Is this the best value Enduro Bike available? | Yamaha WR 250F Review 

Totally agree on the quiet exhaust.

The old carby ones were amazing. I remember riding one around 13 and it was easy and smooth. The YZf's made ripper enduro bikes for all the reasons you said. The big change now is that these are much stronger engines.

Thanks Campbell!

I'm keen to ride one too. It's a 2021 Yamaha WR 250 F top to bottom, with a more open exhaust. Should rip.

@@BrakeMagazine I agree with every word We would love to see a video on the new fantic XE250F

Would be a fun shout. Is it your first ebduro?

Hi @@BrakeMagazine, yes, first Enduro bike; I ride my trials bike (4RT 260) a lot for fun and want a bike that I can go out on long trails and forests with that can handle some challenges and is not too heavy. I proffer technical riding over speed.

@@solomotoadventures I'd probably say the Yam isn't the best if that's what you like then 👌😊

@@BrakeMagazine , yea, the stalling was one issue you brought up that I hadn't heard before and being tricky to restart at times is another concern that has me rethinking. Thanks for the replies and the video

@@solomotoadventures I think the lack of low end grunt compared the KTM/Husky/Gas Gas isn't ideal either.

Honestly, there is nothing I enjoy more!

You should try an Enduro bike Johannes. Since starting riding in 2016, I've gone from a Vstrom 650 to Yammy WR250R to Husky FE501 to Husky TE300i. I finally found my dream bike - "nothing I enjoy more".

@@glossblack1098 Cool to see you here my friend 😁 Yes, it’s definitely going in that direction - but as you can imagine my wallet is empty right now 😂

@@JohannesDalen This enduro sport dries your wallet when you start. I bought a TE250 from Husqvarna but then you need a lot of protective gear. And after that, had to sell my VW Jetta to get a pickup truck so I can take my baby to the desert. It changes your life totally.

@@rogermty1971 Hehe, yeah it’s definitely an expensive hobby! I think I’ll stick to dual sports and no pick-up for now 😁

I bought one!

@@BrakeMagazine Excellent choice! 😁👍👍🍻

You don't need any of that to road reg a bike in the UK. It won't be homologated for European use but we have some bendy rules for enduro bikes, so yes, it can be road registered by your dealer.

Nice.

Did you have to add links to the chain or just replace it? I've installed the comp ECU and CCU, loaded a trail map and mine has become so much easier to ride in the extremely technical terrain. Still stalls occasionally and is still pretty fast when just lugging it up some ruts or taking off in the middle of a steep hill. Dam fine bikes though!!

Did you still run the stock chain with the 52t sprocket? If you had to do it again would you go 52t, 53t or something different?

The same as most dirt bikes really. Oil and air filter every three days I'd say.

Kind of. The KTM suspension isn't ready to race.

@@Peter-ff1tp Sure, but it's expensive. You add a £1000.00 to cost of the bike here in the UK, which makes the the bike £2000.00 more. That is not insignificant 🙂

Honestly, not really. I think it's better suited to a more confident rider. The KTM is more forgiving.

My personal opinion is the best starter bike on the market is the Honda CRF 250L/300L. It ticks all of those boxes you require. It's not the best bike on the market but; it's cheap as hell, requires very little maintenance, works on the road okay and is easy to ride. You can ride this for a while, sell it and loose next to no money. If you make the jump to a full on Enduro bike you gain as many problems as you solve, but you'll know if you want that after a year on the CRF. For your height, get some stiffer spring fitted, some small bar risers (10mm) and ride the wheels off it. In the long run full blown enduro bikes are better, but don't underestimate the transition from road to off-road. it's a new sport and most enduro bikes, even the soft ones are really designed as race bikes. They're very fast, finicky and I personally believe that anything more powerful than a KTM/Husky 250 four-stroke is a lot of bike. They do need work, by you or someone else especially if you buy second hand. They need setting up well and if you're into more flowing riding they're probably overkill. The only caveat to this is that you're big and that's a good thing. Managing an enduro is a bit easier at your height. At 90kg's, I'd recommend stiffer springs than stock, whatever bike you get on. :) I hope that helps!

