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Honda CRF250L & CRF250 Rally Test & Review

The Honda CRF250L and CRF250 Rally were intended as a beginner offroader and adventure-tourer respectively.
Both utilise the same engine but different suspension rates.
Prices start at RM24,378.94(basic price with GST) for CRF250L, and RM28,618.94 (basic price with GST) for the CRF250 Rally.

Designing a bike for the masses isn’t an easy proposition in this day and age, despite motorcycles being super-segmented according to their intended usage.

Even so, there are bikes that could fit its primary role plus one or two secondary roles pretty well, earning the title as “all-rounders.” Conversely, there are bikes that manufacturers seemingly tried too hard to fit too many roles into one bike and came away as being diluted.

Boon Siew Honda launched the 2017 CRF205L and CRF250 Rally during the company’s special Iftar event for motojournalists at the Sepang International Circuit (click here for our report).

Being a dirtbike enthusiast, I was pretty excited to be present during the launch. Both bikes look great – the CRF250L certainly had some of the looks of the CRF250R motocrosser and looks like a proper enduro, while the CRF250 Rally looked like a proper adventure bike to have ran away from the Dakar Rally.

In typical Honda fashion, the bikes exuded the kind of quality hardly matched by other manufacturer, save one or two. The paintwork, fit between the panels, switchgear, front and rear lamps, frame, engine, swingarm, etc., etc., right down to the last bolt and nut were quality.

The instrument panel was simple but Honda managed to squeeze quite a number of good information, including a fuel gauge, and the rev counter bar is on top of the speedo. Good call.

The PGM-FI fueled 249cc, DOHC, four-stroke, single-cylinder engine started up without fuss. But also without sound from the exhaust. It was super quiet.

We set course for our Sifu’s MX school, Most Fun Gym (MFG).

Out on the road and as expected, the CRF250L felt unplanted. But dirtbikes have always been torquey and offer a different kind of entertainment on the road, right? Right?

Well, being in the middle of a gaggle of rempits revving their engines, I thought it’d be the right time to educate them about dirtbikes. First engaged, clutch in, I revved it up to 6000 RPM, popped the clutch as I moved my weight backwards on the seat for a wheelie. The CRF went brrrrrrrrrrrr and the handlebar started flick-flacking back and forth, and all I saw were the rear lights of those rempits as they disappeared up the road.

Fine, let’s see how it rides over the rest of the road.

The long-travel suspension soaked up most bumps, but running the bike through potholes had both ends hitting the hard part of their travel almost immediately. Too soft.

Okay, okay. Let’s do it in the dirt then.

The CRF250L was joined by the CRF250 Rally at MFG, where Oh Kah Beng, his understudy Ryan, Ahirine, Sep and myself took turns riding both bikes in the dirt.

CRF250L

Oh Kah Beng (OKB) took it up over the entire course at MFG. But the bike was visibly struggling up the steep inclines, necessitating OKB to use first gear. “The bike has a soft powerband and needs to revved to get it going,” the GP legend said. “Look at the rear sprocket,” he continued while pointing at it, “It seems to have been geared for the road.”

OKB also jumped the bike once. Only once. Observing and shooting photos from the trackside, I saw the rear suspension bottom out with a loud clunk. “I didn’t jump anymore after that. It just bottomed out too early and easily,” said OKB.

I took over while OKB continued with instructing his students. Coming off the humps, bumps and turns, the rear end squatted ominously. There was no point in pushing harder because we discovered that the CRF250L is much more suited for trail “cruising,” rather than as a hardcore enduro bike.

Ridden at a super relaxed pace without jumps and hard turns, the bike was comfortable and composed. It’s a shame since the CRF250L has a quick-revving engine, mated a superb frame and body but let down by being overly soft of both ends.

CRF250 Rally

As mentioned earlier, the CRF250 Rally really looked the part of an adventure-tourer.

