are you faster on your 250f than if you were on a 450f?

[Pothole]

I'm struggling here. Currently I'm on a '99 YZ400F but I'm going to upgrade. I was all hot on a YZ250 pinger, then a CRF450R..and now I'm thinking about a YZ250F. How many of you guys are faster on your 250F than a 450F due to the manageable power? I'm talking about both MX and woods..not super tight east coast woods, but standard woods with single track, fire roads, etc.

[Super_Dave_344]

Well i had a 98 yz400 & rode it till 03 & loved it!! I sold it to a freind & picked up a good used 02 250f. It was the best desition i ever made.The bike starts easier & handles better. I get around alot better on it due to the lesser power & i feel as though i go faster. You will notice a upper mid range & top end power/soeed lose compared to the 400 but if your not running wide open feilds,desert,ect then im sure youll be happy with the 250f if you get one.

[grayracer513]

It depends. Since I actually have both, I don't have to speculate that much. Tight, twisty trail areas and smaller MX tracks I am faster on the 250F. Desert, dunes, hills with a little room, I'm faster on the big bike.

The best part is not telling anyone how big it is when they ride with us for the first time. Most people think it's a 426 until we tell them. You should see their faces. ?

[Doug.]

Yes, because I can use all the power on my 250F whereas I had to be gentle with the throttle on the 450 to avoind getting out of control.

Doug

[Oouthere]

Not exactly an apples to apples comparison but I ride a WR450F and my daughter has a YZ250F. I'm faster in both trails and mx on the YZF than the WR, plus I can ride longer.

If I could replace the WR, it would be with a YZ250F.

Rich

[dirtytailpipe]

Have an 02 WR250f with the free mods and a FMF Q and love it in the tight Michigan trails. Gives a very confidant feeling and power is super smooth but strong. In the dunes you'll totally want more. Just picked up an 05 WR450f and can't wait till the snow is gone! Tight trail? WR/YZ250f rocks!!

[condog_aus]

Ive just goe from an 03 WR250F to an 04 YZ450F.

The bikes are chalk and cheese. My Opinion. The only place a 250f is quicker with an experienced pilot on board is in really , really tight stuff, requiring a lot of clutching. Almost everywhere else a 450f is faster.

When I get back on the 250f it is really under powered, although when it was my only bike I thought it ripped, except for overtaking in moto-X where it sucked up against the bigger bikes in open class races.

Now the 450f makes blowing most bikes away just a matter being in position and applying the blow torch earlier than them.

Im about 5sec quicker per 2min lap on my 450f at my motocross track and about 25 sec quicker on the 8min cross country enduro circuit per lap, which is very tight and technical with the longest straight being about 50m, but still the 450f picks up a lot of time on this track.

The one area the 250f is way better than the 450f is in the bush on steep technical down hills, its lack of compression makes it a breeze to decend without locking the rear wheel. And its so easy to start compared to the 450f which is really hard when you are tired..

My pick. Own one of each. If thats not possible I reckon an experienced rider should have a 450f and a less experienced the 250f, unless you only ride tight stuff and live real close to your favourite places.

That said the 40f in the hands of a begginner is an absolute suicide/homocide weapon.

[jdd123]

I went to a 450F because in my riding style, I prefer not to rev the engine. The 450 climbs/crawls up hills and stuff without having to rev as high. Also, my wr250 would loose power when I go to high elevations. I do not want to rejet for a weekend ride here and there. However, the wr250 bike was still good for trail and a little mx. Because of the thin air here, I was starting to reach the maximum power of the bike. The 450's on the other hand, I will never ever use full power of the bike.

The YZ is a monster compared to the WR. I bet that the YZ250F would be a blast at sea level because of it's light weight.

[MXOldtimer]

I had a 426 and now on a YZ-250F (280)

Just for a play bike open trails, desert, fire roads I'd take the 450 over a 250F any day you jut have to ride the 250F to hard and shift constantly to maintain high speeds.

Just for the track, my stock 250F was a little weak since I race an age class (open CC's) After the big bore kit my lap times ripp'd the 426. I've raced from Az to BC and haven't found a track the 280 was at a disadvantage after the first turn. A track like Honey Lake the 280 lacked against the 450's because of the longgggg sandy uphill start onto the track but after that turn it was all 280.

