My WR450 25 pound trim off...

[KennyMc]

I have not. I don't have a decent scale to do so either.

The published curb weight of 273 pounds has been verified by several owners, so I am pretty confident in it.

However, the July 2103 Dirt Bike article comparing the 2003 to the 2013 lists the 2013's weight at 257 pounds (versus 262 without fuel for the 2003). I think 257 pounds is either a typo, a mix up between the bikes, they had the battery removed when they weighed it or they used Yamaha's famous "dry weight", ie no fuel, oil or coolant.

What about the crude, put the front tire in a scale and take that measurement then do the back. I know there will be some +/- based in weight transfer but it would be interesting to see how close it might be. I did this to my WR and it came in at 297. But mine is dual sported, bigger rads, Mohard rad guards, metal skid plate, shark fin for rear rotor..... I have a lot of "bike protection" that I must have base on where I ride. Open desert but only to get to the rocky, tight single that can demolish the bike without the proper protection.

My 350 EXC came in at 267. WR has 5lbs of extra gas though so the difference came to 25lbs.

Edited August 26, 2014 by KennyMc

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

What about the crude, put the front tire in a scale and take that measurement then do the back.

 

I'd have to sneak our fancy bathroom scale out of the house or buy one.  I'll see.

 

 

My 350 EXC came in at 267. WR has 5lbs of extra gas though so the difference came to 25lbs.

 

If you want to get technical, some of those fancy, lightweight 2 strokes burn more fuel and therefore need to carry more too.  Comparing apples to apples would be weighing the bikes with enough fuel to run a set distance.  WRs are pretty stingy compared to a 300cc 2 stroke.  The KTM 300xc weighs 229 pounds without fuel, btw.

Edited August 26, 2014 by MidlifeCrisisGuy

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

One way to reduce the reciprocating mass on our WRs is to lighten the clutch assembly, particularly the basket and pressure plate.   Rekluse and others make aluminum baskets.  Generally they are pretty expensive though.

 

Rekluse claims the pressure plate is "up to 27% lighter" and the basket is "up to 20% lighter".    I'm not sure how much effect that would have on handling.  stock 2012+ WR450 flywheel weighs 1.43 lbs without the key, lock nut and washer

 

http://www.rekluse.com/coreexp.shtml

 

 

FWIW, the WR front fender weighs 1.16 pounds without the bolts.

Edited August 26, 2014 by MidlifeCrisisGuy

[KennyMc]

I'd have to sneak our fancy bathroom scale out of the house or buy one. I'll see.

If you want to get technical, some of those fancy, lightweight 2 strokes burn more fuel and therefore need to carry more too. Comparing apples to apples would be weighing the bikes with enough fuel to run a set distance. WRs are pretty stingy compared to a 300cc 2 stroke. The KTM 300xc weighs 229 pounds without fuel, btw.

My 350EXC is a 4 stroke.

I snuck out our not-so-fancy bathroom scale :-)

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

My 350EXC is a 4 stroke.

 

 

I knew that.  I used the 2 stroke because it has a higher fuel burn rate.

 

 

I snuck out our not-so-fancy bathroom scale :-)

 

The penalty in our house getting caught doing that would be death !  Is it worth doing ?   Its got a glass top.  But its digital...  What if I scratched it ?!!!!   That whole "happy wife happy life" thing is so overblown !! LOL

Edited August 26, 2014 by MidlifeCrisisGuy

[cracker please]

If you try to weigh it one wheel at a time, you should put something under the other wheel to level it out.

[Jonesy11]

Yeah, but you ride with Lightning, you don't matter?

Lol thought that's how I met you. You were his besty

[GP1K]

If you want to get technical, some of those fancy, lightweight 2 strokes burn more fuel and therefore need to carry more too.  Comparing apples to apples would be weighing the bikes with enough fuel to run a set distance.  WRs are pretty stingy compared to a 300cc 2 stroke.  The KTM 300xc weighs 229 pounds without fuel, btw.

 

I think they should list bike's weights as 'ready to ride' minus fuel. As in, all other fluids in and ready to go, just an empty gas tank. If two bikes weigh the exact same with no fuel, but one has a 2 gallon tank and the other a 3 gallon tank, filling the tanks and saying the one is 'heavier' isn't really true and kind of misleading. Apples to apples is ready to ride, minus fuel for an even comparison, IMO. If I want to compare bikes, I check the fuel capacity of each, calculate the weight of said fuel, and deduct it from the wet weight. Well except KTMs, as that's how they list them now.

 

At any rate, I'm just glad they got rid of the old 'dry weight' shenanigans, it was annoying and nearly useless info for the consumer.

