Lookin at a new bike.......(long winded)

[grubbie]

Okay so I currently ride a 2008 Yam XT 250. Have always rode smaller bikes, also have a 93 XR 250. I talked my wife into taking a ride with me today, she was on the XT and loved it. So, we looked at a new crf230 for her cause it's  easy to lower the seat height, which would help her a lot. I love my XT, my only complaint is that it is a bit low. I can stand up on the ground and have a gap between the seat and my (you know) area. So the wife says, "why don't you buy a new bike and give me the xt?". Hmmmmmm.............. I rode a new DR650 today. seat height is perfect, but heavier. And quite frankly, the power scared the devil out of me. (But it was GREAT). I would love that extra power on the road. It also seemed that 1st gear was too tall for the slow, grunt up the hill, climbing I have to do here at home. I am about 5'10", 195 lbs., and I am not sure about the bigger bike, as it might not let me go some of the places I can go on the 250. Maybe I just need to "nut up" and learn to ride a bigger bike? How about you guys? Is the 650 size and weight something that keeps you from hitting the rougher trails? (or no trails at all). I have a blank check to buy what I want, thought maybe some different opinions might give me some other things to think about.

[Hank]

We ride some pretty gnarly stuff on 650s.   I really think you can ride them just about anywhere, but, if I were you I'd ride a DRZ400 and maybe a WR250R before you decide.

My choice is the 400.   Better suspension than the 650s, it is much lighter, and the hp is nearly the same as the 650's.

I bought a DRZ400S (steet legal out of the box) but if I did it over I'd get a DRZ400E and plate it.
They are very easy to convert to street legal and the 400E is a little lighter yet and has a little more snort, is also geared a little lower.
The S model is great though too, and if you don't want to mess with plating it, its a great choice.
It needs a bigger fuel tank for road work, and a wider seat, but with those mods I can ride it across the state no sweat.

[fringefan]

Just boils down to the fun factor because the 650 can do about any type of riding but it does not do any one thing great. From what I know of them I would rather have the DRZ if I had to choose between that and a DR. It is tuff to compare a smaller bike to the 650 off road and vise versa on road so it really depends on how much road you do and how far.

Yeti rides a WRR and seems to like it.

[loingrader]

if i were you i'd seriously look at the yamaha wr250r.  i own a klr650 and it does everything i could ever want it to.  i absolutely love it, but it is heavy, the suspension sucks, it vibrates parts off and they are flat out ugly.  part of the reason i like it so much is that it really makes the tough trails a challenge.  i am a bigtime klr advocate and i will always own a klr, but if i ever moved to the hills, i'd be all over a wr250r.  if you like your xt250, but want more ground clearance (i.e. taller seat height) and more power, the wr250r will do that plus a much better suspension, without gaining all the weight of the big 650's.  that weight makes everything more difficult, and if you like the lightness of the smaller bikes, i'd stick with them.

i hope yeti chimes in here.  he lives in the hills, likes to ride trails, and started on a klr650.  it didn't really blow his skirt up so he bought a ktm950 adventure.  the klr is a big bike off road, but the ktm is a huge bike for the trails we ride.  eventually he came full circle and got the wr250r and wishes he would have done it from the start.  he likes the wr250 better on the road than his ktm, and with a smaller front sprocket, it will still do 80mph, but it really has a lot of snort for the low speed trails. 

when the going gets tough and you have to pick that bike up 10 or 15 times a day, you will be glad you're on a 250 instead of a 650.

if you were going to be putting several thousand highway miles on the bike each year, i would maybe consider a 400 or 650.  if not, i'd stick with a 250.  the smaller the bike, the easier the trail.

[The Yeti]

i hope yeti chimes in here.  he lives in the hills, likes to ride trails, and started on a klr650.  it didn't really blow his skirt up so he bought a ktm950 adventure.  the klr is a big bike off road, but the ktm is a huge bike for the trails we ride.  eventually he came full circle and got the wr250r and wishes he would have done it from the start.  he likes the wr250 better on the road than his ktm, and with a smaller front sprocket, it will still do 80mph, but it really has a lot of snort for the low speed trails.

I can't add much more to what loingrader has already said about the WRR...I simply love it for the riding I do in the hills!

I have to correct one thing that loingrader said; I do not prefer the WRR to the 950 on the highway.  I do prefer the clean air without a windscreen opposed to the buffeting the 950 had.  The WRR is fine for short stints on the highway, but I wouldn't want to spend all day running down the slab on it.

Definitely prefer the WRR to the KLR....suspension is just brilliant on the WRR!  See my long thread over in the Yamaha section for some more of my impressions of the bike.

[grubbie]

Well I rode the WRR, loved everything about it. However,.....made the decision to stick with the XT and buy the CRF for the wife unit. Bought it as it would be easy to lower the seat height. After a half day of riding, she decided she liked the seat right where it is. I may look at upgrading in the future, but for my skill level, I am pretty content with the scooter for now. I do appreciate all the tips and replies, That WRR is a great ride! Maybe when the CRF is paid for.

[loingrader]

if you like your xt, you made the right choice.  if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  the wrr gives you something to wish for down the road.

and you can NEVER go wrong with a honda.

nice work getting the wife interested.  mine loves riding pillion, but is not interested in her own ride.  watching her drive a car makes me glad she doesn't want a bike!

[grubbie]

Just couldn't leave it alone.......the wife loves her CRF230L. I was gonna keep the XT. But I just couldn't get the WR250R out of my mind. The one I test rode before was the F, didn't realize it was a totally different bike. I decided to try the R. Gillette didn't have one, Rapid City didn't have one, Casper had one 09 and said I could ride it, then when I got there they told me only in the parking lot. So that was a 2 hour drive for nothing. Tomorrow I'm ordering a 2010 WR250R from Lakeway Powersports in Gillette. They gave me the best deal, and don't play any games like the Casper dealer was trying to do. I'm still looking forward to riding with you guys and finding some new trails. Just hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew, not the greatest rider in the world, but I'll try my darndest to keep up and have fun doing it!

[The Yeti]

Congrats on getting your new WRR!  If you need to ride one, you're welcome to take mine out for a spin.  It's a bit modified from stock, but it would give a good idea what to expect.

I'm still looking forward to riding with you guys and finding some new trails. Just hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew, not the greatest rider in the world, but I'll try my darndest to keep up and have fun doing it!

No worries...we have riders of all skill (and risk taking) levels. You'll be just fine as long as you don't listen to Brian's "encouragments".