P116
RIDE REVIEW I 2025 HONDA CRF250R
as the bike fought the rider from front to
back and side to side. Now, it feels planted
and much more predictable. You can point
and shoot, feeling confident that the bike
will end up in your chosen line. This feel-
ing was apparent in braking bumps and
corner entry zones, as it required less rider
input to coerce the bike in and through
the turn. At speed, the bike felt stable and
tracked in a straight line.
The suspension played a crucial role
in the handling, as the fork and shock did
their job in smooth harmony. The fork held
up in the stroke and easily absorbed small
bumps while taking big hits in stride.
Gears two and three felt noticeably
longer, and the bike wasn't begging you to
shift it as often as before. I didn't play with
the traction control settings due to the
primo conditions of our track day, but it's
a nice addition, especially since it brings it
up to par with the other bikes in the class.
Overall, the engine felt throatier and just
plain stronger than I remember without
losing that top-end over-rev synonymous
with the current breed of 250 four-strokes.
"Precise" is the first word that comes
to mind when describing the Honda's new
chassis. The previous-generation bike re
-
quired so much input to get a clean corner
A new frame makes
the CRF more precise
when choosing lines.
