Honda CRF 250L - Is it any good? (Motorcycle review) 

Best comment! :D I hope not to disappoint ^^

Wow, thanks! But... to be fair to Ryan, I am 2 decades away from being like him :D But I going somewhere in that general direction I hope ;)

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Ryan sometimes is too nerdy and too smartassy academical. if u keep it fun and easy in your style, babaaam! GL

@@nomadhabit veeery interesting feedback! Will think about that definitely!

@@OFFroadOFFcourse honestly... you do NOT look THAT young... 🤔

Brilliant feedback! Thank you Sean! I will do my best to keep improving ^^

ahah, thanks Darren! Yeah this one turned out quite creative! I am learning as I go, so, to be honest, I really think I got a bit lucky on this one :D

Thank you for the colab, for the drone and the fuel! ;)

Thank you SO much :D thanks for watching and for commenting too :)

Its a work in process :D thanks man

I appreciate that! Thanks for the comment :D Lets hope you are right ^^

Thank you very much for the comment, Drew =)

Oh man, I wish this was close to Ryan (F9)... but I draw a lot of inspiratin from him. And from Ed March, from C90Adventures (they are very different, and I like to believe I am somewhere in the middle) :D Thank you watching and for the comment!

Thanks man :D

oh god...someone is actually paying attention! I don't know if can't stand the pressure! xD The last video will be out next saturday (if nothing goes wrong)... I wanted to insert a different video in the middle of the suspension videos so it doesn't get too boring =) glad you are enjoying it!

An excellent choice my friend! And thank you for subbing :D Tip: Dont ever try a CRF300L now... its just like the 250L but 15% better at everything :P

Thank you for taking the time to comment! Happy rides :p

Well, I'm not an expert, I'm learning new things every day and there are some types of bikes which I know absolutely nothing about (Street bikes for instance, or Choopers etc) but I do have some accumulated experience with dual-sports and advs :D Thank you very much for the comments (this one and all the others on the other videos). I truly appreciate that =)

Welcome aboard! I still have a lot to learn, but I have my heart put on it :D

Thank you for your words, man! They mean a lot =) The RE was not on my list, but so many people asking for it, maybe I have to :o Thanks for the suggestion!

Brilliant! Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing! Welcome aboard ^^

Glad you enjoyed it Sophia! thinking about buying one of these?

Thank you, "big" Fitz! :D

Good choice!

Thanks Emil! Subs are growing nicely... its a lot of work but so far I'm feeling that its worth it =) Thanks for commenting!

Glad you enjoyed! And thanks for all the nice comments Kalle!

Right on! And the bike its quite addictive! You kinda fall in love with its ways :D

Genial! Obrigado! Já agora, qual o tipo de videos q gostaste mais? Ou qual foi o favorito?

@@OFFroadOFFcourse fica difícil escolher um, mas no geral gostei do sentido de humor e simplicidade que colocas na narrativa. Como destacaram nos comentários, estes vídeos mais técnicos e de reparações e modificações caseiras são muito porreiros (eu tenho uma Yamaha TT600RE por isso dão muito jeito). Por outro lado também gostei dos passeios off road como a Croácia ou o fim de semana de campismo! Ou mesmo o dia a dia de motovlogger! Dos que vi, gostei de todos! Acho que o canal tem tudo para crescer exponencialmente! 💪✌️

Mr. Rad Raven :P A top authority in CRF250s! Check out his channel, you will love it!! ( ru-vid.com ) I'm glad you liked it, but I am super curious to hear your thoughts!

Much appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to comment! I have a bit of mixed feelings with the Himalayan... I like it's simplicity and its always good to get fresh ideas (or updated old ideas) in the market... but I don't know... 400cc, 24hp and 190kg doesn't sound good to me... i think it will fall into the same problems as the CRF, with the penalty of weighting 50kg more and having less overall "endurish" qualities. But I won't know until I try, thats for sure... :D

Thanks William! I appreciate that! This CRF250L video is way better than the recent 300L one :P (But I prefer the crf300 xD )

Thanks man! :D Happy rides!

I have a crf300l for my guests to use on my tours and its slightly better. The thing is... That slight difference in power makes a lot of difference in the overall feel and capacity of the bike. It already feels like a motorcycle, since the throttle can actually influence the bike :) Thanks for watching and commenting Poul! :D

Thanks for watching! and bst of luck! How about a cheaper used bike, like a DR350, or an NX250? XT225 Serow, TT250,etc...? They are all awesome

Welcome aboard and thank you for all the nice comments! =) Next review will be the AJP PR7 ;)

Aha, thank you Steve! I try :D Spend way too much time writing the scripts though :/

I'd love to compared both! I don't think the +50cc will make such a big difference but I might be wrong! Everyone seems to be enjoying the bike, but them again, almost everyone enjoyed the 250 and I kinda didn't... Either way, I am very curious =) Thank you for watching and commenting!

