2010 Yamaha WR250R Review

Introduction

If it is to make a short, but still proper introduction for the 2010 Yamaha WR250R, I would call it an off-road motorcycle with a headlight and mirrors. In fact there’s plenty more to it and definitely worth checking out.

For starters, with 11.8 inches of ground clearance and 10.6 inches of travel both front and rear, the bike makes for a great solution even for hardcore off-road riding, but the 36.6 inches high seat won’t help much when you’ll be needed to touch the ground at traffic lights and intersections. The frame is a motocross derived semi-double-cradle aluminum piece ensuring a great balance between strength and rigidity (and that feels on the streets as well) while the wave brake rotors are the perfect solution for all riding conditions, surfaces and styles.

2010 Yamaha WR250R

Yamaha really tried to make this the bike that would suit everyone’s riding needs and the engine had to comply. A 250cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-valves, four-stroke thumper with motocross DNA mates to a six-speed gearbox in order to make commuting possible, but not the best thing this bike can do.

The headlight, taillight, signal lights and mirrors are all signals of street legality, while the tires are meant to do great with or without a grippy surface underneath them.

But this isn’t a new addition to Yamaha’s dual-sport lineup, so seeing where it came from sure helps in knowing where it’s heading.

History

Competition

2009 Honda CRF230L

Yamaha has plenty of competitors with which to share the class, but none is as potent as their WR250R dual sport motorcycle. For instance, the Honda CRF230L is built both to commute and ride the trails, but it remains faithful to its 223cc air-cooled, SOHC, two valve, single-cylinder four-stroke engine. No problem, but it has to feature fuel injection! Hmm…no, it doesn’t. The reliable Honda engine still works with the 30mm CV carburetor. At least the seat is a little bit lower (31.9 inches), but that is justified through the 9.5 inches of ground clearance. With an MSRP of $4,999, you really can’t ask for more, but we would have loved it if Honda had stepped up for the challenge.

2010 Kawasaki KLX250S

The 2010 Kawasaki KLX250S is a slightly more expensive alternative (MSRP starts at $5,299) than the Honda, but still much cheaper than the Yamaha. The 249cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, four-valve single-cylinder engine is closer in attitude to the one on the Yamaha even though fed through a Keihin CVK34 carburetor. There’s a six-speed gearbox as well and long-travel suspension, but these bikes really seem in a class of their own compared to the Yamaha.

What about the Suzuki DR200SE? Well, that’s worth mentioning and nothing more.

Exterior

2010 Yamaha WR250R

First and foremost, the WR250R was created to be versatile, properly accommodating and practical, but Yamaha also tries to set it closer to YZ models and I reckon they do a damn good job even though the bike will never pass as such a model not even in front of a newbie.

There is a high mounted front fender atop, close to where you’d expect to see the number plate only that in this case you’ll find a square-shaped headlight. They haven’t gotten rid of the fork’s mudguards and they look as aggressive on the WR-R as they do on the Yamaha motocross and off-road models. Although this is a class-leading dual-purpose motorcycle there are no standard handguards, but they’ll make a nice aftermarket addition in our opinion.

Street legality requires mirrors and signal lights too, but this doesn’t mean that can’t have a pair of aggressive side panels mounted around the 2 gallons tank, which is positioned low into the frame, just like on the bike’s racing siblings. Covered in even more aggressive graphics and blending perfectly in with the dual-tone seat and white colored side number plates, the side panels “make” the bike.

Underneath the engine you won’t find a skid plate even though this bike is perfectly suitable to jump over logs and rocks. This would make for yet another aftermarket edition.

At the rear end, the WR250R introduces us to an also high fender and the silencer looks like an actual part of the bodywork. The rear passenger place doesn’t look like an attractive spot to position your butt on, but it does the job on short rides.

Team Yamaha Blue/White is the only color scheme available for the 2010 Yamaha WR250R.

Test Ride

2010 Yamaha WR250R

There’s no doubt that the bikes in the dual-sport quarter-liter class aren’t for beginning riders (although they could be if riders would go easy on the throttle) so we tested the Yamaha WR250R like a big boy’s bike. This means a lot of aggressive riding through dirt and potholes, but that is children’s play for this bike. Yamaha created the WR250R with pure off-road adrenaline in mind. So while the bike will do very well in city traffic and cruise relaxed at 80 mph in sixth speed on the freeway, the dirt is what you’re looking for. Otherwise you would have gone for the WR250X model.

