Dedicated Dirt Bike in Addition to WRR?

Hi Everyone,

I've had my WRR for about a year now and absolutely love it. I've done a ton of mods to it including many of the popular protection and performance mods. I try to take it off-road as much as possible, but have probably done about 60% on road 40% off. It's my first dual sport, and first bike I've ever taken off road. I've done from easy off road riding to much more technical trails in off-road dedicated parks where I've been the only dual sport. While the WRR has done surprisingly well in all of it, I definitely have felt it's limitations in the off-road parks. I can't help but feel a true trail bike like a WR250F, KTM 250 XC-F or something like that would be much more appropriate for those types of areas. I live within 2 hours of about 10 off road parks, but my state doesn't allow motorcycles on any state or public land. Therefore, I'm stuck either exploring mostly forest roads and quick, off road but non-technical, sections of land that I can find while roaming around the public roads; or taking the WRR to off-road parks where it's all quads and dirt bikes.

Do any of you guys keep both a WRR and a dirt bike for cases like this? I feel like I have more fun on the WRR when I'm just casually cruising some easy trails, gravel and dirt roads; but feel like I'm missing out some great technical off roading by not having a true dirt bike to trailer to the parks.

Yep, WR450 and a XR400 that's been dual sported

Yeah, me, too. I have a WR250F as well as the WR250R. Completely different worlds and I'd miss either one if I got rid of it.

Same here.  Different machines for different types of riding. Love them both. I'm starting to think I need a trials bike too!

Same here, although my "dedicated dirt bike" is a KTM 500 EXC. I like the flexibility of a plated bike. I use the KTM in the desert, and the WR everywhere else. The WR does great everywhere except the desert, so the KTM fills that niche nicely.

I tried taking the KTM to the local forest yesterday. I wished I had my WR. The KTM is great when you're hot rodding it, but it's way overkill for putting around on fire roads. Like others have said, different tools for different jobs.



Lee

VW_Lee wrote:

Same here, although my "dedicated dirt bike" is a KTM 500 EXC. I like the flexibility of a plated bike. I use the KTM in the desert, and the WR everywhere else. The WR does great everywhere except the desert, so the KTM fills that niche nicely.

I tried taking the KTM to the local forest yesterday. I wished I had my WR. The KTM is great when you're hot rodding it, but it's way overkill for putting around on fire roads. Like others have said, different tools for different jobs.

Lee

I agree that the WR is sufficient for most things, but it's become clear to me that the WR just isn't the right tool for enjoying the off road parks that are meant for ATV's and dirt bikes. I just lowered the WR by doing the factory rear suspension lowering option in combination with the Yamalink, and slightly lowing the front forks. This probably hurt the off road capability very slightly, but it's made the bike more comfortable for general riding and commuting.

I did this in part because I've decided to look for a dirt bike while gearing the WR more for light adventure touring that leans more heavily on the adventure side of things. This way, I can enjoy the benefits of having a plated bike that can get into the reasonably gnarly stuff while still maintain solid road manners. And I can use the dirt bike for the parks.

The question now is, what dirt bike. I have my sights set on a WR250f or a KTM 250 XC-F, but now I'm starting the float the idea of maybe at KTM 350 EXC so that I can still have a plate to get between trails if ever needed. Is there a significant difference between the off road ability of an XC-F and EXC? It also seems a lot easier, and cheaper, to find used YZ250f's around me. Can anyone comment on the trail riding ability of the YZ versus the bikes mentioned above?

Well I had a plated KTM450EXC, a plated Beta 520RR and a GasGas XC250 with my WR250R.

I sold the KTM first since I was not riding it.

Next I sold the GasGas because I was not riding it much - maybe two trips to the ORV park a year.

Then I ended up selling my Beta 520RR since I was not riding it much.

Most of my rides typically are on FS roads and trails and not a high speed affair. When some one would want to head out for the weekend on a last minute notice I would tend to grab the WRR especially if we were covering 100 to 200 miles to get to the trails. So the Beta sat...

After selling the Beta I started missing the fun of a plated dirtbike and the guy who bought my KTM needed to clear some room in his garage, so I bought it back. He put 15 miles on the bike in 5 years and it needed a good carb cleaning. After the carb cleaning I put more miles on that bike in a afternoon than what it had seen in the last 5 years...... and it has sat since then..

I must be getting old.

wxm8562 wrote:

The question now is, what dirt bike. I have my sights set on a WR250f or a KTM 250 XC-F, but now I'm starting the float the idea of maybe at KTM 350 EXC so that I can still have a plate to get between trails if ever needed. Is there a significant difference between the off road ability of an XC-F and EXC? It also seems a lot easier, and cheaper, to find used YZ250f's around me. Can anyone comment on the trail riding ability of the YZ versus the bikes mentioned above?

The YZ is an MX race bike made to run at high RPM and fast speeds more often than not.  This is reflected in it's transmission, engine with lightweight flywheel, cooling system, and stiff suspension.  I've seen where some riders who race YZs claim that they're great fun on singletrack trails too, but I've never read of a trail rider who purposely traded his wide ratio (WR) trail bike with heavier flywheel, low speed cooling, and plush suspension for an MX bike to ride on trails.  

I've never ridden an MX bike on tight mountain singletrack.  But I've been on several rides where I've seen younger stronger riders than me struggle with their MX bikes in slow tight steep terrain that my little trail bike just seems to glide over.  Right tool for the right job and all that, which seems appropriate considering the topic of this thread.

The WR is a super fun bike that does well at all kinds of riding, especially the rides I do that are multiple days. That being said, I also have a dedicated dirt bike and it is on a whole different level when it comes to performance in the dirt.

Having multiple bikes that are purpose-built was the way to go for me personally.

wwguy wrote:

Same here.  Different machines for different types of riding. Love them both.  I'm starting to think I need a trials bike too!

My new Beta 300 is so much fun! It floats through the toughest rock gardens and rutted hill climbs and all I did was change the tires.

Jerry,
Love the Beta! My main riding buddy has had a '17 300R for about 3 months. Here in TN the laws are pretty lax and his is plated. I'm not sure I'd be willing to put it on the pavement much, but it is an awesome bike. We normally run 100-200 mile days with as much dirt and gravel as possible, but to get that kind of mileage and connect riding areas, pavement is in order. He has no regrets and loves every second. I've ridden the bike several times and may be a little jelly of it! I keep telling myself how practical and maintenance free the WRR is. We ride some pretty gnarly areas here in East TN/Western NC and it really shines in the rough. Being a former 2 stroke guy, I can't get over how well it lugs through the rocks and tight woods.

I'm really happy so far with the Beta, I haven't had a 2 stroke in 20 years!

Most of the rides I do out here are pretty long, with connecting sections of pavement. That's partly why I wanted the Beta, it has oil injection. The plate is more a formality for the times I have to take pavement to hit the trail.

The newer 300 2 strokes that are water cooled and E-start ride just like a 4 stroke minus 50-80lbs, I've been missing out on how much fun these bikes are.

My WR is pretty set up, there's a few crazy dirt rides I do a year that are 500 mile plus trips that I'll take my WR on, the WR has to be the most bulletproof bike ever.

Jerry S wrote:

...the WR has to be the most bulletproof bike ever.

+1 for this.

WRRs are the most mechanically reliable and maintenance-friendly of any dirt-oriented bike I've ever encountered.  I can easily forgive it's extra weight and low power because it's always ready to take another ride when the dirt bike is down for maintenance.

For me that's priceless.

Jerry S wrote:

I'm really happy so far with the Beta, I haven't had a 2 stroke in 20 years!

Most of the rides I do out here are pretty long, with connecting sections of pavement. That's partly why I wanted the Beta, it has oil injection. The plate is more a formality for the times I have to take pavement to hit the trail.

The newer 300 2 strokes that are water cooled and E-start ride just like a 4 stroke minus 50-80lbs, I've been missing out on how much fun these bikes are.

My WR is pretty set up, there's a few crazy dirt rides I do a year that are 500 mile plus trips that I'll take my WR on, the WR has to be the most bulletproof bike ever.

Is there a benefit to the Beta 300RR over say the KTM 250 XC-F? Obviously the KTM is a 4-stroke, but it also is slightly lighter. Is a 2-stroke preferred for the trails?

I think one thing that's worth mentioning is that a lot of the dedicated dirt bikes come pretty set up. With my new bike, there is very little aside from preference type mods that you have to do with them.

Most of them come with good pipes, wheels, brakes, bars, and suspension. That's excluding things like springing it for your weight or swapping tires for your terrain. They even come pretty close in terms of sprockets and such.

There not like Dualsport bikes where you have to nearly swap or remove every single part on the bike to get it up to speed.

wxm8562 wrote:

Jerry S wrote:

I'm really happy so far with the Beta, I haven't had a 2 stroke in 20 years!

Most of the rides I do out here are pretty long, with connecting sections of pavement. That's partly why I wanted the Beta, it has oil injection. The plate is more a formality for the times I have to take pavement to hit the trail.

The newer 300 2 strokes that are water cooled and E-start ride just like a 4 stroke minus 50-80lbs, I've been missing out on how much fun these bikes are.

My WR is pretty set up, there's a few crazy dirt rides I do a year that are 500 mile plus trips that I'll take my WR on, the WR has to be the most bulletproof bike ever.

Is there a benefit to the Beta 300RR over say the KTM 250 XC-F? Obviously the KTM is a 4-stroke, but it also is slightly lighter. Is a 2-stroke preferred for the trails?

I like the 300s because they rev slower than the 250s in general, I think they lug down low like a 4 stroke would. I'm not racing, so for gnarly trails, the low-end torque is so nice. I wouldn't even bother putting a Rekluse on my 300 because of how smooth it is down low. The KTM 250s I rode were really snappy.

