VHM Piston Kit ref. APYZ08521757A1 for YAMAHA YZ 85 2002-2026

The VHM APYZ08521757A1 piston kit (Ø 47.44 mm) is designed for YAMAHA YZ 85 from 2002 to 2026. The piston takes the pressure of every combustion and passes it on to the connecting rod, thousands of times a minute. Over the hours it wears, its rings stop sealing properly and the engine loses compression: it starts less easily, pulls less hard and runs hotter.

Specifications

• Brand: VHM
• Manufacturer part number: APYZ08521757A1
• Piston diameter: 47.44 mm
• Engine: 2-stroke

When to replace it?

• Loss of power, sluggish pick-up, harder starting: compression is dropping.
• Piston slap on a cold engine, getting more and more noticeable.
• On teardown: vertical scoring on the skirt, stuck or worn rings, thick carbon on the crown.

Replace the piston as set out in your bike's service manual, sooner if you race, and straight away as soon as these symptoms appear. As a Cross-Mania guideline, plan for a new piston every 15 to 30 hours of engine running depending on whether you race or ride for fun. Always measure the cylinder at the same time: a new piston in an oval cylinder won't last.

Fitting tips

1. Clean the cylinder and check it: diameter, ovality, taper and condition of the bore coating.
2. Check the end gap of each ring in the cylinder against the figures in the manual or the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Fit the rings with the mark facing up and each gap correctly located on its locating pin.
4. Check the small-end needle bearing and the pin: at the slightest play, tight spot or marked needle, replace the bearing.
5. Fit the piston with its arrow pointing to the exhaust side, oil the pin and the small end, then fit the circlips without distorting them, gap opposite the notch. A circlip that has been taken out is replaced with new piston pin circlips, never refitted.
6. Reassemble with a new top end gasket kit and tighten the cylinder head in a criss-cross pattern to the manufacturer's torque.
7. Refill the coolant and fit a new spark plug.
8. Break the engine in: warm it up gently, vary the revs and avoid sustained full throttle for the first hour.

Why VHM?

Since 1995, VHM has been designing racing engine parts for two-strokes: cylinder heads with interchangeable inserts, combustion chamber inserts, crankshafts and connecting rods. A specialist brand, used to fine-tune an engine's power without transforming it.

Spare parts and items to plan

• Piston rings : PROX · WISECO
• Piston pin : WISECO · WOSSNER
• Piston pin clips : WISECO 125 L · WOSSNER
• Top-end gasket kit : VHM · ATHENA
• Small end needle bearing : ATHENA · PROX
• Spark plug : NGK 6801 · NGK 3830
• Coolant : LIQUI MOLY 1 L · TWIN AIR
• 2-stroke oil : LIQUI MOLY 1 L · MOTUL 1 L

Frequently asked questions

Does the kit include the gaskets?
No: the kit contains the piston, rings, pin and circlips. Add a top end gasket kit, because a head or base gasket can never be reused.

Can I replace just the rings later?
Yes, as long as the piston and cylinder are still within tolerance. Replacement rings can be ordered on their own, as can the piston pin and the circlips.

Should I replace the small-end needle bearing?
It isn't included. Check it at every piston change and replace the needle bearing at the slightest play or tight spot.

Compatibility

Check the exact model and year of your bike in the list below before ordering.

Fits:
YAMAHA YZ 85 2026
YAMAHA YZ 85 2025
YAMAHA YZ 85 2024
YAMAHA YZ 85 2023
YAMAHA YZ 85 2022
YAMAHA YZ 85 2021
YAMAHA YZ 85 2020
YAMAHA YZ 85 2019
YAMAHA YZ 85 2018
YAMAHA YZ 85 2017
YAMAHA YZ 85 2016
YAMAHA YZ 85 2015
YAMAHA YZ 85 2014
YAMAHA YZ 85 2013
YAMAHA YZ 85 2012
YAMAHA YZ 85 2011
YAMAHA YZ 85 2010
YAMAHA YZ 85 2009
YAMAHA YZ 85 2008
YAMAHA YZ 85 2007
YAMAHA YZ 85 2006
YAMAHA YZ 85 2005
YAMAHA YZ 85 2004
YAMAHA YZ 85 2003
YAMAHA YZ 85 2002