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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Yamaha_WR250X_RR_News.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - May 25, 2010

The 71 mpg rated 2010 Yamaha WR250X with travel bags attached.

After months of E-Mails and planning, the top contender for the 250cc class crown has finally arrived.

While we have experienced a bevy of 250’s offering excellent and even unheard of fuel economy, the bikes were known more for their commuting capability than for an open road or trail adventure. In other words, all had baggage. Namely, they were carbureted beasts and only one of them to date included road manners that one could honestly say was 50-state, all-road (any road) capable.

The next generation of the Quarter-Liter bike begins.

2010 Yamaha WR250X -- A Little History

Twelve years ago, Yamaha released the world’s first lightweight and compact 4-stroke off-road race bike. Since then, Yamaha has established itself as one of the most dominant forces in the development of high-performance single-cylinder 4-stroke off road race bikes.

And we all know where this is heading… Yamaha’s World Championship winning engines were teamed with a street racing chassis creating one of the more desirable 250 cc street bikes in existence.

A powerful Quarter–Liter makes its way to the consumer

Yamaha’s WR250X today offers track proven acceleration and braking along with the ability to corner with anything… Even the Supersports! While the performance and chassis technology makes for an excellent story, Yamaha took it one step further with an environmentally responsible low-emission engine that makes sense today and tomorrow.

2010 Yamaha WR250X Engine Details

The new engine features a compact liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC layout running a 77.0 mm bore and short 53.6mm stroke. The short-stroke engine features a specially designed 4-valve cylinder head with a compact pent-roof combustion chamber which helps the WR250R deliver good throttle response and strong performance all the way up to its maximum output at 10,000 rpm.

Achieving segment leading power began with that new cylinder head, an unusually high 11.8:1 compression ratio (requiring premium fuel o reduce the chance for pre-detonation), extra-large titanium intake valves and high-lift camshafts specially treated to increase surface hardness and reduce frictional losses.

Fuel injection… The coup d'etat in the 250cc class

The excellent fuel economy and low emissions can be attributed mainly to a fuel injection system – the first time it has been incorporated on a Yamaha 250cc on-off road machine. The compact ECU receives data from a crank sensor, intake air pressure sensor and throttle position sensor, allowing it to calculate the engine’s optimum fuel volume, intake air volume and injection timing.

The fuel/air mix is fed to the intake via a long nozzle 12-hole two-directional injector. The mapping of the fuel injection system ensures strong power delivery and quick throttle response from approximately 3,500 all the way to its maximum at 10,000 RPM.

The intake is equipped with an air control valve, which, together with the EXUP system fitted to the exhaust, allows the ECU to accurately control the WR250X engine’s airflow from the intake for good power across the RPM range. It is not a peaky engine by any means.

What this means to you or I? When climbing from the depths of Death Valley to the heights of Pike’s Peak, there is little loss in performance. A carbureted bike without jetting swaps at every 5,000’ elevation interval begins to starve and can lose upwards of 1/3 of its available power above 10,000 feet. Fuel injected engines adjust on the fly and therefore offer peak output over a far greater range of elevations with no user interaction required.

In other words, shut up, start up and ride :D

Emissions

An Air Induction System (AIS), O2 sensor and Catalyst (CAT) are used to lower the WR250X’s emissions. The oxygen sensor provides feedback to the ECU which in turn adjusts the fuel/air ratio ensuring more complete combustion and much lower emissions. The AIS introduces air into the exhaust to re-burn any fuel not previously consumed and finally, the exhaust gases are run through a Catalyst to reduce emissions even further.

2010 WR250X Chassis

Frame - The WR250X features a 3-section semi-double cradle frame consisting of a cast aluminum/forged aluminum main frame, steel down tube and steel subframe.

Front Forks - Complementing the new 3-section frame, the WR250R is equipped at the front with race-quality upside-down front forks offering a generous 10.6 inches of travel from 46mm tubes inserted into lightweight aluminum triple clamps.

Rear Suspension - Utilizes a swing arm made of a special combination of aluminum components achieving a good balance of strength and rigidity, and low unsprung weight. Like the front forks, the rear shock is fully adjustable for preload and rebound/compression damping, and offers 10.6 in of wheel travel.

Front and Rear Brake Discs - Wave-type 11.7 inch front disc uses a compact 2-piston caliper. In the rear, 9 inch discs help to reduce unsprung weight. The Wave design both front and rear helps clear any debris from the brake pads.

Wheels and Tires - The Supermoto-style WR250X runs with 17-inch front and rear wheels equipped with a 4.33 inch wide front and 5.5 inch rear radial tires. The radial tires deliver lower rolling resistance and high levels of traction making the WR250X agile and responsive in the urban environment.

More details on the 2010 Yamaha WR250X can be found in its Detailed Specification (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32170) page.

2010 WR250X Instrumentation

Digital LCD Instrumentation has been designed to offer good levels of visibility and operability, while also being light and compact. The basic mode display includes a speedometer, clock and tripmeter, while the measurement mode includes a stopwatch and distance-compensation tripmeter. A fly in the ointment is the lack of a tach and possible mis-calibration of the speedometer and odometer.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Yamaha_WR250X_LR_News.jpgEarly Impressions?

Having been warned that the WR is already too tall geared, I suspected this would not be the case… And like every bike we have ridden in the past two years from 250 cc’ commuters to the 1200 Monsters, by the time I hit 40 mph, I was looking for an imaginary and non-existent 7th OD gear. There are some fixes in the works so stay tuned regarding this one.

The 08/09 WR250X’s speedometer is possibly over reporting both speed and distance to the tune of 5 to 10% . While I have not spent any quality time in the saddle with a GPS and a 20 mile marker segment, we will discover together the odometer and speedometer overages over the next week or so. In addition, fixes can be had for this problem if it exists on the 2010’s?

The Supermoto’s factory suspension setup is supposed to be stiff yet with my 220 pound frame, another 20 pounds of protective gear and 20 pounds of pack; it has a soft feel that easily absorbs small roadway debris and undulations with aplomb. Hitting something a little harder and it stiffens right up. I can tell already that I am going to enjoy the long legged suspension action for the longer distance rides to come. I was very surprised at how comfortable it was although there are tweaks to be made and I am running tire pressures at whatever they may be.

Handling? Very sharp and crisp. The OEM Bridgestone BT90’s stick well for a bike with less than 20-miles on it. Another 100 miles to scrub them and this thing will be track ready… Ok, so it will be quasi track ready ;)

From my short ride so far, I can attest to that agility as it’s as easy as point and shoot. I can also describe that it glides more like a car than a bike. With most bikes and their bias-ply's, as soon as you let off with the clutch pulled, its like hitting the brakes. This one glides a lot longer and I have not even begun to prep it yet!

The tall feeling of the bike is almost perfect for my height and 34 inch inseam. The bars are slightly low but we have something very special in store once the standard review has been completed. Stay tuned for that as there are a lot of individuals behind the scenes that have contributed to possibly making a little history with this bike and I cannot wait to share it all with you! In due time of course, in due time…

A huge thanks to both Bob Starr and Tim Olson of the Yamaha Motor Corporation for having to read through a number of my lengthy E-Mail pleas for this bike. This is top notch PR from our perspective given this bike was shipped into the Midwest all the way from California!

For the initial review, I also want to thank Dave Wachs and Harold Cecil of Giant Loop for their Great Basin Saddlebag and Fandango Tank Bag. I have a 130 mile ride up to Elkhart Lake, WI (Road America) in less than 5-hours for a little low speed track time and their unique bags are what make this short run up and back possible.

There are many more individuals that will play a part in the next phase which just like baseballs “A player to be named later”, can lead to a lot of interesting speculation :)

Wayne

Wayne-

Good luck, sounds like a great bike!

I understand dual-sport bikes require lots of mud clearance for off-roading; if you can do anything to get the mudguards closer to the wheels, it will improve the coverage for wet-road riding and most likely improve FE as well (exposed tire surfaces increase turbulence, which increase wind resistance and lower FE).

Wayne,
I'll be following your trip closely. Really looking forward to seeing your route, the mpg figures, the future mods and the effect they have.

I need to plan a business trip to Cali anyway. Please contact me, I'd like to meet up and ride the Oregon, NorCal coast with you.

Sounds like a great trip!

My colleague's a dirt-biking Yahama fan. He likes more power and better off-road handling so thinks the WR250X is underpowered and is looking at the WR450F.

I hope you're in contact with Craig Vetter. You'll probably go right past his house on your way down the California coast.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when you two disuss the future of personal transportation.

I don't think that I could behave with that bike. It screams ride me hard and have fun. More power to you Wayne if you can do it. :)

Hi All:

WH, it is a fun bike… And I hope it can exceed expectations for what I have planned for it ;)

Bruce, there are a ton of aero mods but I am not going to get exotic later on by any means. Just simple bolt on stuff that is readily available from a number of different manufacturers for the “yet to be named” project bike coming up ;)

Beatr911, there are some great rides in Oregon down into Northern CA along the coast and although I do not have an exact itinerary for “something coming up” I am leaning towards a Northern Route and then heading down the coast to return the bike to it rightful owners. I would love to ride with a CleanMPG member and will PM you with a more detailed time frame and route when the time approaches. I have already done the prelim’s on 4 different routes so we will see how it develops.

ItsNotaboutTheMoney, while many of the hard core WR riders and enthusiasts are always searching for more power, there are a number of add-ons that the WRR and ADV forum guys and gals have installed to make the bike even faster and harder accelerating than it already is. Personally, a bike capable of 90 + mph in stock form is way too fast for me but those individuals pushing the envelope are very helpful when it comes to the details just as we try to help new members here.

SouthernCannuck, I have been tempted too ;) There is an all but abandoned but still in reasonably good condition 1.5 mile section of Interstate near Lake Michigan in Waukegan IL that I will do some top speed runs in a few weeks. Although it is not the track, having literally no cars on it should make for a safe high speed run for three blocks at WOT and max speed…

Just got back about two hours ago after spending some time at my parents on the way home from Elkhart Lake, WI…

Still learning the bike and placing some miles on it for “a trip” but here are some baselines that I have available to date.

I rode it on the Yamaha corporate fill to a station on State Route 57 near Waldo WI. This is a California bike with the evap canister and it is rated to hold 1.9 gallons. Unlike most bikes that have a Reserve Petcock (you run out of fuel, you turn the petcock to reserve and you have another .5 gallons or so), the WR250X has an indicator light like a car. Low Fuel brings up an orange light in the dash panel while also swapping the Trip A/B/Odometer function to a new mileage counter labeled F. In this mode, miles accumulate from 0.0 since Low Fuel was first reached.

As posted, the first fill was from the Yamaha distribution facility so I had no idea how much was in there other than I could see it quite a bit below the steel fuel filler hole within the tanks filler opening. The bike had 10.1 miles on it when I picked it up and reached the 91.6 mile point when the Low Fuel light came on. I rode an additional 42.1 miles before I topped off with 1.912 gallons to a top off. The California tank holds a bit more than its rated capacity as I am sure there was .1 to .2 gallons left in the tank? I will try and attach a small fuel container with a known quantity of fuel and run it dry. I will then refuel with the known quantity, ride to the nearest gas station and see what the 2010 WR205X actually holds.

And the good news. I think???

From that fill in Eastern/Central WI on Thursday morning, I rode 156.3 miles when the Low Fuel light came on. “Supposedly”, the Reserve contains .55 gallons and from the 1.9 gallon rated cap of the tank (we already know this is short of actual from the initial top off) , I have consumed at a minimum 1.35 gallons. 156.3 miles/1.35 gallons = 115.78 mpgUS. It is way too early to tell what the bike actually received given I believe it holds quite a bit more than the 1.9 gallons, the Low Fuel pickup throwing the Low fuel light is just an estimate and unfortunately or not, I had an ~ 10 mph tail wind all the way from Elkhart Lake, WI to the Il/WI border this afternoon.

If I can find some time today, maybe I will run it out and see what the actual turn out to be in terms of Fuel Economy and actual Tank capacity.

Another item is the odometer on the bike “may” be as much as 5 to 10% optimistic let alone the speedometer offset that the WR owners in the WRR forum have mentioned time and time again. I will run down those details early next week when the GPS Ram-Mount arrives so I can attach the Garmin 1690T to the bike. I will not be running the power setup just yet as I am trying to maintain as close to the OEM condition for the review before adding “some stuff” ;)

In other words, I have no idea what the fuel economy is and am only guessing at this point ;)

Either way, 100 mpg is not going to be as easy as I had first hoped but this is again a 100% stock bike with only the Giant Loop Great Basin Rear and Fandago front bags attached.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Tank_1_-_Low_Fuel_-_3_miles_in.jpg
0.3 miles into Low Fuel. With the bike off, the orange Low Fuel light does not stay lit but the Neutral indicator does.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Tank_1_-_156_6_miles_and_3_miles_into_low_fuel.jpg
156.6 miles into this Review tank as shown on Trip A.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Tank_1_-_Trip_B_290_3_miles.jpg
290.3 miles on the bike total on Trip B and the odometer when I snapped all of the above dash/indicator pics last night.

And as usual, my picture taking quality sucks. I used ACDsee 7.0 to change brightness, contrast and gamma so the display could be seen a bit better.

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

And a list of those who are supporting this Review and Project Bike/Challenge afterward.

First of course is the Yamaha Motor Corporation for supplying the already proven 2010 WR250X to us for our take. In addition to the bike as highlighted on the 2010 Yamaha WR250X Home page (http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/596/0/home.aspx), Yamaha is supplying some OEM GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) 14T front and 40 T rear sprockets.

Great Basin Saddle Bag web page (http://www.giantloopmoto.com/) - Giant Loop and their well designed Great Basin Saddle Bag and Fandago Tank Bag setup have so far proven to be worth its weight in gold!!! You can pack a weeks worth of gear that is not only out of the weather but is also easy on and off for quick setup. Wait until you see the pics of the Fandango tank bag during a refueling ;)

The following manufacturers of WR specific and general Motorcycle gear and Rider gear) posted in alphabetical order) are all supporters and suppliers of a “Special” project bike and attempt that we will be building from the base WR250X in the very near future:
Aerostich Darien Jacket and Pants (http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-suits/darien-jacket.html) – From the CleanMPG Review (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=223464), one of the best jackets and pants in the business.

Alpinestars SP1 (http://www.alpinestars.com/SP1_Glove/pd/c/141/np/141/p/355810.html) – An all-leather, full protection gauntlet gloves for a reasonable price.

Arai XD-3 Helmet (http://www.araiamericas.com/default.aspx?pageid=57#/helmets/moto/xd3) – One of the best Dualsport helmets available.

Avon Distanzia Tires (http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/distanzia) – A unique addition to the WR250X allowing it to go from a 100% street application to a 75% street/25% off-road capability.

Gerbing’s heated Clothing (http://gerbing.com/index.php) – When the road or trail ahead is filled with cold weather, Gerbing’s gear has saved many a rider form the elements over the years.

IMS Fuel Tanks (http://www.imsproducts.com/) – They are coming out with a much anticipated, brand new and OEM looking 3.0 gallon tank for the WR250 R and X.

Nomad Tents (http://nomadtent.com/tents.html) – An Adventure tent for Motorcyclists with its own “Attached Garage” :D

Promoto Billet/Fastway (http://www.promotobillet.com/) – This team makes a number of unique products including a flatter, wider and more traction option peg platform that allows lowering of the pegs an additional ¾ of an inch, some tough as nails hand guard bars and shields plus a top of the line aluminum frame rack.

