SCGMC-New to dual sports -seeking advice and guidance

Just wanted to introduce myself as a new owner of a lightly modified 2009 WR250R. (AIS gone, HMF exhaust, new taillight/license plate holder. 44 tooth sprocket, and smaller front and rear turn signals) I'm 40 and never had a street bike before, so I'm taking it slow. In fact, I only started riding dirt bikes last year. I really liked it, so I stepped up to the next level. Call me a late bloomer, but I didn't want to go through life having any regrets. I plan to use my bike for occasional commuting and trail riding and as an alternate transportation source when me and my girlfriend go truck camping. We ride on separate dirt bikes (mine is a XR250R, hers is a XR80R) but we will double up on the WRR for street-legal sightseeing when camping/traveling. My only planned mods are a Quiet Core (it's too loud for campgrounds I think), fender rack, handguards, and maybe a programmer. (I'm not having any popping at full throttle closure and it runs great- so I might save my money on that one).
Any advice for mods, considering my plans? Any advice for a street newbie? Anyone else carry a passenger? (Ever on the trail?)

Howdy.
The WR-250R is a great dual-purpose bike. :)

To me, a dual-purpose bike is basically used as a dirt bike that you can ride on the street without worring about getting stopped and fined for having an unregistered motor vehicle, and I use it as such.
The WR-250R is a traditional Japanese dual-purpose bike that is decent for trail riding while also being geared tall enough so you can run with today's traffic.

The WR-250R benefits greatly from one of the fuel injection programmers like the FMF Power Programmer (and the clones like the Attitude and Two Bros. Juice Box versions) or a Power Commander.
I can see where you think everything is just fine and dandy without one, but, Paul Thede from the company Race Tech has a slogan that goes something like:
The best you know is the best that you've tried, or words to that effect.
I have ridden mine back-to-back both with and without a programmer, and with the programmer, the bike has much better throttle response and power, to the point that I couldn't wait to get my programmer back. :)
My advice is the FMF Power Programmer because they're not too much money and they do the job and are very reliable and are readily available from numerous outlets.

Just as important to a good-running WR-250R is getting rid of what's called the airbox flapper.
You can read-up on this in the Sweet Mods forum on this site, but basically, it has to do with getting rid of one of the silly noise (and performance) restrictions imposed on this bike.
What it does is make the bike get it's intake air through a TT-R125-sized inlet hole whenever you open the throttle.
Nice, huh? :)
Getting rid of that (an easy half-hour job) along with your programmer will do the bike a lot of good, and intake noise will barely increase.
Well, well worth it.

I've ridden two-up on dual-purpose bikes a lot when I was younger, and honestly, I only did it when one of us didn't have their own bike.
If that's your bag, I recommend doing that on easy trails, the kind you could drive your pickup truck down with summer tires fitted if the trail were wide enough for it.

YZEtc wrote:

"....The WR-250R benefits greatly from one of the fuel injection programmers like the FMF Power Programmer (and the clones like the Attitude and Two Bros. Juice Box versions) or a Power Commander.
I can see where you think everything is just fine and dandy without one, but, Paul Thede from the company Race Tech has a slogan that goes something like:
The best you know is the best that you've tried, or words to that effect.
I have ridden mine back-to-back both with and without a programmer, and with the programmer, the bike has much better throttle response and power, to the point that I couldn't wait to get my programmer back. :)
My advice is the FMF Power Programmer because they're not too much money and they do the job and are very reliable and are readily available from numerous outlets.
Point taken, I'll take that into consideration. That's what I want real life back-to-back comparisons.


Just as important to a good-running WR-250R is getting rid of what's called the airbox flapper.
You can read-up on this in the Sweet Mods forum on this site, but basically, it has to do with getting rid of one of the silly noise (and performance) restrictions imposed on this bike.
What it does is make the bike get it's intake air through a TT-R125-sized inlet hole whenever you open the throttle.
Nice, huh? :)
Getting rid of that (an easy half-hour job) along with your programmer will do the bike a lot of good, and intake noise will barely increase.
Well, well worth it.
I'll look into this mod.

I've ridden two-up on dual-purpose bikes a lot when I was younger, and honestly, I only did it when one of us didn't have their own bike.
If that's your bag, I recommend doing that on easy trails, the kind you could drive your pickup truck down with summer tires fitted if the trail were wide enough for it."
I plan on staying on the street and easy trails. Kinda wondering how it's worked out with the WRR two-up? Others' experiences, what I might expect....

Thanks for the tips and advice!

Welcome, HI!

*the last (and only) guy to ride 2-up on the WR ended up selling it. For other reasons then the 2-up, but still.

Interesting. I know it's not an "ideal "2 person bike. But I think It'll work for what I want to do: short trips and maybe some gravel or dirt roads. Thanks for the input. I'm curious if anyone knows why it didn't work for him?

I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have said that. Guy I'm thinking of bought the bike, took his girl for a little run and said it was ok. Later sold the bike because it just didn't have enough power for him.

Hopefully you take it for a test ride and decide for yourself. My wife doesn't like the bike so she hasn't been on the back...I'm of no help.

I took my passenger pegs completely off. The right side kept rubbing against my boot. Plus I lost more weight.
It's got plenty of power to cruise, but don't think about any hills with a passenger.

Quote :

I plan to use my bike for occassional commuting and trail riding and as
an alternate transportation source when me and my girlfriend go truck
camping.

SCGMC: No problem bopping around two-up if the above is your intention.

Obviously you don't want to get in over your head suspension-wise and verify tire pressure (normallly a pre-op check).

Some people aren't "Good" passengers. Negotiating turns can be tricky with someone leaning the other way.

...other than that, be careful and have fun !

Thanks. It remains to be seen whether she can be a good passenger (weather has been bad). But, I'm hopeful since she has a bike, she'll catch on quick.

You could opt to be a two (2) WRR family ! His/Hers is popular these days ! Also costly...

I've carried 2-up on trails quite a bit on my R², and it's fun. I don't do any big air by any means, but I've gone off a few jumps and the suspension hasn't bottomed out. Fire roads are a real treat to ride on 2-up as well; it takes the chatter out of the ride when you get into that fine washboardy stuff I've found.

X-Racer wrote:

You could opt to be a two (2) WRR family ! His/Hers is popular these days ! Also costly...

You never know, it could happen! She's 5' 2" so that may be a problem.
I know people do it, but hauling 2 bikes on a hitch scares the heck out of me. One that I can't see is enough!
We do trailer our dirt bikes, but I like the freedom that a truck camper with a hitch mounted WRR and no trailer, provides.

SheWolf wrote:

I've carried 2-up on trails quite a bit on my R², and it's fun. I don't do any big air by any means, but I've gone off a few jumps and the suspension hasn't bottomed out. Fire roads are a real treat to ride on 2-up as well; it takes the chatter out of the ride when you get into that fine washboardy stuff I've found.

Thanks for sharing a personal experience. That sounds great! Just what I was hoping for...

I'm 5'4" and it's fine. The bike's a gas to ride as a shorty. It can be lowered easily enuf to compensate for lack of height.