lots of questions from RTW rider...serious answers please

OK so the world didn't end yesterday as planned so here's the story...

i am currently on a RTW on a 2009 Yamaha xt660Z Tenere, i will be in the states in march/ april and i am considering changing bikes very strongly and getting a wr250r as next i will be heading off to either africa or the far east then russia and the stans where the lighter the bike the better the riding is my opinion after 60,000 miles so far

my current ride report is on ADVrider if anyone is interested in reading it - http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=809883

i have quite a few questions to ask about the bike/ mods/ luggage/ pro's/ cons etc and would like to put them in one area so i get some good feedback to help me decide exactly what i need to do to the machine before it gets crated and shipped off to the next destination

so my first question is which is the best part of the forum to post this?

glad to be here

RTWpaul

I would guess that the "Sweet Mods" section may be best for mods to the bike.

FYI, check Big Dog's web site to see how he modified his WRR for adventure touring. I have a similar build out on my WRR.
Here is Big Dog's web page >> http://www.bigdogadventures.com/WR250R.htm

I did a 2600 mile trip on my WRR doing a big loop from southern Colorado up to Montan and then back. Mostly off pavement, couty roads, forest service roads and jeep trails. The WRR travels pretty well. But it is a smaller frame bike and you will not have as much room to pack gear (I am comparing to my KLR here). So expect totravel light on a WRR. With the traveling you have done you probably have a good idea how to travel light I am guessing.

Some differences I did from Big Dog.
- Aftermarket seat
- Britania Composites Lynx fairing with HID head lights. This thing is great to keep the wind off and th elights are supurb.
- I used the IMS 4.7 gallon tank.
- The Wolf Man luggage system is hard to beat. They are supposed to come out with a bit bigger panniers in March. So you may want to check the larger size out.
- Gearing changes can help. Stock gearing is a little tall. I put on 14t front and 49t rear. I put the 13t front on if things get really rough off road.
- Lots of tail rack options out there. I just picked up a large white cutting board from WallMArt and made one. It works very well.
- I put a stiffer sping on the rear shock to carry the weight. I weigh 230 and add about 50 to 60 pounds of gear when traveling. If you weigh less than I do you may be able to use the stock spring.
- I put a throttle lock on mine. Very nice for cruising hiway.
- You probably will want to carry a spare fuel pump. Some of them fail.

Good luck with the trip!

My trip report from last July >>>>> http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=816701&highlight=hopscotch
Post up questions on the trip report if you have any.

so as mentioned above i am considering swapping from an xt660z to a wr250r to continue around the world on. the 660 is great but it is heavy for where i go next and it uses a crazy amount of different hardware so i have to carry loads of tools, so too much weight and then addd more unnecessary weight for tools

so i have a list of serious questions as i will be back in the states in the spring and thats when the decision will be made, right now in the Andes in Venezuela heading to columbia then cuba next

questions...they maybe obvious to you but they are not to me so please serious replies as my internet availability is very limited over the next three to four months


1. if you could buy any year wr250r what would it be, keep in mind here i need distance...300-400 miles from a tank

2. do certain years have certain faults (have they been corrected as time went on), every bike has one or two things that just go bad, for example on a KTM fuel pump issues

3. on just gas tanks.com they have a tank for an 03-06 thats 6.6 gallons...this size is perfect but why does it stop at 06 what happened from then onwards, different shaped frame, fuel injection radiator issues, now the biggest i found is 4.1 gallon, would you do this and add the 1.3 gallons side panel or rotopax

4. can the rear subframe support hard luggage, is it well built or would it need to be reinforced

5. if you were doing mods and or farkles to the bike which are 100% necessary and 100% reliable, keep in mind here i could be in the middle of the Gobi desert so only necessary mods that can be fixed after a failure in out of the way places, is there a good place to look at many items in one place

6. who are the best companies to go to for front and rear suspension upgrades as i have found this is always needed on every bike for extreme long distance riding

7. seats, comfortable for long distance and hours in the saddle, i'm 6'1" so reach is not generally an issue

8. how is the charging system, would it be an issue to add heated grips and a separate 12 volt outlet, or is an upgrade required

9. fuel mileage...what do you get witha 50/50 mix of pavement and off road...what sprocket combination seems to work best overall

10. is there any companies products to steer clear of 100%, because basically they look good but just fail

11. tires, tough subject? i can get 12,000 miles out of a Kenda k270 rear on the XT, its not the best tire but its a 50/50 and very durable, what i need as availability is limited but what would be a good choice for 50/50 riding as this is a different weight bike wear characteristics are obviously different

12. i have read that if a wrr isn't available then the conversion from a wrx to a wrr is easy, what is involved, and is the drive train exactly the same



keep in mind here i owned a motorcycle shop for a number of years so doing most if not all of the work myself is not a problem just need a heads up on the above as i simply don't have the years to research and sift the "opinions" before i buy and ride



i think for now thats it...

bsheet2 wrote:

I would guess that the "Sweet Mods" section may be best for mods to the bike.

