2024 Honda CRF250F long-term review: is it just a beginner's bike?︱Cross Training Enduro
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- www.crosstrainingenduro.com Our 2024 CRF250F long-term review! Our Canadian cousins have been abusing these Hondas for several years in their rental fleet. Three of us flew over to Canada and rode the CRF250F in all sorts of terrain. It was way more fun than expected! It is so easy to throw around. A lot of the customers ask for the race-oriented CRF250RX then change to the much softer CRF250F because they were actually faster on the little red beast. So welcome to our 2024 Honda CRF250F long term review. Need hard enduro training? Work through our video lists. A quick history. It began with the CRF230F in 2003. Why? It's so much easier to ride. And 23 horsepower is often all you need to ride in the woods. Reliability. It's rock solid. I spoke with the mechanic who maintains the Honda fleet and they simply don't break down. If you are enduro riding get into our enduro training vids. Unlike the Beta fleet a few years ago where every single motorbike broke down during the summer riding. What are the potential CRF250F issues and problems? The budget suspension. We actually think it's pretty good considering the low price tag. it works well for easy trail riding for riders up to 90kg or 200lb. But heavier or more aggressive riders will find it's too soft and needs more damping. Very light riders may be surprised though. Megs was happily jumping the CRF and found the suspension was reasonably good for her weight. It was bullet-proof. It was a great motorbike for beginners. But most riders would find the limits of the little Honda quickly once they acquired some basic riding skills. In 2019 the CRF250F was introduced. It was essentially a complete overhaul. The new fuel injected engine had a shorter stroke and more power. Try our training vids for working on your extreme enduro techniques. This was complemented by a new chassis with a longer wheelbase and upgraded suspension. A rear disc brake replaced the drum brake. If you want extreme enduro training see our playlists of enduro skills to learn. Strangely the gearbox went from six-speed to five-speed but the gear ratios are suitably wide. As far as we know, there are no big changes since 2019. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems to be Honda's philosophy. We suggest bending it inward for protection. Have you ridden or owned a CRF250F? Any favourite mods? Loved it or hated it? Let us know in the comments! We will look at the pros, cons and common modifications for the CRF250F. It's incredibly user-friendly so like the earlier 230 model it's still great for beginners. Hard enduro techniques are covered in our training vids. Into enduro and dirt bikes? Check out our dirt bike videos. A very low seat height at 88.3cm or 34.8 inches. The clutch is very light. The CRF250F feels very light because the weight is kept low. The CRF250F is actually quite heavy. 119kg or 264lb with fuel. It feels very light when riding. But if you need to pick it up or lift it onto a bike-lift you noticed it. Honda has obviously used steel instead of alloy for some parts in order to keep the price low. We did see a project where they spent a fortune to reduce the weight. But generally if you want a very light motorbike you need to spend more on an enduro model. Ergonomics? It's brilliant for riders of short to medium height. But tall riders will definitely feel cramped, especially when trying to stand on the footpegs. The rear brake pedal sticks out and can catch passing obstacles and bend easily. It's made of steel so very easy to bend back again Stalling the engine is very unlikely due to a heavy flywheel and lots of grunt. There is none of the snappy throttle response common with most fuel injection systems. The power is very linear with plenty of torque in the midrange revs. What about intermediate riders? If you aren't too tall, too heavy, or riding too aggressively? it's surprisingly capable. It has soft budget suspension with few adjustments and less suspension travel than an enduro motorbike but it's actually quite reasonable for the money. The strong midrange power can move the little Honda along briskly on twisty tracks. I tried to follow Megs Braap on the much more powerful CRF250RX but I could never keep up for long. Coxy is a silver class hard enduro rider who spent three weeks riding the CRF250F. He was consistently hitting big logs and hill climbs that most riders avoided. He thoroughly enjoyed it. As mentioned, many of the intermediate riders at Traction eRag events initially ride the CRF250RX then rapidly change to the 250F. Extreme enduro training vids are our focus. Our dirt riding tips are great for developing your hard enduro skills.
Cross Training CZcams channel: / @crosstrainingenduro
#crosstrainingenduro #enduro #hardenduro #crf250f - Sport
People sleep on these bikes, they insist they need the fanciest race bike they can buy but in reality these air cooled Hondas are extremely capable and all around cheaper
Ive got a old clapped out honda ctx200 and i can get that pig some places just struggles on STEEP hills
I saw this constantly in Canada. Guys struggling with the race oriented CRF250RX and others on the F flying around the single tracks lol.
As someone who regularly rides a DR200, I couldn't agree with you more. Most people get too much bike for what they need.
