How much lighter can one make a 2013 WR 450 ?

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

I'm trying to build a great trail bike. How much weight can one remove from a 2013 WR450 ?

What makes it weigh more than a YZ450F ?

[mch]

Battery is one way to lighten it up. The Shorai is real light and worked great on my CBR1000RR. One of the dirt bike mags did a write up about the KTM losing about 2lbs after swapping out the battery.

I know what you mean about the YZ difference. I don't see a lot of reasons that my WR weighs more than my YZ, but it is very noticeable.. atleast while pushing it.

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

Battery is one way to lighten it up. The Shorai is real light and worked great on my CBR1000RR. One of the dirt bike mags did a write up about the KTM losing about 2lbs after swapping out the battery.

I'd like to remove the batter and starter altogether.

I know what you mean about the YZ difference. I don't see a lot of reasons that my WR weighs more than my YZ, but it is very noticeable.. atleast while pushing it.

You have both ? What year(s) ?

Is the WR less fatiguing to ride in tight situations due to smoother power delivery ?

Does the WR have less engine braking ?

[080]

I think Dirt Rider did a mx project bike, took everything off possible and got it down to 4lbs heavier than the Yz450. I would have to look it up to be positive though. Problem is that if you take off all the stuff (starter, lights etc) why not just buy a Yz and prep it for offroad? If you want to keep all the goodies on and still loose weight then your limited to what can be changed out to a lighter version (battery, pipe etc).

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

I think Dirt Rider did a mx project bike, took everything off possible and got it down to 4lbs heavier than the Yz450. I would have to look it up to be positive though. Problem is that if you take off all the stuff (starter, lights etc) why not just buy a Yz and prep it for offroad? If you want to keep all the goodies on and still loose weight then your limited to what can be changed out to a lighter version (battery, pipe etc).

The problem with the YZ as I understand it is the power delivery and narrow gear set. I'm looking for a trail bike that doesn't wear me out. Also apparently the WR450 has a YZ250 esque frame, making it handle faster.

I'd love a WR that was only 4 pounds heavier than a YZF.

Edited July 29, 2013 by MidlifeCrisisGuy

[080]

The problem with the YZ as I understand it is the power delivery and narrow gear set. I'm looking for a trail bike that doesn't wear me out. Also apparently the WR450 has a YZ250 esque frame, making it handle faster.

I'd love a WR that was only 4 pounds heavier than a YZF.

From what I remember in the article is that they pulled everything they could all the way down to changing out the wiring harness to a lighter one. All the lighting came off, kickstand etc. only thing that stayed was the lighting coil etc that had to. Are you wanting to lighten it for racing? The added weight in my opinion is very minimal to the gains in having an elect start, lights (street legal) ability. Maybe I'm just getting older but seems to me unless I hop on a bike that is night and day difference in size I don't see where weight is a huge factor any more. I guess I wouldn't want to take My Wr on some of the A loop trails I use to do on a 250 2strk but I wouldn't have taken the Yz on those trails either. That said and comparing the newer Wr vs 07-09 yz, I would pick the Wr; drop the lights, rework the suspension, add a pipe and show up on race day.

[FORMA MOTO]

Stiffen the suspension and it will feel 50lbs lighter.

[n16ht5]

get a 250 or a smoker. If I didn't ride on the street I wouldn't have a WR450. By the time I was done doing lightening mods I was still over stock weight with skid plates, desert tank, dual sport kit, etc...

[SAthump]

I built my old 09' into a SM

Traded the battery for a 3oz capacitor

And shedded everything I could from stock harness, catch tank, foot peg mount, starter gears ect it made a dramatic difference in handling.

But as stated above suspension will change the bike for the better too.

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

I built my old 09' into a SM

Traded the battery for a 3oz capacitor

And shedded everything I could from stock harness, catch tank, foot peg mount, starter gears ect it made a dramatic difference in handling.

