VOLUME 59 ISSUE 49 DECEMBER 6, 2022 P75
>
We did not see this one
coming. Last year we
were impressed with the
then-new CRF250R, and it
ranked third in our overall
standings. This year though,
the red ride finds itself
shuffled toward the back of
the pack. Here's why.
The Honda is stiff. Sharp
and precise, yes. Forgiving, no.
This bike excels when ridden
fast, and the faster riders
found it held up well under
harsh landings and higher-
speed sections. Our slower
and/or lighter riders, though,
not so much. The rigid chassis
allows the rider to make
sharp turns with pinpoint
accuracy and charge through
jumps with little to no effort.
Switching lines mid-section
on the Honda is an easy task.
This bike would likely top the
charts on a tighter, jumpier
circuit, but the two tracks we
chose, Glen Helen and Cahuilla
Creek, are both geared as a
more national-style layout.
Unfortunately for the CRF,
these conditions weren't ideal
enough for the top step of the
box.
After playing with the
suspension on the Honda,
some of our riders found a
more comfortable setting.
Opening the compression and
rebound on the fork was the
trick across the board. This
opened up the suspension
function and allowed the
bike to have a freer feeling,
especially as the track grew
rougher. Riders who rode this
bike first had almost nothing
bad to say about it, but
opinions differed once they
took it out late in the day on
a beat track.
The engine package is
undoubtedly the Honda's
strongest asset. All our test
riders praised the CRF250R's
motor for its friendly nature
and overall rideability. The
three maps on the Honda are
significantly different from
each other and offer ride
FIFTH PLACE
FIFTH PLACE
FIFTH PLACE
FIFTH PLACE
FIFTH PLACE
FIFTH PLACE
HONDA
CRF250R
H H H H
