2006 CRF250R valve problems?

[Cooper489]

I'm thinking about getting a 2006 CRF250R but have stumbled across several posts saying that the valves are bad on these bikes and they are unreliable. I love Honda and always have but can't find anything concrete about it.  Is this true at all and is it a bike worth getting?

[not_again]

It's not true <in general>. Honda did have valve issues on the 04 and 05 250s and 02-05 450s but they were few and far between compared to numbers sold. I rode the hell out of my 04 250X and never had a valve problem. My 05 is fine as well, stock valves are right on the money still- though it's a fairly low hour bike. Honda did a better job on the titanuim coatings for 06 and changed the valve seats to a softer material. 06 was the first year without the 'valve issue' cloud hanging over its head. They last the same on Hondas now as everything else does, meaning not forever. Keeping the air filter clean and the engine revs well off the limiter help them live as long as possible.

Edited March 4, 2014 by sandlvr69

[yeomans555]

actually 06 was just as bad as 04 and 05. But its just the stock seats, guides and valves. Once you replace them with upgraded parts, you should ever have to do it again. and keep ontop and record your valve shimmings.

[not_again]

Not sure where you are getting your information, yeomans555... I have been riding CRF250s since 2004 and I thought I was pretty well informed.

[TheBoonDocker]

All comes down to how clean you keep your air filter, if you ride it halfway decent, and if you make sure your valves are always kept in spec and never out of bounds. Had countless hours on my 06, rode the wheels off of it, and didn't have one valve problem with the maintenance I kept on it.