Richochet Skid Plates (http://69.94.125.252/store/page255.html) – One of the better recommended WR250 R/X skid plates made for protection AND aerodynamics for us CleanMPG folks ;)

Rox Speed FX Bar Risers (http://www.roxspeedfx.com/cgi-bin/cart/showitems.cgi?subcat_id=269) – An anti vibration 2” bar riser for both comfort and ergonomics and a set of Spyder grips to reduce vibes even further.

Slipstreamer Spitfire Windshield (http://www.slipstreamer.com/Product/Sport/sport.html) – Wind buffeting and debris protection plus aerodynamic add-on all- in-one.

Throttle Rockers (http://www.throttlerocker.com/) – A nifty looking and ultra-low cost Clutch and Throttle hand support add-on.
I will have a lot more on the individual component add-ons listed above as they are attached and we get some time on the road with them.

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

Some of the details... Staying just below 55 mph in the far right hand lane in the 55 mph zones is always a good idea of course and keeping approximately 35 mph in sixth in the 35 mph zones when running through towns. Milwaukee’s Interstates are 55 mph rated but once outside, they bump up to 65 mph and that is when I moved to the State routes vs. Interstates. From the IL/WI border to South of Chicago, the interstates are all PSL’ed at 55 mph so no problem there.

When running through towns, if a light up ahead was stale green or yellow, time to coast in while under a FAS. If there was a rabbit behind, I would allow them to pass to trip the light ahead so it’s green (some of the time) by the time I get to it. Standard light and rabbit timing... If I did get caught at a red, time to pull over to the side and shut the WR down including lights. Running through the smaller suburbs of Milwaukee is actually a lot of fun on the WR as you engage with the texters in the 4 wheel cages with hyper awareness. Some of the crap you can see people doing from the slightly elevated position of the WR is amazing… A lot of people reading stuff while driving in North Milwaukee for some reason :confused:

I had an ~ 10 mph tail wind from Elkhart Lake, WI back to the IL/WI border which surely helped. The other 60 + miles were headwinds/cross winds/no wind.

Regarding acceleration shifting, just enough speed so that the next gear would not lug with a very relaxed acceleration.

The WR smooth’s out from 40 mph indicated on up in sixth. She will even climb 3 and 4% grades in sixth (around Elkhart Lake there were a few of those albeit less than ½ mile long) if above 40 mph (indicated) which was surprising. Drop to 39 mph and a downshift was needed. Drop below 33 mph and another downshift to fourth at which point you could climb anything and hold speed while still maintaining maybe 500 to 1,000 R’s above lug. I am guessing as to the RPM’s and oh boy do I wish the WR had a tach! When on the flats, I could drop all of those shift points by 5 mph and the WR felt no worse for the wear. After 43 to 44 mph on the slab, the WR felt like it began wasting Rev’s for an incremental increase in speed. When I did ride very short portions of I-94 and I-43 to an indicated 65 mph, she was really starting to gyrate. I think I understand Yamaha’s OEM gearing selection however? I believe they wanted to reach peak power at an aero drag limited terminal velocity of ~ 90 mph but there is a lot of wasted REV’s between 40 and 65 mph indicated that I hope some gearing changes can take care of after the review period is over.

Another interesting thing I experienced last night was the increased power allowing lower speeds in the same gear during colder night time temps. Although RRc and aero drag increase quickly due to lower pavement temps and increased air density as the sun goes down and temperatures fall, power output from a change in air density was easily felt in the WR. While we all know why it happens, to actually feel the change through a small temperature delta was fascinating to me. In a nutshell, the 50 to 55 degree night time temperatures and the resultant increased air density allow the WR to pull sixth as low as 32 to 33 mph indicated without any upset to the engine or the bike. Climbing out of that speed range needs to be done with great care of course but just another data point for me to consider on some of the more lengthy night time in town rides.

I still have a whole slew of things to do over the next few days including trips into downtown Chicago and Milwaukee, the run out which I might be able to accomplish today or tomorrow and some speed range and technique work with shorter fill intervals but it will probably bore most of you... But read it anyway :D

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

More detail about the Giant Loop Great Basin rear bag and Fandago Tank bag. I intended to review them on an R 1200 GS to compare to the OEM Boxes on a GS Adventure that Harry and I will be taking down the East Coast and onto the Dragon for a review next month. They worked so darn well on thi short hop on the WR250X, I feel obliged to mention them here.

Giant Loop Great Basin Rear Bag

Not only did the rear bag only add a smidgeon of frontal area for aerodynamic concerns, it packs down so tight with the heavy duty straps that if you wanted to match your body’s profile to reduce the bags profile even further, you could depending on your load.

My Laptop and power cord fit into the top most zippered compartment within the bag itself like a glove. Never had I carried a laptop on a bike without worrying about something breaking or scratching it! You could possibly even insert one of the new iPad’s w/out a cover although I will have to take some measurements of the internal pouch to make sure.

Boy does this rear bag have room to spare! I had a pair of dress shoes, slacks, shirt, tie and dress jacket along with a pair of jeans, two pair of shorts, three t-shirts, undergarments, the laptop and power cord, a pair of standard tennis shoes, extra gloves, a fleece liner for the Darien Jacket and my CleanMPG hat. And there was room for even more. A lot more!

In addition, it supplied a little lower back support and being Hi-VIZ yellow, can be seen quite easily from over ½ mile behind during day light hours. There was enough strap length to attach to the WR without any undue concern and to install was less than a 5-minute job. Remember the WR is a 250cc bike and this bag was truly meant for the 650 cc and up crowd. Now that I have over 250 miles with it attached, the smaller 30L Coyote bag would be a second choice vs. the much larger 50L Great Basin even for a 250 rider that has a lot of “stuff” to bring along.

Another item was the pack was so light, I never knew it was even back there on the mighty WR250X. Some racks and gear feel a bit heavy yet the Giant Loop Great Basin was simply doing its job without a care in the world.

Fandango Tank Bag

The Fandango tank bag worked its magic with enough room to carry my Cell phone and AA battery charger, my wallet, the Cell phone itself, Digital camera, the bikes Insurance and Registration information, more documents relating to my MAMA functions, some power bars, two 16 oz bottles of water, a scan gauge and its cabling, two sets of printed directions in the top, see-through exterior map pocket.

The real cool thing is at my first top off fill; I unzipped the Fandango top bag from its lower base attachment and removed it completely hanging it off the back of the bike while the base was still attached to the bike. The fuel fill cover was easily accessible and not in the way at all! After the top off, I zipped the bag back onto its base and away I went. The bag itself has a small carrying strap so when you remove it; you carry it like a lunch box. This was designed by actual riders who themselves are thinking outside the box.

More thoughts and impressions…

When I arrived at the hotel. I pulled the Open Loop bags off the bike including the Fandango Tank bag with its base still attached to the bags itself. This took all of 2 minutes and this was my first time at removal. I hoisted the Great Basin Horseshoe over my shoulder with all of my belongings safely inside and carried the Fandango with its incorporated handle into the hotel almost as easy as pulling luggage out of the car.

I have not used any of the (2) internal removable stuff sacks, (2) removable bags or the (2) sewn in MSR fuel/water bottle holders yet other than top incorporated bag for the laptop so I still have some learning to do in order to employ all the features Giant Loop has provided in this fantastic Great Basin rear bag.

My hats off to both Harold and Dave of Giant Loop for making a set of aerodynamic soft luggage/bags for a bike that are not only aerodynamic but can be installed and removed so easily while carrying everything in its place. I can tell that these two guys are not only Adventure Motorcycle riders but thought of how to take along your gear with a minimal amount of intrusion while either on the slab, trail or single track/no track heading to parts yet to be experienced by anyone.

I have to pass on a few stories about these bags…

In one case although I cannot find the link, a rider was clipped by a 4-wheel cage at speed and the bags themselves took the impact with the rider not getting touched! Not only are they highly visible but they offer another measure of protection like an airbag that I would not have believed until I read the story.

Another was posted by HickOnACrick in the ADV forums that saved a few hundred bucks in plastic replacement:
Unfortunately, today I hit some oil on a wet road today. I low-sided and slid off the road. I was probably between 30 and 40mph when this happened.

My slide took me across two lanes of traffic and my 950 SE flipped, braking both mirrors (sheared off) and my Zumo :(

I walked away smiling because I insist on wearing what amounts to an ektoskeleton every time I ride.

The GreatBasin did not budge. It did not tear. In fact, you can't even see any abrasions on it. And because it was taking the beating as my bike slid across and off the road, it likely prevented hundreds of dollars in repairs.
One of the owners of Giant Loop had a spill on his KTM 530. While some scratches appeared on the crash bars in front, the rear bag took the hit on the rear and it barely scratched it saving him a few hundred bucks in plastic replacement as well!

The only negative I have experienced so far is mounting and dismounting with luggage attached and that is the case no matter what luggage you carry. I use the Step on the left peg and then mount method and that works fantastic. I highly recommend that you begin to practice this approach if you have any sort of bike luggage as it works, Hell, practice this approach whenever mounting one of the taller bikes as it is a lot easier than the pray you can get over and look foolish when you do not make it… Talking from experience on an XR650L here ;)

Enough of the Giant Loop Great Basin and Fandango Tank bag as I was really suppose d to wait until we take out the 1200 GS’s later next month but I could not wait ;)

Good Luck

Wayne

Wayne, you mention the GYTR 14/40 sprockets above, what are the stock sprocket sizes?

Are there dyno plots for this bike yet to see how much is reasonable for a gearing change?

Suggest adding an automatic chain oiler. I like the Scottoiler. It can use a relatively light (engine) oil to reduce friction and keeps the chain clean for long life. I went with a cheaper low friction non-o-ring racing chain and still had chain life 3X longer than an o-ring chain. Takes some dialing in so the bike doesn't get messy, but even then the lube hoses off pretty easy with a garden hose.

The cool weather power improvement indicates the injection is rich. It may be a little invasive, but installing an o2 sensor gauge may show what is going on. Alternatively, there may be shops that can dyno the motor, sample exhaust gasses and possibly tune the injection system. Are there injection system tuners for these bikes yet?

Other things to consider to make the engine more torquey are (and this applies to other bikes and cars as well):

Advancing cam timing. As I think these have fixed cam timing, this would likely be a mechanical modification. Increases dynamic compression and makes engine more biased toward lower speed operation. Lowers peak torque RPM.

Partial intake block, will affect mixture making it richer, so the o2 feedback may (or may not) compensate enough. Start with 20% and play around until you see a detrimental effect on the top end of the RPMs you're using. Use weatherstripping, tape or some other easily changeable material.

Increase plug gap. Open gap in .005" increments until a slight miss at high load/high RPM, then close gap .005" or so. Stock plug gaps account for ignition system degradation, bad fuel, and plug wear over time. There is more ignition power in there for the taking.

Interesting test occurring here!

Hi Beatr911:

Good questions!

The OEM as it sits in the drive is geared with a 13/43. Anything above 40 mph and the revs are simply needlessly climbing. On the slab at 65 mph and this thing is just throwing it away if for no other reason then to push that big bore piston up and down the walls.

It is geared for max power at terminal velocity, not for high FE at 2/3 of that speed unfortunately. We'll see when the tires and gears arrive after the review period is complete.

In addition, the taller gearing and larger diameter Avon Radial's should help bring the X's odometer and speedometer back into line with reality. Some of the WR guys are saying there is as much as a 5 to 10% offset on the Speedo and up to 5% on the odometer.

The chain is a very high tech O-Ring based unit (a bit less FE but very long lasting if taken care of properly) that needs only a quick brush down with Kerosene and some O-Ring based Chain wax or lube.

Regarding the tuners, there are plenty of them and each one has gained a lot of power and lost a ton of FE in the process. Most of that used to be 60 to 65 mpg bikes have been tuned to 55 mpg bikes with 15 + % more power by opening up air boxes, EXUP removal, new pipe and the injection tuning box. To see the CAT's removed and the small amount of power added while losing that much FE saddens most of us but at least the guys and gals are having fun at 55 + mpg vs. a lot less that some of the big bore KTM riders are pulling… The WRR and ADV WR forum guys are seriously technical about their mods and do so knowing they will be losing FE. Most that have had the bikes on the dyno are reporting the WR’s run a touch lean from the factory. When you first start up the WR and its warming up, it runs rich as the same 2 to 4 mph less at a similar gear occurs at night in cooler temps but 3-minutes later, the possibly slightly lean condition appears which we all want to enjoy.

The partial intake block is handled by the EXUP valve. This OEM and built in HW adds mid-range but chokes the WR down from its max output.

Regarding the timing... This is already an 11.8:1 bike with Premium highly recommended. I looked through the Service manual last week and saw no KS so advancing that is probably only going to lead to trouble given the higher load/low RPM's we would normally run during any acceleration.

The Yamaha engine designers are almost as good if not better than the Honda engine guys and trying to work around their design is going to knock emissions out of the park and/or has been the case with the WR owners, their bikes FE capability has been sapped while putting out a significant improvement in power. At least that is my feel for the thousands of posts I have read about the WR over the past two months or so.

I hope that helps?

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

I installed and tried out some throttle rockers on both the right and left hand side grips. They are supposed to reduce fatigue by allowing your upper outside palm to control the vast majority of the work to twist the throttle. Well, they are slipping a little bit so the first run was kind of getting to know the product and I now have to install some additional rubber rings so once they are on, the will not twist. I will snap some pics tomorrow afternoon so you have an idea as to what they are and how they are supposed to work. They are like a cruise control in that instead of your wrist controlling the speed, your upper outer palm does with the weight of your hand allowing far less tension.

The jury is still out on these but we’ll give them a fair shake.

The Bike is at 191.8 miles and 35.5 miles into the Reserve (Low Fuel). This should easily cross 200 mils per the odometer before it fuel starves which is what I was hoping for… It is surprising how easy you can ride through towns at night with the priority streets having green lights for as far as the eye can see :)

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

I did not take out the WR250X yesterday as it was HS graduation day for my youngest son. After we got home after a huge celebration meal at the Wildfire restaurant in Wheeling, IL, we all relaxed a bit. Later on in the evening, my wife and I headed to a local bar to enjoy the Chicago Black Hawks victory in the Stanley Cup Finals...

While the WR250X is probably close to fumes, I will be taking it to Milwaukee for a meeting later this afternoon after Church. I am looking for a smaller container than the 2.5 gallon gas tank so I can run it dry and get some actual calculations on total tank capacity and actual FE (using the OEM odometer readout).

Rear View mirror sightlines... Like most bikes, trying to see what is going on behind causes me to have to scoot over to one side or the other. I have a somewhat wide frontal area with my Aerostich Darien on but boy is it a PIA. I cannot look under my arms as I did with the Zero X and I cannot look around my arms without moving over.

I think I will look at attaching some non-OEM mirrors to attach to the incoming ProMoto Billet/Fastway hand guards and removing the OEMs altogether. The OEM’s are simply there to meet a DOT standard plus grab the wind and increase drag from my experience so far… Twice now in the almost 300-miles of riding I have been surprised by a cager close in on my six that I did not know about beforehand. In a car, this is not really that big of a deal but on the bike, I always want to know what is back there and the OEM mirror locations are not providing me with the level of protection I would like.