Glad you liked it, especially since you "suffered" from the aforementioned conditions :D Thanks for watching and for commenting! it means a lot

Thank you for the feedback! I can't blame you, the bike is addictive in its own way :D

Do you think a different transmission ratio would do any good? maybe shorter, so it has more acceleration?

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Yes, definitely. These small displacement bikes definitely benefit from sprocket changes for different riding situations. (Off-road riding vs pavement/distance riding.) 13/42 would wake up the bike.

Thanks Graeme!! This means a lot to me :) Thanks for taking the time to write this comment ^^

@@OFFroadOFFcourse subbed. I have a feeling there is more good stuff coming. Weight! Always an issue huh? I ride an XTZ660 so can tell you all about heavy dual sport bikes!

@@glinleyt that has been my life! I had the old xtz660 (1998), then the super tenere 750, and now the xt660r :p

Thank you very much for watching and taking the time to comment ;)

As long as someone lends me the bike, I will review it :D

Thanks man! Its one my favorite videos too :D What bike so you ride?

I have the 2018 CRF250L rally. It's just an enjoyable bike you don't expect too much out of it I don't ride hard off road just cruising down some dirt roads maybe little bit of obstacles Yes suspension is a little soft but it's also hella smooth & bike is reliable I don't need much else & my buddy has the 2018 KLX 250 both are bikes are fuel injected, liquid cooled & 250cc even tho mine is 40 lb heavier it's a dead even race. Now I put the 550 performance ECU tune which definitely helped out slip on exhaust crash bars n' skid plate & the bark buster handguards 👍👍. Love the bike! You're really good at the reviews BTW 💯%

Obrigado por te dares ao trabalho de comentar ^^

Obrigado homónimo! Espero que tenhas razão :D

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Tenho a certeza que sim :)

Hey seth, send me an email and maybe we can arrange that. I have 2 crfs to rent :D info@offroad-offcourse.com

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Don't Tempt me! 😅I had already planned to get from Lisbon to Peniche via bus! Same from there down to Lagos. I'm travelling with just one tiny 22l backpack , so probably not in the cards this time around since protective gear would demand a suitcase.

@@SethJayson well... i have protective gear as well...and i can give you a an offroad track to take you around different regions according to your available time >:D Oh and the drybag i have for the bike takes 30L...

Thank you for the comment! About pulling the wheel over an obstacle, dont you feel that on the crf it requires much more body work than on a more beefy bike? Thats what i was complaining about...the accelerator does not control the bike at all, and that for me feels weird :)

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Would love to hear your thoughts on how to improve the off road ability of this bike. I know it will cost money but i love the cost of the bike plus the long service intervals just wish it was a little better off road off course !

Thanks for the comment Geno! have you tried the CRF? What was your opinion? =)

Not the L, but have ridden the R. Not sure it would qualify. CRF250R has suspension and engine tune that is a bit different. But I loved riding it for sure!

Ahahah, thats awesome man, thanks! The CRF is an awesome bike, and if you are happy with it, than dont let any of what I said get too much into your head ;)

Many thanks for the amazing comment! Yeah, in the end, I was impressed too...I was expecting much worse I must admit. Nevertheless I criticize the motorcycle a little bit on the review cause in a way I think there is too much hype around it... people forget that there used to be DR250, DR350, TT250, NX250, etc etc...all great bikes that did pretty much the same 25 years ago (of course, with less electronic injections and ABS and other commodities)... so I felt that I had to point out a few "less good" things about the CRF250. In a way, modern dual-sports always feel a bit underwhelming if you compare them to what you had 25years ago... they are better, but just cause they are "more polished". What are your thoughts on the KTM690? Im seriously considering getting one, and the 2019+ would be ideal

@@OFFroadOFFcourse I’m in love by my Ktm 690. It’s the real adventure bike. Unlike the pre-2019 models, it’s quite polished and it can be used in a later spectrum of situations, from a behaved city ride around town to a hard-core enduro trail (check the channel ktm690enduroadventures and you will see). I’ve using it in the highway to get to the trails, doing 130km/ h comfortably enough (I have the oem windscreen - must have mod for that) and then hitting the trails along side real enduro bikes. The only con for me is its seat height because I’m kind short and on tricky situations not having the foot game doesn’t help, so I tend to drop it. Still it’s a bike that can be picked up from the ground without help because its weight is manageable. The electronics are there but not too intrusive. For me it’s the unicorn of adventure riding.

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Regarding the bikes from the past... I had a DR350 in 1991, my first real off-road bike, and I loved it. All we did was enduro and it was great... back then. I’m not sure how that bike would feel with today’s standards. Nostalgia is a good feeling but rarely unbiased. My CR300L will be in Portugal soon and we can go for a ride - it’s supposed to be a good upgrade from the 250.