Gas gas is just better bro
The Pig!!! I bought this for my wife and end up riding it on my flat woods trails more than my 350. I'm 6'4" 210lbs and it isn't very fast at my size and the suspension is super squish.
But it's just a fun, chill bike. Only thing I did was wrap arounds and need to get some pegs.
I'm the same height and found it a bit cramped when sitting. Standing was almost impossible, it felt like a kid's toy lol. But still a pile of fun to ride!
Bought mine nearly a year ago. BBR stiffer fork springs, wide foot pegs, hand guards and an aluminum skid plate. This bike is an absolute joy to ride. My other bike is a YZ250FX.
Just got one of these over the weekend and couldn’t be happier 👍🏼
Great to hear!
Picked up a 2020 250F as my first bike after a 10 year break from riding. Instantly fell in love with it. I've since grown as a rider and have bigger dual sports to ride, but for casual riding or following my daughter in the trails, I find myself throwing a leg over the 250F over anything else. The low seat height, plushy suspension, and reliability put it in a class of its own when it comes to casual, weekend trail rides.
Great to hear. I'm sure plenty of riders would at the idea of owning one but I can bet they haven't ridden one. About 30 guys rode these in Canada during the summer events there and loved it. Quite a few said they'd seriously think about buying one.
i bought a new 2006 230F for the missus to learn trail riding on; after her first crash while trying to go up a fairly steep hill and looping it, she gave up; being stuck with a near new bike and not wanting to lose a few grand by selling it, i made a few mods for me to use as a play bike; BRB exhaust, (rejetted carby); good air filter and opened the airbox a bit; BRB heavier springs front and back, 15wt fork oil, made a taller seat from the stocker; a pair of decent 'pegs, taller renthal 'bars with bark busters and fitted the budget version trailtech speedo; i had an absolute ball on it and used it for sweep riding at Enduro races many times; immediate start with the button, low seat (compared to enduro bikes) and easy power delivery made it such a fun bike to ride; i'm 6'2" (187cm) and was around 100kg at the time; on natural terrain mx tracks it was a surprisingly fast bike; as an enduro sweep mount, i had no problems catching the C graders on the 'latest and greatest' enduro weapons and often had to slow myself down and back off;
i can only imagine the 250F being a similarly fun bike...even if one is a bit bigger than the average bear; if one is so inclined, pretty sure mid to late 80's, early 90's XR250 Forks and shock will fit if its anything like the 230F...wheel hubs/brakes and axles exact same as '84 XR; shock linkages same as XR only with longer link (lower); i haven't had a close look at the 250F but i wouldn't be surprised if it too has many parts in common with the '90's XR's; Honda know how to make cheap 'modern' versions of older bikes...they still have all the tooling from years gone by.
That was our experience too. But similar riders on the Honda and a proper enduro bike and the little F was usually faster and easier to throw around on tighter tracks. And yet still very capable on more open terrain... as long as you didn't need a lot of suspension lol.
@@crosstrainingenduro yeah, lack of suspension travel is the only real limiting factor on the "F" Hondas; as long as you stay aware of the suspension limits, they're a great little bike that will get you where you need to go a lot faster than most think they are capable of....then again, beginners and novices aren't looking for speed so the 'F' will accommodate them straight out of the box;
they kind of remind of the '80/81 Kawasaki KLX250...a bike that was really under-powered (17hp) but good riders were winning Enduro's outright on them all over this earth; as long as the gearbox held together, they were a great bike with a crappy (under-powered) motor, crap brakes but fantastic handling and decent suspension/travel... maybe the crap brakes had a lot to do with blokes winning enduro's on them......
Had one for 2 days as a rental.
In my opinion it has plenty of power, even though I daily a 620. The low CG makes it corner really good. In the denser parts of the forest, thats where it shines. It's incedibly easy to jump logs with it. The suspension wasn't bad either for my 75 kgs. On steep and longer climbs, especially on loose gravel, it's losing its breath rather fast, but I don't think that's what it was designed for.
Overall a very fun bike.
Yep, you can really flick this through tight single track so easily. Too much fun lol.
Meanwhile we all want a 450f we can tune and improve shocks on. Could you imagine an xr400 reborn?
😁👍
Gret video on one of Honda's wee bikes. Even when I was racing my CR250R back 100yrs ago, I still rode an XR100 and had a blast.
I am from Brazil. I had a 230 for 10 years. It was good for most cases and cheap in our country of expensive vehicles. I currently have an XCF-W 350. There is no comparison!
Love the sound of the air cool engine
Basically the old XR250R, with EFI, and rear disc break. The old XR's were also indestructible.
Yeah but without the suspension. If this bike had a suspension and just a little more power, it would be an awesome bike.
