SHOOTOUT
P38
2014 250F MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
The Honda is a
great all-around
package but
could use a bit
more bark.
the bike, creating a sort-of pendulum affect. Not good when it
comes to handling. This tuckedin-design combined with a new
shock linkage and revamped
suspension settings, does give
the Honda a more agile, yet
still solid and stable feel on the
track without feeling overly stiff
or harsh. Honda chose to stick
with its Showa spring fork (as apposed to the CRF450R's pneumatic fork) and we're okay with
that. The CRF250R's fork is quite
good right out of the crate and
demands less attention than the
450's air fork.
Turning is well above average,
but maybe not as sharp as some
of the others in its class, like the
Suzuki (but what bike is?). Still,
the Honda pretty much goes
where it's pointed with very little
him-hawing. The Honda is the
only bike fitted from a factory with
a steering damper, which they
dub HPSD (Honda Progressive
Steering Damper).
Brakes are as good as usual.
They are strong and have great
feel at both ends.
Comfort is one of the CR's
strongpoints. Ergos are excellent; we like the Renthal 971bend aluminum handlebars, the
grips, levers, seat and narrow
profile of the bike. It feels thin
between your legs and is easy to
move around on.
Overall, we don't have anything
major to complain about with the
CR, but more power would be
nice. It was also a bit more finicky
to start than it used to be, and installing aftermarket number-plate
backers on the side panels is a
major pain in the butt. Because
of the dual mufflers, both panels
are sharply curved. The bike also
gained about three pounds over
last year's bike.
Still, the Honda is a fantastic
machine that does everything
well and is very easy to ride.
