125-200cc 09 Wr125 Ride Report, You Asked?

Gang,

Some of you have PM'd me asking me the opinion of my new WR125 (09). I wasn't really ready to respond but I am now.

First off, I would like to thank most of you because you persuaded me to get this thing. I also have a WR250 that I really like. My changes are from most of you pioneers leading the way.

Engine:

I am glad that I bought this bike and think it will be my favorite. I bought the bike from Hall's and Jay personally jetted the bike and test rode it before I accepted delivery. I did notice that the front boinkers were awfully stiff and that I needed to spring the rear. I thought this bike ripped, railed and turned on a dime. I set up a tight technical track and had faster lap times than my Wr 250.

You had me wondering what the TMX fuss was all about. One day while riding, It bogged a little and I adjusted the air screw 1/2 turn, problem solved. A day later, bog was back. I adjusted the powervalve 3/4 the way up like Kelly mentioned and turned air screw. Issue was solved again. Next couple days, a slight bog returned and I adjusted the air screw again. Okay, got this TMX carb issue resolved. You have to be a weather forecaster! The carb acts different between 10 degrees. Two weeks ago, I rode my first Harescramble on the bike. It was cool out and muddy. I almost decided to turn the air screw 1/2 turn but didn't. We started dead engine and I was about fifth in the first turn. Hey not bad for a little 125! The rest of the race was very tight and muddy. Now I know why the TMX is going in the garbage can. The whole race, my carb was off.

Fix:

I purchased the PWK 38 from Kelly. I had to use the throttle cable elbow off the TMX (My cable left a small amount of slack at the throttle). I installed the carb, 185 main, 45 Pilot, blue needle 3rd slot from top.
Take the bike out and now the bog is on the bottom. I tried every clip position on the blue needle and every clip position on the red. I couldn't get rid of the bog on the bottom. So now my thinking is that I am too lean on the pilot or too rich. I went out and purchased a 40, 42, 48 and 50 pilot jet. I installed the 42 pilot and put the blue needle back in, clip in the 3rd slot. The bike ran alot better. I came back in and tried the 40 Pilot, blue needle and 3rd slot. Bingo! got one heck of a sweet running engine with nice brown plug and no, notta, one sign of spooge!

Here are my results:

Carb: PWK AS 38 (Purchased from Kelly)

Main: 185 (May try going up one or two more).

Pilot: 40 (May need 42 a hotter weather?)

Needle: blue on 3rd slot

Elevation: 900 - 1000 ft

Temp range: 65 - 75 degrees

Ratio: 40:1 , 93 Octane/ Maxima Octane Booster 3oz per gallon

Oil: Maxima 927

I purchased the Power Valve Spring (Walt's) kit from Hall's. I talked to Jay and he thought I should run the stock spring with blue. He thought that I would like a more gradual hit. Of course not! I want to explore and try all sorts of combinations. Yellow/Green, White Green, etc....
Seemed to wheelie a heck of alot down low! I finally ended up with the stock/blue spring. The powervalve is adjusted with the bolt so you can barely stick a fingernail in the adjustment slot at the top. I may try the stock and silver spring yet. I seem to have not lost any top end.

Power Valve Springs: Stock/Blue


Gearing:

The 12/50 gear combo seems way too low with the PWK 38 torque and stock/blue spring. Seems like I had too much bottom. I ordered a 13just in case.

Fix: With the PWK 38 Carb, Stock/Blue Spring. I really like the gearing for racing. I think I have a good race bike that is going to keep the power to the ground.

Gearing: 13/50


Suspension:

I am around 210 with my gear on. The front always seemed to be stiff and the rear bottomed. I took my boinkers to Hall's and talked to Jay about them. He said I need a revalve in the front only and a revalve and spring in the rear.

Fix:

I have to say that Jay Hall did one heck of a nice job for $400. Plush on bottom and does not bottom out on the big stuff. It is going to be a good race suspension.


