Thanks for this video. Reviews like this one were what helped me pick a 250L Rally for my first motorcycle. Even managed to get a month of riding in in October between the smoke and the snow. :) I'm down in Montana and would love to take a ride up into the Canadian Rockies/BC. Absolutely beautiful land.
once again a nice review. your reviews help steer me towards buying the 250 rally. only done 80klm so far but with your inspiration -that will soon change
Nice review. Relaxed,honest. A good balanced motorcycle for your desires and capabilities by the sounds of it. Thank you . I just bought a 2017 crf 250l Rally and hope to keep for quite some time here on the southwest coast of British Columbia. Looks like (C)Shute Lake Road.
Seen a lot of reviews of this bike and heard some stories of big crashed, falling down mountain and the bike still works :O So this was my final convincing! I am buying one tomorrow
Cool. You won't regret it. I'm at 53,000 kms now, and still, apart from the failed CCT that I replaced with a manual CCT, I have only done maintenance. No other issues or failures. Getting the valves checked and new plug tomorrow. It's a fun Bike, and also a good blank canvas if you enjoy tweaking. What's not to like? :-)
Seeing your review has made me go out and get one today.. I have already got tbe crf250 rally but theirs to much expensive plastic on it to off road.. but its still a GREAT bike.. thanks for a great review
What a beautiful motorcycle. Thank you for your detailed information about the motorcycle. I look forward to the next upload video. I'm so happy to be your best channel friend. Have a nice day. 👍👍🤙🤙🤙👌
Greetings from Alicante (southeast of Spain). I have also bought recently a CRF 250 L ABS 2017 version, the bike that has replaced my previous Keeway TX 125 S and Yamaha XJ6. I like too much the countryside, mountains, pathways and the secondary roads... Yeahhh!
I love my o12 crf250l...best bike I have ever had!!!! I been running Honda oil and valves set twice, and I run 606 tires......wonderful small bike !!!! 95% road !!! (no cam tensioner problems yet)..good luck!
I love my 2017 CRF250L with all my heart! Like you said, you need to put a little bit of time and money into bringing out some of that power that lies within, I would say roughly $1,500-$2,000 US is what I spent on upgrades... Full exhaust, EJK kit, different sprockets, upgraded chain, open up the air box a bit, better tires. I also raised my handlebars up an inch and upgraded underbelly and radiator shields. I believe that's it other than a luggage rack to hold a few items to get some weight off my back. The thing just keeps on ripping, it's by far the most reliable bike I've ever had! I'd sacrifice power for reliability in a dual sport. If you're looking for a real dirt bike then get one, this thing lacks in it's low end power but you can still get the front wheel off the ground in 1st and 2nd no problem if you're in a pinch or just want to pop a wheelie. Cheers!
Yup, they are easy bikes to fall in love with, especially when you make them fully yours with some modifications. I would not trade one for a less reliable high performance dual sport that costs twice as much. I like the niche these bikes occupy.
Great video! Love seeing these bikes being reliable after so many kms. I bought mine about a year ago and only have 1500kms on it. I see you posted a video of Myra forest road....thats in Kelowna right? I'm up in Sicamous. Maybe we can get together and do some riding this summer!
I think that the high pitch noise is from the mic raising its gain automatically. Try seting the mic gain on a low level and dissabling the auto gain mode. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience on this bike, have fun! PD: My english sucks, sorry about that.
Hi, and thanks for the input. My Drift Ghost that I use on all my videos has no audio gain settings to adjust, and the mic sensitivity (volume) is always set at the lowest level. This is the only video that has this high pitch buzz, and it is only experienced by very few viewers. I have never experienced it on several computers that I have viewed the video on. Kinda stumped for now :-)
Hi B.F.T.S - I live in Indonesia, and I am buying a Rally soon (no L version here BTW) and due to the remoteness of many places I plan to take this bike, I will be needing to make it as bulletproof as possible..., as it is unlikey parts will not be availiable incase of breakdowns (unless you want to wait a month or more) Q - when you bought that D.I.D chain .., (which I have heard many good reports about) - how does it come set up in the box when new ? (ie; is it ready to install on a stock bike with stock sprockets etc) .., and what is needed exactly to mount the chain (ie; special tools like chain cutters etc - because if needed, I should be ordering these also) ? note; I am asking you this B.F.T.S - as this info is not available here, nor are any aftermarket parts and therefore I will have to ship this chain from overseas , so I will need to be clued up beforehand as to 'what's needed' .., thx :)
I love the crf250l’s. I purchased the rally when it very first arrived and set it up for road use. Then I purchased an older 2014 model with only 1500km’s on it and I’ve set that up for mainly dirt. Strange right, a bike that can do everything why have 2.
The best 50/50 tire combo really depends on the terrain you ride. My terrain is mountainous, rocky, often steep, hard-packed ground. But I also want to ride the highways and paved twisties, so... my personal choice for 50/50 tires are the Shinko 700's. They are great off-road except in mud and slippy stuff, and they slide a bit on fast gravel road bends, but they excel on pavement and do well enough on the type of off road I enjoy.
Those cam chain tensioners on all 250cc hondas always have problems. Good idea changing to a manual tensioner and well worth it. I have owned 5 Hondas till now and no signs of switching to another brand. They are built for life as long as you do the basic looking after. Great bikes.
Enjoyed your review - I've recently bought the 2017 ABS version for my first dualsport bike. Just wondered what the advantage is of removing the PAIR system?
Thanks, no performance advantage, just eliminating the annoying popping in the exhaust on deceleration. That and removing unnecessary weight and clutter, etc.
Yes it is higher, but you can tweak the fueling to be within reason and still perform great. IMO, the EJK preset fueling for stage one mods on this bike are needlessly rich, especially in the cruise range. I usually get about 75MPG imperial in the warmer months.
It's a shame it's too slow stock, based on most reviews. You would expect a better performance from a 250cc but Honda is very conservative, they're clearly more focused on realibility than excitement.
I think you're right about Honda's mindset.Yamaha seems to be able to provide both with their WR250R, though with a little intake, exhaust and fueling tweaks, the 250 Honda puts out similar power, so reliability isn't compromised.
@@Scoottoots More horsepower will always and inevitably equate to a decrease in OE longevity and reliability. Honda chose to keep those ponies off the table for a reason.
@@nealneill6809 Yeah, perhaps that was their motivation. The need for power is subjective anyway, plus, with gearing changes one can reapportion available power.
I'm thinking it would make an excellent first bike. It's not crazy powerful, it handles excellently as it is quite nimble, turns easily, and because you can ride it on dirt, you'll gain invaluable riding skills. Dirt riding teaches a person much more than just street riding does. That's why dual sport is an ideal bike to begin on. If you get a bike, spend most of your time practicing skills. The more skill you have, the more enjoyable riding becomes. Hit the parking lots and the dirt to practice slow speed handling, emergency stops, etc. Fun stuff :-)
Nice review, your lil cargo bag, what brand? Looks like it has straps on the bottom side to secure to a small rack I installed? I recently bought the 450l, the bike was so expensive, upgrades will be spread out over time. Thanks for your time. 🍻
That tail bag is just a second-hand utility bag I found in a thift store. Paid $5 for it, installed gromets in the base to attach it. When the zipper finally went on it I purchased a new bag, slightly smaller with heavy zippers and lots of pockets and attachment points. I paid $10 including shipping for that one (Amazon) a year and bit ago. Holding up great and carries the essentials. If you want to save dollars look at these kinds of creative alternatives.
I have a quick question; I am planning to ride this bike more in the city, is that a problem? Someone told me it has a shorter gear shifting, as I understood there is not enough range for each gear as for normal bikes and not the off-road type? Thank you
It's great in the city. No worries. Nimble handling and high up perspective to see traffic. Gear it to your preference, but the stock gearing is fine for the city. If anything, change the rear sprocket to a 42 tooth to raise the ratio a tad (slightly lower gearing).
If there was a significant amount you might be wise to have the dealer do a leak-down test and a compression check. The leak-down test can diagnose if there has been any abnormal engine wear for however many miles you have on it. It can also indicate where the wear and tear is, more or less. A good place to start anyway.
I first noticed it was a serious issue when the engine started knocking and I could feel a sharp rap in the bars. It was the cam chain hitting the engine casing. When it gets as loose as that there is a risk of the chain jumping teeth on the cam gears. If that happens then the piston would collide with the valves. This is not the usual noisy CCT or rattle. It's a more rare occurrence.
