WR 450/EXC 450 Dual Sport Mods

[PhantomWR]

I want to purchase new and Street Legal convert a 04 WR or EXC 450 and want to make sure i know what im geting in to. Im leaning towards the WR for cost reasons. Here are my plans. Any suggestions and or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

The Modifications will include:

1) Standard performance mods. Install: a Powercore IV silencer, a Yz throttle stop, a #158 main jet (Sea Level), a hotter plug {CR7E}. Disconnect gray wire and open up air box. Did i miss anything?

2) Build out a set of complete street wheels so i will have a set of off road wheels and a separate set of on road wheels. Install cush drive in the street wheel. Im not sure what size rims or tires to go with. What about gearing should i go with a smaller road sprocket? I will be looking for used wheels to modify, what years and models will fit. i.e. will a set of 02 YZ wheels fit?

3) Install an Electrex Dakar Dual Sporting kit complete with trip computer. I understand that Baja Designs has a half baked product and the Electrex unit is well thought out.

Concerns include:

1) Idle boil off. How prone is either bike to boil off. I watched a KTM EXC 400 idle for over 15 minutes with no problems. i.e. no boiling, pipe glow or preignition. Will a WR do that. What can i expect in stop & go traffic?

2) How much of a difference is there in suspension characteristics between the WR & the YZ? i.e. spring rates and valving? What are the rest of the differences between the WR & YZ?

When i finish my project i will document costs, time and effort. I will also include some Dyno characteristics as well and post everything here @ T-Talk.Com.

[PhantomWR]

In pickin through these posts i see the preferred DS kit is the Trick unit. What is the advantage of the Trick over the Dakar? The Baja is obvious. Any body, any body, Feris, Feris.

[Indy_WR450]

Trick Dual sport has more features. You can run day lights, night, or off. The controls are nicely done on a compact circuit board. Dale Mazarrow's support and response time are first class and cant be compared to any of the other suppliers. Dale will also give you any options you want. I have the GPS power supply option. I cant say enough good things about the product and the company! ?

[gomopar440]

I'll second that about Trick. I'll also add that the control box with the kit weighed only a couple of ounces. Less than two pounds shipped for the whole setup including packaging ?.

[PhantomWR]

Roger that guys, thanx. Trick it is. Indy that is quite a rig you got there. It would probably take less space to list what you don't have on that bike.

[Indy_WR450]

Roger that guys, thanx. Trick it is. Indy that is quite a rig you got there. It would probably take less space to list what you don't have on that bike.

Yeah! I wish could list everything but I am maxed out on my space in my signature. ? I love all the mods on this bike. It has been a dream to ride. I got my front forks rebuilt by MX-Tech recently and love the new plush fork action.

[mtrablue]

you don't list where you live. the wr has a very good electical system. it's nothing to install a brake switch and a horn. do you need a high beam and blinkers where you live? as for some of the other mods, there is no such thing as a yz hub with a cush drive. wr's either. unless you want to get stopped a lot, you might want to rethink the powercore IV. good luck, it'll be a blast when your done.

[PhantomWR]

I will be regestering it in The Peoples Republic of Maryland. Allot of Rectile Agony, They got the Cali Mentality all the way. Emisions are a big deal. I built a Triumph Chopper that had to be inspected and the inspection called for High Low beams, Blinkers and all your stuff had to work at an idle. Horn and all.

I guess you can't silence the Power Core? Will the stocker work OK with the mods?

Can't get a cush on a stocker. If you put allot of road miles on a WR will it rack the trans without a cusher? Might have to build a custom rear wheel.

I can't wait to go riding with my Harley crew on my DS.

[gomopar440]

Cush drive hubs for Japanese dirt bikes are being made available in about 2-3 weeks from East Coast Wheels. Give them a call cause the info isn't on their site yet. I got the scoop from the supermotojunkie forum straight from ECW.

East Coast Wheels LLC

124 Levgar Street

Piscataway, NJ 08854

(732-926-0770

[Racer577]

2) Build out a set of complete street wheels so i will have a set of off road wheels and a separate set of on road wheels. Install cush drive in the street wheel. Im not sure what size rims or tires to go with. What about gearing should i go with a smaller road sprocket? I will be looking for used wheels to modify, what years and models will fit. i.e. will a set of 02 YZ wheels fit?

YZ wheels will fit if you change the spacers for WR spacers. 00 and 01 will fit as well. I ran 19" wheels at daytona this year, a good setup for street. conti DT narrow front on a 19X2.15 front rim and a wide front on a 19X2.75 in the rear. Quick heat up and 90 % of traction you get with slicks.