We are having tons of fun with it in Colombia 🎉
Started riding as a 47 y.o beginner ~3 years ago along with my wife and now 8 y.o. son and 11 y.o. daughter. To get started, everyone else got the correct 2022 “F” model CRF Honda (250F, 110F, 50F) except for me with a 2022 RX (“I’ll just ride it slowly while I learn,” I said). It was during COVID, so bikes were challenging to find (my defense?), but I got rid of the RX after one hour of use and replaced it with another 2022 250F. Three years later and ~100 hours on the hour meter, I have developed some level of basic competence yet don’t feel close to exceeding the bike’s capabilities. I’ve ridden US east coast (VA) single track along with various easier trails in Moab, UT. I rode Fins N Things in April, which for me was a big accomplishment. The 250F is very forgiving and mellow, and has been a big help “tamping down fear” while trying to learn to ride. The mods I have made are a skid plate, ultra heavy duty tubes, hand guards, a bar pad, softer hand grips, and 15mm bar risers.
Great to hear!
Sounds like my experience, to a degree. I’d ridden a friend’s CRF250F and decided to buy one. I checked the ads and a local dealership had one in stock on their website. I went there to buy the bike but they told me someone bought it the day before, but they had a CRF250RX. I bought the RX. I kept it for a year and a half. I wasn’t really ready for that kind of performance. I traded it, eventually, for a Beta XTrainer.
I loved looking at the RX in the garage for the few weeks I owned it, but it was too much bike for me to learn on. I thought about trying to dumb it down with a throttle tamer, taller rear sprocket, etc. but decided that it would still be too much. The throttle response felt binary and it seemed easy to stall when trying to go slowly. I had no business being on it then, and probably still don’t now.
Ive annoyed a lot of people with how well the 250f can perform... it just needs suspension! Even then its still half as much as your favorite 300 smoker. I also have a buddy who is 6'4" and installed the hyperlite "lift kit" on his and now he rides it more than his ktm 300.
I'd be really interested to see how many experienced shorter riders have bought one, done suspension mods, then embarrass everyone on tight twisty tracks. I remember barely keeping up with the CRF150F in the hands of a good rider. And I was on the CRF250RX lol. czcams.com/video/t5MPb7310c8/video.html
I had a 230f. I called it the Hondonkey. It'll kick you a bit but you get everywhere the big boys go.
😂 True. We were stunned at some of the monster hill climbs Coxy was doing. Just full throttle all the way and hang on.
I bought one bc of a vid you guys did. Still love it after three hard years of riding. About to go tubliss and swap the forks with some from an xr400 for compression/rebound adjustment
Great to hear, Kyle! Let us know how the XR fork swap goes. It would be interesting if there was a shock from another model that fit too... I couldn't find one googling around.
@@crosstrainingenduro if i cant find some forks or it still sucks ill do a modern fork swap. Did that on my old 1988 yz125 and it felt like a brand new bike with a 2000 yz250 front end on it. The Brazilians are also doing crazy things with these bikes, its just hard to get those parts purchased and shipped to America.
If it had the suspension of the R it would be a no-brainer
Definitely an accurate summation/review of the F. Buddy I ride with has both a 22 CRF250F and a 24 CRF250RX. The F is a great beginners bike. No one with higher skills would choose to ride it as their primary because the suspension is terrible for faster riding and the engine is anemic. But for a beginner, it's perfect. The RX is too stiff for anything other than racing GNCC unless you are over 200lbs. The engine can be twitchy on tight stuff. Unfortunately, there is no middle of the road bike from Honda in the 250 class. The guy that owns both crashes far more on the RX than the F. He most definitely needs lighter springs on the RX as he's pogo hopped into trees a couple of times. Maybe he'll get the point some day to change out his springs.
A real shame the suspension is so harsh on the RX. Yamaha has the same GNCC model with the YZ250X but the suspension is very plush in the initial part of the stroke. Then soaks up big hits easily as well. Honda used to have a middle model, the old CRF250X. A shame they don't make it anymore. Has your friend backed off the compression damping to zero at both ends? I found this makes the RX a bit better...
@@crosstrainingenduro I don't think he's done that. Thank you for the suggestion to see if that makes his ride better. If not, he'll have to get new springs.