Another top video. Great to see a review with so many Km's. Do the plastics not fit properly due to the acerbis tank? Was a rattly noise the sign of the cam tensioner failing?
Hey thinks. Yes, the plastics have a bit of bowing due to the tank fit. Not an issue at for me though. Yes also on the CCT problem. The rattling noise at constant rpm is the CCT, but when it totally fails it's a different symptom entirely. I have a video or three on the subject. Most people don't experience the issues I've had with that.
Thank you very much for that info. I haven't seen those videos but i'll be sure to check them out now. Your videos that I have seen though have been quite helpful. Cheers, keep them coming!!
Just bought a new CRF250 with a couple of extra horses, my first ride was really disappointing, very rough running. Now done 600km and getting better. Anyway nice to hear from a similar guy to me, except we ride 2 up, I am really hoping this will become "nice" over time. We are based in Thailand where the road are not too good, so hitting potholes are the big worry, plus there are a lot of tracks. Heard of Steph Jeavons?
It's rare to hear of a rough running brand new CRF250L. If possible, have your dealer check it out under warranty. It should run good out of the box. When you say "with a couple of extra horses," if that means it was somehow modified to give a few extra ponies, maybe that mod was not done right. As for the potholes and such, they usually soak them up decently, though the suspension can be improved. Sure, I follow Steph's journey. I've met her when she came through my area. One tough woman!
Sorry, I forgot to mention I am in Thailand, where warranty has a whole different meaning. The 2017 CRF has two more horses than the 2016 model, 26bhp up from 24 due to a larger choke. Potholes yes...the reason I have a dirt bike, my previous bike was a Lifan GY200 a great little bike, but struggles for power with two on board. I won't get rid of it for a while, just in case.
Nice video man! I've put 6000 miles on mine since I got it (6 months ago) and I love it. The tires you're running are great on everything I've encountered except wet clay
Well mainly, the adhesive Velcro I used to help keep it in place without so many straps beneath the seat got all gummy. But also, when it got wet it absorbed the water like a sponge. I'm actually okay now with the stock seat in original form.
Have you ever considered a big bore kit for your 250 that would take the displacement to 283 or 305? If you have researched or considered this option I would love to hear what lead you to your opinion. I would find it valuable as I would love the power increase that would come with a bigger bore, but am afraid of hurting reliability and increasing vibration.
I've seen a lot of posts on forums and groups about the big bore options. Some are quite happy with them and others have suffered reliability issues. I personally don't want to go that route. I'd rather get the most out of the 250cc's. They make different aftermarket cams for the 250L. Daniel Crower Racing was one of the first to develop them. Another option beyond typical stage one mods is to install the CBR250R throttle body and ECU (necessitates rewiring the bank angle sensor). The throttle body is larger diameter and the fuel map and ignition timing is more aggressive. It's a cheap mod for more power as the parts can be had on E-Bay quite inexpensively. Another popular mod is to replace the clutch friction discs with the EBC 1313 plate set and Barnnet springs to do away with the judder spring in the stock clutch. The result is more instant grab and for quick acceleration from a stop and quicker power when shifting. A lot of owners feel that's one of the best mods for delivering the available power. I have those items along with a new gasket, but haven't installed them yet. I'm fairly happy with the power output I have right now. I find it can be tweaked to be quite responsive.
its reassure me 🙂 i get one last year after the 300L arrive on market , lot of 250l was to sell, i find one mint condition, 2000 miles on it,, 4000 euro,, i was curious where i can go with.. i use it mainly in my area to visit the country side, place we cant go with car or road bike .. And at the moment i rly love this bike,, i give her and myself few challenge true forest with no path and the bike just go without difficulty its my first proper motorbike and im in learner permit at 40 yold, lol never too late for dream huh ? 🙂 , and i feel rly safe on it to learn,, the maniability, the driving position, the simplicity , the trottle response , the clutch,. you feel like you know the bike straigh away.. is no delay, no misstaken or surprise.. it do what you attempt to do, with acuracy . But I will not do more than 2 to 3 hours in a row on the road with that bike, kill my back ^^ so maybe in a futur if i have enough saving, lol, a kawazaki vulcan S with a backrest for the road :p ah ah But , I will still keep my crf250L to do crazy thing with my son ^^ such a funny bike
So glad to hear you got your first motorcycle at 40. That's awesome! The 250L is a great bike. Very dependable and as you've found out, a lot of fun to ride. And yes, it will go anywhere you point it. Enjoy :-)
Basically full stage one mods, so, opened out air box, full system exhaust, EJK fuel controller, etc. Lately many owners are modding by swapping the ECU for the CBR250R ECU (older versions preferred). That changes the fuel map and advances the timing. Then they have to rewire the bank angle sensor to match the ECU or it'll throw a code. Others go even further with Daniel Crower cams. He makes two versions for the CRF250L. Then there are big bore kits for the bike, high compression pistons and such. Lots of ways to get more out of it. The simplest and most effective mod could be just changing the gearing to suit the riding you do. The stock bike is plenty capable when set up to suit.
Yes, it's very good on the street, and excellent in the city being nimble and high vantage point for seeing traffic. If you want to ride off road and on road, and ride a fair bit paved road, then if you have 50/50 tires it'll handle fairly well on the highway. That of course depends on what you compare it to.
That year model, and perhaps other years, did not come with a folding lever. I didn't want aluminum as when hit hard it can snap the shaft where the lever attaches. The crf150r lever is foldable and made of bendable steel. less chance of snapping the shaft and easy to bend back if needed.
I replaced the chain and sprockets at 23,000 km's. The chain was still okay, but I replaced it as preventive maintenance. Plus, I switched from 13/42 to 14/42 gearing to improve highway performance. Best to replace sprockets and chain as a set after such mileage. The stock chain is good. It'll last a long time.
If you are going off road and getting dirt on your chain sprockets, you should clean your chain (try S-100 its amazing for bike and chain) and lube chain every wash. Replace all at once or they will wear more.
I have no experience with the Husqvarna so can't say. I can tell you the CRF250L handles well on pavement, especially city riding, and is quite good off road when ridden with the knowledge it is not a full-on dirt bike. The reliability of the CRF is its strongest point. Its weakest point is the power and suspension. A bit more power would be nice but it gets by well enough in stock form. The suspension becomes an issue only when riding off road aggressively.
If the tensioner is just slack you'll get a bag of marbles type rattle at steady throttle where there isn't much load on the engine. The rattle disappears when you accelerate and increase the load. If the CCT fails and is no longer taking up the slack in the cam chain, then you might hear a hard knock or slapping sound and you'd feel it in the bars as a sharp rap. The danger then is, the cam chain can be loose enough to jump a tooth on the cam sprockets and that can set you up for a very bad day.
I used to have an 09 crf450x that I converted to a dual sport. It was awesome, fast, reliable. But I sold it to get out of debt. Now I’m looking to ride again. I’d like to a bike that comes plated this time. I also want a 6th gear and EFI. I was looking at the ktm 350 but they are expensive and they need a ton of maintenance lol. This bike seems cool! I kinda want a bike with less power, Ive been reading that a smaller bike can make me a better rider too. I never used my 450s full potential except for riding on a straight paved road hahah. Any suggestions? I think I’ll get this or the wr250. I’m tall so I think the wr May be a little better
Well the crf250L or the WR250R have a lot less power than your previous bike. If you're pretty tall, the WR might be the better choice. More expensive than the CRF but comes with better suspension and a bit more power. Nice bike for sure. You'd probably be happier with the WR from what you've shared. Good luck with the choice :-)
I’m coming off at honda 650 Honda L too top heavy and bulky I like the lower center of gravity of the bike . I’m not a speed demon I just trail ride and it sounds like there’s enough power to get the job done
Most people never have issues. I'm not sure if they changed anything related over the years. I wouldn't worry about it; just keep an ear on it now and then.
I had the Honda dealer install it and he did a great job of it. No cutting is necessary unless you have an aftermarket rad guard. The plastics, especially on one side don't fit without a slight bend, but no big deal.
Very good review. Thank you. I just bought mine 3 days ago so still in honeymoon :) Would love to shed some weight and get extra grunt by changing stock exhaust to aftermarket but my only worry is that sth like Yoshi will be too obstructive during long journeys.... does it botter you when travel long? Stock is really silent
Yeah it's pretty loud, but I have baffled mine a bit and it helps. It's fine when cruising at steady speeds, but put it under load going uphill or accelerate to pass and it is loud even with the baffle. My helmet makes it worse though. Noisy helmet.
