Adventurizing the Yamaha WR250R on a Budget – Part 2  We turn a small-displacement dual sport into a capable Adventure Tourer.

For those just tuning into this article series, we have been looking at affordable ways to close the gap between smaller-displacement, dual sport motorcycles and the adventure class “big bikes.” Our goal is to transform our stock Yamaha WR250R project bike into a comfortable and capable Adventure Tourer, while still retaining a reasonable weight and good off-road capability. We’ve also set ourselves a budget of $2,000 for WR250R upgrades, to ensure the cost of the build remains relatively affordable.

In Part One of this series, we addressed, seating, fuel range, and wind protection. Now we will be looking at the following WR250R upgrades:

Cargo

Tires

Protection

Ergonomics

Convenience and Safety

Cargo

Suggesting that a single luggage system can solve the needs of every adventure rider would be like skiing down a mountain with no snow. You could do it, and possibly successfully. But some people are still going to think you’re rather stupid.

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So rather than suggesting this choice is the ‘best’ for everyone, we chose a solution that would meet the specific requirements of this build in terms of payload, cost, durability and security.

For this build, we wanted a luggage system that would give us enough capacity to pack all our gear for longer duration trips. A secure, lockable solution was also a requirement. It’s important to have a place to safely stash your stuff when you are carrying everything you need to live on. While even the sturdiest boxes won’t stop determined thieves, locked panniers are an effective deterrent for the opportunistic criminal. Staying true to the “Adventure on a Budget” theme of this article series and keeping the cost of our WR250R upgrades down to a minimum was also a concern, but in saving money we didn’t want to sacrifice quality.

With these needs in mind, we chose the Tusk Aluminum Panniers ($399.99) as our primary luggage solution. Tusk Panniers come in two sizes and we chose the larger version (37 liters per pannier) to ensure adequate storage capacity for longer trips.

Although these aluminum panniers are somewhat typical in their appearance, they are unique in how they mount. The quick release system, incorporated into the pannier racks makes removal of the panniers quick and easy. Four lockable latches allow for the security one may want when traveling in an urban setting or in less trustworthy areas.

The Tusk Panniers are also built tough with a durable black powder-coated finish that resists streaking and scratches. Pannier racks are made of ¾” powder-coated steel tubing and utilize a 4-point mounting system and crossbar to increase strength. But what’s most appealing about these panniers is the price. The set includes two panniers, side racks and locks all for less than $400, which is not bad at all for a quality set of aluminum panniers.

Hard boxes may not be the best choice for every ride, but the Tusk Pannier Racks can also be used as a secure mount for soft panniers. Tusk Pannier Racks ($169.99) can be purchased separately for those looking for a soft panniers solution, and they can also provide a little extra crash protection for the rear of the bike when riding without luggage.

It’s nice to have options and for those rides when soft luggage is preferrable, the Tusk Pannier Racks can provide a secure mount for soft panniers.

A powder-coated aluminum Tusk Top Rack helps increase carrying capacity and provides a secure location to tie-down extra gear on the back of the WR250R.

Whether you choose hard or soft, the TUSK Pannier Racks are a strong, cost effective solution for the WR250R (and other motorcycles for that matter). You can also add a top rack to further increase luggage carrying capacity. We added a Tusk Top Rack ($59.99) — a machine-cut, powder-coated ¼” aluminum plate that provides a nice flat surface for strapping down top bags, fuel tanks and other items. Several tie-down holes of various shapes and sizes provide multiple mounting options for irregular shaped objects like firewood or tripods.

Tires

We now enter an area that will be very personal for the rider. Some of you may choose to go with a tire that will provide more grip and mileage on the road, while others may choose a tire that is better in the mud and dirt. We chose the latter for this build, mainly because we didn’t want to take away from what makes the WR250R so desirable to many riders; specifically, its competence in the mud and dirt of the world. So we spooned on a pair of Michelin T63 Dual Sport Tires ($144.98) for this build.

While the T63 looks like an aggressive off-road knobby tire, they are rated as 50/50 (street/dirt) by Michelin. They provide good stability and grip on the road as well and you can get a reasonable amount of miles out of a set. But the T63 dual sport tires really shine off-road where they provide impressive front-end grip that makes turning much easier in the soft dirt and mud. We also like that they are relatively inexpensive to replace when it’s time to buy a new set.

Protection

Of all the choices you may make when upgrading the WR250R, body and engine protection should be a high priority. This bike doesn’t come with much protection from the factory, so you should leave room in your budget for a few key items. First is the skid plate. The WR250R does not come with one, so this is a great first step. We went with the Flatland Racing Skid Plate ($99.95).

The rugged 3/16″ tig welded aluminum skid plate provides excellent protection, and reverberates less engine noise than other options. There currently isn’t an engine guard solution for the WR, and this skid plate offers some protection for the engine. Its shape provides additional protection both under the bike and on the sides.

