Picked up a wr 426

[96warrior]

I picked up a left-over new 2001 wr 426.

I love and hate the bike at the same time. It's the first new from the dealer toy I ever bought. I'm starting to wonder if I chould have bought a drz400 instead.

I have the cold starts down, starts first try everytime. Hot starts usually work now that I'm not using the hot-start button every time, (the dealer said to use it everytime I start the bike when it's hot!). I wanted to do a little night time riding yestarday. I stopped for a minute to get a drink. And my dad went over and twisted the throttle a few times. Well unfortunantly I think he flooded it, becuase it wouldn't start for anything. What do you do in this situation?

I love the way the bike handles, but man this thing is tall. It towers over my cr125. And it's not very fast in stock form either. I hope there is a HUGE increase when the restrictors are removed. I'm 5'9 200lbs and was wondering if I should have the suspension lowered a bit, or just try to get used to it. The only time it's a problem is during startups. Does it get easier to start, once it's uncorked? Pooley helped me some with what parts to get, and where to find some tech articles. So if I pull the grey wire and the blue wire the bike will start easier, and run better in the mid range? And has anyone in here done the bk carb mod? Been reading through the owners manual too. To all the michigan guys in here, what is your jetting? I want to be fairly close when I take all this stuff apart. And what mods does everyone recommend for performance increases?

Reading all the problems about the 450 scared me away from it. Not trying to flame, or put down the bike. I didn't want to have any serious problems with a new machine that was big bucks.

[oRGie]

nice bike ? just like mine except you got a bigger fuel tank and an exhaust you can dismantle.. mines a 2002 and man i love it to bits.. I've never touched my hot start knob, been told it leads to blindness, no seriously, never use it and the bike starts first kick hot or cold.. its all about technique, you'll get a feel for it.. if the bike gets flooded, pull out the hot start knob and kick her through ten times or so with the decomp lever pulled in..

[SPUTTER]

My 02wr426 flat STUNK until I did some mods. Raising the forks about 1/4-3/8 inch will help it turn and drop it down some. Do the "free mods" outlined in this forum, i.e., cut throttle stop, pull exhaust restrictor and replace with a GYT pipe or vortip, toss the air box cover, etc. (the grey wire thing is a waste) Do searchs - you will get tons of info. GET AN IMS or CLARKE gas tank! The Clarke has a YZ seat/tank combo for about 260. The tank is a MUST to allow you to move around. I almost lost my whachamacallits with the stock tank.

The suspension will settle some after a few hours and the bike is not any taller than any other - and check the rear sag, I've gotten bikes that had the rear springs waaay over tightened from the factory - and that will make them ride hard and tall.

New bikes are like new boots - they suck - until they get broken in - once you do some mods you will flat love it!

?

P.S.

And it will get easier to start too. Don't do any jetting changes until you do the mods - exhaust and airbox, no? BUT if you want a primo set-up, drop in an 03 YZ450 exhaust cam (about $170 with shims). It will make it a torque-monster and it has the auto-decompression. The YZ forum has a static lead-in topic on the cam and installation.

You will have a bike a DRZ dreams of becoming.

P.S. partII,

I just looked at your bike - you could drop the forks a full half inch from where the dealer set them.

Aren't you concerned about the mirror arm sticking you in a fall?

[captain_S]

Don`t worry,it will come good with a little help from all the folks here at TT.I have a euro spec o1 wr-426,and i felt just the same as you when i first got my wr,it took me a lot of time to get it to the point where i now really enjoy the wr.Yz time it,go for the e taper needle from the yz range,if you don`t want to run a yz pipe then,i would at least open the exhaust a little and take the whole lid off the air box,you may need to lean it off a bit,the guys in your part of the world will be better at giving you jetting spec`s,and the parts (# numbers)that will help you get what you need!,i think the only reason your bike conked-out when it was being reved is it`s too rich off the bottom,do the bk mod,some of the wr`s seem to squirt the gas in too soon and too long(the pump),mine had a cough just before it would realy get going,but doing the bk-mod and opening the exhaust with the lid off the air box was a big help,i found that when my bike cut-out and would not start the plug was black as nite,new plug and it would run again,keep an eye on the plug as you make change`s try and keep it nice and clean(not all black)the centre insulator should be nice and clean most of the way up inside, a little soot just where it meets onto the metal plug body is safe(you can fine tune it after that!)keep the air filter clean too,i have seen that some folks get on better with different fuel type`s,the wr is a fast bike once you get going in the rite direction,have faith it will happen! ?