Hey Scoot... Enjoying your videos immensely. I have ridden in your neck of the woods over the past few years and it's great to be able to recognize the terrain and points of interest. I'd like to get some advice from you regarding your CRF250L. I've been looking to replace my old DR650 (died a horrible death) and I'm wondering if the CRF is capable of handling a passenger. My wife and I rode everywhere on my old DR before it croaked so I'm looking for something that can handle the two of us. By the looks of it, the CRF and the DR have pretty much the same specs regarding height and ground clearance. I was looking into an XR650L but they are just too darn big. I am not a technical rider, and I don't care if it can't wheelie or jump...I'm not interested in going 200 mph either, but I might need to travel a few miles on the highway. What are your thoughts?
Hey Qwa, thanks. Cool that you've ridden my local territory. The CRF250L for two up? The power may be a bit lacking depending on your terrain. Also, the suspension might be a bit soft for two up on rough terrain. Would be okay maybe if you ride mainly forest roads in somewhat descent condition, or if you upgrade the suspension if you ride rough stuff. Racetech makes a fork spring upgrade; essentially an extra spring for the fork leg without one. It's not expensive and would help. The shock has preload adjustment, so you can max that out. If that isn't enough though, then a Racetech shock would be needed. That is rather expensive. You might also look into the DRZ400. Very good on dirt, much more power, and lots of aftermarket mods and such. Take whatever I say with a grain of salt, as I have never had a passenger on the 250, nor do I know anyone personally that has. I do know 3 guys though that weigh around 250 lbs and they all had a crf250L and rode mainly dirt on them. One still has his and loves it. That said, the two of you will weigh considerably more I'm guessing. The best thing to do is take one for a test ride with your wife.
@@Scoottoots Thanks for your reply. I had a DR650 before and I won't buy another Suzuki, so the DRZ is out of the question. I am currently riding a TW200 with both of us on it. Had to upgrade the rear spring and that's OK now but it's way underpowered...I wouldn't even think of getting on the highway. I'm just looking for something with a bit more jam...not a lot. We mostly ride FSR's never trails or single track.
Many of them are noisy but that rattle at steady rpm doesn't mean failure. When they failed, I experienced a hard knocking and slapping sound that could also be felt as a sharp hard rap on the hands through the bars when idling after a block or warm up ride. When they failed, the cam chain went loose and so it would hit against the engine casing. You can't miss the symptom, so don't be concerned if it's just somewhat noisy. If it ever fails either replace with OEM or use a manual CCT like I did (Krieger CCT).
Milage? Do you mean fuel economy? That's about 73 mpg (imperial) except in the winter when it's less. No idea what the Acerbis tank cost these days. Google that.
Hi ! I just bought a 2016 stock CRF250L and am from Edmonton. Moving to the Okanagan soon and wondering where you get your aftermarket parts from ? Do prices vary much ? Thanks and looking forward to some riding down your way ! Richard
Hey Richard, Congrats on the purchase and the move. Aftermarket parts and accessories are available widely for that bike. I prioritized trying to deal with Canadian companies due to the dollar exchange and sometimes the shipping charges. My first stop was always the Honda dealer. They can often order aftermarket parts from their distribution chain at near the same price as online stores and they don't charge shipping. Things like sprockets, heated grips, hand guards, etc., are available through the Honda Powerhouse here in Kelowna. For other items I have purchased through FortNine in Quebec (tires especially), CRF's Only in the States, and various other States-side stores to get the best pricing on items. For some OEM parts I have ordered from BikerzBits in Thailand bikerzbits.com/honda/crf250/crf250l/original-parts/ . You can get OEM plastics for a song from them. I ordered a new brake rotor, brakes pads, and other maintenance items from them for prices at about one half (some even less) the price through Honda here in Canada. All the parts were OEM Honda stock part numbers in original Honda packaging. The bike is assembled in Thailand so that is why they can offer prices like that on some parts. In case you aren't aware, there is no customs duty on motorcycle parts and accessories shipped from USA. If you order from BikerzBits, use the DHL shipping option. It is very quick and efficient. Cost a bit, but just make sure your order is sufficient to offset the cost. Good luck with things :-)
Can i ask you, i've recently had a new DRZ400e, after an XR400, tt350, and also spent a lot of time on an XR250 number of roadies over the years, how does the crf250L compare to say an xr250. As thats the bike i was most comfortable riding, it was the most user friendly, nothing wrong with the drz, but it doesnt seem to handle as well compared to the xr250l. im 100kgs. Im looking at a WR250R crf250l or even a decent used xr250L.
I am not familiar with the xr250 so I can't comment on that. The WR250 and the crf250l are good bikes. The crf250l handles really well, but the WR is a bit more powerful in stock form, plus better suspension. Quite a bit more money though, and a much higher seat height. At 100 kg's, power will be an issue maybe. Choices :-)
Wes T paintninjagc Someone from my town owned an xr250 and said the xr pulled better than the crf250l. But its absolutely outdated now. Most XRs now are already more than a decade old. Reliability will be a concern.
yeah thats a perfect size that 350 ktm, just they are a bit pricey. I just want something i can keep in the shed for months and do nothing to it and use it whenever. Most of the performance 4 strokes now days. They need to re-design the drz give it a bit more power efi etc.
Xr250's will do 10s of thousands of k's and still be good old school 4 stroke like a drz. Very similar bike to the drz400 but i found handled much better.
would it pain you too much if you wrote down all your acc's on the info section? I like the ones you had on screen but Im interested in the tacometer, thanks allot for sharing your bike with us!! by the way I have a cbr500r if I can get a CRF this year Im going to see if the CBR's instrument cluster plugs into the CRF that way youl have a tac built in, Ive seen similiar instrument clusters as the CBR's CRF's and Groms beeing sold on ebay I think some even come with gear indicators for 1-4th gear
I'll maybe do that in another video. The tach BTW is a Hardline Tach. I purchased it from the local Honda dealer. There are lots of similar types on the market. They have a 10 year battery and are actuated by a sensor wire wrapped around the spark plug wire.
I am a 58 year old recreational off road rider. Been riding all my life. For the past several years I have been riding a Yamaha XT225. It's really all the bike I need. But I have had major problems with the wheels. Broken spokes, spokes pulled through the rim, elongated spoke holes in the rim. I keep repairing it, but the problems just keep happening. I'm getting fed up with it, and am considering a CRF250L. Does yours have stock wheels, and have you had any problems with them? I would be keeping mine mostly stock except for an oversized gas tank, manual cam chain tensioner, and removing the emissions crap. I would wear out the oem tires before replacing them. I am a casual rider, not hard on bikes, but the Yamaha wheel problem is driving me crazy. The XT225 must have the worst wheels ever made.
Hi, yes my wheels are stock and I have never had an issue with them. I routinely ping the spokes to detect any loose ones, but it's been always good. The OEM tires are not bad. The rear is fine both on and off road. The front is a bit squirmy at speed. At least that's what I found. The front was also washing out a bit too easily on gravel. That said, I rode with them until they wore out :-)
The service manual recommends every 25,000 km or 16,000 miles. They used to inspect at the first 1,000 km but I think they dropped that if I recall correctly. Not enough bikes needed adjustment. Thanks and enjoy :-)
I purchased the Moose Racing Pro Skid Plate from 'CRF's Only.' Best price at the time. Pays to check around. I always ask my local Honda dealer if they can order things before placing an online order. If they can, then there's no shipping charge.
I'm getting a deal on a 2018 CRF250L rally It's got a slightly bigger gas tank included but I'm guessing I should copy you and go with one even larger than that Also it feels strange to think about throwing away brand new tires that come on the bike I was raised by conservative Minnesota farmers but would you suggest I simply recycle those new tires coming on the bike?
@@walkerskii I would definitely keep the stock tires on til they're worn out, unless you do a lot of fast loose gravel riding, and then I'd just switch out the front to something like a Kenda K270 maybe. They hold the line in loose gravel far better than the stock IRC. I kept both stock tires on til they were done and rode accordingly. The rear stock tire is pretty good as I recall. The large aftermarket gas tank is a blessing. Take your time though. No rush on mods. The bike is a fun ride bone stock. Gearing change might be wise though if you ride in hilly terrain and do a lot of off road. a descent compromise gearing between highway and off road is 14/42. Rpm is not too high for highways but makes better use of 6th gear on inclines, plus it improves off road riding.
