Thinking about adding CRF250L to the stable . . .

Maybe this isn't the best place for this, but I've come to know some of you and trust your opinions. I want to ride the forest roads in the moutains here but there would be ~20-30mile ride to reach the dirt so would want street-legal but off-road-capable - dual-sport seems to be the best answer. Am considering the Honda CRF250L - has interesting similarities to the NC700X - which I love and know could do it but it is such a great street-highway-interstate bike - I can't give that up. I've only been riding since August of last year, and the NC is my first bike, but I'm just short of the 16,000mile oil change. So . . . if the NC is the bike I know and love for the road, does something like the CRF250L look like a decent choice for my other interests? Thoughts?

How "off-road" do you think you would ever go with the bike? The CRF would be adequate for gravel back roads, fire roads, and maybe some wide & easy ATV trails, but anything tighter or more technical it's weight would become a big issue. It would also be very down on power compared to the NC, likely by half, so don't expect an exciting ride. If you're interested in other brands Yamaha has the WR250R, and Suzuki the DR-Z400S. Of those three I'd likely take the Yamaha, but if I really wanted a good street legal dirt bike it would be a KTM. Pricey, but they are essentially full on race bikes with a plate.

buckshot said:

How "off-road" do you think you would ever go with the bike? The CRF would be adequate for gravel back roads, fire roads, and maybe some wide & easy ATV trails, but anything tighter or more technical it's weight would become a big issue. It would also be very down on power compared to the NC, likely by half, so don't expect an exciting ride. If you're interested in other brands Yamaha has the WR250R, and Suzuki the DR-Z400S. Of those three I'd likely take the Yamaha, but if I really wanted a good street legal dirt bike it would be a KTM. Pricey, but they are essentially full on race bikes with a plate.

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Realistically - I would be just getting started with off-road motorcycle stuff - but I've riden MTB's in these places for years. I recognize the weight and speeds would be different than pedal bikes - but know I would also have to ride the roads to get there - need headlight, brake-lights, turn signals, at least one mirror, license plate, . . . I am in the boonies and want to go with something with local support so Honda seemed like a good place to start.

Fair enough, if you've got a good local dealer then that's reason enough to buy what they sell. I can be a little more picky, pretty much everything but Suzuki is within an hour of me.

buckshot said:

Fair enough, if you've got a good local dealer then that's reason enough to buy what they sell. I can be a little more picky, pretty much everything but Suzuki is within an hour of me.

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Thanks!
Picky - I know! Got probably $5k in my MTB - but worked at bike (pedal) shops for years and got to appreciate the good stuff.
Just getting started in the motorcycle world - want to ride and not worry about anything but limited choices here.

funny enough, I'm a CRF250L owner who's been lurking here for sometime... let me give you some thoughts on what you asked

- one the price is unbeatable for what you get. yes there are other dual sport bikes but the WR (Yamaha) is several thousand more and the suzuki, while very capable, is a bit dated.
- the aftermarket support for the CRF is massive. there are so many ways to easily improve the bike to suit your riding style for very little...in fact you could completely overhaul that bike and still have $2k left over for what you would have paid for a WR
- i bought my CRF250L to do the riding you described. i was so happy with it that it convinced me the NC700x will be my next bike (i know that sounds weird, but i mean the quality of the bike impressed me quite a bit)
- just like the NC700x forum here, there are some great CRF forums that i suggest you google (i'd post URL here but unsure if that's a no-no or not).
- the 2014 models are hitting dealers and they are identical to the 2013 only MSRP is higher by $200; other than some graphic changes they are virtually identical bikes.

good luck and hope you find what you are after!

I have a CRF250L. I like a 250 for a dual sport. Not enough motor to get you into trouble and almost enough to get you out. As for weight I'm not a MX rider but compared to the NC the 250 weighs nothing. Last weekend I did a group ride that a somewhat local dealer put on about 90 miles of gravel and unimproved roads, 7 creek ( some small, some big, few shallow and many deep) crossings. The CRF handled all of it like a champ and got 79 mpg to boot (slow speeds nothing over about 35). It's fuel injected so that is a plus over the xr250l I got rid of when I got this. My buddy has a dr-z400sm. He had more trouble with the creeks than I did, but he has pilot powers on his. He can wheelie at will on the dr. The little Honda doesn't like to pull the front wheel.

There is model specific forums on thumpertalk.com Check that out for owner opinions on all the singles available

Overall I'm very happy with the CRF. It's always more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow

Don't listen to the others that say you need at minimum a 450 race spec dirt bike to enjoy off roading. They make it sound like nothing short of a competition grade bike will do. Sounds a lot like the typical sport bike squid talk to me.

If you wanted big power and ultra light weight in all your bikes, you wouldn't have chosen an NC700X.

