I bought a 2020 Yamaha WR250R! And WHY!

[@marcochavane3124]

I have had a WR250R, WR450F, YZ450F then DRZ400E. Out of all of them I really miss the WR250R the most Even as a 250lb 6'3" bloke it was super comfy and fun to ride. I could absolutely wring it's neck on trails and ride it home with no worries.

[@MotoJournoKris]

It really is amazing at that, it's such a shame they were discontinued. Tractor over anything and still happy to cruise along on the freeway if you had to go a distance to find decent trails.

[@marcochavane3124]

@@MotoJournoKris it really is a shame. I'm picking up a CRF300l tomorrow since the WRR is no longer available. Tired of paying $80USD twice a week to fill up my GX460 (Fancy Prado).

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@marcochavane3124 Those look like one of the few real alternatives left now. I'm interested to hear how you think they compare!

[@longjonwhite]

I’ve got a 10 year old one, already had the usal mods done, FMF exhaust, bigger rear sprocket etc. I love it. Never taken it properly off-road, I live in London, my trails are weaving past all the grid-locked traffic !

[@MotoJournoKris]

Part of what I really liked was just the fact I knew I could have plenty of fun on the road with one of these, sure not the fastest but still plenty of thrills throwing it around.

[@longjonwhite]

Hello Mate. Yeah, I’ve got a bigger bike (GS800) if I want to go far on the motorway, but to be honest that doesn’t happen much (I’m spoiled by car!) and I may get rid of the BMW and just keep the little Yammie for nipping around town. BTW, I’ve been biking for decades, now just turned 70. Bike on if you still can !

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@longjonwhite Awesome, I hope I'm still riding at 70, that's something to aspire to. If we're even allowed to still ride in 30-40 years!

[@florme6494]

Congrats Kris, I knew you would eventually get one with how diligent your research is on bikes. The wr250r is simply the best dual sport out there.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Yep, it certainly left a lasting impression and having a hoot once again!

[@danialroslan1531]

How about the wr155r? Cos the wr250r is not available in my country

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@danialroslan1531 We don't get that model here I'm afraid, so I've never had a chance to test one. Looks interesting though!

[@maybeerainmaybeesnow]

I agree! The WR is top notch!!

[@scubawithatuba]

Just got one as well. I haven't had this much fun in a long time!

[@MotoJournoKris]

Wicked, how good are they!

[@thehillbillyhoarder4996]

Good video. I’m thinking about getting one. Just subscribed. Thank you for sharing

[@MotoJournoKris]

They are great machines!

[@Dirtpoorhomesteader]

Just bought one too. MT21 front. D606 rear. Fisher seat, 48 tooth rear sprocket, g2 throttle tube tamer if you haven’t already. I absolutely love mine! Will be revalving rear shock soon.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Nice! I hadn't heard about the throttle mod before, does that slow the opening down a bit at the bottom and speed it up, up top? Were you able to add that rear sprocket on the stock chain?

[@Dirtpoorhomesteader]

@@MotoJournoKris I had to lengthen the chain. 112 links I believe. This lengthened the wheelbase slightly which makes the bike more planted offroad. The G2 throttle tamer takes 5 minutes to install. 65$ if I remember. It slows the opening of the throttle by taking up less throttle cable as you open the throttle. This gives you better control in tight technical slow situations. I thought the stock throttle set up was terrible. In first gear at a crawl I was either lurching forward from engine braking or being thrown back with the acceleration. I hated it!!

[@Dirtpoorhomesteader]

@@MotoJournoKris not sure if it affects top end. Been awhile since I bought it. One of the best mods you can do for the wr

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@Dirtpoorhomesteader I'll definitely check it out, will have to rebuy mods after the bike was stolen. Been a heap of off-road bike thefts in Sydney apparently!

[@glossblack1098]

You made the right choice mate. I bought a WR250R new in 2018 and have done 15,000 km. I do mainly day trips in the bush plus a few long weekend rides through state forests etc. Superb bike for dirt-oriented adventures. I slowly added accessories over the past 2 years, which is fun. My favourite mod is the GYTR slip-on pipe which gives you a bit more useable power and torque down low. It's louder but not too bad. Plus 13:47 gearing helps a bit for the gnarly stuff and wheelies. New tyres also help a lot. I like D606 rear and MT21 front. I also experimented with the stock suspension i.e. set the race sag to my weight and adjusted the clickers to suit my riding, which made the bike handle better and feel more balanced. Have fun.

