Kiwi Rider November 2023 Vol.2 | Page 59

bedding in to get the best out of it . Out of the box the setup is good , and I know by the time the bike is run in a bit and it starts to flex a bit more , the suspension will just get better . Again , as with the 450 , the brakes are awesome . Generally the Japanese stuff is fairly good , as is the Brembo on some of the European brands , but I found the braking really good and really stable . The rider triangle is quite roomy and it ’ ll suit most riders anywhere from short to tall . There ’ s plenty of room to move around , the only thing I would say is the seat height is quite tall for the shorter rider , because the seat ’ s quite flat right across the whole board - there ’ s no real pocket to sit into . The YZ250F has got the looks , handles well and feels light and nimble to ride . The only thing I ’ d critique is the bottom end power for coming out of turns , it just takes a bit to get it going . Once it gets into the revs , it flies . BRAD GROOMBRIDGE
YZ250F - ELITE RIDER VIEW
The 2024 YZ250F has a new chassis , based on the 450 ’ s chassis , but I don ’ t think the engine has changed all that much . It does look good , in fact it looks pretty cool . It also looks narrower than before , more like its bigger brother , which got its big update for 2023 . The 250 motor has really good power . It lacks a bit off the bottom , but in the midrange and top-end , it really pulls . I ’ d have liked a bit more at the bottom , but once it gets into the revs there ’ s very good power that ’ s well delivered with plenty of grunt when you need it . Just a bit soft out of tighter turns . The chassis setup and geometry is based on the 450F , so it ’ s stable and very planted - up there with the best of them . I found the suspension on the firm side , but the bike had only done about three hours , so it might need a little bit more
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