Just bought a nicely set up 06 wr450

[mcmarcia]

Hello all, I am new to your forum, but have been lurking a while and am so excited to have bought an 06 wr 450f. The bike came with skid guard, cycra hand guards, bar risers, white bros 1/2 titanium exhaust, oversized coolers and has the AIS removed and I suspect the other free/easy mods (havent taken the seat off yet to check. I live in SW Colorado near Telluride and have been riding bikes on and off since I was 10 (53 now), mostly street and easier trails with my GSPD. But, I went to the ADVRider westfest 08 rally in Lake City last weekend and took the GS bike up Engineer and Cinnamon pass (13K+ feet) and got the bug. It was just me and a bunch of KTMs and I knew something was wrong with the picture and I needed a lighter bike more suited for the terrain.

I think the bike needs a new battery (weak, but works), a larger tank, fork seals and will probably get a Baja or similar kit so I can do loop rides here on the passes. I love the info I have found on this site and look forward to being active on the site. Any recommendations on favorite upgrades or links to stuff I need to know would be helpful. I have gone thru some of the FAQ and performance upgrade info. Link to common problems to be aware of might be nice. I weigh around 150 and have a long inseam, so I think the stock suspension will be about right for me. If I am going to buy a battery, I want the best, any recommendations? Any riders near me to ride some of the passes? Anyone has an extra oversized tank I could buy? Off to ride. ? thanks so much for everything, cheers, marcia

[Just_a_trail_rider]

The bike you bought is great. It seems to have everything already.

I put the trickdualsport kit on mine because the install was much easier.

The battery is rather pathetic. But I've never changed mine. Once it gets charged, it will be fine. It kicks so easy that the estart is rarely needed.

Get the tank (clear).

[mcmarcia]

Thanks for the tip on the trickdualsport kit. I will look into it and try and figure out the best option The tank is a must and I will probably order that tomorrow (in clear). I saw a post on a newer tank upgrade that uses the stock side plastic, so I will probably go with it. I can get to lizard head national forest mining, jeep and historic railroad grades from my home with a 400 yard cheat on the highway and I have a trailer, so I might wait a while on the tagging process. Is it OK to strap on some sigg aluminum liter size fuel containers on the front fender? I was thinking I could duck tape some 1/2 inch closed cell foam around them to be crash proof. Does anyone make a super light strong rear rack to hold tools/parts, h2o, and survival stuff. It is a life/death type thing to get stuck all night in the mountains here. I did search and rescue for 10 years here. Bike runs like a BOOH. I think it has been geared down already, but have not counted the teeth. Battery seems to hold the charge so far and the bike does start with the kicker on the first time once it is warmed. I assume that means it has a been set up for high altitude. It was probably good to buy a local (durango) bike as it will work up here in the thin air. I have a guru mechanic, chuck lee, ridgway motorsports in ridgway co, who help me get it fine tuned, valves and carbs suspensions setting stuff. chuck races the pikes peak race and places every year. Thanks again