monkeyboy
06-08-2010, 12:18 AM
Well, I was hit by a car on my Diamo LS200. Still totally functional but the moron's insurance payed full amount then some, so after months of intense research I bought the Yamaha WR250R. At exactly 1000 miles, here are my impressions.
CONS:
Doesn't come in a 450!!! While the 450F is an amazing woods machine, it'll never have the payload or other true dualsport traits of the WRR (locking gas cap-ignition-helmet lock, steel subframe with passenger pegs, mainenance schedule, maybe electric radiator fan for heavy traffic. Later years of the F model may have them.
Off the line acceleration is snappy coupled with aggressive engine braking causes this throttle on throttle off lurching when trying to cruise along in 1st or 2nd at low speeds. Consensus seems to blame the throttle body and fuel injection. The Diamo doesn't do this.
Comes bare bones from factory. Unlike the Diamo, no skid plate, no rear rack, no bark busters, not even a bar pad.
Electric start with no kickstart for backup. I don't know about you guys and gals but I'd rather haul the extra weight of a kickstart than not have it in the muck out in the middle of BFE. Yes, the Diamo has it!
Mirrors won't show behind you but the Diamo mirrors vibrated and broke right off so that one's a tie!!
Pricey at $5700 out the door. Closer to $8000 truly "out the door" after exteneded and service warranty, financing, gear. Was wondering how I was gonna ride after giving my left arm like that.
Restrictive! While some complain about the stock power, at 175lbs I find the power just fine. To take it to another level it takes a free airbox mod but then $1000 or so for a pipe and fuel programmer to remap the fuel system from too lean. Even stock it'll pull the front wheel off the ground in 1st and 2nd.
This gawdawful parachute of a rear fender that protrudes way out and down from the tail.
Speedometer indicates 7 MPH higher than actual speed, grrrr! I just use GPS or do the math. Thinking I would like to ask the factory to correct it as it creates an unsafe condition when riding too slow on the interstate.
PROS:
No vibrations, right down to the mirrors. The bike likes high revs and everywhere in the powerband all you hear is the cackle of the exhaust. The frame is closed in front and the motor is craddled in there. Not sure if this has to do with the YZ bred aluminum frame but the bike has a very rigid feel in straight lines to where you can roll up on the back of a car and balance there for several seconds before lowering a foot or taking off.
Fit and finish is outstanding throughout. From the plastics to the digital readout. Wiring is well routed and well protected. The suspension was setup nicely for my weight. Both compression and rebound damping are adjustable, front and rear with close to a foot of travel and the bike having almost a foot of ground clearance. The nuts and bolts seem pretty solid though I did read about a few people snapping oil filter cover bolts or drain plugs (probably overtightening). Lighting is excellent with superbright red LEDs in a clear lens on the rear; bright halogen headlight and gigantic blinkers that nearly blind people at night. The front two stay lit as running lights. I lost the plate light when I craned that stock fender off so I replaced it with those plate bolt LEDs, bluish hue matching the headlight.
The WR (Wide Ratio) has a six speed transmission. Most like to gear it down for quicker response down low. I treasure the tall nature of the stock gearing. Traffic flows about 70 around here and I love being able to cruise there comfortably and still be able to run up into the 80s to quickly pass if needed. Max with stock gearing is 92 MPH. You get alot of this from people on the interstate,
:arrow: 8O
While the engine braking is a curse at walking pace, it's outstanding at speed. Very strong and makes an excellent growl from the pipe.
The WR has lots of other cool features. Sensors that kill the engine if the kickstand goes down while in gear or the bike goes down. Mile counter starts on the lighted digital display when your fuel light comes on so you know exactly how far you've gone. Sight windows for oil and coolant inspection. Monster inverted front fork and guards. Beefy chain guides with 520 chain. The fuel injection amounts to more reliability in the higher elevations, no more fuel shutoffs, choke, carb tuning and jetting. Just type into your programmer the fuel mapping of your choice (low end fuel, top end fuel, economy, etc.).
