VOL. 53 ISSUE 17 MAY 3, 2016 P91
four-strokes but revalved specifically
for the lighter and quicker handling
two-stroke. It also got larger titanium
footpegs.
A year later, 2016, and the YZ250
got a few more styling changes—black
rims and a gold-colored chain. Yama-
ha says it also got revised suspension
settings; we'll take their word on that.
The YZ250 is just a great bike all
around. Still. It's ultra light (about 20
pounds lighter than the 2016 Yama-
ha YZ450F), powerful and handles
great.
Four-stroke riders might not like
the YZ's snappy power delivery, but
long-time two-stroke riders will love
it, saying it's actually smooth and
very controllable. It has good torque,
hits hard but controllably in the
middle of the powerband and just
takes off from there. It revs to the
moon until it just quits making more
power; it doesn't fall on its face. The
bike just feels snappy, too. Again,
four-stroke riders might think that the
YZ250 is "hard to ride," but not us
of four-stroke YZ-F moto-
crossers. It got a complete
makeover in the make-up
department, dressing it up
with all new plastic—fenders,
side panels, radiator shrouds
and front number plate. It also
got a new airbox and seat
cover. Mechanically, it was
fitted with KYB's latest ver-
sion of its Speed Sensitive
System (SSS) fork, regarded
by many—and us—as the best
out there. It's the same fork
found on Yamaha's current YZ
(Above) Black
rims make the
2016 YZ250
distinguishable
from the 2015.
GEAR ID'D
HELMET: TROY LEE DESIGNS SE4
JERSEY/PANTS: TLD GP FLEXION
GLOVES: TLD AIR GLOVE
GOGGLES: VON ZIPPER SIZZLE
NECK BRACE: ATLAS CARBON
BOOTS: ALPINESTARS D71 TECH 10