[@MotoJournoKris]

That's great to hear, and really appreciate you sharing what you've done. I've got my eye on the exhaust, they just seem to sold out at the moment, I'm hoping I can pick one up soon. Did you find that gearing ok as far as the chain eating into the swingarm, and how is it for cruising along at highway speeds? That's definitely the direction I'm keen to head for. How's the MT21 on the front for the street? Having a look now a lot of people seem to give that combo a big thumbs up!

[@glossblack1098]

@@MotoJournoKris, the 13:47 gearing is great. After about 14,500 km, I replaced both sprockets and chain. But no chain wear onto the swing arm at all. I think that happens when people drop to 12 on the front. Highway speeds are fine with 13:47, up to around 120 km/h. I usually sit below 110 km/h speed limit anyway. The MT21 front is great. I get around 8000 km out of them. For the D606 on the rear I get around 4000 km out of them. Cheers

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@glossblack1098 Wicked that seems perfect for me!

[@taraskompaniyets1039]

DRZ is a perfecr machine, but compared to WR is outdated looking. Plus it has a carburator, not the injector. I would go for WR without thinking a second.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Hopefully they update it, there's less and less available in the category! Especially with the WR now gone. I'm hoping for a WR300R or similar still though...

[@luvsallbikes279]

Have fun on your new ride brother ! I own a 2013 wr250r I bought used with 300 plus miles on it , did the seat concepts seat, tusk tail rack , wolf man rear bag , a moose plastic skid plate . Fun bike , I ride on the street as I don’t have much access to dirt or trails , suburban Long Island, New York, but will find some trails in the spring . Stay safe

[@MotoJournoKris]

Awesome! Bring on spring! I've heard about the Wolfman bags a few times, how do you rate it? Will have to find something suitable in the near future. Have a good one!

[@blooskyy7]

Congrats, I absolutely love my WR with ADV setup and 14/49 gearing. Awesome bike.

[@MotoJournoKris]

I definitely needed to try out some different gearing!

[@RumorHazi]

Quick question, why did you move to the 14 front?

[@DiscoMan]

I have a 2015, haven't passed the 600 mile break-in yet lol. Fantastic bike, just need to get back on it now.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Tell me about it, I need to get riding mine a lot more too, and work out some decent local trail loops I can do that aren't travelling hours just to see some decent dirt.

[@shanebennett6088]

Hi Kris would a big bore kit for the 250r be worth the money you think or upgrade

[@MotoJournoKris]

Good question, I've seen videos of a few people doing it on YT and it looks really interesting. I'd probably be inclined to upgrade once I'd outgrown the power of the WR250R though currently, rather than go the big bore kit. There's a lot of variables though. If I had a 10-year old WR it may be a different story, and if I wanted a project that included that kind of wrenching it'd make a lot more sense too. They are holding their value pretty well on the second hand market, which gives more options if you're thinking of selling - although all second-hand bikes are up, so you may not be able to get such a great deal on something else either, making it a bit of a wash.

[@robpinter5431]

Sweet....I have had my Wr 250 R for a few years now, and for the money it is the best value for money for a trail bike change the seat to a seat concepts, screen for bikes screen, soft bag pannier racks, change the gearing, and a safari tank. With these mods it makes a great adventure bike....please note the speedo is way out as it reads 10 mph too fast.....

[@MotoJournoKris]

I've got the seat and a tank on the way, still need to get the gearing sorted, screen and pannier racks!

[@FrenchyRider574]

Hi, Love your videos! I bought the Svartpilen 401 2020 at motohub after watching your videos :) Very happy with it. I'm kinda new in Sydney and I was wondering if you could give me a website that list the off road tracks around here. Can't seem to find any and i would like to do some light off road. Cheers!

