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/128404
even handle the flat sweepers with ease.
Our test riders also liked the way the
Kawasaki handled at speed. saying that it
inspired confidence on the roughest sec·
tions of the track. and that they never war·
ried about getting spit off. even while hard
on the brakes at the bottom of Honey
Lakes' super·steep downhill. which always
gets infested with nasty braking bumps.
The bike also felt quite light and well baJ·
anced. making it fun and easy to flick around
in the air. Nice ergos helped out here. as
well. This KX is just plain comfortable.
The Kawasaki's suspension required little
adjusting from one rider to the other. From
the super·fast guys to the not·so·fast guys.
the adjusters were never more than a cou·
pie of clicks away from being in just the right
spot. We were pretty much able to hop on
the bike, set the sag. and go.
When it came to the two tracks. most of
our testers said they liked the KX better at
Honey Lake than they did at Starwest.
where it needed more low·end for our lik·
ing. Still. the bike performed exceptionally
well at both tracks. but our testers felt that
the Kawasaki's high·rewing and strong top·
end motor. coupled with its stable chassis.
was better suited for the faster tracks.
Don't get us wrong, the KX is a great
Supercross bike, but it feels happier stretch·
SPECIFICATIONS
Kawasaki KX250F
The Kawasaki is set up quite
well right out of the factory.
Throughout our test, it required
just a few adjustments among
our wide range of test riders.
ing its legs "outdoors."
YZ's suspension. The new speed.sensitive
fork was just plain outstanding. and the
back end worked nearly as well.
The one thing that we all agreed on was
the YZ's new ergonomics. which we
loved. The bike is far more comfortable
than it was before. It feels lower. flatter
and wider. and it's so easy to get your
weight forward and over the tank for the
turns. The new seat was a big improve·
ment over last year·s. too. There's more
padding and it's a bit wider. kind of like the
Honda's seat.
To be honest. we left Honey Lake only
mildly impressed with the new yz. and
perhaps that had something to do with us
having super·high expectations for the
bike. But we were taken aback by how
good the YZ worked at the tighter
Starwest track. Even though the yz isn't
the best.turning bike of the group, it was
still plenty easy to bend through the first·
gear corners and the sweeping bowl turns
more associated with Supercross·type
tracks.
The motor felt much more in tune with
the track at Starwest. as well. It pulled
hard out of the tight turns and got us over
the tables and doubles that had ultrashort
run·ups. And most of our handling com·
plaints disappeared on the smoother and
tighter track.
So. you might say that the Starwest
track restored our faith in the YZ.
$5899
Uquid·cooled. DOHC.
4-valve single
BORE & STROKE:
77.0 x 53.6mm
COMPRESSION RATIO:
13.5: I
CARBURETOR:
Keihin FCR37
IGNITION:
DigitaJ AC·CDI
CLUTCH:
Wet. multi·disc.
cable operated
TRANSMISSION:
5-speed
FINAL DRIVE:
#520 Chain
FRAME:
A1uminum. perimeter
FRONT SUSPENSION:
Kayaba.
47mm twin-<:hamber fork wI 16
compression & rebound damping settings
REAR SUSPENSION: .... Kayaba. single·
shock Uni·Trak linkage. wI 13-way low·
speed and 2-turn high·speed compres·
sian. and 17-way rebound damping
settings
FRONT·WHEEL TRAVEL:
12.4 in.
REAR·WHEEL TRAVEL:
12.2 in.
FRONT BRAKE:
Dual-piston disc
REAR BRAKE:
5ingle-piston disc
FRONT TIRE:
80/100-21 in.
REAR TIRE:
100/90-19 in.
SEAT HEIGHT:
7.8 in.
GROUND CLEARANCE:
14.6 in.
WHEELBASE:
57.8 in.
FUEL CAPACITY:
1.9 gal.
MSRP:
ENGINE:
SPECIFICATIONS
Yamaha YZ250F
$5999/$6199
(LE 50th Anniversary - yellow)
ENGINE:
Uquid-cooled.
DOHC. fIVe-valve single
BORE & STROKE:
77.0 x 53.6mm
COMPRESSION RATIO:
12.5: I
CARBURETOR: Keihin FCR37 wI TPS
IGNITION:
Digital CDI
CLUTCH:....Wet, multi-