Dirtbike magazine

Not to open any bad wounds with SheWolf, but, a friend of mine at work has a new dirtbike magazine with the dual sport buyers guide. They really do hate the WR. They say you could spend thousands and still not make it any good in not so many words. Maybe we should all write to the editor.

Good at what???? I think that is key.. Small DS bike that likes the off road better then the on? it could be the pick tho a TE would take it off road.. DRZ on road. Are you happy with it? Then it's the best bike F them then....

writing the editor might feel good... writing the advertisers might actually get some attention... cancelling the subscription might get even more attention.

It reminds me of Conde' Nast ... the high end travel magazine. Several years ago they ask, via a survey, about the favorite travel destinations of their readers. They even provided list from which to select... NY, Paris, SF, LA, Hong Kong, London... the usualy list and then left one blank just in case someone wanted to write-in a favorite. Santa Fe won by a landslide IIRC. Shocked 'em all.

Wow all that cuz they don't like your bike..

Dirtbike Magazine has a bad habit of spending next to nothing on seat time when they did the review. When you pull shit like that, with as many ppl reading it who haven't a clue, no wonder. Blind leading the blind.

texasreb wrote:

a friend of mine at work has a new dirtbike magazine with the dual sport buyers guide. They really do hate the WR. They say you could spend thousands and still not make it any good in not so many words. Maybe we should all write to the editor.

I won't be bothering. It's a bike, not a religion. I'm not hurt because somebody else doesn't think much of my bike, so why should I waste my time writing a letter to the editor? Particularly of a magazine that is openly MX oriented in all things. The chances they can approach a dual sport bike with a true dual sport attitude is pretty slim. And there's more.

First, what are the chances they live where I live and ride like I ride? They're mostly a southern California crowd, aren't they? What the hell do they know about riding in the Rocky Mountains, or going out with just you and your bike for days and weeks at a time, no support vehicles and trailers hanging around the edges?

Second, I chose my ride to please me, not please them. So if I like my bike, why the hell should I care if they don't? Already too many people out there worrying about what other people think of their bike, their truck, the helmet they chose, the jacket they wear, etc. I couldn't give a crap. I don't get paid by Yamaha to preach the gospel and sell bikes, so I don't really have any stake in the matter.

I just can't get worked up about it.

I say we meet em in the parking lot and ask em to follow us "Home" on their bikes.

I'm from the "Show Me" city. ...or, "Show em" city in this case.

One could make the same argument about spending thousands more and STILL not get what they want (or have buyer's remorse). ~ shrug ~

texasreb wrote:

Not to open any bad wounds with SheWolf, but, a friend of mine at work has a new dirtbike magazine with the dual sport buyers guide. They really do hate the WR. They say you could spend thousands and still not make it any good in not so many words. Maybe we should all write to the editor.

What do they dislike about the WRR?

Everything, plainly put.

I think Jäger said it best. And to put it more clearly: who gives a crap? I don't let magazines (or any other sort of media) tell me what to like, so I don't care. Sure, I respect the opinion of some magazines (Rider, Cycle World), but that's it. I no longer subscribe to Motorcyclist due to their poor taste and crappy editorial staff.

I love my WRR, it does everything I could ask of it and more. Plus, it has a killer support crew! *looks at all you guys*

SheWolf wrote:

Everything, plainly put.

Ok, which bikes did they like? I'm just wondering what they compare it to. If they like the Kawasaki 250 dualsport better then... they're on crack. If they like the KTM 690... well at least I know which angle they're coming from.

You got it...they said that little green snotball was a better bike. Spent the same amount of seat time in it too.

What do they dislike about the WRR?[/quote]

Over weight,under sprung,under powered. If i remember they could only find one exhaust,i can think of about seven. Is this the same mag that had the hop-up review ? The one with a race tec suspension.

Dirtbike Magazine. There is only one with that name.

Hey thats fine let them hate it. Gotta be some reason why we all bought one. Gotta be some reason my local dealer sells them out before they hit the floor.
Trail Bike and Enduro magazine (England) ran a whole issue on the WR (July 08?) and has good reviews.
"...As a journalist it's great fun to ride the bejeezus out of a bike like this, but from the consumer's point if view it might be a scary proposition to flirt with the 11,500 rpm rev-limiter so often. Recommended valve adjustments are every 26,600 miles (compared to 310 miles for the high-potency WR-F and YZ-F)... "
""The WR250R will appeal to a broader range of people than its competition. It's a better bike than most of its competition, and Yamaha has backed it with a two-year warranty, which is a sign of confidence. Ironically, it may spell the end for its own TT-R250 who's only hope - along with everyone else's - will be to compete on price. Times they are a changin'. Dealers should clear a path to the door, because these won't sit around for long..."
and this one too-
(this is the one that made me call the dealer and hold mine till I got there)http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=6094&Page=1
Dirtbike Magazine can just stay on the grocery store shelves, seems to be the only place that carries it here. Not even the book stores (Borders, Barnes and Noble and other large chains) carry it because it sucks and they have all major magazines including importing the Trail Bike and Enduro Magazine.

