125-200cc 09 wr125

Hey guys, just joined up.
My name comes from the fact that I have raced powerboats my whole life, started riding dirt bikes for fun back in '02. I have been riding a KTM 250 2t, wanted to get a newer one, but everyone here seems to ride one. I wanted something different, looked at Gas Gas, but I am 6'-3" and they also looked a little chinese to me even though I know they are very good. So I was seduced by the beautiful Italian that I had been resisting for a few years and brought home a lightly used 09 wr125. I have read every thread I could find on them 3-4 times trying to get to the bottom of the mid range problem. It seems that a few of you say you have them running very well, but others can't seem to find the problem. I bought mine from a very experienced racer, and he said that he never could get it right.
Has anyone found the majic bullet that gets them going? I am looking into the obvious jetting, power now device, keihin carburetor, or is it in the powervalve?
I ride in a sea of orange, so I have to get this thing right before I take it out in public.
To make matters worse, I am healing up from a nasty femur break, so I can't ride yet, but I have a friend that is testing for me, until I get back on in 3-4 weeks.
I know this is a mouthful, and I am looking forward to being a part of the Cafe Husky community.
GP

Welcome to the site and those fine looking Italians have gotten me three times in the dirt (08 CR125, 09 TXC510, and a 2010 TC250) and one on the street (04 Aprilia RSV1000 Factory). I am pretty sure someone will fill you in on the majic pill for your Wr. Congrats on your new bike and I hope you heal up soon.

Hi GP, It is a great little bike. The positives are far more than the few negatives.

For the bog: I would start by doing what most others have done: 32.5 pilot, need 4th clip from the top, and 450 main.

I eventually went to a 30 pilot, which made it idle better and the bottom end really crisp off idle.

Also, I have noticed two things:

1) the bike takes a long time to warm up. When it is cold, it bogs quite a bit. Once warm it screams.

2) when ridden off the pipe (chugged) for a long time, it takes 3-4 good full throttle/high rev runs through the gears to clear it out.

Our bike runs great. However, it does have a split personality. It chugs and chugs really well. Or it screams on top like nothing else. It does not like the in-between. I think this is where most people have problems with this little bike. The transition from chugger to screamer is very noticable...a softer PV spring may tame the hit a bit.

JS

Welcome to the Cafe. There's a gizzilion threads out there when we were all looking for a way to clear up mid range issues earlier in the year. After the factory upgrade kit the below combo finally worked for me in Charlotte, NC this summer. I'll probably lean the main out a bit since the temp is cooling. It came with the clip in the middle position on the slide and nothing help that low to mid range gap more than moving the clip down one position.

I love the simplicity of the bike, yet it takes a lot of effort to keep the power up when riding it. Good luck!

Main 450 summer, 440 or 430 for winter
Pilot 45
Needle 4 positions from the top

Usually you fatten up the jetting as temps get colder, as air is denser.

Thanks for watching out for us newbies guys. Let me reword my issues. Just in the last couple weeks with temps in the 60's, there's a hesitation going from mid- range to wide open. Once it gets to wide open it flys. One person told me to fat go bigger, one told me to lean it out.

Water Racer, these guys are great and have kept me from going 4F. Sorry to steal your tread and I'll let you know how it works out.

WR Bob

I'd suggest changing your needle clip from 4th to 3rd if you want to lean it in that throttle range.

Thanks for the info, I was thinking the bike may take more time to warm up, than most.
I think the dual personality may be ok, as I ride mostly tight single track, to many trees to be on to much of the powerband. I do need a steady pull though to get up some washed out hills here in the mountains.
Where can I find a 32.5 pilot, haven't seen them in the catalogs. I know some of you are liking the 32.5, and seems others are running much bigger. I will try them all to see which works here in Tennessee.
GP

There's a Thumper Talk Yamaha 2 stroke thread, with a couple of guys fron Europe with YZ125's converted for enduro. They have the same TMX as WR125. Stock is a 45 pilot, they say a 42.5 is the "Magic Pilot". This would be the same 1/2 step down fron the 35 (Stock)to 32.5 on old style TMX used until '08 on Husky 125's. I can't get mine ('09 WR125} to run right with a 32.5.

After reading your post I see that you purchased your bike used, have you verified that you have the latest upgrades,new powervalves and pipe and any thing else that was an upgrade for the 2009 WR125? This group will get you sorted out. Lots of knowledge here.
Bill

The YZ125 TMX comes with very different needles to the Husky. It is much leaner from 1/8 throttle on up and main jets tend to be a couple of sizes smaller. It is really hard to compare jetting between the two because so much of the motor configuration is different. Crankcase volume, intake porting and timing, intake volume between the reed cage and the crank, power valve timing and size along with exhaust port shape and size and finally expansion chamber pulse timing. All these things will affect jetting in a small bore 2-stroke far more than a 250+. The volume of draw is so much less which yields much different levels of vacuum pressure and draw across the jets. I wish that Mikuni offered at least a couple of different sized needles on each side of the kit needle. It really seems to be where there needs to be more variability to adjust for each condition.

Just an aside. Keihin does not make a viable replacement for the new TMX. The pwk is a larger carb dimensionally and needs to have carb boot modifications to work long term and I don't consider the pwm to be an upgrade over the new TMX. I think the new TMX works better than any previous mikuni, we just need more availability of needle sizes appropriate for this bike.

I use Pat's Small Engine Parts on line for all my jetting needs. Nice site with fast shipping and large selection. Oh and the prices are great.

Hope that helps,
Walt

PS, My 144 absolutely rips and has mondo low end compared to stock. One sudgestion I have for the 144 guys is to do a small amount of re-shaping of the power valves. With the extra volume I felt that the power valve placement and size was a little too conservative. I raised the bottom height about 3mm with a slightly oval shape that created the largest of the opening at the center of the exhaust ports. My buddy was very skeptical but it worked better than I had any right to expect. It really pulls well in the low to mid. I expect it will pull almost any moderate climb a gear higher and off the pipe.

What's wrong with the PWM? It at least has lots of needle options. I am not sure that carb would fit anyway as it hangs down a long ways. It sounds like the new TMX is much better then the old it's just too bad there are not more needle choices.

Thanks Norman I will give that a try first this weekend with weather here only in the 50's for a high. Thanks again.

WR Bob

The pwm doesn't have an adjustable pilot jet. So adjusting low speed below 1/8 th throttle is tough.

Walt

Yes, all the upgrades were done by the previous owner.
GP