2015 - 2022 Yamaha XT250 - Performance, Price, and Photos - gallery

The Yamaha XT250 has the features needed for a capable dual-sport machine.

Features include a 21-inch front wheel, ample ground clearance, and long-stroke suspension.

Unofficially the XT250 puts out something between 16 and 18 ponies.

This is barely enough for highway speeds, but is fine for its designed purpose and makes the XT250 capable in rough terrain and on other-than-interstate roads.

The XT250 handles very nicely, even at low speeds, and given that the turning angle is 51 degrees -- almost into trials-bike territory -- and has a short wheelbase,

it's no surprise that it has a super-tight turning radius and maneuverability worth mentioning. And it's lightweight, only 291 pounds.

With a wide-ratio five-speed and an air-cooled 250 cc engine, the XT250 is a proper little dual-sport machine

and with a little more attention to two-up riding than you might expect in an off-road-capable bike.

Two things notable things about the XT250 -- each one not so much individually, but together, yes -- are the relatively low seat height and and the more-than-adequate ground clearance.

Off-road bikes are usually quite tall, so the seat height of less-than-32 inches is low for an off-road capable bike, yet the ground clearance is a skosh over 11 inches -- still quite respectable.

Anything that sticks out is vulnerable when heading off into the woods, so the flex-mounted turn-signals are a plus.

When you take a street-legal bike off the pavement into the woods, you want it to still be street-legal when you come out.

The XT250 is an inexpensive, spunky little bike and so much fun to tear up the field.

Who wouldn't want one in the garage?

MSRP on the XT250 is $5.2k and comes in Radical Gray for 2022.

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