The Honda CRF250R has secured the opinion of a solid motocross bike in its class since production started back in 2002. Nearly twenty years later, we are not too far away from the release of the eagerly anticipated new 2018 model with the first bikes being expected to be available in the Honda Shop Midland in December this year. If you’re thinking of buying one for Christmas, though, you should know that the first shipment will come in limited numbers.
This Honda model surely can be considered a respectable dirt bike. It can even be called a celebrity bike, as it was a major star in one of James Bond movies. Our favorite fictional spy is actually a well-known fast vehicle enthusiast, as we’ve often seen him drinking those shaken but not stirred martinis, betting on that black 17 at the roulette table, and then walking out with a beautiful woman. He would mostly be driving cars like the famous Aston Martin, but sometimes he would hop on a cool bike. His bike of choice was the Honda, disguised as regular, rusty bike, in 2012’s Skyfall film, riding around the streets (and rooftops) of the city of Istanbul. And since, this machine has had its group of fans no doubt. A relatively small overall weight, good shock-absorption, and nice horsepower are the things we fans appreciate the most. But above all, we all agree that the most important part is the willingness for the brand’s constant improvement. And there are some noticeable ones.
First of all, the 249cc engine gained brand new dual-overhead-cam design that uses a finger rocker arm with diamond-like coating (DLC) to maximize the lift while maintaining the low engine height. Also, the cylinder offset is enhanced and the titanium intake and exhaust valves are larger to achieve the maximum efficiency. All this results in a 9% power increase in comparison to the last year’s model as well as a 5% increase in power to mass ratio. Plus, an electric start is now a standard.
Overall, dynamics have upgraded quite nicely. The CRF250R has solved the problems in the CRF450R series and has been designed with aerodynamic qualities in mind. Additionally, the total mass has been reduced and more centralized. A revised chassis geometry was given a smooth almost organic shape with a lighter frame, providing more freedom of movements for the driver. This was all to accomplish better rear traction, softer handling, and limited front-end lift. Graphics on fairings and other motorcycle parts are scratch resistant; completely complementing the machine style. Some of the other key updates that we can expect include a new Showa coil-spring fork for a smoother suspension feel, a higher compression ratio, dual exhaust ports, and a new titanium fuel tank, which helps reduce overall weight.
Whether you are an amateur motocross enthusiast just enjoying the ride or a professional trying to set a record, you should be able to benefit from and enjoy all the improvements of the new 2018 Honda CRF250R. And some of them are pretty big. Until the bikes are openly available, however, we can’t be sure, but at least on the paper, it sure looks like the Japanese conglomeration delivered a good product.
