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MXA BUYER’S GUIDE TO THE WIDE WORLD OF 2024 FOUR-STROKES

With the 2025 models just peeking over the horizon, it’s a good chance to catch up on the bikes that are still on the showroom floors—the 2024 250, 350 & 450 four-strokes

TWO-STROKE TUESDAY: FIRST YEAR OF THE ALUMINUM YZ250 FRAME

Yamaha spent millions of dollars on the development of the most advanced two-stroke motocross bike in motocross history at the exact moment when two-stroke sales hit the dumpster

2024 YAMAHA YZ125X VS. YZ250X: WHICH OFF-ROAD YZ-X TWO-STROKE IS BEST FOR YOU?

Yamaha offers two four-stroke cross-country models & two two-stroke models. MXA breaks down the differences between the 2024 YZ250X and YZ125X

MXA VIDEO: 2024 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE TEST

Our tune has changed… Thank you, Yamaha

YAMAHA DT-1: THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO MOTOCROSS

The wild and wacky story of how Yamaha got into the dirt bike business and the cast of characters that made it a success

TWO-STROKE TUESDAY: 2004 HONDA CR250 VERSUS YAMAHA YZ250

No offense to Kawasaki, Suzuki and KTM, but their combined motocross bike sales didn’t equal one-half of the numbers put up by Yamaha and Honda in 2004

Ride Engineering Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke

MXA VIDEO: WE TEST RIDE ENGINEERING’S PROJECT YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

This Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke was purpose-built to be crisp, clean, light and fun. It has Ride Engineering triple clamps, linkage and brakes, Twisted Development engine and carb mods, Enzo suspension and more

IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR! THE WRECKING CREW’S FAVORITE YAMAHA TWO-STROKE PROJECT BIKES

There is no time limit on the love between a man and his first two-stroke—and when a two-stroke has been in production since 1974, like the YZ125/YZ250, it has a devoted congregation hoping to pay homage to the past with their own Yamaha project bikes

WE RIDE A HOT-ROD YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

The Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke is a timeless testament to, “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.”

MXA RETRO TEST: TIM FERRY’S “UNFACTORY” 2000 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

Tim Ferry and Jeremy McGrath may have been on the same Mazda/Chaparral Yamaha team, but they didn’t get the same bike

WISECO’S BEAUTIFUL YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE PROJECT BUILD

A clean looking, well-prep, 2023 YZ250 two-stroke, that doesn’t have any crazy mods, just stuff that can be set-up to be better than what comes stock.

MXA VIDEO: WE TEST THE 2023 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

The Yamaha YZ250 is tried-true-and-blue. We appreciate the Kayaba SSS forks, smooth engine, and recently updated bodywork

MOTOCROSS ACTION’S 2023 TWO-STROKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Thinking about switching to a smoker? The market for two-strokes is flush with race bikes built for riders as young as 4 years old all the way up to senior citizens

MXA RACE TEST: THE REAL TEST OF THE 2023 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

If Yamaha wanted to engage in a horsepower war with the Austrian bike, they would have no choice but to pursue KTM’s stronger pull from idle to the middle, but going all-out to match the KTM 250SX would be a mistake

BUDGET BIKE SHOOTOUT: 2023 SUZUKI RM-Z250 FOUR-STROKE “VERSUS” YAMAHA YZ125 TWO-STROKE

You may not think they are comparable, but the AMA rulebook says they are. Which one is better?

BEHIND THE BLUE CURTAIN: INSIDE JODY’S PERSONAL YZ250 TWO-STROKE BUILD

What one man did to his old smoker. Why would an MXA test rider want a 2014 Yamaha YZ250 when he could just race MXA’s 2023 YZ250?

MXA RACE TEST: THE REAL TEST OF THE 2022 YAMAHA YZ250

The 2022 Yamaha YZ250 got a much-needed facelift, but the lack of engine upgrades or weight savings means that the new YZ250 didn’t close the power gap on the 2022 KTM 250SX

THE “MUST-READ” MOTOCROSS ACTION 2022 125 TWO-STROKE SHOOTOUT

When Yamaha introduced a brand-new YZ125 for 2022, it was imperative that we schedule the 125s for a rematch. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a 2022 TM 125MX because of COVID-related issues in Holland

MXA RETRO TEST: WE RIDE JOHN DOWD’S 1998 MOTOCROSS DES NATIONS YZ250

And, while we were there to ride John Dowd’s MXDN YZ250, we decided to ride Doug Henry’s YZ400 team bike also

ON THE RECORD: COMPLETE TEST OF THE 2000 YAMAHA YZ250

The 2000 Yamaha YZ250 was a seamless blend of usability

ON THE RECORD: MXA’S 2004 250 TWO-STROKE MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT

We flashback to when all the Japanese manufactures made two-stroke dirt bikes. This is the complete 2004 RM250 vs. YZ250 vs. CR250 vs. KX250 vs. KTM brawl

FIRST LOOK! 2022 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE GETS A LONG AWAITED UPDATE

The YZ250 two-stroke receives an enhanced lightweight braking system, updated suspension settings, improved ergonomic design and modern YZ styling

ON THE RECORD: COMPLETE TEST OF THE 2001 YAMAHA YZ250

Yamaha was the first motorcycle manufacturer to figure out that it’s not how much power you make, but how you make it.