Brakes: Great!


Conclusion: I now have the best 125 I have ever owned. I am faster thru the woods on it and I can flick it around better than my WR250. I now own two of the best Husky's (09 Wr125/08 Wr250. I have the most fun on this bike! I am not convinced that I even need the 144 Kit yet?

Typpyt

So am I ? I was having a bog that seemed to be present from the pilot to the main. It almost acted like it had a shot of too much fuel and then waited to catch up. The 40 made a nice crisp smooth transition all the way to the top. I am contemplating trying the stock and silver spring, going 190 main and I'll try your 175/45 combo just to see what happens.

In the future I would like to do both in clutches and maybe a 144 kit?

I might get a PWK for the RM next winter. It has the TMX carb and it always is finicky about temps.

Darin

Great detailed report so it sould help others, thanks for posting it up.

Yeah, what he said!

Thanks for the report
So you had a bog with the PWK ?
Did you notice any loss in the high revs with the PWK?

Since you had an 07 wr125 how does it compare in handling and performance. How is it better?

Thanx for all the replies. This tuning wasn't possible if we didn't have some pioneers leading the way. You guys really put some time and effort in.

No kidding on the side. I think I have 8hrs in changing and re-arranging jets, needles, clip slots, power valve springs and gearing.

The PWK, gotta admit, once dialed in, best carb for this bike. I have a very clean and crisp low end and a nice pull on top. I very seldom get in 6th gear.

Suggestion: Have JD put some smaller and larger pilots (40,42,48 50) in the kit and maybe go one main up to a 190? Might have to mark the carb up another $15 but worth it. I had to go to several bike shops to collect the pilots I needed to try.

The stock power valve springs are okay. If you go with the weaker springs they hit sooner like a motocross bike.Some folks like this early hit. I kept coming out of turns pulling a wheelie. The stock and blue spring works great for me. This is also what Jay Hall is using. It keeps the front wheel down better and has a better gradual hit into the high revs. The only combination that I haven't tried yet is the stock spring and silver. I might try it this weekend.
Just to make sure that I liked the stock and blue combo, I kept switching back and forth from stock spring. I think that I am one of the fastest pipe pullers and power valve spring changers now. I did it real fast so I could tell the differences. I also think that I can get my hand off a hot pipe pretty fast too, ouch!

The PWK seems to give me more bottom end so I went up to a 13 front sprocket. I think this also helps out on top. The 12 was pulling the front wheel up to much.

This bike, you can throw it around, stuff the front into a turn, one finger the clutch and you are gone. I wish I had this frame, brakes, forks and rear linkage on my 250.

The only downfall is now the tank size and one nut has already spun in the tank that holds the upper tank cover on.

Darin

Sounds good, but damn that's a lot of screwing around. I just pretty much ride my WR250 stock, with just minor jetting changes when the temps change over 20F.

I know, I know, seems like alot of work but I had fun doing it.

My WR250 runs great but I should drop one size main.

Also, got me out of doing the stalls.

It should be set now for good and happy with the performance.

I don't muck stalls. It's her hobby, not mine. Those horses are a bigger money pit than bikes.

You got that right, but it helps to throw that up every once in a while, to get parts or new bike.

Do the both of you show them, ride them or just pets? Ours are just pets and have one good Qtr horse to ride. She's a good horse but she has a mid range bog I can't get rid of sometimes. I don't know whether to increase the feed or reduce it (Joke)!
I am starting to fence in the the other side of our property and build stalls in one of the barn additions/reside/roof, so we can rotate fields. It's all wood three rail painted white. It'll help with arm pump up!

Dressage. She competes in some shows at a beginner level. 2 Arabians and one mutt. They are trained and she trains all the time. We have one boarder, that barely pays enough for that horse's grain and hay. Plus she does some chores. It's a money pit, there is zero dollars coming in from this hobby.

At least I get a $5 trophy every now and then.