New rider - CRF250 or WR250R

[dirtsquirrel]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new forum member and am looking forward to get my first dual sport this spring.

I've ridden street bikes for a long time GS500, GSXR6 and R6 over the years but have gotten bored of city driving and my street bikes screaming in second/third gear in traffic. hence looking at dual sports to do some more interesting trail rides.

I stepped up to a KLR650 which looked like way too big a a bike for me to start trail riding so I started looking at the 250s. I very much prefer lighter bikes to heavier bikes - on the street and I assume on the trail. Maneuverability for me is priority.

I'll be driving about 1.5 hours to trails and I'm 5"10' and 195lbs.

With all this info, what would you recommend? The Honda or Yamaha. I'll be buying new.

My apologies if this question has been asked.

DS

 

[bohomoto]

There is some useful information about these tow bikes on reddit (if you haven't found it already): https://www.reddit.com/r/Dualsport/comm ... vs_wr250r/

You said that you'll be "driving" 1.5 hours to the trails. Do you mean "riding" to the trails? Or are you trailer'ing the bike to the trails?

Which trails, exactly, are you planning to ride? What kind of trails are you hoping to ride?

 

[dirtsquirrel]

:shock: Sorry. I did mean riding. I haven't been on a bike in two years - need to get that back in my vocabulary.

I'll be riding to trails. I live in Ottawa and would like to get to trails in Renfrew and ride whats available from there to Round Lake and Golden Lake.

To be honest, I'm not sure 'what' is available but I would like to learn on some gentle trails (fire road or gravel) before moving on to more challenging trails.

DS

 

[bohomoto]

Cool. I'm not really into the DS scene, mainly because I can only afford one bike at the moment, and I decided to go with something ideal for ultra-gnarly technical trails.

Trail riders in Ottawa do most of our riding at Limerick Forest or near Calabogie (usually trailer'ing to the golf course and riding from there https://goo.gl/maps/UMVWQrNxzZR2). The trails in Limerick are primarily easy single track. The trails in Calabogie range from logging roads and ATV trails to intermediate and very difficult single track. With a little planning and determination, its possible to ride every trail in Limerick in one day (probably 4 or 5 hours moving time, at a moderate pace). I have been riding in Calabogie for the past two years and I'm still discovering new trails. It's a mecca.

That said, both the WR250R and the CRF250L are too heavy (and low to the ground) for most of the single track trails in the Calabogie area. My own feeling about them is they are much too uncomfortable to ride the distances you are proposing but, then again, lots of people are doing it and enjoying themselves. Lots of people!

Hopefully someone with more experience in the Ottawa DS scene will post some advice. Best of luck!

 

[SigPig]

My brother is planning on selling his KTM 450 EXC. Street legal from the factory. Probably 50-80lbs lighter than the Japanese 250's. PM me for more details if interested.

 

[dirtsquirrel]

Went with the WR. Amazing. Need to get past this break-in period tho.

 

[Dwight]

Just saw your post: congrats on the new machine. I ride KLR650 in the regions that you talk about, and have an extensive gps library of roads/trails that have been graded for DS riders. I have org the "aggressive" dual sport ride for the boogie for the past couple of years. You will really like your machine on the gnarly trails, and will have a sore butt on the ride up and back...sigh, all life is compromise. I really enjoy some speed on the slab, and a nicely turned corner, so I enjoy the ride up and back as much as the gnarly bits....speaking of which, they are way more gnarly on the KLR! I like the challenge.

Bottom line: you should contact me for a discussion on the avail/known trails and tracks for DS riding: I do have many of the single track trails in the files, but have not ridden the more challenging of them due to my machine...I do have a lot of very aggressive ds tracks, which are connected by highway/road from time to time.

Dwight