What's it like to live with a Honda crf x, 250 or 450? intended use would be laning,ldt's and fun days not enduros or competition.Also what's your maintenance schedule like ?
Recently gone from a KTM 250 2T to a CRF 250X - and for me its the perfect lane bike (have had a TTR in the past also). Easy to ride, gives confidence, will go if you want it to but not 'scary' like the KTM could be, feels rock solid and built to last.
Maint? - well I change the oil (both box and engine) and filter every 3/4 rides I guess (when it feels, looks and smells like it needs doing) - some may say thats not required but I'm fussy, it costs little and takes mins to do. Air filter is cleaned 'when its mucky '.
Chain seems to be wearing far less than the KTM.....not really had it long enough to comment re bearings etc - but I don't have to tighten stuff up all the time like I did on the 2T and the stand hasn't fallen off yet
Cheers jt positive review then, always liked Honda had a few XR's over the years but the lack of the magic button always made me sell them. Last proper bike was a 300 exc awesome offroad but hideous on road! Do like KTM especially there big tanks good for a day's laning whereas the crf I think is only 7.5lts? some cracking deals on new crf x 's at the moment (could be a fi model x around corner) just got me thinking,it's so hard to find a nice un abused second hand offroad bike.
Here is my crfx 450 and I love it, I had a KTM EXC 300 and that was a bit mean for the lanes and very unforgiving, it was either throttle on and hang on or I was always on my arse.
Cant go wrong with a Honda had my CRF450X for five years now, just changed the oil and filter very regularly and air filter, checked valve clearances twice but never needed adjusting and its never missed a beat
Cant go wrong with a Honda had my CRF450X for five years now, just changed the oil and filter very regularly and air filter, checked valve clearances twice but never needed adjusting and its never missed a beat
Russ
If you change the oil and filter very regularly that means you actually must change it several times between rides - as you ride very unregularly
Being a Honda and all, it probably needs several oil changes between rides anyhoo
Can't really complain about mine. Had for over 2 years and only had 1 piston (old one was in great condition') other than the occasional wheel bearings, replaced swing arm bearing once and PDS once, all has been sound. Obviously the usual greasing , replacing gear oil regularly and making sure air fiilter is always clean.
Ridden at least 50% of weekends including mx practices, enduro practices and laning - including Wales etc.
For an ickle 200 you couldn't really ask for more. For any multi-purpose dirt bike you couldn't ask for more.
Well I've ended up with another bloody KTM! Completely unexpected! Got if off a mate never thought he'd sell it but he offered and I accepted its the 200 EGS never had one before ridiculously light! and good value as it's a 2001.It's never been enduro'd still has it's chain guard on and completely standard and un touched. Like the idea of not having to pre-mix oil, well handy when out for the day,nice big clear tank that year as well. Most reviews seem good will see.
Trail Riders Fellowship or Enduro Riders Fellowship
Perhaps the TRF should be renamed the ERF?
I can only speak for myself Pete but I have never ridden an enduro and never intend to. I only ride the lanes and on a very odd occasion ride at events - but then only as I help set up/Marshal. I had a 'trail bike' - a TTR and frankly found it hard work as it was so heavy and on occasion lacking in grunt on the really tricky bits. As I ride alone quite a lot it was a pain to drag out of the undergrowth and often got 'into trouble'
So I wanted something lighter and TBH newer - so what was avalible by way of a trail bike that I could afford, was light and 'current' - nothing. I saw a KTM 250 EXC 2t which as far as budget (it was so cheap I could not belive it) weight and age went was bang on - It served me well for 5 years and I rode it 'as a trail bike' and as such it never let me down and mntce was minimal and easy. Now I have a CRF - as I fancied a change and always found the KTM a bit 'of a handful'. The CRF is perfect - half way between the TTR and the KTM, as I am not racing it and bouncing it off the rev limiter every weekend I have no reason to belive it won't give many years of faithful service.
So - I am most certainly not an Enduro rider, I am a trail rider and to me the bike will be what you want it to be - its the way its ridden that defines its 'type'. I don't want to see all those lovely 'race' machines on the scrap heap after a few seasons on the 'tracks' - better they live a long and happy retirement on the trails with a fat old duffer like me on board
Ride what you like I say - just remember where you are when you do and ride accordingly
I think we have gone off track a bit excuse the pun the original question was what the crf x was like as a bike for trail riding , how did we get into how you ride or if you ride a certain bike you must be an enduro rider . I can't comment on the crf x apart from it looks a lovely machine and am sure would be a great bike for trail riding by the way I ride a ktm exc 400 and have never rode enduro and have no intention to in the future I do how ever enjoy trail riding and find my bike very good for this . Is it not how the rider rides his bike not about what bike he rides
I think we have gone off track a bit excuse the pun the original question was what the crf x was like as a bike for trail riding , how did we get into how you ride or if you ride a certain bike you must be an enduro rider . I can't comment on the crf x apart from it looks a lovely machine and am sure would be a great bike for trail riding by the way I ride a ktm exc 400 and have never rode enduro and have no intention to in the future I do how ever enjoy trail riding and find my bike very good for this . Is it not how the rider rides his bike not about what bike he rides
Never a truer word said, I think Pete you misinterpreted what I meant, which was service regimes nothing else was implied.
Trail Riders Fellowship or Enduro Riders Fellowship
Perhaps the TRF should be renamed the ERF?
I can only speak for myself Pete but I have never ridden an enduro and never intend to. I only ride the lanes and on a very odd occasion ride at events - but then only as I help set up/Marshal. I had a 'trail bike' - a TTR and frankly found it hard work as it was so heavy and on occasion lacking in grunt on the really tricky bits. As I ride alone quite a lot it was a pain to drag out of the undergrowth and often got 'into trouble'
So I wanted something lighter and TBH newer - so what was avalible by way of a trail bike that I could afford, was light and 'current' - nothing. I saw a KTM 250 EXC 2t which as far as budget (it was so cheap I could not belive it) weight and age went was bang on - It served me well for 5 years and I rode it 'as a trail bike' and as such it never let me down and mntce was minimal and easy. Now I have a CRF - as I fancied a change and always found the KTM a bit 'of a handful'. The CRF is perfect - half way between the TTR and the KTM, as I am not racing it and bouncing it off the rev limiter every weekend I have no reason to belive it won't give many years of faithful service.
So - I am most certainly not an Enduro rider, I am a trail rider and to me the bike will be what you want it to be - its the way its ridden that defines its 'type'. I don't want to see all those lovely 'race' machines on the scrap heap after a few seasons on the 'tracks' - better they live a long and happy retirement on the trails with a fat old duffer like me on board
Ride what you like I say - just remember where you are when you do and ride accordingly
Never a truer word spoken in that last sentence JT
It is lamentable that there is such a limited choice of true trail bikes these days that the majority of the bikes seen on the lanes nowadays are in fact enduro machinery with number plates. The CRF230 is apparently not nearly as easy to come by as the CRF250X which is a shame.
There are a lot of riders like JT who would like a trail bike, but ride what is available as if it were a trail bike and the CRF250X is apparently very good for that. Sadly there are also plenty of riders who cannot resist the temptation to use the race developed technology as it was intended but in inappropriate places. Public opinion reflects this and the TRF is fighting an uphill battle as a result.
I expect the CRF250X life span on the lanes will be many times that which can be expected on the track. Time will tell.
I only hope that there will be lanes open to ride them on in twenty years.
'.
had my CRF450X for five years now, just changed the oil and filter very regularly and air filter, checked valve clearances twice but never needed adjusting and its never missed a beat
have to have a more rigorous maintenance schedule as you ride like TOSSERS ON CROSSERS 