On a positive note, the OEM mirrors do not vibrate at 45 + mph causing that distorted field of view like many others that use wobbly mounts for the rear views.

The seat like all small displacement dual-sports we have ridden has one tough hard seat. Standing on the bike is great but sitting down for 45 + minutes at a time on the slab is a killer. Yeah, I have plans in the works for that too ;)

I took the Giant Loop Saddle bags (still loaded with my clothes, gear and other packed items not including the laptop) off for that last 30 mile ride. It allowed another 1 to 2 mph lower speeds in the same gear so while the bags are somewhat aerodynamic, there was a definite fall off in drag once they were removed. Regarding the bikes handling and general performance with the bags removed, there was not really that much difference other than the drag. Hard cornering and anything upright on the slab felt about the same. Yet another positive to the Giant Loop Great Basin bag story. They make smaller 30L bags called Coyotes but either way, they are working out really well so far.

Good Luck

Wayne

Hey Wayne, thought I'd join up and see what this place is all about. :) Now you have an R as well as an X in here! Still trying to find where you did your review on the fuel economy thingy.

Hi She Wolf:

Great to see you over here!

While I still have a ton to write-up on the X’s adventure yesterday, home chores are the priority according to the wife :( It will be later today before I can get to that.

Were you looking for the ScanGauge-II Review (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4495)?

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

A little detail regarding the WR250X’s first tank.

I topped off from Yamaha's first fill near Waldo, WI just south of Elkhart Lake, WI for the MAMA Spring Rally as previously posted.

2010 Yamaha WR250X Elkhart Lake, WI to Home Ride (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=
117250739920538958685.000487a9ad4075691d007)

A few miles ridden around the IL/WI border area and yesterdays business meeting with the MiHG from Wadsworth, IL to Milwaukee’s Museum of Art, Milwaukee’s Miller Park, to Winthrop harbor, IL and back out to Wadsworth, IL.

2010 Yamaha WR250X Milwaukee Ride (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=
117250739920538958685.000487e80c67dd9e5f992)

Enough of the routes already :rolleyes:

I filled a 1-quart plastic container with .240 gallons of Premium at a local BP before I crossed the IL/WI border. I was already 33 + miles into low Fuel when I left home so I had better have a little reserve to get from fuel starve to a local station and thus the small container with enough air inside to allow for some vapor expansion.

On the way to Milwaukee, I began to run out just after I began a western leg on Highway 20 about 1-mile from I-94. As she would sputter and the weight transfer would move to the front, some more fuel would enter the fuel pump and it would spring to life for another two or three blocks. This was repeated for about a mile. Do not try this at home as it raises hell with fuel pumps… At least if you are on a flat road, you have another .75 to 1-mile range as she begins to reach fuel starvation. After about 4 or 5 of these events, she finally ran completely out. I was still above 30 mph and coasted into a Shell on HWY 20 and I-94 in Sturtevant, WI.

2010 Yamaha WR250X – First Tank Detail

Filled .240 gallons of Premium into a small container at a local BP in Wadsworth, IL. Coasted completely empty into a Shell in Sturtevant, WI.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/First_Tank_Collage.jpg
64.5 miles into Low Fuel at complete Fuel Starve and 220.8 miles on Tank #1 from top off to empty.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/First_Tank_Collage_2.jpg
Top off with .24 gallon container and 1.854 gallons from the pump… Spilled approximately 0.05 or so gallons with the too large an opening container and the fast pump :(

Final Tally: 0.240 + 1.854 gallons/220.8 miles (Trip A and Odometer from first top off to odometer at Fuel Starve matched) = 105.44 mpg.

Now that that ordeal is over, I traveled to a local Culver’s to meet with Bradlee and Justin Fons of the Milwaukee Hybrid Group for a business meeting. A few Pepsi’s later; it was time to hit the road again. While in Milwaukee, I may as well see some sights?

2010 Yamaha WR250X to see some of Milwaukee’s famous landmarks

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Quadracci_Pavilion_by_Architect_Santiago_Calatrava.jpg
The Milwaukee Museum of Art's - Quadracci Pavilion

The Quadracci Pavilion (http://www.mam.org/info/details/quadracci.php) is a sculptural, postmodern addition designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava (http://www.mam.org/info/details/calatrava.php). Highlights of the building include the magnificent cathedral-like space of Windhover Hall (http://www.mam.org/visit/details/detail_windhover.php), with a vaulted a 90-foot-high glass ceiling; the Burke Brise Soleil (http://www.mam.org/visit/details/detail_burke.php), a moveable sunscreen with a 217-foot wingspan that unfolds and folds twice daily; and the Reiman Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge that connects the Museum to the city.

My nephew who is attending the Milwaukee School of Engineering said one of the sections was so large it had to be flow from Europe to Milwaukee on an Antonov AN-225, the largest transport plane in existence.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Quadracci_Pavilion_by_Architect_Santiago_Calatrava_2.jpg
The WR250X in front of the Quadracci Pavilion fountain.

From there, it was a quick ride down the lakefront. Actually trying to find a good way west towards Milwaukee’s Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Once I got onto Wisconsin Avenue, it was a straight shot to the stadium. I believe the Yankee’s were playing the Brew Crew at Miller yesterday but this was a few hours after the game had ended.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/2010_Yamaha_WR250X_at_Miller_Park.jpg
Any closer and I would have been inside Miller Park!

If you want to go see a MLB game, Miller Park is easily one of the best. Not too much of a rip-off for parking, great employees, clean as a whistle and a very comfortable park to attend a game at.

If I had more time, I would have stopped in at the Harley Museum plus added some pics of the X on the shores of Lake Michigan. I will try and get some of those on my ride to Chicago sometime this week…

It may not be the Grand Canyon, Moab or Big Sur, for a slab rider from the Midwest, it is about as good as it gets ;)

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi Wayne,
Joined in to follow your progress (and also interested in some of the other forum topics).

Nicely done on the mileage. I think the key has been your low mph. It's amazing how quickly the mileage drops off as speeds increase (rpm and wind resistance). It will be interesting to see what your day-to-day mileage is as your trip progresses.

One point I'll clarify is that your X has a 13/42 sprocket combo stock. It is different from the R since the X has smaller diameter wheels and tires so Yamaha ran one tooth smaller in the rear to compensate a bit.

I might be recalling wrong, but some that have dynoed have actually recorded areas where the R (and presumably the X as well) are running rich. So there are both lean and rich areas in the powerband. Most programmers will only let you richen, but there is at least one that lets you go leaner than stock as well. That would be a good tool, even on a stock bike, so you could dyno and get the ideal fuel mixture at all rpm and throttle openings. The only issue with doing that on a stock bike is the spark arrestor doesn't allow the "sniffer" to be inserted quite far enough into the exhaust to get a consistent reading.

So you are still running stock gearing? What gearing are you considering? The 14/40 combo as mentioned earlier? That would sure put you high, but should work great for your intentions. It might require a little more clutch work from a dead stop, but in all other areas, it should be fairly streetable.

To clarify, the EXUP valve is in the exhaust, not the intake. If I recall right, it stands for something like Exhaust Ultimate Power valve. The name is cheesy, but the science is sound. By adjusting the valve, the backpressure can be adjusted, benefiting the pressure-wave and enhancing low and mid-range power. The intake flapper, and it's auto-adjustment, is generally not included when referring to the EXUP system.

On my R, I've tried to keep the best of all worlds (low emissions, reasonable FE, and still enough power to be fun in pretty gnarly off-road riding). All systems are intact (AIS, air flapper, EXUP, stock exhaust with cat). I have not modified the airbox or exhaust nor purchased a programmer. I have, however, geared it down. Stock is 13/43 on the R. I ran 12/43 (similar ratio to 13/46) for a while to see if I liked that ratio since I was running a taller-than-stock rear tire. I ended up with a 13/48 (just replaced the 12/43 this weekend) and it is perfect for my needs. After I adjust the speedoDRD (speedometer/odometer correcting tool), I'll see how FE is impacted. So far, I've been able to pull 6th gear at a slower backroad speed than with stock gearing. The only place it should impact my FE is the open highway and that is when it really pays off that these bikes have two overdrive gears (both 5th and 6th).

I believe you said you have the California model, correct? So you have the charcoal canister in front of the lower frame? The advertised tank capacity is lower on the Cali models than the non-cali models, so great that you can still fit in 2 gallons. I've not run my R dry, but have been right there. I fit in 2.02 gallons (according to the gas pump). I wonder if Yamaha, like many auto manufactures, advertise a capacity a bit smaller than actual on purpose. In nearly every auto I've owned, I've managed to fit in more than the advertised capacity. That is always unsettling since it tends to cause me to question the accuracy of the pump and if I'm being charged for more gallons than I actually pumped. Unlikely, but it still nags me from the back of my mind.

What other techniques are you using to get your posted mileage? You mentioned a couple (like timing lights and shutting off the bike when you get caught at them). Are you pulling in the clutch (or shifting to neutral) when going down hills in order to coast? Drafting? Just curious. I'll never do either of those, or shut off the bike at lights, but I am interested in the results of your experimentation. Thanks.

Hi Chadx:

Great to have two enthusiastic pros over here (you and She Wolf) when it comes to the 08 - 10 WR250 R/X. I also applaud you for maintaining the stock engine and emissions controls. Reading the ADV and WRR forums, it has to feel like someone is pulling your hair not too go hog wild with the engine mods for that extra power ;) I should have looked back at my spec page vs. off the top of my head on the X/R gearing too!

Yamaha is sending out some GYTR 14/40 sprockets which should be here this week. Avon is sending me a set of the Distanzia's which will add yet another 4 + % or so... These will be added after the review is complete of course as I do not want to skew the review with an add-on of any sort. I am concerned about those Distanzia’s however as that front tire has quite a bit larger footprint plus the discussion in the WR forum where one rider saw less than 2,500 miles. I am sure we can pull 4,000 + out of them but it is still a question mark.

And you are right about the clutch work. To get the WR moving will take some work with the 15 +% taller ratio once the CS, Rear sprocket and rear tire are installed. We will see if it actually helps in the sweet 45 to 55 mph range or not? I have a Slipsteamer Spitfire windscreen, a Ricochet skid plate and some ProMoto Fastway hand guards. All should help improve the aero a bit.

I will eventually be running some Mobil1 10W-30 which should help the efficiency a bit for the lengthy Project bike ride that I am still in the planning stages with.

Now what to do about that seat... Renazco is willing to help me out but I do not have an OEM pan for them to work with. I have already sent in requests to ROHO (the Airhawk guys) to see what they can do for me as well.

I did notice a pickup in performance once the GiantLoop GreatBasin's were removed so I will have to be careful about loading and also cinching down to reduce its profile even further.

Welcome again to CleanMPG and I hope you find some relevant bike and automobile fuel and emissions reduction discussion here.

Good Luck

Wayne

Wayne did you use that scan tool on your X when you did the computing?

I will try and get some of those on my ride to Chicago sometime this week…


Wayne-
If you hit the Edens/Kennedy Junction between 2 and 3 PM, you might see somebody wearing a dorky red jacket on an electric blue bike. Be sure to wave.:)

Wayne did you use that scan tool on your X when you did the computing?

I don't think that is possible... unless new bikes have an ODBII port on them now? Wayne tops off his tanks so that he is absolutely sure of the fuel level and then uses the distance from the ODO.

Hi Chadx:

To help with some of your other questions, the following may shed some more light…

So you are still running stock gearing? What gearing are you considering? The 14/40 combo as mentioned earlier? That would sure put you high, but should work great for your intentions. It might require a little more clutch work from a dead stop, but in all other areas, it should be fairly streetable.
Yes, stock gearing. While good for the acceleration up to 35 to 40 + mph, after that, it seems to fall short for a CleanMPG member riding style. Meaning it is geared to short and adding Rev’s for higher speed riding.
I believe you said you have the California model, correct? So you have the charcoal canister in front of the lower frame? The advertised tank capacity is lower on the Cali models than the non-cali models, so great that you can still fit in 2 gallons. I've not run my R dry, but have been right there. I fit in 2.02 gallons (according to the gas pump). I wonder if Yamaha, like many auto manufactures, advertise a capacity a bit smaller than actual on purpose. In nearly every auto I've owned, I've managed to fit in more than the advertised capacity. That is always unsettling since it tends to cause me to question the accuracy of the pump and if I'm being charged for more gallons than I actually pumped. Unlikely, but it still nags me from the back of my mind.
Yup, California model… In testing like this, I have not found a single vehicle where the spec’ed capacity was equal or more than what they could actually hold. Other than 04 – 09 Prius’ and their bladders in the winter that is ;)

Riding the California model with the EVAP and extra connection into the tank is rated at 1.9 gallons. As I saw from the pump and extra container from fuel starve, its actual total capacity is closer to 2.05 gallons vs. the 2.094 I did the calc’s from (I spilled quite a bit of fuel unfortunately :(). I suspect the non-California models may hold upwards of 2.15 gallons so you were really close to fuel starve yourself! I will be sure to have an MSR fuel bottle instead of a large, one time use plastic container the next time I come this close to fuel starvation ;)
What other techniques are you using to get your posted mileage? You mentioned a couple (like timing lights and shutting off the bike when you get caught at them). Are you pulling in the clutch (or shifting to neutral) when going down hills in order to coast? Drafting? Just curious. I'll never do either of those, or shut off the bike at lights, but I am interested in the results of your experimentation. Thanks.
If I get stuck at a light that has no cross walk timer or Rabbit sitting at it ahead, I shut her down. I got caught at a light in South Milwaukee on Sunday that would not pick up the X’s wheels through the magnetic sensor in the pavement and most small displacement bike owners know how frustrating that can be. Fortunately I was shut down while I was rolling the bike back and forth over the road sensors for an ~ 2-minute period. A car finally came up from behind and asked if I was having problems… I was of course but not the kind that he was probably thinking about :D

If I get stuck at a Green to Yellow, it is downshift, downshift and downshift while slowing to keep within the fuel cut window. If there is a yield sign to the right turn, I will take that alternate for half a block or so, U-Turn and then right turn again to keep my progress moving on my intended travel path. This has saved me countless precious ounces on the 250X in a number of areas within the Milwaukee suburbs. Use it if available but the Chicago area is almost devoid of those kinds of intersections w/ yields unfortunately :(

If it s a Stale Red and I can see a Walkway countdown timer almost at 0 ahead, I will do exactly what you posted. Just pull in the clutch and continue the glide in what we call a NICE-On (Neutral – Internal Combustion Engine On). That way you are only idling while coasting to the light that is about to change green. It saves fuel vs. continued power and then brake and back on the accelerator to time the light if that helps.

On lengthy down hills, always NICE-On’s and FAS’s. This is the surprising thing. The 250X rolls really well with those OEM Bridgestone Radials. Few other bikes can maintain speed w/out power while coming down intermediate hills. The 250X does and I make sure I take advantage of it at every opportunity. We are not talking about 55 + coming out of the mountains but around town with some of the steeper streets at 25 to 35 mph and PSL’s of the same.

I do not travel fast enough to Close in draft but I do get the kick from traffic side as the vehicles on my left come by at slightly higher speeds. This transitions into a Surf for another 10 to 15-seconds before they have moved ahead far enough that their wake has all but disappeared. I described this kind of quickly but you are in the far right lane while they are in the middle or left lanes passing by at maybe a 2 to 15 mph delta.

