Winner of MotoUSA’s 250 Dual-Sport Shootout, the Yamaha WR250R continues to set the performance benchmark in the quarter-liter DS segment. No, this Yamaha isn’t an ideal bike for the freeway, but it’s the dual-sport that knows how to get dirty best and holds its own on the street.
Praise for the WR250 begins with its liquid-cooled fuel-injected Single. Compared with its 250 rivals the WR bangs out a good 25% more horsepower thanks to its burly top-end. We recorded 117-miles per tank during shootout testing, also not ideal but still plenty good for a bike that bides its time in dirt and asphalt.
But it is the WR’s prowess when the pavement ends that won us over. During our 2013 250 Dual-Sport Shootout test riders were able to hit off-road obstacles at higher speeds and with less effort thanks to the impressive Soqi suspension package. The compression and rebound adjustability pay huge benefits too, and the WR also delivers a comfy ride on the pavement as well. Our tester also rated its braking performance as class-leading.
The WR’s $6990 MSRP is definitely on the high side, in fact it’s almost $500 more than last year’s winner in this category, Kawasaki’s venerable KLR650. But the WR250 is a lightweight dirt bike that doubles as a road bike en route to your favorite trails, and is a head above the rest in the quarter-liter dual-sport ranks.
