Yes, folks, by blue, I mean another blue Yamaha dirt bike - the red CRF-450X9 has left the building.
Geez, just the second day this guy's had it and it's already going to pieces.
Big news with me and my Pachaug rock n' roll pile ride starting just yesterday.
No, actually, starting last November, truth be told.
See, that's when I bought the CRF-450X9 and started using that as my Pachaug loop bike, and then come February I sold the WR-250FY in order to recoup the money used to buy the CRF-450X9.
Ged'dit?
So, what I did was sell the CRF-450X9 yesterday (to a guy I work with, actually, and I'm sure he'll enjoy it) and bought a used 2002 Yamaha WR-250F, which from here on out shall be called by it's official Yamaha model designation:
WR-250FP.
Why?
Read and gain wisdom, Grasshopper.
I think I've written before on this bloggy blog that getting rid of the WR-250FY was a mistake because that 250cc bike was simply a better-balanced bike for me out on the Pachaug loop, Lenny.
Actually, I was telling people that before I even made the switch, so I'm not completely dumb.
What's a better-balanced bike mean?
The CRF-450X9 had power - and plenty of it - but, believe it or not, power is not the only thing you need to have an enjoyable dirt bike ride on the Pachaug loop.
The CRF-450X9 felt much heavier in the tighter and slower going, especially while negotiating the slow stuff and rocky ground at the same time.
Considerably heavier and even a bit ponderous in some cases.
OK, a lot ponderous in some cases.
This is because the heavier spinning parts of the 450cc engine act as a gyroscope and give resistance to turning the bike, and that feel is always there.
So, while the CRF-450X9 had big power and torque (a good thing), it felt much more ponderous to handle out on the Pachaug enduro loop (a bad thing).
The WR-250FY, on the other hand, had less power than the 450, of course, but still plenty.
In fact, I was often impressed at how much it did have and I was never at a shortage for it with that bike.
It also had a light and easy feel to it's handling, something that made riding the tighter sections much easier than on the CRF-450X9.
So, do you get the picture, here?
In other words, the smaller 250cc bike was the better bike for me.
Period.
While I had good rides on the CRF-450X9, the increased effort required to manhandle it out there finally caught up with me and I decided to get rid of it and go back to another 250cc bike.
Very nice.
So, what are the details with this new-to-me bike?
It is the previous version of the WR-250FY that I used to ride, basically.
Instead of a 2009 model, it is a 2002 model, and one that, according to the original owner, only has 275 miles on it.
I am a bit skeptical about the mileage shown on the odometer because, just as with my last two bikes, the odometer the bike comes equipped with is a resettable trip meter
Still, that's what the guy claims, and I can say the bike is in very good condition.
In fact, any parts I'm replacing before my first ride on it aren't due to being worn-out or from crash damage, but from the deterioration that comes with just sitting in some body's basement with gasoline in the carburetor.
Here are the main differences between the WR-250FY I used to have and this WR-250FP:
*No electric starting on the WR-250FP - it's kick start only, Bub.
That's just fine and dandy with me because I only used the electric start on the WR-250FY about once a year just to see if it was still there. ;)
The added bonus is the bike weighs 10 pounds less with no electric start parts on it.
*The frame is made of steel tubing instead of aluminum beams, as all dirt bikes were back in the day.
While this does make the bike look more dated having a blue-painted steel frame, I couldn't care less, personally.
I never bought an aluminum-framed bike just because I had to have an aluminum frame, but because that's what was available at the time.
While the aluminum-framed WR-250FY handled well, I'm sure the WR-250FP will handle just fine and dandy, too.
In fact, there's every chance in the world that I'll actually prefer the feel of the steel frame.
I'll let you know after my first Pachaug ride, hopefully in a couple of weeks.
*The fuel tank holds 3 gallons of gasoline, just like off-road bikes all did when I was a teen.
That's a big deal to me because with the WR-250FY (and also the CRF-450X9), the 2.1 gallon tank (1.9 gallons on the CRF-450X9) was just big enough to do about 60 miles, period, and doing any more mileage without gassing-up would be a roll of the dice.
In fact, since adding the southern part of the Pachaug loop the past couple of weekends, I was stopping for gas at about the 45 mile mark to play it safe.
With the 3 gallon tank on the WR-250FP, I'm estimating around 80-90 miles fuel range, and that's a fair bit of a cushion in the peace-of-mind dept.
Now, I'll be able to ride without having to stop for gas, even with the added mileage of the southern part of the loop.
Nice, Bucky.
Those are the biggest differences.
There are others that aren't as noticeable to the eye, but I'll discuss them in the coming weeks as I see an opportunity to mention them.
It sounds like I'm trying to say that this 2002 model is just as good as or better than the 2009 model I used to ride, but not really.
I'm only being enthusiastic (and realistic) about the bike I now have, Buckwheat
So, don't you worry, son - if I have a beef with the WR-250FP, I'll be honest about it, as usual.
Actually, I'm not only enthusiastic about this WR-250FP.
This bike has a good look about it, and I mean more than just it's styling.
When I look at a bike that's sitting awaiting it's next (or the first for me) ride and I like what I see and have a good feeling about it, that is a VERY good thing and a feeling I had with the WR-250FY, too.
It must run in the family. ;)
Am I sad to see the CRF-450X9 go?
No, other than not having a ridable dirt bike at the moment.
It was starting to make my old nagging injuries I've had for 15 years or more, like my right wrist, come back to haunt me with the pounding I was taking riding it, something that didn't happen on the 250cc bike.
I don't mean from crashing it, either - my old, weary joints simply complained more on that bike.
It was simply not the bike I should be riding every weekend, especially both days on the weekend.
Ouch.
Too bad I had to find that out the hard way, but, you know what they say about experience being a good teacher.
What I'm doing now is basically tearing the bike down and cleaning, greasing, ordering carburetor parts (since the bike sat for most of the 10 years since it was built, and the carburetor rubber parts need replacing), and once I have that operation done, I'll take it for it's maiden voyage.
After I'm satisfied that the bike is ready for prime time, I'll be going through yet another episode of modifying the bike with the parts needed to pass a CT. DMV inspection up at the Whethersfield office, getting it street registered, hanging yet another new license plate on the back of one of my dirt bikes, and using it on weekends out in Pachaug.
Hooray!, even though I'm never super-happy to have to go to the DMV for anything.
Stay tuned, people.
-John
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