2025 Yamaha YZ250FX Review: 11 Fast Facts From the Trails

July 28, 2025

The Yamaha YZ250FX is a long-time favorite of mine. When it was introduced 10 years ago, I quickly identified it as my favorite dirt bike of all time. Now, this is coming from the perspective of a trail rider rather than a racer. Trail riding for me varies from mountainous single-track with occasional high exposure to flying across the open desert. The 450s of the day were untamed, and the YZ250FX was a manageable alternative that still delivered plenty of power, superb handling, and excellent suspension.

Since then, the Honda CRF250RX (2019) and Kawasaki KX250X (2021) have joined the fun. At the same time, electronic tuning has made the 450 off-road racers much more rider-friendly, as evidenced by my test of the 2025 Yamaha YZ450FX earlier this year. Is the seriously revised 2025 Yamaha YZ250FX still my favorite dirt bike? Along with other off-road-inclined staff members, I put a good amount of time on the new YZ250FX to find an answer to that question.

The 2025 Yamaha YZ250FX list of updates is headed by a new frame—a modified version of the YZ250F aluminum twin-spar unit. Yamaha engineers tuned the flex for off-road riding, changed the engine mount, and gave the FX its own subframe. The superb KYB suspension travel is now half an inch shorter at both ends this year, though the seat height remains unchanged at 37.6 inches. The new frame helped cut a couple of pounds from the YZ250FX, and it now hits the scales at 243 pounds.

The ergonomics get updated this year, and for the better. The radiator shrouds are narrower, and the fuel tank is slimmer, so it’s less bulky between your legs. The seat is flatter, and the rider triangle opened a bit, resulting in a sitting-on-top feel. The changes make it easier to shift your weight around compared to the sit-in feel of previous-generation YZ250FXs.

The new chassis is an unqualified success. It’s a considerable improvement, delivering the perfect balance of stability and agility. Thanks to the new ergonomics, the bike feels lighter and easier to maneuver on technical single-track trails. I have absolute trust in the front end in corners, even the dreaded loose, sandy ones. Fortunately, it retains its 6th gear manners in the desert, tracking straight on fast sections. With the essentials covered, the new YZ250FX dispenses with any terrain you throw at it. Confidence reigns in the absence of unpredictability. This is an easy motorcycle to ride.

The KYB suspension on the YZ250FX is ideal for trail riding. Although the seat height isn’t lower, the shorter suspension travel drops the center of gravity for improved handling. For a performance-oriented trail rider, the stock suspension is spot-on. The factory settings are perfect for my 170-pound frame, and the action on the Speed Sensitive System fork is plush yet highly resistant to bottoming out. Whether the trail was infested with rocks, whoops, or roots, the YZ250FX’s suspension did its best to smooth things out. Modest air is also child’s play for the KYB suspension, and the action makes the most of the bike’s excellent Dunlop Geomax MX33 tires. All of this adds up to confidence, and more fun on the trail.

I had the startling experience of coming up on a washout at about 40 mph in the desert, and the YZ250FX’s power and suspension bailed me out. While I was able to avoid catastrophe by pinning the throttle to get some air—thankfully, I was riding in aggressive mode—I did hit hard into the opposite uphill side. Even though I was slammed into the handlebar clamp pad, I did not crash or break anything on me or the bike. I can’t give you a better testimony than that.

The YZ250FX’s engine is almost flawless. There are two maps to choose from—blue light on and blue light off. With the light off, the FX has a much more aggressive manner, winding it up in five-digit rev counts with ease—great fun. It’s perfect for those runs in the desert, up huge hills, or on dirt roads between single-track trails. When you hit technical trails, push the button on the left handlebar to turn the blue light on. This signals the switch to the mellower power map. In the blue light mode, the engine is docile at low rpm, allowing you to make short work of the trickiest trails. Don’t worry—there’s still plenty of mid-range and high-rpm power. You just have to be a bit patient for the engine to spin up to maximum output in a wonderfully linear fashion.