Hope this information is, well, informative :D Please let me know if you have any questions. You can find bazillions of photos at a WR250R forum.
edit: here's a photo of mine on Memorial Day weekend:
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/treemonkey2/Picture1928.jpg
CONS:
Doesn't come in a 450!!! While the 450F is an amazing woods machine, it'll never have the payload or other true dualsport traits of the WRR (locking gas cap-ignition-helmet lock, steel subframe with passenger pegs, mainenance schedule, maybe electric radiator fan for heavy traffic. Later years of the F model may have them.
Off the line acceleration is snappy coupled with aggressive engine braking causes this throttle on throttle off lurching when trying to cruise along in 1st or 2nd at low speeds. Consensus seems to blame the throttle body and fuel injection. The Diamo doesn't do this.
Comes bare bones from factory. Unlike the Diamo, no skid plate, no rear rack, no bark busters, not even a bar pad.
Electric start with no kickstart for backup. I don't know about you guys and gals but I'd rather haul the extra weight of a kickstart than not have it in the muck out in the middle of BFE. Yes, the Diamo has it!
Mirrors won't show behind you but the Diamo mirrors vibrated and broke right off so that one's a tie!!
Pricey at $5700 out the door. Closer to $8000 truly "out the door" after exteneded and service warranty, financing, gear. Was wondering how I was gonna ride after giving my left arm like that.
Restrictive! While some complain about the stock power, at 175lbs I find the power just fine. To take it to another level it takes a free airbox mod but then $1000 or so for a pipe and fuel programmer to remap the fuel system from too lean. Even stock it'll pull the front wheel off the ground in 1st and 2nd.
This gawdawful parachute of a rear fender that protrudes way out and down from the tail.
Speedometer indicates 7 MPH higher than actual speed, grrrr! I just use GPS or do the math. Thinking I would like to ask the factory to correct it as it creates an unsafe condition when riding too slow on the interstate.
PROS:
No vibrations, right down to the mirrors. The bike likes high revs and everywhere in the powerband all you hear is the cackle of the exhaust. The frame is closed in front and the motor is craddled in there. Not sure if this has to do with the YZ bred aluminum frame but the bike has a very rigid feel in straight lines to where you can roll up on the back of a car and balance there for several seconds before lowering a foot or taking off.
Fit and finish is outstanding throughout. From the plastics to the digital readout. Wiring is well routed and well protected. The suspension was setup nicely for my weight. Both compression and rebound damping are adjustable, front and rear with close to a foot of travel and the bike having almost a foot of ground clearance. The nuts and bolts seem pretty solid though I did read about a few people snapping oil filter cover bolts or drain plugs (probably overtightening). Lighting is excellent with superbright red LEDs in a clear lens on the rear; bright halogen headlight and gigantic blinkers that nearly blind people at night. The front two stay lit as running lights. I lost the plate light when I craned that stock fender off so I replaced it with those plate bolt LEDs, bluish hue matching the headlight.
The WR (Wide Ratio) has a six speed transmission. Most like to gear it down for quicker response down low. I treasure the tall nature of the stock gearing. Traffic flows about 70 around here and I love being able to cruise there comfortably and still be able to run up into the 80s to quickly pass if needed. Max with stock gearing is 92 MPH. You get alot of this from people on the interstate,
:arrow: 8O
While the engine braking is a curse at walking pace, it's outstanding at speed. Very strong and makes an excellent growl from the pipe.
The WR has lots of other cool features. Sensors that kill the engine if the kickstand goes down while in gear or the bike goes down. Mile counter starts on the lighted digital display when your fuel light comes on so you know exactly how far you've gone. Sight windows for oil and coolant inspection. Monster inverted front fork and guards. Beefy chain guides with 520 chain. The fuel injection amounts to more reliability in the higher elevations, no more fuel shutoffs, choke, carb tuning and jetting. Just type into your programmer the fuel mapping of your choice (low end fuel, top end fuel, economy, etc.).
Hope this information is, well, informative :D Please let me know if you have any questions. You can find bazillions of photos at a WR250R forum.
edit: here's a photo of mine on Memorial Day weekend:
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/treemonkey2/Picture1928.jpg