The 2017 250F Shootout is Up!

ML512
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ML512
http://www.vitalmx.com/features/2017-Vital-MX-250-Shootout,5114



Finally wrapped this one up. Click in and enjoy! I'll check back if anyone has any questions, or I'll see if I can get any of the other riders to chime in as well. Always curious about feedback for our format and hear what you all think of it.

On to the 450s!

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GD2
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GD2 11/9/2016 2:57pm
11/9/2016 2:57pm Edited Date/Time 11/9/2016 3:01pm
Woo! By the way, your gear setup for the shootout was sick.
mx836
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mx836 11/9/2016 5:14pm
11/9/2016 5:14pm Edited Date/Time 11/9/2016 5:37pm
Suzuki #1? Laughing

Nice review. Appreciate all the time you guys put into this! One small thing I noticed is that one of the testers ranked the KXF in first, yet under the overall results, it doesn't show a 1.
DL
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DL 11/9/2016 5:39pm
11/9/2016 5:39pm
Good job Michael!

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kiwifan
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kiwifan 11/9/2016 5:43pm
11/9/2016 5:43pm
As always a great shootout, nice and honest!!! Smile
ML512
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ML512 11/9/2016 5:52pm
11/9/2016 5:52pm
mx836 wrote:
Suzuki #1? :laugh: Nice review. Appreciate all the time you guys put into this! One small thing I noticed is that one of the testers ranked...
Suzuki #1? Laughing

Nice review. Appreciate all the time you guys put into this! One small thing I noticed is that one of the testers ranked the KXF in first, yet under the overall results, it doesn't show a 1.
I muddled up there and accidentally put a two instead of a one for Chris See's ranking. No affect on the overall rankings. Laughing
rollin64caddy 11/9/2016 6:47pm
11/9/2016 6:47pm
I ride 212 every so often cuz its about 45 min away. how did you guys like the track?
Black Diesel Bomber 11/9/2016 7:06pm
11/9/2016 7:06pm
Really good work there ML, thanks for putting this together. Sounds like the new Honda is a turd. KTM is killing it.
swedishfishmx
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swedishfishmx 11/9/2016 7:09pm
11/9/2016 7:09pm
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
Really good work there ML, thanks for putting this together. Sounds like the new Honda is a turd. KTM is killing it.
Well the 250 is basically the same as last year, I'm not sure if you're aware of that.

Also great reviews! Pictures and the info was excellent and made my lunch break fly by.
Black Diesel Bomber 11/9/2016 7:15pm
11/9/2016 7:15pm
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
Really good work there ML, thanks for putting this together. Sounds like the new Honda is a turd. KTM is killing it.
swedishfishmx wrote:
Well the 250 is basically the same as last year, I'm not sure if you're aware of that. Also great reviews! Pictures and the info was...
Well the 250 is basically the same as last year, I'm not sure if you're aware of that.

Also great reviews! Pictures and the info was excellent and made my lunch break fly by.
I was not aware of it, I've been out of the loop. Makes sense now. Glad it's not the new bike.
CarlinoJoeVideo
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CarlinoJoeVideo 11/9/2016 7:19pm
11/9/2016 7:19pm
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
Really good work there ML, thanks for putting this together. Sounds like the new Honda is a turd. KTM is killing it.
swedishfishmx wrote:
Well the 250 is basically the same as last year, I'm not sure if you're aware of that. Also great reviews! Pictures and the info was...
Well the 250 is basically the same as last year, I'm not sure if you're aware of that.

