The Yamaha WR250X: Dual-purpose bike
IN the everyday world, 2008 has so far been about the election, a recession, foreclosures. But for motorcyclists, ’08 could also be known as the Year of the Dual Sport, considering the number of dual-purpose models entering the market.
Last month, Honda introduced its do-it-all CRF230L -- a single model designed to be equally capable in the dirt and on the street. Now it’s Yamaha’s turn, though the manufacturer is taking a slightly different tact. According to a study by Yamaha Motor Corp. USA, dual-purpose motorcyclists were divided on where they rode their bikes: 46% rode in the street and 54% took them off road, so Yamaha decided to offer two different models catering to both sides of the segment’s split personality. The result is a dirt-oriented WR250R and a street-centric supermoto called the WR250X, which is the one I tested.
Since 90% of the anticipated market for the WR250X involves commuting and general on-road play, rather than racing, the street is where I rode it -- wheeling to and from work, then avoiding the office altogether and heading for the hills.
On my first day on board the X, I was riding at 82 mph, suspecting I’d topped out the bike and wishing for a seventh gear. That speed seemed about right for a 250-cc machine, but then I kept twisting the grip -- and twisting, to the point that I thought the bike had a trick speedometer. But it didn’t. Fifth and sixth are tall overdrive gears, which allow the the bike to cruise comfortably at freeway speeds.
These tall gears also improve the bike’s fuel economy, which averaged 63 mpg in the 400 miles I rode it. That’s good news because the gas tank on the WR250X holds just two gallons and takes premium (and premium-priced) 91 octane to feed its high-performance engine.
The new WR250s are the first dirt-capable Yamaha models to be fuel injected and catalyzed. The four-valve cylinder head on each bike is also completely new, using straight intake ports for better combustion and a big fat air box for improved power and throttle response.
Still, the WR250X is a single. So it isn’t exactly powerful. Its small displacement meant I was kicking through the lower gears in quick succession to get any kind of speed, especially on the freeway. The upper gears were relaxing for the engine, but the same couldn’t be said for me as a rider because the bike doesn’t have a windscreen. As I approached triple digits, my body tensed to take the blows. At least the motor is counterbalanced, so the turbulence I felt was from wind and road conditions rather than the bike itself.
The X is best zipping through city streets and canyons, where its 282 pounds are easy and fun to throw around, though its seat may be a showstopper for some riders. While the 35.2-inch saddle was narrow and the suspension spongy enough to sink the bike to the balls of my feet when stopped, shorter riders may feel challenged. The bike’s optimal fit is for riders 5-foot-7 to 6-foot-4, and the stock rear shock can be adjusted downward by only an inch.
For the vertically challenged, an aftermarket suspension mod could be in order.
Or they could just wait till yet another dual sport hits the market.
2008 Yamaha WR250X Base price: $5,999Powertrain: Liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, electric-start, double overhead cam, four-stroke, single cylinder, four valves per cylinder, six-speedDisplacement: 250 ccSeat height: 35.2 inchesDry weight: 282 pounds
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