WR 450 motard

[Hans Haage]

who has experience with building a WR 450 2009 motard?

[djv5]

I have done two of them for street use, what do you need to know?

Here are a few pictures of my 2003 & 2007 WR450:

[WR450FGreg]

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Here's my 2008 450:

The best advice I can give is don't try and go too wide on the rear rim/tyre.

I had all kinds of trouble trying to gain chain/tyre clearance with mine.

Greg

Edited December 12, 2010 by WR450FGreg
(I had "swingarm clearance", I actually meant tyre/chain clearance!)

[KGSloan]

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Here's my 2008 450:

The best advice I can give is don't try and go too wide on the rear rim/tyre.

I had all kinds of trouble trying to gain swingarm clearance with mine.

Greg

how wide did you go on the rear rim?

The reason I pickup up this '04 WR 450 I am learning was to make a sumo out of it, i've always been a street/twistie rider. So while learning the bike a little on the dirt this winter I'm doing my research on parts and setups for the sumo in the spring

thanks!

[spokexx]

ill tell ya what, i was thinking of going to a 19" front wheel and leaving the rear at 18". I think this would be a better balance between trails and street. Anyone ever try this? I think it would give better turn-in on the roads but still able to make it over rocks and roots.

[Hans Haage]

Nice pictures! What I need is max rim and tire sizes. Do I need to change anything else like brakes, sprockets etc?

[djv5]

On my 2003 I had Excel 17" wheels, 3.5" front and 5.0" rear. A 160mm rear tire rubbed the chain pretty bad.

On my 2007 I had WARP9 17" wheels, 3.5" front and 4.5" rear. The 150mm rear tire fit well, with no chain rub.

You may want to try the sportsman 21/18 setup before you invest $$ into expensive & heavy 17's.

I ran Maxxis Promaxx M6103 street tires on my stock 21/18 wheels and the bike was very capable in the corners. Rode edge to edge on the front & rear tires with good confidence.

You can get a set of the Maxxis tires for about $120 - here is the link:

http://www.maxxis.com/MotorcycleATV/Street/Promaxx-M6103-Rear.aspx

[djv5]

Also, I would suggest a steering stabilizer to assist with the highspeed headshake.

Any speed over 70mph and full throttle 3rd gear corner exits gets to be a handful on these bikes.

[Hans Haage]

Ok everybody thanks for the info. I've got some buying and building to do!

[Hans Haage]

Hi Greg could you let me know what your rim sizes are, because they look just right to me.

[WR450FGreg]

Hans,

The front rim is 3.5 x 17 fitted with a 120/65 ZR17 Michelin Pilot Power tyre

The rear rim is 5.0 x 17 fitted with a 150/60 ZR17 Michelin Pilot Power tyre

I had to offset the rear rim by tightening the RHS spokes and loosening the LHS ones, then re-trueing the rim, along with shaving the side of the tyre and inventing my own "chainblock" to control chain slap, in order to stop the chain rubbing terribly on the tyre.

My advice is don't go any wider than 4.5" on the rear rim and maybe look at a 140 tyre too.

Also, the 120 front tyre is too wide. It rubs grooves in the white plastic fork protectors as they shake around. (Yes, they do move when the bike is mobile!)

Greg

The chainblock I made up:

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Its probably only a matter of time before some low-life manufacturer steals my idea and makes them himself!

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Edited December 12, 2010 by WR450FGreg

[Kennoy]

http://www.maxxis.com/MotorcycleATV/Street/Promaxx-M6103-Rear.aspx

 

I know this was almost 4 yrs ago but I have a couple questions.

 

1. Why are you wearing JEANS?!?!?!  

2. Wearing jeans, on a dirt bike with road tires. Why are you sticking your knee anywhere near the ground??????

 

WTF???