[FORMA MOTO]

CRF450X full regalia = 272 with 3.2 gal

'08 WR450F full regalia = 265 with 2.9 gal gas

'13 350 XCF-W full regaila = 240 with 2.25 gal gas !

 

...all weighed on the same scale at the same time.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Kah Ran Nee

[MidlifeCrisisGuy]

Have you done anything with the coil and boat anchor coil bracket ?  I wrapped my radiator around the coil twice and decided to move it to a more sensible location, I modified the bracket to work in the new location but an aluminum bracket could be made relatively easy I think.

 

Did you have to replace the engine mount bolts ? 

 

Was the steel mount hard to drill or bend ?

 

Was the harness long enough and did you have to unwrap it from the main harness ?

 

Thanks again for sharing that.

[KennyMc]

CRF450X full regalia = 272 with 3.2 gal

'08 WR450F full regalia = 265 with 2.9 gal gas

'13 350 XCF-W full regaila = 240 with 2.25 gal gas !

 

...all weighed on the same scale at the same time.

What type of scale Bill?  One that the entire bike can fit on or was it the front then the back tire?  Your WR weighs 30lbs less than mine.  But I did the front tire then the back tire crude method.

[openbook215]

Did you have to replace the engine mount bolts ? 

 

Was the steel mount hard to drill or bend ?

 

Was the harness long enough and did you have to unwrap it from the main harness ?

 

Thanks again for sharing that.

Yes I replaced the bolts, I used some sprocket bolts counter sunk in the plate.

Steel is steel it's only hard if you don't have the proper tools; bench vise, drill press, hammer, muscles.

The primary leads have a coupling, and basically you just have to route it in the same fashion under the tank, just from the other side.

I checked the newer bikes out last night, pre 12+ YZ use a coil on plug setup and the 12+ YZ mount the coil to the frame down spar right between the radiators, they can because of the rear slant engine and the intake track goes upward from the front of the engine.

I had been following your bike lightening routine as well, I never weighed mine but it did make a difference on the trail.  I could out climb anything once I figured out the clutch.  But then I crashed, bad, have since decided to dual sport my bike so everything went back on and then some.  I haven't rode since Valentines day so i'm itching to get out there and see the difference the weight makes.  My advice to all us aging kids... keep riding till you can't, then, just slow down.

[FORMA MOTO]

What type of scale Bill?  One that the entire bike can fit on or was it the front then the back tire?  Your WR weighs 30lbs less than mine.  But I did the front tire then the back tire crude method.

 

  If you check your scale accuracy with a know weight, at near the measuring amount, you can use the 50/50 method with great accuracy, as long as the bike is level when measuing.

 

There is no way your  WR is 300 lbs...

 

I typo'd though....my WR is 269, not 265

[KennyMc]

If you check your scale accuracy with a know weight, at near the measuring amount, you can use the 50/50 method with great accuracy, as long as the bike is level when measuing.

There is no way your WR is 300 lbs...

I typo'd though....my WR is 269, not 265

The known weight is my fat ass. Can't seem to get below 200 lbs ?

Non-level:

Front = 142

Back = 154

Putting the opposite tire on a 2x4 to level it:

Front = 142.5

Back = 155.5

Not much of a +/- in the two methods.

How did you measure yours?

[Jonesy11]

The known weight is my fat ass. Can't seem to get below 200 lbs ?

Non-level:

Front = 142

Back = 154

Putting the opposite tire on a 2x4 to level it:

Front = 142.5

Back = 155.5

Not much of a +/- in the two methods.

How did you measure yours?

.

I measure mine with a yard stick! Lol

[KennyMc]

.

I measure mine with a yard stick! Lol

And you come up 3' short all the time

[SteveThe Snakes]

The known weight is my fat ass. Can't seem to get below 200 lbs ?

Non-level:

Front = 142

Back = 154

Putting the opposite tire on a 2x4 to level it:

Front = 142.5

Back = 155.5

Not much of a +/- in the two methods.

How did you measure yours?

 

You sure you weren't weighing the rider on the bike   ? 

[Jonesy11]

And you come up 3' short all the time

D@mmit who told you

[cracker please]

I checked the newer bikes out last night, pre 12+ YZ use a coil on plug setup and the 12+ YZ mount the coil to the frame down spar right between the radiators, they can because of the rear slant engine and the intake track goes upward from the front of the engine.

 

 

I think 09 was the last year for coil on plug on the YZ450.

[KennyMc]

You sure you weren't weighing the rider on the bike   ?

Oh, I was supposed to get off the bike