The Showa suspension
works freely and doesn't
require much tuning to get
comfortable. The fork is con-
sistent in its function, but it
was docked for being on the
softer side. This didn't hinder
performance completely, as a
few clicks helped with added
hold-up on bigger obstacles.
Overall, the suspension made
the bike's handling less
nervous, and it didn't require
a death grip to keep the bars
straight. Out back, the shock
kept the bike straight with no
amount of throttle unsettling
the rear end or forcing it to
step out unwantedly.
Honda's powerplant looks
similar to the previous genera-
tion, which was undoubtedly
powerful, but putting all its
power to the ground was a
different story. For '25, the
airbox and ECU updates
were aimed at smoothing
out the overall output. Now,
the '25 engine felt more
user-friendly for all our test
riders. Bottom-to-mid feels
clean and connected, offer-
ing good roll-on power at the
initial throttle. Midrange still
provides good torque, with
second and third gear lasting
well into the upper revs. Three
maps—standard, smooth and
aggressive—are easily acces-
sible and allow riders of vary-
ing skill levels to select their
preferred power level. The CRF
engine received praise, with
no one docking it for being too
much or too little.
Our only real complaint
was the Honda's weight. At
247 pounds, it definitely feels
laborious when picking the
bike up off the ground or get-
ting it on the stand. Once out
on track, though, the weight
is well-balanced and isn't as
noticeable as the scale says.
You can still maneuver it eas-
ily, switch lines on the fly, or
throw it sideways.
This CRF received the most
consistent rankings across all
testers on both days. We felt
it to be the most comfortable
motorcycle to ride on a wide
variety of track conditions.
Some bikes feel great first
thing in the morning but fall
off late in the day once the
track gets rough and dry. The
Honda, however, maintained
its composure throughout our
comparison. Smooth or rough,
the Honda was the bike most
of our testers wanted to be on.
WRAP UP
While the Honda may have
been named the best all-
arounder for our rankings, the
other bikes weren't far behind.
In fact, our results weren't as
unanimous as they've been in
the past. With no overwhelm-
ingly clear winner, our team
factored in deeper issues like
prices, components and a
variety of rider evaluations. The
Yamaha has arguably the best
engine, the Husqvarna has the
best "premium" parts, and the
KTM Group has the best variety
as a whole. All these bikes
could be "the best" with a small
amount of personal tuning.
But in a true meritocracy,
only one rides into victory lane.
In this case, it's the Honda.
CN
VOLUME ISSUE OCTOBER , P121