What kind of tires are those and what brand/fuel quantity gas tank is that? Sorry if you mentioned it I missed it, thanks for the review I'm about to buy a new one I cant wait. Definitely would like a bigger fuel tank and that one doesnt look out of place at all.
Those tires were Shinko 700. I quite liked them as a 50/50 tire. I now use Heidenau K60 Scouts and they are my favorite so far. Yeah the Acerbis gas tank is a huge benefit. Over the years it can yellow a bit (the natural see-through version) but I love it for the extra range and the ability to see the gas level at a glance.
@@Scoottoots awesome I really appreciate the info! I'll look those up soon. I haven't been able to make up my mind on if I want to convert it to a supermoto with the smaller wheels and just have some tires that will handle grass and dirt but more of a street tire. Like a 70/30 tire instead of 50/50 haha I'm gonna be using it to go to work most days but i want to be able to ride trails also so idk. I'll just ride it stock for a while before i decide and see if i like it the way it is.
@@nicksluder4764 Yeah the supermoto setup is a tempting thing. You can still ride dirt trails with that setup, just not in the same way. I think the guys who love the supermotos like the slide they get on dirt, so if you were like that, you can still enjoy the dirt, just differently. You wouldn't want to climbing any gnarly hills, but could have a blast sliding around corners. The Shinko 705's might be worth a look if you do go sumo.
@@Scoottoots sweet I'll check those out thanks. And yeah someone told me they were sliding all over the place in the dirt and grass on their sumo tires, they said it wasn't fun for them but everyone is different, it does sound fun to slide around especially on a dirt track like they do in dirt track racing. But I wouldn't want that all the time, I'd rather have enough grip to be able to ride in dirt with some stability and traction. There aren't too many big hills around here in north east Texas but theres trails in the woods that I'd like to ride again and plenty of gravel roads. So I think a mildly aggressive sumo tire would suffice for that, and since they are a little more wide they might handle better on gravel so that'd be cool.
Not very well. It works but is not calibrated for the size. Once two bars are gone on the gauge I'm looking to fill up. With the 'natural' color tank though, I can see the actual gas level at a glance, so all is good.
Yeah, sorry about that. I, and most viewers, cannot hear that noise. I think it only haunts this and one other video, and is apparent to just a few viewers. Kinda sucks. Wish I could make it go away!
They were XP Motors CNC Pivot brake and clutch levers. Quite inexpensive, adjustable levers. Had to drill out the clutch side and install stock bushing though. Easy if you have a drill press. Lots of these Chinese levers on Ebay. They work well for me and cost under $40 to the door.
The stock seat is okay, especially if you are used to a dirt bike style. Being a dual sport, many people change the seat for something a tad more comfy. I changed to a Spiral Step Seat from Wheeling Cycle. It is as hard as the stocker at first but softens up after a month or so. I like it, but most people prefer the Seat Concepts seat or Corbin, so I hear.
No I don't but here's the instruction with photos, from a local friend's blog. I basically copied what he did. www.crfadventures.com/crf250l-modifications/crf250l-diy-fender-eliminator.html
All this smoke has pretty much stopped me from riding except around town, plus we've got a ban on off-road. Bad year for riding. Worst ever. Next year will hopefully be better :-)
Авто/Мото
Thanks for the great video,sir. Also, your voice can cure the worst of hangovers haha.
Picking up my CRF250L very soon :)
Haha, thanks. Enjoy the heck out of that bike :-)
Thanks for this video. Reviews like this one were what helped me pick a 250L Rally for my first motorcycle. Even managed to get a month of riding in in October between the smoke and the snow. :)
I'm down in Montana and would love to take a ride up into the Canadian Rockies/BC. Absolutely beautiful land.
Yes, do ride up that way. You WILL love it. Enjoy your Bike :-)
once again a nice review. your reviews help steer me towards buying the 250 rally. only done 80klm so far but with your inspiration -that will soon change
Very cool. That looks like a nice version the 250. Should be great :-) Thanks.
Nice review. Relaxed,honest. A good balanced motorcycle for your desires and capabilities by the sounds of it. Thank you .
I just bought a 2017 crf 250l Rally and hope to keep for quite some time here on the southwest coast of British Columbia. Looks like (C)Shute Lake Road.
Oh, very cool. You're going to have some good times on that bike. And yes, it was Chute Lake road area which heads into Gillard FSR.
Do tell us how your CRF is! specially it's been almost a year
Did you get the abs version?
Love my 2015 CRF250L. Great review.
Thanks, it's a fun bike for sure.
Can't wait fot the 60k milage review. Have fun living it up with the bike mate thats what it was made for and so where we.
Right on. They're made to ride.
Always good to see and hear from people that really ride their bikes. After all that's what they were made for.
Hehehe, that's right, they're made to ride, not sit around looking pretty :-)
Thanks for the review in speaking slowly I appreciate it
Thank you. I know just what you mean. So many fast speaking people on RUclips :-)
Nice down-to-earth honest review thanks
Cheers Brett :-)
Seen a lot of reviews of this bike and heard some stories of big crashed, falling down mountain and the bike still works :O
So this was my final convincing! I am buying one tomorrow
Cool. You won't regret it. I'm at 53,000 kms now, and still, apart from the failed CCT that I replaced with a manual CCT, I have only done maintenance. No other issues or failures. Getting the valves checked and new plug tomorrow. It's a fun Bike, and also a good blank canvas if you enjoy tweaking. What's not to like? :-)
Good vid. Simple review.
Nice review. Tempted to get one. Very tempted :)
It's been a fun bike for me and others I know that ride them. Reliable as well. Do a test ride. See what you think.
Bring the madness!
Excellent Review! Big Fun in a small Package!
That sums it up :-)
Hello. I have a crfl250 2014 and i made 13000 kms. Great motorcycle everyday, for short and long travel. Thanks for your video. Hy from France :-))
Nice! They are a dependable and fun motorcycle for sure. Continue to enjoy :-)
I had an XL 250r for many years, it was a great allround bike. This latest incarnation seems just as bulletproof.
These 250 dual sports are a joy to ride when they build them solid like that. Just ride and enjoy :-)
Better bike promotion than any advertising video ☺️
Thanks. I don't think Honda sees it that way though.
thanks for the video, i really enjoyed it
Cheers :-)
Excellent short review, looks like a very good bike for an older guy like me.
Yup, I think it's an excellent bike. Thanks :-)
Seeing your review has made me go out and get one today..
I have already got tbe crf250 rally but theirs to much expensive plastic on it to off road.. but its still a GREAT bike.. thanks for a great review
Oh wow; you have both now. That's awesome! Thanks, and enjoy :-)
Loving your channel m8e, I'm thinking of buying one for the wife and I can use it for commuting to work :)
Cheers. Yeah, great idea. It's a fun reliable go anywhere bike :-)
Good job 👏
Excelente moto...
What a beautiful motorcycle.
Thank you for your detailed information about the motorcycle.
I look forward to the next upload video.
I'm so happy to be your best channel friend.
Have a nice day.
👍👍🤙🤙🤙👌
Cheers :-)
Greetings from Alicante (southeast of Spain). I have also bought recently a CRF 250 L ABS 2017 version, the bike that has replaced my previous Keeway TX 125 S and Yamaha XJ6. I like too much the countryside, mountains, pathways and the secondary roads... Yeahhh!
It sure is a joy to get up in the mountains :-)
did you do any mods ?
I love my o12 crf250l...best bike I have ever had!!!! I been running Honda oil and valves set twice, and I run 606 tires......wonderful small bike !!!! 95% road !!! (no cam tensioner problems yet)..good luck!
Yup it's a fun bike for sure :-)
for anyone who needs tires on the 250l I have more than 10,000 on the Dunlop 606's....a bit expensive but worth it....
HONDA SYNTHETIC OIL OR MINERAL? 10W30 OR 10W40 ? HAVE A NICE RIDE
Great review, If I ever got a dual sport bike that would be it. RSM8
Yeah it would be a good choice :-)
I love my 2017 CRF250L with all my heart! Like you said, you need to put a little bit of time and money into bringing out some of that power that lies within, I would say roughly $1,500-$2,000 US is what I spent on upgrades... Full exhaust, EJK kit, different sprockets, upgraded chain, open up the air box a bit, better tires. I also raised my handlebars up an inch and upgraded underbelly and radiator shields. I believe that's it other than a luggage rack to hold a few items to get some weight off my back. The thing just keeps on ripping, it's by far the most reliable bike I've ever had! I'd sacrifice power for reliability in a dual sport. If you're looking for a real dirt bike then get one, this thing lacks in it's low end power but you can still get the front wheel off the ground in 1st and 2nd no problem if you're in a pinch or just want to pop a wheelie. Cheers!
