Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

HAULING AT HONEY LAKE Yamaha recently introduced the all-new YZ2s0F at Honey Lake MX Park in Milford, California. We spent a couple of days riding the bike on the expansive track. and our initial impression left us wanting more. The bike has a much-improved overall feel. Just swinging your leg over the bike for the first time, you can immediately tell that something is different - a lot different. Compared to the previous yz. the '06 feels lower. flatter. slimmer and just plain more comfortable. The Pro Taper bars reflect the bike's overall layout - they too are low and flat - and you can feel the added cushion in the seat, though it's still no plush lounge chair. On the track, the new ergos translate into an easier bike to ride. The flatter layout requires less effort to move around on or get your weight over the tank for the turns. Adding to the comfort level is the new front-brake lever. It's amazing how Overall, the bike felt very stable around the fast and rough Honey Lake track, downhill included. Getting slowed down at the bottom of the big downhill was a non-factor. The front brake is strong and predictable, and the back brake proVided excellent feel and prOVided extra stopping power when needed - and we felt no hint of fading. As far as the motor is concerned. the '06 doesn't feel much different than last year·s. which isn't a bad thing at all. since it already made class-leading power that could pull Honey Lake's massive uphill with ease. The '06 does accelerates a little harder in the middle and perhaps a bit more off the bottom. but overall. it's still a YZ. We did, however. detect a bit more vibration than the '05 YZ2S0F, which most likely has something to do with the more rigid aluminum frame. This could also be another reason why Yamaha chose to go with the better vibration-absorbing Pro Taper han- dlebars over the previous alusuch a small thing as a fatter minum Renthals. lever can make such a big Yamaha clai ms that the difference when it comes to new muffler is about a decibel feel and confidence on the quieter than last year·s. but to track. our ears. it's still as loud as ever Another confidence and maybe even a bit gruffer builder is the new fork. sounding. as well. We ran The speed-sensitive the stock jetting at the Kayaba is Simply track's 42oo-foot eleoutstanding. It soaks vation and it ran quite up the square edges well. though it did Ii ke they' re not pop a bit on deceleven there. eration. Still. throtand the slap~ have been sr-tfy impooved . - that the tle response was downs are gnpper . - is flaItw and has 30mm n-.. right on the money. hardly noticepadding, and the ........ . - height has been dropped 2Omm, thanks to the new frame and We found the able. as well. subframe. Plus, new Pro-Tapen are fitIed to new kickstart lever Even Honey adjustable clamps, and the front blake Ievw is Lake's terrify- __ ._,_P'_""_min"'_a_n-.._---:pasltMt __ fo_' ... __ _ __feel• • _ to work well. and overall starting was ing downhill a breeze. was no match for the YZ's fork. Like we said, our first ride on the new The back end felt good, too. Once we YZ2s0F left us wanting more. We're anxset the ride height. we felt no need to ious to put more time on the bike and test make any changes over the next two days it on other tracks. but for now, we can say of riding. even after the track started to with confidence that the new yz is good. roughen up. The back end always felt Really good. eN cushy, tracked well and never swapped. The lower, flatter and thinner yz is still fast but is naw a lot more comfortable. 2006 YamahaYZ250F $5999 blue/$6199 LE 50th Anniversary ENGINE TYPE: ........ Uquid-cooled. flVevalve. DOHC four-stroke DISPLACEMENT: 249cc VALVES: Titanium BORE x STROKE: 77mm x 53.6mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 12.5:1 CARBURETION: ...... 37mm Keihin FCR flat-slide w/throttle position sensor IGNITION: Digital CDI TRANSMISSION: Five-speed CLUTCH: Wet. multi-disc FINAL DRIVE: #520 chain FRONT SUSPENSION: ..48mm Kayaba inverted cartridge for w/adj. compression and rebound damping REAR SUSPENSION: ...... Kayaba single shock w/adj. preload. compression and rebound damping & separate high/lowspeed compression adj. FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL: 11.8 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL: 12.4 in. FRONT BRAKE: 224mm floating disc REAR BRAKE: 220mm disc FRONT TIRE: 80/1 00-21 51 M Dunlop REAR TIRE: 100/90-19 57M Dunlop SEAT HEIGHT: 38.7 in. WHEELBASE: 58.5 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: 14.5 in. FUEL CAPACITY: 1.85 gal. DRY WEIGHT: 206 Ibs. COLORS: ..Team Yamaha blue/white. and 50th anniversary yellow/black MSRP:

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