{"id":7654,"date":"2018-09-22T18:15:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-22T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/?p=7654"},"modified":"2022-02-14T18:36:13","modified_gmt":"2022-02-14T17:36:13","slug":"honda-crf-250-rally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/honda-crf-250-rally\/","title":{"rendered":"Honda CRF 250 Rally"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Honda CRF 250 Rally<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Text: Nicoletta Montagnolo, Filippo Ceccucci<\/p>\n

Photo: Filippo Ceccucci<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I'm Nicoletta, a lifelong motorcycling enthusiast, I've been riding two wheels for about fifteen years: I started with road bikes, even quite sporty ones, and then moved on to light, specialised ones, and now I have an old Yamaha XT 600 from the '80s that I use for everything, but of course without great pretensions.<\/span><\/p>

Despite various motorbikes of quite different types and many kilometres travelled, I have never been much of a rider and perhaps because of this, I was asked to try out the new Honda CRF 250 Rally, to give my 'spartan' opinion.
Certainly the description will be less precise and detailed than the reports of experienced journalists, but perhaps a little closer to that of many 'Sunday' readers.<\/span><\/p>

So I took the opportunity to ride around the beautiful hills of the Umbria with a new bike, retracing some of the routes I had done last year at An\u00e0basi Bo\u00f2n and admiring the wonderful views of the region... I can't hide the fact that I also really enjoyed the gastronomic part of this trip!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

I covered almost 500 km, more or less equally divided between asphalt and dirt roads, some of which were also challenging, and to top it all off I even did about 20 km as the photographer's 'ballast', a necessary test since this bike, despite being a small enduro, is also designed and approved to carry a passenger.<\/span><\/p>

Aesthetically I immediately found it very beautiful, the fairing plastics are designed with harmonious lines and the colour combination of the saddle and stickers really lively and pleasant. It wouldn't be a bad thing if the friezes were also covered with a layer of clear varnish, because then they have a tendency to get ruined a little too quickly if you use the bike with technical off-road clothing. When judging this Honda, however, one should always remember its very low purchase price of just over 6,000 euros.<\/span><\/p>

The lights are really nice in their 'one big and one small' asymmetry. Among other things, they are LEDs and also make a very good light, very white and very useful at night!<\/span><\/p>

The position lights are peculiar: as on the 'big sister' Africa Twin, in addition to the headlight (the left, the larger one) the two front indicators light up with a fixed, lower light than when they are used to signal a turn.<\/span><\/p>

Personal test: the aesthetics of the CRF 250 Rally were also appreciated by my 'single-issue' road-riding friends: knowing them, this is really no small achievement for an enduro!<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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After the first few clumsy kilometres for fear of ruining it with a careless fall, I soon felt at ease, as if I had been riding it all my life... A pleasant sensation, but unusual for me, who normally takes a long time to get used to a bike I have never ridden.<\/span><\/p>

The seat is comfortable despite being narrow and not too high like many enduros. In truth, it is rather high off the ground (89 cm), but once on board the set-up changes quickly due to the lowering of the suspension, which sags under the rider's weight. The riding position is well distributed both for the footpegs and for the handlebar\/seat distance, everything is arranged in a way that I would say is ideal for my 170 cm, or even for those who are less tall, taller riders might instead feel a little constricted. <\/span><\/p>

The tank, which holds 10.5 litres and thanks to its low consumption allows a range approaching (but I didn't feel like risking) 300 km, is well designed and aesthetically pleasing, wide at the front.<\/span><\/p>

Very much appreciated is the generous fairing that not only gives the Dakarian look, but can be used as support and protection for the instruments (in this case the sumptuous Garmin 276 Cx that we had on board for the test) and is excellent as an air shield: being all transparent it is less invasive as a line, but protects very well especially in the 110\/120 km\/h motorway transfers that the bike is perfectly capable of holding.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Where you really notice the need to keep costs down is in the suspension department. The fork is a bit soft, and although it has no adjustment, it works pretty well, while the single shock absorber is really too soft, unless you weigh forty kilos! On potholes and depressions it almost seems to work only by spring and in the end it is perhaps the only real fault of this bike, although you get used to it quickly and it almost becomes more of a feature.<\/span><\/p>

