New Guy from California

Hi.

Just like to introduce myself: I'm Guido, 41, from Sunnyvale, CA. Right now I don't have a WR just yet, but I'm looking and hope to find one sooner or later. Found an X here at a dealership but the price was so much above KBB and they wouldn't budge that I told them to stick it somewhere ...

One day I might find one, so I you know someone who has a bike that's not getting enough attention - let me know ...

The bike I have is a BMW R1200GS and I absolutely love it as a travel bike but I don't like to take it even in deeper gravel. It's just too heavy and too expensive. Therefore, looking for something lighter to add to the stable.

Take care,
Guido

I don't think you will regret getting one. I had a 09 KLR and had a terrible time taking it off road. Once I got the WRR it has been a totally great experiance so far.
I still have my Yamaha FZ1 for the road
FYI...I'm in Fresno

I'm not certain how much I'll be able to go off-road, but a light bike is always a lot of fun as long as you don't try long distance travel. My GS is great for that and also great as a comfortable backroads burner, but it is heavy, it is big, and there are things I plain can't do with it. I'd like to explore the unpaved areas in California a bit more, especially in the Sierras, around the Bay, and also down at Anza Borrego and around it.

I bet it will be fun. Just need to find a WR first. The one they had here at a dealership was 20% above KBB with double the estimated mileage from KBB. I passed. Don't like that dealer anyways.

Check out Bigdogadventures to see about long distance travel on this bike.. He goes all over the place and does a nice job of writing and has good pictures. He went from the Mex border to Canada. mostly off road I think. Also just did an Alaska trip.
I ended up getting some Giant Loop bag and Wolfman duffle for bike camping in the Sierra's. I did one trip so far to Edison Lake. All went well.. except for the mosquitos!!

Yeah, I saw his page. Very interesting stuff. For me, I do plan to take the WR on trips that a lot of people consider long distance trips. But as long as I stay on paved roads, my GS is the tool of choice for this. More luggage capacity, lockable cases, more comfy, more power, more relaxed.

But going to Baja or a trip that does 2000 or 3000 miles in a week is still quite a lot. I will not trailer the bike to the places I want to ride.

So far my plans are:

• Get a more comfy seat + a Laminar Lip.
  
• Get Wolfman side racks + bags.
  
• Get a rear luggage grid.
  
• Use my Ortlieb duffle.
  
• Use a tank side bags.

This should easily cover my needs for the trips I have planned (Baja, Anza Borrego, Death Valley, Sierras ...). For all the road trips - I really prefer my big bike.

Update:



On the ride home. Picked it up in LA and rode it home yesterday evening / today morning.

Wow, nice

Congratulations, have fun with it.

How did you like the drive?

Thanks - I will definitely enjoy it.

The ride was really nice. There are a couple things that definitely need attention though:

1) Just took the time to take of that stupid passenger grip thingy from the seat. That caused me quite some grief together with underwear seams in less than optimal places.

2) Need a rear rack and side luggage racks (very likely ProMoto & Wolfman).

3) Need at least one lockable thing on the bike - might end up with a Pelican on the rear rack.

And, most important:

4) This bike needs a larger fuel tank. The 1.9 or so gallons are something I really can't live with. 200 mile range is required or I go nuts with a bike. And no, it's not because of not enough gas stations around where I'm normally riding, it's because it drives me nuts to fill at every single one I see during a ride ...

Other than those - I'm really happy!

Here's a quote from ADVRider from me:

"The bike is in near showroom condition, only the front axle slider and the front fender have some scratches from a zero speed tip over. The rest is perfect. It's a 2010 WR250X, with custom graphics, some farkles (Renthal bar, Graves exhaust tip, some different grips, axle sliders, low seat, Yamalinks), it had 790 miles when I bought it yesterday and has 1228 miles now."

Nice! I was about to take my X from Chico to San Diego.....I would have passed you! Funny about he gas tank...I have to carry a gatoraide bottle of gas in my backpack! But plan on getting a bigger tank soon....
Hit me up if you want to explore the Sierra's........

boyce418 wrote:

Nice! I was about to take my X from Chico to San Diego.....I would have passed you! Funny about he gas tank...I have to carry a gatoraide bottle of gas in my backpack! But plan on getting a bigger tank soon....
Hit me up if you want to explore the Sierra's........

I certainly will at some point. Thanks!

Though probably not this year anymore. Trying to get some time over Thanksgiving week to go South and do some desert riding somewhere. I can't really plan on anything definitive as I have to see how it looks at work, whether I can leave for that week and I also need to learn some dirt riding first and need to explore maintenance and repairs on the WR before I got out to the middle of nowhere.