All Tests – Test Honda CRF250L: a small trail in the land of the grown-ups – The new little Honda passe-partout

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Honda CRF250L test: a small trail in the land of the grown-ups

All Tests - Honda CRF250L Test: a little trail in the land of the grown-ups - The new little Honda passe-partout

30 years after the XL250S, when small displacement trails have almost disappeared from the market, Honda is launching the CRF250L. And despite its modest sales targets, this latest Honda 2012 novelty is not without its assets…. Road and trail test.

The new little Honda all-purpose

The driving position is most pleasant: the bust is perfectly straight, the arms are placed naturally on the wide handlebars, the thighs are tight against the super thin tank and the boots are placed on the cross-style footrests preventing any impromptu slide.

The engine of the CRF250L emits a relatively ordinary mechanical sound to the pilot, but the single cylinders of the colleagues placed in front let escape via their exhaust a more seductive melody. For a "basic" motorcycle, the sound makes a good impression !

The clutch control is just as engaging: super smooth, it does not lack progressiveness and allows the light bike to take off without problem. The selection on the left foot is a little harder, but in general the gearbox and transmission combination instantly conquers.

The saddle, on the other hand, leaves very quickly "marble" … Very thin to facilitate access for the little ones (be careful with less than 1.70 m), the seat is not sufficiently padded. After only half an hour, the buttocks start to throw…

Fortunately, the damage does not extend to the lower back: the suspensions, soft as they wish, absorb all shocks! Even the most blunt speed bumps in Noirmoutier – where our first contact takes place – are approached relaxed by the pilot, who does not need to stand on his own two legs..

City driving is made even easier by the excellent turning radius of the CRF250L, by the very good view in the mirrors and by the very appreciable availability of the single cylinder! From idle, the 250 cc accepts to tow on the first reports and avoids playing too much of the box.

The "commuters" will however regret the absence of warning, luggage rack and top case … "The CRF250L has four lugs to secure a bag as standard", retorts Honda France whose catalog of accessories for the CRF250L is essentially limited to a transport net and three filler caps with the HRC logo….

"There is indeed a luggage rack for this motorcycle, but given the low sales volumes in France we will not import it.", also specifies Bruno Skotnicki. Side – not – always practical, only the tool kit finds its place in the hatch located under the passenger seat on the left.

Heavy riders will nevertheless be happy to learn that after the first scheduled visit after 1000 km (take the opportunity to ask for a small adjustment of the preload if necessary!), The revisions are then spaced every 12,000 km. The change of the Iridium spark plug does not occur until after 48,000 km, a good trip around the world !

From a dynamic point of view, young bikers – or those who have never put their seat on a trail – will be slightly destabilized at the beginning: the 21-inch wheel fitted with its nipple rubbers generates resistance to putting on the angle that the limited weight of the motorcycle did not suggest when climbing on it.

Whether to negotiate the roundabouts in central Nantes or the superb series of turns leading to the Merel Off Road piloting center, the CRF250L requires a certain commitment of the shoulders on the changes of angle..

Likewise, the deliberately limited attack of the front brake requires a grip when giving way to a tractor breaking in on the right at the bend of a field….

On small roads, however, once the user manual is integrated, the small trail is perfectly at ease. After the small resistance at the level of the direction, the CRF250L plunges cheerfully into the curves and shows a reassuring stability.

Its very flexible engine allows you to get out of the village quietly in 6th gear. To benefit from a little more punchy times, it is necessary to drop two or three speeds. And the linear nature of the revs makes it possible to do without the tachometer..

The length of the mono is surprising, but we realize as the kilometers of dirty little stroll go by that it is perfectly useless to pull the reports to the maximum. The first and discreet vibrations of the engine seem to be a good benchmark to engage the next gear.

On private land, however, MNC had the opportunity to wring out the handle: at the bottom of six, the CRF250L’s counter posted 151 km / h. Motorway connections do not scare this new bike … but a little more for its owner given the total lack of protection !

The CRF250L was not designed to swallow very long distances: although its theoretical range reaches 250 km, officials at Honda France tell us that the small trail will return to the pump much sooner, "after 180 or even 160 km depending on use".

Likewise, if the duo is possible over short distances, cohabitation at the level of the feet can pose problems while the too limited comfort of the saddle will not please its half..

Easy in town, efficient on small roads, capable on fast roads, the CRF250L has also shown itself to be very smart on the vast playing field of charismatic Michel Merel and his seeds of EC2M champions! Among them in particular, a certain Jeremy Carpentier…

2011 French Enduro Champion in the Espoir 125 cc category, "G’Rem" improvised himself – brilliantly! – official opener during this press test (e). Difficult to follow on the road, the 18-year-old rascal allowed us to judge the potential of the new Honda in off-road…

While Site was content to have fun at a very small level riding the CRF250L, Jeremy had fun demonstrating that nothing could resist a Honda cross-country, not even this "L" version. !

Slips, slides, jumps, crossings: "Monsieur" Carpentier reviewed all the basic figures of off-road driving. To see it evolve, the new Honda trail seemed to weigh no more than twenty kilos !

In the end, we will remember that this CRF250L is perfectly capable of wandering through fields, even of initiating its pilot to the first joys of enduro. "It would not take much to make an initiation machine here", notes the coach Michel Merel.

Offered 100 euros more expensive than its cousin CBR250R, the CRF250L (displayed at 4090 €) costs half the price of the brand’s cross motorcycles, not approved on the road. Lovers of bucolic walks can still hesitate with the KLX 250, but the Kawasaki costs 1000 euros more than the Honda: CRF advantage !

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