I Pick It Up Nex Saturday...

I should be picking up my new 2012 WR250R next Saturday. Just ordered it today.

Over the past few months (past year, actually), after all the deliberations, reviews, forums, ride videos, studying specs, etc, etc, it came down to the fact that the WR250R should be the best choice to do the things I want to do with my next bike.

Can't wait!!

Vinduroman

right on man!


My buddy just picked up his 2012 WRR this morning.. We just got in from a good ride!

You'll love it.. Start modding the hell out of it..

Congrats!

Good for you, you're gonna love it.

Be sure to post some pictures when you get you're brand new shiny two wheeled motorvehicle.
What color is it (my bet is on blue), what other bikes did you consider? Is it your first bike? What are your plans with it, where u from, tell us more...

Congrats!

I'm willing to bet you'll be VERY pleased with this little do anything machine...

Drop it off at my house and I will guard it for you for the next four or five years.

Thanks all for the encouraging words about the WR. I'm hoping I'm really going to like it.

Delta_T: Okay bud, you asked for it!!!

I just turned 60 this past March. I've been riding off-road since 1969. Over the years I have experimented with organized competition via motocross, hare n' hound, cross country, an ISDT qualifier, enduro, etc. The past 13 or more years, I have also been involved in vintage enduro* bikes, including some easy going competition in that scene as well.

(VIN-tage en-DURO bikes: Vinduro. Vinduroman... get it?)

However, early on and over the decades, my main thing has been, and always will be, the pure enjoyment of trail riding. Just love it. My Grins n' Giggles factor has ALWAYS been off the scale when trail riding in comparison to organized competiton. In fact, just last year I "retired" from vintage enduro competition and rode sweep at the annual event I'm a part of.

I've owned over 40 bikes thus far, including some vintage enduro bike restorations, etc. Currently, there's 4 bikes in the garage, and another one on the way. (The WR!) Highest number owned at one time was something like 9?

As for a next bike, well, I’ve been over and over this, over and over again. I’ve seriously investigated and considered:

* Suzuki DRZ400s (or e and tag it).
* Yamaha WR250R
* Husky TE310 (it’s street legal)
* KTM 350 EXC-F (street legal)
* Honda CRF230F (highly modified and tagged.)
* Kawasaki KLX250s.
* Finding a suitable pre-owned off-road Kawasaki KLX (to be tagged).
* Yamaha WR250F and WR450F (to be tagged).
* Even considered finding a used Suzuki DR350 w/electric start and tagging.

Finally, also considered just rebuilding my beloved '90 XR250R (I purchased new in '91) from the ground up and riding it another 21 years! BUT... no electric start.

Sooo...

Over the past year I’ve studied all the stats on the above bikes, read as many reviews as I could, watched ride videos, pestered people on forums (like this one!) etc, etc, on and on.

I’ve thought through all the different scenarios. Yes, I want a bike that is capable of handling technical stuff if called upon. Yes, I want a bike that can do forest roads and some pavement (if needed) as well as a decent ride (plush) on moderate trails.

I will NEVER be riding another competition enduro-type event. My days of competing are behind me. BUT… it would be nice to have a bike that can handle enduro-type obstacles IF the need arises by situation.

I had been heavily leaning toward the KTM 350 EXC-F. It is a superb “serious” bike. It can handle the technical no-problemo. There is suspect MPG and a bit of a question mark in regards riding forest roads and DS type riding. (No range for exploring.) BUT… it’s an exotic and I liked it. Figured I could go ahead and purchase one and IF it proves to NOT be what I expected, sell it for enough to purchase the Option B bike.

Seemed good. Plan was in place. Intended to make a move toward the middle of summer.

THEN… something totally unexpected happened. Something I didn’t see coming at all. Now that it’s happened, it’s changing everything. It is also changing my “givens n‘ druthers“ for my next bike. It‘s changing the way I will chose to enjoy it. It is indeed a major change.

What is this goal-changing event that has taken place?

Surprisingly, it’s this: My wife LOVES her new Honda CRF230L. (You see, all these years I've been sticking her on undersized, lightweight small bores with no suspension or power. I finally came to realize that she needed a full sized bike, that is, 21" front and 18" rear w/acceptable suspension and decent grunt. The CRF230L was the bike that had those features AND the lowest seat height and lightest weight for her 5'4" stature.)

Yup. Now that she has a bike that fits her size and her abilities better, she is getting more and more into the biking stuff that I’ve been talking about for the past while. Such as:

* Weekend rides via cabins/etc. (Already doing this.)

* Multi-day Dual Sport rides. (Done this, too.)

* Etc.

She’s pushing to get a GPS so we can ride some of the tracks that's others have posted at other forums. She’s got her a nice weatherproof riding outfit. She wants to ride the Arkansas 500 next year. (Note: The AR 500 is a three day, point A to B to C back to A type of Dual Sport ride.)

Speaking of the Arkansas 500: We’re NOT campers. SO, we’ll be booking rooms as close as possible to the camp sites and back-packing our essentials. We will meet up with the group the next morning in order to ride the next segment. Excellent.

