Any 220lbs+ guys on current 250f's

On a 450...

Wolf Man stays on Webb's neck 😂

I'm not currently 220lb's but I was about a year ago.  Thankfully now I hover around 195.  Either way I have plenty of time on a 250f at both weights.  For reference I'm 40 and ride the local vet classes on a '25 KTM 250SXF.  Most day's my feelings are torn on the 250f.  If the track is harder with plenty of traction I love the 250F.  However if I get on any track that is a good bit loamy/deeper it can defiantly be a struggle.  I came off a '20 YZ250F and to me it was a lot easier to ride with the low end grunt over the KTM.  I'll also admit that at my skill level I have no trouble keeping up with and staying out front of guys on 450's no matter the track.  Most will say that the 450 is more tiring and is true to an extent but the way I have to ride the 250 it's honestly negligible. 

You already have the best of both worlds in a 350 imo. Can ride it like a 250f and still have the additional power when needed. I am not 220lbs, but I have a friend I ride with that is a local vet A rider and is a giant of a human. He tried the 250f route some years ago. He loved it because he could toss the bike around like a bmx, but ultimately at a disadvantage power wise. Came to his senses and has been on a 450 for years now. 

As a second bike, it could be fun to have. You have to work so much harder to make a 250f go fast tho. 

I am not 220 but am in the 190-200lb range. I've been on 250Fs for a few years, since selling my 350. In most cases, I think they are awesome bikes. I have gravitated towards the YZs because I think the power profile was perfect for someone on the heavier side, because of the fast spool-up. I'm not sure with all of the changes if the '27 will run like the YZFs have been know for or not. I guess we will see. Either way, I've never found that a different sized bike helps with "training." If you ride a 350 mainly, swapping to a 250F or a 450 isn't really helping anyways. Each has it's own way that it likes to be ridden, in my opinion. So the 2nd bike really is all about fun than it is being something purposeful. My 2nd bike is a 125, because I just want a 2stroke to play on. I know the days/tracks to bring it and it's a blast. I also know when to leave it at home. So if you have the 250 2st then I think I'd rather have that to play on, as a 2nd bike than a 250F, especially a bigger guy on sand tracks. Just my opinion. Also, for what it's worth, my current 250F is modded w the TD dual injector kit and whatnot and it runs great. But it was time for something new and I ended up just getting a '26 YZ450F. In just a couple rides, this bike has me sold on the 450, so for the first time in a while I will not be having a 250F in the garage. But it's all preference.

If you don’t mind what has you sold on the 450?  My last 450 was an ‘09 CRF450 and I’m kinda itching to try another 450 just for the sheer simplicity of not having to be so aggressive.

Never thought I’d hear you get rid of the 250f! 

I haven't owned a 450 since right around then also (Suzuki.) Ridden a few here and there since but always just wasn't a fan of the tractor type of power and that inertia type of feeling. So I rode the 23-25 gen YZ450F and that bike blew me away because it revs very light and has the same power profile as my YZ250Fs (just a lot more of it.) And to me, that helped make the chassis just feel lively. So that bike got the wheels turning in my head. But I sort of felt like the front wandered around a bit and I thought the power was too jerky. So I wasn't convinced that it was a good idea to switch. But then the '26 changes came out. It seemed they addressed those areas. I hadn't ridden the bike prior to purchase, but just was going off of reviews, so it was a bit of a gamble. But it does exactly what I want. It doesn't even feel like a 450 in the chassis, to me. And the power is perfect. Obviously I ride it a bit different than my 250F but I meshed instantly with it. Had it at a tight track and a fast track and just love it so far. 

As a training 2nd bike, an underpowered bike will force you to hit your marks and be perfect. I usually ride a 250f but when I ride my 150 and hope back on my 250f I feel sharper.

205lbs here on a KX250F. Theres no jump at a local track that I can’t clear or other rider I can’t beat due to lack of power.

I don’t hit the uphill triple (Bug Gulp) at Budds Creek on it because I really don’t think it’ll clear it with my weight lol. 
 

Aside from that I think it helps me become a better rider because I have to hit my lines better and forced to carry more corner speed. Plus I can ride longer motos on it.

I’ll probably get a 450 in a couple years but for now I’m happy on my 250F.

See that's pretty much the only reason I'm hesitant to try another.  I absolutely hated that "tractor" type feeling and the inertia of the older 450's.  I've been keeping an eye on the reviews and must say it's tempting to try one.

Get a Stark Varg

I’ve watched enough fast B and A kids that weigh under 150 short Big Gulp on a mod 250F to know better than to try it, haha. 

I’m a hair over 180 and ride a TF250X. It’s more than enough for me and my skill level. I’m 41 and a pretty decent rider. It will pull me over the big step up at Promised Land as well as the big table at Tomahawk without issue. You just get used to shifting more often. 

I think as an only bike, you’d be disappointed in the 250F at 220. But with a 350 and a 250F, I say go for it. 

Get a 2nd Stark Varg, doubles your charge capacity.

