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/128240
2004 250cc Four-Stroke MX Shootout D esp ite all these new 250c c fo urstrokes coming on the scene , the Yamaha is still the leader in our bo o k . B u t the b a ttl e for top honors was u nbe li ev ably close. E v en thoug h the Yamaha won t his shootou t b y a unanim o us d eci sion am ong o ur t est ers, it w a s really a lot closer th an yo u ' d th in k . All our testers agreed that y o u c o u ld hop o n any of these b i k es an d instan tly feel ri ght a t h o me a n d go fast, as they all feel very , v ery similar overall, but wh en h orsepow er plays such a n im porta n t ro le in a class were every pony is so p rec ious, th e Ya maha g ets th e nod a nd ta ke s t h e t op step o n our 2 0 0 4 250c c Four-Stroke MX Shootout podium . W e all strugg led try ing to c o me up w ith a runn er -up , but after we mulled it o ver for a w hile, we j ust cou ldn 't stop talking about the Honda 's outstanding chassis . We felt that the Honda was the best-handling bike of the group, and when you combine that w ith the CRF 's user -friendly moto r and plu sh suspension , w e u sr PRICE $5799 $5599 $55 99 $5599 ENGINETIPE 249cc, liqui d-cooled, single-cylinder, unlearn . four-valve four-stro ke 249cc, liquid -cooled, DOHC. four -valve four-stroke 249cc, liquid-coo led, DOHC, four -valve four-stroke 249cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC , titanium five-va lve fourstro ke w/ reed-valve induction BORE x STROKE 78 x 52.2mm 77 x 53 .6mm 77 x 53 .6mm 77 x 53.6mm COMPRESSION RATIO 12.5: 1 12.6:1 12.6:1 12.5:1 37mm Keihin flat -slide w/throttle- 37mm Keihin FCR37 w/hot start. circuit 37mm Keihi n FCR37 w/ hot start circuit position sensor 37mm Keihin FCR flat-slide w/thro ttle-positio n sensor IGNmON Solid-state CD w/ electro nic advance Digital AC-C DI Digital AC-CDI Digital CDI TRANSMISSION Close -ratio five -speed STARTING SYSTEM Kick w/automatic compression release and manua l hot -start lever on handlebar CARBORETION r!' Close -rat io five -speed Kick w/automatic compression release and manual hot -start lever on handlebar "~ Kick w/automatic co mpress ion release and manual hot-start ' lever on handlebar Kick w/automatic compression release and manual hotstart lever on handlebar FOEL CAPACfTI 2 gal. WHEELBASE 58.3 in. 58 .1 in. 58 .1 in. 58 in. RAKE/TRAIL 27.49'/4.7 in. 26 .5' /4.4 in. 26.5'/4.4 in. 27. 1"/4 .6 in. SEAT HEIGHT 37.9 in. 37 .8 in. 37 .8 in. 39 .2 in. FRONT TIRE Dunlop D742 Bridgestone M60 1 Bridgestone M601 DunlopD739 REAR TIRE Dunlop D756 Bridgestone M602 Bridgestone M602 Dunlop D739 FRONT SOSPENSIO N 47mm inverted Showa cartridge fork w/16-position rebound and compression damping adjustability 48mm inverted Kayaba cartridge fork w/16-way compression and rebound damping 48mm inverted Kayaba cartridge fork w/16-way co mpression and reboun d damping FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 12.4 in. 11.8 in. 11.8 in. REAR SOSPENSION Pro-Link Showa shock w/spring preload. 17-position rebound damping adjustability, and separate low - and high -speed compression damping Bottom-link Gni-Trek w/adjustable preload, 16-way compression and J6-way rebound damping Bott om-link Uni-Trak w/adjustable preload, 16-way com pression and 16-way rebound da ing Kayabe 'sfiock wjseparate hig h· and low -speed compression and 16-way rebound damping REAR -WHEEL TRA VEL 12.4 in. 12.2 in. 12.2 in. 12.4 in. 250mm disc 250mm l:!isc 240mmdisc 245mmdisc REAR BRAKE 28 N OVEM BER 12, 2 0 03 2 gal. 240mm disc cue 240mmdisc I e n e vv s 1.8 gal. Inverted 48mm Kayaba fork w/l6-way compression and rebou nd damping and hydrauli c b9,ttom ing- resis- tance system 11.8 in.