The '08 Yamaha WR250X: banked and cranked it's a huge amount of fun. image: thanks, yamaha

For 2008, Yamaha has added a second and third variation of their potent off-road WR250F, thus creating a fresh new pair of dual-sport 250cc singles.

For Yamaha's product planners, past and current sales trends have directed them towards both the street-legal enduro and supermoto markets, as these areas reflect some of the largest recent growth rates currently recognized by each of the Japanese OEMs. So, based on the everlasting need to provide fresh products to eager new consumers, Yamaha has attempted to fill vacancies in their 2008 model lineup by creating these different, yet parallel new singles for entry-level motorcyclists, returning riders, or anyone else who can appreciate such a motorcycle.

In marketing, "the current rate of sales" is a critically tangible indicator—a metric by which specific product consumptions are measured. So telling is this data that astute product planners will focus a great deal of their attention on determining trends, studying target markets, and planning future products. The career of a product planner can be long or short, depending on how well his or her ideas fit the future needs and demands of consumers.

After Soup's Danny Coe finished with the Yamaha the pegs were begging for mercy. image: thanks, yamaha

An interesting note: early in my tenure as a motorcycle tester, I was approached by one of the Japanese OEMs and offered a job in Product Planning. The position included the study of marketing trends, developing related strategies, and designing new motorcycles—all for a major manufacturer. The name of the company and the reason I was selected is not important now, but the manner in which the offer was presented remains unforgettable and provides some insight into the challenges these creative individuals must face.

During the actual job offer, the creative director reached over and grabbed a tissue from a box of Kleenex, blew his nose, and dropped it at my feet, explaining that "product planners are like that tissue—five years and they're used up." Ultimately, I didn't take the job, but in the process, I gained tons of respect for product planners, and even more admiration for those planners who persevere.

"During the actual job offer, the creative director reached over and grabbed a tissue from a box of Kleenex, blew his nose, and dropped it at my feet, explaining that "product planners are like that tissue--five years and they're used up."

We here at Soup feel that the YMUS planners can stay, at least through next year's flu season. The new WR250R and WR250X represent solid new approaches to applying Yamaha's high-tech 250cc four-stroke single for off- and on-road use. As with many fraternal twins, each must be approached differently, and the WR250R and WR250X are no exception. These two Yamahas were built around distinctly different 250cc platforms—the choices being an enduro, street-going motorcycle and a supermoto machine. Whichever model you choose, they both share identical engines, electronics, exhaust, and controls, with the real differences being found in rolling gear, brakes, and suspension damping rates and gearing for the final drive. While a reliable source claims that the WR-X produces "over 25 horsepower", either model should exceed the minimalist's need for speed and lightweight performance thanks to the compact, new DOHC four-valve, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected single mounted in Yamaha's slim double-cradle aluminum chassis.

They might look different but, inside, they're mostly the same.

With the WR250X being designated as the road-going supermoto, it's easily identified by the blackened frame and swingarm, wide 17" rims, and anodized KYB inverted front forks. The WR-X thumps onto the scene with proven YZ250F power, using the same oversquare bore and stroke, but aside from this dimension, literally everything else with the engines is different.

Normal Soup at-event breakfast consists of a box of Hot Tamales and four cups of strong coffee. Yamaha's Kevin Foley tried to placate us with cake-products and the like. image: thanks, yamaha

Either of the street-going WR engines is vastly different from their fully off-road and higher-performance counterparts. Although bore and stroke remain the same, the cylinder head is entirely new and uses a four-valve configuration (instead of five valves with the YZ-F and WR-F). With one less valve feeding the pent-roof combustion chamber, valve poppet sizes can be bigger. Engineers chose to fit large 30mm titanium intake valves and smaller 24.5mm steel exhaust valves, while opting for a street-tolerable compression ratio of 11.8:1 versus the YZ-Fs short-burst ratio of 13.5:1. The new valves are positioned at steep angles (11.5 degrees intake/13 degrees exhaust) providing for straight flow characteristics and are matched to high-lift cams treated with hardened surfaces.

