents fuel from spilling out of·the vent tube in the event of a crash. But as far as the tank's brand-new finish, well, you can kiss that pretty shine goodbye. After the first ride and wash, the tank's glossy finish turns dull and flat, even in areas that aren't scuffed up by your knees. The white plastic fenders and side panels retain their shine much better than the tank does. Once again, Yamaha has risen to the task of producing a competitive 250cc MXer for the general masses. This bike will no doubt appeal to a wide range of riders and riding styles, and is wellsui ted for a wide variety of tracks and terrain (the rougher the better, especially wi·th stiffer fork springs). But if you like motocrossers with an explosive hit, then the YZ250 might not be for you. However, if you want a motorcycle on which you can go just as fast on the last lap as you did on the first, then you are also the type who likes your mantle filled with trophies and will want the Yamaha in your garage. The Yamaha YZ250 can deliver. (":'I While Cycle News believes the foregoing test reliable, it is the opinion of the reviewers only and should not !ie relied upon in determining the performance or safety of the vehicle(s). The reader should' make his or her own investigation. 1996 Yamaha Yl2S0 Specifications EngIne type Uquid-cooled, two-stroke,YPVS Dilplacement 249cc Ben X stroke 68 x 68.8mm CollIpressIon ralIo .....•.............. NJA CIrbureIIon 38mm Keihin Ignlllon COl Tl'IIIsmls8ion S-speed, constant mesh FrIme .......•.......... Semi double cradle Cater angle .....•........... 27.~rees TI'lIII Sin. SuIpensIon Front 4Smm, Kayaba inverted fork ..... lnMII 11.8in. ~ Single shock, Kayaba, swingarm ..... lnMII 12.4in. Front tire " lKI/l()()'21 51M ~tIre 11MO-1962M 8nIIca Front... Nissin single else, two-piston caIper Rw . NissIn single disc. singIe-pislDn caIper Of" Ienglh 86.1 In. at" 33.5 in. OIA hIIght 47.8 In. 1rhIIIbIII 5eL71n. SlIt hIIgIIt 39.1 In. GI..r 15n Dry 1lIIgIIl~'.'MdJ 2141ls. S • $11 pItIlI $5499 , ~ ,...-I I-< OJ "S OJ :> o Z 21

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