Using A YAMAHA WR250F As A Dual Sport Motorcycle - PROS and CONS 

Love the bike. This is just what inwas looking for. I sold my bikes when i had kids and now that my son is riding a 50, i feel like i need a bike to chase him around with. Id like something quick, light and able to pack up for a camping trip if i wanted to. This bike is solidly at the top of my list. Ill be looking to hopefully find a clean used example in the next year or so. Thanks for the vid!

Great Review. You covered a lot of miles in only a year and a half. Keep up the Adventure!

Awesome review Sir, beautiful bike!

Please make a tutorial when you inspect the valves. Thanks for the review!

How many miles do you have on your WR now? I’m thinking about making one a dual Sport also. Just thinking about how many miles you do on road at a time and how many miles before rebuild.

Great video, I am looking at upgrading soon. Currently own an xt250.. The wr250f is definitely on my shortlist

Really enjoy your videos am starting my own dual sport build on the same bike I just need to incorporate a surfboard rack will use your setup as my blueprint for storage. Couple of things on the cons, seems everywhere else in the world gets a different package to the US when it comes to the WR. In AUS the bike comes road registered standard so tyres are DOT approved off the floor. There is a steel subframe the road legal indicator/brake assembly mounts to which most people remove and fit the 'off-road' plate holder, this obviously isn't supplied on US spec WR but you could check Yamaha Aus part catalogue and import one. Also tractor factor, US WR doesn't include comp ecu and map switch like AUS/UK model have as standard equipment. That along with sourcing a 19' onwards yzf header pipe (stock WR header has BAK1 stamp in AUS and is smaller diameter to meet sound/emissions) and either cutting out the backfire wire screen or fitting a no-toil style air filter cage will most likely be more then enough power. Doing those mods brings the bike to YZ250F specs apart from the exhaust cam which is different in the WR but better for adventure/trail riding. 52 tooth sprocket with a 110/90 rear tire made a big difference as well but that combo would not be suitable for extended highway imo is perfect for trails and MX. Keep the adventures coming I was doubtful I could turn my WR into a dual sport whilst still been good on the MX track but after seeing what you have done on a stock bike I think it's easier then anticipated.

You nailed it on your review. I just got a 2008 WR250F, so no fuel injection but otherwise similar. I also have a 2006 TW200 which I like but there is no comparison in suspension, performance and brakes, although it's nice having a lower seat height. You are right about the light weight, as I ride alone mostly and when I tipped over with my leg under the bike it wasn't too hard to get out from under it. I had a FE350 Husky that I liked but had to pay $500 to get a kick starter installed. Not a great idea to make a dirt bike without a kick start IMO. The lack of a rear subframe is a con and only saved 3 pounds perhaps. It would be nice to install a sturdy rear rack, but I bought the Tusk soft luggage set up. I might get a lowering link (I installed one on my 2005 WR450F and it made a big difference in being able to dab my foot down) but I'm going to try to man up and keep the stock height. Keep up the good vids.

Good review! That’s awesome you’re getting 50+mpg for all the terrain being tackled. You didn’t re-gear the sprockets for street, right?

A fmf powerbomb header pipe made a huge improvement on the tractor factor on my 2011 wr250f that i use as a enduro woods bike. Just make sure to get a muffler that actually muffles the sound.. 😁

I also have a plated 2020 wr250f and love it. I take it to the trails and hit up the local dirt roads by my house. I'm hesitant to put any real road mileage as I'm afraid to prematurely wear the engine and gears running it at high rpm for an extended amount of time. Any thought?

For greater tractoring, have you tried going up a tooth or 2 on your rear sprocket? That worked very well on my WR250R & my CRF450L. The 450 didn’t need any more torque down low, it’s just that 2nd gear was too high for woods riding. Running a 51 tooth made a huge difference.

Is headlight on whenever bike is running like all plated bikes are these days? If so it probably wouldnt take 20 minutes to add a headlight switch to turn off the headlight when starting ..some awesome back lit push button handlebar switches on amazon for like $10 last I purchaed one for my KTM auxillary lights

How many miles do you have on it now?? Any problems so far? I just put 1100 miles on my 2013 and I’m loving it but not looking forward to typical 250f headaches

Well this was a really nice review. I sold my drz last year and started regretting it. Truth was I was never really happy with it and found it too top heavy and it did not enjoy going slow on trails without a lot of clutch work. Also always wanted a 6th gear and was not really a fan of the carb. It was my first bike I had in about 20 years and wasn’t sure how much road I’d run - it was very little. Am I going to be happy with the 2016 wr250f I’m looking at power wise and for riding single track and woods roads? The 2016 I’m looking at appears to have an odo with 5000km. Long term I have a kid who’s going to be hitting the road in a couple years and thought I might street it for him. Do you charge oil every 1000km as per manual? That’s not the 6000km like my drz but 1000km probably would only be annually for me anyway

Have you replaced the piston or valves yet? I love my WR250F for dual sport, it eats up the regular dual sport bikes and spits them out. I change the oil about 15-30 hours, depending on how hard I rev it. My old 5 speed feels a bit too low on the 13-50 sprockets, so I rarely go faster than 50mph on the road. It's a real rocket, but I usually don't recommend it for most trail riders, the cost of top end changes make it more work than most people need.

Looks like you run a very high tooth rear sprocket, Id suggest run something along the lines of 14/45 combo, which may get you better "Tractor Factor". Throw a cush drive rear hub on and balance your wheels, a massive ride improvement. Thats how I run my WR450F.

I'm thinking of buying a dirt bike, and I don't know what to get, a 2018 Wr450f or a 2016 250f. I know I'll get better off road with a 250. How often do you change your oil? And what cruise speed do you get on the road? Since I'll be dual sporting with it I'll search for a 2020 250. But here in Costa Rica it's a bit hard to find these bikes.

What’s the talk about piston and valves? I thought this was two stroke territory stuff? Looking at one with 5000km I have no issue changing oil frequently realistically dirt bike season for me is only 3/4 months anyway

Cons would be fuel range, maintence frequency (if you want bike to last) Have not ridden one but I am guessing close ratio tranny which might be less than idea for dual sport idk...The fuel range I am guessing can be fixed with aftermarket tank? But the biggest con for me I think would be trying to register one in california? Anyone here manage that?

You’re joking about the “tractor factor” right? This bike has one of the lowest and slowest first gears in its class.

Ghosts moving the camera

Bit echoey Mate!!

Audio fail

Audio is a complete and total fail. Either (1) get a good remote microphone or (2) do a voiceover of the bike leaving yourself out of the shot. Also, dimly lit, far away footage of the bike is another fail. If videos are worth doing, they're worth doing right. And none of what I described has to cost 1 red cent either.

Sound is soooo bad