ThumperFaq: MXA Shootout

The rumblings have been in the air for months. Everyone who was anyone knew something was up. The press releases were flying fast and furious. The only people who weren't interested in the new breed of 250cc four-strokes were diehard two-strokers (and that number is shrinking rapidly).

Yamaha pioneered this class. They have been at it the longest-thus they are taken for granted. That is a mistake of epic proportion.

Suzuki and Kawasaki joined forces to build one machine with two nameplates. They must share both praise and blame (and be eternally grouped together).

Honda is so sure that they will sell the most 250 four-strokes that they back-burnered the 2004 CR125 so that they could use its production time to make more CRFs.

That said, the MXA wrecking crew has spent the last few months running all four machines back-to-back, not play riding or professional practice racing, but in true-to-life moto combat. Here is the fruit of our labor.

Q: WHICH ONE MAKES THE MOST HORSEPOWER?

A: In our dyno tests, which were conducted on the same day, at the same temperature and by the same technician, there wasn't much difference between the four 250 four-strokes. Any differences between them could be explained by manufacturing tolerances or the whims of the day. That is not to say that they are alike on the race track. They aren't. And even on the dyno, they have their peccadilloes.

Q: WHAT ARE THE CRF250'S MOST NOTICEABLE DYNO PECCADILLOES?

A: On the dyno, the CRF250 had a nice curve, decent horsepower and the best over-rev. On the track, it had the broadest powerband. Not the quickest, because in the "timed" dyno runs it revved at a moderate speed, but had a nice steady pull in the dirt.

Q: WHAT ARE THE KX-F & RM-Z'S MOST NOTICEABLE DYNO PECCADILLOES?

A: Every MXA test rider felt that the KX-F/RM-Z had the most low-to-mid horsepower. Surprise! On the dyno it didn't. So why did the test riders insist that it did? Because the KX-F/RM-Z revved the slowest of the 250 fourstrokes. That slow pickup magnified the KX-F/RM-Z's powerband. Once the KXF/RM-Z reached its peak (at a rather low 11,000 rpm), the power output went downhill quickly. Test riders thought it had the best low-to-mid transition, because that was all it really had to give-no test rider ever hit the rev limiter (it wouldn't pull that far).

Q: WHAT ARE THE YZ250F'S MOST NOTICEABLE DYNO PECCADILLOES?

A: The YZ250F was the best on the dyno in low-to-mid horsepower, but it was so smooth on the track that no test riders thought it had the most low-to-mid power. In "timed" dyno runs the YZ250 revved the fastest, turned over the quickest and was the most responsive. This was true on the track also. The YZ250F went through its powerband quicker, revved out the easiest and hit the rev limiter the most. Test riders felt that they got more out of the YZ250F's quicker powerband on the race track.

Q: WHICH ONE IS THE FASTEST?

A: That is a tough question to answer because it depends who is asking.

Pro riders: For 125 Pros, the Yamaha YZ250F is the fastest. Its quicker turnover, stronger hit and longer pull make it the obvious choice for faster riders. Since Pro riders live in the nether reaches of the rpm range, the YZ250F's ability to rev to 13,500 (and get there in a hurry) and to make it all the way to the rev limiter were assets for riders who live on the edge.

Intermediate riders: The Honda also revved to 13,500 rpm, but it took longer to get there. During this longer duration, the Honda produced a solid powerband. It churned out of turns and utilized every stroke to its fullest. For riders looking for the broadest powerband and one that is a notch below hyper, the CRF250 delivers the longest pull.

Novice riders: The KX-F/RM-Z isn't a dog, but not a single Pro or Intermediate rider admired its slow revving midrange powerband. Slower riders, however, liked the "mini-450" powerband of the Suzuki and Kawasaki. What is a mini-450 powerband? One that feels torquey hooked up and controlled. Translated, that means that the KXF/RM-Z powerband revs slower and signs off earlier. It needs to be shortshifted.

Q: WHICH ONE IS THE EASIEST TO RIDE?

A: The Honda's metered doses and long pull make it less tiring and more fun to ride.

Q: AND THE POWERBAND WINNER IS...

A: For pure racing, the YZ250F engine is best suited to high-stakes 125 class racing. It is the most like a 125 two-stroke of the four 250 fourstrokes. It isn't, however, the best for fun riding-that would be the Honda CRF250.

Q: WHICH BIKE HAS THE BEST FORKS?

A: In stock trim, the Yamaha wins this category-largely because the YZ-F's spring rate is spot-on. We'd rate the Kawasaki/Suzuki second and Honda fourth.

Q: WHICH BIKE HAS THE BEST SHOCK?

A: We are positive about one thing, the KX-F/RM-Z shock is not a winner. It is over-damped and overlinked. It's stiff enough to hold up 185pound riders, which is too stiff for the weight demographics of the 125 class. So, who wins between the CRF250 and YZ250F? The Yamaha got the most votes.

Q: WHICH BIKE WEIGHS THE LEAST?

A: This is a push. On our scales the CRF250 and KX-F/RM-Z weigh exactly the same (216.5 pounds). Even more shockingly, the Yamaha YZ250F, that we always thought was a porker, hit the scales at 217 pounds. Weight is not an issue on these four bikes.

Q: WHICH BIKE HAS THE BEST BRAKES?

A: Honda has the best front brake and Yamaha has the best rear brake.

Q: WHICH BIKE HAS THE BEST GEARING?

