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P74
SHOOTOUT
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2
ND
PLACE
HONDA CRF250R
elsewhere in usability. They also
like the Honda's easy-to-adjust,
three-way adjustable mapping
switch which is located on the
handlebar. The "aggressive"
setting was the setting of
choice. Our testers also like
the nearly vibe-free engine and
quieter exhaust note.
The Honda already had one
of the best suspension/chassis
combos in the business and
it only got better with the '16
model. It has a very balanced
feel and is just plain ultra
comfortable between your
legs. It also corners well and
suspension is outstanding. Of
all of the production air forks out
there right now, the CRF250R's
Showa SFF TAC forks just might
be the best, it has good feel and
is one of the easier air forks to
adjust and maintain.
The Honda also has decent
brakes, excellent-feeling
controls and we like the Honda's
adjustable steering damper,
which no other bike has. We're
still not sold on the dual mufflers
but they're easier to accept now
that the rest of the bike works so
good.
Plus, the Honda is one of
the least expensive at $7,599.
That's $900 less than the
Husky, and $800 less than the
KTM.
T
he Honda was by far the
surprise bike of our shoot-
out. We've always like CRF
but wished for more power,
which resulted in a fifth-place
finish last year. Even though
Honda made only a few chang-
es to the little CRF, mostly to
the motor to give it more revs
and top-end power, they were
all of the right ones. As a result,
the Honda simply wow'ed all of
our test riders. It has two more
horsepower than last year, yet
still retains its already impressive
low-to-mid performance.
The Honda makes good
and very usable power across
the board. It's torquey off the
bottom and has strong midrange
performance and, even though
it signs off before the KTM/
Husky and Kawasaki on the
dyno, it still feels great in the
higher rpm range on the track.
All of our testers simply agreed
that the Honda has an extremely
easy-to-manage engine, so
what it may lack way at the top
of the rev range, is made up