So, it's an up to date Honda Serow.
i have taken my wifes much smaller crf125f (small wheel) on a ride when i was in between bikes (xr400 to KLR650 to DRZ400).. if the 250f is anything like its smaller brother then its going to be great. i was able to do way more than i ever thought possible and still enjoy it. im 5'10" and while i was cramped, i wasnt in SO much pain from it that i couldnt have fun. probably put over 35 miles of trail riding just that day... couldnt have asked for more fun. if i hadnt gotten my DRZ i was def going to try and get a 250f. if i ever sell mine, ill still try for the 250f haha
They are surprisingly capable! The 150 can really be thrown around! I love this video of Megs Braap hammering the 150... 😂 czcams.com/video/t5MPb7310c8/video.html
I am glad to see this, i picked mine up today. I have a 450R but wanted something requiring less attention.
450L is pretty low maintenance compared to the R
@@jarrod1687BUT, but, but - the R rips!!!!
Yeah I can only Imagine, my L is already too much offroad for me haha
Hell yeah, brother! @@jarrod1687
Only downside is they didn't release it with road reg, should at least be an optional extra package, probably wouldn't be allowed anyhow with the ABS requirement for registration of new bikes, It's a shame though as if it was able to be registered (especially if it had 6 gears) I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
my mate has one and its like my 95 XR250R just upgraded in almost every way (apart from 6th gear) the seat height is amazing improvement for me as i'm a short arse, If only they would bring out a CRF400L though, my XR400R is such a great bike, if it could get the crf treatment it would likely be the most popular bike since the drz400
It is a shame as the CRF300L is definitely not for dirt riding lol. The Kawasaki KLX300 is popular as it's road legal in lots of countries and possibly even better for dirt riding than the Honda. Taller seat height though.
What I desperately want to see is the air cooled 250f with a 250rx frame, suspension, and wheels.
I’ve had a 2023 250F for a couple years and have really enjoyed it. The only downside is aftermarket support, unfortunately. They’re super popular in South America, so if you speak Portuguese… 😂
The AJP 240 has the XR clone motor with all the modern stuff. They’re supposed to be really nice.
I was thinking the same thing. AJP... ajpmotos.com/collections/enduro/products/spr-240-extreme
@@crosstrainingenduro i had a look at that...interesting bike for sure but with the great suspension and 'adult' ergonomics, people will complain it doesn't have enough power; i'd hate to be a manufacturer.....
I spent $500 upgrading my suspension and it made a big difference in the bike
What sort of mods did you get for the $500?
Suspension shop upgraded front and rear to race tech heavier springs. Also, air bleeders for front forks.
These look like a perfect little bike for ripping around on the farm. Very similar to the KLX300R. Would love to see you guys do a review on that bike one day.
I reckon for taller riders the KLX is probably a better option. It's even cheaper than the Honda here in Australia.
You forgot to mention the fuel usage is amazing. My wife has one while I have an orange 300TPI and her fuel usage is a third or less of mine.
yea its insane how long they'll go on a tank. wifes 125 holds just over a gallon and will easily go all day of riding and beating the snot out of it.
I doubt “most riders” found the limits of the 230f once they acquired “basic riding skills.” On intermediate or hard enduro trails, with the 230f against a race bike, the better rider will do better unless the riders are very close. Guys upgrade for various reasons (looks or feel of the bike, wanting to look like a pro, ego, ability to spin tire, acceleration adrenaline), but I don’t think because of its ride limitations. I ride a TTR230. I see weekend riders all the time who have basic skills, but are intimidated by the power and height of a race bike. And they would take intermediate trails much better on a 230f. I love this channel. I have heard you say many times that it is the rider and to work on your abilities rather than obsess in equipment. But you basically said the 230f is not enough bike except for beginners. You fell into the same trap, which is a disservice to your viewers.
I see your point. But if this was actually a review about the CRF230F I would expand way beyond one sentence! On intermediate/hard enduro trails? If the rider isn't too heavy? There aren't too many rocks or bumps to overcome the very soft suspension? Yes a rider will do well compared to an equivalent rider on an enduro bike. But if I'm restricting myself to one sentence about another bike, I'll assume open trails, a slightly obese rider etc. The 230 has even softer less damped suspension, less power, shorter wheelbase which I think keeps it more in the beginner's category.
Wouldn’t mind seeing what I could do on a bike like that
Crf250f is cheaper than competition models and bullet proof reliable and super confidence inspiring for beginners with linear power delivery, but when you consider how much most people spend on upgrading their crf250f like exhaust system, suspension, rims and tyres, it ends up nearly costing the same as buying the crf250rx or more... I can get a 2023 crf250rx demo for 10.5k or pay 8k for 2024 crf250f and spend $1200 on exhaust system, $400 on suspension and $1000 on rims and tyres,
Personally I wouldn't be spending anything more than $1000 or so. Otherwise you probably have just bought the wrong bike lol.
