Is 2009 a good year?

I'm new. I just found a new 2009 for sale for the right price. I know the 2008 has fuel pump issues, uses a different power commander and I think I remember reading the forks lacked one of the adjustments.

Do the 2009s have these same issues? Do they have any specific issues? Is there any reason to buy a 2010 or 2011 over a 2009?

Thanks for any help. I'll do a new guy thread after I grab this one, if it works out.

There's nothing different other than colors from 2008-2011.

Only the fuel pump thing. Nothing else really. 2008's had a shitty gasket on rear sprocket too.

That's it.

2009's are fine.

All of them are great bikes really.

Do the 2009s have compression, rebound and preload adjustments on the forks?

Here's the online manual in case you want to read about suspension adjustments:

https://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/t2540-wrr-wrx-electronic-service-manual

Sarah

09 is the best year

LHD wrote:

Do the 2009s have compression, rebound and preload adjustments on the forks?

What's your previous motorcycling experience?

motokid wrote:

LHD wrote:

Do the 2009s have compression, rebound and preload adjustments on the forks?

What's your previous motorcycling experience?

23 years of dirt and street riding.

Basically - the stock forks are about as good as stock forks get in terms of what they do and how adjustable they are.

Guys and girls that race these things, like anybody who races, find that having them rebuilt and or modified help things to a great extent.

For the average rider, doing nothing extraordinary, don't sweat the fork adjustment.

Unless you weigh about 300 pounds...........

motokid wrote:

Basically - the stock forks are about as good as stock forks get in terms of what they do and how adjustable they are.

Guys and girls that race these things, like anybody who races, find that having them rebuilt and or modified help things to a great extent.

For the average rider, doing nothing extraordinary, don't sweat the fork adjustment.

Unless you weigh about 300 pounds...........

I do. Hence why I asked.

Seriously....you weight about 300 pounds?

do ALL 2008 have fuel pump issues?

I hope not but I won't be surprised. So far so good for the last 26,000 miles, though.

Sarah

NorgeWR2X wrote:

do ALL 2008 have fuel pump issues?

Knock on wood.....mines 100% no problems - almost 8000 miles.

LHD wrote:

Do the 2009s have compression, rebound and preload adjustments on the forks?

The forks have the typical compression and rebound damping clickers.
The spring preload is not externally adjustable.
Same for all years.

motokid wrote:

Seriously....you weight about 300 pounds?

100 pounds of it is head.

So is that a no on the preload?


Do the 2009s have any coating on the fork surfaces? Titanium nitride etc?

YZEtc wrote:

LHD wrote:

Do the 2009s have compression, rebound and preload adjustments on the forks?

The forks have the typical compression and rebound damping clickers.
The spring preload is not externally adjustable.
Same for all years.

Ok. I was hoping I could send the forks off to be revalved but no preload adjustment means I'll probably have to buy new bodies.

Does anyone here have aftermarket forks?

Why is no preload adjustment a big deal?

What is the issue with '08 fuel pumps?

Are you looking at a wr250 R or X?

And what exactly do you have planned for it and yourself?

Are you looking for a recreational bike - or are you planning on racing it on some level?

Do you stunt?

YZEtc wrote:

Why is no preload adjustment a big deal?

Well there are 3 settings for every shock. How fast it goes in, how fast it goes out and where it sits when its not moving in or out. For a heavier guy, like me, the factory preload is most likely not set to suspend my weight in the middle of the shock travel. So when riding around I will have more rebound travel than compression. If its a difference of an inch I won't worry about it. If its 5 inches, I may need to get new forks.

motokid wrote:

Are you looking at a wr250 R or X?

And what exactly do you have planned for it and yourself?

Are you looking for a recreational bike - or are you planning on racing it on some level?

Do you stunt?

I found a new 2009 WRR for $5k and have done everything but pay for it.




Where I work is pretty much only accessible via HOV restricted highway and light rail. It costs me $15 a day in train fare and parking to drive/train and that doesnt include gas. For the last few weeks I've been riding my liter bike but it has a heavy clutch, a much harder suspension and is more expensive to run all the way around. When there's no traffic the road is so rough I feel like its really shaking and jarring too much to ride at normal speed. Then last week I got stuck in a horrific traffic jam and spent 4.5 hours sitting in traffic in 105 degree weather trying not to overheat. To add insult to injury I got a nail in my tire. 190 rears aren't cheap these days.