But as stated above suspension will change the bike for the better too.

How did you find starting it without the starter ? I'm thinking of doing the same thing.

[jerejim]

Hit the Gym. Lift for 2 months and it will fell lighter.

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

Hit the Gym. Lift for 2 months and it will fell lighter.

There is a lot of truth to that. And the least expensive weight loss on the rider/bike combo would be on me, the rider !

I can't wait to get this thing !

[080]

How did you find starting it without the starter ? I'm thinking of doing the same thing.

SM? I thought you were looking to lighten it up for the trails?

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

By doing the same thing, I meant remove the starter and supporting equipment. I'm building a fast trail bike, not an SM. Though it is getting tempting to leave a light and turn signals on it to remain street legal so I could throw a plate on it.

Edited July 30, 2013 by MidlifeCrisisGuy

[SAthump]

It kick started like a normal dirt bike

No problems

In TX I just had a plate dangling sideways, a ran only a high beam, easy peezy here.

To bad the worst drivers I've ever been around are here too. The anxiety was to much, ill never ride street here again.

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

I'd only drive my bike on short back road trips, say going from a campground to a trail head. Or so I think right now.

[Itsbroken]

I have mine down to 251.4

Just so you know, the starter, gears associated with starter and shorai battery only totaled 4.6 lbs. I've see. A hundred times the starter was 10 lbs but it just isn't true.

I didn't want to ditch the started thinking it could be handy in rough terrain. After this last trip I pulled it off without and reservations.

As a bonus the bike starts easier than ever now.

[mch]

I'd like to remove the batter and starter altogether.

You have both ? What year(s) ?

Is the WR less fatiguing to ride in tight situations due to smoother power delivery ?

Does the WR have less engine braking ?

 

Sorry, I know this response is month's late, but I only visit from time to time and just saw you posted this question.  The WR is just nicer all around (with the exception of pushing it up the ramp into my truck).  Suspension is just way smoother... though the 07 YZ and the 12 WR have the same forks (different valving).  I even replaced springs on both bikes to the same spring rates and the WR is just way better in the desert.  I have a heavier flywheel on my YZ, but the revs still climb faster than the WR.  Overall power, they are about the same.  I can't really say one is faster than the other, but I enjoy the WR more.  The power delivery on the WR is smooth, but I really only notice the benefits of it when having to tractor up technical hills.  Again, the front feels a lot heavier than the YZ but it doesn't seem to affect turning any.  The WR and YZ have about the same engine braking.

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

I guess I should follow this up, being that I started it.

I've now removed close to 22 pounds from my 20112 WR450F, for relatively little cost other than my time.

I've started to detail what I did here. https://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/1046210-my-wr450-25-pound-trim-off/

 

Sorry, I know this response is month's late, but I only visit from time to time and just saw you posted this question.  The WR is just nicer all around (with the exception of pushing it up the ramp into my truck).  Suspension is just way smoother... though the 07 YZ and the 12 WR have the same forks (different valving).

Did the 07 have SSS forks ? The 2012 WR450F does. 

 

 

I even replaced springs on both bikes to the same spring rates and the WR is just way better in the desert.  I have a heavier flywheel on my YZ, but the revs still climb faster than the WR.

FYI, the flywheel itself, without the starter clutch and drive gear weighs 1.45 pounds on the WR.  

 

Overall power, they are about the same.  I can't really say one is faster than the other, but I enjoy the WR more.

How have you tuned your WR engine ?  

 

The power delivery on the WR is smooth, but I really only notice the benefits of it when having to tractor up technical hills.  Again, the front feels a lot heavier than the YZ but it doesn't seem to affect turning any.  The WR and YZ have about the same engine braking.

Very interesting. Edited October 9, 2013 by MidlifeCrisisGuy

[mch]

How have you tuned your WR engine ? 

 

Just took out the throttle stop and that inner muffler resticter.  The YZ is pretty much stock engine too.