Keep the 450X or go WR250R?

Hey guys,

I've been reading the forums here. I like what I'm reading about the WR. Currently I have a plated CFR 450X. I run full knobbies on it, but run it on the street whenever I want. I'm thinking of selling the 450X and buying a new 2015 WR. I want to explain why, then let you guys poke holes in my reasoning as you see fit.

The 450X is a good bike. Performance is great, it has more power than needed. It handles good, decent on fuel, has a 3.1 IMS tank so the range is good. I've put a TrailTech Vapor on it and I've taken good care of it. The previous owner ... not so much, but just a couple aesthetic issues.

My issue with the bike is the really short maintenance intervals. 15 hours. I stick to it, no problem there. But I'd like to ride the TAT. And the service interval and the lack of a rear subframe is left me looking around. The OCI is not to be easy to stick to while doing the TAT. It would be like doing an oil change every other day.

From everything I've read, I believe overall would be happy with the WR. I know it's a big step down in power. Like 42 hp to 25. But I'm OK with that. From what I've read the engine on the WR is bullet proof. I would trade power for reliability in my case, of wanting to ride the TAT. And up to 3,000 mile oil change, that would be much better. And lastly, a new WR would give me ... a new bike. One I can take care of from the begginning and know the history.

Aside from the power, do you guys think there are other things from the 450X I might miss. Am I better off keeping what I have, or moving on?


7milesout

7milesout wrote:

Hey guys,

I've been reading the forums here.  I like what I'm reading about the WR.  Currently I have a plated CFR 450X.  I run full knobbies on it, but run it on the street whenever I want.  I'm thinking of selling the 450X and buying a new 2015 WR.  I want to explain why, then let you guys poke holes in my reasoning as you see fit.

The 450X is a good bike.  Performance is great, it has more power than needed.  It handles good, decent on fuel, has a 3.1 IMS tank so the range is good.  I've put a TrailTech Vapor on it and I've taken good care of it.  The previous owner ... not so much, but just a couple aesthetic issues.

My issue with the bike is the really short maintenance intervals.  15 hours.  I stick to it, no problem there.  But I'd like to ride the TAT.  And the service interval and the lack of a rear subframe is left me looking around.  The OCI is not to be easy to stick to while doing the TAT.  It would be like doing an oil change every other day.

From everything I've read, I believe overall would be happy with the WR.  I know it's a big step down in power.  Like 42 hp to 25.  But I'm OK with that.  From what I've read the engine on the WR is bullet proof.  I would trade power for reliability in my case, of wanting to ride the TAT.  And up to 3,000 mile oil change, that would be much better.  And lastly, a new WR would give me ... a new bike.  One I can take care of from the begginning and know the history.

Aside from the power, do you guys think there are other things from the 450X I might miss.  Am I better off keeping what I have, or moving on?


7milesout

Here is what I think about this.

I have ridden sections of the TAT and it is not a race course. I find that I enjoy stuff like that a slower pace with plenty of stops to see things. So in my mind you are right the HP will not play a major part in the decision. The WRR will run 70 MPH all day long if you need too the only thing you may stuggle with it is if you are doing some nasty single track or hill climbs. The sections I rode had neither.

One thing I have learned on the trips I have taken is that I take too much crap with me on the ride. In my mind once you know what you need to take and how to pack it things become a lot more enjoyable. I have a habit of doing a 2 or 3 day shakedown ride before a big trip to see how everything will work. The downside to these has been I usually figure out better ways to pack stuff and once I free up some room I load it up with stuff I don't need. While I view the shake down rides as a positive overall I just need to learn some self control on my part.

That being said, I think it would be feasible to ride the TAT on a bike with a limited subframe if you use the right luggage. I have a Nomad bag that works really well on my Beta. Once you learn how to pack light then it is easily feasible.

However, the short maintenance intervals can be a killer for something like the TAT.

I have a TE250 and a Beta 520 RR that will run rings around the WRR. But at the end of the day the WRR has taken me on trips that I would not begin to consider taking the the TE or Beta on.... plus it would start every morning with practically no maintenance requirements during the trip.

You will miss the torx thats for sure, the WRR has to be revved and the clutch slipped on most of the single track up here, but you wont have to adjust valves for 26,000 miles, very low main. change the oil, and oil filter, clean the air cleaner and ride, they run down the road at speed very well, cheer`s

I owned a 2009 CRF450X that was plated here in Connecticut.

Plus:
Great power and torque, excellent straight-line stability over rough ground, and very good suspension that was biased toward fast riding over rough ground.
You could fly on faster trails, no matter how whooped-out, bumpy, rocky, hilly, or gnarly.

Not So Plus:
Bike felt ponderous on tighter trails - even though it would actually corner very well and with confidence, it could feel heavy doing so compared to a 250cc bike.
I wanted a stronger front brake.
Suspension settings (stock valving) were a bit stiff on slower trails.

I also owned a 2008 WR250R (and a 2008 WR250X, too).
Good bikes, but the stock suspension is not in the same league as the CRF450X (which should not surprise anyone that knows these bikes).
The 250 will feel more nimble, though, even though the weight is actually more than the CRF450X (due to crankshaft inertia).