Just the other night, I sprung something on her that she was TOTALLY STOKED about. I proposed…

“You know, since we’re talking back-packing during the Arkansas 500, why not consider doing that for weekend (or longer) DS rides in the Ozarks? For lodging we can do a bed n’ breakfast, or a motel, or ??… as long as there’s access to an eatery nearby we‘re good to go.”

She loved the idea and is already excited about it.

In fact, she was excited about the idea of leaving from our house on our DS bikes... and using blacktop backroads, dirt roads, etc, do a DS ride to some distant points (in the Ozarks or Ouachitas)! In her words:

"That way the adventure begins as soon as we leave the driveway!!"

Unbelievable.

In all the decades that she’s done a bit of off-road riding with me, she has NEVER, EVER… been as pumped as she is now. (Thanks Honda!)

SOOOO… this unexpected event (my wife really beginning to enjoy the DS concept), and seeing that my riding “givens n’ druthers” is changing/evolving in order to enjoy our hobby together… this meant that I really need a bike that will do the following:

* Get great MPG.
* Very long-lived and durable.
* Capable of handling SOME technical stuff when needed (that is, when I ride solo).
* Very user friendly in maintenance as well as parts/add-ons/etc.
* Can handle some longer stretches of blacktop without undue concern.

I’ve revisited some on-board videos posted by one very prolific helmet cammer I know via online. I’ve watched the type of terrain the rider (and his WR250R) tackled successfully, and sometimes not so successfully. (Crap happens.) I have determined that the WR should be able to do anything I ask it to do. I’ve also come to realize that any technical type riding I will do will be a very small percentage of the overall use of my next bike.

So… I made up my mind to purchase a WR.

I intended to purchase new, which I have done. Purchasing it now will give me the summer to personalize it and change some things to make it more like what I want before our favorite riding season arrives (Autumn).

So... my next bike is going to be a Yamaha WR250R!


Vinduroman

Bump for the longest post in forum history.

Quote :

Bump for the longest post in forum history.

Aw shucks, it t'weren't nothing. Just an itty bitty post about bikes.



Vinduroman

Great post and great story about our wife.

I'm hoping to ease mine into the same discoveries -- congrats.

xaman wrote:

Great post and great story about our wife.

You're married to her too????

All these years and I thought...

Quote :

I'm hoping to ease mine into the same discoveries -- congrats.

If she can already ride, hope it works out for you. If she will have to learn to ride first, a beginner bike may be in order? i.e. Lightweight, low seat height, not a lot of power... and then lots of teaching and riding time out in a field some where? Once she can field ride with complete confidence (including some weaving/turns around items placed)... then maybe a better bike?

Whatever you two decide or how you two approach it, best of luck!

Vinduroman

Well... I MAY not be able to pick it up this Saturday.

Yamaha is out of 2012 WR250R's at the distributor level here regionally.

Thus, my dealer has tried to do a "dealer transfer" among regional dealers with WR250R's in stock. Couldn't find a dealer willing to part with their 2012's. (Even though most had been on the showroom floor 6-7 months. Go figure!) Anyway, the regional Yamaha rep got involved and he's to pick one up at another regional dealer and transport to my dealer. Unfortunately, this may not come down until sometime Saturday. Trouble is, I've got to leave for work at 2 PM on Saturday. (Rare) Gonna' be close IF it can happen.

If it can't happen in time on Saturday, it will be TUESDAY before I get to head to the dealer to pick up my new WR250R.



That so, that means TWO days of lost riding opportunities!!! (Sunday and Monday.)

Vinduroman

My purchase was just as sincere, but not nearly, planned out as well.
Your story is great...and I like my bike even more now... :)

Hey Vinduroman. Congrats!! The R2 is the best bike that's good at nothing!!! Quote unquote. Seriously. Everytime I go out in the bush with a buddy with a KTM or a CR250X I'm jealous. Everytime I do a bigger road tour with someone with a bigger road bike. I'm jealous (used to have a GSXR750). But I get to do it all. It's a pretty respectable dirt bike. I like to ride pretty hard. It's a bit heavy...that's all...so you adjust.....and super reliable. I kinda smirk (to myself in my helmet) everytime one of my performance bike buddies builds up a sweat trying to start their bike in the cold..or the rain..or the heat..or at a high altitude etc etc Or I wait for them to top up their coolant that just boiled over. Or when when the roadies are surprised to have me on their ass (or working to keep up) on the fun twisty secondary hiways. I'm happier a lot more often than disappointed. Best bike ever short of owning 2 or 4 bikes. There's no way around the dualsport ride. I ride 20 miles, go explore offroad for 30-5o miles, pop out onto some other paved road somewhere and make my way home. No loading up the truck. No being limitted to a certain area. It's the best. Yeeee Hawww

Marioscario wrote:

