Thinking about buying a bike for the first time in about 10 years. Rode YZ125 all through highschool.
Now I'm looking at either the WR426F or the WR250F.
Would have to buy the 426 at new prices, but a local dealer has a 2001 250 that is his son's he will sell for $4500.
Question is, is the 250 "enough" bike? Do any of you regret buying it vs. the 426?
Plan to mainly ride woods, scrambles, and occasional tracks. I'm 5'10" and 215 lbs.

Any feedback would be great.

I bought a YZ250F...first bike since I rode as a kid back in the early '70's, no regrets. I put on a Dubach Pipe and Vortex ignition...plenty of power for me.

My .02 as they say:

I'm a beginner with a YZ250F, but I'm starting to keep up with my riding buddy. He rode for 14 years, raced a little, did OK, laid off 10 years and started back last year. He rides a KTM 250SX. I was told it would be easier to ride a 250 on trails and woods because of the weight factor. There is an occasional moment when I wished I had a little more power. There are a few occassions when I'm glad that power wasn't there when I made a mistake. The dude on the KTM can take me whether he rides mine or his. I don't know how much impact the additional weight would have on fatigue. I'm 5'10" and 180 lbs. I say all that to give you an idea where I'm coming from.

If you add up all the money you can spend to hop up a 250, wouldn't it be cheaper in the long run to buy a 426?

If I'd had some previous experience on a dirt bike, it would have been better to go the 426 route. That's based on never having the experience of what difference the weight would make.

PS For what it's worth - Being 200+, you may prefer the 426. On the other hand, there's a guy behind the Yamaha dealership counter where I shop that is 200+ and he just traded his 250F for a TTR250. He wanted the happy button and has more fun scootin' around instead of flying.

Like you, I also weigh, well weighed last riding season 215 lbs. I rode a 125 through high school. 17 afterwards I got back into riding when I bought a 400 dual sport. I found the trails here to be much different than back where I grew up. The 400 dual sport was too much weight for me. I rode a WR426 and liked it a lot, but when I was ready to get another bike the 250 had come out. I felt the weight of it on the showroom floor and was sold. I did the free mods, then bought a lighter and quieter silencer and I am real happy with it now. I have traded off with a few 426s since - and I will tell you that they are different handling beasts IMO. The 426 encourages the rider to plow through stuff on the gas, while the 250 seems to lend itself to steering around the obstacle. Either are great machines. If I had more high speed stuff to ride I would probably go for the 426 - but for how and what I ride - I feel I made the right choice.

Powersmoke:
Louisiana.... = tight trails (used to live about an hour West of Alexandria)
1. get the WR...awesome price, cant go wrong.

I have the WR250f...'01, and it is beyond sweeeeet. Also I am 6'3" and 215+ before gear!...I added bars and mounts to give me room, the free mods you can search for here....and the 250 is more than enough for trails, and racing at least in the woods and most classes (moto-x)we all ride in on this forum! and it wont wear you out!

I have ridden the WR400 and 426's, and for me...the weight and power in the woods and trails is just not fun after 10-15 minutes
Heck I have a CR500 set up for the woods, and while it is a total hoooot....the hooting ends after 10 miles....it starts to whip you~!

Good Luck!

HR


[ January 29, 2002: Message edited by: Hawaii-Rider ]

Thanks guys for the feedback so far--this is really the kind of info I'm looking for.

The other factor in the deal is my 5 year old son---he will be getting a PW50 the same time dad gets a bike. Because he has never ridden before, I want something I can poke around on with him, w/o fouling plugs etc. In addition, I've heard the 426 is VERY loud--not much fun for a 5 year old to be riding behind.

Good point, Dennis---mod out the 250 and still save well over a grand from the 426, due to the fact that by nature, I would mod the 426.

Some of these feedbacks just reassure me I made the right choice after all (YZ250F).

powersmoke - My friend's son is 10 and he rides a TTR90. He just started riding 6 months ago. I ride behind him on the trails when we take the kidos (all the 2 smokes are out front to avoid fouling a plug). And I don't have to yell very loud for him to hear me over his bike. Every now and then I'll let him know left or right when there's more than one choice on the trail and "over" if we need to let someone by. When we first started though - we had to do that 'wait for me to dismount' before we would let him run up a new hill and wait for me to dismount at the bottom of one b4 going down. Life's a blast on a 250F - so who needs more dynomite?

PS Going with the WR is the right choice if you're going to be working with a 5 YO. That kick stand will come in real handy at times.

right about the kickstand---was just thinking about that yersterday at the bike store.

I guess you would "zip-tie" it up for track riding, or what? Is the spring strong enough to keep it up over jumps, whoops, etc.?

Powersmoke, i had an awesome 2000 WR400 but sold it due mainly to the high weight. loved the incredible power but it literally wore me out in the dirt & the track. bought a 2002 WR250 & have never regretted it. i ride all day, slow or fast, & don't wear out. at the moto-x track i appreciate the lower weight & even i can jump the 250 which instills confidence. in the dirt, we'll ride for hours & i don't get tired a fraction of the 400. the 400's power is addictive, but if u need more zing, just YZ time your WR & hold on! WR250 = no regrets at all! good luck w/your decision. ride safely, bobwombat

I would go with the WR250, although trying to ride PW50 pace will cause the bike to overheat (been there done that). Unless you maintain a reasonable pace it over heats, it is less of a problem with a aftermarket pipe, but then its LOUD. Alot will depend on were you ride, if you ride on open trails you might be able to go with the little PW without much trouble.
I would not go with the 426 though unless you are over 250 or so . Just my opinion.

I was out of riding for 22 years and went out and bought a YZ426F. It was too much too soon. It would have probably been fine if I hadn't started racing MX. It threw me to the ground on numerous occasions and I got the short end of the stick (broken collar bone and torn acl). Last year I traded for a YZ250F. That was the smartest decision I ever made. I love that bike. This year I traded it for a '02 YZ250 2-stroke and I didn't like it, so you guessed it, I'm back with a 250F! Vortex, Dubach pipe, 756's and it's a blast!

At the local MX track I ride at they make you take the kickstand off. That concerned me a little since I use the kickstand to hold the bike up while I stand on the pegs to get a hard kick...still hoping for the "majic" button. For me the major reason I bought the 250 was the weight. Now if they could get the 426 down about 15 more pounds I would buy one, but the way it is the 250 is so fun to ride on trails. Now I wonder what the 426 board opinion is?

Mike
01WR250F

I think you should ask the same question in the WR 426 forum!

get the 250, lots of fun, enough power for the trail, I see the mx pros doing the triples so it must have enough for the track.

I am 195lbs. Enough power for me.

Get the bike, no way you will regret it.

I love crashing
1

Go the 250f.. Im still grinning from the last ride

215lbs? Get a 426.

215lbs? Get a 426.

Some of you guys crack me up with the "I don't know if the 250F will have enough power." The baby F absolutely rips. Check out this excerpt from a review of the YZ250F w/vortex & pipe from Fast By Design....

This new package was so impressive we invited one of our riding buds, who pilots a full factory 125, to run some laps. After 5 laps on the bike he pulled into the pits. "Is this motor is stock ?" He asked. "Yup, the only aftermarket parts are the pipe and ignition" I reply. "You gotta be Sh!tt!n' me dude, this thing is faster than my national bike"

BTW, neither the 250F nor the 426 is the right bike to lead a 5 year old on a PW50. These are full-fledged race bikes that do not like to putt around. Get yourself a XR100, or maybe a nice mellow dual-sport with e-start for riding with your son.