YZ250F or WR250F

[webbrace]

I am thinking of getting a new bike, Current bike is a YZ400F set up for desert racing. I am not sure which way would be a better way to go. The YZ250F or WR250F. I ride/race D-37 desert races and some GP,s. What i cant seem to figure out, Is the YZ snapier than the WR, Do i need it to be snapier (like a 125) or does the WR have the same type of throttle response. I will have to race the 250 in the 250 class in the desert. Its a tough call. Let me know what you guy,s think.
Thanks

 

[kmccune]

I have not ridden either but I do read a lot! The WR can be made as "snappy" as the YZ, I believe for free. Change the timing, snip the "gray" wire and removing the exhaust restrictor, you now have the same power and a bigger tank. But I guess the tank is a little bulbous and the suspension is softer. If you need lights start with the WR and if you don't get the YZ and a bigger (sleeker then the WR) tank.

Kevin

 

[Traildale1]

I have both the WR and YZ.
Here's my opinion (2 bit)
The stock WR power delivery is much softer than the YZ. To race the WR you would definately want to change to the YZ timing, cut the grey ignition re-map wire (easy), and add a new silencer - the WR stock is restrictive and uncorked is TOO loud. You'd also need to put it on serious diet. I just weighed the two bikes a couple weeks ago and there's a 30 pound difference that you can feel. At that weight the WR reacts slower and feels much heavier in the air compared to the YZ. If you know what to do to the YZ for desert gearing you don't need any advice there. I do know that the YZ's 5th is about 4th gear on the WR. I don't know if you need a 18" real wheel for desert racing, but of course that would favor the WR. Other WR factors: about 8% more radiator fins/capacity vs the YZ and the suspension is setup for off-road use instead of jumping/MX.
After riding both bikes for the last year, I'd race the WR in an enduro or hare scramble in tight or average conditions. I'd go with the YZ in other faster conditions.

 

[webbrace]

Thanks for the info. It looks like the WR may be the way to go. Just put it on a diet, and a few small mods. I like the idea of the taller 5th gear,and better cooling .
Thanks

 

[WRFjockey]

Webrace you said "Just put it on a diet", hmm you of course realise the cost to do this ??

I bought a WR250f rather than a YZ as I need the wider ratio gearbox. After 6 months, and I hate to think how many $$ my bike is still much heavier than a YZ. In hindsight I think it would have been cheaper to buy a YZ, and strip the motor and replace the gears with the WRF gears.

30lb is a lot of weight to shed and the $/lb ratio is scary !!!

just my 0.2c

 

[webbrace]

Does anyone know why the WR is Heavier than the YZ. Is it the lights, exhaust, gearbox. If i grabed a WR, It looks like i would take off the lights, change the exhaust, Dez tank with mx seat.. That looks like all you would need to do to make it desert worthy.

 

[Boozer]

thats what i want to know. i have a WR with YZ seat, tank, plastics and R4 pipe. No lights and YZ timing, BK mod, HB mod, no grey wire, YZ jetting, air cut valve mod, and more ive probaly missed. With the exception of a little bit more coolant and a bit more weight in the 18" rim, what else could add to the weight difference? 30lbs is a damn lot and i doubt thats the difference in my bike.

 

[webbrace]

Boozer, I was just reading Dirt Bike Mag, and they said a lot of the weight was due to the hardware that holds everything on. Odo bracket,steel bolts,steel braket, and so on. Its still tough for me to see 30 pounds..By the way. If you get Dirt Action Mag, I went on a ride with Cluby from the mag.. To the Grand Canyon. He wrote up a great article in the September issue. The Ultimate Trail Ride.
Cya

 

[Boozer]

thanks for the reply.
when i was stripping down my WR to fit the YZ gear, i found the rear guard and metal stabilizier rods weighed a considerable amount. Much more than you would think. The standard WR muffler is a total brick, and much of the extra weight came from this alone. lucky for me the WR's here already come with a YZ seat/ tank, which makes it feel lighter than the 13 litre tank/seat. The headlight also weighed a bit, but not a huge amount because it's mostly plastic.
With the mods i made i like to think that its damn close to a YZ in terms of performance and weight. The problem is that i spent close to AUS$2000 on the WR in terms of plastics, pipe, rego, real tyres, stamp duty (tax) and so on. So i probaly should have bought the YZ, but i needed the bike to be registed.
Webbrace, a while ago a member here sent me a PM asking why i just didn't buy a YZ. I wrote a lengthy answer and will sent it to you via PM if you are interested.

