2010 Yamaha YZ250F - Riding Impression

Sure there is a lot of speculation about what else Yamaha has coming, but right here and right now we have the 2010 Yamaha YZ250F. By most accounts it is an all-new bike, keeping only a very familiar engine, but even that is highly revised. How does the new bike stack up and what do we think about it? Read on.

For sure it was time for the YZ250F to get an upgrade as it has been a few years since a major revision. And the motor has been receiving step-by-step upgrades all along. The bike's weak points have been everything from a flat or bland powerband and also some riders feeling the bike had a heavier feel to it. Some even felt there were turning issues. So to tackle this head-on Yamaha threw the old frame out and made an all-new one. Coming with that is all new bodywork and matched suspension, plus some changes that helped the power. From the press information, it looks like Yamaha took on the critics. For all the tech info, check out the detailed story at www.dirtrider.com/features/web_exclusive/141_0907_2010_yamaha_yz250f_first_look.

We got a good full day on the new bike at the beautifully majestic Washougal, Washington MX facility just a few days prior to the Outdoor National that will take place the following weekend.

The carbureted bike fires right up and has a crisp and sharp exhaust tone which has been reduced in sound output as well. The first thing we noticed was the lighter feel of the bike. Straight away the front half of the bike definitely feels lighter. It is a feeling that lets the bike fall into turns easier and especially more maneuverable in the air, through the handlebars. The back of the bike feels very similar to what we've become accustomed too and that is a good balance between being planted and helping to keep everything in line. The whole time the bike is very balanced and rarely bucks or kicks. And that speaks volumes for the suspension. We tried a few clicks here and there for our two heavier test riders (180 lb. range) and kept going right back to stock. Our lighter rider liked a click less compression and a little more rebound damping in the fork. If anything, Yamaha is looking out for the heavier riders with this setting, or really fast lighter guys.

If there is one area the motor really made a leap in, it is in the transition from bottom to mid. Most of us felt that in roll-ons or when you let the motor fall off the pipe, the previous YZ250F was a little resistant to get ripping back into the top end. Sort of like you were dragging the brake just a bit. But not the 2010. It pulls cleanly on the bottom and then transitions way better, smoothly, into the mid and top end. It has plenty of torque, in fact with lighter riders the bike even sounded a bit like a 450. We heard a lot of the other riders keeping the bike buried deep into the 50% cut-out at the plus-13000 RPM soft rev limiter, an indication the bike pulls cleanly into that rev range without much sign-off. At least not until that rev limiter kicks in. But when you shift, the bike pulls and it pulls hard, like a CRF 250R but without the added aggression than can be too much for a lot of riders. It doesn't spin too easily. It pulls the gearing just fine, even with heavier riders, as well as the new taller ratios in that middle gears. If we had any gripes it would center around the throttle response which might be a little finicky for some riders in the bumps or rhythm sections. We found the fuel screw to be our friend to get the response just right.

Onto the details and the new radiator shrouds do not even come close to catching on the rider's boots. And the channeling louvers into the radiators must be working, our bike never hinted at boiling, even during a hot 95-degree day of shooting photos. The layout of the flatter seat makes it easy to move around on and the bike is just thin enough. We did not notice the bars being back too far (when standing) but some riders thought they felt the pegs were a little higher. We'll play with bar position, since it is adjustable, soon.

But what Yamaha has here is a really good, strong running, complete package that really fit a wide array of riders and needed minimal fiddling the whole time. It is a huge improvement over just last year's bike and leaps and bounds over previous years. It is sticking with the good-old carburetor and a time proven engine that ranks at the top of our list in durability. So in these tough times, Yamaha's play might just be a winner, and for sure on this day and at this track it was pretty impressive. More testing and more competition to come...