Jäger wrote:

texasreb wrote:

a friend of mine at work has a new dirtbike magazine with the dual sport buyers guide. They really do hate the WR. They say you could spend thousands and still not make it any good in not so many words. Maybe we should all write to the editor.

I won't be bothering. It's a bike, not a religion. I'm not hurt because somebody else doesn't think much of my bike, so why should I waste my time writing a letter to the editor? Particularly of a magazine that is openly MX oriented in all things. The chances they can approach a dual sport bike with a true dual sport attitude is pretty slim. And there's more.

First, what are the chances they live where I live and ride like I ride? They're mostly a southern California crowd, aren't they? What the hell do they know about riding in the Rocky Mountains, or going out with just you and your bike for days and weeks at a time, no support vehicles and trailers hanging around the edges?

Second, I chose my ride to please me, not please them. So if I like my bike, why the hell should I care if they don't? Already too many people out there worrying about what other people think of their bike, their truck, the helmet they chose, the jacket they wear, etc. I couldn't give a crap. I don't get paid by Yamaha to preach the gospel and sell bikes, so I don't really have any stake in the matter.

I just can't get worked up about it.

Very well said. I second these comments. Magazine editors are under a lot of pressure to print what sells. I've seen what happens to a magazine with editors who really spoke their minds - it got thinner and thinner and was out of print within 3 years while a notoriously ass kissing sister magazine got thicker and thicker (PCXL / PC Gamer).

rokka wrote:

It depends with what you are comparing to. If you compare to KTM that are made for enduro with the WR . KTM will win any enduro competition against the WR. It is easier to build a bike for one purpose alone than it is to build a DS bike that has to perform well on both street and dirt.

My question to Dirt Bike magazine would be I need I bike that is street legal period. What bike would I buy? The KLX 250 does not do ANYTHING better than the WR in my mind.

CRF’s and XT are not made in the same millennium as KLX and the WR.



All enduro bikes needs too much maintenance and there for they are not an option to me.



Let Dirt bike dizz our wonderful bike and we continue to have fun with our capable maintenance free bike. Maybe from the Dirtbike magazine rider’s point of view the WR are a bad choice but I think they need to give us un alternative.

I am with you!
I have had the 04 450exc and it was OK but sucked on the street. I have ridden an 03 525exc and it was just harsh and too much work. Also I have ridden the 08 450exc and it was worse. As for all KTM's they are only good at race pace. As you slow down the engine bucks and boils over and the suspension jack hammers you like a rag doll. The no link rear is just stupid. If you are dirtbike magazine they are geared towards racers not trail riders and forget about us stupid dual sport riders! I cancelled my subscription a few years ago.
Ohenry

I've been riding with two KTM 450s and more often than not, they ask if I want to swap bikes with them

Orange guys love the WRR, they just don't want to admit it in public forums

I have two orange bikes and I'm the first to admit I LOVE THE WRR ! ...and this forum is public.

I'm just addicted to HP and massive torque !

....but the only harsh bucking I get is when I bring her bike home dirty !

Mr.Metal wrote:

I've been riding with two KTM 450s and more often than not, they ask if I want to swap bikes with them

Orange guys love the WRR, they just don't want to admit it in public forums

swapped with a guy on orange the last ride i went out on, the only thing i can say, wow the ktm has got bag!! my wrr felt like a lazyboy when i got back on it

Journalists need to establish the context of what it is they're reviewing in the first place. Like Jersey Devil said earlier, TBM in England gave the WRR a good write-up because they correctly identified what it was built for, instead of just saying it's "heavy for a 250/ compared to a KTM" the way some have over on ADVRider. It's a trailbike, not a 'crosser.

For anyone who reads French, this months Moto Verte has a good feature on their editorial team going to Sardinia to ride some trails, and being unexcited when they hear they'll have WRRs (the editorial team are all into motocross). But the verdict after 3 days is what a fantastic bike the WRR is, for the riding and terrain they rode in. There you go.