Ride Report - '03 YZ 250F (my first ride)
- Thread starter nikki
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KC_BigDog_51
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- Mar 25, 2001
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Nikki:
One thing missing from your ride report I am very curious to hear is, How does the bike react to letting off the throttle while in the air? Last time I rode a buddies YZ426 I always had to keep the gas on a little bit in the air or it would nose dive very quickly. Just curious if the engine breaking has been reduced somewhat from past models to avoid this.
Also, I saw the pics Big Lou put up of you guys riding at our local track in Merwin, MO, were you able to clear the start finish jump in 2nd gear with your 250F?
One thing missing from your ride report I am very curious to hear is, How does the bike react to letting off the throttle while in the air? Last time I rode a buddies YZ426 I always had to keep the gas on a little bit in the air or it would nose dive very quickly. Just curious if the engine breaking has been reduced somewhat from past models to avoid this.
Also, I saw the pics Big Lou put up of you guys riding at our local track in Merwin, MO, were you able to clear the start finish jump in 2nd gear with your 250F?
nikki
Moto Junkie
- Apr 21, 2000
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- Thread starter
- #29
KC BigDog - on my first ride (same time I took these pictures) I did chop the throttle on a table top a few times and almost went over the bars as the bike did nose dive. So there is still some engine braking on the '03 but it isn't as drastic as the '01-'02.
I was doing the start/finish triple at Merwin in 3rd (stock gearing) and maybe 3/4 throttle. I did all the jumps there in 3rd. Actually - the one that probably took the most throttle was the step-up double after the whoops up top in the back section.
I was doing the start/finish triple at Merwin in 3rd (stock gearing) and maybe 3/4 throttle. I did all the jumps there in 3rd. Actually - the one that probably took the most throttle was the step-up double after the whoops up top in the back section.
KC_BigDog_51
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- Mar 25, 2001
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That's what I wanted to know! It will make my decision a lot easier. How about the turns at Merwin, were you able to lug through most of the turns in 3rd and still get enough speed for the jumps or were you having to take it down to 2nd for the turn and then up-shift. I get tired of this routine on YZ125 at Merwin and I am hoping this bike would eliminate all the shifting required to be fast out there.
nikki
Moto Junkie
- Apr 21, 2000
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- #31
KC BigDog - first let me say that I ride very lazy. That being said, the only time I shifted into second was up the whooped out hill before the long straight on the top. And sometimes I even went up that in third.
If you download the video clip in my signature - you can hear the 250F at Merwin on those jumps and in the turns. I'm in third in the whole video.
Bottom line - compared to a 125, the 250F can be lugged through a turn in third and instantly back into the power with little need of the clutch.
If you download the video clip in my signature - you can hear the 250F at Merwin on those jumps and in the turns. I'm in third in the whole video.
Bottom line - compared to a 125, the 250F can be lugged through a turn in third and instantly back into the power with little need of the clutch.
.png "=) =)")
KC_BigDog_51
Member
- Mar 25, 2001
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Thanks for all the good feedback Nikki, I appreciate it.
I finally got to ride one of these 250s (a 2003), here are my observations
considering how prejudiced I am against them (ha ha) I really liked it!
starting-a non issue, started right away and I never killed it
idle-was set really high, that would take some adjustment
suspension-fine, forks felt a bit soft on big landings-clickers?
engine-very impressive! very responsive, rev to the moon, some compression braking-gotta give it gas over jumps. Not buku on low end but it revs so fast this didn't seem to be a hanicap on the track I rode (loose/sandy).
gearing-worked well, first few gears felt very close together, but i'm used to a CR250
brakes-great
weight- felt about like a 250 two stroke to me, and very rigid
color-wrong color, needs to be red :p
this bike made me want to just beat the tar out of the motor, not because it was low on power but because it revs so freely. Now I understand how so many people blow these things up! I felt very comfortable jumping it but it took a lap or two to get the hang of the compression braking thing. I didn't get a chance to try it in the woods, there isn't a lot of low end power, but with low gearing it would probably be fine.
The main "cons" I could come up with would be:
1. it's not a honda
2. weight
3. the bike doesn't like to wheelie very easilly. This is an advantage at times, but most mx bikes (125 or 250) I have experienced will more easilly yank up the front tire.
"pros":
everything else!
considering how prejudiced I am against them (ha ha) I really liked it!
starting-a non issue, started right away and I never killed it
idle-was set really high, that would take some adjustment
suspension-fine, forks felt a bit soft on big landings-clickers?
engine-very impressive! very responsive, rev to the moon, some compression braking-gotta give it gas over jumps. Not buku on low end but it revs so fast this didn't seem to be a hanicap on the track I rode (loose/sandy).
gearing-worked well, first few gears felt very close together, but i'm used to a CR250
brakes-great
weight- felt about like a 250 two stroke to me, and very rigid
color-wrong color, needs to be red :p
this bike made me want to just beat the tar out of the motor, not because it was low on power but because it revs so freely. Now I understand how so many people blow these things up! I felt very comfortable jumping it but it took a lap or two to get the hang of the compression braking thing. I didn't get a chance to try it in the woods, there isn't a lot of low end power, but with low gearing it would probably be fine.
The main "cons" I could come up with would be:
1. it's not a honda
2. weight
3. the bike doesn't like to wheelie very easilly. This is an advantage at times, but most mx bikes (125 or 250) I have experienced will more easilly yank up the front tire.
"pros":
everything else!
Red Rider 53
~SPONSOR~
- Jan 16, 2003
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Great pics! I put a first down payment on a CRF250. Hopefully it will be as good as that one. At least I won't have to worry about the Honda having some cheap suspension or some little Yamaha goof like that...LOL.:)
nikki
Moto Junkie
- Apr 21, 2000
- 5,802
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- Thread starter
- #38
Good luck with the CRF, Red Rider (if it ever comes out :moon: ) We expect a ride report as soon as you get that puppy!
Actually... I'm really excited to see that the big four will all be representing the "vvvrrooom vvvvrrrooooom" sound in the 125 class next year - I can't wait to test ride them all (and, of course, hope the Yamaha still kicks butt)!
Actually... I'm really excited to see that the big four will all be representing the "vvvrrooom vvvvrrrooooom" sound in the 125 class next year - I can't wait to test ride them all (and, of course, hope the Yamaha still kicks butt)!
Red Rider 53
~SPONSOR~
- Jan 16, 2003
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They said I'd be getting it around November, give or take a little.