Honda CRF250L

Overview

The appeal of the dual sport bike as an all-rounder with a learner-friendly attitude is well recognized. A quarter litre dirt bike will work just as well on the road and have just the right amount of power for beginner riders. Yet choices in this category are few and far between. Thankfully for dirt bike enthusiasts everywhere, the Honda CRF250L still exists. First launched worldwide in 2012, it remained on sale relatively unchanged till 2016. Then in 2017, it went through many improvements and is now a much more competitive bike. Priced at Php 232900, it contends against some KTMs and Kawasakis. But in the Philippines, while the Kawasaki don’t have anything in this displacement, the KTMs are simply too expensive to be considered a threat. So how does the Honda really stack up as a bike? Let’s find out.

Design

Like any dirtbike, the Honda CRF250L does not sport much bodywork. Whatever fairing there is, its all for protection from falls. So, there is some around the radiator and USD front forks. The front fender rides high and is big enough to shield the engine from flung debris. The tiny headlight resides in the handlebar cowl right underneath the front mudguard. There is a flat motocross-style seat that ends in a bright taillight and conventional stalk mounted indicators. The upswept rally style shrouded exhaust hides neatly next to the seat. The bike comes fitted with frame mounted foot pegs that can be used by a pillion rider.

The minimal fairing on the bike comes with CRF 450 Motocross inspired stripes that feel very sporty indeed. They also leave the entirety of the bike’s mechanicals and frame open to view. In terms of dimensions, the bike is compact with a length of 2195 mm, width of 815 mm, and height of 1195 mm. The spoked wheels are 21-inch in the front and 17-inch in the back and come with knobbly 3.00-21 tire on the front and a 120/80 tire in the rear. The instrumentation is completely digital and shows everything from the tachometer, fuel gauge, and even a clock. 

Ride & Handling

Dirt bikes need to be as high off the ground as possible. And 257 mm of ground clearance is indeed enough. But that pushes the seat to a height of 881 mm. This means that some riders will find the bike a little too high to be of any use. Still, Honda has made the rear Prolink and the USD front fork suspension soft so that it sags under the load of the rider. This gives the rider a confidence boost, especially for city handling. It also absorbs the bumps like nothing else.

Where it does not perform so well is out on the trail. The lack of a more progressive spring rate makes the bike rear wheel bottom out too early. This will discourage riders from pushing their bikes hard and doing jumps. But for soft off-roading and cruising the trail, it works alright. The larger 21-inch front wheel makes good use of the peppy engine and climbs over obstacles with ease.  The dry weight of just 138 kg makes it easy to handle and lift when it has eventually fallen.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The engine powering the Honda CRF250L has been massively upgraded for the year 2017. Everything from muffler design, airbox, and exhaust header have been redesigned. Larger throttle bodies give the bike better performance at low and mid-range. This means that the 250 cc water-cooled and fuel injected engine now produces 23.33 hp at 8500 rpm and 21.3 Nm of torque at 7000 rpm. The transmission uses a six-speed gearbox. The powerband and the gearing, however, seem to have been set up with road usage in mind and needs a handful of revs to get going. There are no unintended wheelies to be found here. The fuel tank has a capacity of 7.3-litre and the mileage is around 30-35 kmpl.

Braking & Safety

Honda has given the CRF250L hydraulic disc brakes front and rear that perform decently for their intended purpose.

Verdict

The Honda CRF250L is a bike that will be appreciated by newer riders more than veteran off-roaders. The soft suspension and the power delivery makes it good for doing commuter duties too. For any city slicker that is into soft trail cruising, this Honda is a godsend.