Sure.

I have a CRF450X, CR500R, and a plated Beta 500RR-S. Beta is basically replacing the 450X. Not sure if I will keep the CR500 or not. Its a blast to ride, but have been thinking about swapping it out for an XTrainer 300.

What I wanted from the WR is stone-cold reliability/longevity. So far, so good.

Absolutely! The WRR is OK on slow trails but not so good on jumps etc. For going to OHV parks why not pick up a Jap 2 stroke motocrosser? You can find good ones for $2000 all day long, and they are much lower maintenance than a 4 stroke.

The KTM EXC models are more expensive, more complicated, and not tuned well as a dirt bike. (emissions crap). If you must have a KTM the xc or xcf models would be best for an offroad park. But will cost 2x a Jap 2 stroke.

dhally wrote:

Absolutely! The WRR is OK on slow trails but not so good on jumps etc. For going to OHV parks why not pick up a Jap 2 stroke motocrosser? You can find good ones for $2000 all day long, and they are much lower maintenance than a 4 stroke.

The KTM EXC models are more expensive, more complicated, and not tuned well as a dirt bike. (emissions crap). If you must have a KTM the xc or xcf models would be best for an offroad park. But will cost 2x a Jap 2 stroke.

Yeah, my local Craigslist is overflowing with a ton of cheap YZ125's and 250's. I was considering one of those, but I read a lot of stuff saying that an MX bike isn't good for trail riding. That's why I've been considering the WR250f, KTM XC-F or some other trail specific bike. Right tool for the job kind of thing. They're much more scarce and more expensive for sure, but I feel like I'd be happier with it overall as I'll be riding woods trails more than anything else.

dhally wrote:

Absolutely! The WRR is OK on slow trails but not so good on jumps etc. For going to OHV parks why not pick up a Jap 2 stroke motocrosser? You can find good ones for $2000 all day long, and they are much lower maintenance than a 4 stroke.

The KTM EXC models are more expensive, more complicated, and not tuned well as a dirt bike. (emissions crap). If you must have a KTM the xc or xcf models would be best for an offroad park. But will cost 2x a Jap 2 stroke.

I noticed you have Sherco 300i, what's that like? I was really interested in the new 300 SER-R. A 300cc four-stroke sounds pretty sweet.

dhally wrote:

Absolutely! The WRR is OK on slow trails but not so good on jumps etc. For going to OHV parks why not pick up a Jap 2 stroke motocrosser? You can find good ones for $2000 all day long, and they are much lower maintenance than a 4 stroke.

The KTM EXC models are more expensive, more complicated, and not tuned well as a dirt bike. (emissions crap). If you must have a KTM the xc or xcf models would be best for an offroad park. But will cost 2x a Jap 2 stroke.

I noticed you have Sherco 300i, what's that like? I was really interested in the new 300 SEF-R. A 300cc four-stroke sounds pretty sweet.

Jerry S wrote:

dhally wrote:

Absolutely! The WRR is OK on slow trails but not so good on jumps etc. For going to OHV parks why not pick up a Jap 2 stroke motocrosser? You can find good ones for $2000 all day long, and they are much lower maintenance than a 4 stroke.

The KTM EXC models are more expensive, more complicated, and not tuned well as a dirt bike. (emissions crap). If you must have a KTM the xc or xcf models would be best for an offroad park. But will cost 2x a Jap 2 stroke.

I noticed you have Sherco 300i, what's that like? I was really interested in the new 300 SEF-R. A 300cc four-stroke sounds pretty sweet.

The 300i is a singletrack weapon. Almost as light as a 2 stroke and has laser guided steering. Suspension valving is spot on. I got it because I just prefer 4 strokes. It has plenty of power until I hit the sand dunes, then I'm wishing for the 2 stroke.

dhally wrote:

Jerry S wrote:

dhally wrote:

Absolutely! The WRR is OK on slow trails but not so good on jumps etc. For going to OHV parks why not pick up a Jap 2 stroke motocrosser? You can find good ones for $2000 all day long, and they are much lower maintenance than a 4 stroke.

The KTM EXC models are more expensive, more complicated, and not tuned well as a dirt bike. (emissions crap). If you must have a KTM the xc or xcf models would be best for an offroad park. But will cost 2x a Jap 2 stroke.

I noticed you have Sherco 300i, what's that like? I was really interested in the new 300 SEF-R. A 300cc four-stroke sounds pretty sweet.

The 300i is a singletrack weapon. Almost as light as a 2 stroke and has laser guided steering. Suspension valving is spot on. I got it because I just prefer 4 strokes. It has plenty of power until I hit the sand dunes, then I'm wishing for the 2 stroke.

Sounds nice, I have a 300 2 stroke that is so much fun. I lowered my WR and wife has fully taken it over.