Shootout At the Mx Corral
Shootout at The MX Corral
250cc MOTOCROSS COMPARISON
No losers, only winners as Honda’s CR250R, Kawasaki’s KX250, KTM’s 250SX, Suzuki’s RM250 and Yamaha’s YZ250 duke it out for motocross supremacy
JIMMY LEWIS
WHEN THE BULLETS HAD STOPPED FLYING AND the dust had settled, one motorcycle stood tall amidst the carnage of worn knobs, tattered graphics on scarred plastic, bent rims and the lingering smell of spent premix. For that sole survivor, victory was assured-until you considered that there was another moto to be run, with the potential for a different victor.
This conflict-the never-ending battle for 250cc motocross superiority-has been going on for decades. There have been times of outright domination and tales of hard-fought battles with heavy casualties. This year, the manufacturers refined their weapons to the highest possible state of tune. Yet after months of struggle, there was no conclusive outcome. A better resolve was necessary.
Science-could this be the answer? To obtain information through study and patience as opposed to banging of handlebars? On to the uncharted battlefield (for motocrossers, at least) of the dragstrip, where knobs contacted asphalt to let each motor prove itself in the purest of straight-line power pulls. Yet even this seemingly clinical environment failed to produce a winner, as it mainly determined only which of these short, tall bikes was least likely to flip over backward. Top-gear roll-ons twisted torque like tears from the contestants’ eyes, yet the difference could be measured in measly hundredths of a second. What to do, what to do?
On to the dynamometer. Levering a dirt-track tire onto each bike’s 19-inch rear rim and performing ear-screeching runs opened our eyes somewhat. Horsepower figures were spread over a fairly wide, 5-bhp range. Could this be the decisive factor? Not so fast: Figures for torque, a more accurate indication of a bike’s real-world performance, were even closer. Science, as revealing as it was, had failed to produce a clear-cut victor.
In the end, we returned to the moto battleground to test under the auspices of the ultimate authority-the stopwatch. We rounded up three racers-a Pro, an Intermediate and a Novice-and visited three distinctly different MX tracks: loamy, outdoorsy Glen Helen; sandy, whooped-out L.A. County Raceway; and supercrossy Starwest. Why not just time one rider at one track, like we ordinarily would with a sportbike comparison? Because unlike a paved roadrace track, which yields consistent lap times, conditions on a motocross track change constantly, and sometimes dramatically. Therefore, to offset the changing conditions, we timed all of our laps and averaged them together. Yet even then, the spread wasn’t that far. What gives?!
What we found is that every rider had a favorite bike. Go to a different track, however, and that bike might change. Get a better setup for a particular rider and watch his lap times decrease-it’s that simple. Yet more often than not, a rider’s “favorite” wasn’t the bike he was fastest on. Go figure...
What it boils down to is this: There is no such thing as a bad bike here. We're dealing with the differ ences between an A and an A-plus, like telling your daugh ter that salutatorian isn't good enough, or trying to decide which Tropicana suntan-oil girl you want to take to the beach. This year more than ever, you really can't go wrong with any of them.
Honda CR250R
Honda pays close attention to its customers' demandssometimes too close. In the case of the CR25OR's finicky aluminum chassis, too stiff suspension became too soft and now, finally, it's just right. Sure, the frame transmits more feedback to the rider than its steel-framed competitors, and in turn makes suspension settings that much more critical, but neither trait can be considered a fault. The motor's new, friendly approach loses out in zippiness, but rewards with loads of power where you need it. Getting the rear tire to hook up is easy, and there's screaming boost when you're ready for it, not beforehand as in years past.
As with all the 250cc MXers this year, the CR's ride height is critical. Honda initially recommended 98-100mm of rear-suspension sag with the rider on board, which works well if the track isn't too rough. If the ride gets jarring, try 95mm, which lets the rear of the bike ride higher and forces the fork, which feels as though it's too stiff, into the bumps. Whoa! Whole new CR.
One oddity is the fact that the red bike weighs the least on the scale yet feels the heaviest on the track. It also feels widest in the mid-section, due to its twin-spar frame layout. Ergonomics are comfortable for everyone, but especially so for larger and heavier riders. The CR felt the tightest at the end of our comparison, wimpy chain and stop-signed rear rim notwithstanding. And if you ever wondered how much engineering goes into a CR, check out the rear lower chain roller: It rides on bearings and is cut out to have a two-stage effect on the chain during deceleration. Honda's attention to detail is, as always, intensive.
Kawasaki KX250
Throw the winner in the trash can and make a new one? Good thing Kawasaki did or they'd be in a world of hurl right now. Riding the new KX back-to-back with the `98 model is like drinking a day-old Coke-no pizzazz. But that's all right, you don't sacrifice the Bark-o-lounger plushness of last year's model. The electronics tying the carbure tor to the ignition help the KX make the most rewarding, throaty, get-up-and-go power in the class. Losing traction is actually hard to do. And the more traction you have, the stronger the KX runs. It may not win in a seat-of-the-pants power comparison, but it wins in usability-the one area that everyone improved upon this year.
Overall, the green machine has a softer ride than any ol the other bikes, yet bottoming isn't any more of a concern. Progressive springs front and rear allow a suppleness on the smaller bumps while saving you on the big crushers. The only downside is that the bike can feel a bit wallowy, or ride a bit low-something you'd never notice without a back-toback comparison.