I also stick to 55 mph or under roadways as I find little enjoyment whether on a bike or in a car/truck of traveling at 65 +. I have watched to many IIHS vids and seeing what a car turns into after just a 35 or 40 mph impact is enough to keep me between the limits in the far right hand lane.

I hope that helped?

She Wolf, Sean hit it on the head. When Bikes receive an OBD-II port, many of us will be plugging in a ScanGauge. There are other devices that you can tap into the injector but the R/X’s VSS (vehicle speed sensor) may not be a standard build either so that may be out of the question :( If the bike has an instantaneous and averaging fuel consumption display, the WRR and ADV forums would have a lot more fuel efficient riders in them too :)

If you have read the BMW F 800 GS and R 1200 RT blogs and review, you will see BMW incorporated an iFCD (instantaneous) and aFCD (averaging ) into their bikes and whooaaa is that a neat addition! With feedback, everyone is a Hypermiler and it is so easy even a caveman could do it :)

WH, if you are not buried in school work and want to go for a ride, let me know and maybe we can arrange something?

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

A little ride into the Windy City today… One of my most challenging rides due to traffic and stop sign after stop sign along my chosen route.

First stop...

Evanston Beach

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/X_on_Evanston_Beach.jpg
Motorcycles are great as there is no gate that can hold them back… Don’t tell the Evanston Police how this WR250X got onto the beach road ;)

Low Fuel Appears a bit early this time around

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/147_9_miles_-_Low_Fuel_Appears_Collage1.jpg
Tank 2 hits low fuel at 147.9 miles. That is about 8 miles short of last tanks Low Fuel and boy do I have some work ahead of me!

The Chicago River

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/X_at_the_Chicago_River.jpg
At the Chicago River.

The Chicago River flows through Downtown Chicago but there are two items that make it notable. First, it used to flow into Lake Michigan. Today, it flows to the Mississippi river. And second is what every Chicagoan knows happens on St. Patrick’s Day. The city dye’s the river green!

The John Hancock Building

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/X_at_John_Hancock_Building.jpg
Looking up at the John Hancock Building from almost underneath the WR250X.

John Hancock Center Building Facts
Completed in 1970
100-story mixed-use complex
896,980 sf of office space
171,771 sf of retail
17,371 sf observatory on the 94th floor
34,307 sf TV and radio broadcast facility
49 floors of residential condominiums
Millennium Park CloudGate

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/X_at_the_Millenium_Park_Bean.jpg
At Millennium Park with CloudGate (otherwise known as the Bean) in the background. Chicago police were all over me anytime I crossed that darn rope so that was as close as I could get :ccry:

Cloud Gate is British artist Anish Kapoor's first public outdoor work installed in the US. The 110-ton elliptical sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect the city's famous skyline and the clouds above. A 12-foot-high arch provides a "gate" to the concave chamber beneath the sculpture, inviting visitors to touch its mirror-like surface and see their image reflected back from a variety of perspectives.

Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture is among the largest of its kind in the world, measuring 66-feet long by 33-feet high. Cloud Gate sits upon the AT&T Plaza within Chicago’s Millennium Park.

Art Institute of Chicago

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/In_Front_of_the_Art_Institute_of_Chicago.jpg
Some Chicago visitors were happy to help by taking my Canon and snap this one… The Art Institute of Chicago Lions with Blackhawk helmets. Can anyone figure out why that is :D

The Art Institute of Chicago is featuring the artist Henri Mattise until late June with 120 of his most ambitious and experimental paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints from the period. Matisse himself acknowledged the significance of these years when he identified two paintings, Bathers by a River and The Moroccans, as among his most pivotal. These monumental canvases from the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art, New York, inspired the collaborative work of this exhibition and serve as major touchstones within it. This is the first exhibition to offer an in-depth investigation of Matisse’s art from this time, revealing information uncovered through extensive new art-historical, archival, and technical research.

Buckingham Fountain

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/X_in_front_of_Buckingham_Fountain.jpg
Chicago’s Buckingham Fountain with the center fountain flowing at full pressure and height!

The Fountain, one of the largest in the world, begins its show every hour on the hour for 20 minutes. What is the show? The Fountain produces a major water display and the center jet shoots 150 feet into the air. Beginning at dusk, every hour on the hour for 20 minutes the Fountain's major water display is accompanied by a major light and music display.

Buckingham Fountain History
One of Chicago's most popular attractions.


The Fountain opened on May 26, 1927. It was dedicated on August 26, 1927.


Edward H. Bennett designed the Fountain to represent Lake Michigan with four sea horses, built by Marcel Loyau, to symbolize the four states that touch the lake: Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Bennett attributed the design specifically to the influence of the Latona Basin in Louis XIV's gardens at Versailles.


Kate Buckingham dedicated the structure to the people of Chicago in 1927 in memory of her late brother, Clarence. At the time, she also established a $300,000 trust fund to ensure that the taxpayers would never have to cover all of the repair and upkeep costs associated with the fountain.


The funds for the $2.8 million restoration that was done in 1994 came from the Buckingham Fountain Endowment Fund, which the Art Institute of Chicago has administered. Funds from the Buckingham Fountain Endowment Fund also helped fund a portion of the 2008-2009 project.


The Fountain is constructed of Georgia pink marble.
Navy Pier

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/X_overlooking_Navy_Pier.jpg
Overlooking Chicago’s Navy Pier. Don’t ask how I took this pic but it had something to do with standing in the middle of Lake Shore Drive ;)

Navy Pier is a 3,300-foot long pier on Chicago’s Lake Michigan shore. The pier was built in 1916 at a cost of $4.5 million and was a part of the Plan of Chicago developed by architect and city planner Daniel Burnham.

It is one of Chicago's most famous tourist attractions offering a number of Lake Michigan sightseeing tours and a dinner cruise on the Spirit of Chicago, The Odyssey, and the Mystic Blue. Other attractions include the World Famous Ferris Wheel, the Children’s Museum, an IMAX theater, and the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows.

This coming August brings to Chicago the "Tall Ships" with real working tall ships coming pier side for all to view.

Wrigley Field

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/X_in_front_of_Wrigley.jpg
Final stop before heading home… If you do not know where this is, heaven help you. We are still counting on taking a World Series before the second century of MLB is over :rolleyes:

Maybe the following will help? The Cubs became the first team to record three consecutive World Series appearances and two consecutive World Series victories with both championship wins coming off the heels of a record one-hundred sixteen victory season of 1906. In 1908, Chicago's West Side franchise was more than just a winning baseball team; they had just become sports first official "dynasty".

And since that time… I watched many a game in 1969 and for some god forsaken reason I can still name most of the players from that team. Unfortunately the miracle Mets stole the show.

Does anyone want to know about the Billy Goat curse?

Second Tank Details

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/212_5_miles_on_2_124_gallons_100_04_mpg_-_Collage2.jpg
212.5 miles on 2.124 gallons = 100.44 mpg.

Whooa, that was close… It started to do the run out for ¼ of a block and run for 2 to 3 blocks routine at fuel starve. This time I was slightly ahead of last tanks fuel starve game per the Low Fuel but they were within .5 miles of one another. That Low Fuel sensor appears to be pretty darn accurate when riding smooth surfaces!

I was next to one station (forgot which brand it was) and about ½ mile ahead was a Speedway in Waukegan, IL. I risked it and chose the Speedway. After the third fuel starve cycle occurred, I pulled in the clutch and glided into the station ICE-Off.

Final tally, 212.5 miles on 2.124 gallons = 100.04 mpg with only a few drops not getting into the tank. The first tank was on some 93 Octane Premium in East Central WI that had no ethanol. This tank was 91 Octane laced with 10% of that corn garbage. The 10% ethanol fuel should have nicked about 2 t o2.5%. The other 2% loss probably came from the stop sign and light to stop sign and light in and around Chicago proper. SOB that was a lot of work today and my clutch hand is aching!

Wayne

Hi Al:

Finally got around to mapping the 2010 Yamaha WR250X Chicago Ride (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=117250739920538958685.0004885fdd12907f308a4) along the infamous North Shore... One of the best and most challenging rides to date.

Wayne

100 mpg is pretty darn good but not as good as I was expecting given your hypermiling skills. I'm awaiting mileage figures as the engine breaks in and the mods are wickered in.

For Waynes mileage pool, I'll take 125 mpg as the best figure. 80mpg average for the trip west.

Hi Beatr911:

I was going to go out today but ran out of time. I think your right about the peak. Pulling out all the stops, maybe 125 mpg or so?

What I am finding is that it is not as fuel efficient as the other 250’s we have reviewed but is a lot more powerful way up top. Once above 40 mph, this thing really takes off unlike the rest which came up to and through 40 mph very linearly. Not really peaky as it has enough down low to pull from lights and signs without having to really get into it while above lug but it really begins to use those high tech, high lift performance cams from about 40 mph and above which per my RPM calcs (remember this bike lacks a tach unfortunately) is around 4,400 RPM.

Another item I really like is the FI just starts this thing right up no matter the temperature or conditions. The KLX250SF was a lot more persnickety.

Regarding crossing the country, I am still shooting for 100 although that last tank was really really close, I think it might finish up the crossing in the low 90’s or thereabouts if the weather cooperates? Running RT segments at home is about the best we will ever get vs. the open slab crossing the country no matter what we are riding or driving as you have already surmised. Going up against the Jet Stream from East to West is not a great proposition either but I really do not have a choice given Yamaha HQ is located near LA :(

While setting up the pics for a Throttle Rocker Review shoot this evening, I took some of the WR250X by itself in the yard… She looks *$%!@)$ Fast even when standing still ;)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/2010_Yamaha_WR250X_-_Left_Front.jpg
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/2010_Yamaha_WR250X_-_Right_Rear.jpg

Wayne

Hi Wayne, Dr Lou would recommend that you quit measuring the mileage of that bike, and ride it hard. When you get tired of hypermiling, get on the Yamer and twist the throttle. No one has to know.;)

Hi SouthernCannuck:

I twisted it once to about 3/4 on my way up to Elkhart Lake for all of about 10 seconds. I am pretty sure that entering a fast sweeper at 65 mph feels the same whether I am in 6th at 7K or 4th at 10K ;)

Per the manual, avoid prolonged riding above 1/3 throttle for the first 600 miles and 1/2 throttle before 1,000. After which, have at it! That fits my riding style to a Tee!

Something else I thought was very interesting and it came right out of the manual. The WR250X has an Auto-Stop function! It does not work in the same manner that we would like it to however. If the bike has idled for 20-minutes without moving, it automatically shuts down the engine. There is no way I am going to let the WR sit still and idle for 20-minutes but I do wonder if it takes down the lights and all 12V loads during the shutdown? It throws a code as well but that is cleared on the next start.

Another interesting Auto-Stop function I hope to never try is it has some kind of inclinometer built in. If the bike goes upside down (maybe even if it is lying on its side?), the bike shuts off as well. I may be able to try the lay down Auto-Stop function when it stops raining.

And finally, the OEM shift points right out of the manual... Boy, I do not know as I must be accelerating to aggressively :) Shift to second at about 10 mph, to third by 15 mph, 4th by 20 mph, 5th by 25 mph and 6th by 30 mph. Riding in sixth at 30 mph is well into lug range on the WR. Maybe one of the Japanese engineers in charge of the manual build copied it out of a different manual without actually riding the WR? Funny for me to be saying they shifted to early :D

Wayne

I assume it does not have an Auto-Start function?

Perhaps you could find and interface with the inclinometer? Or does the bike already have a kill switch?

Hi Sean:

No Auto-start function :(

Fortunately, all bikes have a FAS switch (I meant to say kill switch ;)) and they are all hard-wired right next to your right thumb in most cases :)

Wayne

Hi All:

I took a ride at 01:30 AM with the roads all but desolate and knocked out the Speedo (mph) and Odometer (distance in miles) errors using a Garmin Nuvi 1490T. I also performed the top speed run on an older abandoned highway.

Top Speed and Speedometer error

This was interesting because it was not linear like I would have suspected. During the top speed run, the WR250X hit 88 mph per the OEM Speedometer and 82 mph per the Garmin. The run was performed over an ~ ¼ mile stretch in both directions, temperature of 65 degree temps, absolutely no wind and in an upright seating position.

With that data, the Speedometer should be reading approximately 7.3% high in sixth gear from lug at ~ 33 mph (OEM indicated) all the way up to terminal velocity of 82 mph with my big @$$ on board.

At 59 mph per the OEM Speedometer, the Garmin read 55 mph. A 7.2% error which follows along almost perfectly with the high speed run as expected.

At an indicated 50 mph per the OEM Speedometer however, the Garmin read 45 mph or an 11.1% error. Even if it were 49 mph, the offset would still be 8.1% so it does not appear to be linear at all. The lower you drop down below 55 mph, the larger the error on a percentage basis appears. At an indicated 33 mph per the OEM Speedometer, the Garmin was indicating 30 mph or 10%. No big deal but just something I thought was interesting.

Odometer Error

This was the important one as it is the basis for actual distance which will impact the fuel economy calculations.

I did two different segments on two different routes. I let the Garmin calculate a route from one intersection with no turns to a T intersection. The point to point distance was 7.5 miles per the Garmin. The OEM Odometer (Trip A) displayed 7.6 miles to the corner.

The other segment was a 15 mile distance calculated per the Garmin involving 6 turns. The OEM Odometer (Trip A) from reset to parked displayed 15.1 miles.

Averaging the two, an offset of 1% is miniscule by comparison to the Speedometer offset.

I will go out tomorrow and ride a longer run to lock it down further but the Odometer is pretty darn close right from the factory. The Bridgestone Tires are brand new of course so as they wear, the offset will increase a bit. At least I have a baseline and the two tank average of 102.7 mpg (220.8 miles and 212.5 miles on 2.094 gallons and 2.124 gallons respectively) is a solid calculation.

After riding the big 1200 GS all last week, the WR250X is like riding a bicycle... A welcome respite indeed :)

Wayne

It would be nice to have a GPS for a short time to calculate these errors (otherwise I never felt the expenses justified, I use old-fashioned paper maps instead :D). Without it we could only compare our two bikes. When I tried to keep a constant 100km/h according to Teresa's speedo Ciliegia showed a little less (98 or so, our wrists may not be accurate enough to get an exact value :o) while, on the contrary, Teresa's odometer usually shows less than Ciliegia's (in the magnitude of 1 percent difference). I could even compare it to the road signs through a longer, uninterrupted freeway run and Teresa's odo showed clearly less distance than the road signs - by ~1.5km over that 130km segment.

Ciliegia still has the OEM tires after ~16000kms when we compared the speedos (front looks somewhat worn, rear is like new :eek:), Teresa's tires are ~10000kms old (don't look new but not too worn either, I hope they'll last at least 30000kms).

Hi Alvaro84:

Your BMW's speedometer and odometer errors are probably pretty small. The 1200 GS' we rode last week had a 2 mph offset (57 mph indicated and 55 mph actual) with dead on odometers.

The next time you have an escort, do another side by side. Have the driver raise his or her hand at 100 kph and you can see if it matches your 650's.

What does Europe use for kilometer markers? Are there signs or markers along the highway, distance between lines on the road or some other means available?

You have got to get a NAVI unit for Europe! I do not know what they cost in Hungary but TomTom 330XL's (I think it was the 330XL?) are in some of the local advertisements of the Chicago Tribune for just $99 USD! Hopefully you are seeing the deals over there now too? The waterproof bike specific units are ultra expensive (decent ones start at $599 USD) but in the rain, I plan on placing it under the see through tank bag cover out of harm’s way.