A: The only bike that the MXA test crew struggled with was the Honda CRF250. We didn't like the relationship between second and third on the Honda. Second was too low and third was too tall. The stock 13-51 gearing yields a 3.923 gear ratio. It didn't seem right. We tried adding one tooth to the rear (52), but all that did was make second gear way too low. That gear ratio was 4.000. Next, we geared the CRF250 to a taller 13-50. This produced a 3.846 gear ratio, which was easier to use and carried more speed, but lessened the hit.

In the end, half the MXA test riders preferred the responsive hit of the stock 13-51 gear ratio, while the other half went with one tooth less. If you find yourself struggling with the CRF250 gear ratios-switch from a 51-tooth rear sprocket to a 50.

Q: WHICH BIKE DID WE HAVE THE MOST TROUBLE WITH?

A: The Kawasaki/Suzuki gave us the most heartache. It had the irritating habit of boiling over (our quick fix was to switch to a 1.6 radiator cap). It also leaked fluid out of the water pump cover (even after we replaced the 0-ring). Additionally the Suzuki tank decals disappeared as soon as we rode the bike. The Honda CRF250 blew a fork seal after only three hours of riding. It was a geyser that coated the front brake. We also broke a shift lever (albeit in a crash, but it was the first shift lever we've broken in five years).

Since this is the YZ250F's fourth year of development-it was bugfree.

Q: WHICH BIKE HAS THE BEST CLUTCH?

A: Yamaha has the best clutch. We chased the KX-F/RM-Z clutch adjustment after every race (and neither the RM-Z250 nor KX250F have on-the-fly adjusters). The Honda CRF250 clutch had a vague feel. Most test riders prefer a more distinct actuation point. The Honda clutch is so feathery to pull that it gave no clues.

Q: WHICH OF THE FOUR BIKES STARTS BEST?

A: The Honda is quickest to light up. The YZ25OF is second best. The KX-F/RM-Z can be a bear when hot.

Q: WHICH BIKE HAS THE BEST AIR FILTER?

A: Yamaha wins this category hands down. The KX-F/RM-Z air box leaked around the air boot flange and the CRF250 air filter barely fits in the air box. Nobody wants to wrestle with an oily filter.

Q: WHICH BIKE HAS THE BEST HANDLEBARS?

A: Honda wins this category hands down with its Renthal 971 aluminum bars.

Q: WHICH BIKE HAS THE BEST TIRES?

A: We'd prefer to tell you which bike has the worst tires (or which two bikes). Both Suzuki and Kawasaki spec'ed Bridgestone's 601/602 combo. We don't like these tires. They only work on rock-hard linoleum. Honda's intermediate-type Dunlop 742/756 combo and Yamaha's hardto-intermediate Dunlop 739 combo are fine for their chosen dirt. Given our druthers, for our favorite tracks (Glen Helen, Cahuilla and Piru), we would choose the Honda tires.

Q: WHICH BIKE HANDLES THE BEST?

A: This is a no-contest victory for Yamaha. It is the only bike of the four that tracks accurately through a corner. The other three suffered from understeer or oversteer.

Which is which? The 2004 Honda CRF250 handles just like the 2002 Honda CRF450. It understeers. The front end has a big push that makes cornering an interesting proposition. In our opinion, there is too little trail in the front geometry, or the head angle isn't steep enough. Expect to see a rash of 20mm aftermarket triple clamps gracing the front of '04 CRF250s just like they did on '02 CRF450s.

The Suzuki RM-Z250 and the Kawasaki KX250 both oversteer. They tend to tuck into corners, resist leaning and feel loose on the exit. This will not bother most KX250F buyers, because they know that Kawasakis are upright handlers. It will disappoint Suzuki owners-since the typical two-stroke RM is much more accurate, quick and responsive than this.

Q: AND THE WINNER OF THE 250 FOUR-STROKE SHOOUT IS...

A: In all honesty, we expected the Honda CRF250 to be the handsdown winner of this shootout. Why? Three reasons:

Honda has had four years to analyze, tear-down and critique the Yamaha YZ250F It's easier to hit a target when you can see it. They have had the YZ250F in their crosshairs for a long time.
Honda has the budget, manpower and wherewithal to out-engineer anyone on the planet. No offense to Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha, but Honda is a behemoth.
As much as we hate to admit it, motocrossers are swayed by anything red. Even though Honda's track record on production bikes is spotty, they have managed to maintain a reputation for building the best bikes (even if it isn't necessarily true). No doubt, Honda will sell more 2004 CRF250s than imaginable.

That said, Honda's take on fourstroke power never ceases to amaze. What they achieved with the CRF450, in the face of the more potent YZ450F, they have done with the CRF250. They have produced a sweet bike, one that will find favor with as widely divergent a group as local racers, vets and trail riders. It is twice as good as a CR125 and much more versatile. Its speed range is the broadest of all 250 four-strokes. It is user friendly; sort of like a Formula 1 car with an automatic transmission and cup holder.

If we had to recommend a 250 four-stroke to the average Joe-we'd direct him to the local Honda dealership.

So, did the 2004 Honda CRF250 win this shootout? No. If you are a serious racer, committed to your craft and looking for the purest expression of a racing motorcycle-choose the Yamaha YZ250F. It isn't red, doesn't have pizazz and lacks the newness factor-but it is the best race bike for those that appreciate purpose-built machinery.