Probably the biggest and most enjoyable improvement on the Yamaha would have to be the new linkage and swingarm. This was the same change Yamaha made to the 450, and man, this has to be the best cornering blue bike I've ever felt. The '08 wanted to stand up and step out of the ruts if you weren't absolutely committed, but the '09 drops right into the ruts with little effort. Just lay it over and drag the handlebar. You know what, forget the handlebar. This thing was dragging the radiator shrouds. The Yamaha had me looking for the deepest ruts on the track to throw the bike into. It didn't matter if it was a faster or slower line, I always came out with an ear-to-ear grin on my face and screaming at the top of my lungs. And surprisingly, even with such great cornering, the bike was still very stable at high speeds. The suspension on the YZ-F worked great in all conditions and never gave me that unexpected "close-your-eyes pucker." The adjustability was also impressive. We were able to dial in the suspension from the fast, loamy, choppy tracks to the slower, hard-packed, chattery tracks with just a few clicks.
The '09 YZ250F was a blast to ride. The improved power, handling and awesome brakes made you want to charge into turns and test the limits of yourself and the bike. Yamaha also added a new triple clamp that gives plenty of adjustment for the ProTaper bar, which should let any rider get comfortable on the bike. I was definitely impressed with the new Yamaha, and though this is the first '09 250F that I've ridden, this test made me want to load it up in my truck and take it home.
-Chris Barrett/6'1"/180 lb/Pro
Overall, the 2009 Yamaha YZ250F is a good bike and an improvement over the 2008, for sure.
Due to my size and weight, the bike handled just OK with stock suspension settings. However, once we began to soften it up, it handled great. It's very stable and I didn't once get headshake on the fast straights. At first I couldn't get comfortable turning the Yamaha, but after plenty of clicker adjustments the suspension began to work in the corners for me. The bumps in the ruts were trying to pop the front tire out of the line. We dialed it in as much as possible with the stock springs, and it worked a lot better. (Editor's Note: Yamaha states that stock springs are intended for riders in the 155-180 pound range. Anyone outside that range should consider a new spring rate.)
I think this motor is better for a wide-open track, since I didn't feel like it had as much bottom as my Honda. From mid to top the YZ-F's motor pulled great. This bike is fast on the top-end! The only thing I didn't like about the Yamaha was the bottom-end power. I'd like more down low. Everything else was good and I can see it's a good pick for everyone from beginner to pro.
I'm still a little small on these big bikes, but this one felt great to me on the ground and in the air. It didn't feel heavy at all. Also, somehow it feels narrower than last year's model.
This bike has gotten a lot better in a year. I was never able to get comfortable on the 2008 YZ-F, but the 2009, after some fine-tuning, was dialed in almost perfectly for me.
-Chris Plouffe/5'5"/120 lb/Intermediate