FYI, check Big Dog's web site to see how he modified his WRR for adventure touring. I have a similar build out on my WRR.
Here is Big Dog's web page >> http://www.bigdogadventures.com/WR250R.htm

Some differences I did from Big Dog.
- Aftermarket seat
- Britania Composites Lynx fairing with HID head lights. This thing is great to keep the wind off and th elights are supurb.
- I used the IMS 4.7 gallon tank.
- The Wolf Man luggage system is hard to beat. They are supposed to come out with a bit bigger panniers in March. So you may want to check the larger size out.
- Gearing changes can help. Stock gearing is a little tall. I put on 14t front and 49t rear. I put the 13t front on if things get really rough off road.
- Lots of tail rack options out there. I just picked up a large white cutting board from WallMArt and made one. It works very well.
- I put a stiffer sping on the rear shock to carry the weight. I weigh 230 and add about 50 to 60 pounds of gear when traveling. If you weigh less than I do you may be able to use the stock spring.
- I put a throttle lock on mine. Very nice for cruising hiway.
- You probably will want to carry a spare fuel pump. Some of them fail.

Good luck with the trip!

My trip report from last July >>>>> http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=816701&highlight=hopscotch
Post up questions on the trip report if you have any.

exactly the sort of reply i was looking for

i am 6'1" about 220lbs and know how to pack real light, i want to use hard luggage for security, i have used wolfman before great for weekend rides or area where you bike is always in sight, not so good for RTW when the bike can be out of sight for hours at a time, border crossings for example

which brand seat did you go with and why?

if you read my ADV ride report, i had the exact same day over Cinnamon Pass as you did, my buddy ran out of gas and we arrived at 10.30pm in Ouray

Here's my three long distance rides, all are around 6600-7000 miles.

How I spent my summer vacation, or 6000 miles on a WR250R

Chasing dreams and the ghost of my soul

Chasing Dreams, vol. 2

1) all years are nearly identical. Only real changes were graphics, gold forks in 2010, and potentially suspect fuel pumps on '08's. if you need 300-400 miles from a tank, you'll need the ins 4.7gal tank. I use the 3.1 and its good for 150-200 miles depending on pace. That with an extra gallon was good enough for the dalton in good weather, ymmv. The bike averages 45-55mpg at highway speed, 55-70 at a good back road touring pace of 45-50mph.

2) only issues were some bad fuel pumps on 2008 models. I've had three 2008 pumps that have gone over 20000 miles ( I dropped one and broke it) so again ymmv. That's it, no other problems.

3) I went with the ims 3.1, because its almost identical in feel to stock and there aren't any secondary pumps to worry about. I'd keep my little tank and carry two touratech 3l bottles personally... But if you want max range the 4.7 is the way to go. This bike is an all new model that came out in 2008, so tanks for other amd older models wont fit. Its also fuel injected where most/all other wr's were/are carb'd.

4) I've had over 60 pounds on the back on my first trip with no issues. Happy trails makes hard bag racks for the wrr and are what I'd use if i were to continue touring on my wr.

5) leave the motor stock. Add a skid plate, radiator guard, and hand guards and ride. Dual sport armory sells a flatlands racing package for the first two, and carry cycra guards. Also check highway dirt bike hand guards.

6) Go race suspension in Virginia. The fork is actually decent but the shock needs help particularly with hard riding and luggage. Both transform the bike from dual sport to true adv go anywhere dirt machine.

7) I like the seat concepts cover with a sheepskin cover from Alaskan leather. Good for 400-500 miles days on my butt.

8) we've got a 350w stator. I can run my gps, heated grips, 90w heated jacket, heated gloves, and heated socks no problem all day for days.

9) 45-55mpg at highway speeds. 55+ mph. 55-70mpg at a good back road pace of 45-50mph. That's with luggage, as measured by my gps. With r wheels, and a taller than stock 120/90-18 Dunlop d606 I like 13/46 or 47 gearing. Stock is 13/43 on a 120/80-18. Great all around gearing that's low enough to crawl but long enough to be comfortable on the highway. With my x wheels, 17" sumo tires, I like stock 13/42 gearing.

10) nope

11) I like heidenaus and dunlops. If you're getting that kind of mileage with Kendal's I'd keep using them. My heidenaus k76 has 4000+ miles on it and it barely looks worn. I'd run them again, or for a more aggressive set a Pirelli mt16 front and a Dunlop d606 rear... Or heidenaus k60's.

12) to convert, you need to swap wheels mainly. If you start with an x, I'd keep the larger front rotor and have warp 9 or wheeling cycle build you dirt wheels with the larger rotor. Otherwise you have to swap front caliper and rotor too.