[@MotoJournoKris]

Very nice! It seems like the off-road community keep fairly tight lipped with the better tracks as things get shut down/closed to riders when they are popular, but I've joined the Adventure Bike Riders Australia group and it's a great community. If you ask about areas you're interested in, people normally recommend the places or trails they go. You might need to apply to join but it's a great group, with great advice. If you haven't done it yet the run up past St Albans is good, going north from there it's a dirt road up almost till you hit George Downes Drive and I normally go right towards Kulnurra to Jerry's Cafe. It's not super challenging (depending how fast you're going) and you need to keep an eye out for people hogging the road, but it's a decent. I need to work out some decent trails to explore with the WR.

[@uncletom1971]

Thanks for sharing, Kris. I'm pretty much on your line there in philosophy. What's the typical oil change intervall on it? And what's the oil volume? What does the manual say?

[@MotoJournoKris]

I think going by the book it's a 5000 km service/oil interval and only holds about 1.5 ish litres which isn't much oil and quite a long interval! I know the dealer recommended doing more frequent oil changes, especially for off-road use if there's a lot of clutch work. I'll probably do it more frequently, as you'd almost get 3 oil changes out of a 4 L container, which is pretty good and gives me something to do lol..

[@uncletom1971]

@@MotoJournoKris It figures. Less oil volume, less time between intervalls, quicker wear. At least with those type of engines. Some MX bikes even need every 20th hour I've been in formed. Though my KLX230, and what I've read the TW200, need much less frequent intervalls, like every 6000 - 12000 km. Then again the engines aren't as effective perhaps.

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@uncletom1971 Yea, the less highly strung machines seem to have much more forgiving service intervals. That was one reason I wanted a WR250R over a WR250F, sure not the same performance, but far less servicing and they have a reputation for being pretty bullet proof if taken care of.

[@steveelliott5643]

good review mate,thanks

[@Michael_Mears]

Kris, can you confirm, via your owner's manual or from memory, the spark plug replacement is at 12,000km and the clearance check is at 42,000km? I always look for a bike with decent intervals for these two. I'm still holding out for a CRF300 Rally or L, but it'll come down to what's available sometime in March or April when I go to buy, and the WR250R would be worth a look.

[@MotoJournoKris]

I'm seeing 11k first change, then every 10k after for the spark plug (or every 12 months). And the 42k for the valves. I'm really interested to see how the CRF300 Rally compares!

[@bluff87]

I have a 2009 modified with a lot of aftermarket stuff, I love the bike

[@MotoJournoKris]

Anything you recommend as a must have mod? Still working out what to add to the list.

[@bluff87]

Well I’m not sure how it is completely stock but what I have found on mine is. I have a fmf fuel programmer and the air box flapper has been removed. Other than that, that’s the only performance mod to make it faster. I have fat bars with hand guards and aluminum bash plate and Corbin low profile seat which lowers the seat height, even with it I still can’t flat foot. Also a rear rack. Suspension seems to be stock but for me it is good enough I’m only 150 lbs. I’m basically using it as a street legal dirt bike. Good throttle response, adjustable suspension that I’ve tried to tune. Only 50lbs heavier than a dirt bike and can run 70mph all day. Next mods I’m getting will be high performance air filter, IMS 4.7 gallon tank, and still trying to decide on gearing. Rocky Mountain ATV MC has some good videos on the wr. May want to up the front sprocket by a tooth cause of possible swing damage in there videos and other videos. If you want anymore details I’ll tell you what I know.

[@bluff87]

And the exhaust, I’m thinking a fmf q4 with the power core 4 spark arrestor/silencer

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@bluff87 I've watched a heap of Rocky Mountain's videos, they are great, I've been following a few channels who've done a heap on the WR250R trying to work out what suits my riding and final aim so I don't waste money unnecessarily or make mistakes. I'd be interested to hear what you think of the Q4 with silencer, I don't want to go too loud but it would be between an FMF and the GYTR option I think. That's the tank I'm trying to justify now too, I think if I go the large IMS I won't need to worry unless I do a super long cross-desert style trip. Did the airbox flapper make much of a difference? And what about the FMF fuel programmer?

[@Robert-un3cf]

It's a real shame this bike is end of life. I hope they're developing a new dual sport.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Tell me about it, I'm really hoping we get a 300, or something really cool out of Yamaha to replace it!