I purchased a RAM-Mount for the WR and 1200 GS along with a Garmin and a TomTom Carrier for < $50.00 USD as well. Locally I do not need them but traveling any lengthy distance off the Interstates and I do not trust my map skills anymore ;)

Good Luck

Wayne

I hope wikipedia lets me link this image (if not, I'll edit the post...)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/M70_Murar%C3%A1tka.jpg/800px-M70_Murar%C3%A1tka.jpg

Signs like the little green "4" can be found along our roads (at least the national roads and motorways). Sometimes even these markers are inaccurate: for example, they're not moved when a new bypass is built, but they SHOULD be accurate along one continuous motorway.
Anyway, the one you see is the 4th km of the M7 expressway (the one that connects Hungarian motorway network to Slovenia; most of it is only half profile now, PSL is 110km/h except at the transitions between 2- and 4-lane stages where it's limited to 80km/h. Needless to say that many ignore it.) where we went on holiday.

And if I got a GPS, it (or its container) should be waterproof, riding in the rain became a routine for me this year... we're full of rain, storms and floods. Last week was an exception. I'm curious about the remaining part of 2010...

Hi Alvaro:

That is a beautiful section of asphalt and if the rest of Europe is that way, no wonder so many love to Tour the European Continent on BMW GS'.

While the signs are foreign, I can make sense of them but would be glad a TomTom or Garmin would be leading my way ;)

I hope someday to drive or ride in your locale. It looks absolutely beautiful from the WIKI pic you linked.

Good Luck

Wayne

And if I got a GPS, it (or its container) should be waterproof, riding in the rain became a routine for me this year... we're full of rain, storms and floods. Last week was an exception. I'm curious about the remaining part of 2010...

If you don't like riding in the rain, buy rain gear; it'll never rain again;).

Hi All:

I wanted to add something here as I took the WR out for the Speedo/Odo error calibrations and top speed run the other night. The WR is more stretched out than the 1200 GS and GS Adventure we rode down the Eastern Seaboard last month! The seat to peg distance is taller allowing for a little less cramped feel for the hours you may be sitting behind the bars. Surprising that the WR250X has that ergonomic addition let alone weighing in at almost 1/2 the weight so it is much easier to handle at slower speeds. Low weight on the slab can be a detriment as anything going by causes a disturbance you have to adjust for but around town, its nimble nature is a welcome reprieve from some of the monster Touring, Sport and Adventure bikes that many ride in this day and age.

WH, that was funny :)

Good Luck

Wayne

For (rain) gear, there now are several manufacturers of gear that are designed for all weather. My favorite, Aerostitch, while not advertised as waterproof has not ever let me get wet underneath in the past 60,000 miles or so I've had it. I live and ride near Seattle, Washington, known for it's persistently wet, dreary weather.

After 22 years of riding in jeans and a warm jacket, every time I suit up I wonder why I didn't spring for real motorcycle gear sooner. Not only is the crash protection worth the price of admission, the comfort factor goes way, way up extending the riding season very significantly.

Hi Beatr911:

I could not agree with you more regarding the Aerostich gear. My Aerostich Darien HiViz has been through hell and high water now and there is simply no other jacket I would wear at this point in time...

While on the Zero S last Fall-Winter, the Darien jacket w/ liner and pants kept my body warm and cozy down to 39 degrees and this was without an electric vest or heated gear. Driving through the outskirts of Washington DC on the I-95 last week, the 1200 GS's exterior temp indicator displayed 101 degrees while I was stuck in the midst of a 15-miles stop and crawl. With some DWB, I was able to create a buffer large enough to keep moving at an average of 7 to 10 mph while everyone else was bungeeing from 0 to 15 mph and back down to 0 again. That Aerostich with its underarm and back flap openings kept me cooler than I would have been in a car! While transitioning through downtown NY City last week, the 1200 GS indicated 102 degrees in the Mid-town tunnel and again, while moving, the Darien came through again. Excellent built in armor for the sholders, back and elbows (Pants with knees and hip armor), excellent utility as described above, excellent design with long distance comfort and most of all, excellent visibility thanks to the generous size and HiViz color.

During the few rains we hit last week, Harry was stopping to put on rain gear and then would roast like a pig on a spit. I simply zipped up the front to the top, pulled over the Velcro collar and kept riding. Even with the vents open, never a drop of rain came through and I never had to hassle with rain gear once the rain began. As temps quickly dropped from the mid 90’s to 70 degrees, it was like stepping into a welcome refrigerator for a bit too :)

We should transfer these two posts to the Darien Gear review. I remember when Lightfoot (John) first mentioned the Aerostich gear to me a few years back and I thought it would be just another set of gear. Boy how wrong I was considering this gears duty over the years!

By the way, I have to be up in the Seattle area on the WR250X sometime in early August for an interview with a UK Times after the cross-continent 100-mpg attempt and wonder if you wanted to go for a ride locally?

Let me know as I would love to get together with a fellow CleanMPG member and bike enthusiast while on the West Coast. I want to stop in and see Dan (WriConsult) while I am out there before the fast ride down the coast to LA as well. I would normally consider the I-5 but I so much want to ride down the Coast Highway due to all of the beautiful views I have seen over the years in pictures yet never got to experience them for myself… AND on the nimble Yamaha WR250X, it should be quite the Adventure!

And did anyone know the WR250X will be running an Iron Butt from the IL/WI/Lake Michigan border to Boston, MA (1,065 miles) later this month? Someone is going to be going to the hospital asking for an @$$ transplant after that ride is over! Stay tuned :D :D :D

Good Luck

Wayne

That is a beautiful section of asphalt and if the rest of Europe is that way, no wonder so many love to Tour the European Continent on BMW GS'.

While the signs are foreign, I can make sense of them but would be glad a TomTom or Garmin would be leading my way ;)

I hope someday to drive or ride in your locale. It looks absolutely beautiful from the WIKI pic you linked.


The signs were foreign to me even in Slovenia, even though it's our direct neighbour :) The motorway exit signs were totally different and the villages' names were written over a yellow background instead of our white.

The asphalt is good in this picture and generally our motorways are of good quality (in Hungary). The national roads are of mixed quality, there are ones that are this good, and there are ones that are full of patches and even have potholes. Among our minor roads there are quite a few ungodly, dangerously awful ones.

In Slovenia I couldn't find really disgusting pavement, but they seem to love narrow roads. There are a lot of those one lane things between villages.

The scenery can be really beautiful. Especially in and around the Alps, but I could show you scenic views in Hungary too :)

As for rain gear: I have a dedicated set of it, which functions pretty well (tested) :) Unfortunately I found no hits for those Darien gears on any Hungarian sites. Anyway, next time I buy gear I'll do an extensive search... last time I was happy I found pants (S) and jacket (M) that fit me. And I don't think I'm of extreme size, in any sense :o

The weakest link is the boots. I have nothing that's waterproof anymore (my cycle spirit boots used to be, like a year ago, but they wore way too quickly... I bought rain covers for them, they were pretty expensive, then they soaked in 5 minutes in the next shower and tore when I tried to get them on for the second time. Epic fail.) - I think I'll get a pair of rubber boots... if THOSE won't keep me dry, then nothing will and I just give up and ride wet...

But, at least, I don't have any problem with the cold. My gear is good enough almost any temperature I ride (this year the coldest was -2C/28F) given that I use the lining and put on a sweater and a second layer of pants. A regular scarf is also welcome. I have heated Klan gloves and I always use them under ~10C (50F). And I can endure heat until I don't stop. Stop&crawl traffic at summer is a pain in this gear, but that's not a typical use for me :) When I'm rolling the air vents do their job.

Wayne, too bad we don't have a more active motorcycle section here. There is some good stuff happening!

Please let me know when you'll be in Seattle. I'll ride south with you as far as I can.

Have you contacted Craig Vetter? If he's not at his reunion in Alaska, he'll be right on your planned coastal route. A meeting between you two is definitely worth recording for posterity. I'm hoping we'll see some fundamental changes in motorcyces in the next decade or so - because of both of you.

I'm really looking forward to the Iron Butt ride summary! It hurts just thinking about it.

Hi All:

I was given permission to publish some WOT (Wide Open Throttle) metrics from a member of the WRR forums who is riding a slightly hopped up WR250R that some may be interested in. The reason why I thought these numbers were interesting is I only know of some areas on I-10 and I-40 in Texas and New Mexico, I-90 across Montana and Idaho and US 6 or US 50 across Nevada where there is a stretch of Interstate or roadway that could be ridden or driven at 80 + mph for over 50 + mile distance.

WRR/X General Discussion – Fuel Mileage (http://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/wrr-x-general-discussion-f3/fuel-mileage-t376-140.htm#24369)

Here is WRR member's Machtig's post(s) including my request…
Last week in Colorado, I got my worst MPG, and my best. Worst was the 62 mile stretch of I-25 between Colorado City and Trinidad. I burned 1.64 gallons in 62 miles, or 37.8 MPG. I had it pinned to the throttle stop the entire 62 miles. Pinned.

Best was between the Trinidad and La Veta section of the TransAm Trail where I got just under 70 mpg (burned 1.06 gallons in 72 miles)
Hi Machtig:

Would you mind if I used the WOT for 62-miles (Colorado City, CO - Elevation 5,850 to Trinidad, CO Elevation 6,025) for a 37.8 mpg segment in future posts and write-ups as that is some really good information. Did you remember if you had a head, tail or cross wind of any sort during the WOT 62-mile ride?

Almost forgot... Are you still at stock gearing or have you geared down?

TIA

Wayne
Wayne,

There wasn't very much wind, but it was hilly in spots. I was also fully loaded (fuel, saddlebags, and myself in full gear). I'd hit a gps speed of 85mph down the hill and as low as 60mph up. Flat ground I'd pull 78 or 79mph consistently. I was in 6th gear the entire time, and as you've noted, the elevation was about 6000 ft, give or take. I've got 13/46 gearing (13/43 is stock on the R), FMF powerbomb header, FMF Q4 muffler, opened up airbox, removed AIS, and a Power Commander IV fuel tuner with a map I custom made (it is a smoothed and averaged map of the RustyG map, a map off the power commander website, and another I can't quite recall).

Use my figures however you'd like. I used gps mileage for my calculations as well.
Even with Machtig’s lower gears and intake/exhaust/ECU-FI programming mods running absolutely flat out on a fully loaded and non-aerodynamic WR250X due to the saddle bags still allowed almost 40 mpg at its worst. At his best, was 70 mpg with the same bike and similar conditions but not WOT is all.

I suspect the modifications to the intake/exhaust and ECU added another possibly 20% increase in HP while lowering the FE of his WR250R (the on/off-road variant) maybe 10% from OEM if that helps?

Wayne

The variation in max speeds uphill and downhill suggest it's max speed is power limited. I can imagine a bit of aerodynamic work would raise those limits significantly.

Hi Beatr911:

Talking bikes is like talking about "cool" and too bad more were not interested ;)

Andrew, here is the best frontal profile shot of the WR250X I could find off Yamaha’s media site…

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/2010_Yamaha_WR250X_Frontal_Profile.jpg

Those frontal “wings” grab as much air as possible and guide it through the right frontal radiator with yet more plastic deflectors on the radiator itself to divert any road debris from hitting the fins directly. With the high compression ratio of the performance oriented .25L Yamaha motor, liquid cooling is a must or pre-detonation would be a nightmare to control through timing/valve manipulation and combustion chamber shape alone.

As you can see however, the WR is a much slimmer design (as all 250’s are) than the larger bikes. The 650’s, 800’s and the 1200 GS’ we rode last month are monsters by comparison. While there are aero improvements to be had, each one would take away the little ventilation comfort you receive from the wind coming into and through your gear.

It has been speculated in the past that a rider on a bike has a Cd of .5 or more thanks mainly to the rider’s frontal profile acting as a parachute. The tall profile of a rider on a bike exceeds the frontal area of a small car in some cases and all of the ungainly number of openings and strange edges just about everywhere on a bike are a detriment. And as you deduced, it’s all about the drag increasing at the velocity squared with the limited amount of power available. At 80 + mph, FE is beginning to be shot out the window and top speeds of everything from the WR250X to the mighty 2000 Insight-I are limited.

Remember that 1,100 mile high speed run from LA to Amarillo in < 16-hours we drove 2-years back? Didn’t that European Civic iCDTi still pull 45 mpg with many hours at 80 + mph on the I-40? That was impressive and it like the hybrids was loaded with underbody panels and a clean profile to “cheat” the wind.

I do have a small windscreen for the WR250X and will do another terminal test on the same section of abandoned highway I did the initial terminal velocity tests after the install to see if it actually helped or not? It will certainly reduce the wind blast to the lower chest and as any rider will tell you, taking a highway wind blast is like being in an all-day boxing match. The wind literally beats you from 35 mph on up while a cage (car/truck) driver never feels a thing.

Good Luck

Wayne

I remember that high-speed run all to well. :o I'm still sorry about that scheduling problem.

Bike aero is pretty covered in the other thread about Craig Vetter, so I won't bring it in here too much. About car drivers not feeling a thing - yes! I think if everyone had to drive with the windows down we'd end up saving a WHOLE LOT of fuel due to lower speeds.

That a 250 bike can't even hold the speed limit uphill, though, is something to think about.

Hi Andrew:
That a 250 bike can't even hold the speed limit uphill, though, is something to think about.
Very good point! I will ask Machtig if he remembers that section of I-25 including some of the more famous 5 and 6% US Interstate grades. I bet it did...

Wayne

That a 250 bike can't even hold the speed limit uphill, though, is something to think about.

Oh, it can easily hold speed up these long steep hills. One just needs to downshift. Remember, both 5th and 6th are overdrive gears on these bikes. With stock gearing on a WR250R, I couldn't hit the rev limiter in 4th gear. Changing the stock 43 tooth sprocket to a 48, I could then hit the rev limiter in 4th, but still not 5th or 6th. My wife's WR250R has a 52 tooth rear sprocket and it can hit the rev limiter in 5th, which occurs around 75mph if I recall correctly. That bike is geared way too deep for day to day road work above 65 or 70 mph, though. (Note that the WR250X come with a 42 tooth rear sprocket from the factory vs. the 43 tooth on the WR250R).

Those frontal “wings” grab as much air as possible and guide it through the two frontal radiators...

Just to clarify, WR250X and WR250R only have on radiator. It's on the riders right side. The other side has a black plastic cover panel that covers the fuse box, radiator overflow bottle, etc.

I was given permission to publish some WOT (Wide Open Throttle) metrics from a member of the WRR forums who is riding a slightly hopped up WR250X...Even with Machtig’s lower gears and intake/exhaust/ECU-FI programming mods running absolutely flat out on a fully loaded and non-aerodynamic WR250X due to the saddle bags still allowed almost 40 mpg at its worst. At his best, was 70 mpg with the same bike and similar conditions but not WOT is all.

Hi Wayne,
As you clarified at the end of your post, Machtig's bike is a WR250R and not a WR250X as you stated a couple other places in you post (see above). You might want to go back and edit just so future readers realize up front his comments were for a knobbie tired dual sport rather than the street-bike tired WR250X.

Good luck on the iron butt run. As you may have read on the advrider forum, some just did a 990 mile ride in one day and, as you suspect, the buttocks didn't appreciate it!
Chad

Hi Chad:

Gottem!