[Polar_Bus]

I'm struggling here. Currently I'm on a '99 YZ400F but I'm going to upgrade. I was all hot on a YZ250 pinger, then a CRF450R..and now I'm thinking about a YZ250F. How many of you guys are faster on your 250F than a 450F due to the manageable power? I'm talking about both MX and woods..not super tight east coast woods, but standard woods with single track, fire roads, etc.

I can't say I'm "faster" (I am a spode) on a 250F vs. a 450F, but I can tell you on a 250F I last 4 of 4 laps, on a 426/450F, I last 2 of 4 laps (then promptly collapse) LOL

[Crazyced]

That said the 40f in the hands of a begginner is an absolute suicide/homocide weapon.

Really! ? It's that powerfull? ?

[MaxSXrider]

I am faster and can last longer on my yz250f than I could on my yz450f. I used to take both of them to the track and after a while I was only riding the 250f...so I sold my 450f. This is only true for our local SX and MX tracks (the 450 was much better at the Millville national track). The 250f feels much lighter and is easier to manage...thus alowing me to have faster lap times and to last much longer. I think alot of others feel the same way....but put these two bikes in wide open areas or long tracks and the 450f will work much better. Just my two cents.

--Max

[beezer]

On a tight track a 250F is faster for me. The 450 is better on a more open track.

The 250F is just plain fun and for about 800 bucks you can make it quite a bit faster with a set of cams and a big bore kit.

[grayracer513]

Really! ? It's that powerfull? ?

It will get you way in over your head as soon as it thinks you're not paying enough attention, yes it will. Not for a new rider, but you don't have to be an immortal, either.

[WRookie]

I'm starting to think that I have the wrong bikes. Maybe a wr450f and a yz250f would have been a better choice. My wr feels more nimble than the 30lb lighter yz.

The 450 absolutely exhausts me but I think in the long run I will be a better rider. I know I take my fitness level a lot more serious now. ?

[Crazyced]

It will get you way in over your head as soon as it thinks you're not paying enough attention, yes it will. Not for a new rider, but you don't have to be an immortal, either.

Would be overkill at my weight, 125lb. ?

[CY_in_CA]

I have an '01 WR426 and an '04 YZ250F. The 250F is a blast to ride. I can't do much of a real comparison between these two, since the WR is so big and heavy. I do think at times I'd prefer the yz450. I don't race a lot, but when I do, I race age class, and can't keep up in the starts with the 450s.

[Polar_Bus]

I have agressively ridden and raced the following bikes, YZ250F, YZ426F YZ450F, WR250F. I weigh 152lbs, and am strictly a weekend amatueur racer. Heres how I sum up the bikes:

WR250F: MotoX,ing (forget it..The WR tranny just can't pull agressive acceleration, the best by far all around play, technical woods racer bike)

YZ250F: A perfect balance of usable power, handeling, and minimal rider fatigue.

YZ426: Excellent torque, but you feel like you are riding a John Deer tractor (HEAVY!!)

YZ450F: A BRUTAL bike if you are agressive on the throttle. If you have smooth flowing rythm, the bike can be your friend, if not, you will be continually placed in the back of the tracks' ambulance every Sunday.

Rich

[YZ250F_Rider]

All this worshiping is only valid for 04's and earlier 450's. The 05's are quite tame in comparison.

With a 262 kit, cams, pipes, and intake mods, both of our 250f's can literaly out run my 05 450. They arent way way faster, but they are faster. The 450 has a pipe and intake mods only. Throw in the extra 12 lbs of the 450, its gyro effect making tight turns hard to accomplish, and it's inability rev fast, and it's easy to understand how a 250 can be faster.

[Riel250f]

I'm struggling here. Currently I'm on a '99 YZ400F but I'm going to upgrade. I was all hot on a YZ250 pinger, then a CRF450R..and now I'm thinking about a YZ250F. How many of you guys are faster on your 250F than a 450F due to the manageable power? I'm talking about both MX and woods..not super tight east coast woods, but standard woods with single track, fire roads, etc.

Definitely faster on my 250f, and sold my 426.

Reason?

I didn't really now the proper techniques for riding in general,

and I had no business owning a 426 and trying to learn MX.

Learning the proper style and technique on a less powerful bike

has helped me so much I can't even explain.

That's why I got my TTR 125, I'm continuing to learn and

practice on my TTR PROPERLY and apply that to my 250f

race bike. This method has won me a lot of trophies so far!

?