Yamaha WR250R and WR250X Forum

Funny you should ask that.  Yes, they do (ish).

I needed to reroute the electric cables to pass behind the fork stanchions(clutch and throttle sides), and a bit of very careful routing of the throttle cable to pass to the right of the fork stanchion instead of to the left (between the fork and the headlight).  Fiddly but doable.  I think that's it though, there's no chance of also adding bar risers.  Clutch cable was ok (if I remember right).

Also, note that the throttle clamp and stop/start assembly have lugs that locate into drilled locator holes in the standard steel bars.  I filed the lugs off, easy enough.  Another option could be to drill the new bars, but I wouldn't advise it, as you need to twist theses 2 items to get the best possible position for them.

Slightly miffed that I paid more for my bars than you sell them for.  Was very interested to see the list of items that you can supply.  Currently drawing up a "shopping list".

Dude wrote:

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Hi Brian

I fitted a set of high bars as supplied by you for my WRR and they just about managed to fit with the cables. I don't know if you remember that I over stretched the kill switch socket in the frame and wondered why the bike wouldn't start!

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 Yes, I did the same thing but wasn't going to mention it!  I did see my error before trying to start the bike though.

Hi Brian

I fitted a set of high bars as supplied by you for my WRR and they just about managed to fit with the cables. I don't know if you remember that I over stretched the kill switch socket in the frame and wondered why the bike wouldn't start!

WR250Rfan wrote:

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Thanks Steve - that's very helpful.

Everything OK now except the clutch cable is really tight on full lock. Did you change the routing?

Cheers

Brian

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 No, I don't think I did.  Trying "rollling" the bars forward a bit in their clamps.  Even a small amount seems to make a big difference to cable tightness.  I did have to move one small electrical cable that side (the clutch "cut out" switch cable) to pass behind the top clamp.  The other larger electrical cable was ok.

Glad that helped Brian.  If you get a longer cable made up, could you get me one too?  Ditto throttle cables.

One of the wrinkles I found when I got the WRR was that the indicators flashed too quickly as the LEDs in the Zeta handguards don't have sufficient resistance. I ordered up a pair of resistors from eBay and they arrived in time (from China) for me to fit them whilst I was finishing off sorting out the Dakar bars.

First off was a problem with the connector wires on one of the LEDs. They had frayed and were shorting out. See pic below.

I am just too clumsy to tackle a soldering job like that but am lucky to have a good mate with the required skills so it was soon re-attached to its wires and fitted back in the handguard.

Fitting the resistors was very hit and miss until I was informed that LEDs are polarity conscious which explained a lot. Up until that point, I just couldn't understand why the LEDs would work one minute and not the next - wasted ages on that 

The pic below shows one of the resistors wired in.

The instructions with the resistors said they needed to be fitted to a metal backing to help dissipate heat. I am a bit sceptical about that as they already have a big heat sink but I have zip tied them to the fork leg just in case!

There are a lot of wires involved but I think the installation looks fairly tidy.

Job done!

Waiting for some new clutch and throttle cables to arrive so that I can get some longer versions made up.

Hope that may help someone.

Brian

It has taken a while but the new set of Yamaha originl cables arrived this morning. I can now send them off as patterns to have some longer versions made up.

What sort of extra length should I order do you think - 100mm?

Brian

I had a measure up and went for 100mm longer.

Just had a call from the guy making up the longer cables and the WRR/X clutch cable includes a fitting that they haven't come across before and will need to get a batch made up. So there will be a couple of weeks delay.

The good news is that the cables will use Venhill's "Featherlite" technology - stainless steel inner cable running in a Teflon tube so very low maintenance 

Brian

SteveT wrote:

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Well done Brian.  I was so pleased when you bought a 250r, as I knew you'd do all the donkey work!  Have you ordered throttle cables as well?

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 Yep - throttle cables are also in the mix 

I am feeling slightly guilty as Venhill sent me a sample clutch cable nearly a fortnight ago and I only just got around to fitting it today 

Anyways up, it's installed now and is a very good fit. I confess to being surprised at quite how much stripping down was needed to facilitate changing the cable and wouldn't want to do it at the roadside!

I don't like the look of the handlebar switch cables running down behind the forks so took the chance to extend the clutch switch cable using a spare TTR cable I just happened to have lying around. Simple enough to do as only two non-polarity conscious wires were involved. I think the RH switch cables might not be so easy 

I asked for an extra 100mm and I reckon that was about right as there isn't a huge amount of cable flapping around above the bars yet there is enough slack to fit bar risers if need be. The new cable is one of Venhill's well known Featherlight (no s******ing at the back please!) variety and is so smoooooth 

I have let Venhill know that they have made a good job of it and hope to get the first batch of long clutch cables for sale very soon!

Next up is to fit a pair of long throttle cables but that looks a little more challenging than fitting the clutch cable as it would appear that the radiator has to be removed 

Brian

I made a bit more progress today and have nearly fitted the long throttle cables!

I was correct that the radiator/fan assembly had to be swung away from the frame to be able to replace the throttle cables and to access the connectors for the brake switch and ignition kill/starter switch. See pic below to show how well they are tucked in behind the top radiator mounting.

Sorry my pics are poor but the next two hopefully demonstrate that having large hands is a hindrance for this job 

I could only access the throttle cable ends and quadrant from the top.

This is a view from below to show how tucked away the quadrant is.

I put a drop of 3-in1 oil down the cables and whilst I was waiting for it to come out the other ends (to make sure I had covered the length of the cables) I removed the switches and soldered in about 4" of extra wire to allow me to run the cables in their correct routing.

I have a bit of a concern in that I cut the ignition kill/starter switch wires before realising that the two red/white wires are exactly the same. I decided that logically they must be live feeds from the same source (the wiring diagram in the workshop manual I have doesn't seem to make sense as it shows different colour wires) so I am hoping they are interchangeable. Anyone know different please?

I am hoping that I have done the worst of the job now and another half an hour will see the WR back together again 

Brian

Apart from correctly fitting the rubber flap, the job is finished. No problems with the cables or wires being stretched when turning the bars now 

And I am much happier with the switch wires running along where Mr Yamaha intended rather than down the back of the fork legs. Look no wires   

Darn!!!! The new clutch cables I received from Venhill were for the TTRs so I am still awaiting the new long WR250R/X clutch cables 

Sorry folks - and, in particular, apologies to Steve who found out the hard way that I had sent out the wrong clutch cable to him 

I have chased up Venhill so should hear early next week what their eta is for the correct long WRR/X clutch cables.

Brian

A couple of hours later and I have now extended the brake light cable (by about 6").  The kill/start loom contains 4 wires and I am going to see if I can trick my brother into doing it for me.  He will make a better job of it than me!

All in all, it's all coming together nicely.  I still cringe at how tight everything is "behind the scenes" on a WR.  Not like my old DR, that seems positively spacious by comparison.  And I would have struggled today without the willing assistance of my small fingered wife to get in the tight spots.  Thanks darling!

I have just fitted my extra long throttle and clutch cables.  My Dakar high bars can now be positioned exactly where I want them.  Anyone finding the standard (steel ) bars too narrow or low would be well advised to make this mod.  It transforms the riding position and comfort for me, and makes the bike much more ergonomic.

Everything can be supplied by Brian at totally wrs and I was surprised how little more than the standard Yamaha parts they cost.  The best mod I've made!