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
Everybody's Got Ofte••• QpIftlOftS My favorite 250 was different at each track we tested. At Glen Helen, I was pretty positive that the Suzuki was the best bike out there. The power seemed sudden, like I like it, and the chassis handled the bumps and the ruts with aplomb. Second, I liked the Yamaha, then the Kawasaki. At Cahuilla, though, the RM's lack of overall power became quite evident because of the power-robbing sandy uphills and deep turns, and what came to the front in the power department was the Yamaha. That thing just flat hauls ass no matter how you ride it. You can lug it in slick stuff and it'll pull all the way through the revs, or you can pin it and clutch it and it pulls just the same - super versatile and super effective. I liked the Kawasaki second, although it has to be ridden quite aggressively to get it to respond. At Cahuilla, I thought the Suzuki was my third favorite, but it had to be ridden like a 125 to be effective. Averaging the two scores like I would a motocross overall, the Yamaha was my favorite of the bunch, followed by the Suzuki and the Kawasaki. It's a cliche, but I still say that any of these bikes could be supercompetitive with the right work. Any of them. Steve Cox I'll admit that sometimes these 250s are just way too much bike for me. Call me a wussie or call me what you will; I can take it. As it turns out, it was just one track that we tested at that had me completely intimidated on all of the 250s, and that was Glen Helen. The track was the roughest I had ever seen it, and I spent most of the day just hanging on for dear life. So after leaving Glen Helen, the sweet-handling Suzuki was the bike for me. Then we went to the Cahuilla Creek MX Park, and everything changed. The track was rough as well, but the flowing old-school motocross nature of the track allowed me to concentrate on what the bikes were doing, and not worry about getting flicked off. Although I was still impressed by the Suzuki and had found some love for the Kawasaki (which is very balanced), I fell in love with the Yamaha. It just does everything well and feels really balanced. The suspension, the chassis, the motor, everything seems to work really well together, giving me the confidence to completely relax and just put in the laps. The Yamaha's ergonomics seem to fit me perfectly as well, so what's not to love? Blake Conner I guess you can say that I'm'a bottom-end kind of guy. After all, that's why I like the Suzuki so much, but there are other things I like about it, too, such as its lightweight feeling, quick handling and plush suspension. But damn that Yamaha! What a machine. Okay, so it doesn't quite have that explosive hit down low, nor does it feel as light as the Suzuki or turn as quickly, but it does do these things almost as good, and it does just about everything else a little bit better, making it my pick as this shootout's winner. The Yamaha simply does everything well and just feels so right. You can't go wrong with this bike. I'm a fan of the Kawasaki, as well, as it, too, provides pop off the bottom, a plush suspension package and stable handling, but the Honda just has a slightly more cutting-edge feel to it than the green machine, making the red bike my third favorite of the group. Barely. I had high hopes for the KTM after hearing rumors about its incredible motor, and those rumors turned out to be oh-so true. But for me, the KTM's chassis and harsh suspension prevented me from taking advantage of all that power unless the track was soft and loamy, but we don't see a whole lot of that here in California. Now, if I lived near Southwick, Massachusetts ... Kit Palmer Whereas 125 shootouts tend to be a bit on the subjective side ("All that matters is power"; "No, you've got to consider chassis as well"; "Power doesn't matter, since everyone modjfies them anyway"), comparisons of quarter-liter machines usually are more cut-anddried. Basically, most people prefer the most well-rounded bike, and that was the case this time around. I had no trouble deciding that the Yamaha was my favorite 250cc motocrosser, since it's at or near the top in every category and is a blast to ride. Second and third are a closer call, but I give the edge to the Honda because I found it easier to ride hard for more laps. The Suzuki tired me out a bit more, but its awesome maneuverability would make me happy to own one. Missing my personal podium (which just happens to exactly match that of our overall ranking) are the Kawasaki (it improved a lot, but so did the competition) and the KTM (awesome motor, but sketchy handling). Chris Jonnum The Winner: WfiJ!JiJDfiJDDfiJ WZ2fd@@ Nearly all of our many test riders, from Novices on up, chose the Yamaha as the bike !bat should stand on the top step of our Cycle News 250cc Shootout Podium for '03. And those who didn't chose the Yamaha as the king of the '03s didn't put up much of a fight. Most of our testers simply felt that the Yamaha just had the best all-around package; it might not have the best suspension, nor the best chassis, nor the best motor (though that one is still being argued around here), but when you put Jt all together, you have one very solid and sound package - one that couldn't be beaten in this shootout. The Yamaha's main rival throughout our testing was last year's Cl'J winner, the Honda, whlch officially takes second place this year. The CR is still an outstanding ride, and had it not been for the Yamaha's broader powerband and easier-to-manage motor, the Honda probably would've been a repeat winner. Unfortunately for Honda, the Yamaha engine guys stepped it up a notch for '03, Filling out the final step on the CN podium is the Suzuki, a bike !bat everyone seemed to like a lot throughout our testing, but when it came time to commit, they just couldn't quite put it ahead of the Yamaha or the Honda. Our testers were split down the middle when it came to the RM's motor, some feeling it was too explosive off the bottom and not fast enough on top, while others felt that the RM's motor was perfect • oh well. Some didn't like the Suzuki's nervous feeling, while others didn't mind at all, but everyone did agree that the RM's plush suspension was one of the best of the bunch, turned better than the rest and felt the lightest. For the second year in a row, neither the Kawasaki nor the KTM made our podium, but both bikes are improved machines, The KX's ergonomics are far superior to last year's Kawasaki, but the bike could use more power on top and slightly quicker steering. Power alone just couldn't propel the KTM onto the Cl'J Podium, but there was a time when we thought it would, The KTM was a frontrunner on the softer, loamier Cahuilla Creek track, but on the rougher, barder-packed Glen Helen track, the KTM was a handful. The powerful motor combined with the KTM's harsh suspension and chassis just fiat wore us out at GJen Helen, and the bike simply didn't inspire confidence. The KTM requires more suspension tuning than the rest, especially for "outdoor" use, as, like the KTM 125, the 250 is obviously designed more for the stadiums, where tracks are traditionally tighter and smoother. Here, the KTM should rip, and we'll find out come January 4th at Anaheim. YAMAHA ••• We'd like to thank all of the manufacturers involved in the shootout for putting up with us, Cahuilla Creek MX Park and Glen Helen Raceway for again providing the arenas, Pirelli for providing the soft-terrain tires for Cahuilla Creek, and Motorex for providing the lubricants. 14 DECEMBER 11, 2002' cue • e n e vv s