@@BackcountryLife i wanted to get a gas gas ec300 but now that ktm bought them up and coming in under the name rieju. Im sort of getting scared of buying any euro bikes other than ktm/husq right now. Scared of parts availability and resale after just a few years. Seems the euro companies just cant compete with ktm as far as money goes. Also hate that everyone is dumping the kickstarts.
I own a couple KTM's, a Gas gas and a YZ250X, after 2 seasons of trail riding and sprint enduro racing, the YZ250X still is probably the most fun, imho.
@@theblishknovk I have a 2018 XC 250. In my opinion, it is a good solid platform with some minor issues, not deal breakers, but issues none the less. Multiple electric starter problems, ECU reflashes, 2 seat bolts, to get to the right side one that you have to remove a side/number plate, which is secured by 2 other bolts??? The 2018 model was the 1st year of the new model run and it needed some R&D. I would have no hesitation buying a 2019 or 2020 if available.
As you get better and want more power, remove a washer from the governor (power valve mod.) It's free and makes the power valve open earlier. And get that head milled for 60-100 bucks.
Hi there, I’m 5’7 and you can only imagine how tall the bike is for me. I had a upholsterer shave some foam off my seat and it made a huge difference. 80% less random tip overs. The seat looks funny and sliding up to the seat is hard but I stand most of the time.
I am 5.6 and shaved 2 inches of my seat..did not allow me sit close to cap(washed out repeatedly and a sketcthy feel in every corner) so unpredictable i hated it i didnt see what the dirt bike world was seeing in this bike? Plus it took away alot more energy sliding back and up the seat and having to squeeze the tank to stay up front and not gripping for control of the yz..dont shave your seat shortys the bike is perfectly balanced and designed with that seat height..buy alot more gas like it me fellow shortys the bike is really sweet stock
I've got a 2018 YZ250X my second bike. It has the new H series Lectron, FMF silencer and pipe, V Force Reeds, Sprung for my weight and the Radius X Rekluse! No stalls, I only have to kick it when I want too! And of course some fun stuff for looks! I got a smoking deal on the bike then added everything on black Friday sales, maybe 8500 total in it! Love everything about it. After riding a friend's KTM the only thing I noticed going back and forth was the counterbalanced motor. Just riding the Yamaha it's something I would have never noticed.
Well articulated Logan .. Easy to listen to.. I agree with the little bell, 3rd dirt bike and you call yourself a beginner🤔 I'm not sure about that..👍other than the dismount ofcourse...lol...Thanks Brother Great job.!
Waves to Wastelands thanks! Yeah it’s my third bike but I’ve only really been riding for 2-3 years so I still feel like a beginner. Maybe an intermediateish rider now. 😉
The YZ250X is still a great bike by today’s standards. What I found with my 2020 250x is that it is good at just about every discipline with its weakest being hard enduro. The tall seat height, kick start, and tall gearing were limiting factors for me when riding gnarly stuff. It will still perform in hard enduro but at the end of the day, I think there are better bikes for that type of riding. So I went with a te300i instead.
I found swapping the front sprocket to a 13 tooth and adding a jd jet kit really helped with the technical climbs. The best part is it's cheap and easy to try.
Soup R star/HERO I also swapped to a 13 front sprocket and that helped quite a bit. A lectron carb also helped deliver smoother power delivery and better all around performance for enduro.
Just grabbed a 2020 yesterday, ready to ride! Checked out this video to see essential add-ons, which the reviewer went through immediately. Much appreciative! Great video, will look out for more of your reviews. The style was friendly and engaging.
I feel that not having an e-start is in some ways a benefit, no starter motor and battery saves on weight and mechanical complexity, plus my clutch control has been significantly improved. I rarely if ever stall my 250X now.
@@BackcountryLife Totally understandable. I'm sure if I ever go to a more modern bike I'll love it. If I can ever afford one of them the Sherco's look fantastic. All of the nice features of a husky/ktm like e start and hydro clutch with none of the drawbacks like TPI or airforks👌
The terrain where you're at looks cool. I was thinking Husky/KTM but I'm starting to think Yamaha again. It's the electric start thing that gets me. But then again, they don't even have a kick starter, which could be handy if you need it!
