I bought the 2024 XT 250 because It is what I needed for the type of riding I do and like you said It is 100% Japan, which means a better quality bike. and I do what I can to not support China.
When I was a kid in the early 70s my neighbor had an old snow bird that I used to do their driveway in southern CT. It worked well. I remember a big handle that stuck up out of the engine cover. Solid rubber tires. Good memories.
I wanted to know if it is electric fuel injection? I currently have a 2021 CRF250F with fuel injection and electric start. I love this bike, perfect for trail riding. Great review!
Your 3rd reason is a big one for shorter folks.. For serious trail riding when you have to put your feet down occasionally, they actually hit the ground instead of dangling in the air.. Beginners to intermediate riders love this. Even though it's lighter weight than some, this bike would be so much better if it went on a 20 to 30lb weight diet... Still the best for the average rider, especially the inseam challenged folks..
Honda is way better. Granted this video was done over 5 years ago but Honda blows away the XT250 by miles. Thanks for the review, glad that it still shows up close to top on searches.
I (still)have a 2008 xt250 that I bought in 2009 to replace my 1971 Kawasaki model F-7, 175cc 2-stroke that I brought new April 1971. Right off, I sure missed my compression release 2-stroke Jake brake. But more than that, I found out that for deer season off road riding, I could not get a smaller counter sprocket for the more technical off road riding I would be doing. I would want to change the 15 tooth front sprocket down to a 12 or 13 tooth for lower over all gearing. None are available. So you are stuck with stock factory gearing, which was worthless for the terrain I encounter when back woods hunting. And changing the rear sprocket and using a longer chain is more trouble than it's worth. I still have the bike, just dont use it off road on anything more than a forest service road. No serious single track Trail riding. Cheers...
Nice bike. But, I believe it has been modified (a lot). The Yami 250s i am seeing at the dealers are a mile off the ground and have small tanks. I'd buy your bike in a second, but its not to be found like yours in stock condition.
It was a tough decision for me between these two. I've always been a Honda fan. But I was looking used, and a great barely used 2015 XT250 became available. I love it. I made a few videos about it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u0-EQDgup08.html I've still never ridden the CRF250L, so I can't compare those. But I did previously have a WR250R.
So you like the Yamaha because you’re small and you like 1980’s technology, cool. I’m not short and the Honda is vastly superior in every way so I know what I’m going to buy, thanks
The XT has the perfect seat height for inseam challenged people like me, but it is a dinosaur, desperately needs an update. I will still pick the Honda over even thought I can only tip toe on one leg.
I’m leaning towards the XT as it is lighter and more controllable for me a beginner rider. It is also less expensive initially despite Honda having the superior easier maintenance intervals. The Honda has a big bore aftermarket kit for power increase FYI
I’ve ridden both extensively and find the Yami to be much less vibey and have a better turn radius as well. It’s a little tractor in the low rpms as well. The most underrated bike (especially for beginners) that I know of. Cheers! :)
Which would you recommend for street-use only? Small trips and not much freeway. I’m 5’8, 175, and prefer agility/nimble maneuvering rather than power. Also reliability is important.
@@grumpysquid Based on your criteria I'd find a lightly used Yamaha. 2013 and up had Electronic Fuel Injection if you don't want to deal with carbs every winter. Lower seat, lighter weight, more agile. I had some 80/20 grippy slicks on my XT225 for a few years and that was a phenomenal commuter. Moped MPG, off road ability, fun fun :)
@@grumpysquid Yeah, for sure! I wouldn't ever want to oversell it for something it isn't. When I ride with my friends and their R6 or Harley Fat Boy I fall behind for sure haha. But when it comes to commuting and exploring cool places (as well as loading it in the Pickup alone or with one person) it sure is a beautiful bike :D
Now please mate, get your facts correct at least! Honda is made in Thailand like many many other bike models from Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati, Triumph and soon HD too. Build quality is on pair with japanese builds if not already better. An air and oil cooled engine will have bigger fluctuations in temprature and thus wear. Oil will need to be changed more often, much more often! The Crf has oil changes intervals of 12 k kms and ditto valve adjustment every 24 k kms. What about the XT? Every 3 k on both maybe? (I couldnt find the specs...) The Yamaha has a couple of advantages: 1. Its lighter 2. It carries 0,5 US gallons of fuel more than the Crf. The Honda has: 1. More power 2. Longer oil and valve check intervals 3. Better reliability with water cooled engine. 4. An engine with more low and mid end grunt compared to the Yamaha.
Ah just no. Wrong on so many counts. You cant beat made in Japan full stop. Air cooled motorcycles have clocked up some insane mileage. My CRF250L like many others has been plagued with some common issues such as the timing belt tensioner lets the chain flap around making a horrible racket, Also such as the oil turning milky if used mostly for short trips because they don't get hot enough to burn off any moisture like an aircooled engine so you end up having to change the oil a lot more frequently anyway. Like the gear selector shaft that breaks very easy and seems to be made of a soft metal. I really think Made in Thailand Honda sucks compared to MIJ Honda. So im selling my CRF250L with 3000km's on the clock and going for an XT250. I would say because the XT250 is aircooled and simpler less to go wrong its going to be more reliable.
CD You are truely and totally off and so totally wrong in absolutely all ways. I live in Thailand were these bikes are made and its pretty damn hot here too. Around 40 degrees celcius for the moment. I havent heard any Crf owners having problems with oil turning into «milk» and I have a pretty extensive knowledge of Crf owners, and I frequent a lot of Crf forums online too. And of course you have no links to find information about your horribly wrong claims about these bikes. And thats because they are wrong! False! Untrue! And that makes you a pathetic liar btw... Honda have made bikes in Thailand for at least 50 years and the quality and the reliability of the bikes are beyond fantastic. I just took a look outside the apartmentblock where I live. There were 6 Hondas 100-125 cc parked there. And I checked th ODO of them all. The lowest was 37 k kms, the rest had between 49 and 93 k kms on the ODO. And I can assure it is all with minimum maintainance as the thais dont take that part too seriously. And who knows, maybe the ODO cable was broken on some of them, maybe the ODO had gone througb one cycle and had passed 100 k kms one some of them - as the ODOs on those small bikes only goes to 99 999 kms. Bad quality Hondas - eyh? Japanese made Hondas would never get the same milage! Period! Honda make most of their small and medium sized bikes in - up to 650 cc in Thailand. Why do you think? Because the quality is fantastic! The Crf model has of course its weak spots just like any other bike model. On the Crf the subframe is a weak spot and will crack and break if put under too much loads and strain. It happend once on Steaph Jeavons, the welsh woman who took her Crf around the world and rode on all 7 continents of the world with her Crf. 90 k miles I think she did alltogether. Not too bad for a 250 cc bike.... I just took my Crf for a 5000 km Laos trip and I really trashed it around on bad roads, lots of kms on gravel and broken up pavement. A turn signal broke off and I needed to change the steering head bearings when I got back here, but those are wear parts on such a bike. Except from that it was just to wash of the dirt and mud off it - and its better than new! Now on 40 k kms already At last I will cite a long time expat here in Thailand who owns a rental shop of small Honda motorbikes (all made in Thailand of course) and this is what he told me about the Hondas in his rental fleet: Warning - british swearing and accent is applied «You can fekkin drop ten handgranades on them and they will still start and work perfectly»
@@KurtGAndersen Sorry I'm totally wrong in all ways? You actually said- "Build quality is on pair with japanese builds if not already better." Oh you live in Thailand too? Do me a favour, get in your CRF250L or your liquid cooled car, drive it 500meters down the road, dont let it get up to operating temperature! ok now you can turn it off, when its cold again repeat driving it these short distances multiple times day. Let that rack up over a month or so and send that oil sample off for analysis. Oh what's that? they report fuel and moisture content in your oil? but how could that be possible? Ok so the above is an issue for anything that doesn't get hot enough to burn off dilution/contaminants. Its well known in fact. Also well known is how much quicker an aircooled engine warms up compared to a liquid cooled engine. Next, look you lazy bugger the cam chain tensioner issue: www.google.com/search?q=honda+crf250l+cam+tensioner&ie=&oe= Oh would you look at that Honda had a recall about that weak shaft: thumpertalk.com/forums/topic/1302895-crf250l-transmission-shaft-recall/ Mate ive seen Hondas, Yamahas , Suzuki's and Kwakkas all achieve these high km's and yes on aircooled engines. Please pull your head out and settle down. I'm not attacking Honda! I love Honda! Im saying in my particular use case the XT250 is a better option! And also telling you made in Japan is superior don't even try to argue this well known fact!
Finally something for you to ponder, why do the big 4 Japanese bike manufactures manufacture the cheap lower end bikes in Thailand, and the high end bikes in Japan?
CD A little embarrasing for someone that try to prove how bad the Crf that you posted a link to a person that is writing he MIGHT have the same cam chain tensioner problem that he had 3 times with his KLX? Whatever trying to prove its certainly wrong. But as I mentioned above - any bike model has some weak spots and certainly also the Crf. In any used engineoil there will be traces of fuel and liquids. Its because of the socalled blowby gases, unburnt fuel/air mixture that slip though the piston rings. Of course there will be some of that in any used engine oil. And in an aircooled engine were the tempratur varies much more than in an liquid cooled engine the chances of this being more evident is of course bigger. So again your claims are completely wrong. Learn some basics basics how an engine works before you try to educate others mate.
I like the dirt bike look and am researching super Moto or bikes to convert to super Moto. Considering: CRF250L, DR400, DRZ400 SM, XT250, KLX230RL and others.
Sorry buddy I'd prefer to disagree . Just looking at the honda one can see it is a much better finished off motorcycle and just brimms with technology and better looks . But of course its your opinion
The yamaha is simple old school technology but man its basic and fugly. The honda is a bit more expensive but its a bit more gun and trendy. It looks like a bike should look
Oh yeah that plated air cooled bore and fuel injection is such old school tech! in all seriousness I'm selling the CRF250L as its no good for short trips, doesn't get hot enough to burn off condensation which is affected the oil. Air cooled all the way for me.
The problem with the Yamaha is there isn't much on the aftermarket for it. Nobody makes a larger fuel tank for it. Only 2 companies even make a skid plate for it. The Honda has all kinds if stuff available. Even the other Yamaha the WRF 250 L has a lot of stuff available for it. The XT not so much.
My local dealer has the 19 models in...tan color looks good I didn't take a good look but do you know what big updates Yamaha did for 19? The Yamaha is fitting me a lot better than Honda due to its seat height maybe a bike for me 2 consider
I have owned a CRF250L (year 2017) and currently own a XT250 (year 2015). I paid $4,700 for the Honda (68 miles on it) and I paid $3,200 for the Yamaha (1,300 miles on it). I must say that the Honda's suspension is superior. That said..... I went with the XT250 (actually, two of them) after deciding that the frame and seat height better suited us, plus the XT weighs less. For our limited amount of Off-Road use, it just made sense to us.
Sensible reasons, I agree......except as a couple of commenters already mentioned, the XT is strictly air-cooled and the Honda is built in Thailand. I burnt my old XR200 after Rossi was denied the World MotoGP Championship by Marquez and HRC's dirty tricks. Never again. Love my XT, just waiting for Yam to bring a 400 or 500 XT into the Philippines now......
@@BritishBikerPhilippines lol. Pity though - this year has been great racing - Marc crashed, broken and out, and something like 8 different winners so lots of new guys winning, including Alex Marquez who appears to be a lot more humble than his arrogant brother. I miss the Rossi reign though, and AFAIC, he won 10 championships! :D
