Rode an 09 WR300 today

[Motosportz]

Short ride in less than ideal conditions but cool bike. Strong off the bottom but jetted fat on top and blubbered. Steered really nice. Feels stiff like all new huskys. PC rode my 04 CR125 while i was on his bike and i think was really surprised how good it was.

 

[Wetdog]

Love the pic of the virgin bike, it's soooo clean.
I seem to recall taking some pics of my bike last year before it got dirty but I can't find em......... wait............. oh yeah, there on your website. BTW, I still haven't recieved any royalties from that.

 

[BlueHusky144]

Did you notice any significant vibration in the handlebars? Being a 125 rider myself, I can't get past the vibration of a 250 let alone a 300. Is this something you just get used too? A friend at the shop just got one and I am dying to ride it.

 

[dartyppyt]

Sharp ride! What do you think the main differences are from the 250 versus 300 ?

That's if you had enough time in the saddle.

 

[work2ride]

Wow! That's a beautiful bike!

 

[PC.]

K,

I'm in LUST over that 125. Damn you! I get a new bike, ride it for the 1st time and all I can think about is that sweet 125 rush. It's just the most pure,connected feeling you can have on a bike IMO.

I dont even know how to break the news to my wife! Maybe you should

The 300 is a very nice bike. I dont notice the vibration, but my other bike is a YZ285, so I'm used to the motor size/characteristics. I love the handling. It steers precise and is very neutral feeling. I was flopping around like a damn drunken fool, but was usually able to recover. It's certainly more trail worthy than my Yamaha, which doesn't begin to work until race-pace. Once the suspension gets broken it it'll only get better

Brakes - top notch.
Suspension - tight. Was getting better towards the end of the ride, but I'll save my opinion for when its truly broken in.
Motor - Me likey! It is breaking in nicely and felt much better at the end of the ride. Nice bottom end... not hard hitting at all, just linear and progressive. Part throttle was fat and needs some needle tweaking. Top end was strong IF I had room to really allow it to rev. GPS'd top speed at 67mph, but it had a little more. I got scared! It was not a super highway I was testing on.
Chassis - love it! It might be getting long in the tooth on paper, but it feels great to me. All the components mesh well with it and I have no complaints.

My only gripe.... shifter hits the clutch cover and left an ugly gouge. Pretty minor.

Can't wait to ride it again!

 

[Dirtdame]

K,
My only gripe.... shifter hits the clutch cover and left an ugly gouge. Pretty minor.

Seems common. My 450 shifter scrapes the ignition cover. I thought of pulling it out a teeny bit....but it would probably be hugging the case again after the next falldowngoboom on that side.

 

[krieg]

The 300 is a very nice bike. I dont notice the vibration, but my other bike is a YZ285, so I'm used to the motor size/characteristics. I love the handling. It steers precise and is very neutral feeling. I was flopping around like a damn drunken fool, but was usually able to recover. It's certainly more trail worthy than my Yamaha, which doesn't begin to work until race-pace. Once the suspension gets broken it it'll only get better

Brakes - top notch.
Suspension - tight. Was getting better towards the end of the ride, but I'll save my opinion for when its truly broken in.
Motor - Me likey! It is breaking in nicely and felt much better at the end of the ride. Nice bottom end... not hard hitting at all, just linear and progressive. Part throttle was fat and needs some needle tweaking. Top end was strong IF I had room to really allow it to rev. GPS'd top speed at 67mph, but it had a little more. I got scared! It was not a super highway I was testing on.
Chassis - love it! It might be getting long in the tooth on paper, but it feels great to me. All the components mesh well with it and I have no complaints.

Your observations match my first impression of my WR 300 almost verbatim! I did notice more vibration than I'm used to, but my only points of reference are my '08 TE250 and the '09 CR125. I can't wait to get back on the 300 this weekend!

 

[rajobigguy]

K,

I'm in LUST over that 125. Damn you! I get a new bike, ride it for the 1st time and all I can think about is that sweet 125 rush. It's just the most pure,connected feeling you can have on a bike IMO.

I dont even know how to break the news to my wife! Maybe you should

The 300 is a very nice bike. I dont notice the vibration, but my other bike is a YZ285, so I'm used to the motor size/characteristics. I love the handling. It steers precise and is very neutral feeling. I was flopping around like a damn drunken fool, but was usually able to recover. It's certainly more trail worthy than my Yamaha, which doesn't begin to work until race-pace. Once the suspension gets broken it it'll only get better

Brakes - top notch.
Suspension - tight. Was getting better towards the end of the ride, but I'll save my opinion for when its truly broken in.
Motor - Me likey! It is breaking in nicely and felt much better at the end of the ride. Nice bottom end... not hard hitting at all, just linear and progressive. Part throttle was fat and needs some needle tweaking. Top end was strong IF I had room to really allow it to rev. GPS'd top speed at 67mph, but it had a little more. I got scared! It was not a super highway I was testing on.
Chassis - love it! It might be getting long in the tooth on paper, but it feels great to me. All the components mesh well with it and I have no complaints.