The tank to get a see threw $300 about the clutch go get hinson clutch $200 and ASV $250 levers you wont be disappointed. Get a lowering link for it to get it where you want $100. One thing you definitely wont be disappointed on is the LECTRON carb. Best carb out there in my opinion
I have a 2016 yzx and I am 5'5 as long as I don't stop I rip the hell outta of it. like a little more in the midrange there is a annoying gap in the power band with a weird gap between 3rd and 4th gear ..that's ok for trails but it a serious issue for mx you need the snap of 4th gear like on the mx model..other than that the x is a great and very reliable machine
Anotjer nice thing about that yz250x is that motor has been around for so long (2004 I think) if you want to do any mods to it someone has done it before, parts are available that is worth its weight in gold because the aftermarket community has "better" or different parts so you can personalize the bike to you better.
Iron Thumb it definitely seems like KTMs in general are more expensive. Possibly because of the technology they include or just the stigma around them. Either way, for the bike you get I don't know that the differences completely justify the cost but at the end of the day it is a personal judgment call. I am happy that we got such a good deal on the YZ because it does just fine keeping up with the other bikes. 😁
Logan Eversole we’re about the same frame and weight and I’m actually in a Crf250x. With what I’m looking for in a bike the Xtrainer checks all the boxes *on paper* Maybe you guys can find a loaner for reviewing before purchasing
@@darvindiaz5302 Nice! Yeah I really liked my CRF250x. A loaner would be awesome. There are a few dealers in the area that have them we want to talk to.
Logan Eversole I gave this a lot of thought before buying my Husky 150. Those items you mention (e-start and hydro clutch) are what make the KTM/Husky better and more expensive. Because the Yami was cheaper and didn’t have some of those great features, it doesn’t make it good value IMO.
@@supergarball I can see that. I still think that they ride different enough that someone who enjoys the YZ enough would say its worth it to buy and mod it, over getting a KTM/Husky.
Initially , how much changing did you have to do with the jetting ? My 20 I haven’t been able to get right . I’m about 1000 elevation , if I’m riding pretty aggressive it’s fine but when I get in the technical stuff the bike loads up and foils
ok i am 38 usedto ride yz80s asa kid , have not ridden in over 20 years im diving back in, im 5 foot 9 220lbs a bit out of shape and over weight and stuggling to figure out weathger to buy the yz125 or the 250x. and toughts for me would be greatly apprecieated
both are great bikes. The 250x you can short shift it and it will allow you to lug it better than the 125. However, the 250 can be a fire-breathing dragon if you are not careful. The YZ125 will be harder to ride slow but WAY less intimidating when under power.
@@BackcountryLife yea I think do the 125 until I Master it. Then upgrade to thec250 after after get my sea legs under me as 2p plus years of rust is a while lot of rust lol
Iron Thumb it is a really good bike. Like I say in the video, my favorite so far. But even used we still paid a lot. Not KTM new, but still a good chunk of cash. Also, it seems harder to find some of the mods. There seems to be more mods available for KTMs. Haven’t noticed that the YZ mods are significantly cheaper. I’ll have to pay attention to that.
@@seanwahl1000 I don't remember all of the ones we were looking at but it seemed like there were several available for the KTM but not the Yamaha. One in particular was an upgraded chain guide guard because we ride a lot of rocks. If you have any recommendations of good mods I would love to take a look.
@@LoganEversole TM Designs and Brp just off the top of my head make one. Keep in mind (and I'm not knocking on ktm this is just fact) ktm over the years has made their bikes lighter and lighter. They do so by making the parts lighter which means they are usually easier to break. You wont find an exhaust flange guard for yzs because they don't break, same with chain guard mounting tabs. I have never bent a rear rotor or a chain guide beyond repair (we ride a lot of rocks but it's low speed so maybe that's why.) My point is, you will not need to spend money on some of the same protective parts as your ktm buddies. I would just do the bare minimum unless you know something is bound to break. I have bent a shit load of front rotors though so a front guard would be a good idea. lol!
How would this bike be in the more open Ca desert, back in 85' I had an 85'cr500, which was great back then when I was much younger, I'm wanting a lighter 2t bike now. but, still have some good topend speed.
The other Japanese companies need to take note and see that the off-road community still loves 2 stroke woods/desert bikes. Like the review.
I agree I wish they would get on board and stroke making legit 2 strokes
i really really want to see Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Honda to get on board.
I agree we need more 2 strokes!!
