When Yamaha released the first WR250F back in 2001 it changed the bush riding game.
Here was a giant-killing quarter-litre four stroke that could take on bikes twice its size. For added local cred, the WRF range was developed specifically for Australia with assistance from Australians – something rare in the global motorcycle market.
To ensure the machine was set up to suit our unique conditions, the WR250F was developed with the input of legendary Aussie riders such as Geoff Ballard, Stefan Merriman, Ben Grabham, Glenn Kearney and Stuart Morgan – all of whom worked in conjunction with Yamaha in Japan and with Yamaha Motor Australia top brass such as Peter Payne – who continues to be involved in model development two decades later.
A stroke above
Based on the YZ250F motocross platform, the WR250F soon proved to be the fastest way through tight scrub. In the right hands, a well-ridden WR250F could arrive back at the campsite quicker than much larger capacity bikes, which led to many Aussie riders downsizing from 450s to the more manageable and rider-friendly 250.
The 250cc capacity has long been considered the Goldilocks engine size – ever since Yamaha dropped the first true dual-purpose dirt/street motorcycle – the now legendary 1968 DT1. The DTs were followed by the IT series introduced in the 1970s and then the four-stroke TT trail bike range.
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Two-strokes were still the racer’s choice until Yamaha shocked everyone by releasing the YZ400F in 1998 – the father of the modern high revving, high performance four-stroke.
Here was an engine that could spin up like a two-stroke yet deliver heaps of linear, controllable power. While the two-strokes offered an adrenalin-filled ride, they demanded top skill to pilot fast for a full 20 minutes plus.
The key to the 400F’s success was that it was easier to hang on to and even club riders could last a whole moto. That easy-to-ride nature became even more important when transferred to a bush setting with long days in the saddle battling tough trails.
(en)Durable design
Taking an MX bike and turning it into an enduro machine sounds simple, but the changes are subtle and require a lot of input. The WR250F uses a model-specific ECU, is equipped with a wide-ratio six-speed gearbox and the aluminium frame is specifically tuned for enduro riding. There are specialised settings for the front and rear suspension and the WRF runs an 18-inch wheel and tyre combination designed for enduro.
The WRF ECU emphasises the mid and low-speed range. A programming specialist in charge of tuning the model’s fuel injection creates a 3D map for the system’s settings and loads it into the ECU. Then, the ECU is mounted on a test machine for off-road evaluations based on test rider perceptions and input.
The results of these tests are analysed and returned to the fuel injection specialist for setting adjustments. The revised map is then loaded into the ECU for further off-road tests. This process is repeated until the ideal settings are found.
As Japanese test rider and enduro legend Kenji Suzuki explains: “When it comes to re-programming the ECU, the demands are far more severe than with the YZ250F. In motocross, you typically keep engine revs above 3000 while riding.
But for enduro riding, you have to be incredibly specific with the characteristics, going all the way to fine-tuning the bike’s ‘never-give-up’ feeling, like seeking the lowest point that engine braking will cause the engine to stop. In that range, you’re in a realm where the data doesn’t even show up as verifiable on the computer.”
The end result of the tuning process gives the WR250F the ability to creep along with practically zero throttle as well as delivering a fat mid-range and high-speed punch.
“Riding this machine in a motocross race with its standard settings will show its competitive potential. While this obviously depends also on the rider’s skills, I would say that it’s certainly capable of qualifying for International A-Class motocross competition,” adds Suzuki – a common surname in Japan.
Game of inches/mm
Looking at the some of the smallest parts of the machine reveals the unrelenting attention to detail. For example, the shapes of the engine mounting brackets are adjusted by shaving away portions of them in millimetre increments, and various attachment methods are tried and tested – as many as 10 different mounting methods for the
engine alone.
The diameter of the rear axle on the YZ250F is 25mm, but on the WR250F, it is 22mm. The diameters of the wheel spokes are also adjusted in millimetre increments, making them smaller than those on the YZ250F. Both these changes give the bike a more compliant feel that better suits enduro riding. This information is fed back to the factory engineers by riders rather than computers.
The WR250F has undergone many changes since 2001, with a flex-tuned aluminium frame replacing the original steel chassis and a reverse fed four-valve engine replacing the original forward facing five-valve motor. This design allows a fresh shot of fuel-air mix to enter via the easily accessed top mount air filter. The layout also helps centralise engine mass for superb handling.
Around the bend
Now the latest model 2025 WR250F has received some of the biggest tweaks ever. Changes that make the bike rail corners even easier than before. This is due to a new chassis that gives the bike a lower centre of gravity, making direction changes a breeze. Grip at both front and rear is improved while the 250F’s trademark linear power is both longer and stronger throughout the range thanks to new intake and ECU settings.
The bike is now slimmer through the shrouds and feels more nimble with industry-leading KYB suspension. The bar-mounted engine map switch allows you to choose two power maps on the fly. Both maps can be fine-tuned with your smartphone, with traction control now joining the fuel and ignition settings as adjustable parameters. The WR250F retains the ability to attract riders of larger capacity machines eager to test the notion that if a bike is easy to ride, it’s easy to ride fast.
The WR250F continues to be developed for Australia with input from the current ShopYamaha enduro race team including team manager AJ Roberts as well as Kiwi MX race legend Josh Coppins. Despite our small population, Australia is the biggest single global market for WRF models – due to a combination of the unique conditions we ride, the input from local race teams, riders and YMA staff and the ability to road register units locally.
Yamaha’s WRF is one of the few – maybe the only – model range that is truly conceived for and ridden in the Aussie bush.