Theyre a 650 single (xt660 motor) here and they started selling them at the beginning of 2011. They are top heavy and the motor is very underpowered, but they have been very reliable and I found it very comfy except for the stepped seat. They are mile munchers, a polar opposite to the yz's. They also sell the XTZ Super Tenere which is a 1200 Bmw GS like machine. I think theyre a watercooled side radiator mounted V twin rather than the opposed boxer GS. In Brazil you can get a 250 tenere, which is kind of a hybrid Wr250R and the bigger 650.
An interesting note in the article on the YZF, it is injected by Keihin and runs a 44mm throttle body, single flap set up. 250cc engine remember! Wow.
Be good to see a new WRF250, the old one was a brilliant tool in it's day, will also be good to see a new Jap bike on the starting grid of UK enduro's amongst the sea of orange.
Unfortunately we had to leave Husky this year to go to a Yamaha yz250f. The new yam is real nice and goes hard. We crossed it over to do Enduros. I believe that if the WR had been an option we would have gone that way. It's just that it's so out dated.
The new WRF is here: http://m.yamahamotorsports.com/ModelDisplay.aspx?l=10&uid=2508&mid=66&nav=f Great enduro motorbike!
Kelly, as far as I'm aware it is only the 250 that is YZF based for now. I'm sure these will be a great bike for the bush, great handling, quality suspension & good power for a 250 with the ability to for user tuning of the EFI system. I say bring it on I'm hoping Yamaha will follow it up with the reverse engined YZ450F based bike in the future, but for now the big, tubby 2010 update old 5 valve engine continues.
I like the idea but fear they will be heavy and not handle like the YZ when all said and done. Hope I am wrong. in 03 I bought a new YZ250F instead of the WR250F after seeing them side by side. It was the right decision for me. that bike was good, light and fast. I think if I was in the market for all these bikes I'd still choose the YZF. Maybe not but maybe. I applaud them for trying and bet they will be very good overall. Good time to be a consumer of motorcycles if you got the coin.
Couldn't agree more its a beast of a bike tons of power all the way through. It is nice and light handles real nice but arm pump is gonna be an issue. Looked at the 250 but riding in sand sucks so much power 450 seems to be a better choice. I think I picked the red and white due to my huskys lol. Gas tank is a weird design buried under front of seat...she is a sexy girl...
These new Yammies will be winners. The suspension alone is better than any stock bike we can buy, and has been since 2006. A friend has an X ordered, can't wait to rip on it.
I hear you on the weight. Hopefully the WR only gains the weight of the starter, lights & extra wiring. The YZF isn't lightest in class, but it's right at the pointy end for power. Should be sweet & keen to test (And I need to have full registration for my riding areas)