Regarding the IB, I spent over 4-hours on the phone and writing up E-Mails with short manufacturers, Communications Gear manufacturers and seat manufacturers this morning and afternoon to sort it all out. I might do a 700-miler down to St. Louis to get some pics of the X at the Gateway to the West (the Arch) and back just to make sure all the long distance off the shelf farkles (accessories) are working like they are supposed to just in case before the real show begins later this month… I see you have a nice seat coming in as well. Do tell how it rides vs. the OEM when you get some miles on it. Anything has got to be better than OEM after 150-miles ;)

Also, I think Krabill did 910 miles on his WR going out but may do an IB on the way back from wherever he is right now?

Here is also a close-up of the right side radiator opening… The aero is ugly but it has a purpose.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Right_Front_Radiator_opening_with_wing_deflector_and_plastic_deflector.jpg

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

The 100-mpg Adventure Touring Project Bike has begun :)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Wheels_Off.jpg
Wheels Off - The Avon Distanzia is on the rear with the Front going on tomorrow.

The front 14T CS sprocket is on and I will swap out the rear 42 for the 40 tonight. Some said that CS sprocket was going to be a hell to come off. I used a 1.5' breaker and it came right off?

Lots of other stuff to do even tonight but at least its started.

Regarding the Distanzia's, the following may prove interesting...

Manufacturer|Tire|F/R|Size|Weight|Circumference
Avon|Distanzia|Rear|130/80 R17 65H|16.25 pounds|79"
Bridgestone|Battleax BT90|Rear|140/70 R17 66H|9.5 pounds|76.75"
|||||
Avon|Distanzia|Front|120/70 R17 58H|9.5 pounds|72.625"
Bridgestone|Battleax BT90|Front|110/70 R17 54H|6.25 pounds|72.5"

The extra weight in the rear may be a show stopper but we'll see???

Wayne

Hi All:

Except for dropping the rear end to shorten the rear shock so as to lower it a touch, she's as naked as she's going to get ;)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Naked.jpg

Wayne

Hi All:

A request... I have the ProMoto Billet/Fastway F5 pegs (fantastic machined quality by the way) but have yet to tackle the Torx head bolts that hold the OEM brackets on to install the lowboy brackets. Any suggestions before I go out and buy a set of the Torx head drivers. Why on earth would anyone want install a Torx head bolt anyway?? I will probably strip them out which would really suck :mad: These pegs are the bomb and while the instructions were a bit thin, once you get them on the OEM brackets or mounted on the Lowboy brackets and place them next to the bike, you will see how nice they really are!

The ProMoto Billet Rear rack and FIT System Hand Guards (both are also pieces of art) go on tomorrow.

I installed the RoxSpeedFX anti vibration 2" risers (pulled back about 45 degrees from vertical) and wow do they make a difference in ergo while up on the pegs before I removed the plastic and such! I did spin the throttle assembly 180 degrees and moved the clutch assembly in about 1/4" and now everything feels great. I think I will cut the bars about 1/2" for a slight aero improvement since I have everything either loose or off. I cannot wait to see if the anti-vibration aspect of the risers work as advertised. They feel good in the hands with a more natural feel for the taller WR riders. The Anti-vib will be an additional benefit if they work as expected.

Has anyone ever attempted to conjure up a way to mount the mirrors down below and not smash them into your knees during a turn? I do not like the OEM position at all as I am staring into my arms and shoulders. Now that I have moved them in about 3/4 of an inch in total, I can see between my arms and its about the only thing I can think of to make them work for me? Going under would look goofy as hell for sure :rolleyes:

I am still thinking about the Avon Distnazia's... They look good, add some much needed off-road capability and increase the final ratio a tad which is always a welcome addition for the slab but not if they harm the bikes FE. A more than 50% increase in weight vs. the BT90's (rear) at the outer most edges is going to be hell to bring them up to speed from a stop. They may add some inertia for downhill’s but the added unsprung weight at the worst possible location... We will see as I am now thinking about just installing the rear and running some quick measured FE segments just in case I have to revert back to the BT90's.

I have some Spyder grips and they actually have a "this is the top arrow" embedded in the mold. Does anyone know why a set of grips have a particular mounting position? Also, the instructions say clean and dry to install. I have yet to install them but soon. Any tips?

Finally, I have (2) pair of EVS Ultimate's to help with long rides for those most tender of areas. The Canari Gel Liners are great as I have had 30-hours of seat time in the car and about 30-minutes on the WR while wearing them. When the WR is all modded and back on the road, we'll see how the EVS Ultimate’s work out. The hip padding was a bit bothersome while wearing them around the house but for any off-road ride with gear lacking built in hip protection, I would highly recommend EVS's full hip protection be left in. I left the upper rear protection in and it does not seem to be getting in the way at all...

TIA

Wayne

Hi All:
Why on earth would anyone want install a Torx head bolt anyway?? I will probably strip them out which would really suck :mad:

@Wayne-

Torx bolts are getting more popular because they require a more exact fit than Philips bolts (which are fairly fudgable) so supposedly stripping is less common.

Also a security feature- it is much harder for a biker/mechanic with a busted bike on the roadside to screw up the engineer's perfect assemblies if you use fasteners he doesn't carry in his toolkit :D.

Are you changing the gearing?

Have you thought about some kind of smooth disc covers on the rear wheel? The front might be risky in cross winds, but the rear is better. If you get a crosswind gust, it'll push you into the wind, where you want to go anyway.

;) maybe some golf-ball dimples on your helmet? :p

Hi Marc:

I hate TORX then... Still hoping I do not need an impact wrench with a Torx head installed to get those two peg brackets out on each side???

Andrew, aero modding a bike is not what most think would be the best solution as cross and buffeting winds are horrific by comparison to head wind drag reduction. It is literally boxing match all-day long with you getting slapped from side to side. One of the most important tools in a rider’s toolkit is a bottle of aspirin and it the continuous buffeting is one of the reasons for it.

A car's mass and power can carry it through winds from any angle with the subsequent loss of FE being felt but minor while a bike is being kicked around even when a semi-passes. Add in a side wind and all the aero additions hurt your FE rather than help. It is one thing to have a headwind or tail wind as bikes have wicked bad aero drag, but trying to drive a wing at stall perpendicular to the incident is far more harmful than helpful :(

Gearing, yes indeed! I am going from the OEM 13/42 to a 14/40 combo. Add in the rear Avon Distanzia tire’s increase in diameter to 79” from the OEM’s 76.75” (picked up for this purpose along with the off-road capability actually) and I have an effective 15.6% increase in the final ratio. Not quite as much as I hoped but 15% is not bad. 15 and 16T countershaft sprockets will fit physically but I could not find one with the right machined cut to match the WR250X’s output shaft itself. There is a 38 available for the rear somewhere but I could not find a vendor that carried one.

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

Spent way to many hours scewing around but it is coming together. I received a prototype 3.0 gallon tank yesterday afternoon and its installed. Risers, grips, pegs (long story about those...) and wheels with Dual-purpose Avon Distanzia tires installed.

Still have the electrical to wire, remove the EVAP, install the Ricochet skid plate, ProMoto rear rack and install the panels...

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Coming_Together.jpg

Wayne

Hi All:

Although I have some testing tomorrow, it is essentially finished. I still have to lower the rear end by an inch but that is minor compared to the rest… I hope ;) I will wire up the Gerbing Heated gear after the Boston to Chicago segment but before taking on the trek to the West Coast...

2010 Yamaha WR250X

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/2010_Yamaha_WR250X_-_Almost_Ready.jpg
Almost ready :)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/First_99_gallons_in_new_tank.jpg
First .99 gallons added to new IMS tank.

More tomorrow of course.

The Moto Billit/Fastway Rear Rack and F5 pegs, Ricochet Skid plate (oh is it a nice aero mod too ;)), 14/40 Yamaha GYTR gearing, MSR 30 oz Emergency Fuel Bottle, RockSpeed FX 2” Anti-Vib risers, Spyder Anti-Vib Soft grips, Slipstreamer Spitfire windscreen, IMS tank (early prototype 3.0 gallon), Giant Loop Fandango Tank Bag, Fused 12V power wired up to the Garmin 1490 attached to a Ram Mount and Dualsport Avon Distanzia’s are now installed.

I went to a local gas station and filled a 1.0 gallon can w/ .99 gallons, came back and dumped it all in. No leaks so I crossed my fingers, turned the key, and she fired up within a second. I let it idle for about 15-seconds as I want to find out the new tanks actual capacity which will have to wait until tomorrow. We have Tornado Watches and Warnings along the IL/WI border this morning.

Wayne

Looking good. Now I'm almost wishing I found a used 250 after the KLX deal blew up.

Wayne-

In between IB rides and dodging twisters, give me a shout so we can schedule a ride together before that beauty goes back to whence it came.

I like how this is coming together. Quite the farkle fest.

When you hit the west coast, you can give it an off-pavement test in my backyard (literally) in the Capitol Forest www.capitolforest.com.

On your way south lets scrape pegs up to Windy Pass and see the volcanic crater of Mount St. Helens riding through the bast zone of the volcano. A ride you'll never forget - trust me.

Looking at the WR, I'm getting the itch for a new, fun bike. Currently only at salivation, almost to drool.

Hi Marc:

What are you doing tomorrow? It looks like rain but maybe in between, we can knock out some miles around the suburbs… I have to place some miles on it to make sure everything is sorted out anyway? I think I may do the IB on Sunday as it should be cooler, less chance for tornadoes (like those are out to get us :D) and possibly even a better chance of success.

Beatr911, I cannot wait to get out there as you as you have a “to die for” ride planned up to Mt. St. Helens!

Both of you would love the WR250R or X’s. While on the slightly expensive side, very low mile - used WR’s can be found in the $4K or less range. The WR’s FI adds a mid-range and high RPM punch that the others in the class cannot come close to matching. In addition, any climbing and the FI adjusts without losing power like a jetted carb will do through any 3,500 to 5,000' delta. The WR's long suspension adds a softer ride for the first 3 + inches and when setup, can provide a decent amount of traction and flat ride over the most inhabitable of undulating terrain. The 26,000 mile Valve adjustment interval is almost insane in the bike world with most at 7,500 or less.

For those with shorter inseams including female riders as short as 5', the WR's can be lowered as much as 5"! The Ergonomics while tall, are stretched out (even better than the 1200 GS and GS Adventure we rode last month!) let alone the almost unfathomable number of HQ accessories available for this very popular Dualsport (the R)/Supermoto (the X).

Finally, I have to thank many members of the WR250forum for their past experience in selecting the best of the best add-on gear to make the WR "100-mpg - Quarter Liter Adventure-Tourer" Project bike ride even imaginable let alone doable. At least I think it is doable ;)

Wayne

Do you have an out the door cost as you have it equipped now?

Hi Mike:

I was going to create separate review threads for all of this but here goes…

The following is the "retail" prices for the bike and most of the gear which of course can be found for a discount. Knock off $1,000 for the whole list... I did not include the Big Agnes Insulated Air-core (~ $75), Slumberjack 40 degree sleeping bag (~ $50 ) or the Seal Line 30L Dry bag (~ $27).

2010 Yamaha WR250X - “100 mpg Adventure Touring Project Bike"

Bike, Std. Gear or Accessory|Retail Pricing
2010 Yamaha WR250X|$6,490
|
Aerostich Darien Jacket|$427
Aerostich Fleece Liner|$127
Aerostich Darien Pants|$297
Aerostich Back Pad|$75
Aerostich Hip Pad|$35
|
Alpinestar SP1 Leather Gauntlet Gloves|$79.95
|
Aria XD-3 Helmet|$569.95
|
Avon Distanzia Front Tire - 120/70 R17 58H|$112.99
Avon Distanzia Rear Tire - 130/80 R17 65H|$125.99
|
BMW Cross Gloves|$59.00
BMW GS Rallye Boots|$389.00
|
(2) Canari Gel Liners|$30.00 each
|
(2) EVS Sports Ultimate Shorts|$55.00 each
|
Gerbing's Dual Output Controller|$99.95
Gerbing’s Heated T5 Gloves|$169.95
Gerbing’s Heated Jacket Liner|$199.95
Gerbing’s Heated Pants Liner|$199.95
Gerbing’s Heated Insoles|$59.95
|
Giant Loop Fandango Tank Bag|$149.95
Giant Loop Great Basin Soft 50 + L Rear Bag|$399.00
|
IMS 3.0 Gallon Fuel Tank|$274.95
|
Moto Billet/Fastway F5 Pegs|$129.95
Moto Billet Rear Rack|$139.95
|
GPS Ram-Mount|$49.95
|
Ricochet Skid Plate|$89.95
|
RoxSpeedFX 2” Anti-Vib risers|$149.95
|
Slipstreamer Spitfire Windscreen|$79.95
|
Spider M1 Grips Off-Road/Motard|$16.95

Miscellaneous 12V socket, wiring, foam tape and connectors came to ~ $35.00.

I have a Cardo Systems Scala Raider G4 (dual even though I only needed a single) Bluetooth Radio/Cell Phone/MP3 player Communication system setup to try out. Those are $419.95 for the dual and $219.95 for the single setup. I have yet to even read the directions so I had better get cracking on that!

Wayne

Wayne-

See PM. The Bandit can only handle F2 twisters and below, so we may have to dodge the bigger stuff;).

Hi Marc:

Yeah, an F2 will relocate the roof really well and may even blow a biker off the road... Darn Tornadoes always sneaking up on those bikers at every turn :D

Tomorrow at 01:00 PM if that is ok with you?

Good Luck

Wayne

Hi All:

Marc (WH1984) came down so we could go for a WR shakedown ride yesterday :)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Marc_WH_along_for_the_ride.jpg
Marc and his Bandit on the Shores of Lake Michigan yesterday…

Wayne

Hi everybody:

Posting some of my impressions from yesterday when Wayne was kind enough to let me ride the WR250X for part of the shakedown trip.

The first thing I noticed when I walked up to the WR is just how tall it is. Getting a leg over with my 31" inseam required a fair amount of stretching. Once on the bike, however, the suspension settled enough to get both feet on the ground and I was ready to take it out on the road.

On the highway, I immediately noticed the Yamaha's MX background- its single cylinder 4-stroker required fairly high (>3000) revs to smooth out but would drop rpms quickly- more inline with a 2-cycle engine than the V-Twins and I4s on previous bikes I've ridden (Nighthawk 250, Bandit 600). Those who like shifting or the scream of an environmentally-friendly pseudo-2-stroke will enjoy the project bike's engine and tall gearing.

After getting the WR250X going fast enough not to lug, I started noticing the differences between it and the standard 600 I had been riding. The Yamaha is very light with its mass distributed evenly throughout its tall, skinny frame- A real plus for visibility or around-town errands. Those with mountain bike experience will feel right at home, while newbies will appreciate the "big-bike" feel and increased cager awareness. The only downside of course, is that compared to my shorter and wider bike, the Yamaha's 180# weight advantage and 4" taller frame left me much more aware of lean angles and required more throttle to stay upright when hauling it over on its side. Additionally, I found that the pegs- setup for Wayne's 6'+ height- were very far away and I had to reach for the gearshift.

A very capable bike, overall. Would I trade my UJM for one? Probably not, given my typical 30+ mile highway commuter use. But for someone who likes their street motorcycles "freshly-mudded" or is looking to maximize savings on an around-town runabout with occasional long trips, the 2010 Yamaha WR250X belongs on any shortlist.

