2022 Yamaha YZ250F First Ride Impressions

2022 YZ250F first ride impressions: Feels like a '21YZ250F!
There were only small changes made to the '22 YZ250F. I could notice slightly firmer fork valving which reduced fork dive under hard braking. The rear shock feels so stiff on the showroom floor (barely moves) but breaks in quickly and works fine on the track. The KYB suspension still sets the bar for control, comfort, and simply works great for a wide range of rider skills and weights. The rear wheel has a new 3-cross spoke pattern and is now identical to the YZ450F wheel with a 2.15" wide rear rim and 110/90 x 19" Dunlop MX33 tire. Yamaha claims the new rear spoke pattern offers better comfort though I did not notice this change. I could feel the better traction of the bigger rear tire. I am not a big fan of the Dunlop M33 tires which have a stiffer sidewall feel (more track feedback) and the front MX33 does not offer the same level of traction compared to a Dunlop MX3S tire.

The engine has no changes and still has strong partial throttle and mid range roll on response for a 250F. Throttle response is 2-stroke quick and snappy. I like the "Hard Hitting" map which quickens up the throttle response a little more and feels good on loamy dirt. The YZ250F is still very loud overall and the extra holes in the air box cover make the intake noise even more noticeable.

The ergos are unique on the YZ250F but generally feel a little cramped. The handlebars come in the forward position which does bring the rider forward on the bike and also makes getting to the compression clickers on the forks difficult. The footpegs feel forward and close to the seat. The seat is thin and the bars are tall so you feel like you are sitting down into the bike. Many riders move the bar mounting clamps back to the rear hole on the top clamp. For me at 6' 2" tall I need the bars forward so I would leave them in the forward mounting hole and get footpegs that are moved down and back to open up the cockpit. Brakes felt controllable with good power. Clutch pull is smooth and light. Pro Taper bars are stock and so is a gold colored drive chain. The Monster Edition plastic and graphics look great in person. The green Monster claws really stand out. I really like the Yamaha Tuner phone app - easy to set up and load maps and change between Map 1 and Map 2 on the fly. Also easy to keep track of maintenance on the app.

From the first ride on the '22 YZ250F:
The changes are subtle for the '22 YZ250F but nice to see Yamaha continuing to refine a championship and shootout winning bike. I will have a '22 Honda CRF250R soon. Going to be fun to see if the Honda can knock off the blue bike and become by favorite 250F!