On one of the rides we took with Yamaha and the WR, the asphalt was in appalling condition with chunks of moon-surface-like pavement, both large and small, coming up seemingly everywhere. Our complaints about 'this street being in the worst condition we've ever seen' brought only blank stares from Yamaha. image: thanks, yamaha

For the first time in Yamaha's off-road, single-cylinder history, these particular 250's receive a compact stick-type ignition coil and true fuel injection. The induction is not a closed loop system, meaning no O2 sensor is used. Instead, a single 38mm Mikuni throttle body pressurized by an in-tank fuel pump delivers a fine spray via a single 12-hole injector placed just below the TPS-controlled throttle valve and accurately metered by a fast 16-bit CPU. The ECU relies on data from a crankshaft-reading sensor, as well as an air intake pressure and electronic intake control valve. Completing the loop and helping to increase torque by using exhaust back pressure, Yamaha adapted their electronically controlled EXUP exhaust valve. The system has proven to increase torque at low rpms, while also helping to reduce exhaust noise. The high-volume muffler also contains an emission-compliant catalytic converter and does more than its part to keep things quiet.

Inside the new engine are other improvements, too. Engineers were not only able to make the engine more efficient, they also addressed issues like heat dissipation and piston longevity by adding an under-side oil spray cooling jet and a ceramic-composite lining on the cylinder wall to reduce wear. Down below, the WR receives a sixth transmission gear, crankshaft counterbalancer, stout seven-plate clutch, and a smaller alternator with rare earth magnets providing a big 14V/350W output, while overall, the engine still remains tidy and compact with its crank, clutch, and driving gear shaft stacked on three different axes.

Cooling the WRs is a single-side 900cc radiator, complete with ringed cooling fan and directional ducting intended to vent hot air away from the rider. Other smart features include a lightweight magnesium valve cover and independent case that seals the wet clutch. On this engine, servicing the clutch no longer requires draining the coolant and entirely removing the right primary case and larger gasket, while a durable plastic cover protects the aluminum finish from typical boot wear, rocks, or even worse, an overly aggressive riding buddy doing an unexpected slam-pass from your right.

The Chassis: Cast & Forged Aluminum And High-Strength Steel

Grange circuit served as a decent Supermoto playground for the X. In most cases it was weight forward, toes on the pegs keeping feet up and out of the way. image: thanks, yamaha

Encasing the new engine, Yamaha has built a slim aluminum double-cradle frame and matched it to a tapered swingarm of identical construction with welded extrusions and castings. Under both the engine and rider are high-strength steel subframes that bolt on for ease of engine access and even replacement if you consider the "buddy factor" again.

In the front, connecting the fork with the frame is a fully forged triple clamp holding stout, fully adjustable 46mm KYB inverted cartridge forks with leading axle. Up top, either version of the WR has replaceable handlebar clamps that, if rotated or even replaced with YZ-F parts, will offer different bar placements. The two models also share the same amount of front travel at 10.6", but the WR-Xs forks have a stiffer spring rate, heavier damping, and will stop considerably quicker with its larger brake rotor. To accommodate the big disc, a larger caliper mount is cast on the left fork's lower leg.

The preplanned dirt exercise was fun... mountain top views, fresh air, cactus and rocks to dodge, but we couldn't wait to ride back to hot soup and tight pavement. image: thanks, yamaha

Out back, the rear suspension on both machines are full SOQI units (Yamahas in-house damper), but like the forks, the WR-X's shock differs with a heavier spring and revised damping rates. As well as being fully adjustable for spring preload with single-stage damping, both units' shocks offer variable length thanks to a threaded lower clevis. You have half an inch of adjustment range to work with in either direction. A note here: during our test, Yamaha's techs chose to fully lower rear height on both WR models.

Wheels and Brakes: Dirt Is Not Just For Planting Potatoes, Just Ask KR

At Soup, we're all about pavement, but because the WR-R wears a license plate to complement its 18"and 21" off-road wheel and tire package, we still give this model honorable mention. For legitimate, dual-sport riding, engineers sought to balance braking power with off-road traction, so the WR-R fits a smaller and thinner (250mm x 3.5mm) floating front disc and (single-sided) dual-piston front caliper matched to a smaller master cylinder with less leverage. Because the WR-X has 17" rims, it will generally stick closer to the pavement and use all of its available braking power. The front rotor size and thickness both increase to 298mm x 4.0mm, all pressured by a more powerful pump. At the rear of either model, the Nissin systems are identical, sharing single-piston calipers and 230mm x 4.5mm waved rotors.

Would Ken Maely see Supermotard and such ruination as an opportunity, or just recommend we change our approach and look the other way? image: thanks, yamaha

Availing the WRs' traction, Bridgestone stepped up and built special 17" tires for the "X" and dual-purpose, street-profiled knobbies for the "R". The "X" fits a 110/70 tubed tire on a black, spoked 3.0" front wheel, while the rear sticks with a 140/70, also containing the latest in moto-x tube tech. On the dirt, all we can tell you is that the 80/100-21 and 120/80-18 Trailmasters on the "R" were easily up to the terrain that our escorting hosts put ahead of us.

