The KTM has a longer, taller feel somewhat similar to the Yamaha. Its seat is nothing short of terrible, and we're convinced if the bike came with some foam under your rear, the suspension could jump about 10 points on the scale. The bar is four-position adjustable so making the KTM fit anyone is generally possible. We typically run our bike in the second closest position to the rider. Plus, you can adjust the offset on the triple clamp as well, though we haven't felt the need.
Components, Fit, Finish and Durability
The KTM has the best components out of all the bikes. The hydraulic clutch is tops and the brakes, while some think can be too aggressive, are the strongest by far. It has an oversize bar stock, the adjustable triple clamp and a really quiet muffler that doesn't just score well on a sound test though it keeps the bike quiet when it's wide-open. Honda and Yamaha are pretty much tied for second here with the brakes on the Honda finally getting a wave-type rotor. The feel and control is equal on the red and blue bikes. Clutch plate durability on the Yamaha has tested less than other models but the feel, action and actuation is great. Kawasaki and Suzuki have adequate components, and their brakes aren't far behind the other two Japanese brands. The clutch pull and feel gets cheaper with time on the Kawi and more so on the Suzuki. On those bikes it's a combination of cable and lever quality and basket and inner hub wear. As for noise, the Kawasaki is a big loser here. It tests quiet, but on the track it's noisy and raspy. The Honda and its dual mufflers and the Suzuki also have a little louder bark than we'd like to hear.
The Honda is a hands-down winner in the shifting category. Suzuki rates the worst with some issues for a few of our riders who were outright missing shifts. The KTM can be notchy but responds well to clean oil. Kawasaki and Yamaha were about average with only a few reports of missed shifts. The spacing of the transmissions drew few complaints. The RM-Z is geared lower than any of the other bikes and will easily top out on long straights. KTM has the longest legs with a sixth gear.
If we were to pick a bike solely on durability, the KTM would win easily. Every model of KTM racing four-stroke we've tested in long and short term has been bulletproof. We've done top ends after 50 hours and reinstalled the piston with just a new set of rings. We've rarely had to do valve adjustments, and when we do, they take a third of the time the Japanese bikes do. Plus, once you work on a KTM, you'll curse Asian bike manufacturers forever. Short of having to buy a 13mm wrench and some torx sockets, the orange bikes are the best things to happen to motocross mechanically.
Next up would be the Honda and Yamaha tied. Honda's fit and finish is awesome. The red bikes' construction quality is always high and the overall durability of components is great. Earning more points is the fact that, if and when the parts do wear out (pistons, valves, etc) they're priced fairly in the parts department at your Honda dealer. You won't go broke maintaining a Honda. The Yamaha's durability is standing strong as well. The motors have traditionally held up better than any of the other Japanese bikes. With five valves, the adjustment stays put unless dirt gets inside or you like to test your rev-limiter. And YZ aluminum frames, like them all, keep a tight feeling longer than steel ones. Yamaha ought to ditch the black sidecovers, though, and the blue plastic still gets white streaks after a few spills.
Kawasaki runs in third place. The overall quality of the Kawi has been great in this version of the 250F. The bolts and fasteners on the bike rarely strip out or give you that queasy feeling when snugging them down. The black plastic looks incredibly cheap after a couple of rides, though, and in general the green bikes take more care to maintain that showroom shine.
Suzuki's decision to use smaller fasteners in high-use areas (seat bolts, subframes, plastic, etc.) has most of us wondering how many times we can tighten them before they strip out. Other costly areas like cylinder heads, cams, valves and the like haven't been overly durable in the last year on our Long Haul bike, either. We know the bikes will last as is evident by the same Long Haul tests, but the little things on the Suzuki keep us from giving it an extremely positive fit and finish rating.