Yamaha WR250R and WR250X Forum

Well this is probably to be my most exciting and biggest mod yet. Feeling a little guilty that i should have posted it a couple of months ago, but it's been an incredibly busy and wild summer/ autumn. The time had to come...Go Race Suspension by Travis Jones- Christiansburg VA.

Straight out the box, the superb WR250R is undoubtably the best bike i've ever found. However, for some who thrash her particularly hard. Putting it through the paces on a motocross track or enduro. Even just fast, rough, gnarly trails, will have found the suspension can at times, fall a little short.

As the last year or so of riding progressed for me, i found myself at the track a bit more often. Ridding harder and faster, with an obsession for jumps, the occasional donkey kick was also becoming more often due to the lack of rebound dampening in the rear shock. With the front end feeling like it lunged around, unpredictably at times, i was also bottoming out a hell of a lot and in much need of some serious upgrades before i got hurt.

Suspension is said to be a bit of a dark art. A simple oil change or seals on front forks...sure i'd have given it a go, but complete re build and re valve, not even going to kid myself. I knew there was only one guy i wanted... Travis Jones at Go Race in the States. He has spent years perfecting some trade secrets to improve the specific flaws in our beloved WR250R's, turning them into the fully fledged beasts that they really are.

Some may have thought it crazy to send forks and shock all the way to America from the UK, but after the difference in dollars to pounds and even including returned, insured postage, i still believe i've spent less than i would have done in the UK. Plus it has been worked on by a true superstar that really understands his trade at the highest level. If you are at all needing further confirmation of this, go talk to Graham Jarvis, because he does several enduro schools with Travis each year and uses him as his right hand man and mechanic whilst in the States!

So all packaged up my suspension was collected, delivered, completely stripped and worked upon, then sent back to my front door in exactly two weeks, almost to the hour! How's that for service. My nearest dealer wanted me to wait three weeks before i could even get booked in for the stator recall and yet my suspension can make it half way round the world and back in less time .

I decided to make good use of the two weeks no ride time and got dirty stripping her down to the waist, re greasing all of the linkage bearings, pivots, connecting rod and swingarm bearings ect. Wow....what a difference and i hadn't even got the suspension back yet. Before, when i lifted and let go of the rear wheel on the swing arm, disconnected from the shock, it would slowly fall to hit the ground. Now the wheel flies down, strikes the floor and bounces like a basket ball. Everything really was incredibly siezed up before, but not now. I think using wet and dry paper for the slight corrosion upon the pivots was a huge help too. As soon as the suspension arrives back, i'll know that i've given it the best possible chance to shine and do its job effectively.   

So after a little patience and effort preparing, my suspension arrived back safely and I got everything buttoned back up and set my race sag. Time to hit a few trails and see how things performed as to judge how hard i might be able to push when back at the track, and also how happy i was with the clicker settings.

An absolute transformation! Felt like a new bike. I could throw it hard into the corners without it lunging. Weighting down to preload and then giving it gas, effortless brought the front end up in a much more controlled fashion than i have probably ever managed before. I found myself at times riding out a nice little bit of distance purely on the back wheel. Full of new found confidence, i had to see how it would handle some whoops and a few large jumps that previously had me bottom out and off.... It glided through so smoothly and sucked up the impact of quite a serious pounding without bottoming out once.

I won't bother going into the ins and outs of my clicker settings, spring rates, oil heights/ weights, seals, valves ect as they are unique to me, my weight, ridding style and so on. Travis would tailor make something that is suited to you and your needs. If you wish to read more about his services, you can find him at,  http://go-race.com/yamaha-wr-suspension/   I'm absolutely certain that you'll find him to be just as welcoming as i did.

This has been the most rewarding and valuable mod i have made yet. I feel quicker, smoother, safer and most importantly having ever more fun. Finally feeling very much at one with my bike, i look forward to all the mud and carnage that this winter has to throw at me.

Happy ridding to one and all,

Root.