Yamaha YZ 250 or KTM 250 SX?

seth505
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seth505 10/19/2020 12:57pm
10/19/2020 12:57pm
TJ FRG wrote:
YZ! Unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket... In my opinion you should look for a lightly used Yz from 2006 to now...
YZ! Unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket... In my opinion you should look for a lightly used Yz from 2006 to now.. I picked up a clean 2009 last year for $2900, but definitely a bit harder to find the deals these days.
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Yeah who had money burning a hole in their pocket? I sure don't lol. Looking more towards the YZ because of money. I'm just barely our...
Yeah who had money burning a hole in their pocket? I sure don't lol. Looking more towards the YZ because of money. I'm just barely our of college.
Have you gotten OTD prices? Shouldn’t be drastically different from my experience when shopping for em.
When I figured in the shattered trans gears, my YZ had a higher cost of ownership than the KTM 250s I have owned (all bikes bought brand new).
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ktmdan
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ktmdan 10/19/2020 2:23pm
10/19/2020 2:23pm
Kristen_Valentino wrote:
The yz is good, but I think the ktm with the counter balance set up is the way to go, the wp suspension is good also...
The yz is good, but I think the ktm with the counter balance set up is the way to go, the wp suspension is good also, the kyb is real good, i own a yz and had never had a problem with the transmission or clutch, the front brake is no where near the ktm. Ride each one and go from there.
Oh I forgot about the counter balancer on the newer ktms. I officially change my vote to ktm.
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edge60
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edge60 10/19/2020 2:44pm
10/19/2020 2:44pm
edge60 wrote:
I have them both. A fully rebuild low hour YZ250 2007 i bought from a friend and a 2019 sx 250 i bought brand new 12...
I have them both. A fully rebuild low hour YZ250 2007 i bought from a friend and a 2019 sx 250 i bought brand new 12 months ago. I'm a vet that started back riding 2 years ago after an 11 year hiatus because of a severe shoulder injury. Back in the day i was one of the faster locals. And now i'm one of the faster local vets. The KTM is lighter, better brakes and runs really well, i equipped it with a VHM 12°kit complete with HGS pipe and silencer and a v-force 4 reedvalve. Its a great bike. Handles well and is blazing fast. The YZ has only a HGS pipe and silencer and a v- force 4 reed valve. This bike has better forks and the handling is very predictable but it feels a bit heavy. Both bikes had the same guy that works on my suspension. I am faster on the KTM because of the better engine and front brake. Not something you could not fix on the YZ. My confidence on the YZ is great. It never surprised me. The KTM not so every now and then. The KTM has some parts on it i dont like. Stock wheels (spokes) are weak. The reed valve is a well known problem. Air filter is great to service but a bit small. And it shifts bad under load. The forks are not so bad as everybody wants to believe you in my opinion. It just took me a lot of time to get them where i wanted. Same for the engine of the YZ. I love both bikes but if i had to chose one it probely would be the YZ because of my confidence in the handling and make some work of the engine.
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Wow thanks for the info! You might have just sealed the deal for me with getting a YZ Crazy to think how good the bike is...
Wow thanks for the info! You might have just sealed the deal for me with getting a YZ Crazy to think how good the bike is from 2006. Imagine how it could be if Yamaha updated it. Which one do you feel more comfortable on and how much do you weigh?
