Blue Groove! 2022 Yamaha YZ125 and YZ250 Bike Test
2 stroke buccaneer Jordan Booker headed over to Dorna in Italy on his birthday to test out the all-new 2022 Yamaha YZ125 and YZ250’s.
Here is what he thought of them…
YZ125
I was pleasantly surprised with the YZ125. To be fair I wasn’t expecting too much, especially as I’ve been riding a KTM 150 for quite a while now. So comparing the YZ125 to that was a bit unfair because it’s obviously not a direct comparison. Having said that I’ve ridden plenty of 125’s and I’ve always enjoyed ragging the s••t out of them as much as I can. That’s the beauty of them really and I wish they’d bring back a 125 class for the pros because I think the racing would be awesome.
The stock YZ had more power than I expected but it still has something missing compared to the KTM, Husky or Gas Gas. Not a lot, but enough to be noticeable. It just lacks that bottom to mid-range hit in comparison and that’s where you need it the most if you’re going to race a 125. The top end power seems on par but you’ve got to work harder to get it there and keep more momentum around the track to try and keep it in the mid to top power range. I found I had to do more short-shifting than I maybe would on a KTM, Husky or Gas Gas for example.
The GYTR parts were a noticeable upgrade though and make a huge difference. For anyone who wants to be competitive and have a reliable package that’s had solid R&D then it’s the way to go. It really brought the bike to life, improved the power all the way through, the throttle response and revved a lot further and then you could go smaller on the gearing on the rear and give it a bit more again. It went from being a good stock bike to a race bike, so it’s cool that you have an option from Yamaha that you know works and improves the bike dramatically rather than relying on a private tuner.
The biggest thing for me though was the chassis. I was pretty blown away by the suspension and handling. I felt really good on the bike straight away and I’ve never been one for pushing it on a bike without my suspension settings how I like it and really set up for me with the valving and spring rates. I’m a bit fussy like that but these bikes are very confident inspiring out of the crate, especially after coming off the KTM. You feel really at one with the bike straight away and that you can throw it about. It’s very predictable. The most noticeable thing for me was the cornering. On my KTM I feel you’ve got to force the bike around and really lean it in and commit and be aggressive for it turns well but on the YZ’s it feels so much more well balanced. You can literally just come into a corner and ease off the brakes, get your foot out early and it will go exactly where you want it to go every single time, so I highly recommend it for that. It definitely outhandles the KTM.
YZ125 Technical Highlights
Faster and sharper model for 2022
All-new higher performance 125cc engine
Stronger mid to high rpm power, with improved usability Increased maximum power
New Keihin carburettor with TPS and power jet Redesigned YPVS
Reshaped exhaust and shorter silencer New high-efficiency air intake
Stronger 6-speed transmission, revised ratios and uprated clutch Improved gear shift feel
Lightweight aluminium frame Redesigned rear frame
New slimmer body – 36mm narrower between knees Newly designed fenders and sidepanels
Improved ergonomics with new fuel tank and flatter seat Higher performance braking system
Best-in-class KYB suspension with revised low-speed settings New Icon Blue duo-tone colours and in-mould graphics
Also available in Monster Black factory colours
YZ250
I found the 250 quite a handful, probably because I haven’t ridden a 2 stroke 250 for quite I while and I’ve got used to ragging my KTM 150 about. It’s snappy and aggressive with plenty enough for the average club rider. The GYTR kit on the 250 again definitely helped but in a different way to the 125. What it did on the 250 was make it more rideable and mellow. You could hold each gear a little bit longer. It gave it more torque and more 4 stroke like. It wasn’t pulling your arms out coming out of the turns so much and was more user friendly. That mixed with the chassis and handling made it a really fun bike to ride.
The extra weight compared with the 125 was almost unnoticeable. Like the 125, the 250 handles brilliantly in my opinion. I really do think that is the real strength of the Yamaha 2 stroke range, and arguably the 4 strokes too. For me, it was the best thing about them both because you can get your confidence up quick and let’s be honest, that’s the most important thing in any sport, especially motocross. I think even more so in club racing because at that level very rarely will a club rider get everything out of the motor on a stock bike but if you feel good on it the power isn’t so as important. I can see a club level racer feeling really good on and safe on YZ and that leads to confidence and ultimately better results.
You can tell there’s a good build quality on both bikes and all the controls are light and feel good, along with the brakes which are strong. Both bikes are crisp and responsive and the jetting was on point. I liked the riding position too, it was easy to shift weight from front to back and the 2 strokes didn’t feel as wide at the front as the YZ four-stroke range.
Fair play to Yamaha, they’re the only Japanese brand putting serious R&D into 2 strokes and competing with the KTM group and now Fantic. They’re obviously looking to bring back some of that market share and I don’t see why they won’t because they’ve produced a couple of awesome bikes and with the GYTR upgrades you’ve got the option to make them even better without any hassle other than spending the extra money. If you like riding or racing a 2 stroke like I do then you have to seriously consider going blue because they’re good at getting you in the groove from the get-go.
YZ250 Technical Highlights
250cc 2-stroke liquid-cooled YPVS motor Lightweight aluminium chassis
New high-efficiency air intake Reshaped exhaust
New slimmer body – 36mm narrower between knees Newly designed fenders and sidepanels
Improved ergonomics with new fuel tank and flatter seat Higher performance braking system
Revised KYB factory suspension settings New lighter handlebars and shorter levers
New Icon Blue duo-tone colours and in-mould graphics Also available in Monster Black factory colours