I had been kicking around the idea of getting a dual sport for the past few months but it never roosted. So I was sitting in traffic thinking about how I wouldn't be sitting in traffic if I had my old KE100. I got home and started comparing dual sports on the internet. I knew what I wanted and that it wasnt a KLR650. I found the WR250r and pretty much knew right away it was the right choice.

So that being said, I know the WRR isn't mainly a street bike but I dont want another street bike. I plan to take it hunting, camping and all the other things I can't do with a street bike. My family has a farm about an hour from where I live and I have an old Honda TRX125 that I never ride because once I load it up to take it there's no room for anything else.

All you need is heavier springs, and you're good to go.

Captain Midnight wrote:

All you need is heavier springs, and you're good to go.

If I'm going to go to the trouble to fool with the factory suspension I might as well get ones that have all the adjustment points so I'm not guessing at the correct spring rate.

Quite a few ppl have made the bike into a custom bike, tailored to their needs. You can adjust the suspension on this bike like any other bike that has a fully adjustable suspension...BUT...every suspension has its limitations. The fact that this bike does so many things , on so many levels, is what makes it so enticing and popular. For the suspension to do its job, factoring in weight is optimal. It is much cheaper to re-spring the forks and the rear shock on the WR than it is to go buy another stock bike...that undoubtedly will be a bigger bore, because the smaller displacement bikes can only handle so much weight, stock. Once you go to the bigger bore, the weight of the bike is going to get higher too, along with the price. So, if you want to buy a lighter, smaller bore bike that will do what you are looking to do (with a suspension tweak that would still be cheaper than buying a bigger, heavier bike), get this bike. If money doesn't matter, and weight of the bike doesn't matter, then you're better off buying a stock, bigger bore bike that can handle the weight.

BTW, I own a 2009 and absolutely LOVE it. I had the suspension redone to suit my weight and riding style (I'm short and light), and never looked back.

I think you're way overthinking the suspension bits.

While I'm not 300 pounds, I have done some two-up riding on my x and the combined weight has been close to 300 pounds.

Go sit on the bike you are looking at.

See how it feels.

Where do you live? Maybe somebody here is close enough to you that you could take a quick ride on their wr?


It's a little funny to me that as a BIG dude you are more worried about suspension than horsepower.

if you're going to be using 90% of the R as a commuter and 10% for some off road joy-riding, and not hardcore stuff, I'd bet the wr will be as competent as any other Japanese dual-sport right off the showroom floor.

motokid wrote:

I think you're way overthinking the suspension bits.

While I'm not 300 pounds, I have done some two-up riding on my x and the combined weight has been close to 300 pounds.

Go sit on the bike you are looking at.

See how it feels.

Where do you live? Maybe somebody here is close enough to you that you could take a quick ride on their wr?


It's a little funny to me that as a BIG dude you are more worried about suspension than horsepower.

if you're going to be using 90% of the R as a commuter and 10% for some off road joy-riding, and not hardcore stuff, I'd bet the wr will be as competent as any other Japanese dual-sport right off the showroom floor.

I just asked if it had preload. Then, since the preload isnt adjustable, if anyone had aftermarket forks to see kind of money I was talking. Unless we're talking $1200 for new forks I'd much rather replace the whole fork body with a unit that is fully adjustable than guess at the correct spring weight to setup the preload for my weight. What happens when I lose or gain weight? I have to swap the springs again if I want to fix the ride height?

I've already got a poked and stroked liter bike with a 40 shot. I've got horsepower to spare. I need something that gets good gas mileage, is cheap to wrench on and also meets my recreation needs. I pretty well can't ride a carbed bike without smelling like gas which means I cant use it to commute to work. Water cooled means I can use it in stop and go traffic, high speeds and still have small displacement. Its also got disc brakes front and back. I really hate working on drum rears. The WR is the only bike that meets those requirements.