How does a WR200 compare?

[Boot]

A friend is sick of the unmanageable power of his WR250 (effectively a YZ250 with road gear and wide-ratio box added by the Australian importers). For one thing, he hates seeing my old KDX out in front on the trails all the time.

He's talking about going back to a WR200 now, which is a real enduro/trail machine. He used to own one and describes its usable power in a way that reminds me of the KDX. He says the WR200s have upside-down forks, and remained unchanged from their inception in the early 90s through to their demise later in the decade.

I was just wondering if anyone knows how they compare to our green machines.

Cheers.

Boot
Melbourne, Oz
91 KDX200
85 Virago 1000
http://www.copperleife.com/craig/bikes/kdx/

 

[tedkxkdx]

They were very electric feeling but still reasonably fast. A hopped up kdx will spank it though. Hard to find parts on the WR since not many made. KDX's are every where. Has your buddy thought about more flywheel weight on the WR250 or using more throttle control.

 

[Boot]

I've mentioned the flywheel situation to him, but it's not just the power delivery that's turning him off the WR250. The lighting coil is really whimpy and there's no subframe under the back guard, which makes manhandling it in the mud a real pain. Must be other reasons too. I think he's looking at the thousand-plus dollars he could have in his pocket after trading down as a big bonus.

Good to hear that a well set-up KDX will do the WR200 though! That's what I want to hear.

Cheers,

Boot
Melbourne, Oz
91 KDX200
85 Virago 1000
http://www.copperleife.com/craig/bikes/kdx/

 

[KnoxKDX]

I ride with a guy who has a '92 WR200...they are VERY rare. I'm going to have to agree to disagree with Ted, though...The WR200 is VERY fast and will blow right by me easily when we hit the upper gears. My friend also hated the lack of low end and pipey feel of the throttle...a sprocket change, FMF pipe and 11 oz flyweel weight later...he's happy. The bike's suspension is it's weakest link, though--regardless of the forks being inverted. BTW...bought his for $900 USD and looked like new.

 

[KDXNick]

I might be mistaken, but didn't the WR200's have an air cooled engine w/o power valves? Or was that just in the IT's? I've never ridden the WR200s, but I have ridden a few ITs. They seem alright down low, but they sign off quicker than an old XR. Forgive me if I am wrong (which I probably am), I'm going by what I can recall from about 8 years ago.
A friend of mine had a WR250 and experienced similar problems. I set the idle a bit higher, had a flywheel weight added, and played with the oil level to soften the suspension. It helped him out a lot, but the bike still vibrated like an open classer which made it feel like a beast in the tighter stuff. Why not talk your friend into getting a KDX? You both know that it works, plus it is great having a rideing buddy with interchangeable parts.
-Nick

 

[Boot]

No, the WR200s are definitely watercooled. I know because I watched one boiling over at the top of a monster hill, which made me feel better as the KDX was the only other bike boiling...

Yes, the WR250s do vibrate don't they? When I swapped with this friend, his first comment was "This [KDX] is SMOOTH!!".

As for talking him into getting a KDX, it's impossible unfortunately. He works in a Yamaha bike shop, so has huge incentive/prejudice to stay with team blue.

The WR200s aren't quite as outnumbered by KDXs here in Oz, it seems. You do see a few of them for sale second-hand, though there are certainly more KDXs. The WRs must be fairly fast in the top end, as this friend says he could consistently run away from an RMX250 at high speed (though this might have something to do with the six speed 'box too).

Will be very interesting to line one up against the KDX in future.

Cheers,

Boot
Melbourne, Oz
91 KDX200
85 Virago 1000
http://www.copperleife.com/craig/bikes/kdx/

 

[fuzzy]

"consistently run away from an RMX250 at high speed" LMAO....I highly doubt it.

The WR200 is a great bike. It's an 89-92 YZ 125 converted for woods. Just like a 200EXC, but much older tech. Electric power valve which was pretty impressive for 92. Basically a 125 with some balls. It doesn't have the torque the KIPS gives a KDX, but it will rip up top! Suspension needs reworked as it's stock YZ spung/vavled--unless you're gonig to MX it. If reworked, it's a better susp then a reworked 89-94 KDX. I love them, but the lack of time they were imported makes them a fairly bad choice to own in the states anymore. I know they made them outside for a long time, and it sounds like parts aren't a problem where you're at.