[@martycech5844]

Larger diameter, aka… 3-4 more teeth on rear sprocket Will raise chain up off swing arm pad And tighten up the 6 gears. Fun

[@bruceleong9534]

Congratulations on the new bike Kris. Looking forward to watching the modifications and upgrades and hearing what difference they make to the bike. Also keen to hear how you learn and grow your off-road skills. Can’t wait to see which direction you take with the “touring” bike too! All exciting.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Cheers, definitely planning to try and share as much of the journey as possible, hopefully to inspire others to give it a go if they are interested!

[@adamgiles851]

Really enjoy your videos Kris and love the honesty you show when talking about your off road skills. As someone who also likes the idea of this type of riding (but only ever ridden on road myself) I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with the 250 and adventures to come.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Thanks! I definitely think it's worth trying if you get the opportunity. I was lucky in that I had an opportunity on a Royal Enfield Himalayan and a WR250R, which were great entry points and very forgiving. I can't say I've advanced significantly since then, but with this WR250R that's definitely the plan. No point kidding myself (or anyone else) about where I'm at, getting over confident has always been when things go wrong on a motorcycle in my experience.

[@tieoneon1614]

Looking at the new 300's, Im probably gonna try and find a 2020 wr250r also. Question: Is there no easy idle adjustment without removing a lot of stuff? If its not, does the idle vary much on these? My KLX i had to adjust the idle, hot cold, elevation ETC.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Good question, I actually haven't ever needed to adjust it. It started up every time, and no issues in the warmer weather, or when I was previously testing one in cooler weather. It looks like you do need to remove the tank to easily access the throttle-body though, with some riders adjusting the idle higher.

[@cowboy7x]

What's your inseam size? Is the seat height any ISSUE? That's my only hesitation.

[@MotoJournoKris]

My inseam is 32" and I find the bike good, set to the lowest ride height adjustment at the rear and in regular road/sport style boots. With a set of ADV boots which have slightly deeper soles it's an easy reach to the ground. Switching to knobby tyres does add some height however.

[@areurdytoparty]

Thank you for the review! Does the Wr250R complain at all on the freeway when you really have to just hold it in top gear with the throttle all the way back, or is it happy? My 2016 DRZ400SM HATED it, it did not feel good haha, I did a 640km trip back and forth on that sucker.

[@MotoJournoKris]

The engine was happy at 120 or 130 on the dash (without a speedo healer so a bit slower really). But that's with a bit more in it, even at 110 in fifth it was happy, again with a bit more in it. I haven't tested full out top speed however yet. The main thing I noticed at higher speeds was getting a tiny bit of wiggle from that front wheel on some highway surfaces.

[@areurdytoparty]

@@MotoJournoKris M8 I don't know about AUS but here in the US in a couple of months, the new 2021 Honda CRF300 is coming out.. F.I 6 speed.. I might have to try that instead of the trusty WR

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@areurdytoparty Definitely another good option and if history is anything to go by they should be a little cheaper than the WR, while the 300 should be comparable performance with a bit more torque.

[@stevesanelli90]

Good on you MJK! Buying what appeals to you & your dreams of turning it in to a beast of a machine! Could you please show us your standing on the bike is like, ergos & riding posture? Seems like your plans to turn it into a Dakar bike will make it stand out. Since you’ve gone to agent blue team, your touring 2-up bike for you both ought to be the new Tracer9GT! 👌👍🤟

[@MotoJournoKris]

Definitely, I'll have a ergos video out shortly, and will see if anything in that area changes with modifications. I'm looking forward to seeing where I can end up in reaching something like that. That Tracer 9 GT does look very tasty too, the old 900 GT got a big thumbs up for pillion comfort from the wife .

[@jakestewart7079]

I honestly like buying new better than buying used. It's just an easier process and you can get exactly what you want. Being able to trade in an old bike is also nice. Easier but comes at a price.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Yep, you may not get the best deal, but you get warranty, it's so easy, and even trading in a bike you're not worrying about someone coming and crashing it or anything like that. I know some people think buying new is crazy, but you do get exactly what you want, and if someone doesn't get it serviced properly you know who to blame (just yourself). It can be a bit of a gamble second hand. The second hand price on these was also pretty crazy, occasionally one would appear much cheaper if it was 10 years old but they weren't really far off new price.