Yup, they are easy bikes to fall in love with, especially when you make them fully yours with some modifications. I would not trade one for a less reliable high performance dual sport that costs twice as much. I like the niche these bikes occupy.
great vid good review
Cheers :-)
these little bikes just keep going and going... snow looks nice and melted
Yes they do, and yup, the snow is retreating. Hurray for that :-)
Great video! Love seeing these bikes being reliable after so many kms. I bought mine about a year ago and only have 1500kms on it. I see you posted a video of Myra forest road....thats in Kelowna right? I'm up in Sicamous. Maybe we can get together and do some riding this summer!
Yup, that's in Kelowna. Be good to ride together one day. I'd like to get up to your area this summer. Keep in touch :-)
superb bike
bought one when they came out, did all common upgrades. year later sold it and have a xr 650l now. happy now!
That's a great bike that you have now. Good choice.
Do you like the original forks on your 650? I might be tempted to exchange them for the upside down forks of the 25o :) Any thoughts?
Had a XR650L - loved that bike, but it was just WAY to tall & heavy off-road for me.
Rode this bike home from a dealer today. Did first 100 km on it. Amazing bike. Wanna ride more!
Awesome. It IS a great bike. You'll love it :-)
whats a cam tensioner
I think that the high pitch noise is from the mic raising its gain automatically. Try seting the mic gain on a low level and dissabling the auto gain mode.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience on this bike, have fun!
PD: My english sucks, sorry about that.
Hi, and thanks for the input. My Drift Ghost that I use on all my videos has no audio gain settings to adjust, and the mic sensitivity (volume) is always set at the lowest level. This is the only video that has this high pitch buzz, and it is only experienced by very few viewers. I have never experienced it on several computers that I have viewed the video on. Kinda stumped for now :-)
Hi B.F.T.S - I live in Indonesia, and I am buying a Rally soon (no L version here BTW) and due to the remoteness of many places I plan to take this bike, I will be needing to make it as bulletproof as possible..., as it is unlikey parts will not be availiable incase of breakdowns (unless you want to wait a month or more)
Q - when you bought that D.I.D chain .., (which I have heard many good reports about)
- how does it come set up in the box when new ? (ie; is it ready to install on a stock bike with stock sprockets etc)
.., and what is needed exactly to mount the chain (ie; special tools like chain cutters etc - because if needed, I should be ordering these also) ?
note; I am asking you this B.F.T.S - as this info is not available here, nor are any aftermarket parts and therefore I will have to ship this chain from overseas , so I will need to be clued up beforehand as to 'what's needed' .., thx :)
I love the crf250l’s. I purchased the rally when it very first arrived and set it up for road use. Then I purchased an older 2014 model with only 1500km’s on it and I’ve set that up for mainly dirt. Strange right, a bike that can do everything why have 2.
That's unusual for sure. But hey, if it works for you it's awesome :-)
Just wondering if you could mention what tires you are running and/or what you have found to be the best 50/50 combo you've tried. Thanks.
The best 50/50 tire combo really depends on the terrain you ride. My terrain is mountainous, rocky, often steep, hard-packed ground. But I also want to ride the highways and paved twisties, so... my personal choice for 50/50 tires are the Shinko 700's. They are great off-road except in mud and slippy stuff, and they slide a bit on fast gravel road bends, but they excel on pavement and do well enough on the type of off road I enjoy.
I love my 2020. So far I have almost 1500 miles and plan to have it forever.
I totally 'get' it :-)
"you don't want to be spending too much time maintaining your bike, you want to be riding it"
Tell that to Harley riders...
LOL
I have a 2001 Harley and have done nothing but buy 1 new battery and change oil.
I had a 2007 883. Was my ca work bike, put 98000 miles on trouble free
Experience with four Harleys, no problems. Only bike that failed twice was my Honda...
@@svenolav5275 Suuuuuuuure hahaha, just make sure you carry some thread lock for the parts falling off with all the vibrations😜
Those cam chain tensioners on all 250cc hondas always have problems. Good idea changing to a manual tensioner and well worth it. I have owned 5 Hondas till now and no signs of switching to another brand. They are built for life as long as you do the basic looking after. Great bikes.
Yes, I agree about the Honda quality, CCT's on some models aside ;-)
Enjoyed your review - I've recently bought the 2017 ABS version for my first dualsport bike. Just wondered what the advantage is of removing the PAIR system?
Thanks, no performance advantage, just eliminating the annoying popping in the exhaust on deceleration. That and removing unnecessary weight and clutter, etc.
You must have buns of steel. 42,000km on that seat. You have my respect!
Haha, I've gone to the Spiral Step seat now. Just as hard at first but it softened after a while.
Lol Ill be laughing about the comment for a while lol
You're doing the best reviews on CRF 250! Is the fuel consuption a lot higher after those ubgrades on fuel controler and airbox? 😃
Yes it is higher, but you can tweak the fueling to be within reason and still perform great. IMO, the EJK preset fueling for stage one mods on this bike are needlessly rich, especially in the cruise range. I usually get about 75MPG imperial in the warmer months.
It's a shame it's too slow stock, based on most reviews. You would expect a better performance from a 250cc but Honda is very conservative, they're clearly more focused on realibility than excitement.
I think you're right about Honda's mindset.Yamaha seems to be able to provide both with their WR250R, though with a little intake, exhaust and fueling tweaks, the 250 Honda puts out similar power, so reliability isn't compromised.
Over 80 MPH is normally enough....
@@Scoottoots More horsepower will always and inevitably equate to a decrease in OE longevity and reliability. Honda chose to keep those ponies off the table for a reason.
@@nealneill6809 Yeah, perhaps that was their motivation. The need for power is subjective anyway, plus, with gearing changes one can reapportion available power.
they should get the same setup with a tamed 400cc, enough power but still reliable. Is this where the DRZs are?
you know that if a man sounds like he could be your favourite uncle you can trust him;) I'm thinking about buying one as my first bike :)
I'm thinking it would make an excellent first bike. It's not crazy powerful, it handles excellently as it is quite nimble, turns easily, and because you can ride it on dirt, you'll gain invaluable riding skills. Dirt riding teaches a person much more than just street riding does. That's why dual sport is an ideal bike to begin on. If you get a bike, spend most of your time practicing skills. The more skill you have, the more enjoyable riding becomes. Hit the parking lots and the dirt to practice slow speed handling, emergency stops, etc. Fun stuff :-)
Nice review, your lil cargo bag, what brand? Looks like it has straps on the bottom side to secure to a small rack I installed? I recently bought the 450l, the bike was so expensive, upgrades will be spread out over time. Thanks for your time. 🍻
That tail bag is just a second-hand utility bag I found in a thift store. Paid $5 for it, installed gromets in the base to attach it. When the zipper finally went on it I purchased a new bag, slightly smaller with heavy zippers and lots of pockets and attachment points. I paid $10 including shipping for that one (Amazon) a year and bit ago. Holding up great and carries the essentials. If you want to save dollars look at these kinds of creative alternatives.
I have a quick question; I am planning to ride this bike more in the city, is that a problem? Someone told me it has a shorter gear shifting, as I understood there is not enough range for each gear as for normal bikes and not the off-road type? Thank you
It's great in the city. No worries. Nimble handling and high up perspective to see traffic. Gear it to your preference, but the stock gearing is fine for the city. If anything, change the rear sprocket to a 42 tooth to raise the ratio a tad (slightly lower gearing).
Hi, I just bought mine. Serviced it and found metal in the oil filter. Engine sounds and runs fine but I'm not sure how to proceed from here...
If there was a significant amount you might be wise to have the dealer do a leak-down test and a compression check. The leak-down test can diagnose if there has been any abnormal engine wear for however many miles you have on it. It can also indicate where the wear and tear is, more or less. A good place to start anyway.
I have always wondered why Honda has always had trouble with cam chain tensioners on many of their bikes, and why the seem to refuse to address it.
It's a sore point for sure. Some bikes seem to be plagued by it. No troubles now with the manual CCT from Krieger.
How did you notice the cam chain tensioner problem? Can't it destroy the engine, when this chain is loose?
I first noticed it was a serious issue when the engine started knocking and I could feel a sharp rap in the bars. It was the cam chain hitting the engine casing. When it gets as loose as that there is a risk of the chain jumping teeth on the cam gears. If that happens then the piston would collide with the valves. This is not the usual noisy CCT or rattle. It's a more rare occurrence.
