I bought a new WR426F today

[gawarrior]

I have been looking at buying a WR450F but I came across a WR426F today at a dealership. It is brand new, left over from last year. I paid $5000.00 OTD. What do ya'll think? Is there anything that I should know about the WR426F. I have to get used to the finicky kickstarter. Other than that I think it will be ok. I hope so. I wasn't expecting to get this bike, but for 800.00 less that the WR450F I figured what the heck.

[treecop]

I think I would've paid the extra for the magic button...but as long as you like it what do you care what I think? ?

[Sylvain]

I think you made a good buy. The 2002 wr 426 is a reliable bike. Once you get the proper starting drill, it's a piece of cake.

Read all the topics concerning this bike and you will have many hours to spend on toying with this baby. As it is, it's a strong performer, with all the "free mods" available on this site, you will be able to explore its full potential.

Regards

[Cid]

I have a 2002 426 and prefer it over the 450 simply from a comfort level. I like the more angled seat and taller aspect. The bike is great though.

[foursmoke]

I rode with a guy that had a 02 WR250 and was in aw at the trouble he had at times starting his bike ?. I don't think the 426 was quite as bad as the 250 from what I have heard. I personally would have spent the extra on the 450 not just for the e-start but it is very very easy to start with the kicker. I use the kicker to start for warm up and it starts on the 2nd short kick with 1 foot on the ground . I think the only time you will wish you had the e-start is when you friends take off and your left behind trying to start your bike or you stall it on a hill .

Good luck, Smoke

[Rip Wheeler]

...I paid $5000.00 OTD. What do ya'll think? Is there anything that I should know about the WR426F. I have to get used to the finicky kickstarter. Other than that I think it will be ok. I hope so. I wasn't expecting to get this bike, but for 800.00 less that the WR450F I figured what the heck.

gawarrior, you did better thasn that! The WR450 MSRP is $6399, the WR426's MSRP was $6199, then they usually do the freight and set up (I have gotten around this from every maker except Honda) so $5000 OTD, ie tax, license, set up is a great deal! The WR 450 would of been $6700 by the time you were done, so you saved $1700. I have a 01 WR 426F and love it. As for the little chicken dance on starting, you'll get used to it and you wont even need to think about it. ?

[foursmoke]

I paid that exactly($6700)cuz the dealers in my area only got 2 for the whole year. If I didn't buy it for $6700, someone else would have. I had already sold my DRZ400E which was a very reliable bike but was not the bike I set out to get. Originally I wanted to get the 426 but everyone I talked to said they were very hard to start especially if you dumped with a hot bike. so I chose the DRZ till I could afford the bike of choice which at that time it was a brand new KTM because of the e-start and also because it was an upgrade from the DRZ. Then I heard Yamaha was coming out with a 450 and guess what, it had the magic button. I think the 450 was the best choice for me. I LOVE THIS BIKE!

Smoke ?

[gawarrior]

Yeah, I was worried about the kickstart on this thing at first. But I think that once I get the sequece down I will be fine and love it! I am ready to get out and see what this baby will do.

Could someone tell me what or where I can find about the free mods?

thanks

[Cid]

go to www.yamaha.com There is a quicktime movie on starting your WR. Watch it once. A monkey could do it..problem is most don't follow the sequence and it up having problems. My bike starts on the 1st or second kick everytime.

One piece of advice...if you have not rode the bike in awhile, but it is in a VERY VERY hot garrage, I have needed to use the hot start button in stead of the cold start. Weird, but true.

[gawarrior]

go to www.yamaha.com There is a quicktime movie on starting your WR. Watch it once. A monkey could do it..problem is most don't follow the sequence and it up having problems. My bike starts on the 1st or second kick everytime.

That is what I figured. Once I get it down I will be fine. Thanks for the advice.

One piece of advice...if you have not rode the bike in awhile, but it is in a VERY VERY hot garrage, I have needed to use the hot start button in stead of the cold start. Weird, but true.