[@pitchwife7573]

great vid, how tall are you mate?

[@MotoJournoKris]

I'm 180 cm, 32 inch inseam, thanks!

[@itsjustme4222]

Sweet machine man, I highly recommend mezler Karoo 3 tires, long lasting best tread for on and off road

[@itsjustme4222]

Oh pro taper 1 1/8 with adapters raise it up a lil, that way when you ride standing up your more comfortable, (Henry /Reed)bend for just right

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@itsjustme4222 Awesome I'll check those out! I just picked up a Pro Taper bar but went for something close to a direct replacement as I was a bit worried about having to get new brake lines, cabling etc, to suit a taller bar, but I'll keep that in mind for when I trash this bar.

[@itsjustme4222]

Yeah the 1 1/8 is stronger and even with the bar clamp adapter I still had plenty of play in the cables

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@itsjustme4222 Oh nice, what bar clamp adapter did you go for, I might see if I can swap the ones I got. Do all the controls/switches/etc all fit straight on?

[@itsjustme4222]

Yup everything is same switches mirrors ect, i used adapter from eBay, I believe amazon has em too, you need 7/8 adapting to a 1 1/8 bar , it uses your factory bolts too for the base then it comes with longer grade 8 bolts for the bar

[@ozemsadventureofrandomstuf252]

Great choice! Yamaha reliability is great. Small bikes are great to own and run. I wouldn’t mind an MT07..pity I love four cylinders though, any recommendations ? Perhaps Kawasaki Z900 or 800?🧘🏾‍♂️🧎🏽‍♂️

[@MotoJournoKris]

The Z900 or GSX-S750 were real standouts for me!

[@ozemsadventureofrandomstuf252]

Pity in South Africa they don’t have the GSXS750 anymore you would need to buy the gsxr750 or 1000. So guess finding a low mileage Z900 is way to go😍. Thanks a lot Kris nice honest great reviews. Try review Z900 please or did you already?

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@ozemsadventureofrandomstuf252 Not recently, so hopefully I can line one up for this year!

[@marcusgeorge1825]

Great review and explanation Kris! Thank you. It will make you a better rider, you just need to look back and see where basically all of our home grown World champions started, and keep riding for fitness. Dirt bikes. Completely different styles of riding and I hope you have great fun exploring “the great outdoors”. Looking forward too seeing further videos! 👍😎🇦🇺

[@MotoJournoKris]

Yep, so many champs and racers can't be wrong. Even at my basic level I can see why, just managing and feeling traction is so much more noticeable, even at much lower/more reasonable speeds. Need to find some really good local rides to do that exploring now!

[@marcusgeorge1825]

@@MotoJournoKris Exactly mate. I remember (having grown up with dirt bikes) when I got my learners in 91 that the very first corner that I came across, by myself, I automatically stuck a leg out!

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@marcusgeorge1825 Always easy to spot the off-road siders on the supermotos doing that!

[@marcusgeorge1825]

@@MotoJournoKris indeed! I’ve never raced one however I have ridden one in some twisties and they are a completely different “beast” to try and tame...

[@demon.93]

Guys,is it possible to buy wr250r in your countries?I am from Russia and i am really fucked up with searching for this moto.I have enough money,but even used 2017+ wr250r is impossible to find.

[@MotoJournoKris]

They discontinued them here in Australia and I think that was everywhere else as well. When I was looking for mine, the second hand bikes were almost as much as the new ones, even if they were five years old, so it was pretty crazy. I spent quite a while hoping to find one second hand for a decent price and ended up giving up. There was either none for sale, or they were more than new, although some had a lot of mods already installed.

[@r.h.w.1776]

Does anybody know where all the aftermarket exhausts have gone for the wr250r?

