Enduro21 fits the Polisport Yamaha YZ restyling kit – full body makeover for the 2001 to 2021 two-strokes tested on our own enduro bike. 

With so much noise around the Yamaha YZ250 at the moment, and with Cody Webb doing a great job of giving Yamaha a much-needed kickstart into developing new parts (dare we say a new version?!), Polisport’s restyling kit has grown in relevance.

Designed to fit YZ250 (and 125) models between 2001 and 2021, this kit simply updates the body shape of the older YZ years to give it a new look, just like the ’22-onwards design.

The YZ restyling kit is designed as a direct replacement for the original, or your existing parts, and fits without the need for any changes to the bike. To fit it you basically take the top off the YZ – all plastics, tank, subframe including muffler, and airbox – and replace them with the kit parts.

FYI our bike is a mongrel, basically a mix of a few YZ years but the chassis, subframe and fixing points for plastics are the same across those model years (another benefit to the bike not being updated fundamentally for so many years!).

We know from experience it will also fit a ’22-onwards YZ if you’re looking for replacement parts or spares.

Fits easy, looks are transformed

Positives are many as the fitting is easy and the looks of the bike are transformed. That “upgrade it, don’t replace it” mentality is written all over the YZ and to have this makeover option is a bonus – people genuinely do think it is a newer model YZ than it really is. 

The few hundred quid spent on this allows more to be ploughed into other components like an engine refresh, suspension servicing and more. Even if you’re just replacing plastics which are worn or scuffed, the individual Polisport parts are available individually with options to buy just the panels and fenders, or the full restyling kit with the tank and seat.

New air box

The shape and locating lugs of the kit side panels means a new airbox design and that’s why Polisport include one in the box. It’s an easy swap: you have to remove the airfilter, cage and clamp around the boot. Then refit the OEM boot into the restyling kit airbox and re-clamp before putting the air filter back. 

All other parts bolt straight on like-for-like, except the side panels and rear fender have slightly different fixings to make it work. It’s basically a couple of different bolts around the side and back of the seat/front of the rear fender – any additional bolts and fixings needed are included.

New seat or not? 

The restyling kit includes a new seat which, depending on the condition and age of your original seat, could easily feel like an upgrade in itself from a rider’s POV. Plus the seat cover is grippy and works well in mud conditions.  

The shape is more rounded than the flatter Yamaha OEM design, and that’s a little easier on the butt. That said, some people might prefer the square edges on the stock part. 

The kit includes a metal bracket support under the seat (sits on the top rails of the subframe above the air filter) but we’ve chosen to not fit that for most of our testing because it helps make the rounded Polisport seat taller. Without it the seat sits a little lower due to some flex in the seat base. 

Non-transparent fuel tank

Negatives are very few with one factor is the black fuel tank in this kit, pointing at what is essentially a motocross product. It might not matter in MX but in enduro, not being able to see the fuel is one of those things you don’t realise how much you miss it, until it’s not there. 

We also have an over-size Acerbis tank (12 litre/3.17 US Gal) but the restyling kit plastics do not fit that due to different mounting points. 

Note you use the OEM tank mounts and fuel tap on the restyling kit parts.

Lighter and thinner

We’d also point out the plastic side panels and radiator shrouds (not so much the fenders) are a touch thinner than the OEM Yamaha parts which makes them slightly lighter as a whole kit. You can see from the images they are showing signs of “whiting” where they’ve been pushed with knees while riding (note we’ve never crashed to make these marks). 

That’s something you don’t really get with the OEM side panels so worth pointing out. That said, they are clearly flexible and haven’t split or cracked.

Note: we haven’t run with any graphics on this bike deliberately to test it. Adding them would help with the above issue. 

Complete the look

Polisport also have front headlight and rear light/number plate hanger options, plus handguards additional to this kit if you want to complete the enduro makeover. 

Two decades worth of YZ looking like new – see, there are benefits to Yamaha never updating that bike...

Details

Complete kit price: €449.90 / £450

Plastic only price (no tank or seat): €159.90 (€199.90 with airbox) / £125.00 

Front fender only price (for example): €26.90 / £20

There are three colour options: blue, white or black (or a combination)

Install time: about 30 mins 

More information and prices in your country: www.polisport.com or www.apico.co.uk

Photo Credit: Enduro21 + Vision Media