PopBeavers wrote: I bought my first ever motorcycle in March. Yamaha WR250R dual sport.
I’ve had my Yamaha 2008 model WR250R for a month now. I’ve already put 900 miles on it. I’m 6’ 6’’ and 320 lbs. yet the smallish bike will still do 80 MPH. So far, I’m getting the mid 70’s for MPG riding to work and back. I’ve heard a few times that I look too big for the bike, but it’s not for want of power, so who cares?
I’ve owned a couple of Harley Hogs, and others. One of my old favorites was a Yamaha 750 Virago with a shaft drive. Maintenance was zero on that bike, and I’d ride it a thousand miles with a sleeping bag hanging from bungee cords without a second’s hesitation. (Shouldn’t have sold it!) The biggest reason I didn’t buy a 650cc whatever dual sport is because the Yamaha dealer is local and has been here 35 years, and Yamaha only offers a 250cc in a Dual Sport. The other dealer has a bad rap, and buying a Honda or Suzuki 650 dual sport meant going somewhere out of town. (At least for me, as I’d never step foot in dealer X’s place let alone buy from them.)
For someone like me, who’s used to 900 ~ 1,200 lb. Harleys, the 278 lb. WR250 feels like a toy… like a powered BMX pedal bike for handling, yet it will haul me up anything I’ve pointed the front tire at so far. I rode up several steep hills with ‘’granite baseballs’’ like PopBeavers mentioned. It’s far more nerve racking coming back down because I need BOTH brakes, and I have to make sure to lean to the left so my foot can stay on the right peg. We’re talking about hills that you cannot WALK up or down here, by the way. That’s one reason I like the super-lightweight WR250 – it’s very easy to keep under control on a serious hill.
And, it doesn’t take much of a rack to carry it either. So far, I’ve hauled the 250 to the Oregon woods, and to the Oregon coast and back. It’s easy enough to just lift up onto the rack instead of using the ramp if I get lazy. Or… ‘’wheelie walk’’ it up with it’s own power, while walking along side it. If I take the coach solo, it rides the hitch rack there. With the Durango toad attached, the bike’s on the same rack which gets plugged into the Durango’s hitch receiver.
One thing about the dual sport bikes though, and this goes for them ALL – their narrow seats are not designed for 150 mile marathons. Be they a 250cc or 650cc, we’re talking about high, narrow seats as any typical dirt bike. After all, a dual sport is a dirt bike with lights and a license plate. And… their knobby tires vibrate pretty badly too. They’re great for short runs to town and back, and are especially fun on forest roads and trails or the beach. If you want to take extended sight-seeing rides from your coach, you’ll need a pavement-touring machine instead. I’ve ridden down the highway while standing on the pegs because my a$$ couldn’t take it anymore after 60-mile non-stop rides.
FMCA# F355513. 1997 Safari Continental, 40 foot, 1 slide. Cat 3126B, Allison MD3060. 2000 Durango SLT 4x4 toad with a Blue Ox Aventa II and stopped with a Brake Buddy. Seen on the Road Photo album
Like a lot of you folks I've been riding before "Scrambles" got renamed Moto-Cross and used to compete on everything from Bultaco's to Maico's but with age comes bad knees and I can't do the "dab's" anymore but can still hold up the Harley Ultra with two up if I don't try to go off-roading. Like others have mentioned, need the bags for shopping (lot's and lot's of shopping) and carrying riding gear. The bike fits nicely into a barn on the truck to ride out of the weather and prying eyes.
Today is just the tomorrow you worried about yesterday!
'04' International 4400 LoPro 310Hp/950FtLbs 10Spd Harley/RV Toter
'05' Mobile Suites 38RL3
'01' Harley Ultra in the bike barn.
Well for me the choice is between putting a 2 wheeler in the bed of the Dodge Ram and towing a 22ft Nash or Artic Fox (M series), or a TT or small 5er toyhauler with the side loading feature.
IMO the best thing they (manufacturers) have done in years. Why build a garage that's 10 or 12 feet long eating up all that living space? If I and others only wish to carry one bike design it so the bike is perpendicular to the living quarters so you only need to accomodate the width of the bike and not the length. About time!!
My only issue is what bike to take. Thanks for your input. Guess I might have to buy a new bike. The Big Rukus is too small for distance riding. The VTX too big/heavy. Now which dual sport will fit me?
I'm towing a Honda 250 Reflex (same running gear as the Big Ruckus) for my wife and a Yamaha 400 Majesty for me. I rode the Reflex for 10000 miles and liked it, though it was a bit small for me at 6'5" and 300 lbs. The Majesty has a bit more umph and I've had it for a year. My wife had been riding for a year on the Reflex and she likes the shiftless aspect of it.
I did have a KLR 650 that got stolen out of my garage. Great bike. If I was riding solo and traveling in the rv that would be an excellent choice for a ride. I miss mine to this day and its been 8 years since the theft.
And, my dad is 74 and he just bought a new Triumph T100 Bonneville a few months ago. So keep the faith, if you're in good health you can easily ride into your 70's.
Over the years - Cushman, Triumph, Norton, Honda, Kawasaki, Puch (how many ever heard of that one ), Yamaha, Harley.
Of them all I would say that
"If I have to explain you wouldn't understand"
only really applies to the Harley. Just something about that deep throated twin rumble that stirs something in your soul that defies explanation. But I'd also say it's the RIDE that matters - what you ride is just a detail much like where you're riding to - who cares, long as we're riding to get there
John Ewing
2007 Allegro Bus 42QRP ("TisIt")
2005 Sportster/HydraLift ("Dinky")
2002 Miata toad ("Mellow Yellow") www.jandse.com
FMCA 104106
What goes around comes around - always treat others the way you'd like them to treat you.
We've been dirt biking and dualsporting for many years and I've been a die-hard Honda fan for all of them. This summer at the Black Dog Dualsport ride KTM had demo bikes. I rode the 450EXC and fell in love. The very next weekend we sold the Hondas and got our new KTMs.
I'm a woman so I've always been concerned about not being able to muscle a larger bike on a tight trail. I am amazed at the KTM. Extremely rideable and very light. And oh boy! Does it ever handle nice!
What I like best is that the larger engine allows me to keep up with traffic. My Honda CR250F would struggle at 55mph but with the KTM I just shift into 6th gear and turn the throttle.
Also, the KTM comes set up for the street. Mirrors, horn, winkies, and license plate holder are all stock. With the Hondas we had to get eline kits to make them street legal. The mirrors were always moving and there wasn't a horn.
We beefed up the frame on our Teton 5ver and put a 2-rail motorcycle carrier on the back. It works great.
That’s one reason I like the super-lightweight WR250 – it’s very easy to keep under control on a serious hill. 
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