It has a windscreen, super bright dual LED headlamps (the binnacles look like goggles – nice!), a large front bodywork which looked like it had extra fuel tanks, and a large rear section. The colour combination was really pretty too.

OKB first rode it with a student as his passenger to show him the different points around the track. He then went full tilt after dropping the kid off.

The Rally was visibly harder sprung than the CRF-L and it didn’t bottom out. That was probably because it had to carry more bodywork and load when the owner takes it touring.

However, the engine response was the same as the CRF-L, which needed lots of revs over the harder parts. The rear sprocket is also geared for road riding. “It needs more kick,” said OKB.

OKB continued, “But in all, I liked the Rally better as it’s more composed around the track. It looks pretty sexy too.”

“On the other hand, it doesn’t ride too well on the road, so it means it’s meant for touring in the dirt.”

Sifu is right. I rode the bike on the road and it didn’t want to steer very well. However, once it started to lean, the front end plops into the corner. This was despite me riding it both road (lean in) and dirt style (push down).

Conclusion

I have my heart torn out for this Honda duo.

We understand that the CRF250L’s soft rear spring was intended to sag more with the rider on board so as not to intimidate with a tall ride height, but perhaps a more progressive spring would be good? It’s already using Honda’s wonderful Pro-Link set up anyway. As for the power delivery, it’s great for beginners as it’s not overwhelming. I guess you could always replace the rear sprocket for a bigger one when your skills improve.

As for the Rally. We can’t get over how beautiful it looked, but it too needs some improvements to make it the perfect all-rounder. It could be made to handle better on the road and in the dirt. But again, it was okay as a beginner bike.

PICTURE GALLERY

Harley riders donate dialysis machine to National Kidney Foundation

The Kelab Motorsikal Helang Malaysia is well known for carrying out charitable causes.
Recently donated a new dialysis machine to the National Kidney Foundation.
The club consists of businessmen and professionals who are passionate about Harleys and charitable causes.

A group of Harley-Davidson bikers thundered through the roads of Petaling Jaya on a Saturday morning to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) headquarters, all for a good cause. The Kelab Motorsikal Helang Malaysia, which is more commonly known as HTC MC and is well known for supporting charitable deeds regularly, raised RM38,500 to purchase a Dialysis Machine for NKF. Mr Chua Hong Wee, NKF’s CEO was there to receive the machine from one of the founding committee, Mr Tou G.

After 5 years of riding Harley-Davidsons, the club continues their charitable works with the contribution of a dialysis machine to NKF, which will inevitably help the needy. This motorcycle club was formed by a small group of riding friends who were passionate about riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Through the regular rides and charity events, the bond of friendship and brotherhood within HTC MC remains strong.

Since 1969 NKF strives to raise the standards of care to needy patients with kidney failure. Spending more than RM30 million annually through subsidizing dialysis treatments to 1,600 patients by utilizing 477 Dialysis Machines located in 26 centers nationwide. Each treatment costs RM163.00 of which the patient only pays RM40.00. The Malaysian government subsidizes RM50.00 and NKF pays the balance of RM73.00 for each patient. The average lifespan of each machine is about 7 to 10 years and at 75% efficiency it will help approximately 822 chronic patients each year.

HTC also welcomes partnership with suitable corporate companies for future CSR programs and projects. For more information and other enquiries, please contact Alvin Seah at +60127827787 or Lim Joon Seong at +60123813122

Ten Most Unusual Motorcycles (Part 4)

Here in Part 4 of the Ten Most Unusual Motorcycles, we look at a Suzuki which has gone on to a cult status.: The GSX1100 and GSX750 Katana.

Please click here for Part 1 (Suzuki RE5), here for Part 2 (Honda CBX1000), and here for Part 3 (Yamaha GTS1000).

The name “Katana” alludes to the Japanese Samurai sword, hence the symbol. The name and logo went on to grace many other Suzukis thereafter. Here in Malaysia, remember Suzuki Best and RG owners would apply the stickers to their bikes? That was part of the Katana’s legacy.