@@BackcountryLife i wanted to get a gas gas ec300 but now that ktm bought them up and coming in under the name rieju. Im sort of getting scared of buying any euro bikes other than ktm/husq right now. Scared of parts availability and resale after just a few years. Seems the euro companies just cant compete with ktm as far as money goes. Also hate that everyone is dumping the kickstarts.
@@BeardedBavarianBiker. I was always a fan of the RM / RMX lineup. Be nice to see the yellow brand do something too.
Oh, And I love my YZ250X! Wouldn’t change it for any other bike in the world.
C & W DirtVentures right now I feel the same!
I own a couple KTM's, a Gas gas and a YZ250X, after 2 seasons of trail riding and sprint enduro racing, the YZ250X still is probably the most fun, imho.
The YZ250X is a very fun and playful bike for sure.
What gas gas do you own? Im looking between the ec/xc300 gas gas and the yz250x.
@@theblishknovk I have a 2018 XC 250. In my opinion, it is a good solid platform with some minor issues, not deal breakers, but issues none the less. Multiple electric starter problems, ECU reflashes, 2 seat bolts, to get to the right side one that you have to remove a side/number plate, which is secured by 2 other bolts??? The 2018 model was the 1st year of the new model run and it needed some R&D. I would have no hesitation buying a 2019 or 2020 if available.
As you get better and want more power, remove a washer from the governor (power valve mod.) It's free and makes the power valve open earlier. And get that head milled for 60-100 bucks.
Rizzo44 Rizzo thanks for the recommendation!
Hi there, I’m 5’7 and you can only imagine how tall the bike is for me. I had a upholsterer shave some foam off my seat and it made a huge difference. 80% less random tip overs. The seat looks funny and sliding up to the seat is hard but I stand most of the time.
C & W DirtVentures thanks for the comment! I have heard of people moding the seat like that. Yeah I try and stand as much as possible as well.
I am 5.6 and shaved 2 inches of my seat..did not allow me sit close to cap(washed out repeatedly and a sketcthy feel in every corner) so unpredictable i hated it i didnt see what the dirt bike world was seeing in this bike? Plus it took away alot more energy sliding back and up the seat and having to squeeze the tank to stay up front and not gripping for control of the yz..dont shave your seat shortys the bike is perfectly balanced and designed with that seat height..buy alot more gas like it me fellow shortys the bike is really sweet stock
I bought a 2020 yz250x as my first dirtbike. Let's say things have been interesting but I fell in love with it. Only took 100 crashes.
haha only 100?
I've got a 2018 YZ250X my second bike. It has the new H series Lectron, FMF silencer and pipe, V Force Reeds, Sprung for my weight and the Radius X Rekluse! No stalls, I only have to kick it when I want too! And of course some fun stuff for looks! I got a smoking deal on the bike then added everything on black Friday sales, maybe 8500 total in it! Love everything about it. After riding a friend's KTM the only thing I noticed going back and forth was the counterbalanced motor. Just riding the Yamaha it's something I would have never noticed.
Yeah if you don’t ever ride a counterbalanced bike you really don’t notice. In fact after a few minutes back in the YZ I forget about the vibration
Well articulated Logan .. Easy to listen to.. I agree with the little bell, 3rd dirt bike and you call yourself a beginner🤔 I'm not sure about that..👍other than the dismount ofcourse...lol...Thanks Brother Great job.!
Waves to Wastelands thanks! Yeah it’s my third bike but I’ve only really been riding for 2-3 years so I still feel like a beginner. Maybe an intermediateish rider now. 😉
@@LoganEversoleOkay.. Intermediateish..it is.!👍 You look pretty skilled me..👋later brother!
The YZ250X is still a great bike by today’s standards. What I found with my 2020 250x is that it is good at just about every discipline with its weakest being hard enduro. The tall seat height, kick start, and tall gearing were limiting factors for me when riding gnarly stuff. It will still perform in hard enduro but at the end of the day, I think there are better bikes for that type of riding. So I went with a te300i instead.
Yeah it’s a solid all around bike
I found swapping the front sprocket to a 13 tooth and adding a jd jet kit really helped with the technical climbs. The best part is it's cheap and easy to try.
Soup R star/HERO I also swapped to a 13 front sprocket and that helped quite a bit. A lectron carb also helped deliver smoother power delivery and better all around performance for enduro.
