Check out the new Yamaha '08 WR250R & WR250X Supermoto street-legal bikes!!

Rich Rohrich

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Four valves, six speeds, wet sump, EFI, aluminum frame and street legal. This should be really interesting. Way to go Yamaha. :cool:

I can't wait to get a chance to play with the EFI system on these bikes.:yeehaw:
 
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Rich Rohrich

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They have a black version for the European market that looks pretty good too.

The Yamaha Europe website is claiming 29.9 hp @ 10,000 rpm and 17.48 ft/lb torque. That's lower than a stock YZ250F but not by that much, maybe 10-15%.

To put this into perspective I pulled an old issue Cycle magazine from 1973 where they tested the latest model RD350.

RD350 Weight - 351 wet & Max horsepower 29.82 @ 8000 rpm & down to 25 horsepower @ 9000 rpm. The usable torque of the RD was about half the effective rpm range that we'll see from a good 250f design.

As those of you who have ridden the old RDs know, they accelerate like a scalded dog, and are about as much fun as short haul street bikes get.

Given the fact that the WR250X has a serious street legal exhaust system on it and probably has the EFI mapped to pass the EURO 3 emissions standards (or comes close), yet still makes this kind of power bodes well for the potential of this new engine design and points to how well the new downdraft cylinder head flows. One thing is for sure, this thing will be some serious fun! I can't wait. :yeehaw:
 

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SpDyKen

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You are absolutely correct, Rich. with this analogy.

My 1979 RD400f (Daytona Special,) along with a few other circumstances, led me away from dirt bikes, and into roadracing. All it took was a few times at Blackhawk Farms, Elkhart Lake, & Mid-America Raceway.

With an aftermarket exhaust, and a few minor 'adjustments," this thing should be a blast!

I'm sure A.J. is going to be lovin' it! :ride:
 

Rich Rohrich

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SpDyKen said:
My 1979 RD400f (Daytona Special,) along with a few other circumstances, led me away from dirt bikes, and into roadracing. All it took was a few times at Blackhawk Farms, Elkhart Lake, & Mid-America Raceway.

My path towards asphalt started with my 1973 Yamaha AT3 I outfitted with clubman bars and street tires somewhere around 1975. About five years later I was tipping over Production class bikes on those same Midwest racetracks.

I remember somewhere about 1985 a guy showed up at Blackhawk with a 490 Maico with slicks on it. Everyone thought he was a psycho till he started passing them. Once he got to the tight confines of Gratten he had the combination pretty dialed in and really showed folks something.

Dirtbikes on asphalt have always been a great way to have some serious fun, and this will just help more people find out. :cool:
 

SpDyKen

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Oh yea, I almost forgot about Gratten!
 

Rich Rohrich

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Gratten is like a big paved MX track. It was always my favorite especially in the rain.
 

CaptainObvious

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That does look sweet in black. I'll be following this one closely. Of course, a 450 version must be close behind...
 

Rich Rohrich

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CaptainObvious said:
a 450 version must be close behind...

It seems like a logical step if sales are good on the 250 version.
 

SpDyKen

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I'm temporarily in posession of one of my friends X. He liked the first one he bought so much, he bought a second one.

I have put 40+ miles on this one, so far. Very, very nice bike! Quite docile and easy to ride; I have not pushed too hard, but so far it does everything I've asked of it. Seat is not made for large butts, like mine, to sit on for too long, though. This thing is a hoot to ride! :ride: :cool:

I'll report later, when my trip is over.
 

250girl

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Wow, my old 2-stroke WR cringes at the sight of those............. "things". Why did they stop making the 2-stroke version. Aren't these WR's very simalar to the XT line of bikes?
 

Rich Rohrich

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SpDyKen said:
I'm temporarily in posession of one of my friends X. He liked the first one he bought so much, he bought a second one.

I have put 40+ miles on this one, so far. Very, very nice bike! Quite docile and easy to ride; I have not pushed too hard, but so far it does everything I've asked of it. Seat is not made for large butts, like mine, to sit on for too long, though. This thing is a hoot to ride! :ride: :cool:

I'll report later, when my trip is over.

An edge grip report will be mandatory Ken. :nod:
 

noah44444

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Oct 6, 2008
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250girl said:
Wow, my old 2-stroke WR cringes at the sight of those............. "things". Why did they stop making the 2-stroke version. Aren't these WR's very simalar to the XT line of bikes?

