Just ordered the Stage 1 Kit from bestdualsports.com now we wait.. I will write a review and take pictures when I get it installed. I hate waiting
of course it goes other ways like the air-cooled & FI XRE300 in Brazil http://www4.honda.com.br/hondaxre300/#/home which was designed to replace the tornada (xr250) and the nx4 falcon (xr400) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_XRE300 rest assured there are plenty of US ADV riders that would love to be able to buy a today an electric start xr400 for rock solid ADV touring reliability. i spent some time on one in mexico and it was the perfect go everywhere bike. http://www.pontolegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Honda-NX-400i-Falcon-imagem-5.jpg then of course north america has this for sale http://www.yamaha-motor.com.mx/xt660tenere.html ... mexico but NOT the US. the grass is not always greener.
Funny how just because people have an opinion they feel a need to validate it. Even when it's in the wrong forum. Hahahahahaha
Can someone that has a full toolkit (not the 2 hex keys, fuse puller and rolled up foam) please post a photo of it? I can't believe Honda thinks this is adequate. Thanks, Bill C
They simplified the U.S. tool kit to save weight as everyone was bitching about how porky the CRF250L was before they even started shipping them here.
10mm, 12mm, 19mm, and 24mm socket along with the two different sized allen keys and phillips screw driver is all I have had to use so far on the bike.
To clarify... it's not "Honda Motor Company" that thinks this toolkit is adequate. .. it's "American Honda Motor" that is trying to minimize their cost. Think California and it all becomes much clearer. For me, this toolkit is not that big of a deal. I've never relied on anyone's OEM toolkit. They'll never have all the tools needed to cover all of the trailside repairs you'll need to make. Invest in a well-planned toolkit and you'll never worry about OEM tools again.
But didn't someone post a picture?....or was it a non-USA bike? The only important tool is the spark plug tool because the relief around the plug in the head is very skimpy and you need an extremely thin wall socket
Honda CRF250L by Guerillah, on Flickr Took her out on the trail this weekend with my buddy on his XR600. Traveled about 50 miles in a mix of sand, dirt, silt, rock, gravel, etc and she had no problem keeping up. No problems with the aftermarket exhaust or programmer, she purred like a kitten. Had a few lay overs since i'm somewhat new to the offroading thing but I am learning fast and can't wait to take her out again. Comments from the XR600 owner after riding my bike were "Im jealous, its so smooth, I want one." I rode his XR600 and it definitely has a ton more torque at any RPM, but honestly I kind of like the strung out personality of the CRF (where you can't lug it, it must be revved), its just more fun... not to mention tons less vibration to the hands/arms. All in all... a good day!
Good to see everything is working out for you Guerillah! Did the FMF Q4 and the Megabomb mount up with no hassles? I hope to have that same exhaust system on mine sometime in the future. Also, I see you have done the rear fender "bob" job since the last photo. I did that recently and like the look much better. Plus, it rids the bike of all the reflectors and the metal license plate mounting bracket. A cool upgrade IMO and the cost is exactly nothing! Keep the ride reports coming in.
Harcomo, The Q4 and MegaBomb were super easy to install, it took less than 30 minutes to install both. They come with everything necessary, the muffler includes a bracket so that you can still use the white plastic shield (you ditch the black shield that is normally underneath it in stock configuration). The fuel programmer install was easy as well, I have large hands and was still able to get to the fuel injector plug without having to lift the tank. Yep, since the last picture the only thing i've changed is chopping the license plate mount... literally took 5 minutes! It does a nice job of cleaning up the rear end like you said. In case anyone doesn't have a dremel, you can buy some roto zip bits for cheap which allow you to cut horizontally with a normal drill. http://www.rotozip.com/en-us/Pages/CategoryDetail.aspx?pid=5040_5039 Next time i'll take pics on the trail, forgot my camera! Cheers
So I have had mine a couple months now. Been on the trails 5-6 time. The only real performance mod is 13T front sprocket. I'm not an expert by any means and have found the bike to go everywhere I have asked it, so far, although somewhat slow at times. The big thing I really like is that being a bit vertically challenged, I like the seat height. But it is a bit under powered. Sometimes I have to down shift to 1st gear to finish the hill. I do realize that should get a bit better as I get better and feel comfortable carrying more speed. So I keep wondering, if it is worth spending the money to upgrade the bike with exhaust and suspension or ride it as is and think about buying a more powerful bike in a year or two, that already has the better suspension. For those who have completed the upgrades, exhaust & suspension, does it really make that much of a difference. Worth the money??? Will it improve the bike enough to keep it longer as my skills grow?? Mostly do trail riding and some limited street. Thanks for the input.
I haven't done all the mods - just gearing/FI Controller/skid plate/guards and yes they have made a significant improvement, but will mods improve it as your skills improve enough to keep it? I would say that depends on your skills and your goals, if you find yourself wanting to do hardcore trail/enduro riding, and skillfull enough to do so, well maybe a different bike is in order - i had a CRF250X, it was great on trails much better than this bike, however, for the type of riding I want to do now this bike is much more suited for that, yes it has limitations, but thats ok, I love it for what it is....a great inexpensive, reliable 250cc dual sport.
It is routine for tank makers to be well into the second year of a bikes availabilty before selling product. Tooling always expensive plus the pattern making before any injection mold can be designed. They like to know sales numbers for the first years supply to justify the significant development costs way in advance of any sales. There are usually 3-4 major players, and if the first guy hits a homerun, then others risked a lot of money for nothing. 2 dozen owners asking for a tank in a forum doesnt hurry anything. Doesnt hurt I guess but you see a bunch of " group buy" talk and " they told me in an email.." And no tanks for a year and a half. If you need extra fuel, I suggest you do a work around and figure on using that for a year, year and a half.
Agreed. I'd like to see a tank too. Until then, the Rotopax will do the job. Even then, unless it's a significant increase in fuel capacity, the Rotopax still may get the call.
What are the after-market seat options available so far? Sat on bike this morning at the shop and instantly knew what the first upgrade would be. Funny, I had discounted the Honda CRF230 from my short-list of bikes in my search for a 250 DS. Not sure how I missed the CRF250 in my initial research...anywho as I mentioned, I slung a stiff old leg over the bike this morning and really liked the feel/fit of the bike. I think it will be perfect for commuting to work and knocking around the back mountain roads. Price doesn't suck either. Imagine that bike will take me anywhere my old crusty ass decides to go. Thanks guys....