 

[Humai]

Traildale,

Two questions:

1) Did you weigh the two bikes with full gas tanks? Were they in exactly the same state when weighed?

2) Now that the WR is in full "YZ Tuning Mode", is it as fast as the YZ and does it have a similar power delivery?

OK, thats three questions.

I can think of the following weight factors for the WR:
- Seat/tank combo (US models)
- Headlight and taillight assys
- Steel back sprocket
- O ring chain
- Bigger rads
- Coolant catchment bottle, extra coolant and tubing
- Odo, cable, drive hub and mounts
- Steel muffler and baffle
- kickstand assembly
- airbox lid and snorkel
- Flywheel and magneto coils (we're getting desperate now. . .)

Have I missed anything?

30 lbs difference is about 12 pounds more than I would have expected.

 

[Boozer]

yes. steel subframe v's aluminium on YZ. (stuff all difference i'd say)
18" rim v's 19" on YZ. Thinking 19" tyre would weigh less.
not sure if the WR's pipe is steel, but it sure does feel like it! you should pick one up.

 

[wrooster]

just as an FYI:

the CoO for my USA-spec 2001 WR250FN says "224.87 lbs".
the CoO for my brother's USA-spec 2001 YZ250FN says "211.64 lbs".

now you could argue that these are "optimistic" very dry weights (no coolant/no oil/etc), but my guess is that yamaha weighed both bikes under the same conditions. so maybe there isn't 30 lbs to be found out of the *dry* chassis, instead about 13 lbs. but...

i can see a 25 lb difference if the USA version bikes are fully fueled and ready to roll. a gallon of gas weighs ~6.5 lbs and the WR has an extra 1.1 gallons. similarly, the extra coolant capacity/overflow tank on the WR adds more lbs.

so if you want to cut weight from your WRF to get into YZF territory, here's what i think the plan might be...but it really hinges on one question: can you go riding without the 3.2gal tank?

1) swap tanks. instant 6.5+ lbs savings. less range though. :*)
2) swap pipes. e.g. a DrD pipe weighs 25%less than the stock YZF and 50% less than the stock WRF [ http://www.thumpertalk.com/bike/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=10&t=001337 ] so you can "make up" for some heavier WRF parts (like the steel sprocket) with an aftermarket pipe.
3) swap the ODO for a trailtech unit.
4) ditch headlight for daytime rides.
5) swap bars for aftermarket 7/8 Al (renthal rider's etc). i don't think that you are saving any weight by using the 1 1/8 protapers. in fact it may be costing you some once you have the 1 1/8 triple clamp or bar adapters.

things i personally wouldn't do:
1) ditch the overflow tank. invaluable if you trail ride.
2) swap the subframe. unless you can get the Ti GYTR frame for a song, i think the Al YZF model won't save you a whole lot, but it will cost you a whole lot. the GYTR catalog says the Ti subframe is 1 lb less than the Al subframe.
3) ditch kickstand. i use it when starting my bike, i suppose a lot of vertically challenged folks do as well.
4) change flywheel/magneto. this revolving weight is helping me, not hurting me.

now then, what have we spent and what did we get for it?
1. tank/seat combo from http://www.clarkemfg.com = US$244.
2. pipe from http://www.dubachracing.com/ = US$400
3. bars from renthal = US$70

so for about US$750 we dropped roughly 12-14 lbs (?) from the wet weight of the WRF. you could get "almost" to the same place by finding a YZF owner with the stock pipe hanging in his garage. i've seen most YZF pipe-for-sale posts in the US$100 range. so you could save US$300 that way, but give back some weight. but even then, it's $450/10 or ~ US$45/lb to cut the first ten pounds. then the curve really starts to get steep.

i guess that the next big step could be to get the CF GYTR airbox. i think you can "save" nearly 3lbs with this. but at US$500 that's a lot of dinners out with your wife. and speaking of steep curves, the airbox is US$166/lb. like caviar, ain't it? but there are loons out there who will do it 'cause it's there to do ... [ http://www.thumpertalk.com/bike/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=10&t=001863 ]

jim
aka the wrooster

 

[webbrace]

I think for desert racing, The wide box, 18 inch wheel, and the kickstand can stay. Go with a IMS seat tank combo, aluminum rear sprocket, and an aftermarket pipe/spark arrestor. Put the lights, speedo and hardware, rear fender,stock bars,In a box. It sounds like it would be ready to race. Can you put a YZ rear fender on the WR without to much work?
By the way..Thanks for all the info.

 

[LawManNv]

A YZ250F rear fender bolts right on and looks a lot better!

 

[webbrace]

Thanks again for all the info..;)