Honda CRF250 Rally

Overview

First and foremost, the Honda CRF250 Rally is not just a souped-up version of the Honda CRF250L with some body panels. Launched in 2017, this is altogether a more capable machine and comes with many improvements on top of the already impressive CRF250L. This also makes it more expensive than the CRF250L at a price of Php 284900. The arrival of the bike was long anticipated and since its launch, it received a lot of praise that justified its hype. Pitted against the BMW G 310, the CRF250L emerges as the cheaper and more capable out of the box off-roader. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Here is everything that makes this such a great bike.

Design

The Honda CRF250 Rally takes a lot of design and styling inspiration from the HRC 450 Rally bike. Hence the rally-inspired fairing that protects the engine from side impacts. There is also now a larger fairing covering the exhaust. While the covers for the front forks, tail section, motocross-style flat bench seat and the large front fender have seemingly been carried over from the CRF250L.

The bike gets a few of its own special touches. The most noteworthy of these is the wonky lopsided LED headlight arrangement. While you may or may not like the style, you must agree that it looks unique and rally-inspired. The lights are bright and are encased in carbon like light cases. And are mounted on top of the large and very functional clear windscreen. The taillight gets an equally sharp setup. The tucked away exhaust, the updated HRC graphics, USD front forks, and functional Dakar inspired fairing (with mere glimpses of the frame peeking out) lend the bike a lot of serious off-road appeal. Then there are practical features like the stock hand guards, the large lockable toolbox on the side, and the very useful and readable fully digital multi-functional instrument display. The bike is compact with the dimensions of 2214 mm (L) x 900 mm (W) x 1427 (H) (mm). The wheels are 21-inch for the front and an 18-inch for the rear. 

Ride & Handling

The Honda CRF250 Rally uses a steel frame with a yoke style swing arm. The longer suspension gives it a ground clearance of 270 mm and a seat height of 899 mm. While this may be worrying, the soft suspension – especially in the rear – takes care of it. The front gets non-adjustable inverted forks with 280 mm of travel while the rear gets a Pro-link setup with 260 mm of travel. The soft suspension in the rear pushes the seat down with the rider on it. This causes the front end to become light. This is not the best thing for jumps and cruising on the highway with extra cargo. The bike weighs 154 kg making it a little bit difficult to lift when you have eventually dropped it.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Powering the Honda CRF250 Rally is a 250 cc 4 valve, liquid cooled DOHC engine that produces 23.33 hp at 8500 rpm and 21.3 Nm of torque at 7000 rpm. The bike uses a six-speed transmission. The fuel injection uses PGM-Fi and throttle bodies that are larger by 2 mm at 38 mm. Including other improvements this results in better throttle response and an increase in power in the low to mid-range. But the power is lumpy as expected from a single cylinder and feels a bit restricted on normal roads. Still, the bike feels right at home cruising at high speeds and can reach 135 kmph. It is refined and well tested for durability. The mileage is also great at 31 kmpl which lasts a long time with its 10-litre fuel tank.

Braking & Safety

The Honda CRF250 Rally has a 296 mm disc for the front with a twin-piston calliper and a 220 mm disc for the rear with a single piston calliper.

Verdict

For its price, the Honda CRF250 Rally comes with a very capable package for off-roading. It has a learner-friendly character and impressive equipment and styling. It may not be the dirt bike of choice for the veteran rider, but it is certainly the first dual sport for the noob off-roader.