The Suzuki Katana was designed by Hans Muth and his company, Target Design. Muth was the ex-design chief at BMW and was tasked with overhauling the Japanese manufacturer’s image.

Suzuki chose one of Muth’s designs and the first production Suzuki GSX1100S Katana was made public in 1980. While they didn’t follow the concept’s design to the letter, many important design cues were adopted.

The design was avant-garde from the cookie cutter bikes of the era. Most notable feature was how the rear part of the fuel tank and front portion of the seat blended together. Also, the passenger’s seat was slightly raised and coloured differently, lending to a solo-seater look. Yes, it was the Suzuki Katana that started it.

The 1075cc, air-cooled, DOHC, inline-Four produced 109.5 bhp and Suzuki claimed the Katana as being the fastest production motorcycle. It ran the ¼-mile (400m) in 11.9 seconds at 191.5 km/h.

Following in the 1100’s tyre tracks, Suzuki launched the GSX750S Katana in 1981 and it had no windscreen. The model with the windscreen was the 750SS. The 747cc, air-cooled, DOHC, inline-Four produced 68 bhp.

1981 also saw the superbike racing homologated 1000S, since superbike racing capped the engine capacity at 1000cc. it had Mikuni smooth-bore carburettors among other racing accoutrements. This was the rarest Katana and collectors will pay a ransom for one!

1982 saw the Katana’s futuristic looks being modified to feature a round headlamp and tail unit from the previous year’s GSX1100E for the American market. Buyers there were obviously slow in adapting to change.

Not many changes were afoot for the Katanas in 1983, but it was 1984 when the 750 was forever known as the legend.

For that year, the GSX750SE Katana was a completely new model. The 16-valve, oil-cooled, inline-Four was taken from the GSX750R/ES/EF and made 90 bhp. It was also given the Positive Damping Forks up front and Suzuki Full Floater rear suspension which did away with the dual shocks. The frame, parts of the wheels and engine were painted in gold.

The most well-known feature was of course the pop-up headlight.

The Suzuki GSX750S continued into its last year of production in 1985 for the worldwide market and 1986 for the domestic market, making these models somewhat rare. Many collectors would love to have one in their collection.

It was sadly the same on the GSX1100S Katana front as it faded in obscurity as Suzuki had launched the GSX-R750F sportbike in 1985. Affectionately known as the “Slabside” or “Slabby,” the first Gixxer heralded the new age of race replica sportbikes and Suzuki went all out to capitalize on it.

Perhaps realizing their mistake, Suzuki in America tried to revive the Katana name in 1988, by slapping the name and symbol on a host of sport-touring and touring models, but it was not to be the same.

It’s a great shame to lose the Katana as it is still beautiful even after 27 years. It was truly unusual for its time and it still is somewhat today (that’s why there are many customized Katanas around today).

Please click here for Part 1 (Suzuki RE5), here for Part 2 (Honda CBX1000), and here for Part 3 (Yamaha GTS1000).

Brembo brake recall issued in the US for Ducati and Aprilia?

A huge Brembo brake recall has been issued in the US in reference to their popular PR16 radial master cylinder unit commonly paired with Brembo M50 calipers.

Apparently, the internal piston in the master cylinder made out of plastic is prone to cracks which may lead to major brake failure.

The recall for some models from Ducati and Aprilia in the US has been confirmed and Brembo will issue a new aluminium master cylinder piston as replacement.

In reference to a recent report made by Asphalt and Rubber, the gods of braking technology Brembo has officially issued a massive recall on their PR16 radial master cylinder unit which is the master cylinder usually found together with the Brembo M50 calipers. (more…)

Why you should service your Kawas at the Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre (KESC)

There are several advantages of getting your bikes serviced at any of the Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre (KESC) across the country.

