As the first one to the party, the '08 YZ250F now has to wait around for its competition before it can really see how it stacks up. If you're anxious to see if its head start will turn into a win, join the club; we can't wait for shootout time!
2008 YZ250F
MSRP: blue, $6249; white, $6349
Weight: ready to race, no gas: 217 lb
Claimed dry weight: 204 lb
Seat height (above the pegs): 37.0 in.
Opinions
After turning our 2007 YZ250F into a race bike, it's ironic that the new model is almost a mirror image of the machine that we came up with. In comparison to last year's almost tame motor, the 2008 is a snappy, powerful rocket that can be taken to the line right off the showroom floor. The motor takes off with a decent amount of torque, but it really shines in the upper-mid section of the revs, right where the '07 threw in the towel. I prefer 250Fs when they can be ridden in the high end of the midrange but with extra power waiting in the top portion in case I get in trouble, and this describes the new Yamaha perfectly. As for handling, I had some issues with the bike lifting when going into braking bumps and standing up in rutted turns, but both of these issues were mostly worked out by lowering the rear end and softening the fork a click. While the Yamaha is not yet a perfect turner, the new model feels smooth and yet again compliant, no doubt thanks in part to the new linkage setup. The updated footpegs are pretty trick as well, but the fact that they are lower made the shift lever feel slightly long. Considering every issue that Yamaha addressed from last year's model, I was pretty disappointed that Big Blue stuck with the same shape on the upper corner of the radiator shrouds-these things go straight down the top of my boots with annoying consistency. However, Yamaha made up for this with its oh-so-sweet custom ProTaper bar bend. All in all, I thought the 2007 Yamaha was a solid bike, and this new 250F is one heck of an improvement!
-Chris Denison/5'10"/155 lb/Intermediate
The new blue machine looks the same as last year's, but when you twist the throttle, you feel a big difference. It has the same linear power curve we liked in our shootout (April '07) but with more ponies! The motor is much more competitive. The braking system is also strong, with a very controlled and powerful front brake. Being the brake dragger that I am, I was happy to find that the rear brake proved strong and consistent until the end of my moto. The suspension felt plush and controlled. It really tracks great on the small braking and acceleration bumps, and the fork has good bottoming resistance and decent movement throughout the stroke. The shock was also stable and worked best on acceleration bumps. The old YZ-F reared its head in the new model as the '08 was still trying to stand up on me in the turns, but with the sag set a little lower than 100mm, the bike seemed to settle in better. Dropping the sag also cured a wallowing feeling I got on high-speed sweeping turns that had rollers in them. The YZ-F is still a great overall package, and for 2008, it comes with a much more competitive motor.
-Ryan Orr/5'10"/175 lb/Pro