I dont race, just a weekend warrior nowadays. Im 1.82 mtr and around 82 kg i think. I never crashed on both bikes, just the usual tip over every now and then. But like i said i'm most comfortable on the YZ. It's the best handling 250 2 stroke i ever ridden. And back on the day i rode/ owned all 2nd and 3rd aluminium frame generation Honda CR 250's and Kawasakis and a TM. I just love the YZ because for me, it never surprised me when tracks get sketchy. Its very reliable to, allrhough i had one issue in the gearbox. But i was told they fixed that with the later models. I rode 25 hours with the KTM and no issues with the engine. Only thing it just does not shift well from 3rd to 4th gear under load with wide open throttle and a little bit clutch. They are both great bikes. What youre going to chose, you cant go wrong.
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SmokinJoe439 10/19/2020 3:26pm
10/19/2020 3:26pm
edge60 wrote:
I have them both. A fully rebuild low hour YZ250 2007 i bought from a friend and a 2019 sx 250 i bought brand new 12...
I have them both. A fully rebuild low hour YZ250 2007 i bought from a friend and a 2019 sx 250 i bought brand new 12 months ago. I'm a vet that started back riding 2 years ago after an 11 year hiatus because of a severe shoulder injury. Back in the day i was one of the faster locals. And now i'm one of the faster local vets. The KTM is lighter, better brakes and runs really well, i equipped it with a VHM 12°kit complete with HGS pipe and silencer and a v-force 4 reedvalve. Its a great bike. Handles well and is blazing fast. The YZ has only a HGS pipe and silencer and a v- force 4 reed valve. This bike has better forks and the handling is very predictable but it feels a bit heavy. Both bikes had the same guy that works on my suspension. I am faster on the KTM because of the better engine and front brake. Not something you could not fix on the YZ. My confidence on the YZ is great. It never surprised me. The KTM not so every now and then. The KTM has some parts on it i dont like. Stock wheels (spokes) are weak. The reed valve is a well known problem. Air filter is great to service but a bit small. And it shifts bad under load. The forks are not so bad as everybody wants to believe you in my opinion. It just took me a lot of time to get them where i wanted. Same for the engine of the YZ. I love both bikes but if i had to chose one it probely would be the YZ because of my confidence in the handling and make some work of the engine.
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Wow thanks for the info! You might have just sealed the deal for me with getting a YZ Crazy to think how good the bike is...
Wow thanks for the info! You might have just sealed the deal for me with getting a YZ Crazy to think how good the bike is from 2006. Imagine how it could be if Yamaha updated it. Which one do you feel more comfortable on and how much do you weigh?
edge60 wrote:
I dont race, just a weekend warrior nowadays. Im 1.82 mtr and around 82 kg i think. I never crashed on both bikes, just the usual...
I dont race, just a weekend warrior nowadays. Im 1.82 mtr and around 82 kg i think. I never crashed on both bikes, just the usual tip over every now and then. But like i said i'm most comfortable on the YZ. It's the best handling 250 2 stroke i ever ridden. And back on the day i rode/ owned all 2nd and 3rd aluminium frame generation Honda CR 250's and Kawasakis and a TM. I just love the YZ because for me, it never surprised me when tracks get sketchy. Its very reliable to, allrhough i had one issue in the gearbox. But i was told they fixed that with the later models. I rode 25 hours with the KTM and no issues with the engine. Only thing it just does not shift well from 3rd to 4th gear under load with wide open throttle and a little bit clutch. They are both great bikes. What youre going to chose, you cant go wrong.
They never fixed anything in the yz250 transmission. It still has the issue with the gear dogs wearing out. Especially 3rd n 4th gears.
I had my 06 yz250 for 15 years bought it brand new i had to replace 3rd n 4th gears at least once.

