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/1541867
QUICKSPIN I Slavens Racing Yamaha YZ300X P94 given it a second thought. A huge improvement was the electric push-button starter, which felt weird using to get a blue two-stroke Yamaha started. The system performs just as you'd expect from any other e-start bike, while still having a manual starter for backup. Nice. And the starter system seemed reliable and made no scary noises. It felt as though it came fitted from the factory, though it didn't look that way. It's not with a Seat Concepts Com - fort seat, an adjustable Mako 360 handlebar mount, and extra-thick handguards from Molecule Motorsports. As for protection, the bike was fitted with an E-Line carbon-fiber pipe guard, and Bullet Proof Designs was responsible for protecting just about everything else. The bike also featured Warp 9 full wheelsets and IRC tires. The finishing touch was Polisport's Restyle Kit, which gave the 10-year-old Yamaha a modern look and feel. Going For A Ride I traveled to Colorado Springs where the Slavens Racing head- quarters is located, and headed for the hills on the Slavens Racing Yamaha YZ300X. I was immediately impressed with the bike in many ways. The motor wowed me most. You can eas - ily feel the boost in power and torque compared to the stock engine; gone is that high-strung "racey" feel, making the bike more comfortable and rideable on narrow trails, where precise throttle control is so critical. I loved its ability to lug when the trail turned technical, which is what makes riding a 300cc two-stroke so desirable in the first place. Overall, the bike felt plenty powerful, even at this al- titude, approximately 6100 feet. Some of the credit goes to the Lectron carburetor, which felt crisp and clean, even at low rpm, with the throttle cracked. Had you told me this bike was fuel injected, I would not have exactly pretty to look at, but it also makes a good conversa- tion starter. The MX-Tech suspension gives the YZ an "enduro" feel, that is for sure. The stock sus- pension leans a little on the stiff MX side, while the MX-Tech fork and shock have a cushier, trail-friendly feel. The Slavens team set up the bike for my weight and experience before I even got there, and I felt right at home on it from the get-go, never making any changes. KTM Killer? Maybe not a killer, but definitely a threat, especially if you're already a Yamaha "guy" or just enjoy or are used to that feel- ing of a Japanese motorcycle beneath you. If that's the case, then this build might be perfect for you. It's a solid alternative to orange (and red, white and blue for that matter), but not neces- sarily a cheaper alternative, de- pending on which route you go. We calculated the cost of all the essential and perhaps non- essential parts in this big-bore build, which totals over $20,000 (gulp!). However, when focusing on just the meat and potatoes of this build—the engine—we're talking about a more manage- able five to six grand in parts. And that's not too bad if you al- ready own a YZ250 or YZ250X and just want to upgrade to a 300cc two-stroke for the trails without spending big bucks on a whole new bike, like an $11,000 KTM. Ryan Nitzen 2016 YZ250X PROJECT BIKE: PARTS LIST Cylinder Works Big-Bore Kit ... $1106.65 Lectron 38mm Billetron ........... $749.00 Pro-Series Carburetor Moto Tassinari V-Force..............$158.00 4X Reeds Fisch Moto E-Start .................. $1090.00 Samco Radiator Hose Kit .......... $168.90 Vortex X10 CDI ........................... $599.95 Rekluse Apex Clutch ............... $1199.00 FMF Racing Fatty Pipe.............. $299.99 FMF Racing Turbinecore........... $269.99 2.1 Silencer Polisport Restyle Kit ................ $494.99 MX-Tech Raven Fork ............... $1620.00 MX-Tech National Shock ........$2640.00