Honda’s entry into the performance four-stroke enduro market was a long time coming but the wait proved worthwhile. Honda’s CRF250X was introduced in 2004 and has steadily improved ever since. The latest model is slimmer between the knees than the original and boasts new bars, upgraded disc rotors and instrumentation, a new chain guide that Honda claim has five time the service life of its predecessor and CRF branded bark-busters help protect your levers and fingers in the tight stuff.
The compact 249cc four-stroke single has fantastic bottom end drive. Despite a piston and crankshaft assembly that weighs less than a decent steak, the CRF250X is remarkably tractable down low and proves extremely resistant to stalling.
This is one little thumper that has no need for a big rev in order to make quick progress. Even on standard 14/53 gearing first gear was rarely required. Negotiating terrain that your average dirtbike rider would describe as quite challenging the CRF250X had no problem pulling the standard gearing, even up some extremely challenging hill-climbs.
More than once when negotiating some tight single trail I hit the throttle a little too hard and found myself having to use plenty of body language to try and keep the CRF250X pointing the right direction as the front wheel climbed its way into the air. The bottom end pull is really quite incredible for a 250cc four-stroke and it caught me out quite a few times. The bottom end torque builds into a strong and useable mid-range with plenty of over-rev available should you need to hold a gear between corners.
Like all hard-core enduro machines the CRF250X requires plenty of maintenance. Oil changes after every long and hard ride are wise preventative maintenance. The engine only holds 850ml of oil so refilling the crankcase is hardly going to break the bank and an oil filter costs under $15.
For safety’s sake the piston and rings should be changed every 15 hours by the book. That can be pushed out to more than 50 hours of enduro style riding if you are reasonably gentle on your machinery. While to the uninformed this type of maintenance schedule seems to border on the ridiculous it really is fairly much par for the course right across this class of motorcycle. A piston and ring set retails for around $100 so if you are a capable mechanic it is fairly cheap maintenance. If you need the services of a mechanic then the bill inclusive of parts could be as high as $700.
The Honda has however gained a reputation of wearing out valves a little earlier than the competition. Many people suggest replacing the titanium exhaust valves with stainless steel items but this can trade one problem for another as eventually the stainless valves damage the cylinder head. Some tuners are using some fairly exotic valves to cure the problem and are reporting good success. Valve clearances should be checked every 15 hours to ensure maximum life from the top end.
Of course the absolute best thing you can do to ensure maximum longevity from any dirtbike engine is to ensure that it breathes clean air. A hinged air-box lid enables quick access to the air filter without the need for any tools. A smart rider in really dusty conditions would go as far as carrying a spare pre-oiled air filter on any long ride in tortuous conditions. Again, this is cheap insurance and saves you money in the long run. All machines such as the CRF250X are equipped with washable foam filters and will last for dozens of uses if cared for properly.
Anyway, enough of the maintenance lesson, let’s get back to the CRF250X.
To say the five-speed gearbox on the Honda is smooth and light is understating just how hot knife through butter the shift action is. A newborn could shift gears on the CRF250X without hurting their toe. Likewise, the clutch is so light it is a wonder it actually works.
Starting the machine is as easy as pressing the button. I never got around to trying the kick-starter back up however I purposely left the ignition on whenever I was stopped in order to try and highlight any deficiencies in the electrical system but found none.
Honda supplies a trickle style battery charger with the machine which makes it ridiculously easy to keep the battery in great shape during long periods of downtime. Get the dealership to wire the connector for the charger into a space accessible by the air-box door which means when parking up you don’t have to lift a spanner or screwdriver to put the machine on charge. It’s easily done and to be honest should be a routine part of any good dealerships pre-delivery routine for a CRF. If the machine is only for off-road use well away from houses and holidaymakers then also get the dealership to remove the baffle in the standard muffler and jet the machine to suit.
The ease of use follows through to the ergonomics. The controls fall perfectly to hand and despite never owning a CRF250X jumping aboard was like being reunited with a lost love. The wide footpegs offer great purchase and even the seat is relatively agreeable. I did suffer a little arm pump that would see me experimenting with the positioning of the Tag T2 handlebars if after spending plenty of seat time and actually gaining some real dirtbike fitness the bar position still posed a problem.
Showa provides the fully adjustable 47mm inverted forks and single shock which go about their business with a minimum of fuss.
Remember, this is no old school trailbike so don’t for one second go thinking that upon taking delivery you need to wind up the clickers to make the suspension more taut. This is an ultra high performance enduro bike.
Spend a day on the standard settings before tuning yourself to a standstill with the clickers as unless you are a talented pilot you might find that you need to soften things off a little rather than the other way round. That said however the forks on the latest model CRF250X certainly don’t seem quite as unflappable as I remember the front end of the original model.
ADR registration allows you the freedom to ride the CRF250X anywhere a licensed vehicle may tread. Of course, due to the high-performance nature of the beast you will not want to undertake any real on road transits between the bush. But at least having a rego plate affords you that option which is particularly handy in those States that do not offer a comprehensive off-road only registration scheme. Not that with only a 7.3 litre fuel cell you would be getting all that far anyway. In most bush riding conditions the modest tank provides a range of around 100 kilometres.
A high 958mm seat height is a side effect of the high-performance nature of the CRF250X but with 345mm of ground clearance, 280mm of fork travel and 315mm axle travel, it is perfectly understandable.
The build quality of the CRF250X is admirable. The plastics and alloy parts all exude an air of quality and with attractively finished fork legs, standard Barkbuster handguards and aluminium frame make for a stunning looking machine.
A comprehensive spares kit comes with the CRF250X and consists of a set of Renthal bars, headlight, basic tripmeter and a set of Dunlop 742F and 756R MX tyres. All leftovers from the ADR registration process the machines go through in Australia that Honda kindly throws in with the purchase of a CRF250X.
Until the end of July Honda are also throwing in a quality took kit, alloy ramp and $750 of store credit that can be used for accessories or a discount off the machine. Furthermore, customers that finance their purchase through Honda also score their first service free.
Specs – Honda CRF250X
Engine – 249cc, liquid cooled, SOHC, single-cylinder
Transmission – Five speed manual, chain final drive
Seat Height – 955mm
Dry Weight – 114kg
Fuel Capacity – 7.3 litres
Average Consumption on test – 7 litres per 100km
Range – 105km
Warranty – Three months, parts only
Price – $11,490 (+ delivery and on road costs)
