WR250R/X Test Drive

[R_Lefebvre]

Oh man... went for a ride around my area last night. What a blast! This is the type of bike I wanted when I got my WR250F. It'll bring a whole new dimension to my travels. I've gotta get some chores done so I can see if I can get out for a ride today.:bike_rider: This thing will be great for exploring more of the railbeds in Ontario.

Only had a few issues. First, had to rotate the handlebars back a bit to fit me better. Not sure if there will be enough adjustement in them for me... we'll see. Also had to move the shift lever up one knotch to be able to get my MX boot under it. So both are really non-issues.

The only real thing is the mirrors. All I can see are my elbows. The mirrors seem to be like a checkbox thing "Yep, it's got mirrors." They're almost useless. This is made all the worse because I can't believe how much fun you can have with only 250cc. I was in constant threat of losing my license last night. :bike_rider: I really don't know why anyone would want more bike.

I can understand why you'd want a bigger more comfortable bike, and maybe a bit more power as required to propel that bigger bike, gear and passenger. But more than 500cc... all you are ever doing it would seem is trying to keep the throttle closed.

Oh, and I should point out one other really great thing about this bike. It has a big stator. Apparently puts out over 300 watts. Guys report it's got plenty of power to run all kinds of heated gear. Very rare in a little 250 dual-sport.

 

[SEREvince]

I just watched your helmet cam video, you guys have some sweet looking singletrack.

I like the looks of the big tires, like a TW on steroids. I've always wondered how they would work, It seems like they would work good on Jeep/two track trails better than a 3.00x21. I've been thinking about getting a dual sport but I can't seem to let go of the ktm 300.

I got the WR250R last week. It's my first bike. It's taller than the X, but I can still get both toes on the ground. I'm 5'9" w 32" inseam.

You can lower the stock suspension about 1" and if that's not enough you can get the lowering link and that will get you another inch.

I went with the B&B skid and Highway Dirtbike handguards and mirrors. The handguards have not come in, but I let you know how the mirrors work out.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Oh, I never linked my ride report here. Yeah, I got my chores done and went for a LONG ride.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42270&page=5

Bike did great. I put Shinko 705's on it on Monday, much more suitable tire. I also have a Ricochet Skid Plate and Zete handguards on order. I want to paint the skidplate black, but I'm not sure what to use. Linex might be an obvious solution, but seems a bit like overkill. We'll see.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Here's my pics of the mounted GPS and Spot:

And the Shinko 705's installed:

Still waiting on my skid plate and hand guards... I was thinking of going on a big ride around Algonquin on the weekend, good thing I decided to go camping with the family instead.

But, the bike is even dirtier after this morning's commute. :bike_rider: Nothing quite like pulling in to work with a ****-eating grin on your face.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Celebrated adventure rider Steve Crombie has completed an unsupported 6000km off-road adventure
from Darwin to Sydney on his Lost On… Yamaha WR250R. His journey meant that Steve was the first
motorcycle rider this year to navigate through closed roads across hundreds of crocodile infested rivers to
the Gulf of Carpentaria, back out to Cape Crawford, through the Davenport Range and into Alice Springs.
From Alice Springs he was also the first rider to cross the Simpson Desert this year despite the area still being officially closed due to
flooding. The incredibly durable Lost On… Yamaha WR250R was developed to handle every type of terrain from deep mud, sand to long distance
tarmac. Reaching up to 145kms an hour fully loaded the efficient fuel injected 250cc engine enabled Steve to ride 640kms across the
Simpson with only 35 litres of fuel – that’s 18.5kms per litre on one of the toughest trips out there.

From Birdsville he continued across yet another closed area (Sturt Stony Desert) and the Strzelecki Desert before hammering to the
Darling River and safely back to Sydney. Once back on the tarmac the WR250R was good for 26kms per litre.
The purpose built machine was punished consistently averaging 400-800kms per day on varying terrain without a single
performance issue. The constant high speeds and unknown Press release WR250R adventure ride 23-06-2010
landscape put a few dents in the wheel rims and bent a brake disc, but thanks to the outright strength and sophistication of the Lost
On… Yamaha WR250R, the ride wasn’t even compromised by a puncture.