[CraigW]

Hey, gawarrior.

How's it going?

Its AfricaOffroad , from the R1 Forum here.

Glad you found the website ?

Once you get the drill right, you will have no problem starting the 426, $5000 sounds like a good deal.

BTW, Not sure if it is my side, but the R1-forum is hellishly slow at the moment, its a real pain surfing there.

[mikemac61]

I think you made the right move gawarrior. Of course I'm biased because I did the same thing about 4 months ago, I paid 5K like you did.

I love the 426 and mine is a breeze to start. I was a little paranoid about this a first but it's really not a big deal.

The dealer you bought it from should be able to give you all the info you need on the free mods if you can't find it here and they might even do it for you free, mine did. If they won't help you try calling Cycle Specialty down in Fayetteville Ga, one of their mechanics raced these things in GNCC and he knows everything you might want to know.

Have fun and watch out, these bikes take some getting used to but they are awesome once you get comfortable on them.

[FNG241_WR450F]

I paid $5499 out the door for the 450. I also had a WR426. Both great bikes. I don't think you could go wrong.

[gawarrior]

Hey, gawarrior.

How's it going?

Its AfricaOffroad , from the R1 Forum here.

Glad you found the website ?

Once you get the drill right, you will have no problem starting the 426, $5000 sounds like a good deal.

BTW, Not sure if it is my side, but the R1-forum is hellishly slow at the moment, its a real pain surfing there.

Howdy, Thanks for leading me to this site. I like it. Go info. As far as the R1-Forum, it has been a little slow but not too bad for me.

[gawarrior]

I think you made the right move gawarrior. Of course I'm biased because I did the same thing about 4 months ago, I paid 5K like you did.

I love the 426 and mine is a breeze to start. I was a little paranoid about this a first but it's really not a big deal.

The dealer you bought it from should be able to give you all the info you need on the free mods if you can't find it here and they might even do it for you free, mine did. If they won't help you try calling Cycle Specialty down in Fayetteville Ga, one of their mechanics raced these things in GNCC and he knows everything you might want to know.

Have fun and watch out, these bikes take some getting used to but they are awesome once you get comfortable on them.

Where are you located? I am in Fairburn. I have already done some of the free mods. Taken the airbox lid off and cut down the throttle stop (big difference). Gonna take out the spark arrester when I am not in a national forrest. Hopefully we can get together and ride some. I need someone to ride with. It would also be cool to ride with another wr426.

[gawarrior]

BTW, I took it for a little spin today. This thing is awesome! I could not tell it until I fixed the throttle stop. ?

[Rich_in_Orlando]

You made a good choice. We always assume that a newer model year is a better bike but I don't think it's true. I've ride a WR400 and have ridden a 426 and a 450. The 426 felt like it wanted to launch compared to my 400. The 450 felt much tamer and had much less snap than the 426. Until Yamaha addresses some serious issues in the WR450, I truly believe that the '01 and '02 WR426s are the best model years so far for these types of bikes.

[wrkaholic]

Good buy, I am happy with mine. I bought it used in March of this year. An advantage you have over the 450's is that you can go to YZ timing very easily, you just skip a tooth on the timing chain. Directions are readily available from motoman's site, etc... . With WR450's, you have to change cams to do YZ timing. When I went to YZ timing, I could not believe the extra pull in the mid range and upper RPMs. If you ride on open trails or desert, it is really nice. I did not feel a reduction in low end, but, it might be there. I was rejetting during the same time, so, I was feeling alot of changes. ?

[Sylvain]

About :

I truly believe that the '01 and '02 WR426s are the best model years so far for these types of bikes

I feel the same way. ?

My wr426 is truly one hell of a bike. :D

[gawarrior]

Thanks for the vote of confidence guys. I have not ridden mine much yet. I am planning on going to the North Georgia mountains this weekend. I did take it for a spin today and was very impressed. I think I made the right choice.