If you're just going on fire trails and a bit of off road, not jumping 50 foot motocross jumps and doing Icelandic formula uphills, the CRF 250L is a fine bike to ride. You should see just how far and off road a KLR650 can take you and it's a whopping 430 pounds. 320 pounds is still quite a maneuverable bike relatively speaking and will take you a lot further than you think. Not to mention if you want dual sport bikes the competition is all around that same weight give or take a couple dozen pounds.

I agree with those saying 250 is plenty. I've done some pretty rough ATV trails with an old Honda 175. I think you will be more than fine with the CRF

As a motocross racer, I can tell you the 250 class has lots of power. The CRF250L is NOT in this class of bikes, it is a totally different engine that is very manageable. For someone new to off-road it is a great engine and a great bike. The Yamaha WR250R is much more powerful and has a polar opposite powerband of the NC700X where you need to keep the revs high. This bike isn't quite like that, but you will need to keep the revs up more. KLR650 is a joke for anything other than dirt roads, and I'm amazed at the people who think it's a dirt bike because they can travel down a smooth dirt path at 2 mph. They have never ridden a real dirt bike which the CRF250L comes very close to emulating. XR650L is another solid choice, but it's an antique.

You might want to also look at the Kawasaki KLX250S. Several comparison reviews, which I can't reference at the moment, rated the Kawi higher than the Honda. It will probably come down to price and preference, but it's worth looking into.

For a second bike and one that would go off road, I'd consider used, slightly older models. There is nothing earth shattering about the new models that would justify paying top dollar.

Agree that a 250 is plenty of bike for off-road. Being light weight and nimble is key, not having ultimate power.

Greg

Mr_Krabs said:

Don't listen to the others that say you need at minimum a 450 race spec dirt bike to enjoy off roading.

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Absolutely. In fact, a 250 is often more than enough. I had a 2003 CRF 230, which is a "girl bike" by many peoples' standards, but I had a blast on it and would love to buy another.

670cc said:

There is nothing earth shattering about the new models that would justify paying top dollar.

Greg

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fuel injection vs. carbs?

gpd211 said:

fuel injection vs. carbs?

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Nothing wrong with carbs. They served well for many years and still can. Four of my six bikes are carb'd and they work just fine.

For a third to half the price, I'd buy an older dual purpose bike with carbs over a new showroom injected model.

Greg

I was looking at the CRF250L before I found the NC700xd that I ride now. I'm still looking at maybe picking one up for some simple off road / dirt road exploration in the local mountains & deserts. I think it's a bargain for what it is and what I want. It would be even better if I could find a lightly used one cheap! I'm not looking to race or push to the limits, just get in and out of the back country.

Mr_Krabs said:

Don't listen to the others that say you need at minimum a 450 race spec dirt bike to enjoy off roading. They make it sound like nothing short of a competition grade bike will do. Sounds a lot like the typical sport bike squid talk to me.

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Who said that?

For many of the same reasons, I am considering adding a TW200 to the stable. I like that wide rear tire for things like sand and shallow streams with a loose gravel base. They aren't a freeway bike but can handle most highways for a while.

670cc said:

Nothing wrong with carbs. They served well for many years and still can. Four of my six bikes are carb'd and they work just fine.

For a third to half the price, I'd buy an older dual purpose bike with carbs over a new showroom injected model.

Greg

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I agree there is nothing wrong with carbs. However fuel injection is so easy. Let it sit for months and it fires up like it was run the day before.

You can keep the money you saved. I spent mine on the CRF and couldn't be happier (unless maybe a CRF450L is in Hondas future).

Electric start is nice (I did like my kick only XR250L). All in all the CRF is a great bike for the price

DanH said:

For many of the same reasons, I am considering adding a TW200 to the stable. I like that wide rear tire for things like sand and shallow streams with a loose gravel base. They aren't a freeway bike but can handle most highways for a while.

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I've been oggling TW200's on Craigslist for years. And now wifey says I can get another dirtbike, so I might have to go for it. But there are so many options. It's so hard to decide. Definitely like the TW200 though.

So, just by chance I stop by the Honda dealership - website showed they had a Red NC700X and I'd been wanting to see what it looked like. When I get there - no Red, just Silver like mine but 2013. BUT - directly accross the isle from it is 2014 CRF250L - said I'd been wondering if they would get one, I was thinking to pick one up. He says they just got it yesterday - Want to test drive? Said I can't right now, I gotta get back to work, but think I'll make plans to do so. He says it might not be here long. So I thought about it for the afternoon, drove over there just before they closed and bought it. Couldn't ride it home then but will pick it up tomorrow morning. So - there it is - Happy Ending with cheap and easy financing through Honda.