I started riding just a year and a half ago, and chose the WR250R as my first bike. It seemed like the right choice for me since I wanted to ride dirt and trails primarily, but also wanted the option to ride on the road. So far it's proved to be a great choice. I love my bike, and have slowly started to upgrade it.
I'd love to meet other WRR/X riders in the area and perhaps even put some rides together. Here is a picture of my bike in it's natural (muddy) state.
https://i.servimg.com/u/f37/15/37/86/92/mud10.jpg
Cheers!