[huskyrider]

My WR's were very sensitive to starting after I did the free mods. Cutting throttle stop to 23mm, trashing the airbox cover and exhaust baffle, and removing the grey wire. They ran really well but had major popping when letting off the throttle and I always had to use the hot start button after warming up. To lean I suppose. After changing to YZ timing and jetting the popping was gone and starts improved 100%. I only use the hot start sometimes after crashing now. I'm no jetting expert but all I did was put in a EJP on clip 4 and nothing else to the carb.

I noticed very little difference in performance, slightly snappier low end, but a big difference in how it carborates and starts. If I felt a little more comfortable in my mechanical skills I'd really like to fine tune my jetting for even more snap but, I'm happy with no more popping and easier starting than it ever was before.

BTW, I bought holdover in the beginning of 2002 for 6000 OTD. If you don't mind telling, how much are they fetching now.

[96warrior]

Right now I just want to do the simple things. I'm gonna change the oil and pull the blue wire today for easier starting. Install the gytr frame gaurds I got. I'll probrably ditch the mirror pretty soon. I'm going to dual sport this bike too. So I kinda like the big tank. Do the ims or clarke tanks offer as much fuel capacity? One thing that sucks, is having to take the tank and seat off to change the spark plugg. I got the bike to start yestarday, and rode it over 10 miles through a bad rain storm. It's like mounting a 6'5 blonde. Its hard to get in the saddle, but once your in there you want to stay there. I took pics of what I think is the lightblue wire I need to pull and tape off. I'm waiting for a baja designs catalog right now. Since pooley rides in the same area's I do, I'm figuring his jetting will be close. I'm gonna go with a 165 main, pick up a yz throttle stop and air box lid, wich I can butcher. That way I still have a good stock lid for mudding. If that vortip looks cool, and doesn't restrict performance, I'll get one of those too right away. Radiator braces and rally hand gaurds are on the way.

"]http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/1100507-apr2.jpg[/url]

Maybe next year I'll consider changing over to a yz 450 cam. There is all kinds of good info on this sight. Anyone here a bsa, or former bsa owner? What compression should a bsa 650 lighting have?

[96warrior]

Oops didn't work, here is a pic of the bsa, and the messy garage. http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/1088928-bsa8.jpg

Sorry, I paid 5200 out the door, tax, title and service, with 400 in accesories. I had to haggle them a bit over the phone. They called me back 5 times. They aren't very helpful people though, all they know how to do is sell a bike and thats it. I actually had to order my own parts, they acted like they didn't know what I was talking about. I bought a new bike from them last week, and I went back on satarday to pick up my frame gaurds. They acted like they never seen me before. The only halfway smart person there is a darker haired lady that is always busy. Needles to say, once I pick up my stuff, I won't be going back to that dealer.

[SPUTTER]

Re: Tank size

My Clarke is 3.3 gals, about the same as stock, but it is shaped so you can move around. You do need to use a YZ seat with it.

[96warrior]

Is that the right wire, still didn't pull it yet? Wanted to make sure.

[tctrailrider]

Warrior,

Thats the blue wire in your photo. Check this site.

www.garlic.com/rdkienle/wr250f_free_mods_2.htm

This is for the 250f but the info is the same. Have fun.

