I am new and need info.

I am a 50 year old guy currently riding a 1991 Honda XR250L. My bike is a super bike I like it a lot but I am not a real good rider and I don't like jumps and hard riding. I have been thinking for some time that I would like to get a new duel sport bike, and give my 21 year old son my Honda. Well after some time I decided that I wanted a WR250R it seemed like a step up but not a leap up. Well I started to talking to friends and then things got confusing. I like to leave my house and the desert is 7 miles away. I like to hit the desert and just roam. I would like to expand that to riding farther and some highway riding involved. Maybe even some camping also involved. I also want to take it to the mountains and ride there on logging roads and some single track trails.
My friends are saying I should be thinking XR650L, or a DR650.  I am not sure I could handle a bike that big. I have been riding my bike for about 11 years and like I said I like it but would like to have a bike that is a little faster on the road. My bike is geared lower so it is slower, but the main thing I don't like about it and this is really the only thing is, I want an electric start. My bike starts well but I am older and want an easier bike to ride.
I want to look at these three bikes but the local dealers don't carry any of them. So I am going to have to travel about 120 miles to see them. And they might not even be in Boise I am not sure. So there it is what do you think? I still like the idea of the WR250R, but the better road speed and the ability to run with the traffic with the big bikes has some appeal.
This is my bike.

The WR250r sounds perfect for you. The bike could happily sit on the highway doing 60-70 all day long and the electric start is great too. I highly recommend the bike for you.

They have soft luggage racks for the sides and top, or hard case stuff, they make 3.1 gallon, 4.7 gallon, and some bigger tanks. I do MOSTLY backroads and offroad riding, but have had it to about 85 on the highway (going down hill with a tailwind tucked behind the dash LOL) I have managed to climb 14 foot 60* slopes with a little head start and some bravery LOL, I only have about 1100 miles on my WR but I love it so far, I am 5'8" 220 lbs and I had it lowered (some say don't) and haven't had any problems except I am greedy and want more power.....

I believe the WR would be good for you. Let us know if you have anymore questions. Some people on here have gone cross country and more on these little bikes.

Welcome to the group Ron.  Also, thanks for the earlier PM from a fellow Idahoan!  "Traveller" is another local WRR rider with quite a bit of experience and insight.  Since the topic here is pretty much the same as in your PM I'll just respond here so the other members can chime in too.

It sounds like you've got your objectives and priorities pretty well sorted and I agree with the others that this bike is a good match.  The bigger 650cc bikes will get you down the highways and dirt roads with a little more power, comfort, and gear hauling capacity.  But they're piggish at best on the trails and god help you if you need to pick one up by yourself on a remote hillside etc.  The WR250R is pretty much a more modern and technically advanced version of your current bike.

The WRR is about as compact and lightweight of a dirt-oriented dual sport you'll find, save perhaps the much more expensive KTMs and Huskys.  Unlike KTM or Husky dual sports the WRR is set up to go 3000 miles between oil changes and 26,000 miles between valve adjustments.  That translates to more time riding and less time turning wrenches.  The WRR's fuel injection means no jetting issues at elevation and no choke required for cold starts and the notoriously tough engine easily revs to 10,000 RPM.

The 6 speed wide range (WR) transmission is great for a wide variety of riding conditions.  But for the riding we have here in Idaho you'll probably want to gear it down like you've done with your XR.  The WRR comes stock with 13/43 sprockets and I'd suggest at least 13/47 or 13/48.  I run 13/51, which is a bit lower than what most others are running, and I can still cruise the highways at 65 MPH at around 8000 RPM.

I live about a mile from Snake River Yamaha in Boise, which I'm guessing is the closest dealer that you're referring to.  They've had a WR250R on the showroom floor every time I've been in for parts etc.  But I've been unimpressed so far with their knowledge of the bike beyond the stock setup.  When I took my 2011 in last summer for a factory recall on the stator the sales guy spent about 30 minutes querying me about my mods and how I use the bike.  I only mention this to point out that you'll probably get a lot better info here than at the Yamaha dealerships in southern Idaho.  There's also a Yamaha dealership in Caldwell, about 20 miles west of Boise.

