Yamaha WR250R Mega Thread

[jon_l]

Originally Posted by Subaru297

I avoid Rocky when I can. They have great prices but shipping to Canada gets costly.
Still cheaper at Rocky though $95 after shipping.

I hear you. I drive South once or twice every year, and always bring back basic stuff like tires & tubes, Rotella T6, oil filters, chains, etc. using the free shipping to a relative's house. Savings are probably 40-50% when I factor in lower selling prices, free shipping (no customs brokerage), and no sales tax.

[BuzzGrizz]

Originally Posted by Shawnee Bill

Is there a step by step procedure somewhere for fork seal replacement?


My kind of garage!



.

+1 wheres this procedure?

[coresports]

Originally Posted by Joe Watson

Well, I just did my fork seals. Damn, what an easy job!!! Stuff paying a bike mechanic to do it. It was a nice easy relaxing job really, nothing hard or strenuous. You just meticulously go through the steps and before you know it, they are back together and done!

along the same lines, has anyone used the fork seal savers? if so, easy to install? any issues with fork function?

[Mikef5000]

Fork Seal Replacement How To:

http://youtu.be/Y43k1qFVGW4

The only special tool is a fork seal driver, which is easily made out of a piece of PVC pipe.


The only issue with the seal savers is if you don't clean them often, they will actually trap more dirt close to the seals, and eventually could cause more problems.

[mikem9]

After posting this as a stand alone thread in Thumpers I saw this thread pop up. Any thoughts?

Has anyone switched from a KTM 400/450/525/530 EXC to a Yamaha WR250r. Or have both? Would you mind sharing your experiences? I hear some folks are increasing power, lowering weight etc. of their WR250r's.

My boys and I share 3 tagged dirt bikes: 04 KTM 450 Exc, an 06 KTM 400 Exc, (plus an 01 WR250f). . Just got back from a trip to Colorado where we trailered our bikes out there.

We love riding the KTM's off-road (singletrack etc they are perfect), but we are getting a little tired of the maintenance intervals and issues. Also, when Dual sporting, they are not very fun on the street. The 5 speed Yamaha WRf is especially not fun on the street.

One of the KTM's, with 5500 miles, couldn't go on the trip because it needed new valves and a top end rebuild at the last minute. The other KTM (4500 miles) had to have it's valves adjusted (will need new valves soon) and new wheel bearings, then on the trip we blew a fork seal, blew a clutch (slave cylinder), and wore out the swing arm and steering head bearings. The frequent oil change intervals, steps you take to change the oil and valve check intervals are getting old.

The old yamaha wr250f only needed an oil change and was bullet proof the entire trip, besides being finicky to start at times. (negatives - 5 speed and no electric start).

Considering trying a WR250r for easier maintenance intervals, better reliability and better street ability. I realize they are not supposed to be near the dirt bike as the KTMs, but the tradeoffs may be worth it?

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by mikem9

After posting this as a stand alone thread in Thumpers I saw this thread pop up. Any thoughts?

Has anyone switched from a KTM 400/450/525/530 EXC to a Yamaha WR250r. Or have both? Would you mind sharing your experiences? I hear some folks are increasing power, lowering weight etc. of their WR250r's.

My boys and I share 3 tagged dirt bikes: 04 KTM 450 Exc, an 06 KTM 400 Exc, (plus an 01 WR250f). . Just got back from a trip to Colorado where we trailered our bikes out there.

We love riding the KTM's off-road (singletrack etc they are perfect), but we are getting a little tired of the maintenance intervals and issues. Also, when Dual sporting, they are not very fun on the street. The 5 speed Yamaha WRf is especially not fun on the street.

One of the KTM's, with 5500 miles, couldn't go on the trip because it needed new valves and a top end rebuild at the last minute. The other KTM (4500 miles) had to have it's valves adjusted (will need new valves soon) and new wheel bearings, then on the trip we blew a fork seal, blew a clutch (slave cylinder), and wore out the swing arm and steering head bearings. The frequent oil change intervals, steps you take to change the oil and valve check intervals are getting old.

The old yamaha wr250f only needed an oil change and was bullet proof the entire trip, besides being finicky to start at times. (negatives - 5 speed and electric start only).

