VOLUME ISSUE DECEMBER , P81
The suspension and chassis departments are also some of the
CRF's weaker points. The bike is sharp and precise but equally stiff
and harsh. The fork is oversprung and doesn't gel well with the
CRF's rigid aluminum frame. You feel every bump from the front tire,
up through the fork, and right into the rider's hands. When the track
is fresh, the bike feels agile and easy to pick lines, but this goes
away as the track roughens up. The Honda demands to be ridden
hard, but it's held back by its overall mellower powerplant.
This bike is a dream on a smooth track, but aren't all bikes? The
slim profile and stiff nature make it easy to move the Honda where
you want it. Switching lines on the fly or darting over to an inside
seem easy. As we mentioned, point and shoot. It still turns like a
Honda, being stable and planted through rutted corners with little
to no rider input. It's still too stiff.
