Servus,

To make it short, I ordered one right away. I'm still not sure if the power will be enough for 50/50 MX/Offroad riding, but I have never had as much fun on any bike before. Details below.



Main offroad/MX Honda dealer here in Austria got a CRF250 last week. I got the chance to ride the already broken in bike side by side with a 2004 CRF450 on a grass track and some gravel roads for about half an hour. Coming off an KTM 450EXC the bike felt like a toy at first, but nonetheless the ergos just fit me perfectly (5.10, 180lb). The bike is light, really light even in comparison to the CRF450 and I couldn't get rid of the usual 250-fourstroke-first-time-ride-grin for a long time. Felt like I could go in circles around the 450 on the grass track. Power is there and in combination with the short spaced gearbox gives you some great acceleration. We did some starts (CRF250 2nd gear, CRF450 3rd gear) under a little slippery conditions and the 250 could run with the 450 for the first 50m (150ft) or so, then the 450 just takes of. Nevertheless on the gravel roads you are tapped out in 5th quite fast and the 450 is just gone. Can't say much about the suspension as we did no jumps, whoops or even braking bumps.

Anyway, I ordered one right away which I hopefully get in Dec/Jan - don't even want to ride the KTM again after this experience. I did also ride the CRF450 and while being a great bike also I was less impressed. Power is just too much for me and the bike feels a lot heavier and bigger. I'd call the 450 impressive and the 250 just plain fun - can't wait to have it in the garage

Michael

Michael,

Nice photo I'm envious though

Thanks for the insightful report, your comparisions are great. I wish I could read the same type of report based on the X.

Do me a favor if your dealer gets an X in, could you file a ride report/comparison? And if you need help I'm available.

Servus,

Basically a "X" would have been my first choice, but the claimed 232lbs dry weight is just too much for my taste. Hope I can live without the e-start, so a z-start autoclutch is next on the list. The "x" won't be here before March also!

Michael

Servus Drehwurm,

just made deposit for a RMZ (mit Brief !), hope to sell the EXC next week.

Time for jetting and suspension fiddeling soon.

Hagen

Servus Hagen,

Hahaha, I was expecting something when I saw all your parts for sale - but a RMZ, that's funny. You'll love the bike for sure, those 250 thumpers are just in another dimension of fun. We need to get together for a ride when the bikes are here.

Michael

Micheal

All of the Blue 250F riders know exactly where you're coming from. You see, we have been there and our 250F rides give us the same feeling (everytime we swing our leg over it).
We are very curious with these new rides, you see, if something is BIGGER and BETTER we want to know.

Congrats, you'll love it, just like we do.

Its about time they modernized those stupid front fenders they have been using for the last few years. '04 plastics look great!...I also like how they are not borderline pink anymore.

DreWurm...I know what you mean about the weight thing. I bought the '03 WR250F, after all the hype about the full yz-style forks and super light weight. Of course, the suspension is good for off road, but not as good all-around as a YZF, and the lighter weight turned out to be smoke and mirrors. Yeah, they added the e-start but it put all the weight back on that they took off.

I may make the move to an RM-Z. I was always a Honda man until my baby-F habit. And while the new CRF looks awesome, Suzuki pays BIG contingencies for Cross Country in Texas, so that may sway my choice.

Why is it that we can turn an MXer into an off-roader and add 5 pounds, while the factories have to add 25 pounds? KTM is the only company that seems to get it. They take the MX bike, and put different gear ratios in em, and that's it. Why can't the japs do that?

TexLabo
'03 WR250F

rob,
can you buy the green bike and put yellow plastic on it and still qualify for contingency money?
if not, why not? same bike

You know Steve, you'd think so. But, if yamaha wouldn't let me qualify with the canadian WRF (...same bike, same plastic), I don't see why Szuki would let me qualify with a KX.

Tex