Yamaha WR 250F

At Yamaha we've always liked to do things our way. Being different is what makes our bikes so special. And when you take a look at the new WR250F's high-tech 'reverse' engine you can see that what may look wrong to some people is right for us!

Featuring a forward facing inlet with a top-mounted airbox that feeds the fuel injection system, this innovative engine is derived from the winning YZ250F motocross bike that's been blowing away the opposition in the USA, Europe and Australia.

With its potent power characteristics and ultra-light handling, the new WR250F is about to unleash some of the most advanced engine and chassis technology ever seen in the enduro world.

Dirt Rider review

2015 is an exciting year to be an off-road rider, particularly for those of us who have been waiting for a Japanese manufacturer to challenge KTM’s dominance. Stepping up to the plate in a big way, Yamaha has shown that it is serious about making a run at KTM in the performance off-road motorcycle category by releasing two all-new off-road machines, both of which are based on the 2015 YZ250F, a bike that won Dirt Rider’s Bike Of The Year award in 2014. The first of these machines is the all-new WR250F, a completely different off-road Yamaha than we’ve seen before and a highly anticipated addition to the enduro/trail-riding market. Cost-wise, the pricing of the bike is competitive; the 2015 Yamaha WR250F will retail for $7,990.

 One thing is for sure: This is not the WR250F that you’re used to seeing! This off-road machine is based off the 2015 YZ250F motocross bike, which means that it has the bilateral beam frame, rearward slant engine, YZ body styling, and KYB suspension. However, the WR250F packs on a number of off-road-specific features that include a six-speed transmission, 18-inch rear wheel, headlight, taillight, skid plate, quiet muffler, enduro computer, and electric start. It now has fuel injection just like the YZ250F motocrosser (mapped differently to comply with EPA and green sticker regulations) and also shares the same styling. Additionally, the KYB suspension has been altered with different spring rates (from 4.7 N/mm in the front to 4.4 N/mm, and from 56 N/mm in the rear to 54 N/mm), along with modified valving to suit off-road riding. A welcome revamp of the older, carbureted WR250F, this is a true off-road version of the YZ250F.

Unlike the older WR models, there is no more ignition switch to turn on before you hit the button the WR250F—just use the start button and the bike will fire up. One thing that is reminiscent of the older WR’s is the new machine’s starting habits; it can take a few moments to “wake” the bike up, and quick stabs on the starter are more effective than just holding it down. Also, the bike is much easier to start in neutral than in gear (although there is still a kick-starter as a backup, or for use on dead-engine race starts, which is a welcome feature). The ergonomics of the WR250F are familiar for those who have ridden the YZ250F; the tank feels wide but the seat allows you to scoot way far forward in turns, and the handlebar feels slightly low but has an excellent bend to it with just the right amount of flex.

 The first thing you’ll notice about the WR250F is likely to be the primary complaint about the bike: following Yamaha’s policy of being somewhat conservative regarding EPA regulations, the off-road machine has a much tamer engine character than the YZ250F, despite the fact that it’s essentially a revised ECU and a different exhaust away from being the same powerplant. Don’t get us wrong; we absolutely love the fact that the WR is quiet, and we applaud Yamaha for being responsible in the arena of sound output. But the WR’s somewhat languid initial feel goes beyond the quiet pipe and manifests itself in a lack of response that feels as though it comes from the machine’s tuning. While the fuel injection allows the bike to run cleanly (albeit a bit lean all over), the WR250F prefers to be run in a higher RPM zone than other off-road 250cc four-strokes. With a 50-tooth sprocket on the rear, the bike is comfortable being revved out in first gear on tighter trails. Riders who are comfortable getting into the meat of the power and working the clutch adapted to this more quickly than those who prefer to let a bike chug down low. All testers found that the Yamaha would require more throttle when negotiating tricky low-speed sections, yet this often caused the rear tire to break loose. However you look at it, the EPA/ Green Sticker Legal state of the bike means that it is not a closed-course competition motorcycle, so don’t expect YZ250F-like response out of the stock WR250F.

 Fortunately, the lack of raw performance down low can be “ridden around” by those who carry speed, maintain momentum, and—as mentioned—let the bike sing a bit. The trails that we tested this motorcycle on were tight and had a somewhat sandy top layer, with intermittent rocks mixed in. Much of the sections were first gear only, with a few trail segments that had us in second and third and a handful of fast sections where we were clicking sixth. Again, the WR mimics the YZ250F’s ability to be ridden in a variety of RPM ranges, but keeping the machine in the mid/ upper was a safe way to avoid the timid feeling down low. We did some testing on a few extremely tight and nasty sections, and found that it could be chugged and lugged as needed if the clutch and throttle were properly applied when necessary. On faster segments—think flowing, fast two-track and opened up, Jeep-width trails—the WR250F’s engine was happy to provide strong acceleration and decent over-rev. All together, the powerplant on this machine falls in line with what we’ve seen from Yamaha’s trail-legal bikes in the past. While the straight-up performance is not on par with a closed-course version of the same engine, the WR250F gets the job done and provides pretty good performance while still more than checking all of the appropriate legal boxes.

As far as making the moto-oriented suspension setup of the YZ250F into a trail-capable setting, Yamaha did a great job. The bike is balanced and reacts well to common off-road surprises like the occasional rock, root, or G-out. In slower terrain, the WR has much more comfort than the standard MX version, providing good initial feel over smaller rocks with minimal unwanted feedback to the rider. On flowing trails, we did notice that corner entry was altered by the softer fork compared to the YZ250F, and the WR simply lacks hold-up and can dive/push excessively (this, combined with the headlight and instrument cluster, makes the off-road version of the bike feel more top-heavy). Our best shock sag setting to help combat this was 110mm. Once into a turn, though, the entire bike settles well and gets power straight to the ground. Corner exit traction is improved due to the shock’s ability to squat and hook up the rear tire.

Then the speeds pick up, the WR250F’s suspension continues to shine. There is increased small-bump feedback to the rider at faster trail paces, purely because the fork is blowing through the initial portion of the stroke (the part that provides the low-speed comfort) and is riding in what feels like the bottom two-thirds. However, the fork maintains great hold up in this region and hardly ever bottoms out, using the lower portions of the travel in a controlled and appropriate manner. Given that the machine will blaze along in the newly acquired 6^th gear, this plush-yet-stable suspension character keeps the rider feeling confident and willing to push the bike. In the coming weeks, we’ll certainly play with the clickers and work to find a perfect setting, although in stock form the WR250F’s suspension seems to be fairly well dialed in.

One look at the list of mods designed to make the WR250F a strictly off-road machine is enough to show you that Yamaha did things right. The cooling fan is a phenomenal addition; we got the WR hot enough in one treacherous rock section that we smelled coolant, but we didn’t ever physically see the bike boiling over. The skid plate is stout and provides great coverage all around. Easy to read and natural to adjust, the enduro computer provides critical data like speed, mileage, and elapsed time, and there’s also a low fuel light attached to the instrument cluster. We’re huge fans of the 18” rear wheel, and the MX51 tires are proven to provide decent traction and good wear. We didn’t get a chance to ride the WR250F in the dark, but it seems as though the headlight will be sufficient for finding the truck on those occasional rides where the sun goes down before the fun is done.

Source Dirt Rider