Quick Ride

QUICK RIDE

ROUNDUP

YAMAHA SEROW Dual-purpose deceiver

WHEN THE YAMAHA SEROW XT225 first arrived at Cycle World, the skeptics among us took a quick look at the little dual-purpose motorcycle and immediately proclaimed it a fraud. How could a bike this cute and this slight, with its non-adjustable fork, tiny drum rear brake and bantam frame tubes, be anything but terrible in the dirt? One uncharitable staffer quickly labeled the Serow “the Sorrow.”

But, surprisingly, this little 225, regardless of its foo-foo styling and dainty components, is quite capable as an off-road explorer. The Serow’s Showa fork and shock absorb small and medium-sized bumps well at trail speeds, and suspension bottoming only becomes a problem if the bike is ridden at racing speeds-the 225’s 7.5-inch rear-wheel travel is its speed governor. Cranking in an additional turn or two of shock-spring preload helps, but that alone won’t make up for the bike’s minimal rearwheel travel and its lack of adjustable compression-damping.

The 8.9-inch-travel fork, on the other hand, performs amazingly well at the speeds the Serow is capable of off-road.

Another surprise is the traction provided by the 225’s Bridgestone Trail Wing tires. The skinny 21-inch front and 18-inch rear tires grip slippery ground better than some full-knobbies.

This excellent traction and the Serow’s light handling, straight-line stability and low, 32-inch seat height make this bike a wonderful choice for exploring narrow, twisty trails that lead to areas where mountain goats-like the ones pictured on each side of the Serow’s fuel tank—feel more at home than motorcycles.

And don’t worry if you stall the engine while jumping from rock to rock. Four-stroke Singles can be cantankerous beasts to restart, especially if they’ve been upside-down for a couple of moments after a tip-over. But the Serow starts instantly, hot or cold, with a simple push of the electric-starter button.

Providing huge grins off-road is only half of the Serow’s repertoire. This bike will get you to the grocery store, to school, to work or to the beach with the same genial spirit it displays offroad. Topped-out in sixth gear, the XT225’s speedometer registers only 70 mph, so arriving at your on-road destination may take a bit longer than it would on a Kawasaki ZX-11. But, then, the big ZX won’t run all week on a couple of gallons of fuel, either.

Despite its underwhelming first impressions, the do-it-all Serow turned out to be loads of fun. For $2899, there may not be a better allaround new-bike deal out there.

—Ron Griewe