Cycle News

RIDING IMPRESSION P70 2014 YAMAHA YZ250F Was the wait worth it? We think so. a bit and added some fuel to the top-end to get extended pull and a more aggressive hit at higher rpm. With that setting, I loved it - the YZ felt like a screamer and not like a 'stock' 250F." The Monster Mountain MX Park has two tracks, including what it call its "sand track." Generally, 250Fs aren't a ton of fun in the deep stuff but that's not the case with the YZ. It has plenty of power and torque to keep that allimportant momentum going. We were also impressed with the YZ's light-pull clutch. It's strong and has excellent modulation. The bike also changes gears effortlessly and we could count only one missed shift over our two days at the track. Suspension has always been a strongpoint for the YZ250F and it still is. "The KYB SSS fork has plush initial feel; the midstroke is consistent and smooth, and it has excellent bottoming resistance," said Abbott. "Once we got up to speed and with the track being a little soft in places, we could detect some harshness in the initial stroke. I went two clicks stiffer on the compression to hold the fork higher up in the stroke, ta-da! This helped the front end to drive through the chop and improved feel over the braking bumps. Small clicker changes are definitely noticeable." The shock felt good, too. We set the sag at 103mm and that was about it. The rear tracked straight and offered a plush ride. Overall, the bike felt well balanced. We eventually readjusted the handlebars to a more forward position. In certain situations, we felt a little cramped on the bike. Moving the bars definitely made for a roomier feel. But placing them more forward also put a little more weight on the front end, so we ended up going another click stiffer to help keep the weight in the center of the bike. The YZ also turns well. It goes where it's pointed and reacts quickly to rider input. The Monster Mountain track developed many long, narrow and deep ruts in its claylike soil through the turns, and the YZ dealt with them amazingly well. The key was to keep the throttle rolled on and your eyes looking forward and the YZ would stay planted and leaned over. If you didn't stay aggressive and focused, however, the YZ would let you know by standing up on you. In summary, this is the best turning YZ250F yet. Many other things also stood out on the YZ, like its strong and effective brakes, outstanding ergonomics and well-placed controls. The bike is also very comfortable and super-easy to move around on. There just isn't anything that this bike doesn't do well…except for perhaps muffle. It is a little on the loud side. Overall, the all-new 2014 YZ250F, which is already on showroom floors, is a major improvement in almost every way over the previous model, and we are anxious to compare it head to head with its rivals. At this point, we expect it to move up at least a notch or two in our upcoming 2014 250F MX Shootout. But we shall see. CN

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