Yamaha YZ85 2022 — Specifications

When moving from playful trails to serious motocross training, there's one name that always comes up, a sort of obligatory rite of passage for young aspiring racers. We're talking about the Yamaha YZ85, this little two-stroke bomb that serves as a springboard to major championships. For around €5,000, you're not buying a toy, but a genuine race machine, designed for teenagers aged 12 to 16 who already aim for the front rows of the starting grid.

Its heart is this famous 85cc liquid-cooled two-cylinder engine, powered by the YPVS system inherited from competition. With 29 horsepower at the handlebars, this engine is a true lesson in liveliness. It teaches the young rider to manage real engine torque, to anticipate mass transfers, and to exploit a manual clutch, far from the reassuring automatisms of trail machines. The question "Does the Yamaha YZ85 have a clutch?" finds its answer here: yes, and it's even one of its main schools. This motorcycle is not homologated for road use; its universe is limited to the circuit or private roads, making it a pure and hard learning tool.

The great strength of this 2022 model is that it is not a stripped-down version of the larger displacement machines. Yamaha has copied and pasted the philosophy of the YZ125 onto this small format. The frame has been lightened with an aluminum rear section, the swingarm has been reworked for better power transmission, and the ergonomics have been redesigned from A to Z. A thinner fairing between the knees, a flat seat, and a redesigned tank allow the rider to move with tenfold agility. Barely 73 kg fully fueled, it's a feather that throws itself into corners with surgical precision, aided by fully adjustable KYB suspensions that are nothing to envy to their larger counterparts.

So, what is the price of a Yamaha YZ85? Count on a base of around €5,000 for the standard model, an investment justified by its versatility and durability. For those aiming directly for competition, Yamaha offers GYTR kits, such as the carbon edition, which increases the bill but transforms the machine into a pure-bred projectile. Whether for the YZ85 2024, 2025 or future versions, the principle remains the same: to offer young people the most accomplished technological platform to overcome the stages. It is a demanding motorcycle, which does not forgive major mistakes, but which trains better than any other. It is the airlock to the world of high-level motocross, and as such, it remains an essential and totally justified reference.