Yamaha WR250 Two-Stroke History 1989-1997

[@ml5955]

I’m an RMX guy, but I still think those old WR’s still look good to this day. I also really like the old footage from the early 90’s, well done Tony!

[@clayman4575]

Have you thought about doing an episode of the YZ250x or the KTM 250xc-f models? I’ve binge watched many of your shows, and the knowledge is much appreciated!

[@nhtodd420]

What about the yz 490?

[@Lardcaster]

Great video Tony, as usual. Over here in Australia we got the YZ250WR from around 2000-2004 (I had a 2001 model and a friend still has his 2004). It was a straight out YZ with a longer silencer, a separate to the ignition lighting kit, ADR aproved front brake hose and a different gear lever to clear the spaced out ignition cover all to give it full road registration approval. Great bikes.

[@clayman4575]

Great job as always, Tony! I had a ‘89 YZ250wr, and loved that bike.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thanks! 👍

[@jimbo4203]

Me too 😊 it was awesome

[@SuicidalRiot]

Love what you do Tony.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thank you so much 🙏🏻

[@joshuaross4644]

Thank you for that wonderful stroll back through the good old days 😊

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@2wheelfox]

I remember the video for the country song "Billy the kid" by Billy Dean where he is riding a WR250 across the desert with a guitar on his back. Always loved that video as a kid

[@RonSims-m1g]

Been waiting for a new one. Have Suzuki vids memorized. Thanks found you during covid. Feel like a friend.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thank you so much I appreciate the support

[@GoViking933]

I’m very glad you did a show on this woods weapon - a buddy of mine had a ‘90 and this was an interesting show. Good job!

[@cameronboyce4695]

Hey Tony, thanks for the content. While on the subject of Yamaha I was hoping that maybe you could ask around and see if anyone else has heard of this issue. A coworker of mine recently picked up one of the 50th anniversary Yz250's and it developed a crack in the cylinder after less than 2 races. My coworker is a young guy who rides motocross on the weekends and was quite proud of being able to finally get this bike. From what i gathered from him was that mid race after landing a jump the bike instantly bogged down lost all power. He noted that the first few inches of his pipe were also blued heavily. ( Im guessing from excessive exhaust heat) We are a bit perplexed on what happened to cause the cylinder to crack, and least i heard he is not having any luck with Yamaha on getting the issue resolved.

[@YZEtc]

Great, informative video, Tony. Brought back memories, too. A riding buddy had the 1989 YZ250WR, and I had five Yamaha ITs over the years: 1981 IT175H 1982 IT175J (my favorite) 1982 IT465J 1983 IT250K 1985 IT200N

[@albertking7012]

I'm an IT man myself. My first big bike was a 79 IT175 and I still fortunately have it. I have a 77 175 as well really nice original rider. Love the 175's. Cheers sir!

[@Funco1979]

I had the 1983 IT250K. The IT, PE and KDX series were all good.

[@stopakropa]

Great, I recently found out that there was such interesting model (two stroke one) in WR lineup and now I will get full info from your side :)

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Glad I could help!

[@Damian-xt6xl]

I meant a bloke in April when i was out riding and his bike was a 2001 250 2stoke wr , nearly the same as my mates 2001 yz , NSW Australia

[@hermansanchez8512]

I just did a frame off on my 95 250 and it’s amazing bike!

[@Lightnin42]

Had a new 89’, great bike 🍻

[@JM-yb6hi]

Hey Tony, another great episode! I’ve got a fully restored 92 and love it buddy. Looking forward to more videos.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thanks

[@jasonwieland618]

Your videos are awesome! This one was as good as all your others. Must be very time consuming to research & put these all together. Thank you for doing these! Hope you’ll consider doing one on the history of the Kawasaki KLR650 sometime.

[@DandVonTV]

Thanks, Tony.

[@ortega9115]

Great video as usual!

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@easyhardenduro9847]

I almost bought a 96 wr250 about a decade ago. Sold before I got to it. Currently have a 01 yz that I've been trying to make into a wr. It Has a wr400f transmission, a 13 ounce flywheel weight, 18" rear wheel, fmf gnarly pipe and turbine core muffler. Has tons of snap on the bottom to mid but feels lacking on the top. I also have a wr400f that I ride back to back sometimes. it's cool to see the differences between a 2 stroke and 4 stroke that have the exact same gearing.

