VOL. 52 ISSUE 36 SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 P45
There isn't much not to like about the 2016 Yamaha YZ250F.
CAN IT GET
ANY BETTER?
THE TUNING FORK COMPANY GIVES THE YZ250F
THE FINE-TUNING TREATMENT
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
BY JASON ABBOTT
S
ince its full redesign
in 2014, the Yamaha
YZ250F has been regard-
ed by many, including us, as the
best in its class. After getting an
all-new frame and reversed mo-
tor (like its YZ450F big brother),
the YZ250F immediately
stepped up and took top honors
in our 2014 250F Shootout and
backed that up with another vic-
tory in 2015.
What Yamaha learned from its
mistakes with the YZ450F since
it got its reversed motor design
in 2010, Yamaha applied to the
YZ250F and it was met with
instant success upon its 2014
release. For the past two years,
the YZ250F has impressed
us with its ripping motor, solid
chassis and great suspension.
So how could Yamaha make the
YZ250F even better? We would
soon find out.
Yamaha has made few changes
to the YZ250F since 2014. It got a
few minor refinements in 2015 and
a few more in 2016, and we got a
chance recently to ride the bike
for the first time when Yamaha
introduced the bike to the media
at Perris Raceway in California.
Always looking for improve-
ment, Yamaha felt the YZ250F
could hook up out of the turns
a little better. To do that, a little
motor work was performed.
First, they gave the YZ an all-
new flat-top bridge-box piston;
it's been made stronger so that
it can be ligher. It rides on a
