By Wiley Watson
I purchased a new Yamaha YZ250FX at the end of 2024 to take care of my two-wheeled throttle therapy needs. After three years with the bike, riding over a variety of different terrains, I’m beyond pleased with the performance and usability of this fine machine.
At 160 pounds, I have always been a 250 guy, as the 450 just has a little too much gusto for the trails and motocross track. To “ride” a 450 you have to be in great shape, or else they have a tendency to tackle you when having a dismount at speed.
My first week with the motorcycle I rode 1,200 miles from Tecate to Cabo, Mexico, with a group of 40 riders. I was the only man in the group with a 250, but the six-speed gear box made my life manageable for the long open roads and high-speed sections.
I changed the oil three times, set the sag, and made an air filter change at the end of each day; that was all I did for upkeep on a bike that was right off the showroom floor. Impressive.
All-Around Performance — Yamaha YZ250FX
Beyond the deserts of Mexico, I have frequented the bike on the Motocross tracks of the Pacific Northwest, rode many of trails, from two track to borderline hard enduro, and enjoyed the flexibility of the bike, as the Yamaha really straddles the line of the perfect “all-around” dirt bike.
My one significant knock that I have with the bike is it feels a bit scrunched for a 6-foot rider like myself. The geometry of feet to seat to handlebars seems more suitable to the slightly smaller rider. I did make some changes to the foot peg height, but it still didn’t give me ultimate comfortability. I like being able to really drive the bike with a lot of pressure on the foot pegs in the seated position. This allows more control and power through corners at speed.
What’s next? After three years and over 150 hours, I decided to mix up my brand choice and swap to a Kawasaki 250X, simply for the ergonomics and comfortability to fit my body size. The Kawi doesn’t have the lovely six-speed gear box and lacks the incredible reliability of the Yamaha, but I figured I may purchase the new 327 two-stroke Kiwi just teased at the end of the year to fill those gaps. We will see …
If you want stout mechanics and require one bike with does-it-all needs, then I can assure you with confidence the YZ250FX will fill your mug to the brim with a pure conviction of joy.