My only gripe.... shifter hits the clutch cover and left an ugly gouge. Pretty minor.

Can't wait to ride it again!

Seems common. My 450 shifter scrapes the ignition cover. I thought of pulling it out a teeny bit....but it would probably be hugging the case again after the next falldowngoboom on that side.

Uptite makes a small stepped spacer keeps the shifter out furthur and tighter on the shaft.

 

[PC.]

It does vibrate, but it feels minor to me. It certainly vibrates less than a 06' KTM300 I rode recently.

Forgot to mention, I love the clutch and shifting feel. Clunky and precise! I am running Rotella T 15-40 (non snyth) and it worked great. No clutch slip and no missed shifts, at least not due to the oil.

Darin,
I've ridden an 06' WR250 a few weeks ago, which is why I now own a Husky smoker and the 300 feels a little larger and lumpier to me. I think much of it has to do with power delivery and partially due to the TALL, un-broken in suspension. I remember the 250 as having very little flywheel effect and feeling very much like a MX tuned motor. It just flew through the RPM's and flat ripped! I jumped on it and it felt like home. Had to have one.

The 300 is a little lazier with more 'thump'. It will get up and run, but it feels like it wants to do its thing at lower R's vs. the 250. Doesn't feel as 'racey' to me. That may change once its fully broken in, but probably not much.

I would have been just as happy on the 250. In fact, that's what I went to buy, but they didn't have any 09's and I fell in lust with the 09's bling. I always wanted black rims and wave rotors. Do they make a difference? Probably not.. Do they look cool? I think so.

 

[Dirtdame]

Uptite makes a small stepped spacer keeps the shifter out furthur and tighter on the shaft.

Cool! Thanks for the information.

 

[Motosportz]

K,

I'm in LUST over that 125. Damn you! I get a new bike, ride it for the 1st time and all I can think about is that sweet 125 rush. It's just the most pure,connected feeling you can have on a bike IMO.

I dont even know how to break the news to my wife! Maybe you should

almost every time I let someone ride my 125 they say the same thing and are confused at how good it is.

I look forward to trying your bike rejetted and not in the snow. Initial impressions were very good. Also I'm not sure if it is the 50mm forks or if they changed the geometry for 09 but I liked how it steered over the 02-07 WR250's I have ridden. Felt more like my TXC450 which I love the accuracy of the front end. Your bike did feel very tight, suspension and everything, it will feel a lot better once it loosens up with some miles. Still not convinced I like the 07 style erogs over one like my skinny 04 125 and really like the 08-09 new ergo like on my TXC.

All this makes me lust over the 09 125 even more

good stuff.

 

[HuskyDude]

but I can't find em......... wait............. oh yeah, there on your website. BTW, I still haven't recieved any royalties from that.

Hey wait a minute I should get a beer or something too...if I recall.

Right Kelly ...buddy....friend.... good look'n guy...

 

[HuskyDude]

All this makes me lust over the 09 125 even more

You got just over two weeks ...right?

 

[Troy F Collins]

Did you notice any significant vibration in the handlebars? Being a 125 rider myself, I can't get past the vibration of a 250 let alone a 300. Is this something you just get used too? A friend at the shop just got one and I am dying to ride it.

The vibration is the first thing I notice too..when I ride my friends WR250..mostly in the pegs....like a gyro effect

but its like an electric generator in the way that it churns out the torque...too cool !!!

 

[ScottyR]

I talked to another guy who had an 07 WR250 and is positive his 09 WR300 handles way better for some reason as well. The 50mm forks are the only thing that is different between the 2 bikes.

 

[Motosportz]

I talked to another guy who had an 07 WR250 and is positive his 09 WR300 handles way better for some reason as well. The 50mm forks are the only thing that is different between the 2 bikes.

The triple clamps are different as well and wonder if the offset is different. Bet it is. I does turn noticeably shaper and i don't think i was imagining it.

 

[ajaxauto]

K,

I'm in LUST over that 125. Damn you! I get a new bike, ride it for the 1st time and all I can think about is that sweet 125 rush. It's just the most pure,connected feeling you can have on a bike IMO.

Why do you think i ride a CR 125 in the open class because it is that good .At least for this old man We raced again last weeken at the AMA Western Hare Scrambles held at Ryno Land .After 3 hours of tight single track the 125 did it again winning the 50A open class.The 125 Husky is just one good bike

 

[Motosportz]

Why do you think i ride a CR 125 in the open class because it is that good .At least for this old man We raced again last weeken at the AMA Western Hare Scrambles held at Ryno Land .After 3 hours of tight single track the 125 did it again winning the 50A open class.The 125 Husky is just one good bike

please shed some light here if you would.

http://www.cafehusky.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2212

thanks.

 

[dartyppyt]

PC.

Good feedback, keep me posted and just might have to gear up for 300 in 2010.

Let me know what your impressions are of suspension after you hit some rocks, roots, riders, etc.. after race.

Thanx!