[@Yz2fiftay]

I have a 94 yz250 and I really enjoyed this. Currently lost restoring something you can’t get much parts for and it’s very useful to know some of the parts that are interchangeable with the wr🤘

[@EarthSurferUSA]

They bore plated cylinders also with a oversize piston and plating the cylinder again, but it is really a mute point if the bike is maintained/jetted well. I was nervous at first like the mags, with my 1988 CR250. But I sucked in a bunch of sand because I did not check if the air filter was oiled right after I bought the bike new,--and the plating was fine. In fact, all I did was clean up the intake track, put it back together and rode it for the summer. Put in a new piston and ring for the next 5 years, ($100.00/bore job?). It was and is rare that you get a failure that can ruin the cylinder if you do what you are suppose for maintenance and fuel. I wouldn't even mention it anymore. :)

[@andy5786]

I like the yamaha WR250 nice bike thanks for information on it class thanks 👍🇬🇧😊

[@dezracr]

Thank you thank you!!! I have a 96 wr250z with the long rod engine I owned it since 2009

[@ozzielinkin]

loved the colorful graphics of the 1990’s

[@mitchpeters1076]

We didn't get them in the US because Kalifornia control's the market since they sell more there than the rest of the country or so I've been told. Yamaha would take over the market with an electric start YZ300X, YZ250X & YZ125X, E-start with lights WR300X, WR250X & WR125X. The 25 year old design YZ250X is still competitive, or the best IMO, with all of the other brands. Nice video.

[@RobsNeighbor]

Great video! My neighbor Rob has a few of these and they are awesome!

[@nickhowser7262]

Love your content wish you could do more but it is definitely time consuming to gather all the information for these videos

[@rztrzt]

Great video!

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thanks!

[@LBrawn]

Tony, the histroy of CR250, CR450/480/500, KX400/420/500, RM370/400/465/500, were sooooo excellent. I have watched them all 10 times at least. Will you please do KX250, YZ250, RM250, and open class YZ's ?

[@TheMotocrossVault]

I will for sure!

[@kenkl5204]

Thank you. Two thumbs up.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thank you too!

[@kenkl5204]

Do the YZ history like you did for the CR... great stuff. I use it for reference all the time. That why got the 95cr... but just got into the WR. Got a 97 Canadian which is like the newer YZ not the 97wr in US.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Will do

[@jimmy_dirtbike]

I've got 7 Hondas, 6 of which are CRs... But, my YZ250X is my workhorse everyday bike! Thanks Tony.

[@LBrawn]

Thanks Tony

[@EarthSurferUSA]

I like the beard. Gives you a "Sean Connery" look. :)

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Lol thanks!

[@Logsquadshop]

Can you do the history of the Honda 400ex or Kx 80

[@kenkl5204]

So the 94yz was the last year that was the same as the 94-97wr...?

[@MustangHPDETrackToy]

1984 IT200

[@joshuaross4644]

🤟

[@dr.hugog.hackenbush9443]

The earlier ones were little more than a YZ250 with a lighting coil. I think the addition of an actual wide-ratio transmission added greatly to its versatility. Hated the big fat fuel tanks on enduro bikes. So much so that I run significantly slimmer YZ490 bodywork on my '83 IT490.

[@simonmears1726]

They did a ADR rmx in Australia nice machine had the sex appeal of a Latvian truck driver with a double hernia 😅

[@fixitallworkshop]

Again great video ! 😊 really enjoy your content, would love to see you cover the banshee 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@simonmears1726]

MY mate had one mint adr compliant seller however opened air box but didn't rejet and she got hot cracked barrel 😮 a little bit of knowledge is dangerous nice machine plenty of venom stiffer than school boy on prom night 😂

[@Scoffman0]

I love your content Tony! This WR one is really good and interesting. Even though it might be kind of like the YZ one you did, a WR 1998 an on would be great.

[@rickriede2166]

As someone who owned and rode extensively both a 1990 and 1992 WR I can say that the 92 was a absolute beast in comparison, hard hitting and faster in top speed than my 93 CR 500 which I had at the same time.There was nothing subtle about that power plant.The stock tank was a pig so I replaced it with a mx tank which really slimmed the bike down.I have fond memories of that bike because of it's brutish character.

[@justinrice8509]

RAustralia in 2004. A lot of. YZ we're left over. So you would buy a 2004 WR250 with lights and blinkers and rego. From what I know, Yamaha Australia did it. I had one.

[@robh3267]

Typical Japanese manufacturers make all their design changes based on profit that's why they never designed an off road 2 stroke as a separate platform, it was always a poorly modified motocross platform, they all handed that entire market to KTM and KTM had the vision to look forward and ran with it, the YZ250 is a great bike but has basically stayed the same with no design upgrades for over 20 years, it's unfortunate because look what KTM has done for the Off Road and Enduro market, modern corporations that focus more on ever increasing profit margins tend to cut back on R&D budgets and lose sight of the future.

[@SCREAMINDEALCOM]

And Yamaha tried to steal Honda Elsinore silver when they launched the YZ

[@SCREAMINDEALCOM]

Motocross colors..Honda red Kawasaki green Suzuki yellow… Why did Yamaha try and steal Yellow from Suzuki in the 70’s and 80’s? Then Red from Honda before going Blue?