If your someone who likes to shift under a full load. It's not if they will wear out, but more when and they will wear faster if you shift under a load and don't back off the throttle.

I had no real major issues with my 06 yz's i had a 125 n 250. This summer it was really starting to get to the point of replacing them both due to high hours. I had well over 300 hrs on both bikes.

I could not justify spending more money on the same technology i bought new in 05 for less. I now have two '21 ktm's a 150 n 250 sx. All this talk about the sss forks and how they are the bestest thing ever. I got about 10 hrs between my 150/250 sx now and I like my ktm's suspension. It feels just as good as my yz's did.

My biggest problem and it's getting lesser with more time on the ktm's. Is i had become so comfortable with the yz's "sit in" ergo's. I'm having to adjust to the ktm's newer sitting "on top" seating.
And that's mostly because of owning the yz's for so long.

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dedi684
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dedi684 10/19/2020 3:48pm
10/19/2020 3:48pm
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
I was at local shop the other day and there was talk about the New England over 60 class. Yes that’s a very senior class. The...
I was at local shop the other day and there was talk about the New England over 60 class. Yes that’s a very senior class. The guy winning each week is on a YZ250. He just likes to ride different things each season. Now I know the 60+ class isn’t the 450A class but that’s cool he chose to ride the YZ 2T. I don’t know if or what’s been done to it though. Others on here probably do.
He rode a 150 last year
backinthesaddleagain 10/19/2020 7:29pm
10/19/2020 7:29pm
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
I was at local shop the other day and there was talk about the New England over 60 class. Yes that’s a very senior class. The...
I was at local shop the other day and there was talk about the New England over 60 class. Yes that’s a very senior class. The guy winning each week is on a YZ250. He just likes to ride different things each season. Now I know the 60+ class isn’t the 450A class but that’s cool he chose to ride the YZ 2T. I don’t know if or what’s been done to it though. Others on here probably do.
dedi684 wrote:
He rode a 150 last year
Arthur? I remember riding practice track with him in the 1980s when I was novice than amateur and he was in expert class
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edge60
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edge60 10/20/2020 1:43am
10/20/2020 1:43am
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Wow thanks for the info! You might have just sealed the deal for me with getting a YZ Crazy to think how good the bike is...
Wow thanks for the info! You might have just sealed the deal for me with getting a YZ Crazy to think how good the bike is from 2006. Imagine how it could be if Yamaha updated it. Which one do you feel more comfortable on and how much do you weigh?
edge60 wrote:
I dont race, just a weekend warrior nowadays. Im 1.82 mtr and around 82 kg i think. I never crashed on both bikes, just the usual...
I dont race, just a weekend warrior nowadays. Im 1.82 mtr and around 82 kg i think. I never crashed on both bikes, just the usual tip over every now and then. But like i said i'm most comfortable on the YZ. It's the best handling 250 2 stroke i ever ridden. And back on the day i rode/ owned all 2nd and 3rd aluminium frame generation Honda CR 250's and Kawasakis and a TM. I just love the YZ because for me, it never surprised me when tracks get sketchy. Its very reliable to, allrhough i had one issue in the gearbox. But i was told they fixed that with the later models. I rode 25 hours with the KTM and no issues with the engine. Only thing it just does not shift well from 3rd to 4th gear under load with wide open throttle and a little bit clutch. They are both great bikes. What youre going to chose, you cant go wrong.
SmokinJoe439 wrote:
They never fixed anything in the yz250 transmission. It still has the issue with the gear dogs wearing out. Especially 3rd n 4th gears. I had...
They never fixed anything in the yz250 transmission. It still has the issue with the gear dogs wearing out. Especially 3rd n 4th gears.
I had my 06 yz250 for 15 years bought it brand new i had to replace 3rd n 4th gears at least once.

If your someone who likes to shift under a full load. It's not if they will wear out, but more when and they will wear faster if you shift under a load and don't back off the throttle.

I had no real major issues with my 06 yz's i had a 125 n 250. This summer it was really starting to get to the point of replacing them both due to high hours. I had well over 300 hrs on both bikes.

I could not justify spending more money on the same technology i bought new in 05 for less. I now have two '21 ktm's a 150 n 250 sx. All this talk about the sss forks and how they are the bestest thing ever. I got about 10 hrs between my 150/250 sx now and I like my ktm's suspension. It feels just as good as my yz's did.

My biggest problem and it's getting lesser with more time on the ktm's. Is i had become so comfortable with the yz's "sit in" ergo's. I'm having to adjust to the ktm's newer sitting "on top" seating.
And that's mostly because of owning the yz's for so long.

English is not my first language but i give it a shot.
My problem with the gearbox was something you can see coming and hearing. If you start the bike on the stand and it is in neutral but the rearwheel is spinning like its in a high gear. You know its coming. I noticed this but did not pay to much attention on it. A couple of ride's later i started to hear some noise out of the engine. At the end of my last session of the day i pulled of the track shift to neutral and gave the bike one last rev... Inmedaitely it looked i hit my gearlever and put in a gear without the clutch. I could not get it in neutral anymore. When i pulled the gearbox out, i saw that one gear that has the possibility to run free over a bushing on the axle got stuck on the bush. I put both new in and have now allready about 30 hours of riding without a problem.
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kage173
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kage173 10/20/2020 4:40am
10/20/2020 4:40am
Dont let Yamaha take advantage of the strange proclivity of motorcycle riders to pay for decades old bikes when modern technologically superior options are available.