Tools... You can just about tear the bike down completely with a 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm Allen, 8, 10, 12, 19mm sockets, and a 22 and a 27mm for wheel nuts. I put my pack lists on my ride reports.

The only consistent issue reported is the early '08 fuel pumps...other that that, my concerns would be overall shape and, maybe mileage, on a used purchase.
I would definitely consider all the free mods, but they only improve performance a bit, so......but the air box is pretty sturdy from the factory, might not want to mess with that reliability too much.
I'm no long distance traveller, but using soft bags seems to make more sense for the stuff I plan on getting into.
Skid plate/hand guards for sure, and any other guard you can afford. Maybe a rad guard next.
An upgraded battery may improve reliabilty....glass packed...?
I double swear the d606 is the rear tire, if you have to put miles on.
Stock handle bars are soft, but they bend back a little too...my pro tapers dont bend.
An upgraded headlight would be awesome...but I don't know whats most reliable.

Sounds like a blast...Best of luck!

I will take a shot at these as well. My take.

1. if you could buy any year wr250r what would it be, keep in mind here i need distance...300-400 miles from a tank >>> Yes, all teh models are essentially the same. On my JUly trip I consistamtly got 60+ miles per gallon when doing back roads even with the bike loaded down. If you cuising 45 to 55 mph all day you should expect that sort of milage. With the IMS 4.7 gallon tank (that is the biggest one for the WRR) that gives me about 260 to 270 miles that I can count on. If you want 300+ miles on a tank you need to carry an extra gallon somewhere. A RotoPax or something.

2. do certain years have certain faults (have they been corrected as time went on), every bike has one or two things that just go bad, for example on a KTM fuel pump issues >>> Yes, fuel pump as pointed out in the other reply. I am not sure the fuel pump issue is limited to the 2008 model. Big Dog has had 2 fuel pumps go out in 30k miles. Carry a spare with you. Also many folks have had issues with the chain eating up the chain slider and even the end of the swing arm right behing the drive sprocket. You have to keep the chain with proper tension, not too loose. Going up one tooth on the front sprocket (13t is stock, I went to a 14t) helps give more clearance and probably helps avoid this issue. I have 14t front and 49t rear. I think Big Dog uses 14t front and 52t rear.

3. on just gas tanks.com they have a tank for an 03-06 thats 6.6 gallons...this size is perfect but why does it stop at 06 what happened from then onwards, different shaped frame, fuel injection radiator issues, now the biggest i found is 4.1 gallon, would you do this and add the 1.3 gallons side panel or rotopax >>> Those tank are not for the WRR. IMS 4.7 gallon is the larget available.

4. can the rear subframe support hard luggage, is it well built or would it need to be reinforced >>> Subframe seems to be well made. HAve not seen any reports of failures. I think HAppy Trails have rack and aluminum hard cases for the WRR. But that adds an extra 20 to 25 lbs to the bike over soft bags.

5. if you were doing mods and or farkles to the bike which are 100% necessary and 100% reliable, keep in mind here i could be in the middle of the Gobi desert so only necessary mods that can be fixed after a failure in out of the way places, is there a good place to look at many items in one place >>>> I agree with the other post. Keep the engine stock. Fuel programers and such will cut your fuel milage. Get rid of the kick stand kill switch and maybe the clutch one also, they have a habit of going bad and you have a dead engine and no idea why. The air box flapper removal mod is good to consider, gets rid of something that could break? Other than that the typical stuff....skid plate and hand guards and maybe radiator guard. The IMS tank protect the radiator pretty well in a drop. I have not put on a radiator guard yet.

6. who are the best companies to go to for front and rear suspension upgrades as i have found this is always needed on every bike for extreme long distance riding >>> per th eother post. Those are the guys.

7. seats, comfortable for long distance and hours in the saddle, i'm 6'1" so reach is not generally an issue >>> Per the other post

8. how is the charging system, would it be an issue to add heated grips and a separate 12 volt outlet, or is an upgrade required. >>>Per the other post, you can power heated gear just fine. My HID headlights did drop power required for the lights. Big Dog put switch on his low beam as well so he could turn it off when not around traffic or police.

9. fuel mileage...what do you get witha 50/50 mix of pavement and off road...what sprocket combination seems to work best overall >>> I can usually count on at least 60 mpg.

10. is there any companies products to steer clear of 100%, because basically they look good but just fail >>> Can't think of any.

11. tires, tough subject? i can get 12,000 miles out of a Kenda k270 rear on the XT, its not the best tire but its a 50/50 and very durable, what i need as availability is limited but what would be a good choice for 50/50 riding as this is a different weight bike wear characteristics are obviously different. Stick with the Kendas. I like to run street legal knobbies , but will only get 4000 to 6000 miles out of them. You may want knobbies in the desert though.

