Buying a new wr250r from a dealer, advice needed.

Hello all! I am on the verge of delving into the world of the WR!
I have sold my 2009 tenere and hope to get a WR250r as new from a dealer...

Now here is the low down... (go grab some popcorn!)

Today i spoke to Yamaha UK and they told me they will NOT be selling the 2012 wr250's in the UK anymore...

Now i am slightly torn on what to do, or what price i should be paying! What i need some help on is how can i easily distinguish by eye maybe what year each model is, the con here is dealers will have unregistered models from as old as 2007 sat in the shops they will try to get full-current model price on as they will only register it once they know they have made the sale which mean i could be palmed off with a 2007 wr for the price of a 2012 one just cos they will blag it will be on a 2012 type reg.

Whenever i have asked them outright often what year it is, i get back "i think its a 2011?"... Bad salesmen!

Also, i have been told the price of £5,600 for on the road ready to ride and registered, is that a bit much? Good deal? how much is a usual purchase price say for a 2011 model? or older?

For example, can you tell what year this model is?:


Hopefully some users here are english and have recently been in the same boat as i am now! (fingers crossed)

Thanks for any help on this anyone can provide, means alot!

- Thanks ahead.

I am not English but I bought my bike in Italy.


I bought mine in 2011, already they didn't import the newest model to Italy anymore. So I got a remaining 2010 model (I was lucky as it was the last R in the whole region, range of about 150 km).


Anyway I don't know if this applies to the UK, but in Italy the 2010 models were only imported in BLUE for the WRR and BLACK for the WRX.


In 2009 I think they were also imported in white (i think). So judging by that I'd say it is a 2009 model but don't have any other reason other than that stated. So yeah its not very sound reasoning


Maybe some others know some technical difference....


As for the price 5600 pounds seems a bit steep. With the current exchange rate I paid 5000 pounds for mine (2010 model) plus I got a free new helmet of my choice which was worth about 100-150 pounds.

But maybe motorbike prices generally are higher in the UK than in Italy


Edit: just noticed the decals have a different shape than mine, and it doesnt say wr250r on the side panel. Unless the decals shape changes with the colour of the bike, I'd say it is NOT a 2010 model

It looks like that WR costs $8800 in US dollars. Here in the US a new WR costs about $5000 to $6500 depending on the dealer. I'm not sure what the average price is there in the UK. It's rare to see a new WR older than 2 years old sitting at a dealer since they are getting popular now. You guys have different colors available from what we have here but it appears that the bike in the picture is a 2010-2011 judging by the decal & white plastic combo. We had white available in 2010 for the X but the R was always blue here. I've seen white since 08 for you in the UK & the decal in 08 was all silver with white plastics. I believe it went to blue in 2009? The black & red decal is similar to the 2009-2010 X model here. I would think with the exchange rate that the price is in the ballpark & since they are not offering a WR for 2012, it might be a good idea to grab it if you really want one. It's really a fun bike to ride.

Decals make me want to say 2011. But, I truly don't know for UK bikes. Perhaps you can find a web site with fiche for the UK models - decals show correctly for each model year here in the US.

Otherwise, I'd say take a look at the stamp/sticker that is on the right side of the frame up by the tripple clamps. If it's like they are here, it'll at least have the manufacturing date. My bike is an 09 and it was manufactured 8-08. It will at least get you in the ballpark.

I just bought a 2012 last week and payed $6000 US. $6490 TT&L. Looked at a bunch of new non-current and was saddened by the depreciation. The dealer had a 2008 for $5200, only 800 less than a 2012. Once you drive it off the lot, the retail value is only $3700. I would have lost $1500 immediately and had a four year old bike that had been sitting there with fuel in it. If you can find one and swing it, get a 2011-2012. Have the dealer send you a picture of the vin tag. Anything made after the 6th month of the year is for the next year.

only way to really tell between region models is VIN number. look on the steering head right hand side. the 10th digit (or 8th from the end) will be:
8-'08
9-'09
A-'10
B-'11
C-'12

I've had '10,'11 and '12 wrr on the floor and all had identical graphics. the second '12 had changed graphics. i believe here it was only '09 wrr that had black frame and pretty sure uk gets same as aus.

Info above about after 6th month being next year is not correct, year model changes are reflected in vin number year code. Australian VIN/compliance plate will have date of batch import, ie, when the shipment of bikes arrived in aus. i imagine UK tags are the same.

Thanks for the replys, handy info! apparently the one in the picture is a 2010, so the dealer told me, but like millert85 says it is hard to establish the year without seeing the VIN

GBX wrote:

For example, can you tell what year this model is?:


Hopefully some users here are english and have recently been in the same boat as i am now! (fingers crossed)

Thanks for any help on this anyone can provide, means alot!

- Thanks ahead.

Like others said, it's hard to tell from graphics. However, it definitely looks like a 2009 model as it has the silver forks and black rings on the forks to protect the fork from the plastic guards rubbing. Silver forks ended in 2009 and gold started for 2010-2012.

if I were to buy my bike again I would have skipped the extended warranty...I've never used it...

Oh yeah forgot to mention, the dealer gave me the extended 3 year Europe wide warranty for free. ( all included in the 5000 pounds I said earlier)

as jason said, I also wouldn't get it if I had to pay for it myself. But its a nice bonus to have if you get it for free from your dealer. and for the 5600 pounds he's asking I'd demand the extended warranty plus a new helmet for free

I really love the look of that bike -- wish could have had the option of the black frame with the white plastics here in the states.... it is so sharp looking!!!!

