Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128184
Honda CR250R VS. Kawasaki KX250 v KTM 250 SX vs. Suzuki RM250 vs. Yamaha YZ",";c.- How else can _ say It excePt that KTM must have a hell of a motor department. The engIne pulls, pulls and then pulls some more. It's almost scary fast. Miscellaneous Every single one of these five bikes has something about it that distinguishes it from the others in the group - some have many things. For example, The RM and KTM are polar opposites in the seat department. The KTM's seat is so hard and thin that riders were dreading sitting on it by the end of the day, even if it was on the stand in the pits. The Suzuki, however, was like an old friend - the seat's fiat, plush and grippy; easily the best seat of the bunch. The other three fell somewhere between the two, with the Kawasaki and Honda on the plusher side and the Yamaha a little on the stiff side. The KTM's clutch stood out with its easy pull and shorty lever. Some said it lacked a bit of feel, but you don't need to do a lot of clutch feathering with an engine like that. The Yamaha's standard clutch quick-adjuster is really handy - actually, if you got used to using it, you'd reach for the adjuster on the other three Japanese bikes and end up disappointed that there isn't one. Kawasaki, Suzuki and Honda need to get with the program on that. Honda's brakes are the best of the bunch, but that's nothing new. The front binder is the best. Yamaha's front brake still tends to get a little spongy after a few laps, and the Suzuki's and Kawasaki's brakes didn't l:lo anything noticeably wrong, but they weren't as good as the Honda's. KTM? Well, its front wave rotor works really well, but it was hard to test because the forks made it hard to charge into comers over braking bumps. The KTM comes with all kinds of things that most riders buy and install before they ever ride their new bikes anyway, such as tapered aluminum bars, cool-looking triple clamps, the wave rotors, etc. Plus, it's the only bike that comes with a hydrauiic clutch, and since it costs the same as its Japanese competitors, you could make the argument that you get much more for your money with the Austrian machine. The KTM's rear fender and number plates are one piece, and KTM says the whole set costs less than a stock Honda rear fender. Does it cost less when you incorporate the cost of new number backgrounds and numbers? Maybe not. It's different, though - for sure. All of these bikes have their own quirks, but probably the least quirky of the bunch is the Yamaha. (Though it does get ugly real fast. The Suzuki's graphics aren't much better.) (Q)1lil1e II..fimlIeH'$ 0 Honda "Sit on the bike, close your eyes and put your hands where you think the bars should be, and they're there." "Everything just feels right on the Honda." "When you pair the great suspension with the good ergos, how can you miss?" Kawasaki "They've really thinned the KX250 down from last year." "If it was possible for the RM250 and the CR250 to have a baby, it'd probably feel like the KX." "No more boots hanging up on the shrouds, and it looks a lot better than last year." KTM "Hydraulic clutch, tapered bars, wave rotors: this thing has everything. It kind of takes the fun out of bike personalization." "Man, the seat hurts. It's like masochistic motocross." "The KTM takes a while to get used to, but once you do, it doesn't feel bad." Suzuki "I love this thing. It's like riding a really fast, yellow pillow." "It feels different than the rest, but not so different that it takes more than two tums to adjust to." "When you ride this bike aggressively, nothing stands out as getting in the way or feeiing wrong at all." Yamaha "Nothing exciting, but I think anyone would feel at home on the YZ." "Same bat time, same bat channel. It's more of what I've come to expect from Yamaha." "Good clutch, shifts well, and it just feels right." 12 DECEMBER 1 1, 2002' cue I e n e ... s S ecifications 2003 Honda CR250R USTPRICE DISPLACEMENT ENGINE TYPE single-cylinder, two-stroke controlled RC valve BORE x STROKE COMPRESSION RATIO CARBURETION INDUCTION IGNITION TRANSMISSION STARTING SYSTEM FUEL CAPACITY WHEELBASE RAKE/TRAlL SEAT HEIGHT FRONT TIRE REAR TIRE FRONT SUSPENSION FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL REAR SUSPENSION REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL FRONT BRAKE REAR BRAKE FINAL DRIVE CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT Ei ht- tal crankcase reed-valve CDI Close-ratio five-s eed Kick 2 allons 58.7 inches 26.43° 106.7mm 37.4 inches 80 100-21 11090-19 47mm inverted Showa cartridge fork w/16position rebound and compression dampin ad'ustabilit 12.4 inches Pro-Un!< Showa single shock w/spring-preload, 17-position rebound-damping adjustability, and compression-damping adjustment separated into low- and hi h-s eed 12.6 inches 240mm disc w twin240mm disc Chain 213 pounds