12. i have read that if a wrr isn't available then the conversion from a wrx to a wrr is easy, what is involved, and is the drive train exactly the same. >> Per the other post.

fantastic responses, gives me a lot to think about while i'm here in Venezuela in the Andes for Christmas

has anyone had any issues with wheels, as i'm riding a Yamaha right now the wheels seem pretty good but i did change the spokes to stainless for strength and durability...what options are there for rims, Excel i'm guessing but someone mentioned Warp 9, how do they compare?

I've never taco'd a stock eheel, but others have. Depends on how hard you go at it i guess? Warp9 is a popular MX wheel company, wheeling sources excel rims i think, both are excellent.

I wouldn't run a 14t front. It puts the chain very close to the case, not a lot of room leftover for grime or rocks. It does remind me of one must do upgrade, a sandman steel case saver to replace the stock plastic piece. Its stronger and has more clearance. My case saver has gouges in it from chain contact from running a 14t. Keep chain tension right and in good shape and you won't have issues with the slider.

i do ride miles, a lot of miles, some 60,000 miles in the last 21 months and my wheels are fine but i do put them thru hell and back, but coming from you who have put some decent miles on your WR and living in Alaska i take that the wheels are good quality on this model too because i'm sure you've put them thru hell and back

BTW good luck with the sale of your bike, i saw it on ADVrider

60 mpg is hopeful...I could see puttin for mileqge getting that.
But,I razz it 50% of the time and get low 40's.

i am a steady kind of throttle rider, on the xt660 if i don't exceed 4000 rpm much in each gear i can get anything up to 408 miles (my best ever) from my tank (6 gallon) but as soon as i increase that to 4500 rpm or more then i get about 160 - 180 so it sounds like the WR is the same with very little variation on the RPM range as posted above anything from 40 to 70 mpg thats hell of a range just like my XT

You have it figured already. :)
Just remember a 250 likes to rev more than a 660...no worries, it just likes to rev.
One of my favorite wrr qualities.

skierd wrote:

I've never taco'd a stock eheel, but others have. Depends on how hard you go at it i guess? Warp9 is a popular MX wheel company, wheeling sources excel rims i think, both are excellent.

I wouldn't run a 14t front. It puts the chain very close to the case, not a lot of room leftover for grime or rocks. It does remind me of one must do upgrade, a sandman steel case saver to replace the stock plastic piece. Its stronger and has more clearance. My case saver has gouges in it from chain contact from running a 14t. Keep chain tension right and in good shape and you won't have issues with the slider.

I put the Sandman case saver on as well. Very nicely made. It also has an aluminum side plate that is about 50% coverage so it allows dirt and what not a way to get out. Plus you can see in there to see if all is well.

You will need a tail rack of some sort.

Here you go. WR250R in full adventure mode. Except I have the yellow WolfMan Expidition Tail bag to put on th etail rack.

is that the 4.7 tank and the britainia composites fairing on there?

rtwpaul wrote:

is that the 4.7 tank and the britainia composites fairing on there?

Yes it is.

Here is a better shot of the Lynx faring with HID headlights.

that looks exactly what i am after, how is the fairing when it is all the way up, pretty sturdy, does it cause buffeting?

my current windshield is good but about 4 inches to short for me (6'1") so the wind catches the top of my helmet and creates wind noise, do they offer different heights fr that part do you know

rtwpaul wrote:

that looks exactly what i am after, how is the fairing when it is all the way up, pretty sturdy, does it cause buffeting?

my current windshield is good but about 4 inches to short for me (6'1") so the wind catches the top of my helmet and creates wind noise, do they offer different heights fr that part do you know

The slide up windshield is perfect for me. I am 5 ft 8 inches though plus my seat is 1 inch lower than stock. I am not sure how much taller a person this would be good for. But I do not get my head blown around. I think they will do a larger shield. Contact them, it is a small shop and they are very customer focused. I am sure they would work with you. Not sure how much taller it is, but I think it is wider as well. The windshield is solid and does not flop around. FYI, even when the winshield is in the down position I do not notice much buffetting unless there is a car in front of me. It seems to have a nice smooth breeze coming over it that hits me in the face. It still keeps the wind blast off my chest even in the down position.

This is a pricey $$$ unit. But I really like it on there , espicailly when it is cold. There is not a complete dead space, my arms still get a some wind . But it knocks most of the wind blast off and I stay pretty warm. There are less expensive windshield options. I went this route for 2 reasons: I wanted the HID headlights. I wanted a large dash area where I could mount GPS, switches for heated gear and power outlets.

My extra wind protectors on my hand guards also work very well. Makes a pocket around the hand grip area. With grip heaters on there I have been fine with just summer gloves down to about 35 degrees F.

Link
http://www.britanniacomposites.com/index.php/products/lynx16