Classic Steel

Classic Steel 124: 1978 YZ250

Comments (8)
  1. Great article Tony, my time with Mx started much later (1992) but these write ups provide an insight into technological hurdles we take for granted today

  2. G’day Mr Blazier
    Just wanted to say thank you for producing outstanding articles man . Without someone actually taking the time to put pen to paper and documenting all the stories , facts, fables and valuable information about these beautiful machines like you do it’s going to lost over time. So thank you again mate you’ve given me alot to read now. You should maybe look into creating a Motorcross bikes bible. I came across a beautiful example of one of these yz’ds today if I can figure out how to attach a couple of pictures I will this one has never had fuel in the tank according to the owner who also told me over half of this page as he used to race alot of these legendary machines when they were Brand new. Merry Christmas to mate
    Yours sincerely Duncan McAuliffe

    1. Thank you for the kind words Duncan. I am glad you enjoy my work and took the time to post a comment.
      Cheers,
      Tony B

  3. Tanks for This article, it was very interesting. I’m in search for a piece to restore mine Yz, but it’s very difficult To find here in France. Did you have some suggestion please ? Sylvain

  4. I raced a ‘79 YZ250 from new. It replaced a much older RM250. All the comments on power and it’s delivery as well as suspension oddities are spot-on, particularly after racing a double shocked and much softer powered RM. The club’s track in Dubai was short but demanding (designed and built by Yamaha as a test track), lots of whoops, doubles, tight turns, not to mention hard and soft sand where the water table was coastally high and bloody briny (if you came off, the abrasions didn’t half sting and the salt made the magnesium engine casings as porous as a black, soggy sponge if you didn’t power wash immediately after a meeting). Coming off big time on the fast whoopy straights was, due the Yamahop rear suspension, a regular painful occurrence.
    I subsequently had a KTM495, raced mainly in Scotland in the mid ‘80s. A big bad bugger that reflected the YZ, but in spades. Heigh ho, Those were the days!

    1. PS. The airbox was, as you said leaky, any puddle over 6” deep killed the motor at speed, tried everything, never fixed it!

  5. Just rebuilt a very original example can’t wait to ride it always had CR’S 79 125 Cr was my first new bike now doing a 250 up but YZ looks beautiful .

  6. If I remember correctly, It has been over 30 years since I raced that bike. I do recall the torque issue at bottom end. I may be mistaken, but I think that a counter sprocket change did the trick. 15t to a 14t.

    Saddleback forever……

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