This past week MXP was honoured to be one of the few invited down to beautiful Alabama to get a taste of some southern hospitality and to test ride the all new 2014 YZ250F. For two days we put this new bike through its paces, testing everything from suspension, gearing and of course the ignition mapping on the new EFI that is now featured on the 2014.
The chosen track for this North American press launch was the famous Monster Mountain MX Park which is located in eastern Alabama. This track is a popular winter riding escape for many of our Canadian riders as it has a little bit of everything in its layout. With great dirt, big jumps, long sweeping corners and power-robbing uphills, Monster Mountain is the perfect place to test ride a brand new bike and get a feel for all its aspects.
The biggest new feature of the 2014 YZ250F is the long awaited EFI, or Electronic Fuel Injection. Yamaha is the last manufacturer of the quarter liter motocross machines to receive the modern day EFI system. When asked why they waited so long to go with an EFI system, their reply was that in the last few years, testing showed that under their old engine design their wasn’t a significant increase in performance to warrant going with the EFI. Yamaha wanted to not only improve their 2014 YZ250F with EFI but to also give the bike a new engine that features the same rear facing exhaust system found on the YZ450F. The result is more horsepower, more adjustability and better durability.
Other changes for 2014 include a new aluminum bilateral frame that works in unison with the new engine design to provide superb rigidity and balance to give this bike great handling. With the new rear facing engine and the new wrap around exhaust system, the 2014 YZ250F has successfully incorporated mass centralization to this bike. The majority of the weight has been moved to the middle of the bike, which improves handling both in cornering and in the air. How do all of these changes translate on the track?
During the two days of riding I was really impressed with how this bike worked. The power was very strong, especially in the mid range and top end, and the motor never stopped pulling. The handling was also great because the frame and the suspension now work very well together to provide the rider with a predictable, stable feel on all parts of the track. Since the airbox is now located at the front of the bike, the seat area is very flat so it’s very easy to move to the front of the seat for smooth cornering.
I really enjoyed riding the 2014 YZ250F. All of the changes that Yamaha has made to this machine make it fun to ride for any level of rider. While the amateur or Vet rider is going to enjoy the amazing handling and smooth power, the pro rider is going to love the endless horsepower and also how aggressive you can ride this bike. It’s safe to say that Yamaha is back in the 250F game with this all new bike and we will no doubt be seeing it at the front of the pack in 2014. Please look for a full report on this bike in the upcoming issue of MXP.
