thing. So many Yamahas have this feel, one where you feel immediately‘ at home’, that is to say at ease, given the comfortable ergonomics, combined with stable handling and predictable engine characteristics. At first sight, the significant breadth and size of the fuel tanks make the WR seem too much, yet, once rolling, that feeling is immediately lost, and you are operating the WR just as you would their simplest offering, let’ s just say the WR125R for now: throttle, clutch, gears, brake. There’ s no( evident) techowizardry, it’ s the time-honoured motorcycling experience that many of us grew up with. And so, on road, piling into the Sicilian mountain hairpins, there were no concerns, and with the confidence that the Pirelli STRs would grip, the brakes do the slowing, while the suspension maintained a balance with moderated front-back pitching it was all in balance. Then, at an indicated 160km / h, pushing along a wellsurfaced dual carriageway, the screen and wind protection again proved optimal, no buffeting of the helmet, no pressure on your shoulders, while the bike tracked straight and true with no hint of instability. Back on the tracks and trails, with off-road settings engaged, that same composure endured. Sharp edged holes and ruts raised no anxieties, the suspension was plush yet there was a good feeling of connection. It’ s a biggish beast and with the moderate power mostly the bike rolls with the contours, to lift the front wheel and float between undulations required deliberate clutch and throttle action. Very doable, but actually, just rolling with it was fine as the suspension was ably dealing with job.
36 KIWI RIDER