Drop me a line if you come to Boise to look at bikes.  I'd be happy to let you putt around my neighborhood on mine to get a feel for it.  You might also enjoy experiencing some of the differences between mine and a stock WRR.

Which direction are you from Boise? There's a good dealer in Mt. Home also. Cycle City is the name of the place. He has a new 2015 on the showroom floor. He beats the list price by a little usually, and also doesn't charge you doc or freight fees. The price is the price with no add-ons. Only extra you pay is tax. Nice folks also, and if they're closer to you, probably a lot nicer drive than coming in the extra 45 miles to Meridian. Talk to Russell if you go by.

I was looking at XR250's again before I picked up the WR. I've ridden them, and like the bike, but it's not a top end machine for sure. Fun bike to kick around on, and very sedate. Doesn't do anything that will bite you. However, the magic button makes a difference, and had to have one also. Just get tired of trying to kickstart a bike on a hill or a side slope. It's awkward, and doesn't end well sometimes. An XR650 is a beast. They're heavy, but have bottom end for days, and are a great open spaces bike. If you drop one, you will know it after you lift it back up. If the XR250 was powerful enough for you, you probably won't be happy with the 650.

For more money, the only thing that comes close would be the EXC350 KTM and Husky variants, but they're more dirt focused. The Beta 430RS is another possibility, but it's also more dirt focused, and is an unknown quantity for extended road use in my opinion. Just not enough of them out there. The only Beta dealer is here in Boise, same with KTM and Husky. They're quite a bit more expensive, which was a decision factor for me, but they also come out of the box needing nearly nothing. The suspension is already sorted, and you only need items to make you fit the bike and get the gearing where you want it. They're 10 grand + though, so you pay for it.

I really like my WR. I had to modify the suspension, and basically make it a bit more off-road focused, but I used to ride big bore 2 strokes and don't like to poke around off-road. For poking around and exploring, the stock suspension works pretty darn well. It's plush enough to be very forgiving, and works well on the street. I was actually surprised at just how well this bike goes down the road as far as keeping up with traffic and cornering. It's a hoot on the street or off. In my opinion, it's over geared from the factory, but with just a few mods it really comes into it's own. 13/46 gearing can use the stock chain and works well with the stock tires. 13/47 is the sweet spot in my opinion for dual use, but requires a longer chain. 13/48 is what I run, but I have a slightly larger diameter tire in the rear that makes it about the equivalent of 13/47 with the stock tire. For more trail oriented use, I'd go with what WWguy said, and gear it lower. I just need to do 70+ on the freeway occasionally, and steeper gears get a little buzzy at 75 for me.

Snake River has decent folks, but my salesman left there a few weeks after we bought my bike, and he was the one that knew the dual sport line the best in my opinion.

Power wise, the WR has a lot more top end than your XR. The XR beats it off the bottom, as the WR has a short stroke and large bore, where the XR is smaller bore longer stroke. Rev the WR up a little, and it will hustle along nicely and ends up being a lot faster than the XR. It has no problem running 70 down the freeway. It's a much more modern engine and will get a lot better fuel mileage and runs for a long time.

If you're out East, and want to poke around on mine, I'll put forward the same offer. We now have 6+ acres to poke around on, and you can get a feel for it. We're out in the desert North of the freeway about 15 miles West of Mt. Home. We're just about done moving everything over (just a couple more loads in the pickup) and then we'll be around most weekends.

You will enjoy the WR250R, I know I do. It is just what I was looking for when I got tired of wrestling my KLR650 around mountain trails. My wife rides an XT250 and we were often limited to what trails we could ride because of my heavy bike. My son bought a WR250R and I realized what I was missing. Now we ride single track or highway, what ever it takes to get where we want to go. Fuel injection is real nice in the mountains, may be a slight power loss at high elevation but nothing compared to carb bikes. The bikes are about bullet proof too. The link below is for a blog of a guy and his buddy who have ridden their WR's all over North America, Baja to Alaska. I think he now has around 50K miles on his bike and his buddy has over 75K.

http://www.bigdogadventures.com/1Alaska.htm


Our WR's and XT on Tomichi Pass CO

Thanks for the info guys.
I live actually in Buhl that is Next to Twin Falls. I have went in there a hundred times and they never has a WRR. I did go to Boise this weekend. I was super busy so I didn't get to look long and the only place I went was Carl's on State Street. I looked at a CRF250L a XR650L. They had a couple Suzuki 200's on the floor and they said they hadf a DR650 and a DRZ400 in the back but they didn't show them to me.