@@BrakeMagazine Wow, what a thorough and thoughtful answer! Completely golden, Llel. Thank you! I will go for the 300 because of the abs, just have to wait for a second hand one 😅 Take care 🙏

@@swedbear4035 Happy to be of help. I'd be wary of the ABS off-road too btw. Generally bikes without the BOSCH ABS System aren't great off-road :)

@@BrakeMagazine Thanks for the heads-up, luckily it's easy to turn off by a button from stock. Useful on road and then just push the button when fun begins 😄 By the way, I saw you used the Michelin tracker on your 350 lightweight adventure, would you recommend those for a crf as well? 🤔

No. I don't think this is beginner friendly. It is quite aggressive to ride compared to the KTM/Husky/Gas Gas or Sherco 250 models. These are easier better beginner bikes. I don't know the service intervals sorry. Normally they are measured in hours not miles too. Typically it'll be around 15 hours for an oil change, 80-100 for valves and 100-200 for a piston but that can be longer if you are riding gently. 😊 Hope that helps!

@@BrakeMagazine many thanks for the quick reply... I'm biased towards the Yamaha for reliability but I haven't heard any bad stories about the Austrian brand so I might have a look as well. How about a 2 stroke bike for first off-road bike, what are your thoughts on that ?

Yeah, it'd pretty different to a 2-Stroke 🤣

It's still the best cheap 4 stroke enduro bike, the best 4 stroke all around enduro bike is the Sherco sef 300 but it's way more expensive.

@@legendhvh1239 In Australia, the WR250F is still quite expensive and not much less than a Euro 300. Only a small difference around $1500.

fwiw, the stalling can be mapped out pretty easily, and a $50 throttle tamer works wonders to ease the blip down low. In terms of power down low, it's definitely not weak, more of a medium amt of power there, but then it just absolutely comes alive in the mid-upper range.

@@legendhvh1239 I'd also disagree with that. I think the engine on the 300 is nice but really have to rev it to get much from it.

What do you anticipate improved

Did it help the stalling in the low end

@@shayj.999yha turning the idle nob up to about about 2500 rpm is what I’ve got mine set to and with clutch control in the slower technical stuff it fixed the flame outs for me anyway

Yes.

I did not. They had one with an Akrpovic system but that is all. We might have some updates on that front over the summer 👌

@@BrakeMagazine sweet, looks like what I’ve been looking for, something less dual sport, more hare and hounds that could sort of evolve with me rather than have to chop it in after a year for an EXC

@@rickybobby7660 For sure it'd be a good bike for that. I've been trying to see if you can add a clutch weight to see if you give a little more low down too. There is company in South Africa making them.

@@BrakeMagazine that’s a neat solution, I’ll have a look

They were really good enduro bikes apart from being kick-start. It's been a long time since I rode on though and I probably say it depends on the type of riding you do. As a cross country race bike or a bike for going fast on I was really impressed but for technical riding you're probably right.

@@BrakeMagazine thanks heaps for the reply! I need an all rounder tbh.

@@IBOO57 This isn't that sorry. Buy something European :)

I was referring to the Austrian ones; the KTM, Husky/GasGas. Right at the bottom of the power, low revs, low throttle opening, they make really good forward progress. They're not insanely quick but for enduro they make grip and keep you moving forward. Great in Europe when it's wet. I think they're doing a good job without putting the R&D in that the European brands are and I'm glad they're still making some effort to do so. There really are a lot of things to like about the WR that are progressive for the end user. Opening up the EFI is a push that was industry leading and makes it much better for us as the consumer. :)

95-97kg

Can't beat a two stroke when it's tight!

They are the same bike with a different exhaust.

​@@BrakeMagazine nope

@@craigd123 Sorry, you're correct Craig D.

I agree. Terrible life choice.

Because 2 strokes suck

​@@muzz17only if you cant ride 😂

As in street legal?

@@BrakeMagazine yes. I know they do it. But isn’t mainly Australia and stateside?

@@biscuitsalive It can be street legal in the UK too. You can make a couch street legal in the UK 🤣

@@BrakeMagazine but I’m lazy and want it off the shelf ready. :) Just nice to have some more options outside of a CRF300L and a Husky 701 etc.

@@biscuitsalive It will be. Buy it from a dealer and it'll be road reg'd.

