Defending our machine

I just opened my mailbox and found the latest issue of Dirt Bike. As I am thumbing through it, my eyes caught the image of a familiar looking bike. You know the one I am referring to--it has the number 23 on it. Right there on page 22 is a picture of Lynn's bike and an "in your face" letter to the DB staff. Nice job, Shewolf, on standing up for our bike! I have been a Dirt Bike subscriber since the early 70's and when I read their review I, too, was a little pissed. They aren't the same publication they used to be. If you don't compete with a KTM then you're second class. What about us older riders who want to keep on riding? This bike is perfect for us. And with a few mod's, it kicks ass.

You should scan a pic of that and post it. Some ppl don't get that rag...after what they did, I don't blame anyone who decided to drop it. We've got an awesome bike and to write such a crappy load of shit like that without having any REAL experience on it, is just stupid IMO. I couldn't sit there and say nothing.

Would love to see the article, sweet!

I read a comparison that Dirt Bike did in 2008 between a KLX-250S and the WR-250R.
Is there yet another article?
If so, I want to see it, too.

Back in the olden daze of the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, I never missed an issue of Dirt Bike or Motocross Action, but those days are gone for me, and I'll just pick up the occasional issue if something catches my eye.
After all of these years and the stacks I've read and eventually thrown out, it all seems like the same old stuff repeated over and over.
Jaded, in other words. :)

Ok, here it is! They did some major editing (hmmm...I wonder why.... )



If anyone wants the asploded view, PM me and I can send it.

YES, RIGHT ON SHEWOLF, I KNEW THAT WAS YOUR ARTICLE. I GOT THE MAG IN THE MAIL TODAY AND READ IT. YOU ARE THE VOICE.

Nice!!

What was it that they wrote about the WR-250R that was the start of this? :)

They basically called it a piece of shit and they guy who rode it didn't spend more than 15-20 minutes in the seat. They gave the KLX250S a better review. Like, yeaaaaah I dun think so pal....

KLX250s better than the WR250R? Please, give me a break. It doesn't even take 15 minutes to figure that out.

The next winner will be Honda's CRF230L. Politically they need to spread the coverage.

Ok, the CRF230L vs the KLX250S...yeah that would be a better comparison.

Those that don't like the WR Haven't ridden it.
I just got mine around the second week of Feb 2010.
I put some street and trail rides on it .
April 10 and 11 We "the WR and I" went to Odessa Washington. Rode the Dual ironman ride. I call it this Because I rode the ironman route and left the Dualsport course to other people.
Sunday I rode the 100 mile event, I only rode fifty miles. My fault not the bikes. Aparrently some conditioning is helpful when riding that type of terrain.
Point is the WR performed flawlesly. some awsome whoop sections followed by whoops mixed with some rocky whoop sections and some rocky up and down hill whoop sections.
Even as my WR hit the ground I knew it was my fault. even with stock suspension it handled the terrain great. I was smiling the whole day.
Not having read the DB rag I can only imagine what they said.
Most likely any bad report would reflect directly which manufacture was spending the most advertising $
On the Desert 100 my WR passed KLX's like they were in reverse. It even passed a lot of Orange bikes until the pilot puked out.
So talk crap all you like I / We all know the truth

It was the March 2010 issue of Dirt Bike I was referring to. The article was called "Dual-Sport Remake". They apparently didn't bother to investigate this site to see what the experienced R2 riders have been doing to improve the bike. They threw on some parts which they had easy access to and fiddled around a bit. Here is their conclusion after their lame attempt at making it a serious dirt machine: "But don't expect miracles. The WR is still what it is: a small-displacement, entry-level, dual sport machine. It was improved enough to become passable on a real off-road ride." Entry level? I'm 52 and have been riding for 40 years. I've had eleven serious off road bikes and a degree of success on the track. Dirt Bike, you are out of touch with reality.

Deep Wood's Dan wrote:

It was the March 2010 issue of Dirt Bike I was referring to. The article was called "Dual-Sport Remake". They apparently didn't bother to investigate this site to see what the experienced R2 riders have been doing to improve the bike. They threw on some parts which they had easy access to and fiddled around a bit. Here is their conclusion after their lame attempt at making it a serious dirt machine: "But don't expect miracles. The WR is still what it is: a small-displacement, entry-level, dual sport machine. It was improved enough to become passable on a real off-road ride." Entry level? I'm 52 and have been riding for 40 years. I've had eleven serious off road bikes and a degree of success on the track. Dirt Bike, you are out of touch with reality.