Affirmative! and yeah it is indeed very sharp looking! shame about that ugly exhaust though, I have just been reading threads about using aftermarket pipes, seems hassle! lots of folk seem to go back to stock after time, and all that exup business... hassle!?

Can you not just use an aftermaket tail pipe with the stock header? Personally my favourite 'looking' one i have seen so far is the "Big gun evo R" tail pipe

EDIT: I now get the picture with the whole exup thing after reading more here...!

If my memory serves me right, the wrr was 5600 over 2 1/2 years ago !

Monkeynuts wrote:

If my memory serves me right, the wrr was 5600 over 2 1/2 years ago !

really? well the cheapest i can get this dealer down to is £5,400, any other dealer is around the £5,600 mark...

GBX wrote:

Affirmative! and yeah it is indeed very sharp looking! shame about that ugly exhaust though, I have just been reading threads about using aftermarket pipes, seems hassle! lots of folk seem to go back to stock after time, and all that exup business... hassle!?

Can you not just use an aftermaket tail pipe with the stock header? Personally my favourite 'looking' one i have seen so far is the "Big gun evo R" tail pipe

EDIT: I now get the picture with the whole exup thing after reading more here...!

Actually, I went with the FMF Q4 with the mega bomb and got a power commander on it. it seems to finally breathe -- I did the Flap crap, and exup and ais stuff too (not really a hassle if you find the thread on here on how to do it ) Just take your time and have fun with it . The Stock exhaust is so damn heavy. I am thinking you can run with pretty much any aftermarket exhaust (anything is better than the stock). IMO that is what I love about the WRR - there are so many options for this bike.

Horsman wrote:

GBX wrote:

Affirmative! and yeah it is indeed very sharp looking! shame about that ugly exhaust though, I have just been reading threads about using aftermarket pipes, seems hassle! lots of folk seem to go back to stock after time, and all that exup business... hassle!?

Can you not just use an aftermaket tail pipe with the stock header? Personally my favourite 'looking' one i have seen so far is the "Big gun evo R" tail pipe

EDIT: I now get the picture with the whole exup thing after reading more here...!

Actually, I went with the FMF Q4 with the mega bomb and got a power commander on it. it seems to finally breathe -- I did the Flap crap, and exup and ais stuff too (not really a hassle if you find the thread on here on how to do it ) Just take your time and have fun with it . The Stock exhaust is so damn heavy. I am thinking you can run with pretty much any aftermarket exhaust (anything is better than the stock). IMO that is what I love about the WRR - there are so many options for this bike.

Yeah, gotta love yams for their aftermarket parts! I was reading the owners manual from yamaha today for the WR, pretty amusing when it talks of aftermarket parts!
But yes, tomorrow i will be putting my deposit down on the shiney new WR! and waving bye byes to the 660 tenere (kind of glad to get rid of that lump!)
I think the first thing i will do is wear the WR in fully stock, then get a tail tidy and that sexy big gun tail pipe! needs must and all :)

Hey GBX. I got my Wrr about a month ago.

If you check Rick Ramsey's webpage, he lists the differences between 9,10 and 11 models.

Mine is a 10 I believe - James Toseland's bike - given to him by Yamaha but never ridden - just sat in his garage for the best part of a year. I paid under £5k for it.

What a machine though. I too converted down from a big single but there is a massive fun factor to this bike which adds smiles to miles.

A few cosmetic mods already done- the power ones I'll do once we are fully run in!!

Which dealer are you talking to?

marksg wrote:

Hey GBX. I got my Wrr about a month ago.

If you check Rick Ramsey's webpage, he lists the differences between 9,10 and 11 models.

Mine is a 10 I believe - James Toseland's bike - given to him by Yamaha but never ridden - just sat in his garage for the best part of a year. I paid under £5k for it.

What a machine though. I too converted down from a big single but there is a massive fun factor to this bike which adds smiles to miles.

A few cosmetic mods already done- the power ones I'll do once we are fully run in!!

Which dealer are you talking to?

Thanks for that i will have to take a little gander at that site, the dealer is yamaha in bournemouth and this is the last wr250r they had, the only other yamaha that had them couldnt match the deal! which tells me i got it at a fair price! I get it delivered tomorow, apparently its a definate 2011 model; i did look at the VIN as suggested abouve but it was just a 00 number... i'll take a video and some pics for you when i get it :)

mcdoudlehopper wrote:

I just bought a 2012 last week and payed $6000 US. $6490 TT&L. Looked at a bunch of new non-current and was saddened by the depreciation. The dealer had a 2008 for $5200, only 800 less than a 2012. Once you drive it off the lot, the retail value is only $3700. I would have lost $1500 immediately and had a four year old bike that had been sitting there with fuel in it. If you can find one and swing it, get a 2011-2012. Have the dealer send you a picture of the vin tag. Anything made after the 6th month of the year is for the next year.

That's a great price! Our local dealers were still at $7,500 out the door, with prep, shipping, tax, ect......Still too steep for me to bite the bullet. I fully agree that shopping around really pays off![b]

A few piccies as promised -> Here

If any of you other uk guys are looking at buying new exhaust systems please let me know as I am looking at this option and a group buy would make things cheaper!