187cm

A bike made in Japan and not available in Japan. What...?

2 stroke for the win yz250's are always available and anyone who says they make poor technical/enduro bikes either cant set up a bike properly, cant ride a bike properly, or both. lol

Different exhaust, YZF Cams.

@@BrakeMagazine nice not that expensive than I just got a new bike but am also thinking about an enduro I really like all the YZ’s I’ve rode so this seems like a good option just noticed it was way down on power compared to the YZ.

@@jonruger Most of that is the exhaust really. The stocker is quite restricted. Depends on your riding though. Sometimes more power isn't better.

@@BrakeMagazine Very true but I’d want it to be as peppy or as close to my other 250 as I could get it so it’s not such a shock switching between the two. Maybe just an exhaust and a different tune would be enough I called my local Yamaha dealer this morning to see if they have any of these WRs in stock they said they have 4 coming this week. So I may pick one up I’ve been buying 450s for a long time now because I thought I needed them for my weight but I rode some 250s last summer and couldn’t believe how far they have come since I last rode them. A 450 is overkill for an older weekend warrior like myself I’m actually faster on the 250 than I ever was on the 450s so I agree more power isn’t always needed.

That would be a fun comparison indeed.

@@BrakeMagazine There is every logical reason to buy the outstanding Yamaha, but there is something intangible about Italian machines. Excellent review by the way. Well done.

Yup. Something a bit fettled should be able to put our 40 and a 250F Mx bike should be low 40's in stock trim. Modern 350's are around 48 in stock trim and 450's are in the low 50's. The MX versions are around 60hp now.

Have you ridden this WR? Or a WE from 2008?

@@BrakeMagazine no mine was a 12. I grew up on 2 strokes. I know not everyone has. I concede that a person can have tremendous fun on a wr particularly trail riding ... but the first time you ride with buddies in open places or on fast tracks .... they will ALL leave you behind. My last dirt/trail was a yz250f 16 and even the 4 banger just is so so so much more than the wr. Im not hating on you or the wr. But if a person is gonna put in real time on a bike .... wr will get out grown fast. Even the yz X would be an upgrade. (I think).

​@@BrakeMagazinea quick afterthought. I think they come road rdy in Australia?! Think is the keyword. If they came road rdy in the usa i would absolutely join you in the purchase of the wr. They do not come rd rdy in the US. I think only a headlight still. I might be wrong.

Is that a question or a statement?

New, that's gonna be a tough ask. Even second hand in the UK it's hard to find something 😭

This Yam has really nice stuff including better suspension.

@@BrakeMagazine we both know that's not true lmao 😝👌🏼

​​​@@LizardManeif that nonsense helps you sleep at night. Never raced with a single ktm or husky that could beat or shake my yamaha's consistently yet. Oh and good luck finding parts in a year or 2 when they stop making them, and IF you're lucky enough to find them enjoy paying an arm and a leg, yamahas always have available spares at a fraction of the price. And psst, when the ktms and huskies i ride with fall apart and break down.. my yamaha still tanks on strong. 😂

I don't have them.

@@BrakeMagazine can you give me the email of this place cuz i realy need tge maps for it

It's £1100.00 more for a KTM EXC 250.

@Brake Magazine 16k nzd here which is about £7880 and that's with a full road kit.

@@NZ2STROKE Well that's awesome!

It's okay 👍

@@BrakeMagazine my Beta xtrainer have arround 30HP

Yamaha wr250 makes 40.5 hp

@@Steini07 its a different bike for different things though!

Really? That's a shame. Do they still sell the FX?

@@BrakeMagazine Yes they sell the FX

I wish they did. Still loving this bike two years later.

About 95kg.

@@BrakeMagazine You're carrying it better than I😂

You must.

It would be fine not good. I own one now, I liked it that much! I raced a rally on a 250 F and it kinda depends on how fast you're trying to ride. The quicker you are on a bike, the more you ask on it. I noticed on the 250 that it has to rev a bit higher to go the same speed and then it a little more skittish than a 450. It's not horrendous and if you're going for a fun time, the 250F is an awesome entry point. If you wanna win, it's a little trickier and a little more crash risk. As for how fast it is, yes. It's really quick for a 250 and would be better suited than a KTM Group bike to the task.