The Legendary YZ 250 2T

[Rooster]

Question:

For Extreme Enduro, YZ 250 2T with all the Mods....

Yes or No? I sat on one and took it for a spin and it felt soooo good. Small, Nimble, Powerful.

Who has or had one, vs KTM 200 or 250?

(Not trying to start a debate of MX modded bikes vs Enduro bikes)

 

[bulletproof]

It will go much further than most riders are able to go. But you must do all the mods. Which puts your budget back to enduro bikes.

 

[Rooster]

It will go much further than most riders are able to go. But you must do all the mods. Which puts your budget back to enduro bikes.

Ok, so like for like - assume same price, hours and condition

Yz 250 with all the mods vs Stock KTM 200. Pro's and cons?

YZ Parts seem available and cheap.. plus it feels tiny...?

 

[Bush Wacker]

Any used bike is only as good as the condition it is in and how its set up...
Iv ridden a 2015 ktm 300 which felt completely crap and a 2005 yz that feels like its just rolled out the showroom..

Rather focus on condition and value for money than setting your mind on a specific bike.

 

[Rooster]

Any used bike is only as good as the condition it is in and how its set up...
Iv ridden a 2015 ktm 300 which felt completely crap and a 2005 yz that feels like its just rolled out the showroom..

Rather focus on condition and value for money than setting your mind on a specific bike.

Ok, then lets assume they are both brand new :lol: :lol: :lol:

Im trying accomplish is to pick a platform that I can afford to run as I'm doing at least 20 - 25 hrs a month.
Husky parts are $%^&* to get, so I need a bike that has readily available spares and accessories that has low relatively low running costs.

It will probably be a 3 - 5 year old 200 KTM or a Yz 250 with all the mods.
I agree that bike for bike you can win or loose, but I need to stick to one or the other to move accessories - cant re buy everything once a year.

 

[General Jelly]

I have a 2006 Yz 250 2t, I bought it from Noss a couple of years ago,I was lucky and it was really well maintained.........

It has the following done to it:

Fly wheel weight
WR box
Boil bottle
V-Force 3 Reed valves
Full FmF Fatty system......

I really enjoy my bike and find that it is so easy to ride and is really light compared to bikes that the rest of the guys I ride with have,it is a mix...(2011 KTM 300 / 2012 KTM 300/ 2012 Yz 450f / 2014 Gas Gas 300 - Have actually not ridden this one yet / CRF 250...a KX 250 F,and a WR 250 and 450......

None of these bikes leave me behind,on an open straight or in technical terrain......as for spares I have never had a problem,even here in Zambia,if I cant get here,then I get from RBS in Pinetown,if not there and it is something I can wait for then I get from BTO.....

I am really interested in getting a newer Yz 450 F,though not for technical type terrain,that will hopefully be happening early next year,but not for a minute have I thought of selling my Yz 250 2T,she is just to much fun,and more than enough power on tap.....

Hope you come right with your choices,.......I am a little biased so I would go with the Yz with all the mods.........lol

 

[swazi_matt]

I had a fully modded kx250 (suspension, FWW, rekluse etc) and tried a yz250 with the full shimwells mod and it had the same issue as my kx. The revs pick up a little too fast and you loose traction easier.
That is why i eventually went for a GG. It puts the power to the ground without having to ride like a cowboy

Saying that the yz feels small and nimble makes me assume you are comparing it to a ktm. the gasgas and betas actually also turn and go where you want them to, and they have a hydraulic clutch which is a big plus when it comes to extreme enduro

I would place the yz250 as a great bike for anything from an off-road to a wfo enduro (is as extreme as i would take it) I would not use one for the roof

 

[Stroker]

Rooster, Ithink you should change the title of your post to "Should I sell my Husky and buy a KTM?" By all means, there are a few bargains floating around!

 

[Rooster]

Rooster, Ithink you should change the title of your post to "Should I sell my Husky and buy a KTM?" By all means, there are a few bargains floating around!

