Yamaha Yz250f

When Yamaha dropped the YZ250F in 2001, I genuinely didn't know if a 250 four-stroke could keep up with the screaming two-strokes I'd raced for years — it could, and then some. That DOHC motor pulls cleanly from the mid-range in a way no 250 two-stroke ever did, making corner-exit feel predictable and forgiving rather than on-off aggressive. The aluminum frame is stiff without being punishing, and at 98kg wet it feels lighter than the number suggests once you're moving. The honest weak spots: valve clearances need checking obsessively on these early motors, and the five-speed gearbox felt vague compared to what came a couple years later — plus finding neutral in a hurry is a small prayer.

The Gen 2 fixes what bugged me most about the original YZ250F — that snappy, almost violent powerband that would swap the rear end mid-corner if you weren't paying attention. The revised head and intake smooth out the transition from bottom to mid, so you can actually use the throttle like a tool instead of a light switch. At 98 kg it still feels planted and flickable through rhythm sections, and the updated suspension settings work noticeably better for average-sized riders without immediately needing a full revalve. My gripe is the seat — it's a punishment device after 45 minutes of motos — and the high-rpm peak power still demands you keep it spinning above 10,000 rpm or it signs off on you.

The revised frame geometry transformed this bike from the slightly wooden-feeling Gen 2 into something that actually rotates through corners without wrestling it. Yamaha squeezed more snap out of the midrange with the updated internals, and that 10,000-rpm torque hit is real — it pulls hard enough to catch you off-guard if you're lazy with your body position. At 98 kg wet it's not the lightest 250F on the grid, but it masks the weight better than the numbers suggest, and the new exhaust note is genuinely aggressive without the tinny rasp of its predecessor. My honest gripe: the power delivery is so peaky that beginner-to-intermediate riders will spend half their time in the wrong rev range, and the stock suspension needs a full revalve for anyone over 75 kg.