Having been at the forefront of off-road motorcycle racing for more than half a century, Yamaha’s illustrious racing heritage speaks for itself. In this time, Yamaha’s off-road motorcycles have secured multiple manufacturer titles, rider world championships and numerous race wins.
This deep-rooted commitment to racing not only ensures that Yamaha’s off-road machines deliver top-tier performance and reliability, but also that they embody the spirit of competition and the relentless pursuit of victory.
Leveraging cutting-edge technology and insights gained from racing some of the world’s most demanding tracks, the 2025 Off Road Competition range is a testament to Yamaha’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of what is possible, offering riders unmatched agility, power and control derived directly from a championship-winning legacy.
In racing, nothing stands still with engineers constantly striving for improvement. For 2025, Yamaha’s race-winning models have been meticulously refined to boost their competitive edge with key improvements in areas critical for gaining time on the track, while improving feeling for the rider.
Meeting the needs of all riders, from the seasoned professional to amateurs and young riders experiencing off-road riding for the first time, Yamaha’s Off Road Competition motorcycles include something for everyone from the YZ450F to the legendary PW50.
A WINNING FORMULA: THE 2025 YZ450F
The ultimate mission of a racing motorcycle is simple: to win races. And the YZ450F is exactly that, the ultimate racing machine.
Engineered with success in mind, the YZ450F is designed for victory. But it doesn’t stop there, as there’s also focus on delivering an exhilarating and enjoyable riding experience.
The foundations the YZ450F is built upon is the application of the ‘winning formula’, recognising that riders progress at their own pace, which in turn adds to their motivation and ultimately leads to better results. For this reason, a rider-centric development approach has been adopted.
The 2025 YZ450F features a new rear suspension linkage to improve stability in a wide variety of riding circumstances. This, combined with revised rear suspension settings, contributes to an improved feeling in traction on corner exit, and lends to a more planted feeling when taking on jumps.
To match the changes at the rear, the front suspension settings have also been updated, including extending the length of the spring to increase internal preload pressure, changing the layered valves from the current circular shape to a more triangular shape and increasing the size of the inflow oil holes to adjust oil flow. This results in a calmer front-end and increases the bike’s overall manoeuvrability. The front suspension changes have also been revised to provide the rider with a more consistent damping feeling across mixed terrains and riding situations, especially under braking and cornering.
New front engine mounts have been designed to improve the overall chassis balance, while matching the changes made to the suspension, altering the chassis rigidity to make it less susceptible to outside forces, ultimately improving stability.
To further enhance the YZ450F’s renowned reliability under hard, continuous use, the clutch’s cooling efficiency has been improved, with the number of holes feeding oil to the clutch plates increasing three-fold from six to 18.
The riding experience has also been refined, with a newly designed seat featuring a single layer of surface material with a seamless design, removing joins and welds, while new aluminium footpeg brackets enable a greater sense of unity with the machine through a firmer hold on the chassis.
A newly designed handlebar switchbox features a ribbed shape to help avoid riders pressing the wrong button while wearing gloves. And to decrease pressure on the rider’s right thumb, the 2025 YZ450F features a new type throttle grip set.
In line with the FIM’s new noise regulations for 2025, the YZ450F sound level is reduced by a new exhaust system. And by optimising the fueling and ignition timing the controllability and throttle connection have been improved to provide a more precise riding character. All of which can be turned using the 1, allowing the rider to personalise their machine set-up with support for changing both engine and suspension settings based on their individual needs.
New graphics complete the 2025 look, while those looking to emulate their MXGP heroes can opt for the Monster Energy Yamaha Racing Edition, inspired by the colours of the official Yamaha MXGP team. The 2025 YZ450F is available from July onwards.
A PROVEN WINNER: YZ250F
A favourite among riders looking for the ultimate combination of controllable power, agile handling and Yamaha durability, the YZ250F saw a significant update for 2024 including an all-new chassis derived from the YZ450F, plus revised geometry and a re-positioned headpipe, lowering the centre of gravity to enable more agile cornering and rapid directional changes.
Taken to no less than 15 victories in the MX2 class last year with riders Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant, the YZ250F is a proven contender. This is further refined for 2025, with the new rear suspension linkage and corresponding suspension settings at both the rear and front improving traction on corner exit, taking the YZ250F’s renowned agile handling to the next level on the track.
As with the YZ450F, the exhaust system has been redesigned to produce a lower sound level in line with the FIM’s 2025 noise regulations. Furthermore, the power characteristics have been refined to produce a smooth and controllable response in the bottom end as well as a linear mid-range.
The Power Tuner app1 allows for fine tuning of the YZ250F’s power characteristics, for a personalised riding experience.
The switchgear and throttle housing have been refined to improve the rider experience, minimising the risk of hitting the wrong button while wearing gloves while new graphics complete the Icon Blue look.
2023 saw the YZ250F take Yamaha to a fourth consecutive manufacturers championship in MX2, and with the return of the Monster Energy Yamaha Racing Edition, riders can enjoy this championship-winning performance in Yamaha’s championship-winning MX2 colours. The 2025 YZ450F is available from August onwards.
REFINEMENT OF LEGENDS
Yamaha has been building two-stroke motocross bikes for over 50 years and for 2025, the legendary YZ250 and YZ125 receive further refinement to enhance the exhilarating experience of riding such iconic machines.
The unrivalled two-stroke experience takes another step into the victoryYZone with a modified radiator and the introduction of tool-less fork compression clickers, making it even more simple to refine the ride. Updated graphics and handlebar pad complete the new look in the new Icon Blue colours, while the YZ250 and YZ125 Monster Energy Yamaha Racing Editions add the MXGP look to race derived technology. The YZ250 will be available from October onwards and the YZ125 from September onwards.
The YZ two-stroke range is completed with the YZ65 and YZ85, two youth racing machines built using technology developed from their larger siblings. Manufactured to Yamaha’s high standards, these smaller capacity models feature the updated Icon Blue graphics for 2025. The youth motocross models will be available in showrooms from July onwards.
THE PERFECT FIRST STEP
Yamaha has long been committed to meeting the needs of the entire off-road market, with models aimed at all riders from the most capable and talented, to those starting out at any age.
And then there’s the icon: the PW50. Perhaps one of the most famous motorcycles in the world, the ‘PeeWee’ has been the number one choice for a child’s first two-wheel experience for over 40 years. Featuring a fully automatic transmission and handlebar mounted brakes, the lightweight two-stroke is the ultimate beginner’s bike and has sold over 400,000 units to date. The PW50 sees new racing-inspired Icon Blue graphics for 2025.