HAHA. No, I wont sell it bud. I suffer badly from PSSA (Pre-Bike Sale Separation Anxiety) and have been known to hoard my bikes for months, even years.

What year did the electric start come for the 200 BTW? That could be a deal swinger for me if I can get one at a reasonable price?

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

I did the 2011 bronze ROA on a YZ; in other words my opinion is based on experience.

The YZ's are great bikes but riding one means that you have to be 20% fitter than your riding buddies on proper enduro bikes. Why you might ask? Because even a toned down YZ250 is way wilder than a KTM300. And I'm talking proper modifications, i.e. custom-made flywheel, Vortex ignition and Rekluse clutch. (I probably rode one of the most expensive YZ's in the history of YZ's).

The main reason why a YZ is so wild and why a YZ250 is faster than a KTM300 is because of the carb on the YZ. I can't remember which one has the bigger or smaller carb but I do know that there is a 2mm difference in carb size, which makes the YZ a proper beast.

Having said that, I rode FrancoisM's YZ250F a while ago and must say that if I have to choose between a YZ250 and YZ250F then I would go the 250F route (provided that it has a Rekluse).

Anyway, do yourself a favor and try and get a Japanese 250-4t enduro bike, as in a CRF250X or 250WR, these are lovely bikes and also don't need cheater clutches.

 

[BULL]

I did the 2011 bronze ROA on a YZ; in other words my opinion is based on experience.

The YZ's are great bikes but riding one means that you have to be 20% fitter than your riding buddies on proper enduro bikes. Why you might ask? Because even a toned down YZ250 is way wilder than a KTM300. And I'm talking proper modifications, i.e. custom-made flywheel, Vortex ignition and Rekluse clutch. (I probably rode one of the most expensive YZ's in the history of YZ's).

The main reason why a YZ is so wild and why a YZ250 is faster than a KTM300 is because of the carb on the YZ. I can't remember which one has the bigger or smaller carb but I do know that there is a 2mm difference in carb size, which makes the YZ a proper beast.

Having said that, I rode FrancoisM's YZ250F a while ago and must say that if I have to choose between a YZ250 and YZ250F then I would go the 250F route (provided that it has a Rekluse).

Anyway, do yourself a favor and try and get a Japanese 250-4t enduro bike, as in a CRF250X or 250WR, these are lovely bikes and also don't need cheater clutches.

From a man who rode a YZ250 2T to propagating 250 bangers? That is just plain wrong.

 

[red_eye_righley]

I did the 2011 bronze ROA on a YZ; in other words my opinion is based on experience.

The YZ's are great bikes but riding one means that you have to be 20% fitter than your riding buddies on proper enduro bikes. Why you might ask? Because even a toned down YZ250 is way wilder than a KTM300. And I'm talking proper modifications, i.e. custom-made flywheel, Vortex ignition and Rekluse clutch. (I probably rode one of the most expensive YZ's in the history of YZ's).

The main reason why a YZ is so wild and why a YZ250 is faster than a KTM300 is because of the carb on the YZ. I can't remember which one has the bigger or smaller carb but I do know that there is a 2mm difference in carb size, which makes the YZ a proper beast.

Having said that, I rode FrancoisM's YZ250F a while ago and must say that if I have to choose between a YZ250 and YZ250F then I would go the 250F route (provided that it has a Rekluse).

Anyway, do yourself a favor and try and get a Japanese 250-4t enduro bike, as in a CRF250X or 250WR, these are lovely bikes and also don't need cheater clutches.

Interesting - maybe add a lectron or smartcarb type carb, small change compared to some of the mods and it sounds like it may make a biiiiig difference.

 

[Rooster]

try and get a Japanese 250-4t enduro bike, as in a CRF250X or 250WR, these are lovely bikes and also don't need cheater clutches.

Thanks CTD, you have confirmed some of my concerns re the YZ (IE, making you tired)
re the Jap 4t, that's an interesting statement... I thought he wight of a WR would take this out as an option?

