CRF450 or WR450

[Charlie]

I ride about 80% trails & 20% on the track just playing around. I live in California, and wouldn't be posting if it wasn't for the Red/Green sticker problem. I know the CRF450 is a Red sticker (which limits what time of the year you can ride), does anyone know if the WR450 is Red or Green? I would just go for the CRF if it wasn't for this colored sticker thing. I just test rode my friends and it was pretty awesome. It did great on technical trails where I live, and in the straights it was a rocket.

The red/green sticker problem aside, can anyone give me any performance reasons for a WR over the CRF. How's the suspension, comparatively, etc...

Thanks for all your input in advance. This is a tough decision. This stupid Red/Green sticker program really sucks. Although, where I ride, I see a lot of red sticker bikes out when they're not supposed to be, so I could just follow there lead.

 

[tigerowner]

I don't know if the WR is Red/Green sticker but if you want to make a CRF/WR comparison you might wait for the rumored CRF 450X. basically the same as the WR only honda style with a wide ratio tranny and lights. As things are today I would go with the WR for the equipment and transmission although you can get a wide ratio tranny for the CRF from Baja Designs for $500. Really though, who wants to spend money to upgrade a new bike. For true green sticker worthyness go with a KTM 450 EXC. The reports from the owners and the mags are about the best I have heard in a long time. May want to ask Yamaha about the WR and Green Sticker.

 

[Travis M.]

Yamaha is a red sticker bike just like the honda The reason its red is because Yamaha did not go thru the trouble of getting it C.A.R.B certified.( california air resource board) The reason you see so many red stickers on the trails is because a lot of O.H.V. areas are not enforcing the law right now. Too many loopholes for example if you call Hungry Valley a.k.a Gormon they will tell you that their not enforcing it as long as your spark arrested. same goes with Pismo, Johnson Valley, El Mirage etc . thats not to say they wont be enforcing it in the future But the laws been in effect since 98 and a lot of places are just giving up on it. as for as diffrences their is the weight diffrence . the honda has stiffer suspension. and the big one the 03 yama has the magic E-button.

 

[Boozer]

i would imagine the 450X would be pretty far away which is unfortunate. i am putting off buying a '03WR250F, and waiting for the CRF250X. Could be a long wait (dealer reckons end of next year), but the years seems to go by quickly and i think it will be worth the wait.

Can anyone tell me how durable the CR alloy frames are? by that i mean is it easy to keep clean/looking good? sounds like a stupid question, i know, but i'm a particular bugger about things like that!

 

[CRF150RaCeR]

yea the 450x will not come out for a while, the 250x isnt coming out until next year and the 450x isnt even on the website so unless you want to wait i would just get a yzf450, its basically that same thing as a crf450 exept its a yamaha, well so is the WR but thats more a trail bike

 

[shnalln]

Could always go with the KTM, it comes with a green sticker, although alittle pricey initially, but I've heard through my extensive research that they are very reliable bikes, and no more expensive to maintain than the Japanese bikes. They also make excelant trail bikes too from what I hear. The MXC might fit what you want very well, having a 6-speed close ratio trans, good for woods, and a competent MX bike at the same time. Good luck!

 

[tigerowner]

Only negative to the KTM is that the manufacturer specifically doesn't reccomend dualsporting them. If that is something you are considering you may want to look elsewhere. There are also a lot of minor oil leaks and things on the KTMs posted on Thumper talk. Generally most complaints are minor buth there are a few larger issues. IMHO, for the price the complaints should be fewer.

 

[Boozer]

Yamaha doesn't recommend dual sporting their WR's either. It is a bit unfair to call it a 'trail bike'. A DRZ is a trail bike. WR's are enduro bikes. WR to Yamaha is what EXC is to KTM.
You guys should live over here! a new 450 SX is $200 more expensive than a CRF450. All the japanese bikes cost about the same, and KTM isn't much more. Pick your colour.

 

[shnalln]

Minor proplems being key, if you go to any forum relating to any brand of bike you will find this. KTMs so I hear (don't have one yet but I will!) take a little longer to break in. An excuse? Maybe. But it seems to me that once these KTM owners get all the Quarks worked out they are completely satisfied. Don't see too many used KTMs for sale compaired to other brands either. But you're right, for the price the Yamha is pretty inticeing!

 

[woodsy]

And now a word on the green/red sticker farce!! I purchased a 2001 WR250 out of Canada and resold it to a person in California. The reason he bought it was to get the correct VIN (the way I understand this "greenie created" mess is that the VIN is what sets you up for the red sticker). He had NO problem getting the bike green stickered because it had the correct VIN! If I lived out there in California I would be calling some Canadian dealers and finding bikes with the correct VIN? It wouldnt surprise me that a CRF with the correct VIN could be had!
2 cents
Woodsy