Next is the handguards. Again, the stock WR250R does not come with these. There are many aftermarket options available and some will provide more strength than others. We chose the Acerbis Dual Road handguards ($111.99). Although these are not a full wraparound design, we chose them in order to save room on the handlebars for other gadgets.

Typically, “enduro style” handguards include metal braces that clamp to the handlebars in two locations. This provides more strength but also uses up more room on the handlebars. The Acerbis Dual Road handguards connect to the handlebar ends, and provide ample strength against falls and the random tree branch (yes, we know this from experience).

Another important protection item we found is for the headlight. The WR250R has a single glass headlight lens. One rock from the rider in front of you, or a hard smack from a tree branch, and you can find yourself with no headlight. So we searched for a strong solution that would protect well, preserve the intensity of the light, and be long lasting. Options are limited, but we found a good solution from Pro Cycle ($57.95).

This powder-coated metal headlight guard effectively protects the headlight from damage. Because it is not directly attached to the headlight (like many plastic guards), this guard can take a hit and keep the headlight intact. Also, it won’t become cloudy over time or reflect the light into the rider’s vision. Headlights are not cheap to replace and being stranded at night without one is no fun. So we highly recommend this inexpensive solution for headlight protection.

The WR250R does come with a rear brake caliper guard but it’s made of plastic and doesn’t offer much protection on rocky tight trails. We recommend replacing the plastic caliper guard with a metal one. We went with the Works Connection Rear Brake Caliper Guard ($29.95). It’s a low cost solution that gives us that little extra peace of mind.

The stock mirrors are also a weak point on nearly any dual sport that travels off-road. One small tip over or clipped branch can lead to a broken mirror, and the high cost of replacing the OEM units can get expensive. To avoid ever having to deal with this problem, we installed a set of DoubleTake Adventure Mirrors ($121.98).

The design of the DoubleTake Adventure Mirrors allows them to fold out of the way on impact. They are extremely resilient and nearly unbreakable. The new “Adventure” design also clamps down tighter to help prevent them from moving out of adjustment during sustained high-speed cruising.

Ergonomics

In the first segment of the article series, we discussed the need for a replacement seat on the WR. And this is the first step in improving the ergonomics of the bike. But in our opinion, there are some other quick changes that can make the ride more comfortable over long distances.

One change is the handlebars. The stock handlebars worked well, but they seemed to be a bit narrow, and we experienced a good bit of vibration through them on the highway. Replacing these with the larger diameter TUSK Chub 1-1/8” Handlebars ($39.99), coupled with the TUSK Universal Big Bar Clamp ($29.99) gave us a wider grip and helped decrease vibration as well.

Also, these bars taper to 7/8” at the ends, so there was no need to change the stock switch housings, throttle or grips. In addition, the risers place the bars in a nice spot for taller riders and improves your feeling of control when up on the pegs.

Convenience and Safety

We now enter an area where just a few add-ons can help make a minimalist dual sport a lot more convenient and safer for longer trips. Smaller Dual sport motorcycles don’t typically come with power outlets. Being able to power and recharge electronics like mobile phones, GPS units, heated gear, laptops, Bluetooth headsets and cameras is a big convenience.

We installed a handlebar-mounted 12-volt power outlet ($11.99). You can wire the outlet to either an auxiliary power lead or directly to the battery. Running the power outlet directly off the battery means that devices can be charged even if the motorcycle is not running.

Although running a power outlet off the battery does offer a little bit of convenience, one should be aware of the risk of draining the battery. If you choose this wiring option, remember to be mindful of how long you charge devices while the motorcycle is turned off.

Lighting on smaller dual sport motorcycles is often fairly limited. Getting sufficient light out in front of you requires an aftermarket solution. Instead of looking at auxiliary lighting solutions, which can be costly, we focused on improving the headlight bulb itself.

We found a powerful LED headlight replacement bulb ($58.99) from Cyclops Adventure Sports that made a dramatic improvement in lighting of the WR250R. This light is universal, coming packaged with the adapters needed for most Japanese and European dual sports. The light projects a stronger, whiter beam of light, improving visibility both for the rider and others on the road.

The stock engine on the WR250R is robust enough to handle the extra weight from the additional equipment we installed, but it does require it to work a little harder. And that can lead to more frequent radiator boil overs on hotter days or in situations where the radiator gets covered in dirt or mud. Losing a significant amount of coolant can lead to overheating and engine damage. A simple and safe way to help reduce the likelihood of boil overs is to install a TUSK High Pressure Radiator Cap ($15.99). By raising the pressure release point from 15.7 psi to 22.8 psi, the boiling point of the coolant is increased by 25° F.





Aftermarket Parts List



With the preceding upgrades, we have completed the transformation of our WR250R Project Bike into a competent, longer-distance traveler and we managed to do it for less than our $2,000 budget. In the next part of our “Adventurizing the Yamaha WR250R on a Budget” series, we will look at some optional upgrades to consider and provide our assessment of the finished product — putting it through the paces to find its pros and cons. So stay tuned for more to come!

Photos by Jim Vota