Considering trying a WR250r for easier maintenance intervals, better reliability and better street ability. I realize they are not supposed to be near the dirt bike as the KTMs, but the tradeoffs may be worth it?

Well, I've owned a KTM 520EXC in the past that was a tagged DS and I just sold a Husky TE-610 specifically to find a nice Yamaha WR250R.

I know exactly where you are coming from on the KTM. I loved every minute of it I was flogging it and and running around N. GA on the trails although I will say even at times it got boring on the gravel because it was so over kill. I absolutely hated any length of street.

The Husky did much better at bridging this gap and even did a 2000 mile TAT trip on it. Even though the Husky is way better than the KTM maintenance wise, its still on the excessive side in my books with the amount of mileage I put on bikes. So I'm now looking at the Wr250R simply from a maintenance perspective and a fun small bike. The fact it has a 350w stator certainly doesn't hurt.

If you haven't already, a great site to check out is BigDogAdventures.com. Mark put many miles on a Husky TE-610, he owns/owned a KTM 450EXC and his current bike of choice for an adventure bike is the Yamaha WR250R -

WR250R build up - http://www.bigdogadventures.com/WR250R.htm
KTM 450EXC - http://www.bigdogadventures.com/1KTM450EXC.htm

[mikem9]

Thanks BlueLightning.

[HighFive]

Originally Posted by mikem9

After posting this as a stand alone thread in Thumpers I saw this thread pop up. Any thoughts?

Has anyone switched from a KTM 400/450/525/530 EXC to a Yamaha WR250r. Or have both? Would you mind sharing your experiences? I hear some folks are increasing power, lowering weight etc. of their WR250r's.


Considering trying a WR250r for easier maintenance intervals, better reliability and better street ability. I realize they are not supposed to be near the dirt bike as the KTMs, but the tradeoffs may be worth it?

I'm not certain exactly what you have in mind to do on it, but I will share some thoughts briefly, based on my experience with both.

The WRR is one of the best general purpose, true dualsports ever made. She'll haul your butt & gear in comfort for miles on end along highways & byways, dirt roads & two track....faster than any posted speed limit with NO VIBES (in stock form). She's not a bad single trail bike, but certainly no comparison to the far superior nimbleness & torqueness of the real woods racers, you have mentioned.

Get a WRR if you want to enjoy to and fro, and don't mind working a fair bit on the trails. Keep the plated dirtbike for the hardcore trail days, when you feel like trailering to the woods.

If I had to pick just one to do it all.....the WRR is it.

But fortunately, or unfortunately, I've reached the age where its permissible to have at least three.

HF

[MeefZah]

Originally Posted by coresports

along the same lines, has anyone used the fork seal savers? if so, easy to install? any issues with fork function?

I used them after the second time my left seal started puking oil.

The left one lasted about 200 miles before the compression action of the fork and the pressure of the fork protector wore a hole in it.

If they had remained intact I guess thay might do the trick but with a quarter sized hole right where the seal is they served no purpose; I cut them off.

[1Down-5Up]

Originally Posted by pfy50

1Down-5Up;
Did you pick the Koplin fuel can over the Rotopax for a reason or was that just more conveniently available. It is wider correct??

Paul

It was available locally and is 1.5 gallons compared to one for the RotoPax
Not sure how wide the Pax is mines 4.5" . Its nice to have the extra fuel but of course the penalty is more weight on the tail.

[calfinm]

Originally Posted by mikem9

After posting this as a stand alone thread in Thumpers I saw this thread pop up. Any thoughts?

Has anyone switched from a KTM 400/450/525/530 EXC to a Yamaha WR250r. Or have both? Would you mind sharing your experiences? I hear some folks are increasing power, lowering weight etc. of their WR250r's.

My boys and I share 3 tagged dirt bikes: 04 KTM 450 Exc, an 06 KTM 400 Exc, (plus an 01 WR250f). . Just got back from a trip to Colorado where we trailered our bikes out there.

We love riding the KTM's off-road (singletrack etc they are perfect), but we are getting a little tired of the maintenance intervals and issues. Also, when Dual sporting, they are not very fun on the street. The 5 speed Yamaha WRf is especially not fun on the street.