The XR650 is fricken HUGE!!! I have never sat on one. My feet were like 6" from the floor. The kid said they could drop it and I said that is what would happen at the first stop light, I wold drop it.
The fire breathing Honda is out. I sat on the CRF250L and it was the perfect height. But I have heard some negative things about the valves on the honda. Something about shims and most of the guys I have talked to didn't like the motor on the CRF. That bike looked great, again Twin Falls has had a couple in but I couldn't sit on one because it was sold.

A buddy of mine is a very experienced rider and he is getting a KLR650. I looked at them and they look like a street bike. I didn't sit on it, but I am sure they are good bikes but I have never been a fan of Kawalski.

When I was talking to the sales man about the CRF I asked him if he knew anything about the WRR. he said he didn't have any on it but used to ride other Yamaha bikes. He said that the transmissions on Yamaha is loose and clunky. He said they sound like they are ready to "check out".

I wish I could have seen the WRR. I think about my level of riding experience and I don't think the 650 size bikes is anything I can handle. I guess when I do a self evaluation I am not a very good rider but my XR has taken me every where I have had the guts to go.
I told my buddy I looked at bikes and he is still pushing the KLR or DR650. I am honestly not interested in those. After years of lifting and accidents I don't think I could lift those bikes. I have had to lift mine a couple times and it was more than enough for me but I got it up.

The Two bikes that have my attention now are the WRR and the CRF. in that order. I am thinking the WRR is my top choice because of what I have read about them. everyone says they are bullet proof and the first valve check is at 26,000 miles. I haven't sat on one yet and I really want to see if I can touch. I am 5'10" and the CRF was a good height.

WWguy and Traveller, Thanks for the offer. I will keep it in mind. It would be interesting to see the difference in a tricked out bike and a factory bike. To be honest at my riding experience I will probably not modify a new bike much. The gearing, bark busters, and a rack is on the first order. I have been looking for a used one but that is like finding a unicorn. I did see one WRR that a guy wanted 7000 for used. I didn't even contact him.

Thanks for the info on the dealers. I didn't know any names when I went up. I wasn't even planning to look at bikes I just saw the place and dropped in.

If you're in Buhl, Try Cycle City in Mt. Home. They're a nice group of folks, and they currently have a WR250R in stock.

I sat on the Honda CRF, but I didn't like the feel of it. It's a solid 25 lbs. heavier than my WR, and I didn't like the layout for someone my size. It's shorter at the seat though, and works for people that have a hard time reaching on the WR. The motor is a little less zippy than the CBR250, but it's the same engine family. It's biased for trail riding versus buzzing it around on the street. Still waiting for them to take the CBR300 motor, tweak it a little and put it right directly in place of the 250 motor in the CRF. It's already emissions tested in the CBR chassis, so should be a straight swap into the CRF. That would really help that bike out a bit. It's a good trail machine by all accounts, but is under suspended for people that want to go faster off road. It's also down a bit on power, but tractors around well with a bit more low end. The WR is better in the dirt, but still a bit underdamped for pushing harder. Both need some work, but the Honda has no adjustments on the suspension, and needs to have the rear shock replaced as a complete unit. There's a reason it only costs $5K. Honda cheaped out on the suspension.

We moved the last of our stuff today. We need to make a short trip over to the old house in Nampa Saturday morning to clean up the shop the rest of the way and haul a couple last things to the youth ranch, then we'll be home the rest of the weekend. Unpacking and putting things away. Whee. If it's nice out, I'll probably have to escape for a short ride somewhere!

Have a good time with the search!

Thanks for the info. I have never adjusted the suspension on my current bike. I don't know enough about them to make adjustments. I am going to say that my riding will be about 70% road but not highway for the most part. And the dirt will probably be 80% two track vs single track. I don't ride fast I wold wreck for sure.

