Yamaha Wr400f
YAMAHA WR400F
Long-Term Wrap-Up
TIP-TOP TRAILBIKE
YAMAHA'S GROUND-BREAKING YZ400F motocrosser is a tough act to follow. The liquid-cooled Thumper has taken the two-stroke establishment by storm, rewriting the rules and doing what most figured couldn’t be done. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the YZ’s trail-oriented brother, the WR400F.
For starters, it’s heavy. At 265 pounds dry, the WR is downright porky, especially compared to its ringding counterparts.
Early on in our longterm evaluation, we found that a partsswapping diet yielded little in the way of real-world results, particularly in the cost-per-ounce category. In fact, only one modification, an IMS 3.3-gallon gas
tank and seat kit ($299), actually made the bike feel narrower and smaller. It also allowed more aggressive testers to take advantage of the bike’s responsive, YZ-like handling.
Our second bitch regarded noise. With the power-robbing muffler cork removed, the exhaust note was mindnumbingly loud. Unable to source a freer-breathing aftermarket system that was suitably quiet, we installed a Fineline Vortip ($70) in the stock muffler. The stainless-steel insert is held in place with a single bolt, works with the
Quotes from
the logbook
Brad ZerbelThe WR’s power delivery is perfect for hilly, twisty singletrack. Unlike the YZ400F, it has no big hit, no unexpected blast of power.
Jimmy Lewis With the revalved YZ400F-spec suspension, the WR rips on the racetrack. If only it were 15 pounds lighter...
Brian Catterson| raCed the WR and a YZ400F on back-to-back weekends, and can honestly say that the WR worked better. The engine is so tractable on hardpack, it’s like cheating!
The WR400F has exceeded my wildest expectations, It's fast, flex ible and fun to ride. -Russell Bartlett, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
stock spark arrestor and deadens the bark without sacrificing too much performance.
Other noteworthy additions included a Scotts steer-
ing damper and a Billetanium hydraulic clutch. The former is offered in package form with a gold-anodized stabilizer, billet-aluminum top clamp, mount tower and Pro-Taper handlebar. The $600 kit installed easily and provided fully adjustable control on track or trail. The super-smooth Billetanium clutch ($399) worked wonders, too. It offered the feel of a new cable, minus the lubing nightmares. What’s more, both clutch actuation and lever position were easily altered.
At this point, we were pretty pleased with the bike. Durability was firstrate, answering an oft-asked question about the dohc, five-valve Single. Over 5000 miles, we only experienced two mechanical problems. First, the carbure-
This bike is the best. It’s very forgiving, and gets me out of tight spots. -Dan Kirschmann, Las Vegas, Nevada
tor’s pumper diaphragm got contaminated with dirt and water, causing the engine to run leaner than normal and downright hot on tight trails. Yet through
it all, the engine never so much as hiccupped, despite boiling out most of its coolant. The fix? We packed the pump’s shaft with waterproof grease. The second concern was a worn-out waterpump impeller shaft and seal. Both were upgraded on the ’99 model, and we retro-fitted our testbike.
Regular race outings were accompanied by occasional crashes. Some were worse than others. One biff destroyed the left-side radiator, and prompted installation of a set of burly Works
Connection aluminum radiator braces ($50). Another high-speed get-off bent something in the front end, most likely the lower triple-clamp. The bike hasn’t felt perfectly straight since.
Despite regular oil changes, the suspension eventually needed rebuilding. For $460, Enzo Racing (714/7547483) revalved the fork and shock to ’99 YZ400F specs, which required stiffer springs front and rear. The result was MX-capable suspension that, with four fewer clicks on all the adjusters, remained supple on the trail.
☺Though not as popular as the YZ400F, the WR has certainly proven its mettle. After all, what other bike could pre-run the Baja 1000 (using low-octane Mexican gasoline), overall its class at a local grand prix, do an enduro and some night-time trail riding, and then, with only minimum maintenance, race a six-hour GP, all within six weeks’ time? Outfitted with an aftermarket dual-purpose kit, the WR would have no limits. □
WR250. What a kick in the ass! -Bryan Jones, Hamilton Mt., Oregon
$5899
