BEST 250 Motors Ever

[Bent6]

I rembember reading great things about the '85 YZ 250 motor for at least a decade after it was produced.

I have a '01 CR250 and it is a great running mid/high motor, but I'm slow and ride much faster on my '03 CRF450. I'm also surprised no one mentioned how screwed up the factory midrange jetting was on the stock '01 carb.

 

[PlowboysGhost]

Not a 250, but I kinda liked my '92 Yamaha WR500. It's the only bike I've ever owned that nearly got out from under me a time or two.

 

[Isobareng]

I just liked the 250 2 strokes of the last era. Lap times and the pros show the 4 stroke to be superior but there is something about easier maintenance and that special power band hit that I miss.

D

 

[P0PWAR]

The CR250, hands down best bike. Screw four strokes.

 

[2 strokes for life]

I am up for a KTM 250SX or TM 250MX because the prove that they can compete against 450Fs on the dynos too.

 

[zig06]

I liked the Can-Am Rotax rotary valved motors from the late 70's and early 80's.

The bikes themselves were way over weight and handled average. But those motors were always at the top of their class in HP. Plus, because of the rotary valve design they could be really tuned for MX or trails and back by just swapping out the valve.

I heard that ATK was going to come out with a 406 with a rotary valve, but then they sunk all of their money into the Cannodale buy up. And now they have a loud, slow and over priced thumper, that has zero appeal.

 

[por2gezo]

I Have the 2000 cr250 ...
Is my 2000 the same as the 2001 ???

 

[Bent6]

I Have the 2000 cr250 ...
Is my 2000 the same as the 2001 ???

It's almost the same bike, but the power delivery is different. '01 is mid to high rpm. As I recall, the '00 is more of a low to mid hitter. Perhaps someone else can confirm this since I've never owned or ridden one.

 

[mikethevigo]

1998 yamaha wr250 ,we gave it hell and never even put a ring in it !

 

[mx547]

I Have the 2000 cr250 ...
Is my 2000 the same as the 2001 ???

the 2000 had the much superior keihin carb. i'd take it over the '01.

 

[Var]

I have a 1990 cr250 as my first dirtbike. I was worried i'd need a flywheel weight after reading here that 2 strokes had no low end. I went to hollister and my bike chugs 1/4 throttle uphills right off idle . the fact that I wanted a trailbike made me happy that my 250 is a tractor. I may re-gear it just for kicks but it's great as is

 

[dirtmark]

The 03' KTM 250 sx :

It has the most HP of any 250 ever tested !

It also has the most violent hit in the mid
that made the bike hard to control.

My friends & I did all we could to make ours
more rideable .... !

 

[ksilva]

I just picked up a 97 cr250, its my first bike... I got a pretty good deal on the bike, so I couldnt let it go... What do you guys think of the 97 cr250, anything i should look out for?

I took off all the stickers because they looked pink, and just kept it with the black plastics...

Thanks!

 

[jprm250]

i have had every kind of 250 smoker (honda.yama,Kawi, Suzi and KTM) The best by far is the 05 RM 250. Lugs like a 4 stroke but rips on the top end. Very few 450's or 250F's can hang with me in the woods.

 

[Someone]

My 05 YZ250 has the best useable power of any bike I have ridden or owned. Perfect linear power band. No snap, just pure power at any RPM.

 

[artistic_gore]

Pro Circuit pipe and it's around 51hp.....no hit to speak of but amazing depth.

The 88 rm250 was fun too, but it was a light flywheeled zippy motor.

83 honda cr480 was a nice open motor

Is there a huge difference between the '87 and '88 motors? What does the flywheel have to do with the overall performance of the engine? Can weight be added to the flywheel or just a larger flywheel added?

 

[flying flea]

91 cr 250

 

[rob the snail]

i own an rm250 06 and it rips, but my mates have 05and 06 yz250s. there is nothing in our drag races but the yzs feel a little more powerful. we drag against the 450s all the time and in summer months i have the edge but in winter the kx450 06 usually beats all of us. my other mate has a 03ktm250 and he just smokes us all in a straight line. i feel my rm is the best overall bike though when all things are considered.

 

[john stu]

igood thing for them that i wasn't on a "fast" bike.

yea you would have one that race!

 

[john stu]

the 2002"s and up are fast but they have much less low end than the 2001 i have had many cr250's 92,95,97,01,02 the 02 was my least favorite and it was the most modified it had v-force,porting,extra tooth on the rear and i spent lots of time getting the jetting worked out trying to make it as fast as my 2001 and my "stock" 01 would smoke it every where except maybe in over rev but stock to stock the 01 even had more over rev....when i wanted a new bike it was not a newer cr250.....the newer motors just didnt do it for me not enough responce and low end ....i dont like to wait for the power i want it instant

 

[fuzzydnkn]

81 yz 250 motors are sick :aj:

 

[midlifemoto]

81 490 Maico

 

[hoosierf]

Three favorites all a bit different.

1997 CR250 - I won my only arena overall on it. We ran a qualifier type race at an indoor arena where you advanced based on your finish in the qualifying motos. I pulled a monster hole shot and the race was red flagged. We lined up again and I started in third. I guess I was pissed so I rode like a madman, block passed my buddy, went after the leader, and he fell on lap three and I just ran away with it from there. That motor revved to the moon and just kept pulling, but it didn't have a big hit in the middle, so you could ride it without getting tired.

2002 YZ250P - Rode like an open class bike in the lower revs, but kept pulling on top. It was actually too fast for me, but it was fun to ride. I could ride wheelies with that motor for miles.

Any year ATK 406 - That old Rotax didn't rev a bit, buy any time you cracked the throttle, you got a smooth, predictable, long pull. The left side kick was a bitch, though.

 

[twpgummi1]

honda

the 1992- 2001 cr 250 . i think so because of the different power valve system . this motor also revs great(between 8000 and 11,900)

 

[atkkid250]

lol

99 250lq, atk its a rotax of course. the 97 in mine has some faults. but the 99 is mint