Hey Vinduroman. Congrats!! The R2 is the best bike that's good at nothing!!! Quote unquote. Seriously. Everytime I go out in the bush with a buddy with a KTM or a CR250X I'm jealous. Everytime I do a bigger road tour with someone with a bigger road bike. I'm jealous (used to have a GSXR750). But I get to do it all. It's a pretty respectable dirt bike. I like to ride pretty hard. It's a bit heavy...that's all...so you adjust.....and super reliable. I kinda smirk (to myself in my helmet) everytime one of my performance bike buddies builds up a sweat trying to start their bike in the cold..or the rain..or the heat..or at a high altitude etc etc Or I wait for them to top up their coolant that just boiled over. Or when when the roadies are surprised to have me on their ass (or working to keep up) on the fun twisty secondary hiways. I'm happier a lot more often than disappointed. Best bike ever short of owning 2 or 4 bikes. There's no way around the dualsport ride. I ride 20 miles, go explore offroad for 30-5o miles, pop out onto some other paved road somewhere and make my way home. No loading up the truck. No being limitted to a certain area. It's the best. Yeeee Hawww

Very true words, and the right perspective for enjoying this bike

Thanks all for the continued input!

GREAT NEWS!!!

My bike will be there in the morning. I should be able to take delivery before I have to leave for work.




This means if I need to work nights next week, I can ride during the day!!!!

Seems to me that's enough reason fo more celebrating !


Vinduroman

Didn't happen.

Bike will have to be assembled/etc.

Got to leave for work in a few minutes.

Have to pick it up sometime this upcoming week.

Bummer.



Oh well.


Vinduroman

Ah, no biggy, now you have some more time to look forward to it.


Oh man, you're gonna love it !

Received! Just rode it home. No time to write. Can't find my camera. Gotta' leave for work. (That sucks.)

Vinduroman

Found the camera. It was at the dealer's. (Got distracted when the drama started last Saturday and left it there.)

ANYHOO....

Raining today, but who cares, I'm a dirt rider. Soooo... already put 20 something miles on it today. Will likely ride some more after a lunch rondevous with the wife. While I was out I took a pic up on at the "Halfway Lookout" on the hill I live on the side of.

[img]

First impressions:

TALL. Taller than my XR. That surprised me. I'm 6' 1" with a decent length inseam. Gotta' tippy-toe when stopped. That will settle some as the suspension breaks-in and after I dial-in the sag/etc. But still it's T-A-L-L.

Because of the TALL... I don't feel as confident on it when turning tightly and such. Will need lots of miles on it to fully adjust to it. Plus...

The stock tires suck. Recommended tire pressure makes them like basket balls. When doing a bit of dirt or gravel, they feel like you're riding on ice at times, compounded by the TALL feeling. Will reduce air pressure to something more in line with dirt riding and who cares about the tire wear. (Gonna' replace them with Dunlop 606's anyway.)

Stock gearing is "okay" for pure dual sporting (easy forest roads/trails/etc)... but is gonna' suck for sure'nuf trail riding. I figure I'll order a 48t rear and new chain next week. No need in waiting on that part of the farkling.

Am sort of pleasantly surprised at the low end, regearing should make it capable during sure'nuf trail riding. Really, though, things don't truly happen until the lower mid-range on up. Lots of oompah once on the pipe (cam).

Ride is already beginning to get more plush. (Got to break-in the suspension.) Rear end is already coming-in... need an all-dayer out on the forest roads with stutter bumps to help the fronts come in quicker. I'm not going to be too concerned about trying to make this bike what it's not (i.e. an aggressive techincal terrain bike), instead going to be aiming it toward what I think it will do nicely: A dual sport bike that's capable of some serious trail riding.

In all, the "getting to know you" period has started. It was a bunch of miles (500 or more?) getting used to my XR250R after the decades of two strokes, I expect this will be no different. After all, I've ridden Ol' Faithful for what, 21 years??? Know it like the back of my hand. So, it will take a while before I've got Scrapper dialed-in and farkled, and begin the process of learning how it likes to handle situations. ("Scrapper": Had to assemble it from the scrap pile!)

All fer now!

Vinduroman

Nice bike!

The tires do suck. I had all but wore my stock rear out in 1600 miles (bought an '08 with 189 miles in March) so I mounted a MT43 "trials" tire the other day. It's taller than stock but greatly minimized the bouncy feeling you described. I have used them before on my dual-sports and I am a real fan in everything except deep mud or sand.

Ive done some serious nutzo trails with taller than the stock gearing. Its not as bad as you would think. Just requires lots of clutch workin.

Okay... had it for a couple weeks now. Got nearly 400 miles on it.

Liken' it better and better. Definitely want to make it more trail worthy. As it is, it ain't bad at all! BUT... I know it can be even better.

First up will be gearing.

An online acquaintance has used his WR250R in organized enduro's. Watching videos of his riding, his gearing seems to "work" nicely in the tight stuff. He is running 12/46. I prefer to stay with the larger diameter 13t and adjust via the rear to reduce the possibility of the chain rubbing the underside of the swingarm. (A known weakenss.) 13/50 gets me close to his gearing but keeps the 13t.

Question: Won't I need a new chain along with the new rear sprocket?

Quick pic of me and my new WRR from last Saturday's Arkansas SLAP ride in the Ozarks.



Thanks for any input!

Vinduroman

Yeah you'll need a new chain.

That trail looks like a wheel killer ;) Nothing but dirt and clay down here so the wheels on my 12 year old dirt bike are still pristine.