The YZ has been an inferior bike since 2012.
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Steve125
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Steve125 10/20/2020 4:54am
10/20/2020 4:54am
I've ridden both recently. 2020 YZ and a 2019 SX.. No comparison. KTM all the way. I actually felt bad for my buddy who just bought his YZ.
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MZ193
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MZ193 10/20/2020 4:58am
10/20/2020 4:58am Edited Date/Time 10/20/2020 5:14am
kage173 wrote:
Dont let Yamaha take advantage of the strange proclivity of motorcycle riders to pay for decades old bikes when modern technologically superior options are available. The...
Dont let Yamaha take advantage of the strange proclivity of motorcycle riders to pay for decades old bikes when modern technologically superior options are available.

The YZ has been an inferior bike since 2012.
I wouldn't care for it, if the bike would be superior.
But it actually isn't. That said tomorrow i'm picking up a low hours 2019 sx 250 for 4500€.
Fully original, 3 filters, filter cover for washing, wp fork pump, main/needle jets. 80% tires, 50% trasmission
1
TJ FRG
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TJ FRG 10/20/2020 7:24am
10/20/2020 7:24am
TJ FRG wrote:
YZ! Unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket... In my opinion you should look for a lightly used Yz from 2006 to now...
YZ! Unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket... In my opinion you should look for a lightly used Yz from 2006 to now.. I picked up a clean 2009 last year for $2900, but definitely a bit harder to find the deals these days.
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Yeah who had money burning a hole in their pocket? I sure don't lol. Looking more towards the YZ because of money. I'm just barely our...
Yeah who had money burning a hole in their pocket? I sure don't lol. Looking more towards the YZ because of money. I'm just barely our of college.
seth505 wrote:
Have you gotten OTD prices? Shouldn’t be drastically different from my experience when shopping for em. When I figured in the shattered trans gears, my YZ...
Have you gotten OTD prices? Shouldn’t be drastically different from my experience when shopping for em.
When I figured in the shattered trans gears, my YZ had a higher cost of ownership than the KTM 250s I have owned (all bikes bought brand new).
That’s a good point, me personally I would never buy a brand new YZ, I think it only makes sense to get one if you can find an older low hour one where it would then be a significant difference in cost.
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40
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40 10/20/2020 7:46am
10/20/2020 7:46am Edited Date/Time 10/20/2020 8:41am
SmokinJoe439 wrote:
They never fixed anything in the yz250 transmission. It still has the issue with the gear dogs wearing out. Especially 3rd n 4th gears. I had...
They never fixed anything in the yz250 transmission. It still has the issue with the gear dogs wearing out. Especially 3rd n 4th gears.
I had my 06 yz250 for 15 years bought it brand new i had to replace 3rd n 4th gears at least once.

If your someone who likes to shift under a full load. It's not if they will wear out, but more when and they will wear faster if you shift under a load and don't back off the throttle.

I had no real major issues with my 06 yz's i had a 125 n 250. This summer it was really starting to get to the point of replacing them both due to high hours. I had well over 300 hrs on both bikes.

I could not justify spending more money on the same technology i bought new in 05 for less. I now have two '21 ktm's a 150 n 250 sx. All this talk about the sss forks and how they are the bestest thing ever. I got about 10 hrs between my 150/250 sx now and I like my ktm's suspension. It feels just as good as my yz's did.

My biggest problem and it's getting lesser with more time on the ktm's. Is i had become so comfortable with the yz's "sit in" ergo's. I'm having to adjust to the ktm's newer sitting "on top" seating.
And that's mostly because of owning the yz's for so long.

The YZ250 transmissions have been a problem for a long time.
Weakly supported 4th gear.
3 dog engagement design.
Shift forks that are rigidly staked to their pins instead of using a floating design.
Gears that can shatter in addition to the usual wear out in the lateral male/female engagement area.
The transmissions do physically shift well, but durability is substandard.

Mediocre clutch and brakes. Mediocre ergonomics.
Mediocre handling with the exception of good high speed stability. It's no RM250 inside line carver, but it is stable. Good in the desert when geared, or a high speed mx sand track.