I don't know anything about riding the TAT, but I sure wouldn't ride any bike 3,000 miles off-road between oil changes, if that's what you mean.
Same for the air filter.

i would keep the 450. (dont get me wrong the 250 is the best bike i ve owned having had bigger and more expensive, smaller and cheaper, the 250 is a good all rounder. i think maintenance schedules are over rated and should be taken with a pinch of salt.) i mean surely you can find somewhere to change oil along the way. it takes five minutes of your time. its a none issue. and i agree on the other points being made 1. if you cant stick your stuff into a cheap sack you dont need it. i always take too much stuff no matter how experience i ve gained over the years. 2. you would really miss your 450 and quickly sell the 250

Really torn.  The thing I like about the 450X is that it's a motocross bike on the street.  A wheelie is just a flick of the wrist.  It's capable of anything I can dish out and then some.  But it's like killing a fly with a sledghammer for what I want to do.  And a new bike would be nice.  I believe I would miss the power ONLY.  Everything else would be fine, everything else I believe the WRR would be VERY adequate.  I could survive without the power.

Maybe I'm the exception to the rule, but I never find a bike so bad handling that after 1 ride I have to pack it up and send it off to have the suspension done.  I can ride, and ride well.  But unless I'm planning on winning a motocross race (which I'm not ... too old for that), a stock suspension is just fine with me.  Maybe I just don't ride as agressive as others.  Or maybe it's just that I have always had very capable bikes right out of the box.  Dunno.  But I'm fairly certain I would just leave the WRR stock.  Would have to get ride of the license plate area, and clean that mess up.  But other than that, mostly just stock.  I probably would not spend any money for a few horsepower.

Does the WRR have an a.p.o.?  Auxillary Power Outlet?  I have a Yamaha Grizzly and it does (very very handy).  Hoping the WRR does as well.  The 450X does not.


7milesout.

7milesout wrote:

Maybe I'm the exception to the rule, but I never find a bike so bad handling that after 1 ride I have to pack it up and send it off to have the suspension done.  I can ride, and ride well.  But unless I'm planning on winning a motocross race (which I'm not ... too old for that), a stock suspension is just fine with me.  Maybe I just don't ride as agressive as others.  Or maybe it's just that I have always had very capable bikes right out of the box.  Dunno.  But I'm fairly certain I would just leave the WRR stock.  Would have to get ride of the license plate area, and clean that mess up.  But other than that, mostly just stock.  I probably would not spend any money for a few horsepower.

Does the WRR have an a.p.o.?  Auxillary Power Outlet?

You can ride it with the stock suspension fine but after a few thousand miles it can begin to get to you especially if you are tackling some really rocky stuff. All depends on how you want to ride.

If you are doing the TAT I would leave the rear plate alone. I did the COBDR with one of the aftermarket brake lights and license plate holders and damn near got ran over a couple of times when braking after coming off a trail. The rear brake light gets covered in mud and pretty much becomes useless. Combine that and my fear about being rear ended on a bike (a good friend of mine was killed that way) and I put the stock hardware back on as soon as I got back from Colorado.

The WRR does not come with an AUX power outlet. There are a couple of ways to get one though depending on the size of load you are talking about. On my TE and Beta I just use an SAE connector that is wired into the battery. Usually pull power from it to charge the GPS or cell phone.

On the WRR with it's 350 W stator I added two switch powerlet outlets on the bars with the thought of using one for heated gear and the other for running my GPS. Ran heated gear on the bike once and it was a sort of a pia that I never did it again. I used an Eastern Beaver 3 circuit solution wire harness to pull the power to the Powerlet outlets.

I have a KTM 350 EXC-F but my WR is still my trip/adventure bike. On long trips it is nice to have a very reliable, low maintenance bike. The WR is definitely not as fun as the 350 but on trips it is more about sight seeing.

I just finished a 1500 mile loop around Colorado on paved and unpaved roads. The one thing that was bothersome on the WR was the lack of power on the pavement going up passes. It wouldn't have been so bad but I was riding with a triumph tiger and KTM 690r so it was a struggle to keep up. Anywhere off pavement I felt I had sufficient power.

I don't know if this is an option but maybe look into a used WR. They are solid bikes and can get one used reasonable with low miles, try it and sell the one you want. If you buy used and trial it you wont lose as much as buying a new one and wanting to sell after a few rides if you miss anything about the CR. Plus you can get one with a pipe and some mods and save some coin on that.

Your direct question is I have ridden all sorts of 250f's from Suzuki to Yamaha to Hondas for off road and yes the power is there and nice to rip it. a 450 is larger with more power and harder to enjoy trail/adventures especially in tight stuff. You wont notice much of a difference in stock suspension I think anyone can acclimate to the minor difference in the mx-WR transition. Maintaining valves and what not on a MX/off road bike not designed for street riding is a PITA IMO, but even more of an issue on a kick start only bike, the X is electric so its not as bad for what u got.