Vets and their 250Fs.. why 250?

Love my FE250. CARB crap removed and custom FI mapper. It's plenty fast. 80mph on highway. The limit is more about enduring the rock hard seat.

Been going on Fridays since the beginning of the year and sometimes a double dip on Sunday also. Work schedule change to 4/10’s off every Fri,Sat,Sun. 

32 and 220lbs vet C, and the 250 hauls me around just fine in the sand. The 250 allows me to focus on technique, is easier to ride for longer, and is easier to correct if there is an issue. I have had 2-3 instances over the last year that would have been crashes on a 450 but weren’t on the 250. I recently did a couple of off road races and there were some times when I would have liked more power, but is exceedingly rare that I wish I had more power on the Moto track. 

I’m a 350 guy and I ride my friend’s ‘23 KX 250 and ‘23 YZ 250F all the time. I honestly prefer the KX but I’d have no problems racing them in the Vet classes. I really want to ride the ‘24 YZ 250F. 

450 here. I’d probably entertain a 250 (or certainly 350), but I ride like people used to ride a 500 2-stroke (low revs, high gears). Never been a revver, especially off jumps, so the 450 suits me better.

Did ya ever race Des Chambault big am & pro race ?  How do you qualify for 50+ ?  Would gopher dunes or sand del Lee rnds count in the premix class ? I don’t think they hv a 50.+ class at those 2 rnds.  How common is a fuel test ? My bike is setup for c12 leaded.  I can’t get an answer on the other Canadian threads. Thx

I agree , I hv no idea why there on a 450. They never bring the rpm ovr 5k, it has to boring riding that way. I checked out 50b at the big vet red Bud race on yt & other tracks. Exiting in a wet sand rut they stall there bikes & a yz125 that got a 32nd place start rips past them. Plus they ride 3-4 wide blocking the track.  Only way through for a 125 or 250f is bump them out of the way. There bucket list riders. Yet go for it on the start. Then trail ride the track. 

In the UK, where you and I are, there seems to be many more people happy on 250 four strokes or maybe 350 four strokes or 250 two stroke, than 450s.

We don't typically have those long, super wide, wide open tracks like many of the US guys are blessed with, do we. I can appreciate how a fast, competitive Cali or Florida guy could be dead set on a 450.

But over here even a lot of the usual, weekend practice track 'fast guys' are on 250s and openly say they don't want a 450. I don't know about pros, but on that note Tommy Searle looks and sounds like he's loving the new Kawi 250.

I agree with what you're saying, but just as a comment on 450's in general, even at low RPM they rip. 

Again I do totally get what you're saying dude, not arguing 👍 Just saying it can be deceptive, they still haul while not sounding like they're even trying (because they aren't, they pull like a tractor).

Yeah I watch a 450 lug it and still jump everything at a jumpy sand track north of here. We hv a lot of sand tracks that r technical.  I wouldn’t want to be doing a ton of left, rts in and out of hills with a hvy bike. A lighter and quicker bike is best & more fun. 

FWIW

I'm 240 6ft. Always ridden a 450 or 500 2 stroke. I picked up an 18 YZ250f , threw heavier springs in it and had the most fun I've had in a very long time. Less arm pump and you can throw it into corners so easily. Forces me to work a little more but it's super fun. 

Here in NC the Vet bike of choice is a 450. Seems every track down here has a start straight that starts in NC and first turn is at the Georgia/Florida border. If you’re on a 250, you’re coming through the pac. 

Modern 250f’s are so user friendly, they rev to the moon, you can almost pull a gear higher, they never catch you off guard with earth shattering torque, are quick enough for most guys to keep up with anyone, barely use any (pump) fuel, and are lighter and handle better than a 450.  I split my time between a 250 2 stroke and 250f and in most situations the 250f, even if far less exciting, and a bit soul less,  is the tool for the job.  I’m 39 by the way and have rode 2 strokes most of my life.  

My FC450RE weights less than my son in laws KX250F by 3 pounds. I’m 64 and he’s 29. 

I am 40 and 195lbs. Been riding 450s forever, until about 3 years ago. Got a KX250 and really never looked back. I still have 450s and ride them from time to time, and every time I do I wish I had took my 250 to the track. They have plenty of power, you can ride them longer and don’t ever feel out of control. I bought a 2024 KX450 because it is a mellower 450, but still prefer my 250 by a mile. 

Just back racing after 35 yr break. I aced Pro in the 80/90's but i'm a slow old guy now. As for testing i have idea - sorry. The triple crown guys will know. There are tons of people running C12 in Canada. 50+ requires no qualification - i wouldn't think they would have 50+ class at our Nationals. There is 50+ at all of the local races and our amateur Nationals at Walton.  

I can't ride a 450 angry anymore......just too much bike if your old and trying to haul mail.  250 lap times are the same and alot more fun and fewer scary moments.  I swear the harder I rode that 450, the more it wanted to kill me it seemed.   I do miss the massive pull in about any gear but my forearms and arthritic hands and shoulders  thank me by letting me ride alot longer. 