I am currently 210, have been riding my 25 crf250r since i was about 250. This is the best bike (for me) that i have owned yet. I came off a 24 KX450, and i really liked that bike but it just felt so heavy compared to my 250. This honda is light, its playful, its agile, and it rips when you want it to. Does it have 450 torque? Of course not. Can I ride it longer, faster, and have more fun? Yes, 100%. I am still laser focused on losing weight, and as i approach the 200 pound mark, I can only assume this bike will get even better. 

Back in 09/10 I had 250/450 KX's. The 250 was good to keep you aggressive on the 450, and going to 250 was like riding a mini bike keeping it pinned. I have not owned a 250f since 2010 and rode a few in may this year. They have quite a bit more power than the old carb'd bikes and I think you'd really have fun with it. The Yamaha (pre27) definitely has some goood mid-range bark that makes it easy to understand why it's so popular.

I'm not a heavier guy but I'm a +40 vet. Haven't owned a 250F since '13. Been on 350/450's. I picked up a like new '22 RM-Z 250 back in April. Threw some springs in it for my weight, PC exhaust/Map, and I haven't touched my 450 since...

If I was buying a new bike today, it would be a YZ 250F.

I remember reading your Stark threads, and now that I have one myself, it's really confusing how many different experiences people have with them. Rode mine at the local (not super deep) sand track first prepared to find out immediately if I preferred my gas bike in the sand, but was very pleseantly surprised how it tracked through sand whoops and with the battery life. Rode mostly on 48-52 hp with about 40% regen and I was worn out at around 50 minutes of ride time when the battery got to 15%. 

Not doubting your experiences, just wondering if it comes down to riding habits or quality control issues with the wide range of ranges I'm hearing from people. I trail rode on 28hp on an easy trail and played around with 80hp/traction control in open areas and still struggled to burn up 20% of the battery in an hour.

But to the point if the thread, riding my Stark has made me rethink if I would be happier on a 250 or 350 than my 450. I love the torque of the 450, but I am soooo much faster on the Stark just due to how controllable/smooth the power is in the corners, I have more fun wide open at 48 hp than managing 60hp.

If your corner speed is consistently good, you'll enjoy the 250F at that weight.
If your corner speed lacks, and you aren't willing to work on it with technique and bike setup, the 250F may be a struggle sometimes.

I have a buddy who weighs in at 200lbs+, he's probably 5'7" and rides at the local pro level.   He has a lot of bikes, but has recently gone through a string of KX250Fs. He put a PC exhaust, a high compression piston and had the ECU remapped.  The bikes were great and he was very fast on them, probably due to corner speed and his ability to come up with good settings.

The same buddy has built up a 2001 YZ125 this year.  It's a true 125cc engine with cleaned up ports and a cut down head. 
He gets around the track just as fast as I do on my 2011 model due to his ability to flow through corners and link sections together.

It’s all about what you can have the most fun on. Try a buddies bike for a few laps and you will know. As a big guy myself I love a 450 because I can be lazy and still jump all the jumps. I’m not going pro so I just try to maximize the fun. I’ve had a 350 and ridden many of my buddies 250 but the Torq is hard to pass up on the 450 for me. 

I am 250ish and dropping but currently on a 250f a 22 yz250fx and it can clear any jump I have the balls to try on it. 

Only time I feel it lacking a bit is sand and soft terrain hills (Mattawa ,WA area)  but I also can just shift down and ride the limiter a bit while sounding like a fast guy. 

I honestly am just so busy with a new home and life / other hobbies every time I get a 450 I feel like its just riding me, but when I was riding 3x a week a was more happy on a 450 for sure. I would say the 250 does make me feel like trying more "playful stuff" it doesn't make me feel as worried about getting way over my head if that makes sense. 

I'm 240-250 typically and ran a 25 YZ250f for a season, I also live at altitude. Unfortunately as crazy fun as the 250 was the lack of power definitely showed. Especially on starts, and on jumps out of corners. There was some I just flat out couldn't clear no matter how hard I would hit the outside of the corner, I'd be pinging off the rev limiter, or trying to hold as much corner speed as possible. To clear the jumps was pretty much full send, or nothing else and it eventually came to bite me in the ass when I came up short, flipped over my bars and injured myself. I was running an AT82 in the scoop direction at the time.

It also dramatically reduced my line choices to the outside on pretty much anything that had a larger jump after the corner, or if it was a tighter more technical style track. The bike was absolutely a blast, and it did make me a better more confident jumper but if I wanted to be competitive I would have to run a 450 or 350, or be prepared to put A LOT of work into the bikes engine. My lowest weight was 215 at one point, and that was a huge factor but I don't want to live my life on a constant diet of boiled chicken and rice lmao.

At sea level It might be a different story, but at altitude it would have had to stay a fun practice bike.

225 pounds. 250 F is fun occasionally but still prefer my YZ450. Also tried a 350 but still felt my 450 was easier to ride. I also prefer a lot of power regardless of my weight. 

I’m in the minority crowd who thinks the YZ250F is god’s gift to vet riders. So much fun and does everything well.  It’s hard to convince the older big guys to give up their 450s so I don’t even try.  Ride whatever makes you happy. 

Swap YZ250F for KX250F and I’m right there with you on the rest.  

200# with gear on.  Dropped a tooth on the rear and I never ever leave the track wishing I had more.