WR250R: Less May Be More

Adventure Rider Issue #30

• Fit Out
• Checkout
• Nepal with Karen Ramsay
• Andy Strapz
• GS Trophy:Behind The Scenes
• Motorrad Garage Africa Twin
• The Land Of One-lane Bridges
• Outback Run
• Brrr!
• 2018 Triumphs
• 3 Mates. 3 WR250Rs. 3000km
• WR250R: Less May Be More
• Forma boots winner
• The Truth Is Out There
• Suzuki Adventure Ride
• The Risk
• It’s What We Do
• Congregation 2018
• The Long Paddock

Is the WR250R in RideADV spec the best sub-450cc adventure bike in the world? Nick Dole applies some art and science to Yamaha’s small-bore adventurer.

RideADV boss man Greg Yager (right) saw the 250R and requested two as pre-run bikes from YMA. The conversion rate from riders who try Teknik-modified WR250Rs on RideADV events is 100 per cent.

I remember when the WR250R came out in 2008. There was some advertising but not much hype and the model seemed in no-mans’ land. It was substantially less powerful and had a lower-spec everything than the WR250F, and no racer or ex-racer would want that. It was liquid-cooled with a tall seat height so it didn’t appeal to the farmers buying the TTR250. Was it a commuter? A single-cylinder 250cc trailbike with no wind-screen as a commuter? No thanks.