Cool, been waiting for this one
Good bike, better price
Then Kawasaki came out with a similar model shortly after I bought mine
I love the low and medium performance dirt bikes but it is a shame that the crf250f and l is considered a replacement for the xr250r. Give us those cartidge forks and 6 speeds.
The dirt bike market has a hole right now, you either have full fledged race bikes that pump you up instantly or low performance bikes that have good engines but frames and suspension are lacking for intermediate riders.
Gone are the xr400 drz400 drz250 xr250 and the industry is worse for it.
Hades and back on this one, ,is it 2 valve? 6 speed? ,,brilliant bit of red
But should I spend the extra money on a CRF250F or just get a later model XR250R with the adjustable suspension, lock nut valves, and lights, betting that it'll remain equally reliable despite the age?
Certain year models weren't that reliable in the XR, I'd suggest doing some research.
Careful , its full of xr 200 dna , and even a hidden pro link.
😗😁
the 230F had '84 XR250/350 dna...linkage was the same apart from longer connecting rod; i suspect the 250F would be similar but with later model XR dna; probably 90's XR parts will fit
@crosstrainingenduro Thanks for the video. I had settled on the Beta Xtrainer for my first bike, driving around the property and learning your beginner and novice dirt rider skills. This Honda is my other option. $5-6k out the door instead of $9k with the Beta. I am worried I would have regret buying the Honda though after a couple months, not getting the two stroke and more capability of the beta for some of the fun stuff like log hopping and all that once i progress. Plus Beta is pretty! Thoughts anyone?
Beta would definitely give you more scope for improvement. Although you may need to factor in improving the suspension at some point? Similar with the Honda though.
I really enjoyed riding one for a week in BC a few weeks ago. It's a great little bike with a surprising amount of grunt, even for a guy my size it was a lot of fun.
Unfortunately for me, bikes aren't allowed on public trails in Quebec without a headlight and brake light, so it severely limits where this bike can be ridden...
How does it compare to the crf250L?
Bummer about the lights. The L model is almost a completely different bike. Bigger, heavier. Six gears. Very good on the road but can be a handful if you try to ride dirt racks with any speed as you can on the F very easily.
Cab you review the dr 200 ag bike next?
Not really suitable for an enduro channel unfortunately. Plus I don't know how we'd get access to one.
Wonder how it would compare to the old xr250
I've owned an xr250 and ridden the crf. The crf feels much lighter and is much easier to ride. Power, throttle response, suspension, handling, etc. were all better on the crf imo, can't think of anything i preferred on the xr.
I was never impressed by the xr250, too big and heavy to be a play bike, and wasn't as good as other bikes in the desert or woods for the same reason.
If you're going to get a full sized xr you might as well just get a 600, they're all pigs at the end of the day. But that's just my opinion, I know others love their 250s
There are similarities. But as Ron said, the F feels so light due to the low weight. I think the only advantage of the XR was extra suspension travel but only if you had the right springs. They were very soft stock and probably had the same suspension travel once you were sitting on the bike.... so much sag!
@@crosstrainingenduro having had the 230F, many parts were the same as the 84 XR; i know because i've restored a few 84, 85, 86 XR's and i'd lay odds that the 250F is the same; Honda can make cheap(ish) 'modern' versions of old bikes because they still have all the tooling; Hubs, brakes, axles, shock linkage (longer lower connector on 230) and i suspect the triple clamps were basically the same; find some 87, 88, 89 XR cartridge forks, maybe rear shock and you have a modern engine, button start XR; trailtech speedo, wire in a rear light and it is rec rego ready.
I think Honda is pushing the CRF250F too hard for the noob/novice riders. Such as strongly suggesting to avoid jumps. I see many do non-racing 40-50 foot table-tops/doubles on the 250F (when landed correctly). This makes me think Honda just doesn't want any complaints and legal problems from kids jumping and getting injured.
I haven't seen those promotions. Interesting! You really would want to land it right with the stock suspension. I'd hate to land too early...
How tall would be too tall for this bike ?
Good question. I'm well over six foot and I was fairly cramped sitting, standing was next to impossible. My brother is six foot and found the same thing but then rode one with bar risers and said it was a better... but still not ideal. At a guess I think five foot 10 inches or 178cm might be the upper limit (with risers too?).
Not registerable in OZ. 😞
Only rec reg in the states you can get this if you put a headlight on it.
Wow, the Honda check must have cleared, 2 adds in 2 days.
Ha. Not a red cent. No connection with Honda at all. Viewers asked me to do more reviews. So I've already reviewed the Kove 450 I rode in Canada. I also rode four different Hondas so those reviews have started too.
@@crosstrainingenduro lol, I was just messing with you.
Its a camp bike at best soooo sloooow.