My bike is a curiosity wherever I take it

I have had my bike for a couple months now and have developed a deep love for it. It not only brings many smiles to my face on the adventures we've been on together, it also has a way of drawing attention to itself. Parked on the kickstand I often see people wander over wondering what the hell it is (a WRF with lights?) or "oh, it's one of those WRR bikes". Reactions usually range from - it's just a little 250 enduro with lights...it's not a "proper" dirt bike, to puzzled curiosity, to "how is it? I totally want one of those".

Out in the woods and on the move though people usually mistake it for a 450. Not sure why - it's just a little 250 and not really a "proper" dirt bike. Actually I can understand the confusion. I'm a big guy at 6'1" and 275lbs. But my bike not only carries me around with what seems like ease, it also does everything all the "proper" bikes do and keeps me up with them. In the woods that is. I haven't had to try to keep up with any exotic or japanese 450's on the paved roads. Maybe because I don't have to - there aren't enough of them around to find out.

So, I love my bike for it's performance and the "what the hell is that" factor it has. It's unique and different for sure and is a perfect fit for my riding abilities. I haven't anyone seen else with one yet this summer. Still, I wasn't prepared for comments I recently got from one bystander and I admit I might have taken them a bit personal at the time. According to him he was surprised Yamaha was still making these because dealers could not get rid of them. Too small and under powered for too much money - no one will buy them.

Had I been riding in his group maybe he would have changed his tune if he knew what the bike was really like rather than what he thought it was like. I hope Yamaha sells tons of the WRR and keeps making them better and better. For some reason, for jackasses like him included, to many people if it doesn't say 450 or KTM or Husqvarna on the side then it can't be a bike a serious rider would want to ride.

If I've learned anything from riding dirt bikes in the woods it's this - bigger is not always better.

Spidy: As you will not find any and all comments on any and all topics legitimate, as a general rule, "Consider the source".

P.S. "Smaller" is ALWAYS better. You can always go "Bigger" - but once you go "Big", it's a little difficult to go backwards.

X-Racer wrote:

... "Smaller" is ALWAYS better. You can always go "Bigger" - but once you go "Big", it's a little difficult to go backwards.

My experience does not concur with your point. A few years ago, after a 10-year hiatus from motorcycling, I returned on a Yamaha VMax - 1200 cc's of blistering acceleration and the looks to go with it as its only redeeming qualities. My ride before the hiatus was a Honda XL650R, the renowned dual sport with the well earned nickname of "Big Red Pig". Prior to that was a Honda XL175 (dual-sport), and a Honda 90 (the consummate beginner bike). Indeed, I followed the common progression to bigger and bigger.

Having survived the VMax, seriously not recommended for beginning or even returning riders, I figured out my riding needs and traded to V-Strom 650. Coulda had the V-Strom 1000 but was afraid it would feel underpowered after the VMax and figured I could easily rationalize that "it's only a 650". The V-Strom is great and I ride it regularly, but missed dirt adventuring. I didn't want a bike that I had to haul to the dirt and I didn't want another big pig of any color.

Once again, I was willing to rationalize that "it's only a 250" as long as it could get me to the dirt, through the dirt, and back home.
Compromises? Perceived: yes, realized: barely. The WR250R is just so darned competent and fully accepts my riding ability with room to spare, that I rarely if ever, mutter the thought, "it's only a 250".

To summarize, going down in displacement has been a revelation for me. I'm quite convinced that most of the wonderful, high-performance machines out there are far underutilized and will lead their riders' egos to write checks their bodies can't cash. Will I end up back down to a 90cc? I hope not. Would I like WR450R WR500R? I really don't see the point of it any more. More horsepower won't make me a better rider nor will it increase my enjoyment by 200-250cc's as I no longer value underutilizing a higher performance bike.

I think I'm going to be happy on the 250 for quite a while.

Boon: You can't concur if you misunderstand my point. Maybe it wasn't clear.

The point is you can't make a big bike smaller - Not that you can't get a smaller bike.

I see your point,add 17s and you get yamaha NEVER made a bike like that. Try to explain what my DTX setup is,the so called real motorcycle guys have no clue.

I went riding this past weekend with a company that rents bikes and does tours in a large wooded trail area (I bring my own WRR). And to the point regarding not being able to make big bikes smaller and bigger bikes in general I often see people biting off more than they can chew. I actually was talking a couple of guys out of wanting to get 450s (They were street guys on their 3rd time out on dirt bikes). They rode 230 Ls and thought the next logical step was to get 450s. The tour guide and I succeeded in convincing them that CRF 250 Xs was the next smart choice. A couple hours later everyone was very happy with their bikes and having fun and no one got hurt. When they realized that 250s can be very fast and usable in the woods they were fine. I have nothing against 450s and bigger bikes though. Just that the 250 comes into its own when youre in the tight woods and is just as fun in the fast stuff. If I was racing it might be as different story, but if I was I wouldnt be saying this in this forum to begin with.

likewise, similar effect

I've never met someone on a ride in the woods, particularly AMA Dual Sports that are basically enduro's without time checks, who didn't realize how competent the WR250R is. Most of the "but its a 250!?" crowd are fashion riders to begin with, or power hogs.

edit; del

yeh

X-Racer wrote:

P.S. "Smaller" is ALWAYS better. You can always go "Bigger" - but once you go "Big", it's a little difficult to go backwards.

Hey, I resemble that remark!! I went from a 600 down to this thing and never looked back.

Well, I went from an XT225 to this, so it's a huge step up in power and size... :)

I've been riding for 30 years, and if there's one thing I've learned; Smaller and Lighter is Always Better...

Same boat here.