[@MotoJournoKris]

Good question, it feels like no one is producing them anymore due to the bike being discontinued, but it could just be a low priority with so many stock issues. I just ordered one via the Y-Shop (Yamaha genuine accessories) website here in Australia and they seem to still be in stock, but there was almost nothing else available out there. The other option I was thinking was a FMF Q4. On the bright side I think it took just three days to arrive, which was pretty amazing. About 99% of the search results for a WR-R, were actually YZ or WR-F exhausts, which did my head in.

[@r.h.w.1776]

@@MotoJournoKris Thanks. I tried to find them on that site but was unsuccessful. I probably couldn’t order from them anyways since I’m in the U. S. I got email back from yoshimura usa. They said “Thank you for your interest, unfortunately I do not see a completion date at this time and because of material shortages and 9 months of back orders it can take 16 weeks or more until we see these systems again.”

[@MotoJournoKris]

@@r.h.w.1776 That's rough! I've actually been checking a few different places for six months before I saw them back in stock and just figured I'd order one rather than risk missing out. I thought I saw some options available in the US, but the shipping to Australia was half the price of the exhaust, plus there's the import taxes on my end, but that was a while ago when I saw them.

[@seanylewl]

Really nice bike, plus jerry cans on pannier racks look absolutely sick so thats your fuel capacity problem sorted 🤣

[@MotoJournoKris]

Yep trying to work out the next mod currently. Seems the pannier racks are a good investment for that and/or luggage as well as offering a bit of protection to the bike!

[@originalbigtee]

I beat the HELL out of mine!! Always starts up and never complains

[@MotoJournoKris]

Nice! How long have you had it?

[@originalbigtee]

@@MotoJournoKris 2 years. You're going to love it!

[@royjmcc7]

i think the wr is a downgrade from the DRZ. The DRZ has more power and torque and easier to work on you could have probably regeared and quieted the muffler down cheaper.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Definitely would have been the cheaper option, but I'd also have been putting money into a 15 year old bike of basically unknown lineage that was proving stodgy at times and I couldn't bring myself to buy another DRZ unless it was an SM. I should have spent a little more to start with on the DRZ though I think. Poor judgement on my part there, trying to go too cheap. I don't mind doing basic stuff, but I'd rather be riding than spannering. The extra performance in the DRZ is very nice, there's no getting around that. It might also be different if I had a big garage I could tinker on a bike in, so I could learn a bit more. Reweighing my choices now after the WR and DRZ were stolen, but still leaning towards a WR.

[@Scummy_shovel]

@@MotoJournoKrishonestly. For just our joy riding trials and some street you made the right choice. The drz is for sure a nice bike. But it’s honestly more power than you need the majority of the time. I raced motocross and enduro my whole life and now that I don’t race anymore I picked up a 2020 wr250r and it’s very capable on the trials and holds it’s own on the road. It’s more trial than street imo and that’s exactly what I wanted

[@audiogarden21]

Wouldn't trade my WR for anything.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Such a great machine, planning on having mine for a very long time!

[@gibememoni]

Thinking about getting off my 600rr for this

[@MotoJournoKris]

I still have the occasional pangs having given up my 675R for one, but overall really happy!

[@donatoxful]

Best machine ever! Just the ugly head ligth need to be changed.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Yep I'm wondering what I can swap it too, saw RidingWithTom had an LED setup, although it still looks similar.

[@DavyRo]

Im looking at the new Honda 300 rally

[@MotoJournoKris]

I'm really interested to see what kind of price they land at and hoping to get an opportunity to test one to compare.

[@mauricioibarra701]

That's it, I'm getting one.

[@MotoJournoKris]

Do it, they are great!

[@tonyrichengod9280]

These bikes are so boring, make all the power up top. Much prefer the KLX250 or even the XT250 is more fun that this

[@MotoJournoKris]

Can't say that's a really a problem in my mind. I had a DRZ400 before this with way more low down torque and I much preferred the WR. But engine character is always subjective.

[@bowzerdude5646]

You should of got a jetski!

[@MotoJournoKris]

Haha, I'm not much of a water person to be honest, as fun as jetskis are. And getting to somewhere to use it would be an issue!

[@lillah.4673]

250 Ahhhhh

[@eljosh5682]

How can you try to show it and didn’t turn it on 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻 boooohh

[@waynesmith3712]

What a weed

[@motooilermotooiler9597]

too much talk and no riding