2000-04 YZ250 vs 2005-06 YZ250

Don't know about the new year Yamaha's, but I bought a 2000 model in 2002 and absolutely hated that bike. No bottom, all mid motor that would hit so hard you felt like you were being ridden by the bike and not the other way around. I sold it and bought a CR250 with a linear powerband and loved it.

IMHO, unless you are an advanced racer, having a newer bike isn't going to make a whole lot of difference in your speed or fun factor... I was doing research on used yz250's, and it seems like the 2003&2004 model yz250's were the cream of the crop for those years... Not sure about 2002... I ended up buying a 2003 kx250 because I got a great deal on it, even though it was generally pulling up the rear in comparison tests... Again, imho, my skills are not up there enough to where the few tenths of a second advantage the other 2003 bikes (or newer ones) might offer me will make much difference...

2-stroke engines are so easy to adjust the powerband on, I wouldn't not buy a yz just because someone didn't like the power band on their 2k model. You can do a lot with jetting, adding flywheel weight, etc to modify the powerband to your liking... I had a 99 model and liked the power band just fine...

Even IFF an 06 yz250 would increase your lap times by 1-2 seconds which is HUGE for a serious racer, would that make it worth an extra $3k+ for you??

ls1cameric said:

So you hated your 02 yz250... Was it new or used? Also, I thought that all of the yz250's from like 98 had decent bottom end power. (for a 2T anyway)

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No, I hated my 2000 model that I bought in 2002. The bottom may have been fine, but the mid was what hid that. That bike would wear me out in about an hour. I don't know if it was so much that there was no bottom or just a brutal mid, but when it hit it felt like the bike was going to rip your arms off. After about an hour of hanging on for dear life you were whipped.

I switched at that time to a 2002 CR250 which is very well known for it's linear powerband. I could go twice as long on that bike and not be tired. May have been me, but I hated that YZ and haven't considered one since because of it.

I want one of those bikes I can knock 1-2 seconds off my lap times ;)
Save your dough - go with an older model. You can spend some money to make it what you want and still have gas money galor