It has all the other features I want - Grunt, Electric Start, Tractor, Indestructible etc etc... Isn't it just too heavy?

A mate of mine rides one, and it goes anywhere - but he is much larger than me.

 

[LupiniPower]

KTM250 XC-w - that is all

 

[Rooster]

KTM250 XC-w - that is all

Do you know from what year they are electric start?

 

[LupiniPower]

I think from about 2010 bud, may be mistaken though..

 

[Wolscooter]

Electric start (250 xcw)from 2009 onwards & the 200xcw from 2013

 

[swazi_matt]

[quote="Crash Test Dummy":300kakwk]I did the 2011 bronze ROA on a YZ; in other words my opinion is based on experience.

The YZ's are great bikes but riding one means that you have to be 20% fitter than your riding buddies on proper enduro bikes. Why you might ask? Because even a toned down YZ250 is way wilder than a KTM300. And I'm talking proper modifications, i.e. custom-made flywheel, Vortex ignition and Rekluse clutch. (I probably rode one of the most expensive YZ's in the history of YZ's).

The main reason why a YZ is so wild and why a YZ250 is faster than a KTM300 is because of the carb on the YZ. I can't remember which one has the bigger or smaller carb but I do know that there is a 2mm difference in carb size, which makes the YZ a proper beast.

Having said that, I rode FrancoisM's YZ250F a while ago and must say that if I have to choose between a YZ250 and YZ250F then I would go the 250F route (provided that it has a Rekluse).

Anyway, do yourself a favor and try and get a Japanese 250-4t enduro bike, as in a CRF250X or 250WR, these are lovely bikes and also don't need cheater clutches.

Interesting - maybe add a lectron or smartcarb type carb, small change compared to some of the mods and it sounds like it may make a biiiiig difference.[/quote:300kakwk]

LOCTRON OR SMARTCARB will be going the wrong way to tame a yz250. Those carbs help you get perfect jetting so on a yz it will make it more potent, if you want to tame it (slightly) you would be looking at slightly richer jetting

 

[Thorn199]

Went from a 2007 YZ, with full Shimwells enduro conversion (including 280 kit) down to a new 200 XCW. Couldnt be happier.

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

I did the 2011 bronze ROA on a YZ; in other words my opinion is based on experience.

The YZ's are great bikes but riding one means that you have to be 20% fitter than your riding buddies on proper enduro bikes. Why you might ask? Because even a toned down YZ250 is way wilder than a KTM300. And I'm talking proper modifications, i.e. custom-made flywheel, Vortex ignition and Rekluse clutch. (I probably rode one of the most expensive YZ's in the history of YZ's).

The main reason why a YZ is so wild and why a YZ250 is faster than a KTM300 is because of the carb on the YZ. I can't remember which one has the bigger or smaller carb but I do know that there is a 2mm difference in carb size, which makes the YZ a proper beast.

Having said that, I rode FrancoisM's YZ250F a while ago and must say that if I have to choose between a YZ250 and YZ250F then I would go the 250F route (provided that it has a Rekluse).

Anyway, do yourself a favor and try and get a Japanese 250-4t enduro bike, as in a CRF250X or 250WR, these are lovely bikes and also don't need cheater clutches.

From a man who rode a YZ250 2T to propagating 250 bangers? That is just plain wrong.

Not at all, he has a 300 2t, which is the perfect engine configuration for extreme enduro. He is obviously not satisfied with the 300 2t and all that remains is a 250 banger.

@Rooster, I'm always perplexed by people going on about the weight of a bike. Yes a 250WR might be a tad tubby but the actual thing that tires people out on bikes is not the actual weight but rather the snap of power (on a 2t) and the engine inertia on a 4t. If you look at road bikes; a 600 is much more nimble than a 1000. Not because of weight but because of the heavier engine components that makes the bike more difficult to turn.