As the title suggests, The TT250R was in production for many years & served Yamaha very well, the WR250R came out in 2008 so here in Australia Yamaha sold TTR's up until 2013 & are still selling the WRR's until stock runs out, the WRR has also served Yamaha very well, I am lucky to have bought both from new but where does Yamaha go from here ?
Honda now has the CRF300 & there is also the Kawa 300cc as well, not sure about the new Kawa but the last model KLX250 with the 300cc barrel performs around the same as the TTR ( I have two mates with the 250/300) So will Yamaha come out with a 300cc replacement for the WRR, if they did a 350cc version I could be temped.
I know what you guys are going to say "fit a 350 kit to the TTR" but it is perfect as is, no leaks, does not use oil etc.
I guess even though Australia is a small market for Yamaha there is more use for a dual sport here than the UK, do you agree ?
Give me your thoughts or ideas on where Yamaha will end up, some thoughts are they won't bother while they are making & selling road bikes in good numbers
They should build a road legal TTR400/350 (or WR400/350R) decent suspension long service intervals like a better DRZ400. EFI 6 speed. And keep the weight down.
They should build a road legal TTR400/350 (or WR400/350R) decent suspension long service intervals like a better DRZ400. EFI 6 speed. And keep the weight down.
I know plenty of guys that would jump on board for a WR450R but for me a 350/400 would be ideal.
Agreed on the DRZ400 the 5sp gearbox is the biggest issue, my XR400 was the same & had to gear it up to cruise on 90/100kph along with the fuel range, I had my WRR doing 2.9lts per 100kls up in the Flinders
For me, 350 is about perfect - enough torque and power without being too aggressive and breaking traction too easily. I like the idea of a WR350r, as the 250 requires revving which is not my style - I'm a trail rider not a racer, and ride in expectation of meeting horse riders, walkers and dogs round every corner. Is Yamaha going to produce a 350? Highly unlikely I think. A mildly tuned 450 like the Euro spec CRF450L is more within the reach of an R and D department that has little cash to throw at an all-new engine.
Sadly none of the watercooled bikes appeal to me with their high narrow ironing board seats. I keep looking, but always come back to the TTR, with a lowering link, and Raid "sofa" seat which is 12 hours comfortable (to me at least!) I toyed with the idea of a DRZ4, with the wide ratio gearbox mod. Maybe I'll try one some day...
As trail riders/"dual sporters", we are such a minority in the bike - buying world that there is not much incentive to develop bikes that suit. I think that Honda overpriced the 450L and Yam would probably make the same mistake with a 450r - there's already a platform - the engine just needs tweeking. Why price it like an all new development?
Agreed on the WR250R she likes to rev, bit like riding a two stroke but when it's in the happy zone it goes pretty well, the TTR seat is way better than the WRR seat. I havn't played around with any lowering links & at 5'6" I do struggle with the seat height.
The TTR is a much better hill climber than the WRR as it breaks traction when the power comes in.
The CRF300 rally is getting good reviews on youtube on another note a mate has a SWM350 very light but crappy plastics & was pretty cheap as well.
Pretty hard to get the perfect bike but my two are good but both are on 22k without a suitable replacement out there ATM
I suspect if the blu-cru did produce something that was more TTR than WRR, with a 350-450 engine in it, there may very well be a queue.
I've watched the CRF300 & Rally videos, stories etc. They are getting very good reports. Lots of folk doing alterations to get more performance - ignition modules, air box mods, suspension mods, cam swaps from CBR300.
Well, if they were so great, why so many modifications? I can understand suspension upgrades but, if you wanted you 300 Honda to go like a Kato, why not buy the Kato?
My biggest gripe with the TTR is oil capacity. I could go for a week long ride and have to do 3 oil changes plus a filter change, and another not long after I get home.
I'd like to see a Tenere 300. Re-tuned MT03 engine in a mini T7. It would have to be smaller and lighter, I'm getting too old to pick up heavy bikes. Plus, my two Katos taught me that my skills aren't up to a bike that can easily go faster than my skills can.
Beyond that, there is a potentially huge market of shorter, less strong people (old blokes and women) that have as much potential in riding a 200+kg adventure bike as they do riding a 120kg enduro bike. What's between? DR/KLR650 too fat. DRz400. Himalayan. SWM 650 (maybe the best option?). KLE300 - too much plastic to scratch and what I've read suggests they didn't do much re-tuning, so it revs.
Yep, a T3 might even get me to open my bank account. Keep the electronic stuff off it too. Switchable ABS please. There's not that much out there these days that makes me that interested.
-- Edited by tripodtiger on Monday 8th of August 2022 08:41:54 AM
__________________
In the Riverina.
'73 RD250, '80 XS1100, '81 RD373LC, '96 Tiger 900/sidecar, '02 TTR250, and another XS11 - this time a chain drive Period 5 race bike that may be ready to race eventually.