There are two flaws. The motor is very loud, and you pretty much have to be in neutral to start it, even when the engine is warm. Clutch drag seemed to be the culprit in the latter case, though the clutch was never an issue when underway. The YZ250FX never stalled unexpectedly, and the clutch withstood our mild abuse on technical trails.

The Yamaha Power Tuner App has been updated for user friendliness. Pairing it with your smartphone via WiFi is a breeze—just make sure you have the factory password handy the first time. The new plain English mapping options encourage experimentation. There are still two tables—EFI and ignition—each featuring 16 highly adjustable settings to accommodate the needs of the Sheldons among us. Three-level plus off traction control is set via the app. Disappointingly, you can’t change it on the fly. You can also set a lower rev limit in 500 rpm increments if you don’t want to access 13,000 rpm or so. The app also helps with maintenance, has a race log, and the map button on the handlebar can be programmed as a track timer. It’s all as simple or complex as you like.

A 250 needs a six-speed transmission, and the YZ250FX has it. Sure, there are moments when I want a lower first gear or higher sixth—that’s true on any bike. However, the wide-ratio gearbox makes it easy to ride the YZ250FX. The broad spread of power reduces the need to change gears, while the choice of six ratios lets you make the most of that broad powerband. The only thing missing is a quickshifter—c’mon, it’s 2025!

Yamaha packed the YZ250FX with model-specific features that trail riders will appreciate. The 2.1-gallon fuel tank will satisfy most owners—even desert trail riders who put on plenty of miles. When you see that low-fuel light, you’ll be on thin ice after 10 miles. The 18-inch rear wheel, composite skid plate, kickstand, and sealed O-ring chain are all what you expect on a bike like this. Our test bike had GYTR Rebound Hand Guards by Cycra. They’re the folding type and are great for fending off branches and roost—a worthwhile $95 accessory.

The 2025 Yamaha YZ250FX is a trail bike ready to pack on the smiles. If your idea of a trail ride is pushing the envelope just beyond a comfortable margin, and you want a machine with the light weight, power, and chassis to indulge you, this motorcycle is tough to beat. This latest iteration of the YZ250FX excels in a broad range of conditions, and allows you to tailor the power delivery and suspension to your liking. For me, the 450s and competing 250s from Japan are much closer to the YZ250FX than they used to be. I’m not going to be doing a seven-bike shootout to figure out if the YZ250FX is the best. It doesn’t matter—it’s enough that it is a great trail bike and I can ride it as fast as I care to go.

Photography by Don Williams

RIDING STYLE

Helmet: Alpinestars SM5
Goggles: Alpinestars Vision 5
Communications: Cardo Packtalk Pro
Pants + jersey: Alpinestars Racer
Backpack: Alpinestars Techdura Tactical Pack
Gloves: Alpinestars Supertech MX
Body armor: Alpinestars Bionic v2 Protection Jacket
Knee guards: EVS TP199
Boots: Alpinestars Tech 10 Enduro

2025 Yamaha YZ250FX Specs

ENGINE

Type: 4-stroke single
Displacement: 250cc
Bore x stroke 77.0 x 53.6mm
Compression ratio: 13.8:1
Valve train: DOHC w/ four titanium valves
Fuel delivery: Mikuni EFI w/ 44mm throttle body
Transmission: Wide-ratio 6-speed
Clutch: Wet 15-plate w/ cable actuation
Final drive: O-ring chain

CHASSIS

Frame: Twin-spar aluminum
Handlebar: Tapered aluminum w/ four-position mounting
Front suspension; travel: Fully adjustable KYB Speed-Sensitive System inverted fork; 11.8 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Linkage-assisted, fully adjustable KYB shock; 12.0 inches
Rims: Excel
Tires: Dunlop Geomax MX33
Front tire: 80/100 x 21
Rear tire: 110/110 x 18
Front brake: 270mm disc
Rear brake: 240mm disc

DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES