Details tailored for off-road driving
At the end of February 2025, Honda announced the CRF250L and CRF250L s, featuring new colors and graphics, as well as some revised specifications. The CRF250L series is Honda’s on- and off-road model. The standard CRF250L combines off-road maneuverability with excellent foot reach. The CRF250L s enhances off-road performance by extending the front and rear suspension for improved off-road maneuverability and adopting a specially shaped seat that allows the rider to move more actively and control the bike more easily when riding off-road. The CRF250 family, including the CRF250 Rally, which uses the same platform but with a larger fuel tank and larger cowl, is a hugely popular model that consistently ranks among the top sellers in the light motorcycle market.
The bike I test rode this time was the CRF250L s. The moment I straddled it, it wasn’t the seat height that made me feel motivated to ride off-road, but rather the seat itself, which is narrow and made of firm foam. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a motocross seat, like those used on competition-only motocross bikes, where the shape and firmness are determined for applying weight and actively controlling the bike rather than just sitting, but it is a seat with a different firmness that makes you feel motivated, unlike seats that prioritize riding comfort.
That said, the CRF250L s is not a dedicated off-road model. It maintains its off-road performance while improving its on-road riding performance and ease of handling. At 141 kg, it’s about 20 to 30 kg heavier than the on-road and off-road models that manufacturers offered during the 250 off-road boom. The water-cooled engine and accompanying larger exterior make it a larger bike. However, the water-cooled, single-cylinder, DOHC, four-valve engine, found in many Honda 250cc models, is easy to handle. The bike accelerates smoothly without the need for delicate clutch operation, and the assist and slipper clutch makes lever operation light and reduces shock when decelerating. Having previously ridden a 1990s four-stroke off-road bike, I was reminded of the benefits of the longer suspension stroke of off-road models, which helps to control the bike’s movement during acceleration and deceleration, resulting in a smoother ride. Even in situations where you are following slowly behind a car in a congested city, there is little jerky feeling even when driving with only slight clutch operation and accelerator operation.
ADVERTISEMENT
As you open the throttle from there, the engine pulse increases, and as the engine speed increases, a throbbing feeling connects, and the engine’s acceleration from around 5,000 rpm is very pleasant. If you want to enjoy winding paved roads, 5-7,000 rpm is just right, and you can enjoy sports at a good pace. The Red Thorn is around 11,500 rpm, and I tried that range several times, but personally I found it more pleasant to accelerate while shifting up at around 8,000 rpm, as I could feel the engine’s acceleration while driving.
Achieving both off-road sharpness and ease of handling
The radiator shrouds, which strongly emphasize the edgy style of off-road bikes, contrast with the narrow seat, causing the knees to spread apart when straddling the vehicle, making the bike appear larger than necessary. However, the CRF250L s achieves a beautifully balanced design. While the width of the shrouds isn’t particularly noticeable when standing, on an on- and off-road model where you spend a lot of time seated on the seat, the fit around the inside of your lower body and the impression it gives off can make the rider tense or relax. This balance between the narrow seat and shrouds is the result of Honda’s careful design and careful attention to the positioning of the CRF250 series as an on- and off-road bike. And thanks to its well-designed riding position and engine feel in everyday use, it has remained a best-seller for a long time.
I also had a lot of fun off-road. Recently, I’ve had far fewer opportunities to go on forest road touring, but with my limited forest road experience, I feel like buying this would rekindle my forest road fever. The smooth and powerful engine I felt on the road, along with the well-designed clutch and suspension, made it easy to change lines in ruts. The sense of stability when riding while sitting on the corner of the seat and the information from the rear tire were easy to understand. I felt that the firmer seat, which makes it more enthusiastic, played a big role in this.
And on the CRF250 series, you can easily cancel the rear tire ABS by holding down the button next to the meter. This time, I tried it both with and without ABS. For me, who doesn’t ride in a way that actively uses the rear brake to launch the rear tire off the ground, it was easier to use with ABS. The rear ABS works well even off-road, and although the braking distance is probably a little longer than with a skilled manual rear brake, it makes it less likely to cause unintended behavior even if I get carried away and apply the rear brake roughly, so I was able to enjoy riding with peace of mind.
The CRF250L series is a common sight not only in town but also at highway service areas. It’s easy to see why the CRF250L series is a popular choice for serious off-road riders wearing off-road boots, as well as touring riders carrying large amounts of luggage. This lightweight, slim on-road/off-road model offers benefits in all situations for a wide range of riders, regardless of age or experience, and the upright riding position and wide field of view afforded by the high viewpoint help to ease the rider’s tension. Riding the CRF250L s, I felt these benefits strongly. It’s no wonder it’s so popular.
Riding position and foot reach (170cm/65kg)
When you try to place both feet on the ground, you’ll be standing on your toes. If you’re only landing on one foot, shifting your hips slightly will improve your foot placement (your hips were not shifted in the photo above). You can feel the shroud bulge in the knee grip area, but it doesn’t feel like your knees are spread wide apart. The handlebar position is in a very natural position.
Detailed explanation
The engine is a 249cc water-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder DOHC 4-valve engine equipped with an FCC assist and slipper clutch.
The balance between ease of handling at low speeds and the extension of high speeds is excellent. The assist and slipper clutch makes clutch operation very light, and there is little change in the behavior of the vehicle when shifting gears.
It is fitted with an inverted front fork and a 21-inch wheel. Compared to the CRF250 Rally, which uses the same platform, it uses a smaller diameter front brake disc. The brake caliper mount has also been changed accordingly.
The frame is made of steel twin tubes. The rear frame is equipped with a small item box as shown in the photo, and simple tools are also included as standard. The rear seat can be opened and closed using these tools.
The rear shock is a Pro-Link mono shock, and is fitted with an aluminum cast one-piece swing arm.
It uses a 17-inch rear wheel. Like the front, it is fitted with a wave-shaped brake disc. The rear brake master cylinder is an integrated cup type with the same structure as a motocross bike. Both the front and rear use hollow axle shafts.
The front end is tightly fitted to the front fender. The LED headlights are equipped with small LED turn signals.
Taillights that blend seamlessly with the design of the raised rear fenders
The seat is a slimmer shape exclusive to the S. Compared to the standard type seat of the CRF250 Rally, which was also test ridden at the same time, the firmness of the seat foam is different, with the S being set to a firmer shape.
The seat can be removed by loosening the bolt-type cargo hooks at both rear ends with a tool. The air cleaner box and the air intake extending from it can be seen.
The left grip switch box. The horn button is located in the center of the box, and the turn signal switch is located below it.
Right grip switch box. Kill switch, hazard button, and starter button are laid out.
The handlebars are slightly wider and off-road type. Open-type knuckle guards are also standard equipment. The top bridge and under bracket are made of aluminum.
The steps are not equipped with rubber, as the emphasis is on control. This also shows the importance of off-road riding.
The digital display is centered around a digital speedometer and features a bar-type engine tachometer. It can display gear position, average fuel consumption, fuel consumption, average speed, etc.
A rear tire ABS cancel button is located to the right of the digital display. Press and hold this button to cancel or restore the rear ABS.
CRF250L main specifications
■Length x Width x Height 2,230 x 900 x 1,205 mm
■Wheelbase 1,455 mm
■Ground Clearance 285 mm
■Seat Height 880 mm
■Vehicle Weight 141 kg
■Engine Type Water-cooled 4-stroke DOHC 4-valve single cylinder
■Total Displacement 249 cc
■Bore x Stroke 76.0 mm x 55.0 mm
■Compression Ratio 10.7:1
■Maximum Output 18 kW (24 PS) / 9,000 rpm
■Maximum Torque 23 N･m (2.3 kgf･m) / 6,500 rpm
■Fuel Supply System FI ■
Fuel Tank Capacity 7.8 L
■Frame Semi-double cradle
■Suspension (Front and Rear) Telescopic inverted type, swingarm Pro-link
■Transmission Type 6-speed return
■Brake Type (Front and Rear) Hydraulic disc, hydraulic disc (with ABS rear cancel function)
■ Tire size (front and rear) 80/100-21M/C 51P, 120/80-18M/C 62P
■ Manufacturer’s suggested retail price ¥649,000-