One of the KTM's, with 5500 miles, couldn't go on the trip because it needed new valves and a top end rebuild at the last minute. The other KTM (4500 miles) had to have it's valves adjusted (will need new valves soon) and new wheel bearings, then on the trip we blew a fork seal, blew a clutch (slave cylinder), and wore out the swing arm and steering head bearings. The frequent oil change intervals, steps you take to change the oil and valve check intervals are getting old.

The old yamaha wr250f only needed an oil change and was bullet proof the entire trip, besides being finicky to start at times. (negatives - 5 speed and no electric start).

Considering trying a WR250r for easier maintenance intervals, better reliability and better street ability. I realize they are not supposed to be near the dirt bike as the KTMs, but the tradeoffs may be worth it?

I have a 530exc and a wr250x. I bought the wr for similar reasons, the riding I was doing on the slab was making me nervous on the KTM (maintenance). I love the 530, its an amazing bike (modded), suspension, brakes and a motor that will let you ride casually or rip your arms off if you want to open it up, to me its almost the perfect motor. Its also massive overkill on singletrack (for me).
The wr I suggest you ride, it takes a while to get use to the lack of torque especially if you've come from big 4strokes. I thought there was something wrong with mine when I first got it.Once you get use to keeping it on the boil its fine. I think its a bike that's exceeded my expectations more than any bike Ive owned. I run the tight canyons with mates on their super bikes and annoy them, then hit the trail, then commute.
Basically as much as it pains me to say this out loud, I'm considering selling the KTM as its being neglected (then I get on it, loft a few 3rd gear clutchles wheelies and...).
You will miss the torque (no casual lofting wheels over obstacles on demand), you will have to get back to using the clutch again (not hydraulic and so noticeable when I switch back and forth between bikes). Weight wise I think it carries itself really well, manhandling it doesn't feel too bad at all.
Look the KTM does everything better but my little yamaha I have absolutely caned and basically changed the oil and filter occasionally and it runs great and doesn't concern me beyond that.. I think a good rider could probably run a set up one of these at maybe 90% pace of what he could on an equivalent enduro and that's good enough for me.

[pfy50]

Originally Posted by 1Down-5Up

It was available locally and is 1.5 gallons compared to one for the RotoPax
Not sure how wide the Pax is mines 4.5" . Its nice to have the extra fuel but of course the penalty is more weight on the tail.

TNX,

The Rotopax is (9 1/2 L x 13 1/4 W x 3 H) so the extra 1/2 gal is what you get with the Koplin. I have the 2 gal rotopax for my KTM 990, but debating the extra cost of the can mount and can (koplin or rotopax) for the WRR as apposed to doing like some of the Aussies do and getting a 3-4 L fuel bladder you can roll up and hide away when you don't need it and lash it down filled when going up North (you know up your way).

Paul

[Joe Watson]

Hey guys. No real step by step guide from me. I used these videos and it was easy as. I also referred to the manual as well while I was doing it just to make sure everything was right. I used no special tools at all. A couple of tips and tricks: instead of a "Seal bullet" you just wrap the area of the large bushing where the sharp lips are with electrical tape and just use heaps of lube on everything and it makes everything go back together so much easier. As for special tools, I already mentioned tape instead of seal bullet. I just used a screwdriver to get the inner bushing home (super super carefully and slowly to not touch the inner fork tube and rotating very regularly to make sure it all goes down level) then for the fork oil level, I just marked it out on a long screwdriver and kept adding oil until it touched the end of the screwdriver.

[Tightline]

...but can it still make toast?

[RichardU]

Originally Posted by mikem9

After posting this as a stand alone thread in Thumpers I saw this thread pop up. Any thoughts?

Has anyone switched from a KTM 400/450/525/530 EXC to a Yamaha WR250r.

Hi, Mike. I haven't owned a KTM, but I have put over 10,000 miles on WR250R/X including one with a big bore, and I've put nearly 30,000 on a DR-Z400S. If you think you might miss the torque of a KTM, you might want to consider the DRZ, particularly if you are tall. (Caveat: Compared to some people, I seem to own a magical DRZ. It always starts. Never stalls. No vibes.)