VOL. 50 ISSUE 32 AUGUST 13, 2013 P111
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT PALMER
T
The pre-production
2014 Yamaha
YZ250F made
a good first
impression with us.
he 2014 Yamaha YZ250F is
probably the most exciting
new motocrosser of the new
year. Unlike the other manufacturer's 2014 250F models, some
of which are carbon copies of
their previous models or are only
slightly modified, the new YZ250F
is truly an all-new machine. Like its
bigger brother (YZ450F), the new
YZ250F finally gets the "reversed"
motor design we've been expecting and many updates to the chassis and suspension, something
the YZ250F has been needing
for quite some time now. Yamaha
introduced the machine about a
month ago and a lot has already
been said about the all-new machine, except how it performs on
the track. Until now.
Unfortunately, the bike isn't expected to roll onto showroom floors
until November, but Yamaha gave
us a chance to spend a few hours
on a pre-production version at Glen
Helen Raceway, and we can tell you
right now, it is far and away an improved machine.
But first, what's pre-production?
It's basically and early run of about
50 units that will eventually be fullon production bikes. This pre run
of bikes gives Yamaha a chance
to make sure the assembly line is
working properly (especially with an
all-new model), and it gives Yamaha
the opportunity to use these bikes
for things like marketing, shows,
brochure photos, early race-team
testing and, in this case, giving us