Hi All:

And now to the details of the bike… I was supposed to be on an Iron Butt ride to the East Coast this morning but had to postpone due to our test ride. Regarding the upgraded WR250X, some of the mods are a must have, do not even bother starting it up before installing them. Some were good, and one is not ready for our uses. Unfortunately that “one” is the most work to revert back to OEM :(

Let us start out with the good.

Moto Billet/Fastway F5 Pegs: A spectacular addition to the WR250X! Not only do they allow a bit more room thanks to the low Boy position, the flat platform when standing adds a degree of stability I have never experienced on a bike before. Really good stuff here!

Moto Billet Rear Rack: I have only attached a few items to it using bungie cords and it worked as expected. I will have it loaded up for a few lengthy rides planned over the next few days including the Iron Butt and the 100-mpg attempt ride back to LA. Solid as a rock and it is so damned good looking with the some of the best machine work I have seen from an OEM accessory anywhere!

RockSpeedFX Anti-Vib 2” Risers: Yet another HQ addition. Reducing vibes through the incorporated rubber isolation while also making the WR much more comfortable for someone 5’-10” or taller. I thought there would be a lot more bar movement while still heading straight yet there was none. You can tighten them up even more to reduce any rubberey feel the isolations may have induced but from their arrival on a mostly asphalt ride, I did not feel any unintended movement whatsoever. They will however get in the way of lowering the front forks in the triple clamps as they mount over the inner edges of the fork tubes from the OEM bar mounts with the bottom end bolts allowing at most 1/4 of an inch of rise before they come into contact.

RoxSpeed FX Anti-Vib Riser and IMS Prototype tank topped off

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/IMS_Prototype_Tank_and_RockSpeedFX_Riser.jpg

IMS Prototype – Larger cap tank: .99 gallon from a portable fuel container as shown previously and then a short ride to a local station < .5 miles away for the top off. I filled 1.796 gallons plus ~ 1/100th of a gallon to start up the WR for 15-seconds or so the other night and ride the WR to the station yesterday morning. All total, 2.801 gallons from bone dry to topped off…

When topped off using the IMS prototype cap, any movement of the bike and a small amount of fuel squirts out the top. With a tank bag, this could be a problem so a word to the wise, without an anti-evap OEM like cap, don’t top off the IMS as you will have a small amount of fuel leaking underneath your bag base and down the side of your tank until a few ounces are consumed.

Size, 2.8 gallons from the prototype (3.0 + the final production unit will include) is certainly better than the miniscule 2.1 the OEM tank can hold and will come in quite handy when riding across Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon ;)

Slipstreamer Spitfire Shield: If you are doing long slab rides, this low cost add-on is absolutely the bomb. It allows some air flow to catch the upper part of the chest while reducing the wind blast down the Interstate by at least a factor of 5. Marc and I rode some higher speed sections of I-94 from Milwaukee back to the IL/WI border and at 65 + mph, the buffeting is way down and the constant reminder of being pushed back and bounced around is almost eliminated. On the terminal speed run in both directions, the Bike in fifth w/ new gearing to match the OEM in sixth topped out at the same 82 mph per the Garmin.

Yamaha GYTR accessory 14T front/40T rear sprockets: If you run over 45 mph, yet another addition I thought was very worthwhile. While most are throwing on lower gears on the off-road capable R’s (12/48’s seem to be a common swap) in order to add punch, moving up adds a much needed subdued quality not available from the OEM gearing while on the super slab. The Speedometer is now reading two to 3 mph under actual while above 45 mph vs. the 6 + mph over as the OEM stock readout provided. This is a plus for making sure you do not get run over but a negative in case you are prone to speeding tickets. Nobody here would be prone to that, right ;)

Some warned me about a first gear launch may need some clutch work with the taller gearing. I did not find this to be the case other than when launching in the dirt and climbing over a small curb when I killed twice while being my usual non-aggressive self. Other than that, launches from a standstill felt hardly any different from OEM stock which was pretty low to begin with.

One negative item all OEM WR250’s incorporate is a rather significant throttle tip in between fuel cut and the injector coming online. Carbureted bikes do not really have this but a small displacement single with literally no inertia having fuel injected where there was none before can be slightly disconcerting during the on-off power addition. Any WR rider will tell you that you get used to it quickly but the taller gearing removed much of the “tip-in launch” without negatives that I could tell so far…

While I have always searched for the mythical 7th gear on every bike I have ever ridden including the OEM WR250X, this was the first time that I only did that once and it was a downhill section at 55 + mph when I asked for it. In some cases, I accidentally found myself in fifth when there was another gear available above 45 mph! The Yamaha accessory gearing really feels right for an all-pavement rider. For much of my riding, I was actually swapping between fifth and sixth and back again allowing me more choice to match the terrain and speeds I was riding vs. OEM in sixth the entire time and wishing for more.

For those that believe this setup would be too tall, drop back a gear for your technical sections and it places you right back at OEM. Drop back two gears for those doing the wild short gearing and you are right into the sweet spot. All the while making 45 to 70 mph speeds far more relaxing as I had hoped when beginning the project. I was initially considering far taller gearing than the almost 15% addition through Yamaha directly and I am so glad I did not make that mistake. The WR250 engineers were on the top of their game when offering the 14/40 gearing solution through Yamaha itself. This is about as high as I would want now that I have experienced it firsthand.

Ricochet skid plate: I incorporated this addition due to its aerodynamic qualities. The underside of the bike (just about every aspect of the bike and rider) is a real mess in terms of aero qualities. The Ricochet plate smoothed out the entire under section portion of the engine/frame while still offering an oil drain hole and 10-minute bolt-on experience. I used a thin strip of foam tape between the frame rails and the skid plate so as to eliminate the possibly of the two beginning to vibrate and sing as things loosen up over the miles. Very easy install, great bash protection and it sure does cleanup the short section under the engine itself.

Spider Off-Road/Motard Grips from RockSpeedFX: Yet another soft and comfortable feel over OEM. While I cannot speak of vib reduction due to the vib reducing riders doing all the work, At a touch over $16.00 and another must have.

The Ahhh Ohhhs…

Regarding the Avon Distanzia's… First, let me say the Distanzia’s add some on-highway stability over and above the OEM Bridgestone BT90’s. While riding a rain grooved cut concrete section of I-94 through downtown Milwaukee, the wallowing that had to be corrected for with the OEM BT90’s was almost absent with the Distnazia’s. Same section of road with the two different tires and two different feelings of stability. Less twitchy might be a better description for it.

For light off-road, there was a section of light, hard packed sand I was riding through and the Distanzia’s made this ride doable without the washing out feel that the OEM BT90’s were prone to whenever leaving hard asphalt or concrete. Confidence inspiring on both the slab and clean off-road trail that I was very pleased to experience.

Finally, the BT90’s have a tendency to skip a few mm’s when turning hard on rougher sections with lots of sealant filled cracks. Although I only have ridden through a few sections similar to this with the Distnazia’s attached, the unnerving skip that the BT90’s had was absent with the Disntazia’s and these were brand new tires without a mile on them until two days ago!

And now the negatives :( The tires are much heavier as discussed earlier and the weight is added at the worst location (at the outer ends of the wheels) for a lightweight 250. I thought about just installing the rear when I finally had the rear OEM BT90 off and weighed it against the Disntazia but decided to install front and rear and let the results be what they may…

Manufacturer|Tire|F/R|Size|Weight|Circumference
Avon|Distanzia|Rear|130/80 R17 65H|16.25 pounds|79"
Bridgestone|Battleax BT90|Rear|140/70 R17 66H|9.5 pounds|76.75"
|||||
Avon|Distanzia|Front|120/70 R17 58H|9.5 pounds|72.625"
Bridgestone|Battleax BT90|Front|110/70 R17 54H|6.25 pounds|72.5"

The slight extra weight caused a slightly heavier feeling when swinging the bike around. Not anything that would procure riding the bike by any means but just a heavier feel when maneuvering the bike from side to side. This probably accounts for the increased higher speed highway stability too!

Acceleration effects. The heavier tires cause you to have to use a lot more throttle to get to speed than the OEM’s. At first I thought this could be entirely contributed to the taller gearing installed so I began using fifth gear to match OEM’s sixth. The bike was lugging during any acceleration under my standard acceleration scenarios (vey light and as easy as traffic allows) vs. the OEM which I could keep just above lug with similar throttle inputs. During the first high speed terminal run, it took almost ½ a mile to get up to the same terminal speed as before (in fifth gear to match the OEM 6th gear) vs. ~ 1/3 of a mile from 50 to 80 + with the BT90’s. I was WOT for a lot longer period and running out of real estate before reaching and holding that same terminal of 82 mph.

And the crux of the matter. The new 14/40 gearing and slightly taller Distanzia in the rear had to be accounted for with any future distance/FE calc’s. I did a short 15.2 mile run two nights ago for a ball park offset. With a reset Trip A, 13.6 miles rolled off over ~ 15.2 miles for an 11.76% negative offset. I used this for the first two fuel economy calculations of the lightly modified WR250X Adventure Touring Project bike.

Using the 11.76% offset, Marc and I rode from my home, through somewhat scenic farm country on County highways and through some of North Milwaukee’s finest stop light to stop light traffic conditions. This was a very similar run and on some of the same roads as the Review rides first tank which allowed slightly over 105 mpg.

From the Adventure Touring Project bikes initial fill in Kenosha, WI to my home and then to Milwaukee, the results came in as follows…

51.4 miles via Trip A (~57.44 miles actual with 1.117 gearing offset applied) /.731 gallons = just 78.587 mpg. This is way too low for the bikes intended goal!

As mentioned above, I did perform the one WOT Terminal speed segment over an ~ 1 mile distance which consumed ~ .0333 gallons (1-mile at just 30 mpg) which I will take into account in the final calculations below…

From that fill, we rode a higher speed mostly Interstate run to Miler Park. I wanted to get a longer distance calibration offset so I reset Trip B at the Miller Park Exit and Highway 18 and off we went. Google Maps listed the trip at 49.0 miles and the Garmin listed it as 49 miles to destination. Just before arriving at our destination, I stopped for a second short tank, higher speed top off to top off FE calculation which revealed the following:

52.7 miles indicated (~ 58.9 miles per the first short distance 1.117 gearing offset applied)/.829 gallons = 71.049 mpg.

Final long distance offset calculations - We arrived at our destination with Trip B showing 43.1 miles ridden while Google and the Garmin said it was a 49.0 mile ride. This longer distance odometer calibration leads to a 13.689% negative offset which I can now take into account for fuel calc’s above.

Top-off to Top-off City/Country Short Tank #1: 58.4 miles/.731 gallons = 79.94 mpg

Subtracting the ~ 1-mile Terminal speed run and fuel consumed from the Short Tank #1 calculations…

Top-off to Top-off City/Country Short Tank #1: 57.4 miles/.698 gallons = 82.27 mpg

Top-off to Top-off Higher Speed Highway Short Tank #2: 59.9 miles/.829 gallons = 72.27 mpg

Avon Distanzia Conclusions

While offering a number of benefits including a light off-road capability to the on-road based WR250X, improving highway stability and adding cornering confidence through rougher sections, the lower speed stop sign to stop sign and light to light FE was decimated to the tune of almost 23%! The higher speed all Interstate rides at 72 + mpg was not bad at all however. All said, the Disntazia’s do not harm the X’s FE when running at higher RPMs, higher LOADs but any stop/start like riding and they are a fuel economy killer :(

Because of the slower speed FE detriment, I have to pull the Disntazia’s and re-install the OEM Bridgestone BT90’s for the cross-country run. It is too bad too as it sounds like Beatr911 has some off-road Mt. St. Helen’s riding areas we will traverse where the Distnazia’s would be perfect vs. the cussing I am going to be giving to the OEM’s while taking the same route across the same and hoping not to dump the bike in the process! If only the Avon’s were constructed from a lower rolling resistance compound and were lighter weight to match the OEM’s, they would be the bomb for me. For most WR250Xs riders, the Distanzia’s provide all and more over and above the OEM BT90’s and I would not dissuade anyone from purchasing one of the best true dual sport tires available for those that ride the on-road WR250X.

2010 WR250X on the Shores of Lake Michigan

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/WR250X_at_the_Lake.jpg
Riding across a short segment of hard sand and brush to the shores edge.

Good Luck

Wayne

Huh, a long read :) I've been lurking but did not have anything useful to say or ask, but now I may do :o

Starting here:


Top-off to Top-off City/Country Short Tank #1: 57.4 miles/.698 gallons = 82.27 mpg

Top-off to Top-off Higher Speed Highway Short Tank #2: 59.9 miles/.829 gallons = 72.27 mpg


These numbers look pretty normal to me (we often get similar results with our bikes without any mods), not as extreme as you did in the reviews :D And I have a bunch of questions starting from here. I have no experience with the effects of mods but you went into details with the tires, you may know more about the other mods you mentioned here.

- How did risers affect FE? They give a more comfortable, upright position but may increase aero drag. Though it may be compensated by lowering the rear end :confused: And did I just answer that there's no answer this time? :confused:

- How much did the taller gears help? I'm especially curious about it, I think it may worth to do the same to Ciliegia (5th can be used from 25mph on and revs close to 8000 on the freeway at 70mph...)

- A pretty uneducated question (sorry): Doesn't that 'beak' hurt aero? (I see you left it intact.) The most apparent difference between the F650GS and CS' shape is that the GS has a beak; and there's a small difference in their FE (not scientifically, but measured by my f650.hu board mates on a longer trip) the CS having a slight advantage. Of course there are many other differences (even their final drive and tire sizes are different), but can this be a factor?

- What's the effect of the tire compound on FE? Should I switch to a harder rubber next time? It would affect their lifespan too, but as I'm an all-weather rider, now I use tires that are considered good and sticky for touring rubber (Metzeler Z6), inflated a bit more than BMW recommends. Can something with a harder compound help FE or it doesn't worth the difference in the traction on cold and wet roads (I never scratch my footpegs, have some chicken strip and I'm even more careful in wet/cold weather)?

These questions may can not be answered through this particular experiment, but you have so much experience with so many different vehicles that you may know anyway :o

Hi Alvaro84:

Just got back from the Sam’s Club and swapped out the Avon Distanzia’s for the OEM Bridgestone BT90’s… Again :rolleyes:

As posted yesterday, the Avon’s were a great to the WR for rougher corning and straight line stability on the concrete or asphalt plus added an off-road confidence the on-road only BT90’s will never have. The only negative being the 50+ % greater unsprung weight at the edges of the wheel where it takes the most HP and torque (read Fuel) to get them moving and keep them moving. They were very close to the perfect compromise but the FE hit was just to harsh for our purposes. For higher speed slab ride, the Distanzia's would not harm FE hardly at all as evidenced by the 72 + mpg while riding the Interstate at higher speeds. Where they got nailed is the stop and go stuff when every acceleration has to be performed perfectly and the extra mass at the outer edges just hurt too much :( On a bike that idles with 10 + HP like the 650’s on up, the Avon’s would probably not harm the FE nearly as much but on the smaller 250’s, there is some good power given the hopped up Motocross engine heritage but 22 HP at WOT and maybe 3 to 4 HP from idle is not much when trying to move a great amount of tire and wheel weight around.

The RoxSpeedFX Anti-Vib Risers do not really set you up any higher but reduce the reach to a more comfortable upright position.

