For today’s Two-Stroke Tuesday, we have a look at Rick Johnson’s renowned 1984 YZ250. This is the bike that he won the champion on that year, and it set the tone for things to come due to the fact that it was a production-based bike. By 1984, Yamaha understood that some sort of production guideline was coming and picked a preemptive strike. At the start of the season, they brought Broc Glover and Ricky Johnson into a meeting room and informed them that, for the 1984 season, they would be riding production-based bikes. Both of them would be permitted out of their agreements (which stated that they would be supplied with works bikes), however the choice was not flexible. They both chose to remain.
Regretfully, the 1994 YZ250 that Rick Johnson rode was not great in stock type. It had actually been upgraded the previous year however was still behind the Honda and Suzuki. RJ’s bike enhanced with a pipeline, porting and a couple of unique parts, however even the front suspension was based upon stock elements. The fork had a Simons Anti-Cav package and little else. The rear shock was, a minimum of, an Ohlins. Still, he won 4 out of 10 Nationals that year and went on to win the des Nations with Jeff Ward, David Bailey and Johnny O’Mara.
A year later on he went screening with Honda. “I checked on a training track near Carlsbad,” he stated in an interview with the LA Times. “When I ended up the test, I questioned why Team Honda had not won every race.” RJ signed with Honda for the 1986 season.
Today, the really bike that RJ rode in 1984 is owned by Hugh Parker. It looks much like it did at the end of the ’84 season, right to the stock Z-spokes and the drum rear brake.
The 1984 YZ250 had Yamaha’s 2nd effort at a linkage rear suspension. A year later on, it would relocate to a setup that isn’t too various from the design utilized today.
Some factory hardware was utilized, however even the footpegs were frighteningly stock.
The motor had some porting and a longer rod than the stock YZ.
RJ’s 1984 YZ250 is a piece of history and is well-documented. He has actually been provided the chance to ride the bike in subsequent years, however decreased.
BEHIND THE BUILD
Behind The Build is our weekly concentrate on a few of the most unique bikes to present of the Dirt Bike store. Here’s a take a look at a really unique Kawasaki KX500 that got the off-road treatment. Look closly: that’s a KTM chassis. Click the picture to read more.
TWO-STROKE THEATER
What to find out more about KTM’s brand new for 2023 two-strokes? We got to ride the brand-new 300 along with all the other competitors designs at Red Bud recently.