Concerns include:

1) Idle boil off. How prone is either bike to boil off. I watched a KTM EXC 400 idle for over 15 minutes with no problems. i.e. no boiling, pipe glow or preignition. Will a WR do that. What can i expect in stop & go traffic?

The motor will get hot. I didnt boil, but it was really hot and didnt like stop and go traffic. If I take it again I will put a small muffin fan on the radiator to keep the air moving when stopped. With e-start it is not to hard to just turn it off then restart.

2) How much of a difference is there in suspension characteristics between the WR & the YZ? i.e. spring rates and valving? What are the rest of the differences between the WR & YZ?

A lot as far as feel. Rates are actually pretty close but the WR is softer, takes the rocks much better.

[PhantomWR]

Roger That guys I love this site. ?

Appreciate the foot work there 577.

I got a good feeling on this one, im heading in the right direction. A radiator fan will take care of any boiling issues. I just sold my YZ 426 so i know what to expect. The WR looks like my fit. I think i will go with a set of stocker wheels and screw the customs, to much money. But a good set of black and gold Motards would look and ride primo for my road package.

Mopar, i gave a call to ECW and they said the same thing you said. No YZ Cush till Sept. They also said i did not need one. Unless i race Motard i would not need one. Made a good case for it to. Set up a bunch of WR bikes for Super Moto. My riding habits will never wear out the tyranny on a DS WR.

Oh .... Indy please list all your junk so i can get more junk on mine and 1 up U Ill let you ride it when im finished Im looking to buy an 04 but the 05s are due out in Sept. I wonder what the 05s have, that the 04s don't. To many choices. Im glad i don't live in Iraq, or Russia, or any where but the USA.

[chipwich]

Greetings. Been lurking here a while and watching this thread with great interest, since I am planning the same conversion. I haven't bought my WR yet, but about to pull the trigger. Debating whether to get the 05 as well, but a couple of 04s are looking tasty.

Let me also add my thanks to all of you that have done footwork on converting WR to DS. Much appreciated.

Living in GA, I have read mixed reports of getting it legalized from “Just handed her a title request form with my MSO stapled to the back, and got my title in a couple of weeks.”, to “There is no way that you will be able to tag a WR legally.” I do know that I don’t need turn signals or a speedo, but that I might need to get it inspected in order to get a title. That probably means DOTs, a mirror, and a brake light.

I have a couple of follow-up questions:

1. What is a muffin fan, where would you buy one, and how would it be mounted?

2. Given the fact that I don’t need blinkers in GA, and that the WR has a dual filament bulb, should I bother with getting the Trick mini kit and tail light, or just go with the minimal required by law. I do plan to occasionally ride the bike out at night, as well as take it to other states on DS rides. Perhaps even an enduro. I guess my question is, do I need flashers?

3. Are you guys rigging up some sort of disabler, and/or do any of the kits have ignition keys? The bike will be in condo garage with card access. My VFR has lived here fine for a year, but the WR will be a lot easier to get. I plan on cabling it to something solid and having insurance, but it would be a biotch to do the conversion again.

Thanks, and keep us posted PhantomWR.

?

[WR450F_RDR]

related question to DS'ing my WR, just finished wiring it up for street use. The question is will the WR stock battery and charging system hold up to the electrical demands of Dual sport use ie.. headlight,tailight, blinkers and brake light. The system is running off the battery now instead to the AC magneto.

I spent about $150.00 in separate parts to set it up.

They do make a quiet core insert for the FMF Powercore IV but it kills performance pretty bad, dont use it unless I have to.

[Nate_R]

I got my bike street legal here in utah for about $25.

For the tail light, just get a b&s hydraulic brake light switch. It replaces the banjo bolt on the master cylinder. I only put one on the rear brake. they're like $16.

there is a yellow wire just hanging under the seat. This is for the dual filament. Hook up the power from the brake switch to it. Only problem with this is that the yellow wire is positive. If the wire some how gets ripped or opened and touches your frame you'll fry something, probably a fuse. so run the wires carefully. I got a bicycle mirror for like $5 that clamps to the handelbars. For a horn I just ziptied one of those disposable air horns to my bars. luckily the guy didn't check for DOT approved tires.

Then after inspection I pulled the horn and mirror off. I have in the last 6 months I have been pulled over 2 times.

Once for reckless driving ( I rode a wheelie down main street for about a mile, followed too close, and failed to signal lane changes.)It was a big ticket. The other time the cop said he couldn't see my plate, and let me go. Here in Utah at least, I think for the most part if you are riding safe and they see a headlight and liscence plate they'll leave you alone.