Comparing the WR that ive had a week to a 2 stroke ive had for two years i will say on the loops i can get to im no where near as tired on the wr as i get on the ec250. The suspension is smoother so im not working as hard with my legs and arms, the throttle doesnt try and yank my arms out when im standing. Im sure once its run in and i can use the throttle and i have better tyres on i wont be much slower either.

I find it flattering from a dirt bike magasine point of view.

They are there to promote dirt bikes not dual purpose. From that point of view the KLX might look like a dirt bike. To overeact toward the WR shows that it makes a dent in their pack of icones.

A dual purpose motorcycle that can follow their pupils on the trail and then go home in confort shows that their machines are not exactly outstanding in overall performance. They often have to check the valves, change the oil every ride, check all the nuts and bolts before these little machines fall aparts.

It's like the saying "When out of arguments, bark".

I like it! i like what im hearing.

I got an e-mail from Yamaha Canada for defending the bike. I mean, if they're (DBM) gonna do a review on a bike, at least be honest and either get REAL time under it, or ask people who own it and ride it. You can't write a fair review when you don't go all the way with it like they have with other bikes they did reviews on. They also failed to show that ALL stock bikes have their downfalls out of the crate, which I had also pointed out (a lot of stuff was missed in that response I sent...lol). At least be fair about it.

After putting over 1000 miles on both the KLX250S and the WR250X, I was going to post a very detailed, in-dept comparison between the two bikes.

Something tells me though that this thread is less about comparison between the bikes, as much as it is "validation" of your collective purchase decision, and congratulatory back slapping between people who are "among their own kind".

So, I will skip the long reply to just say that if you come across someone on a KLX remember they are out there on the trails/road for the same reasons you are; to enjoy the great outdoors.

The best bike is the one that works best for you.....

Riding in the woods it's all up to how you ride and what you need from your bike. If your going to race like I am the bike needs a lot of work and the cost would be high so much so it would be best to buy a bike that is right for what I need it for... KTM, WRf.... I think the WRr is a sweet bike if you use it for what it was MADE to do and a not so good bike if you ask it to do something it was NOT made to do....

The WRr is a DS bike not a race bike and no it's not fare to ask it to be one and then put it down. I would not get upset over it.

My KTM friends never look down at me or my WRr but when I walk up a rocky hill faster then they can without stopping or dropping the bike like they do, they all look up and say how did you do that and make it look so easy... Less power keeps me from digging a hole with my rear tire



Love the one your with or should I say love the one you ride

clint wrote:

After putting over 1000 miles on both the KLX250S and the WR250X, I was going to post a very detailed, in-dept comparison between the two bikes.

Something tells me though that this thread is less about comparison between the bikes, as much as it is "validation" of your collective purchase decision, and congratulatory back slapping between people who are "among their own kind".

So, I will skip the long reply to just say that if you come across someone on a KLX remember they are out there on the trails/road for the same reasons you are; to enjoy the great outdoors.

I will start off by saying I have 5 close friends that have either the KLX250s or KLX250sf. I've spent a lot of time on all of them. And I don't mean just quick spins around the block. The Yamaha IS the better bike. Even my buddies who own the KLX will gladly tell you that. I'm not trying to dis the KLX, its a fine motorcycle with a good price.

So, no, I'm not just trying to validate my purchase decision.

Oh and about others on the trail riding the KLX, sure, they are there for the same reason I am... I'm just having more fun.

Nicely said. I know a guy who owned a Kawi dealer for years; he's hard core riding and even he told me that the R² kicks the pants off the KLX. He recently sold his Kawi dealer and is now with Yamaha, and guess what? He's riding a WR.
The main purpose of my gripe with DB was the fact that they gave a review on a bike without REALLY spending much time in the seat, then doing an unfair writeup on it. Everyone I've confronted about this agreed, and a lot of them don't ride an R². I've always stood up for what I believe in; many ppl dislike me for being straight forward and in your face, but when I see a black mark against something I'm passionate about and can SEE a bunch of bullshit taking place, damn rights I'm gonna fucking say something! I would have done the same thing about a truck getting a bad rap...wait, I actually did do that, but I digress. If you feel strongly about something, there's nothing wrong with standing up and defending in something you believe in.

Yamaha is sooo cool! I came home after my class to a package from Yamaha Canada. Inside it was some stuff as a thank you. How cool is that?!!