What's Hot
We like the way the new YZ250F...
We like the way the new YZ250F feels on the track and in the air.
First and foremost on the Hot List is the power delivery. The small improvements Yamaha has made to the veteran motor of the 250F class shows how versatile the original was. Just by moving exhaust pipes around and transporting the power through a smoother-shifting and better clutched drive system, Yamaha engineers have woken this motor up substantially. It's still very easy to ride and delivers one of the most consistent power deliveries in the class. The new YZF still doesn't rip as hard down low as last year's most aggressive bikes, but it is plenty alive to keep them in sight (or move right past them with tons of traction!). 2009 is proving to be a banner year for motor improvements. We can't wait to see what everyone else has to offer and just where the Yamaha YZ 250F stands. Right now, and compared directly to our freshly rebuilt 2008, the '09 is a much stronger, more capable racer in engine alone.
The second most-improved engine component (next to the exhaust system) is the clutch assembly. The new, less complicated rubber damped system is delivering amazingly solid engagement.
Last year, we burned through a clutch in the first 10 hours before our shootout but our '09 is still grabbing strong as it approaches the decade-hour mark. The lever feel is improved and its adjustment is convenient but the point where the plates engage to the basket is the most impressive. The connection is solid to say the least. And while the range of modulation is narrow for some, the control it provides is ample for all. It seems as if the power on the 2008 we tested alongside was going through a filter in the clutch before it made its way to the rear tire. That feeling is gone in the 2009 assembly for sure. This is boosting the more solid bottom end power feel as well.
Next up in the hot room is the handling. We've all heard the praise for Yamaha's straight-line stability and excellent bump-compliant suspension in the past few years. Likewise, we've all heard the grumblings from those who dislike the aluminum framed YZF's cornering.
While we're still preaching proper bike setup (including the ever-important race sag) to make the YZF turn as good or better than anything, we can't help but notice how much easier it is to enjoy the curves on this '09.
More so than with the YZ450F, the swingarm and linkage flex character changes are showing up big time on the 250F. All of our test riders felt this bike charged through the corners better than in ' 08. We had Yamaha technicians busy unbolting mud-packed radiator shrouds to clean out the louvers from the seriously deep rut railing our pro-tester Chris Barrett put the bike through. There is a much lighter resistance in the bars compared to last year's bike and the rear stays behind you.
When we jumped to our '08 test mule, the "old" bike felt heavier in the bar and less-reluctant to lie over and stay down all the way through a corner. It wasn't terrible but it required a bit more attention to steer-counter steer input than we had to put in on the new bike.
No doubt the stronger power delivery is helping the bike settle in corners as well.
On the straights and through the bumps the YZ 250F is maintaining a great ride. However, the 2009 bike seems valved on the stiff side. We softened the front end up 3-4 clicks on the compression end at every track we tried and dropped the rear down to 102mm of sag for the best balance.
Our rebound settings in the fork were closer to stock but we still sped them up (less damping) to keep the bike happiest.
Overall, Yamaha's KYB setup is one of the best for providing great progression with ample bottoming resistance.
We've seen stock suspension components from other brands sack out and loose their hold up in 10 hours. Not so with this set. We're still at the settings you'll find in this story's chart.
The other new part of this bike we've been thrilled to test is the new front tire. The Bridgestone 403A is just like our 2008 product of the year 403 with a flatter profile and less round shape. This gives the tire a bigger footprint, really, for a much more controlled corner feel. This tire works as good, if not better than the standard 403 in all conditions but full soft. Like a wider tire would, it can get "floaty" in the softest stuff and veer towards vagueness.
Make sure you spot your sag setting correctly and get your suspension dialed in as this can have as much influence in front end traction as tire choice.
 That is a Yamaha exclusive...  That is a Yamaha exclusive tire. In all intermediate to hard-pack conditions our testing has this tire working great. |  The top triple clamp now features...  The top triple clamp now features 30mm of adjustability forward and backward and the bar mounts are the same as the YZF450 (4mm taller than last year's YZ250F). |  The combination of chassis...  The combination of chassis updates and a great front tire have the YZ250F turning better than ever. |
What's Not
The fancy black side covers look like fancy scratched black side covers almost immediately and the shrouds mysteriously grab some of our high-kicking test-rider's boots at times when they lay the YZF over in the turns.
What it is
The newest Yamaha is a great example of improving what you already have. Similar to the KTM 450 SXF we've tested this summer, the Yamaha YZ 250F's improvements have improved its weak points and enhanced its strong points. The bike always ran strong from mid up. Now it has more bottom with the same powerful mid and top end. The suspension was always great at holding us up to high-speed hits and big jump landings. Now, it keeps us charging through corners better than ever.
Like all first tests, we have to evaluate this bike without its competition (mostly because we don't have the competition yet). So if you're waiting to make your buying decision, hold on a bit longer while we shuffle in the rest of the '09's to compare.
While it's clear this is a nicely updated version of last year's bike, it's still the step before Yamaha makes big changes to the YZ lineup. And that can make buying one the smartest thing you've done in a while or the most premature, depending on where the blue-team goes in the future.
 Ah, yes...the YZ 250F comes...  Ah, yes...the YZ 250F comes in white again (for $100 more) with sweet black rims! |  This new perch assembly has...  This new perch assembly has easier adjustability and maintenance built in. |  Chris Plouffe is our newest...  Chris Plouffe is our newest big-bike tester. He's straight off his last ride on mini bikes and already knows a lot about bike character. Here, he's making the bike's character say, "Weeeeeee!" |