VOLUME ISSUE JULY , P79
rear end of the bike.
On the track, the bike also
feels noticeably more planted to
the ground. The 450's frame is
the same as the 250's, so after
riding the new 2025 CRF250R
earlier in the month, I had a
roughly preconceived idea of
how it would feel on the freshly
prepped Ironman layout.
transition for die-hard Honda
riders moving to this next-gen
bike. The only big change in the
cockpit is the rear side panels,
which have a more symmetrical
"flare." They also have textured
grip for added rider control. In a
way, it reminds me of the dual-
exhaust days and makes it easy
for the rider to "lock in" to the
revamped version of the '21-'24
rather than an almost all-new
design. However, I was happy
about that because the 2024
Honda is so adaptable right
out of the box. The '25's seat/
handlebars/footpegs relation
-
ship is still very neutral and
comfortable, just like it was be-
fore, so it will make for an easy
The rear body panels are symmetrical and textured for added grip.
The shock and
subframe mounts are
new. Much effort went
into balancing the
frame's strength
and rigidity.