The electric starter, for someone like me who is used to having to resort to the crank every time, is just so convenient, and the digital instrumentation is 'spatial', for my habits then! It provides all the information you could wish for, in addition to the obvious speed and indicator lights for indicators, headlights and so on, it has a whole series of lights like on a car: the clock, two partial odometers, the petrol gauge and the digital rev counter which curiously enough has a red mark at 11,500 rpm when the engine does not exceed 10,000.<\/span><\/p>

Although made with an obligatorily careful eye on costs, this bike seems to me to have been designed very rationally, and as an example I would like to point out the very simple solution for luggage: the rear mudguard is flat at the top, it connects to the saddle without steps and there are four pegs (in practice they are nothing more than screws with heads extended by 40 mm) that allow easy attachment of an elastic net or straps to secure a bag.<\/span><\/p>

Tarmac test: the CRF 250 Rally is very well balanced, easy to ride on the fun hilly roads where it happily sets up curves and counter-curves and allows you to enjoy it to the full if you ride it smoothly, without jerking and without expecting violent braking or lightning-fast acceleration, which are after all not inherent to this bike.<\/span><\/p>

The Hondina is also very agile in traffic, where it glides fearlessly and is surprisingly very stable even on the motorway, where I felt no particular annoying vibrations for a single-cylinder with a high mudguard and knobbly tyres. Prohibitions aside, it is able to maintain its top speed of 129 km\/h without any problems, which the Garmin sanctioned, compared to the 142 indicated.<\/span><\/p>

Flaws: it's a bit slow in overtaking, the engine doesn't have much power and it's therefore obligatory to downshift at least one gear, but let's remember that it's a 250, not a specialist, so it's OK... for racing there are road bikes, with which it's better not to go off-road.<\/span><\/p>

Braking is also not one of the best qualities, in particular the emergency braking (i.e. to a stop) seemed a little too long to me. This is probably due to the weight, which, although not noticeable thanks to the excellent chassis, is nevertheless quite significant (157 kg with a full tank).<\/span><\/p>

Off-road test: on dirt roads no problem, the not-too-powerful engine and the brake (with ABS that can be excluded at the rear, and it's best to do this when leaving the tarmac) forgive classic beginner mistakes and give excellent stability. Even in this situation the CRF 250 Rally is very enjoyable, you get a smooth and harmonious pace and find yourself riding many kilometres in fun and without fatigue.<\/span><\/p>

If the characteristics of the engine oblige, rather than recommend, this harmonious gait, the very smooth and progressive delivery allows excellent traction without unwanted lurching, pushing forward instead of sideways, for example when exiting uphill bends. In short: the horsepower may not be a lot, but it is used to the full and never wasted!<\/span><\/p>

In standing riding one appreciates the accommodating tank to squeeze the knees and the handlebars high enough to allow a good riding position. The footpegs are very good: wide, 'toothed' and well structured, almost at the level of the 'professional' ones on specialist enduro bikes.<\/span><\/p>

Flaws: when you start to take some more demanding routes the weight makes itself felt, too much in my opinion, especially if proportioned to the power, and on rocky climbs the bike struggles if not 'exploited' in the lower gears... but for mule tracks there are the specialists, with which, however, you can certainly not afford the trips on asphalt that this Honda is able to do without problems. <\/span><\/p>

Off-road one would also like more specialised tyres than the original equipment IRCs, which while logically having limitations in enduro, on the other hand behave very honestly on gravel and very well on asphalt. At the end of the day they are a good compromise.<\/span><\/p>

Trial as a passenger: apart from the fact that I prefer driving, 20 km was enough for me!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The retractable footpegs are very nice, but a bit too high, the seat is definitely narrow and uncomfortable, the handles are missing (and the seat belt is unusable with the driver sitting on it), the engine struggles a lot with the weight of two people and the single shock absorber sags a lot... but for trips for two there are the touring ones, which cost a lot more.<\/span><\/p>

It must be said, in defence of the bike, that I am not a 50 kg ballast and that I was dressed as an enduro rider, boots and bib included (clothing that would have made any bike uncomfortable).<\/span><\/p>

Conclusion: it is an all-rounder.<\/span><\/p>

During my motorcycling experience I came to have three motorbikes at the same time: a road bike, an enduro and a cross-bike... Having the choice is certainly nice, but also quite expensive!<\/span><\/p>

