Like the motorcycles that we test, the modern magazine shootout is constantly evolving. It used to be that Dirt Rider's role was to gather a particular class of bike, test each machine until the knobbies wore off and then print a best-to-worst ranking that praised the winner and mocked the loser. Not anymore. These days, we still conduct our shootouts by testing each bike until the knobbies wear off, even then we'll swap tires and ride them some more on different rubber, just for grins. We also still do our best to pick a distinctive winner, but this is becoming incredibly difficult to do as each successive model year is introduced. As you know, any motocross machine with "2010" stamped next to its VIN is a highly developed, thoroughly tested piece of equipment that has been built on lessons learned and feedback provided by legions of loyal customers, sponsored racers and well-trained test riders. Given the enormously competitive market and each manufacturer's relentless yearning for your hard earned money, modern motocross bikes have gotten good. Really, really good. So good, in fact, that we can hardly decide on the "best" of the bunch, much less determine an overall ranking. Because of this, Dirt Rider's function as shootout conductor has developed from that of decision-maker to information-giver. Our job now is to tell you everything there is to know about these bikes, describe who we think they would be best for and then let you make the final call. We still pick a winner for old time's sake based on our personal opinions and those of our test riders, but at the end of the day there's only one person who can tell you what the best bike for you is. Dig in.
How We Tested
As is usually the case with a Dirt Rider shootout, our 250F comparison began with five race-ready, equally ridden machines with approximately 12 hours on the engines and fresh tires (Dunlop Geomax MX51) on the rims. Prior to the official start of the shootout, two of these very bikes-the Yamaha and the Honda-had appeared on Dirt Rider's cover, and all had received first tests or riding impressions in the magazine and on our website. Although we knew these bikes well before the comparison we had never ridden them all on the same day, and dawn of shootout morning at Adelanto's Racetown 395 was the first time that all five of these machines had been together in the dirt. For test riders, we had an extremely solid group of proven evaluators provide opinions on the first day: Longtime DR testers Tyler Ruiz, Nick Foister and Alfredo Contreras, Supercross regulars Ricky Yorks and Tye Hames, staffers Chris Denison and Jesse Ziegler, Mini Rider graduate Chris Plouffe, local fast kid Daniel Van Der Ziel and X Games whipper-snapper Myles Richmond. The rest of the DR staff-along with veteran test riders Chris Barrett, Ryan Orr and Kris Keefer-provided additional opinions. Following the main portion of the shootout, the bikes were tested further in order to confirm our opinions and see how they worked in different conditions.