Sadly, I sold my 2000 Suzuki DRZ400 complete with Yosh pipe after trying everything under the sun to make it street legal here in California. I was told by the DMV that because of my DRZ's VIN it would never be allowed to have a Cali license plate. I sold the DRZ because I was looking for something street legal that would get me to work at back and be able to do the speed limit but still be able to hit the local trails on my way home and the WR250R was exactly what I was looking for.

The fuel injected WR250R is surprisingly quick and takes my fat 200 pound butt up to a cruising speed of 75 MPH without trying to hard but is nothing like my old DRZ400 thumper which could lift the front end in just about any gear. ;)

I would not put the WR in the same category as Yamaha's XT line of bikes. The XTs are not fuel injected or water cooled and can't rev like the WR with its high lift cams which has maximum power at 10,000 RPM. Yes that is 10,000 RPM. The power curve is much different than any four stroke dirt bike I have ever had a chance to ride.

I am looking forward to an aftermarket pipe/programmer and removing the shopping bag full of tubes and stuff they add on to make the WR250R street legal here in Cali. The bike feels pretty stuffed up compared to my girlfriends little 2 stroke YZ125 with FMF pipe and aftermarket reeds. I am pretty sure she could take me off the line in the first five gears. :think:

Likes:
Much lighter and less top heavy than my old Suzuki DRZ400 four stroke but easily does 75 MPH in 6th gear and runs quite a while on 2 gallons of gas at 70 miles per gallon. I am definitely diggin the illuminated blue LCD tachometer.

Dislikes:
Stock exhaust and stock computer programming makes throttle response less than snappy. At 80 MPH the bike wobbles a bit but that is to be expected with no windshield/fairings. The 2 gallon gas tank could be a little larger and no aftermarket tanks are out on the market as of 10/08.


Overall I am happy with the bike but still can't wait to get that stock can off of there and replace it with something that gives it more response. I think this thing would really come alive then. Anyone know if it is worth the extra $100 for a Yosh pipe over the FMF series they have out right now? What kinda programmer would you all use?

I will try to post some pics of the new beauty later.
 

noah44444

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Thinking back, I actually had an old 5 speed 1984 Suzuki DR250 before I owned my DRZ400 which was nothing like this new fuel injected 6 speed 2008 WR250R. I have learned that this thing will come alive you just need to use that clutch a little more than I did with my big 2000 DRZ400. The clutch is very light and can be deceiving at first compared to the stiffer, harder to pull variety. I above flipped it over backwards the first time those tires hooked up on a good piece of turf. The thing rides circles around my buddies old clunky Yamaha XT350 on the street but I haven't bravened up enough to beat him on the trails yet. Here is what she looks like after 1200 miles of being ridden like it was stolen:
solidfull dawt com / WR250R_Left.jpg
 

2strokerfun

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A magazine recently tested the WR and the Kawasaki KLX250 dual sports. The only two complaints it had about the Yamaha was lack of low-end power and the price, compared to the Kawa.
 

mandark1967

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Mar 12, 2007
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I'm thinking about picking up a leftover 2008 WR250R from a local dealer between tomorrow and friday.

Anything I should be aware of? Are there any aftermarket exhausts for this that work with that EXUP system? How would changing the exhaust and opening up the intake side a bit affect the EFI? Are there mods for the EFI available?
 

path21

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Sep 1, 2008
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i'm lookin at the bike heavily for next summer, i need to drive 70 miles one way to school 4 days a week. At 70mpg it could pay for it's self quick i think. Probaby the fastest i would go would be 70mph, and it seems to go that fast from previous posts. Can the bike handle long trips like that or should i get something bigger. I like te fact that it's small and not crazy with power, a 650 is a huge bike with way to much power.
 

dirt bike dave

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path21 said:
i'm lookin at the bike heavily for next summer, i need to drive 70 miles one way to school 4 days a week. At 70mpg it could pay for it's self quick i think. Probaby the fastest i would go would be 70mph, and it seems to go that fast from previous posts. Can the bike handle long trips like that or should i get something bigger. I like te fact that it's small and not crazy with power, a 650 is a huge bike with way to much power.

140 miles per day x 4 days a week is a lot of time in the saddle for a 250 cc bike with no fairing. Sure, you could do it, but for that kind of use, I think you would be happier with a dedicated street bike.

FWIW, I doubt the little Yamaha will get 70 mpg at highway speeds. Sure, it will get 70 mpg in mixed riding including lots of 40 - 45 mph cruising, but as speed and wind resistance go up, fuel mileage usually goes way down on the small bikes.
 
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