Good engine. Good low end, good roll-on acceleration, good mid range and good top end. No glaring flaws. Adding another 5-7 hp without significantly altering the overall engine running characteristics would be a big win.

It's a good bike. Intelligent updates by Yamaha would make it substantially better.
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mx_563
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mx_563 10/20/2020 7:47am
10/20/2020 7:47am
I've been fully immersed in this mental battle for a while now and continue to struggle with it. I'm certainly ready and curious to move on to a KTM. But pragmatism continues to prevail. When my 07' YZ began to demand some extensive TLC, I sold it and started shopping around. I ended up stumbling across a SUPER clean 09' YZ250 for $3800. Considering I still had a bunch of YZ-specific extras in the garage, it was hard to ignore a deal like that. I was not interested in the type of KTM that $3800 was going to get me and I was not working with an unlimited budget. So while I have nothing against a KTM, and I think the modern chassis would perhaps help me evolve my riding style, the YZ continues to be the more prudent/practical choice.

To make myself feel better, I try to think of the YZ as like an old pickup truck, before they turned into overpriced luxury status symbols. It doesn't have the bells and whistles, the mpg, acceleration etc of a late model truck, but who's gonna shit on Uncle Jesse's 73' F-100 (or an old C/10 for that matter)???

5
Cayden Thompson 3/31/2021 12:13pm
3/31/2021 12:13pm
Well, thanks for everyone's input and responses. It's been a couple of months and I sold my KTM 350 and decided to go with a Yami. So I bought a slightly used 2020 YZ250 for $6000 (I think I got a really good deal considering the current market right now and there are not a lot of inventory on the market new or used). The bike had hardly any hours on it. The suspension was already valved for my weight and jetted perfectly. I then installed some graphics and aftermarket parts. I turned the stock black pipe into a thing of beauty. Probably put $1000 into it. Here she is.
When I first took it home:

After some $$$ and work



15
Karlsrad
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Karlsrad 3/31/2021 3:31pm
3/31/2021 3:31pm
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight, and Vforce reeds. So much easier to ride then the 450 just about everywhere, and I can ride more without feeling fatigued. Nice thing about the YZ's are the avaiabilty of cheap parts everywhere. I picked up a slightly used pipe and silencer for cheap. Have owned KTM's in the past for my kids, I was not interested in paying KTM prices again for parts.
1
Cayden Thompson 3/31/2021 3:40pm
3/31/2021 3:40pm
Karlsrad wrote:
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight...
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight, and Vforce reeds. So much easier to ride then the 450 just about everywhere, and I can ride more without feeling fatigued. Nice thing about the YZ's are the avaiabilty of cheap parts everywhere. I picked up a slightly used pipe and silencer for cheap. Have owned KTM's in the past for my kids, I was not interested in paying KTM prices again for parts.
Congrats! I've been riding 4 strokes my whole life and finally got tired of riding the same thing over and over. I only ride for fun and 2 strokes def. give you the most fun on 2 wheels. I went with the YZ because of reliability, resale price, cheap parts and availability, best suspension in class, and easier-to-ride powerband than the Austrian bikes. I also like the feeling of not worrying about your bike becoming obsolete in a year because the new model with updates will be coming out.

How do you like the flywheel weight?
Karlsrad
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Karlsrad 3/31/2021 3:47pm
3/31/2021 3:47pm
Karlsrad wrote:
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight...
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight, and Vforce reeds. So much easier to ride then the 450 just about everywhere, and I can ride more without feeling fatigued. Nice thing about the YZ's are the avaiabilty of cheap parts everywhere. I picked up a slightly used pipe and silencer for cheap. Have owned KTM's in the past for my kids, I was not interested in paying KTM prices again for parts.
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Congrats! I've been riding 4 strokes my whole life and finally got tired of riding the same thing over and over. I only ride for fun...
Congrats! I've been riding 4 strokes my whole life and finally got tired of riding the same thing over and over. I only ride for fun and 2 strokes def. give you the most fun on 2 wheels. I went with the YZ because of reliability, resale price, cheap parts and availability, best suspension in class, and easier-to-ride powerband than the Austrian bikes. I also like the feeling of not worrying about your bike becoming obsolete in a year because the new model with updates will be coming out.

