Just got the latest Dirt Bike mag and was excited to see the new WR on the cover,  and that's about all there was.  They didn't have any more info then what was already known.   I'm not that big a fan of FI,  just one more thing to malfunction,  pump takes up valuable space in the fuel tank,  and it may or may not be more difficult to bypass AIS, and other mods that have been employed on previous models.  Looks like the big changes were the FI,  frame strengthening and improved forks.  No tool airbox access, Electric start, enduro computer were there already.   For me,  more fuel capacity,  a 6th speed, and equipment that makes is street legal would have made more sense.

VERY good point, more fuel,6 gear and street legal capability would make it PERFECT.I think the FI was to stay in touch with the competition. I would personally prefer to be stuck in the bush with carb than FI but I suppose we must change with the times!!...

i will be seeing it live in  5 days time at the australian motorcycle expo is sydney australia. ill try get some pics

yeah , it will be a nice bike

order one adem , order one before the katoom goes boom LOL

lol no money no job. im making the ktm road legal and supermoto type now.

Is there a "release date" for this bike, in US ?

hm450 said:

March (Mars) they are saying.

Wonder if something is up with it. Noticed Yamaha has pulled most of the specs from their web page and replaced it with "TBA".

Not sure what Yamaha's caper is with new models recently. They went all funny and secretive, including a later than usual release date, when the current spec YZ first hit the market a couple of years ago.

Weird way to do things from the average punter's perspective. I'd be worried the buying public, the ones who buy a new bike every year or so, would get sick of waiting and make their annual purchase. Just my thoughts.

I agree with the above though - sixth gear would be a great addition. You can really feel it when you're on a long haul ride with some Katooms - they're just ticking along, even though they've got a few more teeth on the rear sprocket, while I'm noticeably higher up in the rev range on open stretches.

yeah i bought that same mag only to find one page picture inside:foul: anyway,i wont be buying this because no 6th gear....other than an alum frame its not much different than my 99 wr400..

It just seems like a nobrainere to me,  that they would look at the competition.
The KTMs,  Huskabergs,  Husqvarna,  Beta's all have models that are "street legal".   My 07 WR250 is supposedly capable of running 13,000 rpms,  I don't want to run those revs particularly for long periods down a highway so I went up one tooth on the CS sprocket which makes 1st a bit high,  can't walk beside the bike, but much better a highway speeds or fast 2tks.  The 05 WR I have 1st would be just too high,  so that won't work and the 250 is just better on the highway than the 450,  a 6th gear would take care of that.  Both my bikes are street legal,  because I added brake light,  high/low switch on headlight, a fold away mirror,  and at least here in Michigan had the inspection done.  I can't help but think that Yamaha could sell a bunch of these if they only took the additional step..   I certainly would consider it.

cherrypicker7 said:

They can't make money selling only 5,000 units a year. That's all the market will bear, with all the competition. KTM only sells 50k units a year, world wide, for all models. Yamaha sells more like 380,000.

Not to be negative, but is it only me who thinks the new WR is ugly and the old shape nicer!!

Myself, I'm more concerned with how it performs than how it looks. A year of bashing in the woods and it ain't going to win any show awards anyway.
Bring on the ride reviews!

If you ride with large elevation changes the new F.i.WR sounds dreamy. I 'll buy one from somebody who didn't like it and sells after it's been sitting in their garage for a year.

geoffro said:

That headlight would be the first thing I would remove.







The rest I could live with.

Yamaha hasn't posted a weight for the new bike on their website.  Does anyone know how much it weighs?  

Obviously how high the weight is located is will be a handling factor too.  My 05 WR is a good bike, but not exactly nimble in tight stuff (despite different springs, etc) due to its weight.  I'd love to have something lighter and more agile...

Yamaha Family said:

Specs are on the Yamaha Canada site..  http://www.yamaha-mo...up=M#contentTop
No help in the lighter weight hope department. 273.5lbs, actually up almost 7lbs from '11.

Sigh.  So the new KTM 450XC-W dropped 8 pounds from last year.  And the WR450 has gained 7 lbs?  If my math is correct, they split by 13 lbs from last years combined weight.  Not good for Yamaha.

If the weight estimate is right that does suck. I have an '07 WR450 (uncorked) and the motor is one of the best I have I ever ridden. But yes, the bike is heavy and feels heavy after some tight riding. It's great all day on two track and open trails, but if you try to wick it up on tight trails, it gets away from you. Under the seat and tank the wiring and plumbing is really tight. I just bought the new KTM 500 XC-W with fuel injection. You can reach your hand through the engine compartment. It is trim, slim and uncluttered. I hope the FI doesn't let me down, but it has been great on the 350s, the Husabergs and the all the new body KTMs so far. (I was at the ISDE in Finland and there were plenty of FI KTMs running hard with no problems). The 500 is light and feels twice as light as it looks. You can flick the thing around on super tight single track and hammer sand washes. And, as mentioned, the 6 speed is soooo nice. I love Yamahas and have always had great luck with them, but I also wish they would have knocked 10 lbs off and thrown in a 6 speed.