So today I wanna talk about the Yamaha YZ250 dirt bike. Yeah, that one everyone argues about online. I had to see for myself, you know? Wasted weeks digging into this thing.
My Old Bike Kicked the Bucket
My trusty old KTM decided to die right before race season. Needed a bike fast and that blue Yamaha kept popping up cheap near me. Saw a 2018 model on this sketchy used bike lot. Looked shiny enough in the pictures, but pictures lie big time.
Showing Up Was Already a Bad Sign
Walked onto the lot. Greasy dude chewing gum points at this YZ250 looking way rougher than the ad. Dents in the pipe, plastics scratched to hell, rear tire bald as my grandpa. “Runs mint,” the guy mumbles. Yeah right.
I made him kick it over. Started third kick, I’ll give it that. Sounded mean. But then I saw:
- Leaky forks dripping oil like tears
- Brakes felt spongy as hell
- Frame had weird patches of fresh paint
Test Ride Disaster
Took it down a dirt path beside the lot. First gear pull felt strong – it lifted the front wheel easy. But when I hit the powerband? Clutch felt like grabbing wet noodles. Slipped like crazy. Got back and saw:
- Smoke puffing from the exhaust joint
- Weird grinding noise near the gearbox
- That leaky fork was now leaving puddles
The seller just shrugged. “Two-stroke things,” he says. Oh please.
Digging Deeper, Finding More Cash Pits
Didn’t buy that junker, but I checked forums, asked buddies who owned YZs. Common headaches popped up:
- Clutch basket wears out faster than cheap boots
- Stock suspension needs major work for anything serious
- Keeps eating top ends if you don’t jet it perfect
- Finding replacement plastics? Good luck without paying Yamaha tax.
Buddy of mine owns a 2020 model. Swore he spent as much fixing the clutch and redoing the suspension as he did buying the damn bike. Spent more time wrenching than riding last season.
So Is It Worth Buying?
Only if you like projects more than riding. If you find one cheap, figure it’s just the down payment. Budget for:
- A new clutch kit
- Suspension rebuild
- Top end refresh soon
- Those expensive replacement parts
Feels powerful? Sure. But it’s an old-school beast that needs constant feeding and fixing. Unless you love the sound of wrenches clinking all weekend, maybe look at something else. Don’t trust the shiny blue paint.