How do you like the flywheel weight?
Nice! Love the FWW, I notice the bike has much more traction in slippery corners, and I do not notice any loss of power. Just tames hit a little bit, spreads it out a bit more. APEX head is the ticket on these bikes thou...
2
rollin64caddy 3/31/2021 4:42pm
3/31/2021 4:42pm
Sweet looking scoot man! I'm looking for a fresh yz myself. I like what you did with the pipe too. Raw pipes always look bad ass.
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dedi684
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dedi684 3/31/2021 5:39pm
3/31/2021 5:39pm Edited Date/Time 3/31/2021 5:40pm
Karlsrad wrote:
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight...
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight, and Vforce reeds. So much easier to ride then the 450 just about everywhere, and I can ride more without feeling fatigued. Nice thing about the YZ's are the avaiabilty of cheap parts everywhere. I picked up a slightly used pipe and silencer for cheap. Have owned KTM's in the past for my kids, I was not interested in paying KTM prices again for parts.
What dome in the head? I have run 11oz on my yz's forever love it.
Karlsrad
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Karlsrad 3/31/2021 5:49pm
3/31/2021 5:49pm
Karlsrad wrote:
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight...
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight, and Vforce reeds. So much easier to ride then the 450 just about everywhere, and I can ride more without feeling fatigued. Nice thing about the YZ's are the avaiabilty of cheap parts everywhere. I picked up a slightly used pipe and silencer for cheap. Have owned KTM's in the past for my kids, I was not interested in paying KTM prices again for parts.
dedi684 wrote:
What dome in the head? I have run 11oz on my yz's forever love it.
I bought both the MX and XC. Tried both, really like the MX for all around riding (desert, track, trail) just does everything better then stock, has more power and the hit is broadened, bike is easier to ride. But If I was doing more technical trails, I would swap the XC for sure. Makes this bike feel much closer to a Austrian 300 with tons low-end grunt.
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Miezie666 4/1/2021 12:41am
4/1/2021 12:41am Edited Date/Time 4/1/2021 1:09am
I also own a YZ250 (05 road legal used for enduro)
I never had any gearbox problems (used it for MX till 2018)
Power can be greatly improved by add on parts (exhaust, head, reeds)
Suspension is great
But the main thing to me- the Bike is built to last- its 15 years old and not a clapped out bike, footrests are still lokking good, threads on the frame, engine etc- all intact... nothing really has been fading.
The newer KTMs are great bikes for sure- but the quality of the ally frame YZs is very good- just look around how many other 250 2strokes of the same year are still around and what kind of problems they got.

1 downside espacially on older YZs- the previous owner... you will never know what parts he used for rebuilt, you dont know his maintenance shedule... thats the big questionmark on a used YZ for sure. Best used YZ will be the one with a blown engine and rebuild to your own likings
1
Cayden Thompson 4/1/2021 7:25am
4/1/2021 7:25am Edited Date/Time 4/1/2021 7:25am
Karlsrad wrote:
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight...
Just sold my Honda 450, and got a 14 YZ250. I wish I would of done that years ago.... Added an APEX head, 9oz flywheel weight, and Vforce reeds. So much easier to ride then the 450 just about everywhere, and I can ride more without feeling fatigued. Nice thing about the YZ's are the avaiabilty of cheap parts everywhere. I picked up a slightly used pipe and silencer for cheap. Have owned KTM's in the past for my kids, I was not interested in paying KTM prices again for parts.
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Congrats! I've been riding 4 strokes my whole life and finally got tired of riding the same thing over and over. I only ride for fun...
Congrats! I've been riding 4 strokes my whole life and finally got tired of riding the same thing over and over. I only ride for fun and 2 strokes def. give you the most fun on 2 wheels. I went with the YZ because of reliability, resale price, cheap parts and availability, best suspension in class, and easier-to-ride powerband than the Austrian bikes. I also like the feeling of not worrying about your bike becoming obsolete in a year because the new model with updates will be coming out.

