Gimme my 15 minutes back!
Regarding the "Adventure Bike Buildup" in July's issue. I was excited to see that the WR250R was included as I am considering trading in my DRZ400s and my RMZ250 to hopefully combine both into the new WR. Unfortunately, the whole article was a waste of time. First mod for the WR: LOUD Dr. D. slip-on? Disconnect the exup? How does this effect the fuel injected bike's durability/ warranty? And why bother? What a waste of time and money! The fact that you can go out and buy a DR.D LOUD slip-on for a dual-sport shows that Dr. D himself just doesn't get it. Why sell a pipe that is too loud for trail and street, for a trail and street bike? Asinine! Almost as asinine as putting it on your bike. And the rest of the "mods" amount to squat. A fender eliminator and luggage rack. You call that a "build-up"? The stock tires on a dualsport are no good in the dirt? No kidding, really? Any reader/rider with a pulse knows this. Do you think your readers are brain-dead? If you need filler pages, put in a girly poster or something. Otherwise, I look forward to the next issue.
Rod Moran
Moran Motorsports Marketing
The WR250R, while a fun street bike, is now replacement for the two bikes you have now. A tank with a gallon in it and power that only shows up at blender rpm won't beat your 250 or your 400 in the dirt, and your 400 is more comfortable on the highway. And it wouldn't have mattered what mods we made. When we sit down and plan a project, and especially one involving a bike with nearly nothing available, what sounds good in a meeting/brainstorming session doesn't always work in the dirt. When it came time for tires and such, the bike just didn't have the range or the power to make a good choice, so we stopped throwing money at it. And we didn't say it was great just because we built it. We agree that the WR250R looks good on paper, and it is my favorite 250 to commute on the freeway on, but that isn't saying much. And we agree on the pipe. We were assured it was quiet and legal. -Karel Kramer
Have a question or concern for Dirt Rider? Please send all letters to DRMAIL@sorc.com.