2025 Yamaha YZ250FX

If you asked Yamaha’s off-road department what was new for 2025, they would likely point you to the YZ250FX. Big blue’s 250cc four-stroke cross-country racer receives the bulk of the R&D for the new year, the YZ250FX receiving an all-new aluminum bilateral beam frame, new air intake design, revised suspension settings, and all-new four-level traction control system housed in a new handlebar-mounted multifunction switch. Slimmer bodywork and revised ergonomics complete the package, bestowing basically all the updates given to the 2024 YZ250F to its off-road sibling, the YZ250FX.

The YZ250FX shares a platform with the YZ250F motocrosser, even if their development progress is separated by a model year, such as the case here. What worked on the already-proven YZ250F is bound to also improve the YZ250FX, which is essentially a motocross bike tuned for greater off-road dexterity. The FX features a six-speed wide-ratio gearbox (versus the five-speed close-ratio transmission of the 250F), an 18-inch rear wheel (versus a 19-inch), and features dedicated engine mapping and suspension settings that make it more versatile for off-road racing. The FX also adds a skid plate, a sealed O-ring chain, and a kickstand to help fortify it for off-track use.

The YZ250FX is still a dynamo on the motocross track, as the subtle touches that give it the “X” at the end of its name do very little to diffuse the hard-hitting power and capable suspension package that define its motocross-based sibling, the YZ250F. Therefore, this is another bike that is not exactly beginner-friendly, but will reward the serious off-road racer who likes to take on championships such as GNCC (Grand National Cross Country), National Enduro, or NGPC (National Grand Prix Championship Series), as well as ride the motocross track.

The 2025 Yamaha YZ250FX is available in Yamaha blue for $9099.