I ride a 450F.  Son has a 250F which is ok too, but I need more power.  A 350 might be ideal, not sure.  I like the low end grunt to hit jumps out of corners.  As far as power, I like to hold it WFO in morning first tracks in the chocolate cake thick loam.  I also like the reliability of a 450 in that they aren't constantly banged off the rev limiter.  Beat to crap 250Fs are ticking time bombs.  I don't have anything against the 250Fs, we have one in the garage.  It's just not enough for me.  I have no issue riding a full 30+2 on a 450 without getting tired.  

Des chambault is a triple crown 250 east

& 450 . But it’s all week practice mon- wed, then race Thursday- Saturday. They hv 50+ and all am classes and pro. Totally different than the other races. Wakton that’s another am national. 

I think that 450's are the devil (for me at least).

I have much more fun riding a 250F hard than babying a 450 around the track.

Maybe it's my skill level but a 450 just has way too much power for me to have fun with it anywhere except the sand dunes.

Listen here sonny. 33 ain't no vet.

52 yrs 6'1 190lbs, C-B ish practice day racer, MX & Off-Road. I ended up with a 17 RMZ250 & 19 CRF450. I really liked them both and now have been on a 23GG MC350 for the last year. The 250f was lite and nimble fun to throw around and i was good with the medium size jumps & hills ( I don't really mess with the big ones anyhow ). The 4fiddy was a hand full in Sketchy situations at times but when i could get her in that sweet spot was loads of fun. The mc350 is pretty much right in the middle, i'm kinda in the 350 crew now. Life in the dirt on 2 Wheels man.

I rode 450s from 2003 until 2018 when I moved and sold my bike. 

Picked up a 250f a couple months ago and at first, I was quite impressed with how it felt. After getting back into a bit better riding shape and a bit more up to speed, I feel like I am missing the 450. 
 

A big turnoff for me at the moment is when I need everything to get over something and it dies off on the top end. Hard to trust the power will be there if I let it rev out and send it. At my last race, I straight up didn’t jump something that everyone else was doing (on built 250s) because I didn’t feel I had enough power. First time I recall that ever happening. Weird feeling.

Also, I have lazy tendencies and naturally prefer inside lines and seat bouncing. 

I am starting to enjoy carrying momentum around the outsides (very Thai style track) and feeling like I can put the 250 where I want it. Its hard to say if I truly miss the 450 until I get another, which I intend to do for next season. There is a part of me that feels like I might not enjoy it, especially with what I’ll mostly be riding on.

Time will tell. Maybe a 350 comes into my life then.

Edit. 37yo, 5’9”, 160lbs, speed of local pro who is the first to not get paid. 

At 40yo and having ridden either 2502t or 450s for 19 years I decided to get a yz250f purely because I wasn’t strong/fit enough to ride my 450 hard for very long. Love the 250f. On a mx track it’s brilliant. I’m 220lb but it’s plenty fast enough. I do want more when I’m trail riding on wide open trails but I enjoy having to rail the shit out of ruts to clear jumps from the inside unlike a 450 just jumping the world with hp. Ask someone for a ride on a 250f. They’re pretty good these days. Much better then when they first came out. 

Don’t be surprised if you’re disappointed. I have a 21 and a 24 yz250f. Rode the 24 two weekends and parked it. I got so frustrated trying to get front end feel and the balance sorted out that I just started riding the 21 again. 

Interesting topic that hits close to home :-)

 54 years old now, ride 95% Moto. 185 lbs.  Grew up on 250 2-strokes, but always spent time on 125s for the fun factor 

 Switched to 450F in ‘08, and currently ride a CRF450WE. Love it 🤟

 A couple years back, my Daughter bought a 250F, and of course ol Pops has to try it out… DAMNN! I couldn’t give it back, lol. 
Seriously, it is a 125 on steroids and the fun factor was all there and then some 👍

 I’m not dumping the 450 just yet, but WILL be getting a 250F and will likely ride that 80% of the time. 

After I got my first 450 when moving to A class, I didn't like it. So much damn power and can't control it, but this was also in 2007. I sold the 450 after 2 years and I just wanted 1 bike and went back to the 250F. Its way more fun to ride and plenty of power. So when I get a bike again soon, I'll choose a YZ250. I've always wanted a 2 stroke 250. Then keep it forever.

That seems to be the consensus with those bikes. And the lack of bottom end. 

I just turned 42 and for me personally, I own 2 - 250F's. A Carb'd YZ250F and a FI Kawi KX250F. I am 6'4' and 245lbs and these are plenty for me. I am not riding the track much, mainly playing in the woods. I put a Vortex ECU and Full FMF on the Kawi and it performs really well in the stock condition.

I would like to ride a 350 an see how they are, the 450's are just too much and honestly not fun to ride because of the power band.

54 vet A, 140lbs.  I can maybe do 1 faster lap on a 450 but after that it is riding me. At my size there is no reason for a 450 after the start straight. ps Don't judge me by my fantasy rank lol Managed to drop 1100 there