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250 SHOOTOUT

Track Tested | 2020 SML 250 MX Shootout

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Rider Impressions

Pat Foster

Age: 42

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 180 lbs.

Ability: Pro

Bikes recently ridden: 2020 Yamaha YZ450F

  1. Yamaha YZ250F
  2. Kawasaki KX250
  3. Honda CRF250R
  4. KTM 250 SX-F
  5. Husqvarna FC 250
  6. Suzuki RM-Z250

“Yamaha has established such a solid foundation with class-leading suspension, excellent handling, and the strongest power delivery from low-end through mid-range that it is a clear winner for me in 2020. The quick power down low pulls hard and is so efficient at getting power to the ground while the rest of the class hesitates briefly building revs. It may not have the most top end, but the low- and mid-range is sp strong that the Yamaha has already separated itself from the pack. The suspension is smooth, predictable, and offers adequate bottoming resistance, making it the most well-rounded bike for 2020.”

 

Rene Garcia

Age: 19

Height/Weight: 5’10”, 155 lbs.

Ability: Pro

Bikes recently ridden: 2019 Yamaha YZ250F

  1. Yamaha YZ250F
  2. Honda CRF250R
  3. Kawasaki KX250
  4. KTM 250 SX-F
  5. Husqvarna FC 250
  6. Suzuki RM-Z250

“The Yamaha YZ250F is a bit ahead in the class with great suspension, an awesome motor, and an amazing chassis. In the shootouts, we are always asked to remove comfort and familiarity from our final evaluation, and whether I raced a Yamaha or not last season, the YZ250F is simply the best all-around package available. The versatility that the engine has with the Power Tuner app is unbeatable, and on top of it, the Yamaha produces the most effective on-track power as delivered!

Second, third, and fourth were all really close for me as most of the other manufacturers went for mid- to top-end powerbands, but for me, the Honda was the most comfortable of the rest of the bikes. Now if everyone else would develop a smartphone app, it would really become a hard decision.”

 

Cole King

Age: 28

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 160 lbs.

Ability: Novice

Bikes recently ridden: 2016 Kawasaki KX250

  1. Yamaha YZ250F
  2. Honda CRF250R
  3. Kawasaki KX250
  4. KTM 250 SX-F
  5. Husqvarna FC 250
  6. Suzuki RM-Z250

“Today I went with the Yamaha YZ250F. The bike is unchanged from last year because there isn’t a thing that they needed to improve upon. The power is abundant and with all the adjustments you can make with your phone, you can literally fine-tune it perfectly as you wish. The suspension is outstanding and clearly better than the rest and the YZ250F is race-ready as delivered. The Honda was a close second. It wasn’t quite as powerful as the Yamaha and that’s the only thing that held it to second as the suspension was well planted and the bike handled great everywhere. With a little more motor, the CRF250R could easily be best in class.”

Donn Maeda

Age: 51

Height/Weight: 5’9″, 175 lbs.

Ability: Intermediate

Bikes recently ridden: 2019 Yamaha YZ250F

  1. Honda CRF250R
  2. Yamaha YZ250F
  3. Kawasaki KX250
  4. KTM 250 SX-F
  5. Husqvarna FC 250
  6. Suzuki RM-Z250

“Last year, I chose the Honda CRF250R as my favorite, just because it was so much fun to ride. It wasn’t the fastest bike by any means, but it handled so amazingly well that I just fell in love. When it came time to race a 250, though, I chose the Yamaha YZ250F because I knew that it had the most power and was an excellent all-around bike. This year, I knew that the Yamaha YZ250F would take top honors overall, but with the Honda being so much better than last year’s, there was no way I couldn’t choose it. The new CRF250R is more powerful and has a very well-rounded powerband, as well as the best handling package for me at my pace. I’m looking forward to seeing how well the red bike responds to some motor mods, that’s for sure.”

Austin Schott

Age: 30

Height/Weight: 6′, 175 lbs.

Ability: Intermediate

Bikes recently ridden: 2020 KTM 250 SX-F

  1. Yamaha YZ250F
  2. Honda CRF250R
  3. KTM 250 SX-F
  4. Kawasaki KX250
  5. Husqvarna FC 250
  6. Suzuki RM-Z250

“Honestly, it was a tough call for me between the Yamaha YZ250F and Honda CRF250R. When I rode them back to back, my decision would sway each time, depending on which bike I was on. Ultimately, I went with the Yamaha because of the way I fit on the bike. Ergonomically, it is just right. Being a taller guy, I just felt that much better on it and I absolutely loved the power of the YZ250F. I feel I have an aggressive riding style and the bike suits me just right. The Honda meanwhile, handles flawlessly and is hands-down the most fun bike to ride. A little more power down low and it will dethrone the Yamaha.”

Cody Whitsett

Age: 22

Height/Weight: 5’8″, 130 lbs.

Ability: Pro

Bikes recently ridden: 2018 Husqvarna FC 250

  1. KTM 250 SX-F
  2. Husqvarna FC 250
  3. Yamaha YZ250F
  4. Kawasaki KX250
  5. Honda CRF250R
  6. Suzuki RM-Z250

“Just like last year, the decision came down to the two Austrian motorcycles and the Yamaha. I give the slight edge to the Husqvarna and KTM again this year as they both feel like the most race-ready bikes for me. Other than the fork, I’d feel the most comfortable lining up on the gate on the KTM 250 SX-F, followed closely by the Husqvarna FC 250. The Yamaha is a great bike with awesome suspension and a great powerplant, however, the bike feels a lot larger and heavier than the other two and that is something I cannot adapt to. If it were thinner, the Yamaha would be my favorite.”

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Donn Maeda

Donn Maeda is a 30-year veteran in moto-journalism, having worked at Cycle News and Dirt Rider before launching MXracer Magazine and TransWorld Motocross Magazine. Maeda is the Editor-In-Chief at Swapmoto Live and you can catch him on a dirt bike or in the saddle of a mountain bike on most days.

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