Why buy a WRR at 56?

Hi All. After many years of road riding on my Harleys and also driving my old TT350 around the tracks I decided to buy a new dirt bike. This took some doing as I felt I was on the downside of my track riding skills and being a bit short the taller dirt bikes caused me some concern. I opted for the WRR as it has a good seat height and I can ride it to the tracks, rather than trailer or ute. Since picking it up a few weeks ago I've done 700kms on tracks and finally getting quite used to it. In fact this past weekend I finally conquered Long Tom in the Yackandandah forest after some years of trying. But the WRR would not do it as a stock bike. I had to make one important change. The forks. These were far too soft and for the tough tracks with many rocks and longer jumps the stock forks pogo sticked me and I came to grief on two jumps. I stiffened the rebound and put heavier oil in plus took the forks through the top clamp by about 1/4 inch. Made a hell of a difference. I'm about to do some more mods but overall the bike really suits me as it is light and zippy and in the tight stuff I have it all over the 450s. More soon as I need to rush to Christmas lunch.

Add some tires and a fuel injection programmer, you'll be all smiles.

Thanks mc. I'm only just coming to grips with the modifications available after scanning the forum today. I changed tyres and gears pre-pickup from the dealer. The fuel manager sounds great. For the moment I'm going to wrap it up a little with some protection as first step and looking at a B&B skid plate and a few other protective things and then work into the performance items including exhaust.

I didn't answer the question as to "why buy the WR at my age?" and the truth is I can no longer, and probably could never, keep up with the good and young riders but I could always get to the end even on my TT350 and my daughter's TT230. The problem I was having was that the 350 could not wheel stand easily and I longed to ride up climbs on the back wheel and do some longer jumps, plus have some top end speed when the tracks suited, thus taking a bit of pressure off me in keeping up. In truth, now I have the 250 the 450 would probably have been a better option in terms of power but the 250 is light and I can pick it up myself and it is nimble in the tight, single tracks. I'm finding the experiences on the 350 and 230 make the 250 a very natural bike to ride. And being only 5'10" I struggle with ground clearance on taller bikes. And when you hit 55 carrying the injuries of decades of crashes, swinging the leg over the bike is the toughest part of the ride. So for any other older riders the WRR offers a couple of real plusses for us. It is light and easy to handle and pick-up no matter your knee conditions. It wheelies smoothy and easily. It is great for jumps but only after stiffening the forks. And, finally, it is fast in the tight stuff making you very competitive. Why the WRR over the WRF? The WRR with street legal rego and the ability to not self destruct on asphalt makes the option of riding to the tracks as an option (but not if you put on nobbies).

Thanks for taking the time to read and I look forward to gaining some real insights off the forum.

Welcome aboard the WR train. I too, bought one late in my motorcycling career. It's just plain fun compared to most other bikes I've owned. Your Harley leathers will need some conditioner occasionally while they sit on the rack...

Hi,

I bought mine at age 63 so I can act and feel like 19 again!!

Jim

Welcome to the forum.
56 isnt that old I race scrambles with a guy that in his 60s.
Im a little curious on why you stiffened the forks and didnt mention the shock?
IMO the shock is horrible, I bottom the shock alot and it also bounces around on small stuff, unless your on smooth ground the rear of the bike is always moving around, it doesnt have enough rebound dampening. The forks seam alright and havent bottomed yet, im getting both ends revalved soon IMO its a must do to the shock but I could live with the stock forks.

Thanks all. Yes 56 is not too old and I have actually surprised myself on what I can do again and what I am game to take on. A friend of mine 's father sadly passed away recently and he was in his seventies and rode right up until he was too ill to go on. And by all accounts a great rider, so there are many years for us all to enjoy the bike.

For Biglake you are right the rear does hop around but I don't find that too disconcerting at the moment. I will tweak the rebound as I get used to the bike and when my speed and bravery to tackle harder elements increase.

Sadly the Harley leathers are not going anywhere for the moment as I stuffed the engine on the best thing I have ever owned. Mixed up my bottle of good oil with one I had decanted all sorts of unused oil into and with my fairly ordinary eyesight didn't pick up the colour change when I topped it up before a 3k trip. In nearly seven years that was the first time I had ever topped up the Harley. The oil emulsified is my guess and stuffed the scavenge pump. There is a silver lining of course which is to add some cams and other engine mods during the rebuild, which would cost me the same to do if the engine was unharmed. Just a bit before my plans to do so.

The moral of the tale - always wear my glasses and don't let the kids near you workshop.

You lured me in, but it looks like you answered your own question... Keep riding !

miniceptor86 wrote:

Hi,

I bought mine at age 63 so I can act and feel like 19 again!!

Jim

Same for me.

Man, you old guys should really choose another bike. Maybe a trike. Come on... really? What were you thinking?

I was about to say that it's never too late to get your game on, but certain traumas accumulate. Here's wishing you the most happiness on your new bike!



<---- my age.

