Made in America

[Dr.Jass]

Back when I was paying attention, the only difference between the WR and the YZ engines was exhaust-cam timing. The cam was the same, just re-timed to make the bike less peaky--but I'm talking about the 426s and 450s. I probably wouldn't have chosen either over the bike I had at the time: an '89 XR200R poked/stroked to 247. That bike was a hoot; I still miss it, but I haven't owned another since. My only complaint about that bike was the brakes (drums). The engine was great.

 

[gomopar440]

According to my research (wrenchin on 'em), 500 mile oil change intervals wasn't enough to keep the WR450 alive under real world road conditions. There's better bikes out there for that.

The Yammy 426's ex cam could be rotated 1 cam tooth to give the WR the same profile as the YZ. The intake cams were the same. However, when they went to the 450, they used completely different exhaust cam profiles. The cam tooth trick didn't work anymore any you needed an actual YZ ex cam or aftermarket equivalent to match the YZ.

At least the CDI was an easy (and free) fix. It has both YZ and WR ignition maps programmed in it. You just clip one wire on the CDI and your WR CDI can use the YZ maps. I did that to mine before it ever left the shop.

 

[69.5CUDA]

honda reliability FTW!!!..moms 1975 mr175 was desert raced by her....abused offroad by her my dad and in later years by me..much neglect and sitting outside that old girl still runs but the wheels are locked up..trying to bring it back
as for quads doc..the "older" honda quads can be just as much fun to ride as a good ole dirt bike..its all about getting used to being able to throw it around in the same ways...got a 200sx fourtrax thats been ABUSED when i got it it had a 1inch+ thick plate on the front to help keep the nose down on heavy haul farm duty..ive moved pushed pulled cars trees etc with it..and ride it like hell..totaled out many a set of bars the plastics are long gone as well as the metal tank that rotted out..aside from having to change out the clutch that 86 runs like the day it was born fires up and idles instantly..ive LITTERALY rode it hard enuf to break 2 front wheels and a hub...to this day tho i miss my Z50.....and im on the hunt for a "dualsport" 400-600 honda...got taht itch to get back on 2 wheels

gomo thats gotta be scary as hell and tricky having the guts blow like that.......course....ive seen yamerhammers do that..ALOT especialy when i was little and out on the tracks

 

[beeper*71]

Ya'll failed to mention the most reliable and best selling dual sport thumper ever...

The mighty KLR.

 

[69.5CUDA]

ive always wondered about the canams ...but yeah the klr's rock

 

[gomopar440]

Ya'll failed to mention the most reliable and best selling dual sport thumper ever...

The mighty KLR.

Yea, the KLX I mentioned was meant to be KLR (fat fingers I guess... ). Worked on a coupla those KLR's before, but never for anything major. Just chains, tires and oil changes mostly.

 

[69.5CUDA]

only 1 bike comes to mind as a possibly better zombie Apocalypse bike than the klr and thats the mighty m1030-b2 ...course there NOT civvy bikes and they will run on anything

 

[v8440]

If I could transverse-mount the engine in my car and chain drive it, I probably would. My mind concentrates on the efficient.

That's true. The 455 firebird and 440 six pack charger you've owned are testaments to that! (Just jerking your chain.)

 

[Dr.Jass]

Jerk my chain all you want... I have a witness that saw that Trans Am pull down a scosche over 24MPH on the highway, with the cruise set at 62MPH. In town, though, it was a fuel-sucking beast in comparison. It was in the 13-14MPG range there, which is still not bad for a car that could pull down a 12.92 as daily-driven (corked exhaust, 245/60R-15 street tires). That motor later went much further into the 12s in a '77 Grand Prix with a TH400 and a 4.10 12-bolt, otherwise stock.

If I ever bought another Poncho, it would be a 400. I remember the exact combo vividly, with the exception of the carb.

 

[restoman]

One of my former bosses had a 76 Trans Am, 400 with an automatic. He always said it got great highway mileage. I always figured he just needed to brag about his car in some fashion, 'cause Lord knows it was a slug in every other way. He thought it was fast (he rebuilt it with some performance goodies), but then he thought his wife's 82 T A with a 305 was a potent machine.
He never would agree to meet me anywhere in my 69 Newport with a 383 (NOT a fast car by any standard), not even a run to the gas station. The Newport slurped fuel at around a 11 mpg rate, no matter how how it was driven, so it may have been the only race he ever won.
The 76 was a very nice car to drive tho'.