250F that feels the most like a 125?

[DEX]

I currentley ride a 2005 YZ 125 and am very happy with it.
However the four strokes are getting better and better and I think I may have got the last 125 to recieve big changes. My Yz 125 has a full pro circuit exhaust, boyesen Rad valve and most importantly highly modified suspension, I have lighter springs for my wieght and the bike is lowered 1.5 inches front and rear, with valving to suit my wieght and size, it also features ti nitride coating front and rear, works internals ( I think just different pistons in the forks), the bigger bladder cap for the shock and air cells for the forks. I also have a cut SDG seat.

Basically everything together makes this bikes very light and low and small feeling which is what I wanted it has a good snap right off the bottom for power and is there when I need it but smooth enough to not tire me out. The bike feels stiff and rigid which I like while the suspension soaks everything up not the rigid frame or rock hard seat.

I have tried 2 250Fs so far, a stock 2004 RM 250F and a stock 2005 250F and they felt the complete oppostie of my bike. Are all 250Fs like this? I felt like I was on top of a horse the bike seemed very high even though I could touch the ground and it seemed very top heavy, the power while it was always there wasn't snappy and responsive like my YZ and it seemed like the frame was very flexy and the suspension was stiff and choppy. The seat I know must be just an RM thing cause the RM 125 had the same rotten old couch cushion feeling, sponginess.

Do all 250Fs feel like this or am I going to be mixing my gas for the rest of my life?

Really now that I think about it the only bike other than one of my own that I tried and actually liked and felt comfortable on was a KTM 250SX, I was riding 80s still at the time and immeadiatley went from trying not to tip over trying to start it to blasting around the track, clearing jumps and railing berms.

 

[JST122]

The 250F's are not going to feel as snappy as a two stroke does, but they also are not as prone to bogging in corners and you dont need to slip the clutch as much to keep them in the meat of the powerband since they have more base horsepower and more roll on style power. From the limited amount of time I have had on 4 stroke MX bikes (I have ridden some buddies 250F's and a couple of 450F's as well) it seems you need to maintain your momentum a little more to get the most out of the 4T bikes. You can park a 2 stroke in a corner and slip the clutch and power out real quick, on the 4 stokes it seems railing the outside line and keeping the power on is the best method. That is not to say you cant brake slide/power slide on a 4 stroke, it is just a different power delivery. As far as the height and weight issues go, 4 stroke engines tend to sit higher in the frame, therefore raising the center of gravity of the bike which will tend to make it feel taller and harder to lay over at first. Especially when you are used to riding a 2 stroke, where the Center of Gravity is much lower in the frame. This is another reason a lot of 4 stroke riders will prefer to rail the outside line as opposed to braking hard for the inside line. I think the biggest thing is just getting used to it. Most of my buddies that initially had 125's and have since switched to 250F's claim that their lap times are faster on the four stroke once they got used to it, and they say they dont have to work as hard to run the same pace.

Both bikes are fun, you just need to develop a different riding style for each and that will just come with time on the bike. Like I said I am new to the 4 stroke thing and I do not have a lot of time on these bikes, I have been riding 2 strokes for the last 15 years and I just decided to get my first 4 stroke, so take my information for what its worth, there are probably some 250F owners out there who can give you some better information than I can.

 

[robwbright]

Ye - I jumped on a new YZ250F the other day at the dealer - I could not believe how tall it was compared to my 125. I could barely touch with one tip toe :(

I beginning to think that those odd looking welds on my subframe are not factory . . . and I'm lovin that! Apparently the previous owner lower it for me :laugh:

 

[DougRoost]

If you have your 125 dialed in and love it, why switch? Mixing your gas is small in comparison to valve adjustments and higher rebuild costs on a 250F. Unless you're racing and getting killed in holeshots (since the AMA's rules were all about moving the goalposts), then why change?

I switched back from 4 stroke to 2 because you just can't beat the smiles/$$ of them. More time riding and zero time worrying about valves closing up!

Doug

 

[rodH]

yes, they all feel that way. my CRF250R rides like a tractor compared to my 9 year old 250 2t, go figure.

You basically have 3 choices
1. Keep your dialed in 125
2. If you want more power, but like the handling of the 125, get a 250 2t
3. Learn to deal with how the 250F's drive

 

[MXP1MP]

Yea what they are saying they don't feel the same my YZ 250 feels way more like the 125 does the 250F compared to the YZ 250 still feels heavier plus the YZ 250 just plain smokes the 250F in extra power. I'm waiting on getting my '06 YZ 125 motor back from EG it's being turned into a 144. Love to see how it compares to the '03 YZ250F I used to own.

 

[robwbright]

yes, they all feel that way. my CRF250R rides like a tractor compared to my 9 year old 250 2t, go figure.

You basically have 3 choices
1. Keep your dialed in 125
2. If you want more power, but like the handling of the 125, get a 250 2t
3. Learn to deal with how the 250F's drive

There is one other choice:

E.G. 144 overbore!