Am I nuts? Did I get the wrong bike?

[JRAMBO]

I have a WR 426 all yz everything.I came off a KX 250.The WR feels a little heavier in the tight stuff but easier to ride on the low end.The KX was fun to rip on every where you go on it but my WR is an all around better bike for me.It took me about three or four rides to figure out how much different they were(a couple of good wrecks)Were the power came on.How much that four stroke had alot I was not ready for all the power it had but it took a while i am used to it now I love it.It has been the best all around bike I have ever had.

[Boonie]

Having just sold my 03' WRF 250 for an 05' 450 I'll throw in my 2 cents.

There's no doubt about the "flickability" factor of the 250. 90% of my riding is single track woods and this "flickability" bailed me out of some bad situations.

BUT.........I also got tired of being passed on 450's like I was standing still during enduros and such. I can recall instances on most of my 250 rides where I died for more power when lugging it or riding in a taller gear through slimy stuff.

It's a trade off in the end......weight versus power. I find I am MUCH quicker in some sections on my new 450 and overall, probably complete a loop quicker but I also feel more fatigue (6' 1" 210lbs). I suspect the fatigue factor will lessen as spring approaches and I get more time on the bike.

Summary.......I'm like'in the 450! ?

[jdd123]

If you're worried about too much power, do not do the mods or better yet go to an XT225.

I live at 5000' and ride trails at 8000'. I do not want to constantly re-jet and the WR250 with quiet insert would just feel week compared to a YZ450. The WR's have a great advantage over the YZ in tight trails because of their 1st gear. After getting used to the YZ, I bought a WR450 and love it. However, in it's stock configuration, it (WR450) felt only slightly more powerful than an uncorked WR250. After uncorking it, it is a lot better. My only problem is that the low first gear is spoiling me because in tough sections, I tend to want to go real slow, almost too slow. In tight stuff, the YZ 450 has to be clutched, clutched. In many of those cases I learned that the stuff wasn't really that tight and I should have been going faster rather than crawling. Anyway, that extra low gear on the WR450 is just right as my skills increased.

I would say to try to stick with it for a while and also go to a lower front sprocket until you get used to the bike.

[DIGITAL_SOLDIER]

Throttle works two ways. You don't have to peg her all the time. Yeah it takes a little getting used to with all those ponies wanting to be freed, but just lay off em in the tight stuff or adjust your technique. The 450 isn't that much heavier than the 250, why all this fluff of "I wish I had a 250 for tight stuff, and a 450 for hills and straights."

A quiver of bikes? Cool, but not of bikes so similar.

It's like my Gramps on golfing. He used three clubs and could school me and my brothers with Titanium Crapaloy gimmickry.

Simple is good. Get good at what you have.

[450high]

? yes ----- no . You will soon feel there is not enough power on the planet to satify your desire to hurt yourself.Just twist the throttle a bit more. ?

[minion]

I don't know about you but that extra power tends to save my ass rather than endanger it, I don't have a tough time keeping a cap on it when I need to. I can ride fire roads to sand pits to tight singles and everything in between for hours and I don't find it hard to ride at all or get very tired. Being in good shape probably helps, I jog every week in the summer.

Maybe because I am used to mauling the old man's '81 XR500 in the same trails before I got my WR450. That thing is like driving a Harley through the woods compared to the WR ? You just kinda point where you want to go and gas it since it's too heavy to flick. I do find myself wondering how much fun a 250F would be considering the 450 feels ok to me.

Ha! My old man has an '81 XR500 too. Which is the reason I bought myself the 05 wr450 - I could handle it, may as well try this one out. ?

[minion]

If you're worried about too much power, do not do the mods or better yet go to an XT225.

I live at 5000' and ride trails at 8000'. I do not want to constantly re-jet and the WR250 with quiet insert would just feel week compared to a YZ450. The WR's have a great advantage over the YZ in tight trails because of their 1st gear. After getting used to the YZ, I bought a WR450 and love it. However, in it's stock configuration, it (WR450) felt only slightly more powerful than an uncorked WR250. After uncorking it, it is a lot better. My only problem is that the low first gear is spoiling me because in tough sections, I tend to want to go real slow, almost too slow. In tight stuff, the YZ 450 has to be clutched, clutched. In many of those cases I learned that the stuff wasn't really that tight and I should have been going faster rather than crawling. Anyway, that extra low gear on the WR450 is just right as my skills increased.

I would say to try to stick with it for a while and also go to a lower front sprocket until you get used to the bike.

I have to agree. I have an XT225 (the woman's bike) and I recently bought myself an 05 WR450. The XT is a decent 225, and is plenty of power for the woman, but some of the stuff I rode was impossible with the XT. Its narrow rear tire sucks in the sand, bad. But, even though Yamaha claims its only 6 pounds lighter than my 450, it did feel more "flickable". Probably because its seat height is 32", vs 36.8" for the wr450.

I haven't had a chance to ride the 05 a whole lot yet. Its been really cold here for all but two days this winter. The wr450's power delivery doesn't feel as smooth as my old 81 XR500, but the suspension makes a huge difference. I guess I won't find out more until I get more riding time (damn Indiana winters), but hopefully I'll enjoy this bike a lot more than the 81.

M.

[BURLEY]

Am I nuts? Maybe I'm just a big pansy.

Your words...not mine. But, ya.

[dirtpumpernick]

i bought a 2004 wr450f eight months ago. i was really discusted with the power the bike makes. ive installed a yz cam kit with a yz needle and a stock

slipon.this really woke the bike up. the power on the low to mid is really awesome after my mods.im from missouri and we ride in chadwick mo. in the nat. forest. we ride all black diamond trails the roughest trails there. im 6.2 ft tall and 265 lgs and the stock bike does not have enough power...