Honda and Yamaha both took a serious look at power output this year and dropped in new, higher-compression pistons to pump up the numbers. In Honda's case, the results were met with a lot of positive comments. The CRF250R put many of our testers in heaven with its newfound grunt and pull. The delivery is quick and aggressive, with a fast-revving feel that makes a rider feel like a hero. As attractive as the new power is, the quick delivery alienated some of the smooth-power faithful. Not so much in its usability or the traction it promotes, but more so in the way it begs to be in the right gear to work at its peak. If you're hooked up and hauling, it's great. But lose traction or try to squeeze a few extra revs out of the top-end and the power surge is over (rev-limiter) and leaves you wanting to find that great pull again. It spins up really fast with an ultralight flywheel or crank effect on the motor. It's not a torque monster but has a pretty good tugging power all the time. But on the track it's apparent the CRF is more of a crack-of-the-throttle-screamer that likes to be ridden aggressively. The bog is gone for 95 percent of riders and, along with it, the over carbureted feeling. Great news for a lot of riders out there.
Yamaha's gain is in a similar spot to Honda's. It's mostly in the mid. And while Yamaha earns huge points for making smooth power and picking up where last year's bike left off, the most complained about aspect of its delivery was a flattening on top. There's a decent bottom, strong mid and then the bike runs into a wall and the power feels unenthusiastic. After the boosted midrange you're just dying for more, but the Yammie fails to deliver. This happens way below the rev-limiter and much before you feel like you need to shift. Keeping the bike in the meat is important for a good ride. The mid-strong delivery and weaker bottom and top seem to be affecting the handling of the bike as well. When the power comes on, the surge stands the bike up at times and that kept a few of our riders guessing.
Suzuki's motor was a standout last year. True, it didn't have a top-end pull like the KTM, but the sheer torque and grunt up to the top was so damn good that nobody cared about the comparatively early sign-off. For '08, the bike is actually a bit better. The new cylinder head porting and carb mods have the bike just as torquey downstairs with a bit more surge in the mid and legs that carry decently into the top. It's not a high-revving beast, but it's a blast to ride. It's not often you get a power delivery this smooth and strong out of a 250F from the very bottom. It's easy to get used to and easy to use. The motor has no funny business and perfection is just a little more top-end power away.
The KTM is a powerful beast. If you shop only on motor, pick the SX-F. The unique blend of smooth, strong pull is the best in the class and it just keeps getting better. A larger-diameter header and a new cam puts a little more down low for '08, but the top-end is really where the KTM shines. For the first time, there's no dip in the delivery. And the orange bike outpulls everything in the world from mid-rpm to the moon. There are some dislikes in the testing gallery, though. Mainly this comes from a weak bottom or specifically an unimpressive outright snap. And if you're an aggressive rider who likes snap, hit, punch and yank, then you're going to be frustrated when you crank the slide up on the KTM. This is the perfect motor for the patient, momentum-carrying riders out there (no wonder it's so popular in Europe). If you want it to bark, get used to using the clutch, thankfully it's amazing, too. The Suzuki will out-torque the KTM initially and the Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda will give you that snapping sensation into the mid, but the KTM will be making more power all along the way and will never, seemingly ever, stop. The Kawasaki and Honda are the only bikes close to the KTM's power feel. In the end, all of them bow down to the orange bike.