XT250
Modern motorcycles are great, but there were many great and fun motorcycles in the past. I'd like to take a look back at some of the motorcycles that I wish were around today, based on my own experiences. Let's take a look at the Yamaha XT250.
The origin of the increasingly popular Serow after the end of production
After the final edition in 2020, the production of the 250 was discontinued. Its popularity is still growing, and used models with low mileage are selling for the same price as new models.
With its manageable power and lightweight, compact body, it can be used conveniently for everything from city riding to long-distance touring, and its low seat allows you to put both feet on the ground and venture into the mountains where larger adventure models would hesitate. The Serow is a true dual-purpose vehicle that combines ease of use, driving performance and practicality.
For the past 35 years, the Serow has been synonymous with trail motorcycles, starting with the first generation Serow 225, but there was one model in the past that could be said to have been the starting point: the XT250.
The XT series was the cradle of great motorcycle
The XT250 was introduced as Yamaha's first 4-stroke 250cc dual-purpose model. The air-cooled SOHC 2-valve, single-cylinder 249cc engine produced a maximum output of 21ps. At the time, twin shocks were still the norm for off-road vehicles, but the XT250 was the first machine to adopt a monocross suspension similar to that of motocrossers, making it a cutting-edge machine.
XT250
Incidentally, its big brother, the XT500, was a twin-shock model, but it was a pioneer of the big off-road boom, showing its high fighting power by winning the Paris-Dakar Rally. It is also well known that the excellent single cylinder engine was later converted to the SR500/400.
XT250
The XT200, the younger brother of the XT series, later evolved into the Serow 225 with a larger displacement. In this sense, the former XT series was the "cradle of great motorcycles" that gave birth to the SR and the Serow, which have colored Yamaha's history.
Rambo introduced the world to the greatness of the XT250.
My first encounter with the XT250 was watching "Rambo" at the movie theater when I was 18 years old. Hollywood star S. Stallone, who is still active today, plays the role of a former U.S. Special Forces Green Beret.
The XT250 was used in the scene where Rambo, angry at the inexcusable police chasing him around just because he was a drifter even though he had done nothing wrong, escaped on his motorcycle.
XT250
The action is amazing, he gets up on a wheelie in the rain with a full counter, pulls away a police car with a big jump at a railroad crossing, and escapes deep into the mountains without a care in the world over a mountain stream or a gully. It's a classic (lol). I was completely blown away by its coolness, and the next week I bought a used XT250 at a motorcycle shop in Ueno with a full loan.
XT250
Of course, a first-class stuntman (probably a professional MX rider) played the role in the movie, and the exhaust sound was dubbed to the promised two-stroke, but the motorcycle used was a genuine XT250. The movie "Rambo" made a strong impression of the Green Beret's fighting power and the XT250's high performance to the world, which is a great achievement.
It's one of those things that still comes up whenever I talk to riders of my generation about the past.
It was supposed to be a flying suspension...
When I became the owner of the silver XT250, I rode it every day to school and for daily use. The slender tank, strangely wide handlebars, and double meters look classic now, but when I checked the specifications again, I realized that the engine performance and body size were almost the same as those of the Serow 250.
XT250
The motorcycle has plenty of mid-range torque and a nice, lively feel, and the seat is low enough to allow space for a pillion riding. The motorcycle has been designed with street use as a priority, which is something we hope today's motorcycles can learn from.
The monocross suspension, which was called "flying suspension," had a fresh and fluffy feel to it, and I thought to myself, "I could drive like Rambo with this! I tried to ride it on a dirt track on the banks of the Arakawa River, but I failed to land on the first jump and ended up rolling forward.
I had to push the motorcycle to the motorcycle shop in a sweat because the engine would not start even with the kick of a demon, and the front and rear drum brakes did not work at all on rainy days, causing me to slip and fall. However, I still loved the XT250 and kept it with me for a long time.
The DNA of the XT250 lives on today
After only three years, the XT250 was replaced by the DOHC XT250T, but I liked the early model, which had a scrambler-like atmosphere that is now booming again. After that, trail models became motocrossers in pursuit of performance, and the era of two-stroke replicas arrived for off-road vehicles as well.
It was in 1985 that the Serow 225 was born with the idea of going back to the basics and allowing everyone to enjoy off-road riding. It was in 1985 that the Serow 225 was born with the idea of going back to the basics, and it was in 2005 that the Serow 250, which reached its final stage last year, was fully changed.
XT250
I think I can see the shadow of the XT250 in the Serow. And in fact, that DNA is still being passed down from generation to generation. Did you know that as of 2021, the global name for the Serow 250, which continues to be sold in North America and other overseas markets, is the XT250?
See YAMAHA Moto Index Page
See Accessories for YAMAHA XT500
See Accessories for YAMAHA XT250
See Accessories for YAMAHA SEROW225 (XT225)
