L
ike most blokes my age, I grew up
on two-strokes. But then 1998
came and Yamaha sent the world
four-stroke crazy with the YZ400F.
At the same time, tightening
emission laws saw Japanese
manufacturers’ interest in
developing the humble stroker falter.
Most of the Japanese two-strokes
disappeared. Yamaha continued to pump
out the venerable YZ250 but the bike
remained largely unchanged after 2006
although the European two-stroke market
continued to thrive. KTM, Husqvarna, Gas
Gas and, more recently, Sherco and Beta
have pumped out year-on-year model
improvements without a hint of competition
from the Land of the Rising Sun.
This year’s launch of the wide-ratio
YZ250X is an acknowledgement that thereis a resurgence in the market for lightweight
mid-capacity bush weapons. Whether it be
from old timers like me who don’t have the
fi tness to be wrestling any more weight
around than they have to, or someone
chasing that instant grin from the snappy
throttle response, the two-stroke is back
and Yamaha wants a slice of the pie. But
where does the YZ250X sit against Euro
offerings like Sherco’s 250SE-R?Main: The Sherco is more forgiving- The Yam is a little snappier
- Sherco Team rider Justin Carafa
- Ben Forsyth is a stroker fan
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http://www.adbmag.com.au APRIL 2016 | 43