Also great reviews! Pictures and the info was excellent and made my lunch break fly by.
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
I was not aware of it, I've been out of the loop. Makes sense now. Glad it's not the new bike.
Yeah the 2017 Honda 250 didn't get the full makeover like their 450 did. I hope to see the 2018 Honda 250 come out all new.
Jrewing
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Jrewing 11/9/2016 7:23pm
11/9/2016 7:23pm
Would I be wrong in saying the Suzuki and Honda would benefit most from aftermarket exhausts?
kiwifan
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kiwifan 11/9/2016 7:34pm
11/9/2016 7:34pm
CarlinoJoeVideo wrote:
Yeah the 2017 Honda 250 didn't get the full makeover like their 450 did. I hope to see the 2018 Honda 250 come out all new.
updates to the 250 always follow the 450 a year later...like most other Japanese manufacturers. So look to the 2018 CRF250R to be much different.
ML512
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ML512 11/9/2016 7:37pm
11/9/2016 7:37pm
Jrewing wrote:
Would I be wrong in saying the Suzuki and Honda would benefit most from aftermarket exhausts?
They need more than that.
fordo-197 11/9/2016 9:25pm
11/9/2016 9:25pm
Awesome stuff, shocked about the yam going backwards but can Defo vouch for the husky being that good.
MX Guy
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MX Guy 11/9/2016 9:32pm
11/9/2016 9:32pm
Is there going to be a factory edition 250sxf in 2017?
Bramlett321
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Bramlett321 11/10/2016 5:42am
11/10/2016 5:42am
ML....why did the changes to the YZ push it down so much. From what I read the minimal changes were for reliability issues which is usually for the better. Did we hinder performance/handling in the process??

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c0ncEpT
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c0ncEpT 11/10/2016 6:04am
11/10/2016 6:04am
It seems to me that the changes in the suspension settings are what the riders didn't like about the Yamaha. Messed up the balance of the bike.
CarlinoJoeVideo
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CarlinoJoeVideo 11/10/2016 6:15am
11/10/2016 6:15am
c0ncEpT wrote:
It seems to me that the changes in the suspension settings are what the riders didn't like about the Yamaha. Messed up the balance of the...
It seems to me that the changes in the suspension settings are what the riders didn't like about the Yamaha. Messed up the balance of the bike.
I'm getting that same feeling. Sounds like maybe a revalve and resprung for the riders weight would fix this problem? Not sure if they changed any hardparts that effected the geometry.
endurox
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endurox 11/10/2016 7:48am
11/10/2016 7:48am
KTM finally gets the suspension right out of the box. I have been riding KTM's since 1983. Will be nice to just ride the bike and not screw with the suspension. 5HP over the Honda is big. The 18 Honda will be all new so maybe they can find that extra 5hp.
Forty
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Forty 11/10/2016 7:56am
11/10/2016 7:56am
Well done....Excellent take on all of these bikes.

Next fall I'm going to steal a 2017 250 RMZ off the floor for somewhere in the $4000.00 range, put a set of Brembo brakes on it and a different bar bend and have a great bike for 1/2 the price. I'm an old and getting older (58) rider and don't really need the 450 power any more, the RMZ seems like a really good fit for my post glory days. The e-start on the Euro bikes is a draw but I don't have the budget for those bikes.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown.





Bramlett321
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Bramlett321 11/10/2016 8:08am
11/10/2016 8:08am
Forty wrote:
Well done....Excellent take on all of these bikes. Next fall I'm going to steal a 2017 250 RMZ off the floor for somewhere in the $4000.00...
Well done....Excellent take on all of these bikes.

Next fall I'm going to steal a 2017 250 RMZ off the floor for somewhere in the $4000.00 range, put a set of Brembo brakes on it and a different bar bend and have a great bike for 1/2 the price. I'm an old and getting older (58) rider and don't really need the 450 power any more, the RMZ seems like a really good fit for my post glory days. The e-start on the Euro bikes is a draw but I don't have the budget for those bikes.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown.





