Converting dual sport into enduro/trail bike

[Justin Mcdougald]

Hi

i have a WR250r and I was wanting to start participating in some local enduro races. I never really ride my bike on the highway anyway so I was wanting to make my bike full enduro/ trail bike. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what all should be done ? 
I was really wanting to get rid of the turn signals, license plate light etc.. but that will probably be next to impossible. So any advice would be appreciate. 
thanks 

[Hans Schmid]

My suggest would be to sell it and buy a more specific offroad model. 

If not possible, unplug and unbolt turn signals, headlight, taillight, etc... Tap off connectors, throw some knobbies on and you are good to go.. 

[crankee]

20 hours ago, Hans Schmid said:

My suggest would be to sell it and buy a more specific offroad model. 

If not possible, unplug and unbolt turn signals, headlight, taillight, etc... Tap off connectors, throw some knobbies on and you are good to go.. 

100% agreed. WR250R is a great little DS bike but not worth trying to make it a legit off-road bike. Way too anemic, heavy & costly to get it competitive.

[Jens Eskildsen]

I've taken mine around a few courses, but if you struggle with taking the indicator lights of, you might be in too deep.

Anyway just lower the gearing and fit knobby tires, and take it from there.

[oPAULo]

Check out the start of this hare scramble. I was on my DRZ and my buddy right next to me on a basically stock WR250R. He got the hole shot with me right behind. He eventually fell out with 2 flat tires because he was on low pressure with no rim locks. So, I would recommend to add rim locks and race it!!!

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by oPAULo

[1ggy]

I have the edge tail light kit on my WR with the turn signals integrated into the tail light, and got the kit to put my front turn signals into the handguards. Works great, don't have to worry about ripping off signals every time I drop it or hit a tree. My tusk hand guards w/ the lights still work great even after I clipped a tree at 30mph with my right handlebar and ate shit. But realistically, you don't even need that. Just put knobbies on and a slightly bigger rear sprocket and get to work. I run 12-15psi in mine when off road, haven't had any issues w/ needing rim locks, but I'm going to put them on next time I change tires.

[travertt]

I ride a KTM350 XCF-W...my son rides WR 250F in fairly gnarly, wet, muddy and technical trails.

My son-in-law wanted to ride with us...he was a complete noob to motorcycles.  After much pondering and research I got a very lightly used 2016 WR250R for him. and set it up for enduro as follows.

For his first season (just completed) I removed the turn signals, the horn, the mirrors, the tool kit holder, the electrical safety interlock for the kickstand, the upper chain guard and disconnected the electricals for the heated grips that it came with. The PO had already swapped out the ridiculous license plate holder so I did not have to deal with that....it also came with a good aluminum skid plate that had wings ion both sides to protect water pump, clutch case etc....where we ride this is an absolute "must have". I took off the tires and put real enduro tires on it and because he is short, I had the seat shaved and I lowered the suspension linkage as much as possible.  All this stuff must be removed (in my opinion) if you plan on riding anything even remotely serious in terms of enduro trails. It can all be put back on and re-connected. Total cost about $100 to get the seat shaved and the tires installed. A riding buddy donated both lightly used tires....a great deal! The other "must have" I added was full wrap around hand guards (bark busters)...a true necessity!!

All this stuff was pretty easy to do...if you're in over your head with this stuff...you may want to re-think the whole plan.

Since he had no experience, I did not touch the gearing for his first season...I figured the more gentle it was while in a very steep learning curve, the better it would be.  This was a very good call.  It was pretty hard for him at first even though he is in excellent shape...even a 250 is tough for a newbie in consistently tough terrain.....but by the end of the season (October) he had made remarkable progress.

In the last few weeks in preparation for his second riding season I pulled the rear sprocket (43 teeth) and put on a 50 tooth...this required a new longer chain.  I also removed the cheesy and weak (and seriously bent) handlebars and installed proper ProTaper enduro handlebars. Since these "real" handlebars are longer, this required that I shorten the handlebars by 1/2 inch on each side in order that the cables and wiring would reach..it also requires a set of "bar adapters" since the new bars are 1/1/8 in. thick. as opposed to the stock 7/8 in. OEM bars. this raised the handlebars about 3/4 inch over the OEM position. Since he is quite light, I also softened the suspension so as to give him the plushest ride possible. There are perhaps a few other things that can be done like Tubliss tires etc...but I consider them not worth doing to this machine.

I am quite confident that the WR250R with all the mods noted will make the bike more than capable for my son-in-law's riding skills for the next season or two.  After that...a "real" enduro bike would be the logical next step from my perspective.

The WR250R is a tough little machine and can serve as a good "stepping stone" for more serious riding...but you will have to make some adjustments.

However, as others have said...if you really want to be serious about enduro riding....the best thing to do (sooner or later) is get a proper purpose-built enduro machine like a WR250F (a 100% different bike than the 250R) or a Husky/Beta/KTM/Husberg etc 250....for many reasons.

NOTE: Do NOT skimp on personal protection if your heading into the woods for some real riding...and do not go alone.

Good luck

 

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by travertt