MXA RACE TEST: THE REAL TEST OF THE 2021 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

The best thing about the YZ250 is that Yamaha keeps making it. Yamaha’s last Japanese two-stroke competitor said, “Sayonara” 12 years ago

ON THE RECORD: 2004 HONDA CR250 VERSUS YAMAHA YZ250

Time has a way of blurring the rear-view vision of motocross fans. What’s better a 2004 Honda or 2004 Yamaha? We not surprised that you don’t know the correct answer

MXA RACE TEST: THE REAL TEST OF 2020 YAMAHA YZ250X CROSS-COUNTRY

One caveat: if you buy a YZ250X and port the cylinder, mill the head and add an aftermarket pipe, you might as well have bought a YZ250 and saved the money

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

Yamaha is back with their YZ250 two-stroke. No, it hasn’t changed. Yes, we’re still testing it

ON THE RECORD: COMPLETE TEST OF THE 2006 YAMAHA YZ250

Our prescription? Pop one Yamaha YZ250 under your fanny and kiss the four-stroke doldrums goodbye

YAMAHA YZ250X TWO-STROKE: WHAT’S IT GOOD FOR?

The Yamaha YZ250X two-stroke is a half cross-country, half motocross model

MXA TECH SPEC: 10 THINGS ABOUT THE 2020 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

It was an Edison light-bulb moment back in 2006 when Kayaba switched the YZ250 forks from 70-percent position-sensitive damping to 90-percent speed-sensitive damping. It became the Holy Grail of motocross suspension

FIRST LOOK! 2021 YAMAHA TWO- & FOUR-STROKE MOTOCROSS MODELS

The big focus for the Yamaha engineers was updating the 2021 Yamaha YZ250F— here are the changes they made to all their motocross bikes

FIRST LOOK! 2021 YAMAHA OFF-ROAD & TRAIL MODELS

We snuck in a bunch of other 2021 Yamaha models while we were at it. Check them out!

MXA RETRO TEST: WE RIDE CHAD REED’S 2004 YAMAHA YZ250

In 2004 Team Yamaha asked MXA to ride Chad Reed’s Supercross-winning Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke — That was a day to remember

MXA RACE TEST: THE REAL TEST OF THE 2020 YAMAHA YZ250

“I was excited because I really enjoy the bike, but confused about why MXA was testing a bike that hadn’t changed in 14 years” —Josh Mosiman

SWORDS OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS: WEAPONS OF BRADSHAW, VILLOPOTO, TEDESCO & PASTRANA

The personal two-stroke race bikes of the stars of the past — they could race anything they wanted, but they prefer two-strokes

TWO VS. FOUR SHOOTOUT: YZ250 TWO-STROKE VS. YZ250F FOUR-STROKE

You asked for it! A YZ250 versus YZ250F shootout like no other — read it to learn why

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2020 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

It may not have changed much between 2019 and 2020, or 2006 and 2020 for that matter, but sometimes a Golden Oldie shouldn’t be messed with

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2019 SMOKERS

Looking for a smoker? You came to the right place. This is MXA’s performance guide to the 2019 two-strokes (which in most cases means the 2020 two-stroke models also)

MXA RESTORES A 2005 YAMAHA YZ250 BACK TO FIGHTING FITNESS

Do you know what the best-selling motocross bike on planet earth is? Wrong. It is used Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke

MXA RACE TEST: 2019 YZ250X CROSS-COUNTRY

The YZ250X isn’t the best 250cc two-stroke offroad racer or the best 250cc two-stroke motocross bike—but it might be the best all-around 250 two-stroke for a guy who wants to do it all

FIRST LOOK! 2020 YAMAHA YZ250, YZ125, YZ85, YZ65 TWO-STROKE MODELS

2020 Yamaha smokers!

FIRST LOOK! 2020 YAMAHA OFF-ROAD YZ125X, YZ250X, YZ250FX, YZ450FX MODELS

Yamaha release the YZ125X two-stroke as an all-new model for their off-road lineup

MXA RACE TEST: 2019 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

The 2006-2019 Yamaha YZ250 is a remedy for the four-stroke doldrums — pop one Yamaha YZ250 under your fanny and kiss the doldrums goodbye

BEST TWO-STROKE DIRT BIKES FROM 1980-2000

Did you own any of these 125cc or 250cc winners throughout the two decades?

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO | 2019 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

Underneath the YZ250’s clothes it’s virtually the same bike since 2006. Although we still have just as much fun riding it

WE RIDE L.A. SLEEVE’S YAMAHA YZ300 “RIP & GRIP” BIG-BORE KIT

AMA Pro racing will never give the two-stroke a fair shake in the political milieu of Supercross and the AMA Nationals. And that is where the story might have ended, but this is a do-it-yourself sport

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO | 2019 YAMAHA YZ250X TWO-STROKE

If it’s a two-stroke we will ride it. Doesn’t matter if it is on a motocross track, GNCC terrain, hill climbs, or wide open down the back alley

WE RIDE A FACTORY MECHANIC’S 2013 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

You might think that the best bikes to aspire to ride are those of the factory stars. Wrong! The best bikes to ride are those owned by the factory stars’ mechanics

WE TEST THE 2005 YAMAHA YZ250

Yamaha spent millions of dollars on the development of the most advanced two-stroke motocross bike in motocross history at the exact moment when two-stroke sales hit the dumpster

FIRST LOOK! 2019 YAMAHA YZ250, YZ125 & ALL-NEW YZ85

We have been waiting 17 years for a new Yamaha YZ85, and it is finally here! As for the YZ125 & YZ250, they are identical as the 2018 models, save for BNG