How do you like the flywheel weight?
Karlsrad wrote:
Nice! Love the FWW, I notice the bike has much more traction in slippery corners, and I do not notice any loss of power. Just tames...
Nice! Love the FWW, I notice the bike has much more traction in slippery corners, and I do not notice any loss of power. Just tames hit a little bit, spreads it out a bit more. APEX head is the ticket on these bikes thou...
Nice! Looks like I need to look at getting myself a 9oz Steahly flywheel weight! What did the head do for you?
Cayden Thompson 4/1/2021 7:40am
4/1/2021 7:40am
rollin64caddy wrote:
Sweet looking scoot man! I'm looking for a fresh yz myself. I like what you did with the pipe too. Raw pipes always look bad ass.
Thanks! I can't recommend them enough! Yeah I figured I could just buy the factory FMF Fatty but I'll wait for the stocker to get destroyed first instead of destroying a $250 FMF.
Cayden Thompson 4/1/2021 7:43am
4/1/2021 7:43am
Miezie666 wrote:
I also own a YZ250 (05 road legal used for enduro) I never had any gearbox problems (used it for MX till 2018) Power can be...
I also own a YZ250 (05 road legal used for enduro)
I never had any gearbox problems (used it for MX till 2018)
Power can be greatly improved by add on parts (exhaust, head, reeds)
Suspension is great
But the main thing to me- the Bike is built to last- its 15 years old and not a clapped out bike, footrests are still lokking good, threads on the frame, engine etc- all intact... nothing really has been fading.
The newer KTMs are great bikes for sure- but the quality of the ally frame YZs is very good- just look around how many other 250 2strokes of the same year are still around and what kind of problems they got.

1 downside espacially on older YZs- the previous owner... you will never know what parts he used for rebuilt, you dont know his maintenance shedule... thats the big questionmark on a used YZ for sure. Best used YZ will be the one with a blown engine and rebuild to your own likings
I agree! Unless you can find a super low hour one like I did. You can tell since it barely had any wear on the frame and covers. After having previously owned a KTM, the YZ definitely feels more solid built. The Austrian bikes seem to be built to save weight. Not unreliable by any means, but Yamahas are built to last.
HackMan162
Profile picture for user HackMan162
Posts
531
Joined
2/16/2007
Location
Austin, TX US
HackMan162 4/1/2021 7:52am
4/1/2021 7:52am
I've got a 2020 with 6.1 hours on it that will be coming for sale here as soon as I can use my hands again. Will have all new 2021 plastics as well as the brand new stock exhaust, bars, grips, etc.
1
Cayden Thompson 4/1/2021 8:20am
4/1/2021 8:20am
HackMan162 wrote:
I've got a 2020 with 6.1 hours on it that will be coming for sale here as soon as I can use my hands again. Will...
I've got a 2020 with 6.1 hours on it that will be coming for sale here as soon as I can use my hands again. Will have all new 2021 plastics as well as the brand new stock exhaust, bars, grips, etc.
Dang you should get top dollar for it. Post some pics!
Karlsrad
Profile picture for user Karlsrad
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62
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8/13/2018
Location
Carlsbad, CA US
Karlsrad 4/1/2021 8:25am
4/1/2021 8:25am
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Congrats! I've been riding 4 strokes my whole life and finally got tired of riding the same thing over and over. I only ride for fun...
Congrats! I've been riding 4 strokes my whole life and finally got tired of riding the same thing over and over. I only ride for fun and 2 strokes def. give you the most fun on 2 wheels. I went with the YZ because of reliability, resale price, cheap parts and availability, best suspension in class, and easier-to-ride powerband than the Austrian bikes. I also like the feeling of not worrying about your bike becoming obsolete in a year because the new model with updates will be coming out.

