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2011 Yamaha YZ250F Comparison Photo Gallery

Yamaha is the originator of the 250F class but there weren’t any changes for 2011 aside from new colors for the YZ250F.

Yamaha decided not to update the YZ250F so it feels familiar in our 2011 250 Motocross Shootout. Read the full details in the 2011 Yamaha YZ250F Comparison article.

Yamaha still makes use of its bilateral-beam aluminum chassis which was also introduced a year ago, but more notably it’s the only manufacturer in this test that still uses a carburetor.

Other bikes can pull longer in each gear which pays off on straights or heading for jumps.

With 35.33 horsepower and 18.76 lb-ft of torque, it falls below all but the Honda in peak output.

Taking a look at the horsepower and torque curves, the Yamaha is in the mix or better than all of the bikes except KTM until the 8000 rpm mark.

That carburetor is good for more than just power delivery as the mechanical system is much lighter than EFI. The YZ250F is easily the lightest at 216.5 pounds (tank empty).

We couldn’t detect the extra plushness that’s expected from Yamaha’s KYBs.

Most riders had issues with the small handlebars and somewhat cramped rider cockpit.

The YZ is dead-stable and it’s by no means a slug through the corners, but it doesn’t have the agile feeling that some other bikes do despite a significant weight advantage.

The top triple clamp has two handlebar mounting holes and the posts are reversible for multiple options, and pushing the ProTaper bars forward helps open things up.

It was a tough year for Yamaha in the shootout, and what makes it even tougher is that this is still a great bike – one that has character not found on the EFI machines.

In a class full of high-technology bikes, this 250F feels a little dated.

Last-place rankings for handling and ergonomics were a pair of black eyes for the YZ-F, but the real nail in its coffin is that engine.

Our lightweight pro-level tester thought the Kayabas were the best.

We like that the YZ-F is the most affordable at $7150.

Opinions varied about the new white radiator shroud.