Yamaha YZ Series

  Absolutely one of the best two-strokes you can buy in the North American market these days. Yamaha, once credited with bringing around the second life of the four stroke, is now the only Japanese manufacturer to continue producing two-stroke machines, not to mention continually innovating the dying breed. While two strokes lack the low end power that is the hallmark of four stroke technology, Yamaha has proven that their machines are still brutally powerful. Jean Sebastien Roy, former five time Canadain National Champion, rode a YZ250 at the Walton Trans Can this year, and still managed a points finish, which speaks not only for the continued viability of the technology, but also for the passion that riders and the fans have for the smoking, oil mixed machines.
It takes only one look into the off road market to be met with a myrid of two-stroke machines, and Yamaha is second only to KTM in its saturation of the market. While many trail riders turn to products like the WR and CRFX models, many serious competitors will be sticking to their YZ250s for the 2009 season.
This aside, the Yamaha four strokes are still fold mobiles, especially when compared to the violent power of a Honda CRF. If I were to buy a Yamaha tomorrow, it would be a two stroke, bar none.

I have an 2000 YZ125 M1. Pros: It's very fast, makes great horsepower, light, razor sharp handling, comes stock with Excel rims, very reliable with correct air/fuel mixture and jetting. Cons: Stock levers suck, plastic could be more durable, stock seat is vinyl covered. Suggested aftermarket parts: oversize handlebars and upper triple clamps (Pro-taper or Tag), pipe and silencer (I recommend FMF), change shock/fork springs (unless you weigh ~130-150lbs, then just dial in your clickers), ASV or hardened levers, and a gripper seat cover. A great bike overall, fantastic with some modifications.

I love my 03 YZ250. Runs hard, and doesn't rattle parts off.

I just bought a 2002 YZ 125. This bike is mean! I am used to 80's, and 4-stroke 100's. What a power horse the 125 is! I haven't been so happy with a bike's perfomance in all of my years of riding! Beginners should beware! This bike needs to be run hard, so learning on it is tough, cause you'll have a tendency to foul plugs.

I HAVE 2 AN 80 AND A 125. THEIR KIND OF OLD AND THEY STILL KEEP UP WITH THE NEIBORS. (1988)

Another good bike for kids because it's small and it's strong enough for kids to learn how to ride before a big bike.

These are fantastic motocross bikes! The YZ 400 is a very progressive design that is rocket fast. The 250s have always been at or near the top of their class. The YZ 125 has always been rated at the top of the 125 class for the last 3 years by virtually all the dirt bike magazines. Yamaha has very good product quality control and the bikes are very reliable.