How do you like the flywheel weight?
Karlsrad wrote:
Nice! Love the FWW, I notice the bike has much more traction in slippery corners, and I do not notice any loss of power. Just tames...
Nice! Love the FWW, I notice the bike has much more traction in slippery corners, and I do not notice any loss of power. Just tames hit a little bit, spreads it out a bit more. APEX head is the ticket on these bikes thou...
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Nice! Looks like I need to look at getting myself a 9oz Steahly flywheel weight! What did the head do for you?
The apex head changes the characteristics of this motor. Much less of a "light switch" when it hits the powerband, broadens the hit (more then the FWW) and has more overrev and pulls out of corners better, closer to a 4 stroke feel if that makes sense, but still 2 stroke fun when it hits the pipe. This head was the last mod I did to this bike. If I were to do it all over again, It would be the first. And then add components to complement it. For example, at my local track, I used to have to go between 2nd to 4th gear many times a lap to keep the bike pulling correct, Now I can keep it in 3rd for most corners and most of the track and go to 4th only on long straightaways, rarely in 2nd anymore. Check it out https://atinno.com/yamaha There's also the RK tek head but I have no experience with that product.
1
Cayden Thompson 4/1/2021 8:46am
4/1/2021 8:46am
Karlsrad wrote:
Nice! Love the FWW, I notice the bike has much more traction in slippery corners, and I do not notice any loss of power. Just tames...
Nice! Love the FWW, I notice the bike has much more traction in slippery corners, and I do not notice any loss of power. Just tames hit a little bit, spreads it out a bit more. APEX head is the ticket on these bikes thou...
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Nice! Looks like I need to look at getting myself a 9oz Steahly flywheel weight! What did the head do for you?
Karlsrad wrote:
The apex head changes the characteristics of this motor. Much less of a "light switch" when it hits the powerband, broadens the hit (more then the...
The apex head changes the characteristics of this motor. Much less of a "light switch" when it hits the powerband, broadens the hit (more then the FWW) and has more overrev and pulls out of corners better, closer to a 4 stroke feel if that makes sense, but still 2 stroke fun when it hits the pipe. This head was the last mod I did to this bike. If I were to do it all over again, It would be the first. And then add components to complement it. For example, at my local track, I used to have to go between 2nd to 4th gear many times a lap to keep the bike pulling correct, Now I can keep it in 3rd for most corners and most of the track and go to 4th only on long straightaways, rarely in 2nd anymore. Check it out https://atinno.com/yamaha There's also the RK tek head but I have no experience with that product.
Thanks! Sounds like I need look into getting one (in blue).
HackMan162
Profile picture for user HackMan162
Posts
531
Joined
2/16/2007
Location
Austin, TX US
HackMan162 4/1/2021 8:49am
4/1/2021 8:49am
HackMan162 wrote:
I've got a 2020 with 6.1 hours on it that will be coming for sale here as soon as I can use my hands again. Will...
I've got a 2020 with 6.1 hours on it that will be coming for sale here as soon as I can use my hands again. Will have all new 2021 plastics as well as the brand new stock exhaust, bars, grips, etc.
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Dang you should get top dollar for it. Post some pics!
The pics arent pretty right now...rad shrouds, left radiator, subframe, DEP pipe, PC 304 silencer all pretty F'd up. EVERYTHING will be new, and it will look like new, with the exception of the nipples worn off the tires.
HackMan162
Profile picture for user HackMan162
Posts
531
Joined
2/16/2007
Location
Austin, TX US
HackMan162 4/1/2021 8:50am
4/1/2021 8:50am
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Nice! Looks like I need to look at getting myself a 9oz Steahly flywheel weight! What did the head do for you?
Karlsrad wrote:
The apex head changes the characteristics of this motor. Much less of a "light switch" when it hits the powerband, broadens the hit (more then the...
The apex head changes the characteristics of this motor. Much less of a "light switch" when it hits the powerband, broadens the hit (more then the FWW) and has more overrev and pulls out of corners better, closer to a 4 stroke feel if that makes sense, but still 2 stroke fun when it hits the pipe. This head was the last mod I did to this bike. If I were to do it all over again, It would be the first. And then add components to complement it. For example, at my local track, I used to have to go between 2nd to 4th gear many times a lap to keep the bike pulling correct, Now I can keep it in 3rd for most corners and most of the track and go to 4th only on long straightaways, rarely in 2nd anymore. Check it out https://atinno.com/yamaha There's also the RK tek head but I have no experience with that product.
Cayden Thompson wrote:
Thanks! Sounds like I need look into getting one (in blue).
I just sold one yesterday with 3 different domes....top quality stuff.

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