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Words: Gregory Gale Pics: 1Shot |
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On the
weekend of the 8th and 9th of Feb I was fortunate enough to spend the
weekend riding some primo high country terrain around Bright. What
made this weekend different for me was that I was going to be throwing my
leg over a brand spanking new 2008 Honda CRF250X. My own ride
is a 2004 CRF250X so I was very interested to see what Honda has done to
improve the little red beast over the last 4 years. Surely the boffins
in Japan have not been sitting idle.
I spent the first half of the day on my own trusty 04 steed before I approached the newbie 08, to give some perspective on what the differences were going to be. To put the comparison in context my CRF has aftermarket titanium valves, heavier suspension for the "larger" lad I am, an FMF Q4 Muffler, and I have had time to set my bike up for my personal feel whereas the 08 was straight out of the box, in stock setup. So how did the 08 perform? |
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I
headed off into the flowing tracks around Tawonga with a smile on my dial.
My own CRF has had the suspension tweaked and is a rock-steady performer.
The 08 was plusher of course, but easily up to the task straight out of
the box! It soaked up the fist size rocks with ease and no
deflection. The stability inspired confidence, which is a big factor for
beginners and experienced riders alike.
The riding position, whilst not substantially different to my 04, felt a little more aggressive, coaxing the rider further into the attack position. The Tag aluminium bars that come out as standard equipment have a lot to do with this. Just like bikini models’ chests these days, pegs are just getting larger and larger on production bikes. Honda's are only a C-Cup while I find myself wishing for D-cups that many manufacturers are now making! The seat height feels a little lower than most other 250 four strokes going around, so if you are in the Stefan Merriman height range this could be for you. If you are in his talent range just go buy an 1982 XR200 to carve your mates up! |
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The engine
has had a few small updates over the years, and in 2008 there is another
change in the valve seat material trying to extend the service life of the
valves. The power delivery was smooth although somewhat tamer than my FMF
kitted 04. The stock muffler does not allow the bike to breathe as well.
To get the best from the quarter litre engine you will need add a
decent enduro muffler and re-jet the bike. It still amazes me that a
company as big as Honda can not build a decent muffler to pass ADR
compliance. The Euros don't seem to have any issue in this area! The 08 CRF is lighter
than my 04 model and tipped in to steer noticeably
better in the single track. With the engine kept in the mid to upper
rev range, it handled the hill climbs and rocky-gnarly sections
that we traversed with ease. Riding overgrown hill climbs to get to roads
named things like 'Mongrel Creek' Track gives you an idea of what the early settlers
thought of the terrain we tested the CRF through.
The standard gearing was a bit tall and that meant the 08 had to be ridden a bit more aggressively than my 04, with more attention to drop back a gear to keep it in the power range, but this was a minor issue. The faster ridge top tracks were more enjoyable with the taller gearing though. Through out most of the day’s terrain I felt much quicker on the stock 08 CRF250X than I was on my 04. This is going to no doubt hurt my wallet! |
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The 08 CRF250X ADR gear at the rear is designed to be left on the bike as it is slimline and based on the aftermarket enduro style licence plate and tail-light assemblies. It was only held on with two screws towards the front of it’s mounting, which means it has a tendency to flap over rough ground. A third screw in the centre of the guard at the rear would fix this, if you could bring yourself to drill a hole in it. Obviously Honda Australia couldn’t bring themselves to do it, but I bet the dealers do, to ensure the indicators stay where you want them. I am surprised to see a rear wheel speedo sensor on this red rocket as it gives false distances, but the speedo itself is pretty cool and has all the latest functions, including tacho. Like many other riders I find it hard to justify the purchase of a larger capacity bike for trail riding. Why you ask? Well, when a 250 four banger like the 2008 CRF250X can happily motor up any Alpine mountain, down the gnarliest of gullies and still handle a 100klm rip up the bitumen when trying to beat the setting sun home, cubes mean nothing; especially when you discover that you are not falling asleep into your beer like your mates who spent the day wrestling bigger bikes over the same terrain!" Overall the 08 CRF250X is an outstanding riding experience in stock form. With only minor adjustments and a few relatively inexpensive aftermarket bits this bike could quite easily become the weapon of choice for any trail rider. |
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