Another top video. Great to see a review with so many Km's.
Do the plastics not fit properly due to the acerbis tank?
Was a rattly noise the sign of the cam tensioner failing?
Hey thinks. Yes, the plastics have a bit of bowing due to the tank fit. Not an issue at for me though. Yes also on the CCT problem. The rattling noise at constant rpm is the CCT, but when it totally fails it's a different symptom entirely. I have a video or three on the subject. Most people don't experience the issues I've had with that.
Thank you very much for that info. I haven't seen those videos but i'll be sure to check them out now.
Your videos that I have seen though have been quite helpful. Cheers, keep them coming!!
Just bought a new CRF250 with a couple of extra horses, my first ride was really disappointing, very rough running. Now done 600km and getting better. Anyway nice to hear from a similar guy to me, except we ride 2 up, I am really hoping this will become "nice" over time. We are based in Thailand where the road are not too good, so hitting potholes are the big worry, plus there are a lot of tracks. Heard of Steph Jeavons?
It's rare to hear of a rough running brand new CRF250L. If possible, have your dealer check it out under warranty. It should run good out of the box. When you say "with a couple of extra horses," if that means it was somehow modified to give a few extra ponies, maybe that mod was not done right. As for the potholes and such, they usually soak them up decently, though the suspension can be improved. Sure, I follow Steph's journey. I've met her when she came through my area. One tough woman!
Sorry, I forgot to mention I am in Thailand, where warranty has a whole different meaning. The 2017 CRF has two more horses than the 2016 model, 26bhp up from 24 due to a larger choke. Potholes yes...the reason I have a dirt bike, my previous bike was a Lifan GY200 a great little bike, but struggles for power with two on board. I won't get rid of it for a while, just in case.
Nice video man! I've put 6000 miles on mine since I got it (6 months ago) and I love it. The tires you're running are great on everything I've encountered except wet clay
Cool. You're obviously riding it a lot. That's awesome. I agree about the tires. Enjoy :-)
is there a reason you no longer have the Coleman seat cover? I'm thinking of getting one my Yamaha TW200...
Well mainly, the adhesive Velcro I used to help keep it in place without so many straps beneath the seat got all gummy. But also, when it got wet it absorbed the water like a sponge. I'm actually okay now with the stock seat in original form.
Hi. Had you re-grease the rear suspension linkages before?
No, they have never been touched.
Thanks for the video, on the market for one. So tempted, just have to decide WR or the CFR 🤔
tough choice. Both great bikes with different pros and cons depending on a persons riding preferences and cash. Good luck :-)
Crf
Have you ever considered a big bore kit for your 250 that would take the displacement to 283 or 305? If you have researched or considered this option I would love to hear what lead you to your opinion. I would find it valuable as I would love the power increase that would come with a bigger bore, but am afraid of hurting reliability and increasing vibration.
I've seen a lot of posts on forums and groups about the big bore options. Some are quite happy with them and others have suffered reliability issues. I personally don't want to go that route. I'd rather get the most out of the 250cc's. They make different aftermarket cams for the 250L. Daniel Crower Racing was one of the first to develop them. Another option beyond typical stage one mods is to install the CBR250R throttle body and ECU (necessitates rewiring the bank angle sensor). The throttle body is larger diameter and the fuel map and ignition timing is more aggressive. It's a cheap mod for more power as the parts can be had on E-Bay quite inexpensively. Another popular mod is to replace the clutch friction discs with the EBC 1313 plate set and Barnnet springs to do away with the judder spring in the stock clutch. The result is more instant grab and for quick acceleration from a stop and quicker power when shifting. A lot of owners feel that's one of the best mods for delivering the available power. I have those items along with a new gasket, but haven't installed them yet. I'm fairly happy with the power output I have right now. I find it can be tweaked to be quite responsive.
@@Scoottoots Very very helpful. Thank you. Hope you have many great rides ahead, and keep us posted.
its reassure me 🙂 i get one last year after the 300L arrive on market , lot of 250l was to sell, i find one mint condition, 2000 miles on it,, 4000 euro,, i was curious where i can go with.. i use it mainly in my area to visit the country side, place we cant go with car or road bike ..
And at the moment i rly love this bike,, i give her and myself few challenge true forest with no path and the bike just go without difficulty
its my first proper motorbike and im in learner permit at 40 yold, lol never too late for dream huh ? 🙂 , and i feel rly safe on it to learn,, the maniability, the driving position, the simplicity , the trottle response , the clutch,. you feel like you know the bike straigh away.. is no delay, no misstaken or surprise.. it do what you attempt to do, with acuracy .
But I will not do more than 2 to 3 hours in a row on the road with that bike, kill my back ^^ so maybe in a futur if i have enough saving, lol, a kawazaki vulcan S with a backrest for the road :p ah ah
But , I will still keep my crf250L to do crazy thing with my son ^^ such a funny bike
So glad to hear you got your first motorcycle at 40. That's awesome! The 250L is a great bike. Very dependable and as you've found out, a lot of fun to ride. And yes, it will go anywhere you point it. Enjoy :-)
what are you using for your tire setup, have you changed it since this video
I am running Shinko 700's front and rear. I really like them for both pavement and hardpack/rocky trails. I am on my second set of these tires.
Gives me confidence to keep mine. 6000km and had from March. But 300L
I had 62,000 kms on it when I sold it., and it was still running like new.
Your right about them stock tyres on pavement , ie on tarmac . Broken my elbow boxing day riding the dam thing 😂
The rear was okay but the front wasn't good, that's for sure. Broken elbow; yikes. Hope you're healing well.
Hello @scoot toots would you post the extra mods you added on it for the extra kick of power
Basically full stage one mods, so, opened out air box, full system exhaust, EJK fuel controller, etc. Lately many owners are modding by swapping the ECU for the CBR250R ECU (older versions preferred). That changes the fuel map and advances the timing. Then they have to rewire the bank angle sensor to match the ECU or it'll throw a code. Others go even further with Daniel Crower cams. He makes two versions for the CRF250L. Then there are big bore kits for the bike, high compression pistons and such. Lots of ways to get more out of it. The simplest and most effective mod could be just changing the gearing to suit the riding you do. The stock bike is plenty capable when set up to suit.
I'm thinking about purchasing this bike my only question is it good on the street and occasionally the highway?
Yes, it's very good on the street, and excellent in the city being nimble and high vantage point for seeing traffic. If you want to ride off road and on road, and ride a fair bit paved road, then if you have 50/50 tires it'll handle fairly well on the highway. That of course depends on what you compare it to.
Hello.
Out of curiosity, why did you install the CFR 150R shift lever? Rider preference?
Thanks for any info.
That year model, and perhaps other years, did not come with a folding lever. I didn't want aluminum as when hit hard it can snap the shaft where the lever attaches. The crf150r lever is foldable and made of bendable steel. less chance of snapping the shaft and easy to bend back if needed.
@@Scoottoots thank you for your feedback.
Loving that gas tank! Reminds me of a quicksilver MX ultralight
One of the most beneficial mods for sure.
How long did the original chain last with your maintanance? I clean mine only about every 1000km.. lube it prolly every 300-400km.
I replaced the chain and sprockets at 23,000 km's. The chain was still okay, but I replaced it as preventive maintenance. Plus, I switched from 13/42 to 14/42 gearing to improve highway performance. Best to replace sprockets and chain as a set after such mileage. The stock chain is good. It'll last a long time.
If you are going off road and getting dirt on your chain sprockets, you should clean your chain (try S-100 its amazing for bike and chain) and lube chain every wash. Replace all at once or they will wear more.
hi honda crf 250 l or Husqvarna FE 249?either good for off road and city ride both?
I have no experience with the Husqvarna so can't say. I can tell you the CRF250L handles well on pavement, especially city riding, and is quite good off road when ridden with the knowledge it is not a full-on dirt bike. The reliability of the CRF is its strongest point. Its weakest point is the power and suspension. A bit more power would be nice but it gets by well enough in stock form. The suspension becomes an issue only when riding off road aggressively.
How about the fuel consumption of the crf250l?..in kilometer per liter in the highway?..and also in off road..
I get about 73 mpg (Imperial) on average in the summer; less in the winter. You can do the conversion to your preferred units.
What happens to the engine when the cam tensioner goes, what are the symptoms, noise?