Equipped with the latest tools and equipment, all KESC are ready to service or fix any issue as fast as possible.

Combined with trained mechanics plus Kawasaki genuine and approve parts, only the best are allowed as part of Kawasaki Motors Malaysia’s great after-sales services.

There comes a time in every motorcycle owner’s life where they have to send their beloved bikes for its regular maintenance service. While there are many reliable private workshops out there who claim that they can do anything and everything under the sun for your motorcycles, Kawasaki Motors Malaysia took a step further with their Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre (KESC). (more…)

Ten Most Unusual Production Motorcycles (Part 3)

Please click here for Part 1 (Suzuki RE5) and here for Part 2 (Honda CBX1000) of the Ten Most Unusual Production Bikes series.

YAMAHA GTS1000

Fork dive – compression of the forks when the brakes are applied – has been something that gave chassis and suspension engineers migraine headaches ever since BMW featured the first production hydraulically damped telescopic fork on the R12 in 1934.

Fork dive is counter-productive; as little suspension travel is left to soak up bumps in order to keep the front wheel planted to the road. If the bumps are large enough or if there are multiple successive ones, the front wheel will start to hop as it runs out travel, causing loss of traction, instability and potentially loss of control. (Or a rolling stoppie!)

Besides that, most riders find it disconcerting when the forks bottom all the way down, leading to loss of confidence, leading them to either release the brakes and/or failing to turn into a corner.

Well, many folks decided it was time to eliminate front end dive, and one notable solution was presented by the ELF Racing Team GP racer in the late-70’s through to the late-80’s, ridden by one Ron Haslam. The single-sided swingarm front suspension removed shock absorbing and damping duties from the steering head, in the pursuit of making the front end more stable under extreme braking. Honda saw a potential in the program and started supplying racing engines to the team.

A designer named James Parker also saw the capability of the single-sided swingarm front suspension and went about designing his own, which he then named together with his company, Rationally Advanced Design Development – RADD.

His first prototype was based around a Honda XL600R engine and frame, donated by Honda USA, which he got a young dirt tracker and Superbike rider, one who will one day become a 3-time 500cc World Champion, to test ride it. He was Wayne Rainey.

Rainey was impressed by the handling and feedback of the front suspension. Honda Japan wasn’t interested, however, as they were already involved with ELF.

Parker went on to work on a Yamaha FZ750 next and the finished project named RADD MC2 was revealed at the 1987 Milan Motorcycle Exhibition.

Yamaha Japan got wind of the MC2 and began work on their own project, called the Morpho, without Parker’s approval. When Parker found out, he negotiated with Yamaha to license his designs before the Morpho was unveiled in 1989. But the project hit a roadblock as Yamaha has always outsourced fork production to contractors.

However, there’s light at the end of the tunnel for Parker’s RADD concept as Yamaha Europe demanded that Yamaha Japan build a new sport-tourer. That’s where the RADD chassis found a place.

The result was the GTS1000 in 1993. Besides the RADD front suspension, it also boasted other new technologies such as electronic fuel injection, ABS, and for the first time on a motorcycle, a catalytic convertor. The engine was lifted from the FZR1000, but detuned to 102 bhp.

The GTS1000 looked great and was generally praised by the media, unfortunately the price tag of US$ 12,999 put many potential buyers off as they felt the improvements and added weight did not justify the extra cost.

Plus the fact that Ducati launched the 916 in the same year, which overshadowed every single bike for the next two years, the GTS1000 included.

Please click here for Part 1 (Suzuki RE5) and here for Part 2 (Honda CBX1000) of the Ten Most Unusual Production Bikes series.

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Latest News

The Honda CRF250L and CRF250 Rally were intended as a beginner offroader and adventure-tourer respectively.

Both utilise the same engine but different suspension rates.

Prices start at RM24,378.94(basic price with GST) for CRF250L, and RM28,618.94 (basic price with GST) for the CRF250 Rally.