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2011 Yamaha YZ85 First Ride Photo Gallery

Unlike its larger siblings that use ProTaper bars, the 85 comes stock with steel bars that are very susceptible to bending during a crash.

Check out photos of the 2011 YZ85 during our First Ride on this youth motocross bike. Read full details in the 2011 YZ85 First Ride article.

The YZ uses a single left-side radiator shroud.

For young riders between the ages of 9 and 14 who are looking to make a name in the motocross world, or at least bring home some trophies from the local track, the Yamaha has the engine to do it.

The chain adjusters are very easy to use and are easily readable for precise adjustments.

The pegs on the 85 are not like the big, wide ones that come on the larger YZ’s and we’d upgrade to a wider peg as well.

The roomy ergos fit him well and allow a little room to grow. Our tester really likes jumping the YZ and is very impressed with how well it soaks up any hard landings.

The fully adjustable suspension works well without modification, with the only exception being that of getting the proper spring rates.

The littlest YZ features an 85cc liquid-cooled, crankcase reed-valve-inducted two-stroke engine.

The front suspension is handled by 36mm Kayaba inverted cartridge fork. They offer 10.8 inches of travel and have fully adjustable compression and rebound dampening.

We tested at a variety of MX tracks resulting in mixed engine feedback from our 12-year-old, 90 pound test rider.

While the spec sheet on the 85 is nothing groundbreaking, the performance output is stellar.

Yamaha has continually refined the littlest YZ into a well thought out and competitive race package.

The YZ85 has plenty of engine power, all of which is delivered on top of the rpm range.

While still pleasing to look at, the missing right shroud also saves the hassle of having to deal with, or replace a cosmetic shroud.

Handlebars are tall in relation to the seat and with a seat height of 34 inches, taller kids will feel the most comfortable on the Yamaha.

The clutch engages at the end of the lever which makes quick fanning easy to do without having to pull the lever all the way back to the bars.

Wider, faster tracks suit the Yamaha's stock gearing and power delivery.

The YZ uses a single-backbone, semi-double-cradle steel frame. The rear subframe is removable to allow easy maintenance and cheaper replacement cost.