BuilderBob wrote:

Man, you old guys should really choose another bike. Maybe a trike. Come on... really? What were you thinking?

I was about to say that it's never too late to get your game on, but certain traumas accumulate. Here's wishing you the most happiness on your new bike!

Not old enough for either a trike or a Harley. When I get that old, I'll buy a VW convertible and give up 2 wheels. The WR is the most fun commuter bike I've ever owned in 50 years of riding. I put 6,000 miles on it this year and 4500 last year. It might go to Alaska this June.

I'm 69 in one month and enjoy riding my WRR. I am selling the road bike as it does not get ridden that much.

Hi all and thanks for the comments. Please see video of the bike's first ride. Striaght from dealer to track. Mirrors still on, tyres at whatever and no work on forks at that stage. Riding is nothing special as I was a bit tentative on the slippery tracks but for the international readers a challenge to count the kangaroos and wait to the end for a good shot of the bike. Don't worry about the opening slide. I used this for a presentation leader.

Old Fart on WRR wrote:

Hi all and thanks for the comments. Please see video of the bike's first ride. Striaght from dealer to track. Mirrors still on, tyres at whatever and no work on forks at that stage. Riding is nothing special as I was a bit tentative on the slippery tracks but for the international readers a challenge to count the kangaroos and wait to the end for a good shot of the bike. Don't worry about the opening slide. I used this for a presentation leader.

Not bad for an old guy.

EXACTLY! FUN FUN FUN! Thanks for posting the video.

Jim

I just turned 60 and the WRR is my first off road bike since I started riding 35 years ago. Wish I had done this a long time ago. Off road small bike is a blast. My road bike will probably be sold. I'm setting mine up for adventure riding. No jumps etc. for these old bones, but I still feel like a kid on this thing.

...inspiration this thread is...I'll be 62 next year and I'm painin' about how much longer I can do the dualsport thing.
However I did get off again 2 weeks ago, it's the ribs, always the ribs that take the beating. Feeling better now and look forward to getting back on though. The WR is the trailbike I'll be keeping til it's over...
I've done everything I can do to make it senior ergo friendly. Suspension, FLEXX bars, Pivot pegs, Seat Concepts saddle, heated grips.

Really the most sensible for my age after coming of a KTM 950 ADventure and a Husky TE610.
Less is more.

Rapid Dog wrote:

. . . I've done everything I can do to make it senior ergo friendly. Suspension, FLEXX bars, Pivot pegs, Seat Concepts saddle, heated grips.

A couple of those mods are pretty expensive. What do you think of the FLEXX bars and Pivot Pegz?

....Well, most mods worth while are expensive. It's really a value judgement.
For me, anything that relieves impact and cush's out the ride is worth it. As little as I get to ride these days it's not worth it to me to 'settle' anymore. I want the best experience I can get, with as little physical repercussion as possible.

FLEXX bars are great. I won't say they are end-all be-all answer but the work well and I like the bar bend.
Key is to find a pair used on ADVRider or elsewhere and save some bucks.

The Pivot's are a personal choice as well. I feel that they help with the ergos (i.e. pegs to controls) and help create less foot and ankle strain.
That said, I've had the fellow over in the section Vendors Section from the Czech Republic fab me some pegs to my spec.
More on that when they arrive.

For reference:

http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/questions-about-fast-flex-handlebars.11829/

http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/flexx-bars-by-fasst-co.3988/

http://www.fasstco.com/shop/flexx-handlebars-mx

http://www.woodsracer.com/portal/forums/archive/index.php/t-9382.html

I also have a Scott's steering stabilizer...

Lifelong journey! Here I am following a 57 year old and a 46 yr old later in video. They are showing me how to ride at 27!!

Thanks MR beat, looks like there is no age limit to buying a good dirt bike and the wrr has the performance to mix it up with the young guns but the flexibility to operate on and off road. Great single track action which the wrr is really nimble at. Thanks for the video. PJ

it's the ribs, always the ribs that take the beating.

Thanks rapid dog. I tend to bust up my shoulders most of all. Before I stiffened up the forks I did two beautiful slides into the ground after jumps went wrong thus preventing high sides. Sad indictment of ones riding when the crashes were the best part of the ride but the wry was very easy to drop onto its side and my feet didn't leave the pegs. However, like you, I cracked two or three ribs in a bad come off a few years ago on my daughters TT230. Too much speed, not enough suspension.

So what are you all using for rib protection. I cracked mine in September. I have been looking at compression suits, but nothing stands out.

Looking about, and I do that alot, I'm surprised most compression suits and armor in general don't really provide much ribe cage protection.

I've got several pieces of gear, the latest is aLEATT’s ADVENTURE BODY VEST.
I'm told it's the shite...too bad I wasn't wearing it, but was wearing a Klim Traverse jacket with full armor, but not chest protection.

Not een sure the Leatt would have prevented the bruised rib, as I fell to the side on op of my arm, meaning arm compresses the ribs.
OOF!