I hear the XC head mod and power valve mod is the way to go for low end grunt
My son has the same bike. Love it. I put a 15 tooth on front and is still great in the woods and probably got 5 mph more top end. Great review
What bike do you have?
@@BackcountryLife I don't have one, I just use his when I want to go with my pals
great review man, I just bought myself a 2020 250x and i absolutely love it
Thanks Joey. The YZ250X is a sweet bike
Just grabbed a 2020 yesterday, ready to ride! Checked out this video to see essential add-ons, which the reviewer went through immediately. Much appreciative! Great video, will look out for more of your reviews. The style was friendly and engaging.
@@seankerr1983 Pumped for you and your new 2020. Thanks for your feedback.
I feel that not having an e-start is in some ways a benefit, no starter motor and battery saves on weight and mechanical complexity, plus my clutch control has been significantly improved. I rarely if ever stall my 250X now.
Yeah, thats part of the reason why 2 strokes are awesome. Simple and not complex. I am sure e-start is a crutch but I am addicted to it now.
@@BackcountryLife Totally understandable. I'm sure if I ever go to a more modern bike I'll love it. If I can ever afford one of them the Sherco's look fantastic. All of the nice features of a husky/ktm like e start and hydro clutch with none of the drawbacks like TPI or airforks👌
The terrain where you're at looks cool. I was thinking Husky/KTM but I'm starting to think Yamaha again. It's the electric start thing that gets me. But then again, they don't even have a kick starter, which could be handy if you need it!
Thanks. The YZ250X is one of our favorite bikes of all time. It would be higher on that list if it had E-Start.
The tank to get a see threw $300 about the clutch go get hinson clutch $200 and ASV $250 levers you wont be disappointed. Get a lowering link for it to get it where you want $100. One thing you definitely wont be disappointed on is the LECTRON carb. Best carb out there in my opinion
thanks for the input
I don't like my lectionary seems very soggy off the bottom
I have a 2016 yzx and I am 5'5 as long as I don't stop I rip the hell outta of it. like a little more in the midrange there is a annoying gap in the power band with a weird gap between 3rd and 4th gear ..that's ok for trails but it a serious issue for mx you need the snap of 4th gear like on the mx model..other than that the x is a great and very reliable machine
Yeah it’s in my top 5 bikes for sure!
Anotjer nice thing about that yz250x is that motor has been around for so long (2004 I think) if you want to do any mods to it someone has done it before, parts are available that is worth its weight in gold because the aftermarket community has "better" or different parts so you can personalize the bike to you better.
It really is a great bike and motor. Another reason to get one
1999 lmao
KTM's are great bikes but way more expensive in my area.. YZ 250x are listed at $6999 and the KTM tpi is advertised at $9599 at the local dealers
Iron Thumb it definitely seems like KTMs in general are more expensive. Possibly because of the technology they include or just the stigma around them. Either way, for the bike you get I don't know that the differences completely justify the cost but at the end of the day it is a personal judgment call. I am happy that we got such a good deal on the YZ because it does just fine keeping up with the other bikes. 😁
Hey Logan,
You should consider buying an already built 2018/19 Beta Xtrainer. I think it covers your cons with this bike
Thanks Darvin! That is a great recommendation. We have actually been looking at the Xtrainer and I would love to get my hands on one...
Logan Eversole we’re about the same frame and weight and I’m actually in a Crf250x. With what I’m looking for in a bike the Xtrainer checks all the boxes *on paper* Maybe you guys can find a loaner for reviewing before purchasing
@@darvindiaz5302 Nice! Yeah I really liked my CRF250x. A loaner would be awesome. There are a few dealers in the area that have them we want to talk to.
Yeah if you know anyone who would loan us a Xtrainer....let us know haha.
Just got mine today . Had a 09 yz250f n 450r
Nice. Its one of our top 5 favorite dirt bikes.
I like the YZ250x I still might get one, as for mods I would probably do the hydro clutch and buy a kit for E start.
MotoSport ADV if I keep the bike much longer those are the two mods I am thinking about. E start more than the hydro clutch...
Logan Eversole I gave this a lot of thought before buying my Husky 150. Those items you mention (e-start and hydro clutch) are what make the KTM/Husky better and more expensive. Because the Yami was cheaper and didn’t have some of those great features, it doesn’t make it good value IMO.
@@LoganEversole I have a magura hydro clutch on mine and it's not much difference. If I didn't already have the clutch I would not have done it.