If there was one facet of the KX that drew more com plaints than any other, it was missed shifts. But in truth, the KX's gearbox isn't really that bad; the others just work bet ter. Blame the much improved Yamaha. The other com plaint centered on the strange hump-shaped seat; some riders wished for more padding.
For the KX, it’s been a big change from last year. And good thing, too: In the world of motocross, last year might as well be eons ago.
KTM 250SX
Don’t label the KTM an enduro bike showing up at the motocross races anymore. It is a dead-serious motocrosser, even if it still has mounts for a centerstand on the frame. If you’re a numbers person, the KTM might not impress you. But remember, back when the Austrian mill put out 45 horsepower we called it slow; now it’s fast and the dyno masks it. The meat of the KTM’s power is in the midrange, where you need it. Slower-revving down low than the others in this group, the Katoom makes smooth, torquey power, with a bit less top-end surge. Sounds boring-but not at the end of a long moto, it isn’t.
Light weight goes a long way for the KTM, placing it right up there with the Suzuki in terms of flickability. And if there is an area where the KTM shines, it is handling. If you even think about turning, jumping or sliding, the KTM does so right now, precisely as you asked. The layout is roomy and thin, and suspension calibration is spoton. It has to be: Even if the frame geometry were perfect, the fork and shock have work great to yield control this good. there’s any drawback to the chassis, it’s that the light feel lets the bike seem dancy.
The KTM’s gearbox drew the primary complaints. Full-power shifts are difficult due to the undercut gear dogs, even with the superb feel and action of the hydraulic clutch. The brakes drew some criticism, too; the front stopper is only average, while the rear is a tad too strong, though a rider likely would become accustomed to both with time.
KTM’s 250cc motocrosser used to be write-e'Y, a quirky Euro-bike guaranteed finio? last behind all the Japanese bikes. But considering that the 250SX posted the second-quickest lap times on a few occasions during our testing shows how far it has come. All while fighting that enduro-bike heritage-a demerit whose only traces are a couple of tabs on the bottom of the frame.
Suzuki RM250
A few short years ago, the RM250 was hurting for power. Not anymore. In fact, it’s hard to imagine that the ’99 model’s power comes from anything even resembling the old engine. The RM plain rips, all the way through and everywhere-so much so that it frightens riders. Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? How much power does a rider need, anyway? Never mind: We’ll take the fullpower version, please.
We won’t call the revised suspension perfect, either. The new, inverted fork uses a straight-rate spring while the rear shock has a progressively wound spring, making for a squatting rear end. The suspension did its job tackling whatever terrain it was pointed at without much hassle, however, with no violent swapping as in years past. The bottoming resistance is as good as the CR’s, and there’s a bit more overall compliance. Add to this the lightest feel on the ground or in the air and the Suzuki balances balletic grace against brute strength.
Riding the RM, it feels as though it’s hard to hook up-but try telling that to the guy running the stopwatch when you’ve just turned your fastest lap times! Clutching, shifting and even the overall tall gearing drew no complaints. The brakes get the job done, too.
Ironically, despite consistently setting the fastest lap times, the RM drew the least favorable recommendations from our test crew. It’s hard to be the best when no one will recognize your accomplishments, but _ this is the ’99 Suzuki’s lot in life.
Yamaha YZ250
And for the most improved player award, we present the 1999 Yamaha YZ250. Is this a backhanded compliment aimed at the old YZ? No, the old YZ was good; this one is just that much better. How good? Consider the fact that Jeremy McGrath abandoned his ’98 works bike and started racing the ’99 even before factory parts were available.
The single biggest improvement is the transmission. The YZ400-style tripleshift-shaft mechanism moves the YZ
from the rear to the front of the class in terms of shift action. But don’t think that the power boost is a small improvement by comparison. The revised YZ engine rips! Throttle response is the crispest of the motors here and power delivery is smooth all the way through. You have to be a bit more careful with throttle application in the slick spots, but anyplace else, it’s whack away. The YZ’s powerband signs off a little early, but there’s ample torque for short-shifting or riding a gear tall. You just have to spend some time getting used to it.
Suspension plushness is superb for all types of conditions. For the record, we had to change the settings less on the YZ than on any of the other bikes. It’s sort of like the CR used to be, where one click of a damping adjuster makes for a big change in the overall character of the bike. But that’s okay: The standard settings work awesome.
The main complaints came from larger riders beefing about the cramped quarters. Most felt the bars were a little too close, and said they’d be looking for another top tripleclamp and possibly a taller bar. Other than that, there wasn’t anything to bark at.
The YZ is perched on a pinnacle that it hasn’t been on for a few years. Unfortunately, it just got there at the same time as everyone else.
A Final Word
It would be a disservice to rank any of the five bikes in this comparison lower than second place. They’re all that good. Rider preference made the call over outright performance every time. Pro and Expert-level riders leaned toward the CR for its stiffer suspension, but felt every motor was ready for duty. Novice riders swayed toward the Yamaha or Kawasaki for different reasons, the phrase “user-friendly” coming up a lot. Which bike should you buy? We’re tempted to reply, “What color do you like?” But what we can’t deny is that the Suzuki consistently bested the rest in lap times. Even if our testers didn’t rank it as their favorite bike, more often than not it carried them around the track fastest, and who doesn’t like that?! As one staffer surmised, “If you want to win at motocross this year, you only need two things: a Suzuki RM250 and a change of undershorts.” □
