Yamaha XT250

The Specs

Price: $4690
Engine/trans: 249-cc air-cooled single/5M
Horsepower: 16
Weight: 271 pounds
Suspension travel, F/R: 8.9/7.1 inches Seat height: 33.0 inches
0–60 mph: 9.82 seconds
1/4-mile: 17.20 seconds @ 70.63 mph
60–0 braking: 143.80 feet
Fuel economy: 52.77 mpg

The Good

• The Yamaha was the least expensive bike here, but it certainly didn’t feel cheap. While it has just two more horsepower than the Honda, our test team noticed the XT250 felt much stronger. “The Yamaha is small but gutsy,” Hyneman says. The XT250 proved to be a great rock crawler, and with almost no learning curve and near 53-mpg fuel efficiency, it’s probably a great commuter too.

The Not-So-Good

• The distance from the seat to the foot pegs is 19.5 inches, the shortest here. So if you are 6 feet tall, this makes for a cramped cockpit. The rear suspension seemed too soft for heavier adults. Like the Honda, fast and rough off-road riding overwhelm the suspension’s damping ability, and the motor doesn’t have enough power to keep pace with the bigger bikes on the highway.

The Bottom Line

• A near twin to the Honda but in a more powerful, more intermediate-level package. For an extra $1400, Yamaha offers the WR250R with a lot more giddyup—a better choice for hardcore dirt riders.

Best Suited For

• Beginner to intermediate.