Two-up riding

Hi everyone, I'm thinking of picking up a new wr250r sometime soon (mostly because gas is killing me ). I just wanted to know, how would this bike do with TWO people on it? I would only ride like that for short distances, 10-12 miles. (I weigh around 170 lbs, and wife weighs around 115, if that helps).

Another question, how are the brakes on these bikes? Good, or will I need to think about upgrading brakes?

This bike will be used about 60/40 dirt/street. No need to try to convince me to get another one, my heart is set on this one!

Thank you in advance to anyone who replies!

I double up with my teenage son, and have gone quite some distance with him on it. It rides fine...but even better now with the new seat.

It'll carry two people as well as any other 250cc street bike.
It won't have neck-snapping acceleration while doing that, but it can be done as long as both of you are up to the task.

The front brake on the WR-250R is decent, but not fabulous.
If you're used to the front brakes of a modern sport bike, you'll think it's weak.
If you're not, you'll probably like them just fine and dandy. :)

The 250x is the funnest motorcycle I've had in the last 10 years. That includes an FZR400 and an R1 in those 10 years.

You can ride your wife. You can do stoppies.

Plus a shit-load more fun stuff.

+1 to YZEtc. I'll take my wife to a nice restaurant at the end of a twisty road for lunch sometimes. 20 miles round trip. Acceleration is tepid, but it handles just fine.

The passenger pegs on the WR are lower than the pegs on my old ZX6R relative to the saddle, so my wife is more comfortable. She's probably the same size as your wife and I'm a little wider than you. I'm pushed up a little on the gas tank, but the seat shape and friction is such that you don't continually slide into it like I would on the ZX.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I'm gonna try to get a nice '09 or '10 model (if I can find one). I know they came out around '08 or '07, right? Have they always had fuel injection? That's one of the main attractions to me for this bike.

First ones were an 08, and they all have fuel injection. Some of the 08's had problems with their fuel pumps, but not all of them...that and that stupid rubber ring they put on the rear sprocket.

Cool, a dealership near me had a '10 advertised for a pretty good price. When I called, the salesman said they had sold it already but that he would give me a 2011 for the same price! I'll probably be picking it up pretty soon.

SheWolf wrote:

First ones were an 08, and they all have fuel injection. Some of the 08's had problems with their fuel pumps, but not all of them...that and that stupid rubber ring they put on the rear sprocket.

I decided I don't mind that rubber ring at all actually - it only squeaked when I'd gotten behind on chain maintenance and lubrication.

There's idiot lights in the control cluster of our vehicles to remind us of things. Think of that as the "idiot squeak" to remind you that you've forgotten to lube your chain. Properly lubricated, never heard a thing from it.

Not that I'd necessarily go out of my way to find another rear sprocket with a rubber ring.

If it was all about keeping the noise down to pass mandatory levels, they really must have been up against the wall to go to that length to meet standards.

amtz.zero wrote:

Cool, a dealership near me had a '10 advertised for a pretty good price. When I called, the salesman said they had sold it already but that he would give me a 2011 for the same price! I'll probably be picking it up pretty soon.

What's a "pretty good price"?

I was shocked at how much quieter my X was after changing out the rear sprocket, chain, and countershaft sprocket with aftermarket stuff.

In my opinion - the stock stuff works....but it's not well worth replacing on many levels. Especially from the noise aspect.