Advice needed: WR250X or KLR650???

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Love my '08 WR250r. Can handle street and trail, can carry gear for longer rides, and is fuel injected. Small on the tank size, but you can carry spare fuel for that extra long leg or buy an oversized Aqualine now available. Check out the WR250 thread on Adventure Rider (it's a mile long single thread of wr conscienceness), wrrdualsport.com, or wr250rforum.com. Also checkout bigdogadventures.com. He preaches the gospel of the WR. :sombrero:

 

[jmducha]

Bought a WR250X today, just got it home. Just need my nobbies and I'll be good to go.

 

[T.Low]

Bought a WR250X today, just got it home. Just need my nobbies and I'll be good to go.

I've been looking, but i don't seem to see any pictures. Can somebody please help me out with this?:ylsmoke:

 

[CYi5]

I've been looking, but i don't seem to see any pictures. Can somebody please help me out with this?:ylsmoke:

I'm looking for the same basic requirements as the OP. Ideally I love the DRZ400SM, but a bit out of my price range. Still looking for an affordable dual sport to zip around town in.

 

[justduck]

Another bike to consider is the Suzuki DRZ. They are all but bullet proof and quite a bit lighter than the KLR. They are also quicker and have much better suspension.

 

[rctr03]

the klr is very heavy!

 

[mhiscox]

FWIW, Motorcycle Consumer News, which to my mind does very good road tests, just tested the 250 Yamaha against the 250 Kawasaki and the 230 Honda. The Yamaha got 4.5 stars of five overall, quite a high rating for MCN, and had many positive comments, especially about its power.

It is a tall sucker, though. But reviewers liked the room that the WR provides once you are on it. I'd don't know how I'd work the tradeoff . . . the extra room and long travel suspension would pay off once you were moving, but you've got to get on in the first place and hold the bike up at stop lights. The Honda 230 was agreed to be the very friendly beginner bike, but no reviewer liked it, thinking it cramped, inadequately suspended, and way down on power.

 

[robert]

It's funny how many people start out wanting a large bike but after riding a while end up wanting a smaller bike. I kept thinking about buying a KLR650 but then I came to my senses and realized I'd have a lot more fun on a smaller bike that I can actually touch the ground on, I can carry it on the back of my truck without a trailer, I can actually offroad it (a 650 is a beast to try to ride singletrack with- not saying it can't be done, but it takes a very good rider), it's cheaper, etc. Unless you are planning on doing lots of highway rides or putting in long days in the saddle, a smaller bike will do most everything you want. There's a good thread over on Adventure Rider about smaller bikes, touring with them, etc.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201349
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=430509

I've got a DL650 that I love for touring, commuting, etc. but before this last assignment I was riding my uncle's old Honda CB175 around when just goofing off, going to the store, etc. I've been looking at the WR250R, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy a KLX250 when I get back in the States (cheaper, does most of what I want it to and I can always add a big bore kit to knock if up to a 350 if I need to). All motorcycles are compromises, you just have to look at what you realistically expect to do with it and where you expect to ride the most. After all, the point is to get out there and ride (man I miss it right now). :bike_rider:

edited because I can't spell or type.

 

[mhiscox]

For someone interested in a Yamaha WR250R, there's an intelligently farkled one for sale in Santa Fe, NM. Details are on the Adventure Rider forum at:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=523836.

No interest, yada, yada . . . :roost:

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

FWIW, Motorcycle Consumer News, which to my mind does very good road tests, just tested the 250 Yamaha against the 250 Kawasaki and the 230 Honda. The Yamaha got 4.5 stars of five overall, quite a high rating for MCN, and had many positive comments, especially about its power.

It is a tall sucker, though. But reviewers liked the room that the WR provides once you are on it. I'd don't know how I'd work the tradeoff . . . the extra room and long travel suspension would pay off once you were moving, but you've got to get on in the first place and hold the bike up at stop lights. The Honda 230 was agreed to be the very friendly beginner bike, but no reviewer liked it, thinking it cramped, inadequately suspended, and way down on power.

Yup...it is tall for my 31" inseam. Check out the YamaLink...it lowers the bike without compromising the geometry. Soften the compression on both shocks and I can almost flat foot it. I've dumped mine a half-dozen times...all while standing still but off cambered. That being said, I love my WR250r and look forward to doing some touring, mostly offroad. :wings: