2014 Honda CRF250R

Introduction

In order for a manufacturer to stay on top in the motocross world, the machines have to be improved upon each year. You have to push the envelope of power, suspension and handling, without crossing some delicate line that is hard to determine from both sides of the spectrum. Cost, durability and usability are manufacturer concerns, the customer just wants the best bike. Honda went all-out and all-new on the 2014 CRF250R matching many of the CRF450s design changes from last year.

Changes

• All-new bike that mirrors most of the changes that the CRF450R received in 2013.
• Dual-mufflers make a return to the CRF250R.
• Most of the plastic and parts aside from the motor are interchangable with the 450.
• A new Showa fork is still a standard spring unit, the 250 does not go to air.

Most of the main frame, subframe, gas tank, air box, throttle body and plastics--a fair percentage of parts is--identical between the 250 and 450 Honda’s now. The lower frame cradle that comes off the main front downtube and attaches back in at the footpegs, it is specific to the 250, tuned to get the right flex and handling character for the lighter and less powerful bike.

The 250 uses Showa suspension on the 250F and a spring fork differing from the 450’s KYB air fork. The frame geometry of the bikes is nearly the same with the 250 having a slightly flatter, a more linear shock linkage, 2mm more trail and a quarter-degree more rake in the front end.

The actual geometry of the 250 compared to last year is identical but the chassis carries more of that weight in a lower more centralized location. The twin mufflers and redesigned plastics play a large role in that. With those changes comes a much easier to get at and more open air box area. The mufflers have an easier time keeping the sound level down while not restricting engine performance. The gas tank gets a little bigger (1.5 gal. to 1.6 gal.), with the overall weight jumping up four pounds over last year if you go by claimed weight. The CRF250R is 231 pounds ready to ride.

The engine keeps the same “architecture” with its Uni-cam (single cam) four-valve design. Honda wanted a more aggressive power delivery and used a revised cylinder head, a higher compression ratio (13.5:1) and a new piston to get that. Tuned to match the changes the PGM-FI uses a 12-hole injector with programming that shoots a double pulse of fuel. The claim is that a quick initial burst of fuel is shot at the intake valves early in the timing cycle, mostly at lower to mid RPMs which is claimed to cool the back of the valve. Then the rest of the fuel burst is released like normal, the total amount of the two fuel bursts is the same as a single pulse would have been last year.

This dual-pulse happens at all RPM and though the word “dual” might indicate there is more than one injector, like on the Kawasaki. We suspect having the word “dual” on the sales sheet is the main improvement. All the fuel comes from the same injector in a 46mm throttle body.

The PGM-FI system is tunable through the HRC tuning tool, one of the more advanced tuning options available for standard OEM systems. For the increased power output the transmission got beefed up and the cases and transmission shafts are actually wider because of this, making the sprocket spacing on the rear wheel different than past Honda 250Fs. The exhaust is metered at the Y in the tail section to provide an equal flow to both mufflers and a claimed 94 dB stationary sound test rating.

Power

• The power is very usable even if it has a slightly more aggressive character.
• The CRF is still less aggressive that most of its competition.
• The engine really lets you know if you are getting the most out of it.

The 2014 CRF seemed a little less willing to start compared to older CRFs for some reason. It liked a more healthy boot than we recall. Increasing the idle speed helped some, making sure you were in neutral helped even more.

Running, the CRF is ultra responsive and crisp all the time. Shifting is excellent and the five-speed transmission has a very linear spread in ratios. Compared to older CRFs, the power is noticeably more aggressive. It picks up RPM quicker than in the past and with more authority, then builds in a very characteristic Honda way--linear. The bike is happier in the higher RPMs, it is easy to keep it there and now has a little longer, less-sharp taper at the very end of the power spread before hitting the rev limiter.

The 2014 feels and acts faster with a new cylinder head, higher-compression piston, head porting and new dual-stage injector timing, yielding basically the same power level everywhere compared to the old bike when it comes to getting around the track. It requires less clutch work (the clutch has a light feel and excellent control) but also really lets you know when you are not being aggressive because the difference between where the engine is doing work and where it is just cruising is definitely more pronounced. It is a lot more in line with the more aggressive engine characters that seem to be favored in this class, but even with these improvements the Honda will not be the leader. And that is not a bad thing at all because the CRF is more rideable for more riders, even if everyone wants to feel as if their bike has more power.

We played with the HRC PGM-FI tuner and sampled some different maps that Honda has developed and some that we tweaked on. Our experience is that the 250Fs are a lot less picky in changes to the fuel and ignition mapping compared to 450s and also the changes are not as obvious. So in the end we could make some small changes in response but did not have time to come up with a map that we were really satisfied with, or one that was significantly better than standard to boast about it.

Suspension

• The standard springs are perfect for most 250F riders and will handle heavier riders as well.
• The suspension is as plush as you can expect from Showa.
• Bottoming resistance is excellent.

The new chassis is more picky or sensitive to setup. Like all bikes the ride height is extremely important (105mm is recommended) then the CRF250R is one those bikes where the clickers can make a big difference.

We found with faster and heavier riders that simply adding compression to the fork and shock  (+3 clicks F&R)  not only helped stop bottoming, it made the bike ride higher initially and had it acting more plush and in control. If you go too far with added compression the bike quickly becomes harsh, telling you to go back a click or two.

We did not mess with the rebound on the softer Chaney Ranch MX Track which was blessed with thundershowers and super-tacky dirt right after being dry, hard and baked. But when the bike packed with mud the weight of a heavy rider and a lot of mud was quickly too much for the springs.

The Showa fork is still a standard spring fork and it is about as plush as you’ll find in a Showa. Out back the shock matched the feel of the fork and the bike rides very balanced, even with heavier riders. Like always the CRF is one of the best bikes at resisting bottoming.

Chassis - Handling

• Sharper more aggressive handling, here Honda improved.
• The bike likes to follow the front wheel and turn sharp.
• The steering damper does work, don't forget about it.

The chassis is much more aggressive acting as well. It makes the old bike feel just a little bit lazy, a little bit heavy (and the CRF has been one of the lightest feeling bikes out there) and slightly wallowly in comparison. The new bike feels sharp and really likes to follow the front end into the turns, yet isn’t adverse to letting the back end step out and slide, under control.

It isn’t the most stable feeling chassis out there, but it isn’t unstable either. In the air or on the ground the CRF lets you know when things start going wrong and allows a rider to easily correct instead of letting go all at once. Some say that is the twin muffler feeling, which acts more in balance and with less weight lingering in the far reaches of the chassis.

The bike still feels as thin as ever. Honda’s layout is very neutral and fits a wide variety of rider sizes and shapes. The Renthal 971 handlebar bend has many friends and the rubber-mounted bar clamps give an added bit of damping from the bike’s vibration (which is minimal) and bump transmission through the chassis.

Don’t forget about the HPSD (Honda Progressive Steering Damper) hiding behind the front numberplate. Many forget about the damper because you don’t really feel it. It does not act like the typical steering damper used for stability in higher speeds or off-road racing. The Honda damper does not do much when the bars are straight or if they are moving slow, side-to-side. It has the strange character of actually being hard to notice the difference between settings but somehow it magically gets the bike to turn better. Depending on the rider, it can make the bike feel more comfortable and stable in the turns, but every rider seems to react differently to its setting. It works in limiting quick movements when the bars are turned, the farther they are from center the more the damper can react. Our experience is that it helps to keep the bike laid over in the turns and helps keep the bike laid over in the turn when you get on the gas.

Conclusion

• Handling is more aggressive, the motor, not so much.
• This is a great 250F for most riders, even if it does not feel as fast as the others.

Honda’s 2014 CRF250R is an aggressive new motocross bike. It has some distinct character changes that are a step in the more aggressive direction. They are heading in this direction as most motocross bikes are, trying to keep pace with the class while not losing sight of the real customer. The bike is very well packaged, very consistent and in many ways the same bike the CRF250R has always been.

The CRF got what it needed to stay competitive and a great choice for most riders looking for a four-stroke 250cc MX machine. And depending on what bike you are coming off of, that will shape your opinion as much as anything.