I would like to echo what others have already said.  I bought my '13 WR new exactly three years ago, and it has been a terrific bike.  The only issue I've had with it was the stator actually quit working while on a ride in the mountains.  The dealer did the recall (I never got a notice, so I didn't know about the recall until I researched the issue), and it's been fine ever since.  The only other reliability issue I can think of is you need to make sure your chain is properly adjusted at all times or it will chew through the bottom of the slider and then into the bottom of the swingarm.  Inspect the slider often, keep the chain lubed and adjusted, you will be fine.

I had an '01 XR250R, and I can assure you that the suspension and steering on the WR are light years ahead of the XR/XL.  I do miss the low end grunt the XR had, but my recent addition of 13/50 gearing has helped a great deal with this.  I previously had 13/47 gearing, which is what I consider to be perfect for true 50/50 riding, but I do a lot of desert riding in sand washes, so I wanted more punch.  Also, the tires that come with the WR are terrible off-road.  The best dual purpose tires I've used have been Pirelli MT21, and the best DOT tires with an off-road focus have been Pirelli XCMH.

The biggest concern with the WR for you will be the seat height.  It's about the same as the XR650.  The WR sits incredibly high for a dual sport.  You can get a lowering link, and the shock has some additional adjustment.  I would research these items and see if that works for you.  I'm 6'0", my suspension is stock height, and I can only have one foot down at stop lights.  Other than that, it's a non-issue.  

Lee

For your stated purposes I think you would be very pleased with the WRR. Good advice from the others who have responded so far. Additionally the WR does great for highway work as well (just avoid interstates). I have done up to 10 day trips, loaded up with my camping gear, and have had zero issues with speed on highway or keeping up with my buddy on his 650 klr. For comparison I had a KLR 650 for three years prior to getting my WR. What you don't have on the WR is the low end torque of the KLR but the gains in no vibration, 100 lbs less weight, total reliability, certainly offset that. Having said that folks, I do not want to turn this into a KLR versus WR debate, I am just saying to the OP that I think he would be well suited with the WR.

I have to say that I smile to myself when I hear my fellow riders (who are not on dualsports) tell me that they cannot imagine that a 250 cc bike will get the job done. I feel a bit sorry for them as they do not know what they are missing. Of course you guys already know that!

VW_Lee wrote:

The biggest concern with the WR for you will be the seat height.  It's about the same as the XR650.  The WR sits incredibly high for a dual sport.  You can get a lowering link, and the shock has some additional adjustment.  I would research these items and see if that works for you.  I'm 6'0", my suspension is stock height, and I can only have one foot down at stop lights.  Other than that, it's a non-issue.  

Lee

What the HECK!! I didn't know they were that tall! Like I said I haven't seen one yet. I sent a message to the dealer in Mountain Home and have not received a reply. I really need to see one.

Just call them. They answer the phone a lot better than email, as there's only a couple of office folks around. They don't check email very frequently.

The seat height is 36.6" which is quite a bit lower than the "race" bikes at 38" or so, and only a little taller than the XR250 stock height of 36". The rear shock can be adjusted down a bit, and the front forks can be moved up in the clamps a bit, and you can get the seat down to stock XR height no problem. It's easy to get 3/4" out of the height with simple adjustments and no money. There are also seat options that reduce the height more, so there are a lot of things that can be done to set it up for shorter riders. Plenty of folks down in the 5' 4-5 range using lowering links, lowered seats, etc.

It is true that the seat is a little high for those who have an inseam under 33". At 6' and 190lb I could just barely get the balls of my feet on the ground until I installed a Seat Concepts low seat. WOW what a difference that made, I can now set flat footed and I love the wide seat. With a Rotopax 1.75 gallon gas jug and a Rapid Transit bag the bike still weighs 100 ponds less that the KLR650.

On another note, have you considered the XT250? It is an air cooled 2 valve rather than liquid cool 4 valve but is 5 " shorter than the WR. Weight is about the same but easier to handle, the XT is a 5 speed vs the 6 speed WR. It can run 70 mph right along with the WRs.  My wife is on her 2nd XT and goes every where we go on our WRs and it cost $1500 less. They have been fuel injected since 2013.

This is my wife with her 2009 XT and my KLR before we up dated.

I am going to go to Mountain Home on Friday if I can get out of work. I talked to Russel about them and get an idea what he is thinking for a price.

