needs checking and fine-tuning.
Overall the balance and suspen-
sion action is excellent on the
2017 YZ250F. It is plush on the
little hack bumps, yet handles
big hits and g-outs with ease and
rarely bottoms out.
Ride height, Yamaha recom-
mends 100mm; we went down
to 105mm depending on track
conditions. With any bike, subtle
handling changes can be made
through sag, high-speed com-
pression on the shock, fork
height and fork settings—all ad-
justments the YZ250F responds
well to. With great suspension
and a good chassis, the 2017
Yamaha YZ250F corners nicely,
especially in the ruts. It will carve
a flat corner, but depending on
the track surface the front end
can feel a bit vague and some-
times push. Tire selection, sag
settings and rider position play
a big roll in front wheel traction.
Stability is another strong suit for
the YZ250F, whether it be under
acceleration or on the binders
through braking bumps, it stays
straight and predictable.
The YZ250F feels nimble (it
is one of the lightest bikes in the
class), it is balanced, the suspen-
sion is plush with great bottoming
resistance, and overall it is easy
to ride fast. We love the improved
engine power and suspension.
To our delight, Yamaha did
indeed pull off a major accom-
plishment by improving on what
was already an outstanding mo-
torcycle. We're looking forward to
shootout time to see if any of the
other manufacturers have come
up with anything that will knock
the YZ250F off its throne. CN
2017 YAMAHA YZ250F
FIRST RIDE
P90
New Bridgestone
tires provide a
bigger bite.
GEAR ID'D
HELMET: V4 RACE
GEAR SET: FOX 360 SHIV
BOOTS: FOX INSTINCT
GOGGLES: FOX AIR SPACE