Here is the OEM reach:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/Non-Modded_Riding_Position.jpg

I do not have a pic of the riding position with the Risers and lower pegs installed (modded) available yet but will get one soon hopefully.

The taller gears are only helpful after 45 mph which is where the WR250X began to rev. The almost 15% taller gearing really made a difference on the highway as I stopped grabbing for the extra gear. It was darn near perfect for 45 to 70 mph in fact!

For the lower speed segments, I will not be in 6th gear nearly as much as previously but swapping between 5th and 6th to match traffic and terrain. A choice I was lacking with the short OEM WR gearing previously. At 55 to 65 mph, it makes a huge difference as the bike is not nearly as buzzy. At 70 mph she begins to rev high but that 10 mph faster than she used to begin to get buzzy and a welcome relief indeed.

The Slipstreamer Spitfire windscreen does not hurt aero as the terminal velocity of the OEM w/out screen and modded Adventure Bikes with are equivalent at 82 mph. Now that I have the OEM BT90’s back on, I will do some terminal tests again tonight and I can bet its higher. A bikes aero gets killed mainly because we are sitting in that air stream and humans are not to aerodynamic ;)

The Windscreen’s purpose is twofold however. It reduces the aero drag against me and reduces the buffeting that all bike riders experience as gusts form passing vehicles or just wind gusts continue to blow us around. In this respect, that Spitfire has scored an absolute 10. At speeds up to 82 mph, the drag and buffeting have simply vanished! I am really impressed with this as it is only a 31/2 to ¾ height screen yet reduced the chest blast to hardly anything. Better than the 1200 GS’ we drove last month in fact. Just another mod that worked out so darn well I wish more WR, KLX and CRF riders would consider for their 250’s.

Regarding tire compounds… Just like cars, some tires are lower rolling resistance than others. When the WR was brought to market back in 2008, Yamaha intentionally placed a decent road tire BT90’s on the WR250X but they were not the stickiest that it could have came with. They are however low rolling resistance which was discussed in its initial release. Today, low rolling resistance does not necessarily mean they are harder or less sticky given many low rolling resistance automobile tires offer wet and dry traction rivaling the std. RRc tires. For bikes however, they receive pretty good FE right off the showroom floor so few if any manufacturer is pushing the bikes for it… There is a lot of tweaks to be made to bump the numbers up of course but nobody is taking advantage of the low hanging fruit just yet. When gas hits $10.00 per gallon in Europe, you can bet BMW and the Asian manufacturers will be clamoring all over one another with new and far more fuel efficient designs to one up each other on the marketing front. At $10.00 per gallon, even 70 mpgUS becomes extremely expensive as it is like driving an SUV (17 to 20 mpgUS FSP) in the US the same distance at our $2.89 USD per gallon prices today.

And for the BMW… Go with whatever is on them until they wear out. Europe will have that Fuel Saving rating on their tires by the and of next year or in early 2012 IIRC and maybe the Motorcycle tire manufacturers will be forced to rate their tries on the same scale? If so, you will have a good system to pick a decent traction tire with great fuel economy potential. Today, it’s a crap shoot as nobody really reports FE increases or decreases when swapping tires out on their bikes :( At least we know of one site that did ;)

One other item I forgot to mention about the Moto Billet/Fastway F5 Pegs. My left boot now fits under the shift lever without squirming around to make a shift and I am not missing gears nearly as much as I was with the OEM pegs and lever in its OEM position.

Finally, I received a CamelBak HiViz Hydration system in the UPS today. Just made it so I will have a write-up on that before this is all said and done as well!

CamelBak HiViz (http://www.camelbak.com/government-military/hydration-packs/hi-viz.aspx)
Whenever safety and visibility are top concerns, CamelBak is always the answer. Our Hi-Viz; stands out in a crowd, available in either International Orange or Lime-Green to fit your safety color scheme. Hi-Viz delivers all the features and capacity of our standard WaterMaster, including its super convenient Velcro strap management and ultra durable construction.
http://www.camelbak.com/~/media/Products/Current/GMI%20Hydration%20Packs/Hi-Viz/Large%20Images/gmi-packs-hi-viz-lime-green-07-large-72.ashx?bc=White&as=0&dmc=0&h=340&thn=0&w=270

Good Luck

Wayne

And for the BMW… Go with whatever is on them until they wear out. Europe will have that Fuel Saving rating on their tires by the and of next year or in early 2012 IIRC and maybe the Motorcycle tire manufacturers will be forced to rate their tries on the same scale?

It would be an interesting development of events :)
Of course I won't replace the tires until they wear, it would be a great waste! They're pretty new. OK, they're on since last October and have rolled 12,000km~7,500mi since then, but hopefully they're not at the half of their life yet.

On the windshield: I have a set of a windshield adjuster brackets for the F650CS, I just lacked the motivation to equip them :o It would be another interesting experiment and may save me wearing earplugs on main roads and freeways, but I don't have any exact method to determine how they affect FE yet. I can't use the terminal velocity to determine their effect, because
1. it's too high even at a freeway
2. it's the rev limiter that stops me from accelerating over 175km/h (109mph) indicated

A coasting test might be the best approach - to start coasting from the exact same speed at the same point, same wind and temperature and see how far I can get before my speed drops to a specific value. Both upright and tucked position.
I must not be this lazy :mad:

Rolling resistance figures for both motorcycle and car tires would be a welcome addition to tire purchase information.

With respect to gearing, if models targeted to fuel efficiency begin to creep in maybe we'll see more 7 or 8 speed transmissions. A wide ratio 6 speed would be pretty good but lacks the close ratio spacing needed to wring the absolute maximum out of a small engine, and have a deep low gear for slow speeds.

The heavy Distanzas I'd guess are due to a tough casing to minimize off-road punctures. What are the ply ratings for the two tires?

Sitting close to a small windshield can make a huge difference in comfort. Not having done any aero testing with/without windshields, I'm a little suprised that it would be better with the shield. It seems to me that the greater frontal area would be a detriment if anything. Hey, if it works, it works, 'nuf said. Sometimes increasing the ability to ride more often and longer far outweighs any negative effects it may have.

Last weekend I was ecstatic over the possiblity of picking up a 1989 Honda NX250, <2200 miles, excellent conditon. A very rare bike that is a 26hp liquid cooled thumper motard-ish styling. The first of it's kind marketed to us Americans, it didn't sell all that well, but would be a great seller these days. The front fender though, was like a streetbike letting plenty of cool air to the radiator and much improved aerodynamics. On my '82 XL 500 the dirtbike fender blocked most of the cooling air on the street. This hot-running motor would routinely warp the cam cover and leak oil all over the exhaust. Lucky for someone else, the NX sold within hours of posting on CL. Time is short before the ride, but using a front wheel hugging fender would help clean up the front end a little.

Hi Alvaro84:

The coast down sounds like a good test but any lengthy long distance RT A-B ride with and without should tell you one way or the other. I would also always wear my hearing protection even with a windscreen as noise levels are simply too high for long term hearing health.

Beatr911, the OEM Radial Bridgestone BT90 uses three belts, 2 Nylon and one Aramid. The Radial Avon Distanzia uses 3 belts, all Rayon. Like you said, possibly the off-road puncture resistance makes the Avon a much more substantial tire and thus the added weight?

Last night when I swapped the tires back to the OEM BT90’s, I pinched the rear tube so I picked up another this afternoon and its back to 100%. Heading over to my parents to install the rear and do some odometer offset calculations (the OEM has a slightly smaller circumference than the Avon Distnazia and still have the new 14/40 gearing installed), FE calc’s and final shakedown ride later this evening.

Cardo’s Scala Rider G4 Communication Gear

I configured the Cardo Systems G4 Scala Rider and boy does that work nice. A little lacking in the tuning and quality sound department but configuring Bluetooth for the Cell phone was a breeze! It also includes an AGC circuit which increases volume with increasing ambient background (think of higher speed within the helmet) so we will see how that works as well? To pick up a call, just blow or speak into the mic and it wakes up, picks up the call and you are talking via Cell while heading down the road. We will see how it works in practice later this evening as well?

I could not get two Bluetooth phones to synch with the Garmin 1490 so that Navi unit is suspect regarding its Bluetooth capabilities…

The Slipstreamer Spitfire does not really add any more frontal area as it has just a slightly larger face than a rider’s lower helmet, neck, arms and chest. What it does do however is clean the airflow up a touch and from my 150 miles on the modded Adventure Bike so far, it has performed superbly in that regard.

CamelBak HiViz

I also filled up and configured the CamelBak Hydration System with the Aerostich. Really high quality construction and design for that system too! We'll see how 60 to 70 ounces feel on my back and closing off some of the Darien’s ventilation later this afternoon as well.

Good Luck

Wayne

CamelBak HiViz

I also filled up and configured the CamelBak Hydration System with the Aerostich. Really high quality construction and design for that system too! We'll see how 60 to 70 ounces feel on my back

From experience with CAP: very heavy after 3-4 hours, but a lifesaver on very hot, humid days especially in slow traffic. Whenever we had been out in the sun for 6-7 hours, there started being a noticeable difference in the liveliness, body temp, and even mental capacity between the guys with CamelBaks and those of us stuck with canteens.

I put it down to more water and much easier access leading to less of the scorch-dehydrate-refresh extremes.

Hi Marc:

Thanks for the CamelBak experience discussion.

New results

Results with the OEM’s BT90’s after I replaced the rear tube and got both BT90’s back on saw her FE pop right back up again.

I took a ride to Milwaukee last night and early this morning over the approximate same routes previously ridden but rode a bit further West to put a good 50 + miles on the short tank.

I topped off when I left and per the non-adjusted Odometer, 53.3 miles later added .572 gallons to top off for a 93.1818 mpgUS calculation. This does not include the new gearing offset.

I then headed back to Milwaukee’s Miller Park to do the lengthy odometer calibration but by the time I reached the I-94/894 split, the WI DOT had shut down the Interstate for night time road work??? The alternate took me through North Milwaukee on 27th Ave towards Rawson Rd. before heading back to the Interstate. I reset at that intersection with the Garmin indicating it would be 38 miles to my destination. I arrived with 33.7 miles per the OEM odometer and Google calculated the route out at 37.6 miles.

37.6 miles actual / 33.7 miles OEM Odometer = 1.115727 or an 11.573 percent offset thanks to the new YGTR 14/40 gearing vs. OEM 13/42.

Going back to the top off to top off fill, 53.3 miles per the odometer indicated = 59.468 miles actual / .572 gallons = 103.965 mpgUS.

I am pretty tired given the early morning hours and will fill in the CamelBak HiViz hydration and OEM tires now that I have an A-B-A completed.

Wayne

Frozen Camelbacks are like AC. When I lived in Barstow, CA for a few years, bicycle training rides in the 100F heat were murder unless measures were taken. One day I tried it on the motorcycle and thanked the Good Lord for the brilliant idea! Wearing it under the jacket allows for airflow through the vents.

Keeping the spine and upper back cool do wonders for keeping alert and comfortable. I used an insulated Camelback to prolong the effect and not freeze my skin, lasted 2 or 3 hours. Do not fill the bladder completely to allow for expansion! -Garth

Hi Garth:

Thanks for the tip! It was 75 degrees and muggy all last night and the CamelBak did impede the Darien’s ventilation. Because it is such a nice and bright HiViz however, I really should use it on the outside of my jacket. Maybe for day-time riding go under and at night, go over when its cooler?

Regarding the mouth piece. There is no way to tie it up under my Aria XD-3. Just not enough room so I just let it hang from my right and reached over with my left to pull the cap, open up the valve and feed it up for a quick drink. I would close it off and cap it up before I dropped it back to hang by my side. While not optimal, it worked and gave me the ability to drink while driving down the pavement at 55 to 70 mph.

Cardo Scala Rider G4

At speeds below 40 mph, it worked great! Phone calls could be received and local FM stations could be listened to. At speeds above 45 mph, it did not work out at all. The instructions say to get the ear speakers as close to your ears as possible so I have to work on that today for better listening at speed.

The AGC worked fantastic up to the 45 mph level when it becomes mixed in with the high dB of the wind rush. At 40 mph or so, the speakers were loud enough to hear music just fine. Slow down to a stop in an AS and they would quiet right down. Close the shield or open it and the volume would change.

All said, a very nice design other than when above 45 mph. My time is too short to come up with a good working solution for that :(

A-B-A from the OEM BT90’s to the Avon Distnazia’s to the OEM BT90’s again.

First off, the 11.5% taller gears do not rally effect the slow speed operation with the BT90’s. With the Avon’s, the WR was lugging at any speed below 40 mph. With the BT90’s, 33 to 35 mph just as with the OEM gearing. Almost a completely different bike in that regard. Because I rode the I-94 cement section w/ the rain grooves through Milwaukee, the OEM’s showed that slight wobbly feel whereas those Distnazia’s all but removes it. In addition, at 70 mph, the OEM BT90’s allow you to be thrown around on the road when passing vehicles whereas the Distanzia’s were much more stable. To think that 10 extra pounds of rotating mass would change the nature of the bike this much is incredible.

I did a 1-block section of gravel road four times and the OEM BT90’s were like trying to keep your speed and balance up in sand. Anyone that has ridden sand knows that feeling as you try to get the bike to float and then let it meander side to side with minimal input from you to keep it upright and heading in a generally straight line. The Avon’s were a lot more stable on this section. They offer so much more stability and utility with light off-road but for our purposes, the FE hit is simply too harsh :(

The WR250X

I think its ready... Or at least I hope so anyway? I will do an oil change on it this afternoon and off to Boston I go probably tomorrow.

Good Luck

Wayne

Not at all surprised by your mileage figures, especially given my own experience with the bike.

My best mileage with my first one (which was stolen over new years, long story) at just about 76mpg. Filled up with gas in Boise City, OK and then 155 GPS miles later in Trinidad, CO. Not 'hypermiling' either, though I knew I had to be extra careful with the throttle given the distance between potential stops and the terrain ahead. Not bad considering I was carrying about 50 pounds of gear with me (including extra gas, just in case, but I wanted to see how far I could get her to go) in a pair of saddle bags and a tail bag. That bike was stock except for gearing (13/47 instead of the stock 13/43, new 0-ring chain also) and tires (120/90/18 Dunlop D606 instead of the stock 120/80/18 deathwing).

The current bike hasn't gotten close to those figures, but I haven't had a chance to ride it similarly yet either. Best on it was 67mpg blasting up and down the switchbacks on CR55 in West Virginia trying to play keep away from some guys on sport bikes (amazing how well a dirt bike can handle the curves :D ). It was an easy one to calculate, as I had only traveled 67.1 miles (GPS) since my last fill up and put 1.00x gallons in. Again the bike was loaded for camping, though carrying about 20 pounds less and much of it closer to the bike. This is with fuel efficiency killing mods too: FMF Q4 exhaust, power programmer, and opened up air box, 13/46 gearing, and a much taller than stock pirelli mt43 trials tire at 12psi. Another WRR rider on the same ride with nearly the same mods (differences are a power commander, no autotune, instead of the power programmer and added the FMF powerbomb header) got significantly worse mileage, in the high 40's, on the exact same route at near enough the exact same speeds.

BTW thanks for posting over in the mega-thread and the WRR/X forums. I've used some of your techniques in my daily riding and have seen a 3-5mpg increase without losing any of the fun factor.