F
or 2020 Yamaha’s YZ250FX is an impressively
well-rounded machine. It’s a middisplacement
bike that’s ideal for NZ crosscountry
races, enduro and, with that headlight
hung on the front, also an option for trail rides.
Not only that, the new bike is seriously fast. It
also handles and stops well and has excellent
suspension. Ergonomically it is a well thought out
and proportioned machine, allowing for great
operator comfort. Although the seat is a little
thin skinned towards the rear.
MORE AGGRESSIVE POWER
For 2020 the power delivery is much more like
the 250 MX model, meaning quick-revving and
aggressively responsive, with a strong top end.
The 250cc DOHC liquid cooled single has a bore
and stroke of 77 x 53.6, the four valves are
titanium and it has a six-speed gearbox. A 44mm
Mikuni throttle body feeds the fuel to the motor.
The real meat of the power is delivered over a
wide band in the top two thirds of the rev range.
And trust me, in this zone it has plenty of go.
However, low down in the rev range it can get
a little snatchy, a little inclined to stall and lacks
the guts of the earlier models. So, while it is
unquestionably faster in standard mode and a
quicker race machine than before, particularly in
the hands of a top rider, it is perhaps not always
easier to ride fast for the average rider.
Thankfully, the FX has a more mellow power
mode accessed on the handle bars and has
36 KIWI RIDER