If the tensioner is just slack you'll get a bag of marbles type rattle at steady throttle where there isn't much load on the engine. The rattle disappears when you accelerate and increase the load. If the CCT fails and is no longer taking up the slack in the cam chain, then you might hear a hard knock or slapping sound and you'd feel it in the bars as a sharp rap. The danger then is, the cam chain can be loose enough to jump a tooth on the cam sprockets and that can set you up for a very bad day.
I used to have an 09 crf450x that I converted to a dual sport. It was awesome, fast, reliable. But I sold it to get out of debt. Now I’m looking to ride again. I’d like to a bike that comes plated this time. I also want a 6th gear and EFI. I was looking at the ktm 350 but they are expensive and they need a ton of maintenance lol. This bike seems cool! I kinda want a bike with less power, Ive been reading that a smaller bike can make me a better rider too. I never used my 450s full potential except for riding on a straight paved road hahah. Any suggestions? I think I’ll get this or the wr250. I’m tall so I think the wr May be a little better
Well the crf250L or the WR250R have a lot less power than your previous bike. If you're pretty tall, the WR might be the better choice. More expensive than the CRF but comes with better suspension and a bit more power. Nice bike for sure. You'd probably be happier with the WR from what you've shared. Good luck with the choice :-)
What skid plate was that?
That's the Moose Racing Plastic Skid Plate. Very rugged, half the weight of aluminum, quiet, and slips over rocks better.
Я нехера не понял, что ты сказал- но ты мне близок бро! Лайк!!!👍
I’m coming off at honda 650 Honda L too top heavy and bulky I like the lower center of gravity of the bike . I’m not a speed demon I just trail ride and it sounds like there’s enough power to get the job done
Yup, the 250L sounds like a good choice for you then. The vast majority or owners love the bike. :-)
Do all year models have the tensioner issues?
Most people never have issues. I'm not sure if they changed anything related over the years. I wouldn't worry about it; just keep an ear on it now and then.
was there much effort to installing the Acerbis fuel tank? Was any cutting or modifications needed to the OEM setup? thanks for the input.
I had the Honda dealer install it and he did a great job of it. No cutting is necessary unless you have an aftermarket rad guard. The plastics, especially on one side don't fit without a slight bend, but no big deal.
Thank you for the feedback. Great reviews.
BlastsFromTheSaddle looks way better. Does it fit with the stock seat too?
Yes it does.
How much was the tank please? Seems like a good investment
Very good review. Thank you. I just bought mine 3 days ago so still in honeymoon :) Would love to shed some weight and get extra grunt by changing stock exhaust to aftermarket but my only worry is that sth like Yoshi will be too obstructive during long journeys.... does it botter you when travel long? Stock is really silent
Yeah it's pretty loud, but I have baffled mine a bit and it helps. It's fine when cruising at steady speeds, but put it under load going uphill or accelerate to pass and it is loud even with the baffle. My helmet makes it worse though. Noisy helmet.
Thx for honest opinion mate! Ride safe
Hey Scoot...
Enjoying your videos immensely. I have ridden in your neck of the woods over the past few years and it's great to be able to recognize the terrain and points of interest.
I'd like to get some advice from you regarding your CRF250L. I've been looking to replace my old DR650 (died a horrible death) and I'm wondering if the CRF is capable of handling a passenger.
My wife and I rode everywhere on my old DR before it croaked so I'm looking for something that can handle the two of us. By the looks of it, the CRF and the DR have pretty much the same specs regarding height and ground clearance. I was looking into an XR650L but they are just too darn big.
I am not a technical rider, and I don't care if it can't wheelie or jump...I'm not interested in going 200 mph either, but I might need to travel a few miles on the highway.
What are your thoughts?
Hey Qwa, thanks. Cool that you've ridden my local territory. The CRF250L for two up? The power may be a bit lacking depending on your terrain.
Also, the suspension might be a bit soft for two up on rough terrain. Would be okay maybe if you ride mainly forest roads in somewhat descent condition, or if you upgrade the suspension if you ride rough stuff. Racetech makes a fork spring upgrade; essentially an extra spring for the fork leg without one. It's not expensive and would help. The shock has preload adjustment, so you can max that out. If that isn't enough though, then a Racetech shock would be needed. That is rather expensive.
You might also look into the DRZ400. Very good on dirt, much more power, and lots of aftermarket mods and such. Take whatever I say with a grain of salt, as I have never had a passenger on the 250, nor do I know anyone personally that has. I do know 3 guys though that weigh around 250 lbs and they all had a crf250L and rode mainly dirt on them. One still has his and loves it. That said, the two of you will weigh considerably more I'm guessing. The best thing to do is take one for a test ride with your wife.
@@Scoottoots Thanks for your reply.
I had a DR650 before and I won't buy another Suzuki, so the DRZ is out of the question.
I am currently riding a TW200 with both of us on it. Had to upgrade the rear spring and that's OK now but it's way underpowered...I wouldn't even think of getting on the highway. I'm just looking for something with a bit more jam...not a lot. We mostly ride FSR's never trails or single track.
@@qwazert382 Yup, the 250L might work for you then. Again, take a test ride though.
@@Scoottoots Thanks for your input.
Maybe I'll see you up there in the OK one of these days!
@@qwazert382 :-)
👍
or miles in kilometers?
How did you know tensioner failed. My 300l is noisy depending on RPM?
Many of them are noisy but that rattle at steady rpm doesn't mean failure. When they failed, I experienced a hard knocking and slapping sound that could also be felt as a sharp hard rap on the hands through the bars when idling after a block or warm up ride. When they failed, the cam chain went loose and so it would hit against the engine casing. You can't miss the symptom, so don't be concerned if it's just somewhat noisy. If it ever fails either replace with OEM or use a manual CCT like I did (Krieger CCT).
What about mileage??
What's the cost of acerbis tank?
Milage? Do you mean fuel economy? That's about 73 mpg (imperial) except in the winter when it's less. No idea what the Acerbis tank cost these days. Google that.
Hi ! I just bought a 2016 stock CRF250L and am from Edmonton. Moving to the Okanagan soon and wondering where you get your aftermarket parts from ? Do prices vary much ? Thanks and looking forward to some riding down your way ! Richard
Hey Richard,
Congrats on the purchase and the move. Aftermarket parts and accessories are available widely for that bike. I prioritized trying to deal with Canadian companies due to the dollar exchange and sometimes the shipping charges. My first stop was always the Honda dealer. They can often order aftermarket parts from their distribution chain at near the same price as online stores and they don't charge shipping. Things like sprockets, heated grips, hand guards, etc., are available through the Honda Powerhouse here in Kelowna. For other items I have purchased through FortNine in Quebec (tires especially), CRF's Only in the States, and various other States-side stores to get the best pricing on items. For some OEM parts I have ordered from BikerzBits in Thailand bikerzbits.com/honda/crf250/crf250l/original-parts/ . You can get OEM plastics for a song from them. I ordered a new brake rotor, brakes pads, and other maintenance items from them for prices at about one half (some even less) the price through Honda here in Canada. All the parts were OEM Honda stock part numbers in original Honda packaging. The bike is assembled in Thailand so that is why they can offer prices like that on some parts. In case you aren't aware, there is no customs duty on motorcycle parts and accessories shipped from USA. If you order from BikerzBits, use the DHL shipping option. It is very quick and efficient. Cost a bit, but just make sure your order is sufficient to offset the cost. Good luck with things :-)
@@Scoottoots Thanks so much for the detailed information. Looking forward to cruising around OK Falls next year !
@@richardscheffler2566 Awesome. You're welcome :-)
Can i ask you, i've recently had a new DRZ400e, after an XR400, tt350, and also spent a lot of time on an XR250 number of roadies over the years, how does the crf250L compare to say an xr250. As thats the bike i was most comfortable riding, it was the most user friendly, nothing wrong with the drz, but it doesnt seem to handle as well compared to the xr250l. im 100kgs. Im looking at a WR250R crf250l or even a decent used xr250L.
get a ktm 350 exc, all your worries solved.
I am not familiar with the xr250 so I can't comment on that. The WR250 and the crf250l are good bikes. The crf250l handles really well, but the WR is a bit more powerful in stock form, plus better suspension. Quite a bit more money though, and a much higher seat height. At 100 kg's, power will be an issue maybe. Choices :-)
Wes T paintninjagc
Someone from my town owned an xr250 and said the xr pulled better than the crf250l. But its absolutely outdated now. Most XRs now are already more than a decade old. Reliability will be a concern.
yeah thats a perfect size that 350 ktm, just they are a bit pricey. I just want something i can keep in the shed for months and do nothing to it and use it whenever. Most of the performance 4 strokes now days. They need to re-design the drz give it a bit more power efi etc.