I find the CRF 250 Rally to be a good middle ground, you can't compare it to the single-purpose bikes, but it is great for people who are just starting out in the two-wheeled world and don't yet have a totally clear idea of whether they prefer road or off-road, or simply like to do both but not in an extreme way. It's also great for travelling, maybe taking it easy, enjoying the scenery and exploring any road without necessarily having to stop in front of a dirt track that is just a little bit bumpy or even a little bit rough.<\/span><\/p>

In case of need, you can give a friend a lift, which many 'jumpers' don't allow, or you can take your girlfriend to the beach with a nice bike... and of course close together!<\/span><\/p>

One great thing about the CRF 250 Rally is that it consumes very little, between 28 and 30 kilometres per litre, and that the not-too-powerful engine is much more economical to maintain than racing cars.<\/span><\/p>

Even the initial purchase price is more affordable than many other models and this will certainly appeal to newcomers, but not only: even those who have a lot of experience and know it all could find in this bike their perfect soul mate for many carefree kilometres.<\/span><\/p>

Modifications: perhaps the only thing that would seem indispensable to me would be the addition of a fairing guard, which would not only make the bike even 'naughtier', but if there were one you wouldn't risk ruining the pretty little sides perhaps just by a trivial loss of balance.<\/span><\/p>

A curiosity: I found the horn button and the indicator button reversed in position (compared to the other bikes I have ridden). It's not a big deal and you just have to get used to it, but I wondered: why?<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Concluding remarks by Filippo Ceccucci:<\/b><\/span><\/p>

So much for the modesty with which Nicoletta portrays herself in the opening lines!<\/span><\/p>

After her 500 km test, I had the CRF 250 Rally at my disposal for a few days and added another 700 km to the test: the only differences to what Nicoletta reported are related to the driving position, for the rest I totally agree and subscribe word for word!<\/span><\/p>

For my part I can add that in fact for those who are taller than average (I am 1.88) the riding position is a little sacrificed and 'wedged in', but so often we talk about motorbikes being more suited to 'longhairs' and less so for those who are not: in this case, at least for once, it is the opposite.<\/span><\/p>

If the bike were mine I'd remove the strap that serves as a passenger attachment: it's a bit of a nuisance in the seat. But it's a simple thing: just two screws to unscrew.<\/span><\/p>

I agree about the excessive softness of the mono-shock absorber, which is objectively exaggerated and in certain situations puts you off a bit. I'd like to try the CRF 250 L model, the one from which this Rally was derived: with different linkages and about ten kilos less, I really think it could be a great bike. Of course, you have to give up the windshield, which apart from being really pretty, covers it magnificently on fast roads, and that's no small thing.<\/span><\/p>

I appreciate a little less the tank, which I think is too wide, which I would find justified if it gave a significant increase in range, here in the end it is not even three more than the L.<\/span><\/p>

Even the side fairings do not convince me too much, although obviously these are opinions on aesthetics and therefore entirely personal.<\/span><\/p>

The engine is certainly not powerful, but it reminded me of one of my great loves: the legendary XR 250 R, one of the most efficient motorbikes I have ever owned. Perfect proof that power, at the end of the day, only serves to give flavour and little more, but for effectiveness it really isn't that essential. Of course, I think anyone would want a 'twin' 400 cc engine that is just as 'quiet', but which allows that little bit of extra 'back' that sometimes comes in handy. But in the end it's OK: for overtaking you just have to remember to downshift, but when you're on your own and driving it's very smooth, sweet and fun, and even exciting when, in search of the last available horsepower, it screams like some four-cylinder machines.<\/span><\/p>

A motorbike that makes you want to travel, well off the motorways, but to do a lot of kilometres at the end of the day.<\/span><\/p>

And then you want to put the pleasure of sending a nice photo from the most remote places to the many bar travellers?<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Honda CRF 250 Rally Text: Nicoletta Montagnolo, Filippo Ceccucci Photos: Filippo Ceccucci I'm Nicoletta, a lifelong motorbike enthusiast, and I've been riding two wheels for about fifteen years: I started out with road bikes, some of them quite sporty, and then moved on to light, specialised ones, and now I have an old Yamaha XT 600 from the '80s that I've been... Read More \"Honda CRF 250 Rally<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7655,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-test"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7654"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7654\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motoclubumbria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}