The fuel-injected engine fires up quickly and provides an enjoyable, but not loud exhaust note. I managed to partially put my feet to the ground, so I kept the standard suspensions setting as I was anxious to ride, but if it was to ride the thing daily, I would have lowered them at least with one inch. The seat is definitely out of the pants and the handlebars at quick reach. You’ll also feel good about the standard pegs although you won’t keep your feet on them much while spreading the dust.

There is enough power coming from the small engine even though I didn’t completely enjoyed it at first due to the insufficient low-end grunt. Furthermore, the engine stopped surprisingly easy before I got used to “keep it in the zone” and play with the clutch more. Still, you’ll have no problems with fast launches because, as I was saying, you only need a little bit of getting used to and revving up is always the solution especially in the case of a small engine such as this one. The midrange is very strong and that’s what you’ll be enjoying on the trails. Also, a light clutch feel and a responsive and easy to actuate gear lever always do the trick especially when working with such an exact engine. The gearing is fairly tall for off-road use, but I guess that this is where Yamaha remembered that they actually plan on taking this model to the streets.

Working easy with the commands means more concentration to the feedback that you get from the bike you ride and the WR’s is all positive. It handles very light and the Bridgestone tires grip on to the surface they roll on very nice while the 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels easily go through potholes and over logs. Once again, I could have used a skid plate and a pair of handguards, but you’ll most likely order those intuitively.

The frame and swingarm are probably the most refined pieces of this bike and they provide awesome geometry which turns into quick handling.

Sharp is WR’s middle name and it refers to cornering. The suspensions also bring their contributions, but these will stand out during jump sessions without which I don’t end a day out on the trails. Up front, a 46mm inverted Kayaba fork is compression and rebound adjustable while its 10.6 inches of ground clearance mean you’ll never encounter bottoming resistance problems. Distance travel at the rear remains the same, but you’re able to adjust compression, rebound and preload as well. How’s that for a perfect tune-up? Landing on the rear wheel puts no problems to the WR and the bike is actually quite inviting in that matter.

Despite the 11.8 inches of ground clearance, the center of gravity feels low, which can only add a plus from all points of view. The motorcycle is stable at speeds in excess of 90 mph, but, still, it is well known that the brakes also have to bring their contribution to an overall impressive product. In this case, 250mm front and 230mm rear floating discs aren’t wave for nothing. The one in the front has to cool down after experiencing the full power of the dual-piston Nissin caliper and the rear one from that of a single-piston rear unit. This results in efficient braking under all riding conditions and when it comes to stopping, simply grab a handful of that brake lever and hit the forged aluminum rear pedal. Oh, I forgot to say that you must also hold on pretty well, but with that grippy seat, I wouldn’t worry.

Price

Yamaha is good at valuing their products, especially class-leaders, and the 2010 WR250R comes with a base MSRP of $6,390. That’s incomparable to the Honda CRF230L and Kawasaki KLX250S just like these last two are incomparable in matters of performance with the Yamaha.

Conclusion

The WR250R is a must to experience if searching for the adequate dual-sport bike for you not only because it is light, versatile and enough comfortable for commuting, but because the fuel-injected 250cc engine can be compared with much bigger models powered by carbureted engines. Probably the best example is the DR-Z400S.

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SPECIFICATIONS

Engine and Transmission

2010 Yamaha WR250R Engine

Displacement: 250cc
Type: liquid-cooled DOHC 4-stroke;4 valves
Bore x Stroke: 77.0 x 53.6mm
Compression Ratio: 11.8:1
Carburetion: Fuel injection
Ignition: Direct ignition coil
Transmission: Constant-mesh 6-speed; multiplate wet clutch
Final Drive: Chain
 

Chassis and Dimensions

2010 Yamaha WR250R

Suspension/Front: Inverted fork; fully adjustable, 10.6-in travel
Suspension/Rear: Single shock; fully adjustable, 10.6-in travel
Brakes/Front: Hydraulic single-disc brake, 250mm
Brakes/Rear: Hydraulic single-disc brake, 230mm
Tires/Front: 80/100-21
Tires/Rear: 120/80-18
Length: 85.6 in
Width: 31.9 in
Height: 48.4 in
Seat Height: 36.6 in
Wheelbase: 55.9 in
Ground Clearance: 11.8 in
Fuel Capacity: 2.0 gal
Fuel Economy: 71 mpg
Wet Weight: 298 lb (California model 297 lb)

Features & Benefits

Key Features:

Engine:

2010 Yamaha WR250R Engine

2010 Yamaha WR250R Instrumentation