“I had never ridden a fuel injected, liquid cooled engine on any
adventure as serious as this one because I never previously had
faith in the ability of this new technology to cope with the harshest
conditions. But technology has certainly caught up. The little 250cc
engine never missed a beat,” explains Steve.
“I launched myself over the handlebars a few times; rode for weeks
with the throttle wide open and covered some seriously treacherous
terrain - but the bike soaked it all up. I would never have taken the
calculated risks I took on this journey on a larger or heavier
motorcycle due to the difficulty of lifting or manoeuvring the bike in
adverse conditions, for example, out of deep sand,” ...continues
Crombie...

“I changed the oil once, the air filter twice, adjusted the chain once
and the WR250R still functions like new. That’s unbelievable,” adds
the global adventure rider.
“The Lost On… Yamaha WR250R is an awesome adventure bike. The
combination of light weight and capable off road ability means
riders are able to access more challenging, inspiring and untainted
terrain. It’s a machine that can get into and out of extraordinary
places that few other adventure bikes are capable of doing,” he adds.

• This leg was part of an unsupported 20,000km adventure
from Singapore to Sydney. For more information please check
www.loston.com
• Steve’s book Lost On Earth will be released by Pan Macmillan
September 2010 (Fathers Day)
http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/displ...le.asp?ISBN=97
81405038447&Author=Crombie,%20Steve

The Lost On…WR250R features:
• 13.5 litre Safari tank
• Easton 1 1/8 handlebars
• MSC Ralle-Moto steering damper
• Oxford nano LED indicators
• Magellan Triton 2000 GPS
• Staintune tail pipe
• Teknik Motorsport fork and shock tuning
• RK 520GXW chain
• JT sprockets (14/49)
• Acerbis Multiplo handguards
• B&B bashplate, master cylinder guard, numberplate holder,
radiator guard
• GYTR rear rack
• Pivot Pegz footpegs
• Dunlop D908 front and D606 rear tyres
• Goodridge brake lines
• Yamaha XJ6S windscreen
• Unifilter air filters
• Graphics by Browns Grafix
• Giant Loop Great Basin Bag (50 litre)
• Adventure Moto 12 litre fuel cell
• Wolfman Enduro tank bag

__________________
Agito ergo sum - I ride therefore I am!



http://www.adventuremoto.com.au
Your ride.. Your adventure!

 

[elmo_4_vt]

So you've gotten me away from the KLX, but I was leaning towards the R version is some 50/50 tires. I just re-read the thread and didn't see why you chose the X version? Aside from that's what you test drove maybe? Specs were close aside from wheels and gearing...

Don

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[R_Lefebvre]

I think the Yamaha is an absolute no-brainer for anybody concidering a 250. I chose the X because they had leftover 09's for $1000 less than the R. Simple as that. $1000 would buy a set of R wheels so I could switch back and forth if I wanted. Again, seemed like a no-brainer to me. But as it is, I'm loving the 17's with the Shinko 705's. I'll see what I think when I get some dirt time with knobbies.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Did some high speed dirt road driving on the weekend, and discovered I have a serious headshake problem with this configuration. I'm not sure if it was always there, of it came with the tire change. I know it's always felt a bit "looser" in the steering than my WR250F. But I don't remember having this problem when I did some gravel trails with the stock tires.

I hit some serious washboard at about 80 km/h, when the headshake happened, and I was pretty close to going down. I had basically already signed off and figured that was it, but the bike just came back under control. So... will have to figure out what's up with that. Seems any quick succession of bumps can set it off.

 

[Hayduke950]

Exellent choice on the WRr. My Wife picked one up this spring, and she loves it.

We've lowered hers five inches (at the seat), so it looks a bit different.