considering a wr250 purchase...pros and cons

[cmd]

well the title pretty much says it all.i just sold my 06 yz 250-gnarly pipe,flywl wgt.,revalved susp. and a few more goodies for the woods.i like the hit of the bike and had great luck out of it,but after a little research and just wanting something different i am seriously considering a 08 wr250.my only real concern is that i've owned a few katooms and really like them for a dedicated woods bike,but i found that after a year or so of real world riding and maybe a few scrambles here and there is that they started to nickle and dime me to death.parts are just so expensive for the exotics.so i went back to yz's.wr's and yz's.the japs are just so much easier and less expensive maintain.sorry to ramble but i've found some really good deals on brand new wr250's ,and would really like to try one but i've had a few huskys back in the day and the maint and reliability reminded me of the kattoms i've owned.forgot to mention my riding is 100% woods,brn.mtn,brshy mtn,stll crk,etc.....the tighter the better:smirk: i figure if there're good enough for ol' scott summers,there're good enough for me.let me have

[crb345]

I currently own a 06' 250 xcw and have very few of the nickle and dime problems. I think it comes down to preventive maintenance weather or not small problems come up. I am thinking of switching because I just cannnot seem to come to terms with the linkless suspension. I came off a yz 250 to the KTM.

I too am looking at the wr 250 but I am probably going to wait for the 2010 because it will have all the new stuff they are putting on their current 4 strokes. There is a new threat just posted here with the wr 250 photo shopped into the 2009 wr 125 which is the how next year's 250 will look.

[cmd]

the ktm's i owned were much older than yours that nickel and dimed me to death.i'm pretty anal about maint. after every ride.not bashing ktm's i just think that the earlier ones were a little lacking in reliability. in fact several of my friends have newer ktms and have had really good luck out of them.forgot to mention i love the flickability of the little yz,have heard from a few that the wr feels much bigger and heavier,is this really true...don't see how.i've looked up the specs on both bikes and they seem to be within a few pounds of each other:banghead:

[wallybean]

The WR250 is hard to beat when you can get a new 08 for $4500. You will love the motor of the WR250, but it is heavier than the YZ. For what you describe though you would really like the Husky. The newer huskies are virtually bullet proof unless you get a bad set of V-force reeds.

Walt

[mikeythefokker]

The huskies are a tougher and more robust bike than the ktms. They might weigh a tad more, but the wr250 is a brutal rock crushing machine.

[motomike1000]

im curious how the handling is compared to the moto-woods converted x bikes-mike

[R_Little]

The huskies are a tougher and more robust bike than the ktms. They might weigh a tad more, but the wr250 is a brutal rock crushing machine.

The WR250 is also a physically larger bike than the YZ.

My buddies YZ feels like a minibike compared to my WR.

I like a woods kitted late model YZ. The woods mods to a YZ are expensive though.

[ztangoKLX]

Have you ridden a Husky WR250 yet? That should be your first step. Some riders struggle a bit while making the transition from Japanese bikes to the WR - it is a "big" bike and the ergonomics may be different than what you are used to.

If you are buying new, you may want to set some extra money aside for suspension set-up. If you are buying used, try to find one with the suspension done.

What kind of local dealer support do you have?

Motor is great.

Check / tighten the rear sprocket hub bolts regularly.

[Bruised Squid Dinner]

I am also in the market for a wr. I am still trying to figure out when, because right now my yz is almost perfect. Although it is old, it still has much more in it still, and I have been slowly making it perfect for the woods. I don't know how some of you guys buy brand new bikes with how quickly the resale value plummets, that is the only thing keeping me from just going to the dealer with a down payment. I have been in the sport long enough to get a new bike, just not not sure when.

[bono]

I have owned 2 WR 250s, the first was a used low hour 2002 which I purchased in late '03 and I purchased my current WR 250 new in 2006. Both bikes have been absolutely bullet-proof. In my 35 years of riding dirt bikes (European, then Japanese and now HVAs) this has clearly been the most reliable and low cost bike to maintain. I keep up with normal maintenace such as the air filter and gearbox and such. It's truly amazing. I ride primarily on MX/GP tracks, and race a few GPs, and MX races. These bikes have been absolutely reliable and very competitive. As mentioned in some of the previous posts, the WR is a bit tall, slightly heavier (but doesn't seem to feel like it) and is overall a bit larger/roomier than most other bikes. They are powerful (but I do run a CR ignition) handle quite well are extremely stable and reliable.

- Bono

'06 WR/CR 250

'04 CR 125

[Boom Boom]

Will throw in my 2cents shortly. Just picked up a 06 WR 250, suspension lowered and such. I have a 200 exc KTM also. What made me go buy the Husky was the simplicity. No slave or master cylinders on the clutch to fail. Air box is nice and tight, KTM allows all kinds of crap to get in. Carb / plug are so easy to access. So, I hope it works as good as it looks. Oh, I also have a great local dealer.

[Gunning]

My 3 cents worth,

I have owned plenty of bikes including 1985 WR400, 1996 WR125, as well as 01 KTM EXC300 and Honda CR250 and CR500

I loved the Huskies and found that the KTM did have lots of little probs, however when you do get a problem with Husky, the cost really does burn.

eg in OZ to replace the small exhaust rubber mount brackets on the CR125 cost $35 each, the same part, and this was interchangeable, for the Honda were $8.50 each and this was not something that maintenance could prevent, at slow speed I dropper the husky and ripped the rubber in the mounts simple as that :-()

[cmd]

well the wr i was really leaning towards sold...4500 bucks for a brand new 08wr.awesome deal i just couldn't get their soon enough.oh well.so still looking ,but am actually leaning towards finding a clean 07 or 08,their doesn't seem to be any used ones for sale right.i guess they really are great bikes:smirk: if anyone knows or hears of one for sale please let me know.willing to pay top dollar for a nice,clean,unabused wr250.thanks-cody

[grahamm]

. What made me go buy the Husky was the simplicity. No slave or master cylinders on the clutch to fail. Air box is nice and tight, KTM allows all kinds of crap to get in. Carb / plug are so easy to access. So, I hope it works as good as it looks. Oh, I also have a great local dealer.

Ditto on this! With one 6mm bolt seat and tank are off! ever watch a guy on a 300exc de-water... certainly more than 1 bolt to undo:smirk:

I love the simplicity of the WR! Just wish there was as many aftermarket parts the KTMs have... not fair ... hopefully this will change in the coming years with the new owner.