Honda Crf250x

HONDA CRF250X

CW RIDING IMPRESSION

X-rated, graphically good

HONDA HASN'T BEEN A PLAYER IN THE enduro game lately. Forget about Baja and the potent XR650R for a minute, most of the XR line has slipped into Playbike Land, forcing serious Honda off-roaders to convert CRF450s or CR25s–or reluctantly jumping brand to get what they need. After all, KTM, Yamaha, Husqvarna, etc. are making some really nice comp-ready enduro bikes these days.

But along with the announcement of the 2004 CRF250R motocrosser, there was another new model called the X. A $5999 CRF250X to be exact, the X designation marking Honda’s commitment to making a competition-based offroad bike from the same platform as the CR motocrossers.

It isn’t designed to XR standards-120 hours wide-open on a dyno, for instance. Rather, high performance and light weight were the design missions, hence no warranty, just like the CRs

Arriving at a race-ready trailbike was not as simple as merely hanging lights on a CRF250R. No, Honda took all the steps that market research suggested: electric starting, 18-inch rear wheel, T-ring chain (yes, T), odometer, larger 2.2-gallon fuel tank, quiet USFS-approved spark-arrestor. And that’s just the stuff you can see. During early testing with a modified R, it was determined that along with revised suspension settings for the Showa shock and fork, other chassis issues needed attention. So the frame is unique to the X, specifically the lower cradle and pivot plates. The fork-tube taper is slightly different to give a better (softer) ride off-road. Even the shape of some of the engine-mount bolts differs. The entire transmission is revised, with lower first and taller third through fifth ratios. To accommodate the electric leg, the clutch sidecover grew to make room for the starter gear backing the clutch basket. Internal oil passageways were revised to put more lube in key areas. A different cam profile and longer, smaller-diameter header give the bike more torquey power than the MXer.

Button the CRF to life (there is a kick lever, too) and you barely hear the exhaust note. Scary really, ’cause bikes this quiet can’t make power, right? But once underway, the X torques right along, just like the Husky TE250, far better than a race-derived 250cc four-stroke should. The surprise continues as you get deeper into the power: It just keeps on pulling and pulling and pulling, smooth and linear all the way. No, it won’t out-rev the R, but neither will the motocross bike out-chug the X. And it’s still quiet, even screaming at peak power levels. Good for the longevity of our riding areas!(If you put a loud exhaust on this bike you are an idiot.)

Combine this power with the low first-gear ratio, and the X is much better for a lower-level rider than we suspected it would be. And electric starting only sweetens the pie. Out on tight and technical trails, territory miniThumpers roam most effectively, the bike works like a dream, usually pulling a gear higher than other bikes of this size would, especially with a skilled rider aboard. The clutch makes easy work of slipping > when it’s time to sing, or the little Single is quite happy to chug along at low revs waiting for its cue. For its size and intended use, there just isn’t anything to fault in the CRF-X engine. And that was in showroom-stock form-no monkey business with plugs, baffles and wires.

We then rode a California-model X, eligible for that state’s all-important Green Sticker, and it ran nearly as well, losing a little on top where the ultra-lean jetting just doesn’t pull as hard. By contrast, a “competition-only” model (cam, header, ignition mod and jetting) pulled just a bit harder than the stocker everywhere, but was louder and quite a bit less rideable, its power hitting hard much like the motocrosser’s.

Handling? Should you even ask? The chassis and suspension magic that Honda somehow always finds on the motocross track is now a reality for enduro riders, too.

Honda’s R&D guys weren’t kidding when they said they spent lots of time tuning the frame, because the X’s steering is about the best yet we’ve felt on the trail. This is matched by suspension compliance that really lets you feel the bike working on the ground. At the X’s press introduction in Arizona, the trails were ultra-tight and technical, first through third gear only, and slippery. Hand-picked to showcase the bike’s abilities, sure, but trust us, those abilities are considerable.

Other standouts are the small things. The seat is cushy, padded up from the motocross unit. No-tools access to the airbox is right thinking. The lights really work, even that trick little LED unit in the rear fender.

Okay, all is not perfect. We love handguards, but Honda chose to let us decide which ones to put on the CRF. And the kickstand is nice, but we’ve seen way better from the aftermarket that tuck in tighter. Honda claims 60 race miles on a tank of fuel, but we’d feel safer saying 50, especially in power-robbing conditions-and don’t expect that number to go up much in trail riding as you’re always revving a 250cc Thumper. From R-spec, the weight shot up to 241 pounds without gas, a 25-pound increase! But the good side of that is you hardly feel it riding-in fact, there simply isn’t a lighter-feeling off-road bike.

So where does the CRF250X stand? Well, you’ll get a giant, all-singing, all-dancing enduro comparison soon to find out for sure, but if you’re in the market for a 250cc four-stroke enduro bike... well, let’s just say it’s hard to go wrong. Almost impossible, in fact. Welcome back to competition, Honda, we’ve been waiting. -Jimmy Lewis