@@seanwahl1000 Interesting... that is really good feedback. I think I would do the E Start before the clutch.
@@supergarball I can see that. I still think that they ride different enough that someone who enjoys the YZ enough would say its worth it to buy and mod it, over getting a KTM/Husky.
Initially , how much changing did you have to do with the jetting ? My 20 I haven’t been able to get right . I’m about 1000 elevation , if I’m riding pretty aggressive it’s fine but when I get in the technical stuff the bike loads up and foils
Yeah Logan didn’t want to mess with the jetting and opted to go with a lectron carb. We ride anywhere from 2000 ft to 10000ft
Backcountry Life ahhhh soo much praise for the lectron, has it given him any issues ?
So the only issue I have had with them is they are a bit cold blooded. But overall I have been happy with the couple of ones I have had.
Backcountry Life haha by cold blooded what do you mean ? Don’t work well in colder weather ?
When it’s cold it’s harder to start.
That's my next bike!
It’s such a sweet bike
Didn't really talk about the Lectron carb vs. stock.
Yeah, we should have. Thanks for noticing!
@@BackcountryLife Makes a good excuse for another video! ;-)
I like to power wheelie as well as slow clutch wheelies. Will the 250x be good for doing and practicing wheelies?
ok i am 38 usedto ride yz80s asa kid , have not ridden in over 20 years im diving back in, im 5 foot 9 220lbs a bit out of shape and over weight and stuggling to figure out weathger to buy the yz125 or the 250x. and toughts for me would be greatly apprecieated
both are great bikes. The 250x you can short shift it and it will allow you to lug it better than the 125. However, the 250 can be a fire-breathing dragon if you are not careful. The YZ125 will be harder to ride slow but WAY less intimidating when under power.
@@BackcountryLife yea I think do the 125 until I Master it. Then upgrade to thec250 after after get my sea legs under me as 2p plus years of rust is a while lot of rust lol
@@jcsquared1111 sounds like a good plan!
The Yamaha is still a good bike and several thousands cheaper than the KTM to purchase and parts are cheaper also
Iron Thumb it is a really good bike. Like I say in the video, my favorite so far. But even used we still paid a lot. Not KTM new, but still a good chunk of cash. Also, it seems harder to find some of the mods. There seems to be more mods available for KTMs. Haven’t noticed that the YZ mods are significantly cheaper. I’ll have to pay attention to that.
@@LoganEversole What mods do you mean? I've had 5 yz250s and 1 yz250x so I have a pretty good grasp on mod availability.
@@seanwahl1000 I don't remember all of the ones we were looking at but it seemed like there were several available for the KTM but not the Yamaha. One in particular was an upgraded chain guide guard because we ride a lot of rocks. If you have any recommendations of good mods I would love to take a look.
@@LoganEversole TM Designs and Brp just off the top of my head make one.
Keep in mind (and I'm not knocking on ktm this is just fact) ktm over the years has made their bikes lighter and lighter. They do so by making the parts lighter which means they are usually easier to break. You wont find an exhaust flange guard for yzs because they don't break, same with chain guard mounting tabs. I have never bent a rear rotor or a chain guide beyond repair (we ride a lot of rocks but it's low speed so maybe that's why.)
My point is, you will not need to spend money on some of the same protective parts as your ktm buddies. I would just do the bare minimum unless you know something is bound to break.
I have bent a shit load of front rotors though so a front guard would be a good idea. lol!
How would this bike be in the more open Ca desert, back in 85' I had an 85'cr500, which was great back then when I was much younger, I'm wanting a lighter 2t bike now. but, still have some good topend speed.
the YZ250x really shines in the wide open desert. I feel like this is the best place to ride this bike.
My height is around 5 foot 8 - 5 foot 9 would a 2016 YZ250X suit my height or would it be too tall ?
Yeah you will be fine. Logan is 5'9.
I wish the YZ had a electric start
Gavin B I wish it did too #yamaha
It would be nice, but then it would be 10 pounds heavier
Why not just install an estart and drop the suspension and inch or 2?
Yeah you could do that. If you lower the suspension it changes the geometry of the dirt bike which can suck.
I wanna sell my beta 300rr so I can get one of these
The YZ250x is a fun bike
CodyB93 I haven't ridden the 300rr yet but as you can tell from the video, I really love the YZ250x. Actually I'd love to try the 300rr race edition.