In either supermoto or enduro dual-sport trim, the WRs share the same two-gallon gas tank, easy-access foam air cleaner, widened YZ-inspired textured seat, high-visibility halogen headlight, high-visibility LED taillight, plastic fenders, turn signals, and stalk mirrors. For instrumentation and gauges, a compact digital dash provides data for speed, odometer, trips A & B, fuel trip, FI warning and diagnosis, a clock, and a separate race mode for those so inclined.

So, What Are These New Dual-Sports Like To Ride? Well, It Gets 70 mpg ...

Aboard the WR250R, we were far from in race mode, yet we found the 249cc engine decent when commuting about town. As expected, it moves abundantly on its not-quite-full-motocross-spec suspension and has enough stopping power to avoid most everything but a head-on collision. Accidents aside, in street enduro mode, the "R" feels nimble while cornering and actually cruises both comfortably and somewhat non-remarkably at an indicated 75mph without much complaint from man or machine. Plus, it gets 70 miles to the gallon.

The other riding option, foot down and holding the X up while taxing front grip. Nowhere to hide your feet around the pegs. image: thanks, yamaha

Once on the dirt, our entire Yamaha entourage seemed to downshift twice, leaving the WR's overdrive 5th and 6th ratios back closer to the hotel. As any torque is a valuable commodity with a small-displacement four-stroke single, Yamaha compensates by intending this engine to spin, and its rider really benefits when staying in the upper rev range for the majority of donking. By the time our route became somewhat mountainous, the majority of climb and descent apprehension subsided, and the WR-R impressed us as if it could go most anywhere except the Widowmaker. Whoops, goat trails, golf course greens, bring 'em on!

When we finally arrived at the small asphalt kart track and saw our WR250X waiting, the synthetic enduro garb was quickly shed for leathers, along with the fear of encountering any more jumping Choya. The supermoto presented an expected set of new challenges: should we corner with foot down or up, lean in or away from the apex? Turns out that we had to use a little bit of everything.

On the first outing on the WR-X, it only took three laps before we pitted for some damping adjustments. Not surprised, Yamaha's techs knew exactly what was needed based on the insights they gained from the previous day's group. They quickly turned in both front and rear damping screws, and out we went again. Much to our satisfaction, once we stiffened both ends equally, the Yamaha was easy to ride while applying any style. Its tall seat height, narrow chassis, wide handlebars, and lightweight (282 pounds) mass make the WR-X super-maneuverable from corner to corner, and it can change direction with such agility that, during transitions at TDC while flopping between left and right, the front can easily leave the pavement.

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This motorcycle was a decent match for the tight circuit, and with its solid and forgiving handling, it was easy to access limits somewhat early on, these ultimately being front traction and footpeg ground clearance. We could ride through the ground clearance by easing foot pressure and just grind away at the pegs, especially on the many counterclockwise lefts. Admittedly, the issue with clearance was partly avoidable because, if you attack corners in true supermoto fashion, the motorcycle remains more upright and ample clearance is available.

In comparison, Ducati's Hypermotard features replaceable, low-friction skids attached to the undersides of the pegs to reduce both drag and contact noise, while making the touching down of pegs less damaging to the parts and the track. The WR-X would benefit from similar sacrificial skids for aggressive riding. As for front grip, this proved to be a more serious limitation and, on our Yamaha, we did become somewhat comfortable pushing the front in the tightest corners, but we can't really offer a simple solution here. For track use, this particular tester might start with a different front tire.

The WR-R had no problem getting us to the top of the local mountains, or back. Even though it was all downhill from here, this model can easily make the best of what it has. image: thanks, yamaha

It is no secret that, with a smaller-displacement motorcycle, cornering momentum is everything. If you're in the market for a motorcycle that delivers torque-filled drives away from corners, neither of Yamaha's new street-going WRs may be for you. However, if a smaller-displacement machine packaged in one of these serious configurations interests you from either an entry-level aspect, or perhaps as a valuable tool to help you hone your approach to corners, you might try to convince your riding buddies to join you at the dealership, since both of these machines will be that much more fun on a level playing field.

For $5,899, the "R" will easily get you where you want to go, on the road or off. On the road, the "X" will near 90 mph, be ultra-conservative on fuel, and slightly harder on its sticky tires, for an MSRP of $5,999.