new member from montana question

I everyone, I just picked up a 2013 wr250r for a good price. Thing is I only ride off road. Is there any reason I shouldn't or couldn't remove the tail light and directionals?

Nope, they do have kits that will take the big ugly one off and even have LED turn signals if you need them, I have seen a few home made tail light brackets that look great.

I would remove the whole tail and make an angle bracket to mount the tail light only. Would be nice to have brake light if following you. IMO

Depends if you want shit all over your back or not.

Put one of those small tail light kits on mine and pulled the humongous rear fender. After cleaning myself up after every mud bath I put it back on.

Life has been good since.

rsteiger wrote:

Depends if you want shit all over your back or not.

Put one of those small tail light kits on mine and pulled the humongous rear fender.  After cleaning myself up after every mud bath I put it back on.

Life has been good since.

That makes sense. I figured if I take the lights off, that's one less thing to break. I will post a pic when I figure out how

This is my 2013 wr250r:

never got mud on my back and don't even see how possible. If your on the seat and turn around you cant see the tire so how is it gonna fling mud on you?

Obviously not riding fast enough, allowing the mud to catch you. A shortened front fender on the other hand.....

I left mine stock, im old I dont go through mud very fast hahaha sometimes I dont even make it all the way through.

It seems that a lot of folks removing the back fender have the license plate sticking in a more horizontal stance instead of vertical ... that would change the muds line of fire a bit too...

I may remove mine after already seeing how the brackets were made here on a recent wr 250 forum post that bracket method allows you to use the stock rear lights.... if the set up was no good..easy to re install the fender.

mcdoudlehopper wrote:

never got mud on my back and don't even see how possible. If your on the seat and turn around you cant see the tire so how is it gonna fling mud on you?

Got plenty of mud on my back and enough to cover the rear brake light to make it no longer visible.

Put the stock fender and plate back on and no mo mud on the back and a clean tail light so the person behind you can tell when you are braking.

May not be enough proof for some but it was for me!

It's still early, too cold in my garage to work on it anyway. I will post pictures if I make any changes. I don't mind getting muddy, that's part of the fun. But who knows, maybe someday I'll decide to register it for the road. Thanks for your input, you've given me options to consider.

I do get plenty of mud on my tail light and rear fender

Far out that tail light on the US delivered bikes is horrendous.

stevep84 wrote:

Far out that tail light on the US delivered bikes is horrendous.

Horrendous yes.. but it is effective at keeping mud off the tail and brake light! This becomes very important when you come off a muddy trail and are riding through a town.

Nothing will ruin your day faster than being rear ended by a car because they could not see your brake light coming on.

I rode with someone who also removed the rear fender on their WR250R, and they had a stripe of water/mud all up the back of their backpack. Nah, doesn't bug me enough to take it off.

I just ordered the DRC edge light kit. I will mount a rubber ''mud flap'' where the license plate would go. I just can't live with that fugly lighting monstrosity hanging off the back of the bike. I was going to remove all the lights, except the headlight, but I thought this would be a good compromise. I also ordered the Flatlands skid plate/radiator guard combo. I will post pics when it's done. Thanks again for the input.

I also live and ride in Montana.  One reason to keep brake light and turn lights is to keep it legal on Forest Service roads which typically connect to single tracks.  Your bike is supposed to be street legal in MT on Forest Service roads but I rarely see FS law enforcement when I ride.  Just  a different angle that no one has mentioned.

MTWIBadger wrote:

I also live and ride in Montana.  One reason to keep brake light and turn lights is to keep it legal on Forest Service roads which typically connect to single tracks.  Your bike is supposed to be street legal in MT on Forest Service roads but I rarely see FS law enforcement when I ride.  Just  a different angle that no one has mentioned.

Good point if riding on FS roads.

If you are caught doing anything illegal in a National Forest the fines can be pretty still.

I know of a couple of guys who decided to ride down a closed FS road and ended up having their bank accounts made lighter by the tune of $500. The range told them he was taking it easy on them since he had it within his rights to confiscate their bikes.

WOW I do live in Gods Country. We don't have any ATV/ ORV rules like you guys have. We can run any fourwheeler, dirtbike, down any city street except the main drag through town. Just obey traffic laws and use hand signals. You very rarely if ever see a D.N.R. officer. If so they are usually nice and courteous if your not a prick and have your trail sticker.

orionswarrior wrote:

I just ordered the DRC edge light kit. I will mount a rubber ''mud flap'' where the license plate would go. I just can't live with that fugly lighting monstrosity hanging off the back of the bike. I was going to remove all the lights, except the headlight, but I thought this would be a good compromise. I also ordered the Flatlands skid plate/radiator guard combo.  I will post pics when it's done. Thanks again for the input.

Seal up that light before you run it.
I didnt and mine only lasted a few months.
I didnt have a mud flap just the plate below it and the light was always covered with mud.
I also bent the plate and mounting bracket in a tip over.
If you cant tell I dont like the drc tail light, its a POS IMO.
One of the 20-30 dollar tail light kits for making offraod bikes road legal is way better than the drc tail light.