On the other hand, you'd have to shoot me to get my WR250. People spend a ton converting jap MX bikes for woods and still don't end up with a wide ratio trans. The RMX, and WR are the only jap 250's you'll ever find this on! The WR does make a ton of power(the strongest YZ era to date), but you just need good throttle control. Some things I've done to make the WR a little better are:

Install YZ seat/Tank - if you need high capacity then you must find a 93-95 YZ high capacity tank to match the YZ seat. This will slim the beastly wide tank down which is this bikes greatest downfall(although it's only about 1/2" wider than a 89-94 KDX).

I still run stock the flywheel on mine(which feels like a 10oz on a YZ), but a few more ounces couldn't hurt.

I run a KDX 35mm PWK carb. A 36 will fit the boots a little better, I just had this carb laying around and tried it one day. Drastic rejetting required, but I'll get you close if needed. This was a great improvement. Adds to the bottom, and helps the hard midrange transition. Loses a hair on top, but this engine has some to lose! This thing is a tractor. Torque even the ingenious KIPS 200 is envious of. I climb hills a gear(or two) high off the pipe 1/4 throttle and leave lots of other 2-strokers baffled-heck, it baffled me for a while!

Rework the susp!!! MX stiff and a woods nightmare in stock form. Exact opposite of the stock KDX issues.


Obviously I vote for keeping the WR. I was slower on my WR than the KDX when I first got it, but that didn't take long--Now I'm stopped at the trail head with my helmet off having a smoke when riding with my fellow KDX'ers. It is a little more tiring to ride, but only when comparing WFO to WFO. The bike also made me faster when back on the KDX as it feels like an oversized 80.

All three discussed are great bikes! I still love my KDX even though it's setup for my 110lb girlfriend, and like the newer gen better. They are truely the Honda XR of 2-strokes. Hope my ramblings are usefull....

 

[KnoxKDX]

fuzzy

The WR200 is a great bike. It's an 89-92 YZ 125 converted for woods....Basically a 125 with some balls.

Hi Fuzzy...aside from them being about the same size, I'm not sure this true...the WR200's and YZ125/250 seem to share VERY few common parts, both engine/tranny and plastic. They are very fun to ride, however and I'm a little surprised they didn't catch on more back in the day when it was hard to find just the right woods bike.

 

[Boot]

Very interesting comments Fuzzy, which I'll print out. Matches my impression of the WR250 also. It seemed pretty awesome to me when I rode it. Heaps of torque and a big top-end. I loved it.

However, I rode it on a firm surface where traction was good. Mostly we tend to ride really steep, tight, greasy hills and stuff -- so slippery that the WR250 is probably a liability given the skill level of its ownerm, and my mellow KDX wins out. If the WR were my bike, I'd love to try the smaller carb and flywheel weights tricks on it, but this friend is one to swap bikes on a whim, so I don't know.

Boot
Melbourne, Oz
91 KDX200
85 Virago 1000
http://www.copperleife.com/craig/bikes/kdx/

 

[fuzzy]

If that's the case then I'd say your best bet is to stick him on an 89-94(or newer gen) KDX like yours. Can copy jetting/other setups, parts sharing etc. The pipey WR200 is probably going to be just the same handfull as the 250 on snotty hills(unless he does flywheel/sprocket stuff as mentioned by Knox). Parts are available, etc. If he's die hard yamaha, then he'd be better on a new 4stroke, or modding his WR250 as mentioned.....

 

[Boot]

The KDX would be the most sensible and obvious way for him to go, but there's no way this boy is going green! It'll do him good to see how superior the KDX is yet again, and then maybe he'll be ready to make the switch.

Working in the Yamaha shop, he's seen WR and YZ four-strokes come in blown up or needing head work, etc. The titanium valves cost a fortune, and there's five of them. The slipper pistons are ultra-minimalist too. Neither of us are keen to set ourselves up for that kind of expense, and we'd rather stick with two-strokes (though I wouldn't mind a good KLX300).

So, we'll see what he decides to do. He says the WR200 he used to own would get up any hill even when it had rounded knobs, so it maybe it depends on the pipe and the way they are set up.

Cheers,

Boot
Melbourne, Oz
91 KDX200
85 Virago 1000
http://www.copperleife.com/craig/bikes/kdx/

 

[fuzzy]

Make him a ridiculous offer on his WR250 and keep it for yourself!

 

[Boot]

Heh, heh... I've thought of it Fuzzy, don't worry!