Man I completely agree with that summary. For the money I don't think you can beat buying a close our RMZ....one can always do little performance upgrades along the way when money shows it's face. Power is easier to fix than suspension/chassis issues.
Jerkolantern
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Jerkolantern 11/10/2016 8:12am
11/10/2016 8:12am
Can't we get a TM in the mix? I'd like as many options as possible and the TM seems like it's got all the goodies on it from the factory, no having to buy aftermarket stuff to hop up my bike sounds good to me. That being said, thank you for doing this. Very informative
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Zaugg 11/10/2016 8:45am
11/10/2016 8:45am Edited Date/Time 11/10/2016 8:46am
There's a TM in the shoot out...a K-TM. hahaha

(Couldn't resist)
ML512
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ML512 11/10/2016 8:52am
11/10/2016 8:52am
Forty wrote:
Well done....Excellent take on all of these bikes. Next fall I'm going to steal a 2017 250 RMZ off the floor for somewhere in the $4000.00...
Well done....Excellent take on all of these bikes.

Next fall I'm going to steal a 2017 250 RMZ off the floor for somewhere in the $4000.00 range, put a set of Brembo brakes on it and a different bar bend and have a great bike for 1/2 the price. I'm an old and getting older (58) rider and don't really need the 450 power any more, the RMZ seems like a really good fit for my post glory days. The e-start on the Euro bikes is a draw but I don't have the budget for those bikes.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown.





Just as a heads up, we've been talking Brembo calipers and master cylinders, not rotors.
ML512
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ML512 11/10/2016 8:56am
11/10/2016 8:56am
c0ncEpT wrote:
It seems to me that the changes in the suspension settings are what the riders didn't like about the Yamaha. Messed up the balance of the...
It seems to me that the changes in the suspension settings are what the riders didn't like about the Yamaha. Messed up the balance of the bike.
CarlinoJoeVideo wrote:
I'm getting that same feeling. Sounds like maybe a revalve and resprung for the riders weight would fix this problem? Not sure if they changed any...
I'm getting that same feeling. Sounds like maybe a revalve and resprung for the riders weight would fix this problem? Not sure if they changed any hardparts that effected the geometry.
Upper fork tube changed thicknesses too. May not sound like a big deal, but dealt with the tube differences at Enzo one year with team testing. All the guys hated the thicker tubes. I don't know if this is that same thickness, it's just an example of how much of a difference that part change can make. My personal opinion, throw the 16 suspension on the 17 YZ250F and it would be a better bike.. On my list however, the KTM would have still won, it's that good this year.
sam hain
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sam hain 11/10/2016 9:02am
11/10/2016 9:02am Edited Date/Time 11/10/2016 9:03am
c0ncEpT wrote:
It seems to me that the changes in the suspension settings are what the riders didn't like about the Yamaha. Messed up the balance of the...
It seems to me that the changes in the suspension settings are what the riders didn't like about the Yamaha. Messed up the balance of the bike.
CarlinoJoeVideo wrote:
I'm getting that same feeling. Sounds like maybe a revalve and resprung for the riders weight would fix this problem? Not sure if they changed any...
I'm getting that same feeling. Sounds like maybe a revalve and resprung for the riders weight would fix this problem? Not sure if they changed any hardparts that effected the geometry.
ML512 wrote:
Upper fork tube changed thicknesses too. May not sound like a big deal, but dealt with the tube differences at Enzo one year with team testing...
Upper fork tube changed thicknesses too. May not sound like a big deal, but dealt with the tube differences at Enzo one year with team testing. All the guys hated the thicker tubes. I don't know if this is that same thickness, it's just an example of how much of a difference that part change can make. My personal opinion, throw the 16 suspension on the 17 YZ250F and it would be a better bike.. On my list however, the KTM would have still won, it's that good this year.
How is the 17 KTM that much better? The only difference between it and the 16 is the air forks correct?

I also agree completely with all your test riders gripe with the Yamaha, I have a 16 model and having a horrible time getting it to turn. I feel like I need to sit on the handlebars.
Bramlett321
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Bramlett321 11/10/2016 9:09am
11/10/2016 9:09am
IceMan446 wrote:
Husky and KTM didn't tie???
Wasn't the '16 the older style KTM and '17 the complete restyle? The major difference is the swap from the 4CS to the WPAER fork.

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