Idahoron, I looked at all the bikes you did and I just bought my WR last month....love it. I am 5'10'' 189lbs and have no issues with it. I am close to your age with quite a bit of riding time. One of my past bikes was A KTM 640Lc. Great bike but not good at anything (like the large dual sports). Heavy pig on the dirt and fatiguing on the trails. I did look at the Husk'ies too but at $10,000 with silly maintenance intervals it didn't make sense.

Best of luck on you decision! You will be happy with the WRR.

I just jumped on one for the first time , and I was impressed how easy it was to get on and go yet still have some balls if you want it to. I am a complete noob gumby that never rode a bike since that one time I was 12 and I don't think I ever took past 3rd

A lot of good info has been presented.
I had an 87 XT350 and a 2004 XR400 and find my 2009 WRR a faster bike.
I put a Corbin seat on it and at 6'2" I can stand flat footed.
There is a lowering link that will get the bike much lower.
I ride some nasty trails and run 12 - 50 and do not need to slip the clutch anymore - the WR has no bottom end torque. I also have a TW200 which has good low end torque, but is a pig on the road.
I also have a 13 and 14 front sprocket so I can lower the revs if I plan on doing a more dualsport type ride. I have done dualsport rides with guys on all types of bikes.
The guys on the 650cc plus bikes are slow on the rough sections of FSRs, but will have an easier time on the slab.
The guys on the KTMs and Betas enjoy the dirt part of the ride, but dread the slab part.
I find the WR too lite of bike to travel 70 mph for long stretches. The fasted I have been on the bike is 138 kmph with 13 - 48 gearing and it was not fun any wind any you are fighting to stay in your lane.

If you can not find a WRR, I would look for a DRZ 400. A guy I ride with has the XT250 fuel injected and he cannot maintain 60 mph on hills on the slab and he is a small guy. I just shift into 5th and the WRR comes back to life.

What is your height (and weight while we are it it), I am 5'10 and have no problem with the taller bike, I actually prefer it now. I just played in a bit of sand on the wr250 and was thinking I am glad I have downgraded from the KLR, light bikes are the way to go if you can swing it, and being 150 Lbs helps lol. Do not let them talk you up into a 650, they just don't know.

wrwiley wrote:

What is your height (and weight while we are it it), I am 5'10 and have no problem with the taller bike, I actually prefer it now.  I just played in a bit of sand on the wr250 and was thinking I am glad I have downgraded from the KLR, light bikes are the way to go if you can swing it, and being 150 Lbs helps lol.  Do not let them talk you up into a 650, they just don't know.

I wasn't able to get off work this weekend. I am going to try next weekend. The drive to go see the one in Mountain Home is going to be over 100 miles round trip.
I am 5'10" 180 pounds and have a 32" inseam on my pants.
To be honest I am a little intimidated by the 650's. The 250 of mine is about all I can handle. I am not a guy that price is no object, but I don't like buying something that is crappy. I would rather spend the extra that the WR costs over the CRF or XT if I can flat foot stand when I am on it. I just wish it were easier for me to see a new one in stock form. Heck I have never seen one in person in any form.

I had been riding an XR650L for the past couple years, and just last month made the move to a used 08 WR250x, which was set up with off road tires by the previous owner. I'm so happy about the change the XR is now up for sale. I loved my time with the XR, but I just never could get comfortable with its height and weight on more challenging off road situations. I'm sure an experienced dirt biker can manipulate the bike just fine, but coming from a street riding and mtn biking background, I could just never really get the big red pig to do what I wanted. The final straw was when I dumped the bike downhill on an off camber trail, and nearly gave myself a hernia trying to get the XR up by myself. My wife rides a 2007 DR200 (which I HIGHLY recommend as a beginner dualsport), and I found myself riding it more when I knew I was going to do some more challenging terrain. It was not until a few weeks ago when I took the DR200 out for a dual sport ride with some friends from South Lake Tahoe to Minden NV and back (via Luther Pass) that I realized that a smaller bike is still road-worthy when necessary. Sure, I was wide open for all the uphill, but then again I was getting way better gas mileage than the 650's in the group, and had an easier time when we hit the trail. And that's when I started looking at 250's, and from everything I read the WR wins hands down in all categories, except for price. Buying used helped offset that a bit though.

The WR is an awesome bike all round! Welcome to the forum