[groundhog]

Warrior,

If the BSA is low on compression it is probably junk. Even if it isn't it is probably junk. I'll help you out though. I'll give you $100 for it just to get it out of your way. You'll have to ship it though!

Seriously - nice looking bike. What year is it? I had one in about '69 that wasn't that nice back then! Sorry, I don't know what the compression should be. About 140 PSI with the carb open I should imagine - but don't know for sure.

[huskyrider]

52, what a sweet deal for a new bike!

I can only hope there will be some 450's that didn't move come the first of next year. I've been prepared to sell one of the 426's since they came out in spite of the teething problems they've shown. I just can't see forking over retail plus all extras because its a new model with low supply and high demand.

Your gonna love the power your bike has when you trim, or replace, the throttle and lose the insert in the pipe. My 77 250CR(Husky) gave the new WR a close race up to about 45mph and the 390 destroyed it. I was pissed at myself for forking over 6 big ones for a bike that could barely stay ahead of a 25 year old 250 just because the bike mags said this is the ONE that does it all. I found this site searching Google for mods I'd read about.

[tp3dxf]

I have an 01WR426 that I bought in 2002. It is a great bike. Do your reasearch and take advantage of the free mods. My WR starts way easier then my XR600. Never twist the throttle when starting the bike. You just have to learn how to start it. I never use my hot start button. I don't need to it starts fine without it. I have not heard about the blue wire you refer to. I did disable my grey wire. Installed a Thumper baffle in my stock exhaust, replaced my throttle screw with one from a YZ426, removed the airbox boot and installed a Uni air filter. The bike has been excellent ever since. My next mod my be YZ timing but that's it. I also installed the Clarke tank with the SDG YZ seat combo. It holds the same amount of fuel but is much slimmer and really lets you get over the front end of the bike in the corners. It handles much better. Today I actually installed a little YZ tank for the shorter rides. I haven't tested it yet but I can tell it will really allow the bike to handle. It also gives a much smaller bike feel. Work with her and you won't be dissapointed.

[huskyrider]

tp3dxf,

What's happenin man. I haven't seen your posts in a while. Actually, I haven't seen many posts at all lately. Springtimes here and we've been on a roll with new pools.

I saw that you hadn't done the YZ timing thing and were considering it. I thought it and the E series needle would deliver in spades like the free mods from back when the bikes were new but, it just seems a little snappier in the lower rev range. Maybe I don't push the bike hard enough at high rpms to notice the difference or perhaps I haven't ridden enough since winter to remember how it was prior to the mods.

Anyhow I just wanted to say howdy.

BTW, I took your advice last year and started doing all my plans bilingually. Funny thing is, there are still oversights by my guys and the subs. I guess now I'm gonna have to give them reading lessons as well. LOL

See Ya, Kelly

[96warrior]

By the sounds of it this thing should be pretty darn fast uncorked, can it take the big xr?

Thanks for the bsa info, but not a chance! That thing is staying right here. I just want to find a nice 441 victor someday too. I have to ride that first thing before I ride any onther bike. The opposite side shifting can really mess me up ?

[tp3dxf]

A big uncorked XR650 should take it. But a Uncorked WR will be right there with it untill the very top. The new XR650 can be a real brute. Stock suspension, tight trails, it will never hang with the WR. But in the Desert look out for the XR. On the trail the WR is much better. They are two different bikes. I wish I never sold my XR they make great dual sport bikes. The WR still rules in tight rough stuff.

[96warrior]

I was just hoping that I could hang with older 250 2 strokes too, bikes like that. Sounds like it will. How many miles did you put on your bike before uncorking it?

[huskyrider]

I did my free mods at the 200 mile mark when I made my second oil and filter change.

I think you'll really be surprised at the difference it makes in the performance.

You need to bear in mind that STOCK, your only opening the throttle halfway when you open it all the way. The best half is when the slide comes the rest of the way up.

You'll really hear your engine sucking air once you remove the airbox lid.

Let us know what you think of her after you do it!!!