Yamaha's Screamin' Little Thumper

YAMAHA’S SCREAMIN’ LITTLE THUMPER

Look closely. Study the rear-fender decal. That’s right, what appears to be an ’01 YZ426F is actually Yamaha’s latest four-stroke motocrosser-the liquid-cooled, titanium-valved, 13,500-rpm YZ250F. Eligible for the 125cc class at AMA Nationals, the mini-Thumper is essentially a shrink-wrapped version of the YZ426F, right down to its dohc, five-valve cylinder head. Engine parts, however, are not interchangeable. Suggested retail price is $5499, and dry weight is reportedly less than that of most twostroke 250s. Test riders initially compared the bike to the YZ125, but soon brought out the YZ250 to keep the little Thumper in sight. Company spokesmen say the four-stroke is actually faster than the two-stroke at some tracks, and more fun to ride. If you’ve ever ridden a small four-stroke, you’ll understand what they’re saying-wide-open and winging! And no, trail riders won’t be left out: A WR250F goes into production in January.

Jimmy Lewis