Xr250's will do 10s of thousands of k's and still be good old school 4 stroke like a drz. Very similar bike to the drz400 but i found handled much better.
would it pain you too much if you wrote down all your acc's on the info section? I like the ones you had on screen but Im interested in the tacometer, thanks allot for sharing your bike with us!! by the way I have a cbr500r if I can get a CRF this year Im going to see if the CBR's instrument cluster plugs into the CRF that way youl have a tac built in, Ive seen similiar instrument clusters as the CBR's CRF's and Groms beeing sold on ebay I think some even come with gear indicators for 1-4th gear
I'll maybe do that in another video. The tach BTW is a Hardline Tach. I purchased it from the local Honda dealer. There are lots of similar types on the market. They have a 10 year battery and are actuated by a sensor wire wrapped around the spark plug wire.
just ask ur honda dealer, her should know, usually the plugs dont match or there are no sensors
BlastsFromTheSaddle thanks bud!!
Rick Rezac ha!! that was a joke right lol about asking the dealer
I love my 250l.
It's a fun bike :-)
I am a 58 year old recreational off road rider. Been riding all my life. For the past several years I have been riding a Yamaha XT225. It's really all the bike I need. But I have had major problems with the wheels. Broken spokes, spokes pulled through the rim, elongated spoke holes in the rim. I keep repairing it, but the problems just keep happening. I'm getting fed up with it, and am considering a CRF250L. Does yours have stock wheels, and have you had any problems with them? I would be keeping mine mostly stock except for an oversized gas tank, manual cam chain tensioner, and removing the emissions crap. I would wear out the oem tires before replacing them. I am a casual rider, not hard on bikes, but the Yamaha wheel problem is driving me crazy. The XT225 must have the worst wheels ever made.
Hi, yes my wheels are stock and I have never had an issue with them. I routinely ping the spokes to detect any loose ones, but it's been always good. The OEM tires are not bad. The rear is fine both on and off road. The front is a bit squirmy at speed. At least that's what I found. The front was also washing out a bit too easily on gravel. That said, I rode with them until they wore out :-)
Always check your spokes after every ride and lube them so you can adjust tension when needed. My 2 cents
good call@@aquaticterrafirma
Great review, when would recommend getting the valves checked? I'm thinking 1000km is maybe a bit early ? I'm enjoying my 2017 CRF250L 👍
Take care.
The service manual recommends every 25,000 km or 16,000 miles. They used to inspect at the first 1,000 km but I think they dropped that if I recall correctly. Not enough bikes needed adjustment. Thanks and enjoy :-)
Also ,,Where did you order your skid plate from ?
Thx.
I purchased the Moose Racing Pro Skid Plate from 'CRF's Only.' Best price at the time. Pays to check around. I always ask my local Honda dealer if they can order things before placing an online order. If they can, then there's no shipping charge.
I'll do that.
Thx for the info. 👍
May I ask what tires you have switched to and been happier with?
Currently I run Heidenau K60 Scouts front and rear. So far they are the best 50/50 tire I have tried.
I'm getting a deal on a 2018 CRF250L rally It's got a slightly bigger gas tank included but I'm guessing I should copy you and go with one even larger than that Also it feels strange to think about throwing away brand new tires that come on the bike I was raised by conservative Minnesota farmers but would you suggest I simply recycle those new tires coming on the bike?
@@walkerskii I would definitely keep the stock tires on til they're worn out, unless you do a lot of fast loose gravel riding, and then I'd just switch out the front to something like a Kenda K270 maybe. They hold the line in loose gravel far better than the stock IRC. I kept both stock tires on til they were done and rode accordingly. The rear stock tire is pretty good as I recall. The large aftermarket gas tank is a blessing. Take your time though. No rush on mods. The bike is a fun ride bone stock. Gearing change might be wise though if you ride in hilly terrain and do a lot of off road. a descent compromise gearing between highway and off road is 14/42. Rpm is not too high for highways but makes better use of 6th gear on inclines, plus it improves off road riding.
What kind of tires are those and what brand/fuel quantity gas tank is that? Sorry if you mentioned it I missed it, thanks for the review I'm about to buy a new one I cant wait. Definitely would like a bigger fuel tank and that one doesnt look out of place at all.
Those tires were Shinko 700. I quite liked them as a 50/50 tire. I now use Heidenau K60 Scouts and they are my favorite so far. Yeah the Acerbis gas tank is a huge benefit. Over the years it can yellow a bit (the natural see-through version) but I love it for the extra range and the ability to see the gas level at a glance.
@@Scoottoots awesome I really appreciate the info! I'll look those up soon. I haven't been able to make up my mind on if I want to convert it to a supermoto with the smaller wheels and just have some tires that will handle grass and dirt but more of a street tire. Like a 70/30 tire instead of 50/50 haha I'm gonna be using it to go to work most days but i want to be able to ride trails also so idk. I'll just ride it stock for a while before i decide and see if i like it the way it is.
@@nicksluder4764 Yeah the supermoto setup is a tempting thing. You can still ride dirt trails with that setup, just not in the same way. I think the guys who love the supermotos like the slide they get on dirt, so if you were like that, you can still enjoy the dirt, just differently. You wouldn't want to climbing any gnarly hills, but could have a blast sliding around corners. The Shinko 705's might be worth a look if you do go sumo.
@@Scoottoots sweet I'll check those out thanks. And yeah someone told me they were sliding all over the place in the dirt and grass on their sumo tires, they said it wasn't fun for them but everyone is different, it does sound fun to slide around especially on a dirt track like they do in dirt track racing. But I wouldn't want that all the time, I'd rather have enough grip to be able to ride in dirt with some stability and traction. There aren't too many big hills around here in north east Texas but theres trails in the woods that I'd like to ride again and plenty of gravel roads. So I think a mildly aggressive sumo tire would suffice for that, and since they are a little more wide they might handle better on gravel so that'd be cool.
@@nicksluder4764 Yeah, sounds good. Have fun :-)
Does the fuel Guage still work with the bigger tank
Not very well. It works but is not calibrated for the size. Once two bars are gone on the gauge I'm looking to fill up. With the 'natural' color tank though, I can see the actual gas level at a glance, so all is good.
I've had a lot of different bikes of makes & models. They're all pretty much reliable.
What fuel capacity does the tank have?
3.1 US gallons or 11.7 liters (aka: enough to not have to worry about gas :-)
Watching your video I kept hearing a high pitch tone, driving me nuts. I didn't even realize until the end it was from your audio lol
Yeah, sorry about that. I, and most viewers, cannot hear that noise. I think it only haunts this and one other video, and is apparent to just a few viewers. Kinda sucks. Wish I could make it go away!
@@Scoottoots No worries! Just commented cause I thought it was kinda funny.
What levers do you have, please? Thanks
They were XP Motors CNC Pivot brake and clutch levers. Quite inexpensive, adjustable levers. Had to drill out the clutch side and install stock bushing though. Easy if you have a drill press. Lots of these Chinese levers on Ebay. They work well for me and cost under $40 to the door.
Топливный бак чей производитель? Защита радиатора вместе с баком стоит ?
The tank is made by Acerbis. The radiator protection is stock Honda.
@@Scoottoots спасибо за ответ
Leslie is the seat comfortable is it wide enough
The stock seat is okay, especially if you are used to a dirt bike style. Being a dual sport, many people change the seat for something a tad more comfy. I changed to a Spiral Step Seat from Wheeling Cycle. It is as hard as the stocker at first but softens up after a month or so. I like it, but most people prefer the Seat Concepts seat or Corbin, so I hear.
What brand is the tach
Hardline (purchased from Honda dealership)
What tires are you running?
Running Shinko 700's fore and aft at the moment. I'll do a review on them soon, as the rear is almost ready to be replaced (over 9,000 kms).
Hey Blast, do you have a vid on the tail tidy process?
No I don't but here's the instruction with photos, from a local friend's blog. I basically copied what he did.
www.crfadventures.com/crf250l-modifications/crf250l-diy-fender-eliminator.html
Thanks! I wouldn't mind coming out for a ride one of these days. I live in Vancouver....
All this smoke has pretty much stopped me from riding except around town, plus we've got a ban on off-road. Bad year for riding. Worst ever. Next year will hopefully be better :-)
Yes, it's been a brutal summer for fires eh? Ok, then I'll hit you up in the spring or something...I should have a few mods by then :-)