This saturday i am releasing a crf300l ! I recommend that one much more than the 250L :)

Good sugestion! I will pass it down to the owner;)

To tell you the truth, every single video I edit i think its gonna be a disgrace until the last few editing hours. This one was exactly like that :p What bike are you reviewing?

@@OFFroadOFFcourse The review is on a Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC. It is the first one I did. It has Really bad camera position and horrible sound. First time presenting to camera in my 'studio' and I did a horrible job. Plus I didn't like the bike, so it is a pretty negative review. I'm thinking maybe I should cut together a different video first, followed by a different review. I have about 4 to cut together that I haven't started - An intro to the channel, Dr650 ownership/review, Tyre review, Ducati Desert Sled, Africa Twin 1100, and then Africa Twin1000. I'm worried if I put out the Triumph one first people will hate my channel. Don't want to let down my 70 subscribers LOL.

@@actstuntcam hmmm... I see the problem :D Posting a bad review is usually bad, unless you make really good points...and in that case it could be your ticket to "fame" :) It depends on the general mood and feel you want for yourself and the channel :o As for the intro...dont stress about it. I dont have a proper intro cause i've been so busy trying to present videos weekly :o Maybe you could make just a simple trailer/teaser for now and reshoot the audio meanwhile? Until 3 videos ago my audio as a 2euro lavalier mic connected to my phone (my phone is my main camera) Now i have a 50eur wireless system (Kimafun) Hope i helped :D

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Thanks mate, good points. Hmmmmm. I'm increasingly thinking I should reshoot, at least my studio recording. I need to re-write the script and reshoot it. I can't do much about the bike footage without trying to borrow for another go, which I think is probably a bit of a big ask. I think I should start with some more positive reviews and then do the scrambler last. I need to inject a bit more humor too. I'm really unimpressed with modern bikes in general, so I'm wondering if I should review older bikes that I know are good. There are lots of buyers out there looking at the second-hand market, who might want up-to-date reviews. I really appreciate your support and advice. Is it ok if I let you know when I post my first bike vid. I have a few videos already, but they are about hiking mostly. Do you think I should start a separate channel for my bike stuff?

@@actstuntcam i reshoot the "studio parts" 2-3 times sometimes :) Look, i am not an expert at all...i've just started and i am learning as I go, but to my understanding a channel should be about something that your audience likes and expects. If your channel is about hiking, then probably it is a bad idea to mix motorcycle videos in it...but if your channel is about "you criticizing stuff" than you can criticize anything. Some channels are about travelling in general, some are only about travelling by campervan. I dont know..you need to define what exactly is it that makes your channel unique and work around that. Did this make any sense?

Obrigado pelo comment! :D A tua 690 é de que ano? Estou muuuito interessado ^^

@@OFFroadOFFcourse é de 2020.

@@sardineonroad7174 Uau... por acaso já me ofereceram uma para testar, mas se a coisa não se der, falo contigo, ok? É uma moto que quero mesmo muito experimentar ^^ Estás a gostar?

Combinado!! 👌

Obrigado Vítor! Até ao ultimo minuto achei que ia ficar uma cagada...mas depois safou bem :D

THANK YOU, sharing is the fastest way for this channel to get somewhere and to guarantee a free lifetime supply of motorcycle entertainment :D

Yeah, it was the first big upgrade to the channel! Im very glad you noticed the difference :D

Acutally I have plans to test the WR250R in a few weeks =) Maybe the CRF300L in a few months..

Maybe it will grow on you... but until you try a bigger one, you will never know what you are missing (the good AND the bad stuff). The CRF becomes especially appreciated when you already know how tiring and limiting a 220kg offroad bike is. Despite the lack of power, you can't stop smiling and feeling blessed with such ease of use :D Thanks for the comment ^^

I agree with everythng you said. The crf450l also failed (at least in europe) because tis basically an enduro bike, not a lightweight dual sport like we all wanted. At least, this is what i am getting from the reviews im seeing. Its very expensive too.

Here in Portugal the WR250Rs are very rare.. They were only sold for a year (if i'm not mistaken), but everyone says wonders about the bike! I have a British friend that took on for the off-road PAN-AM and loved it! I did try the WR250F (and old one) and it was actually very fun... but thats an enduro bike so on the road it was way more limited :o

Get a WR! Best lightweight dual sport. Period. Upgrade rear sprocket to 48 tooth. Swap to a G2 throttle tamer. Fisher seat. MT21 front and dsport rear and it will conquer anything! It’s parked next to my gsa and ktm 500 excf and has my full respect. It does take clutch work though. The power is high in the rev range. In some ways it feels like a scooter engine on a heavy dirt bike frame. Revalve the rear shock too but that’s only if you want to ride hard and fast. I ride it hard but don’t cross the line or it will pogo you over the bars and into the forest. Truly one of my favorite bikes.

@@Dirtpoorhomesteader a lot of people have been suggesting the WR, but here in Portugal they are quite rare :o Nevertheless, someone got me one for testing so... Soon :D

Hell yeah! :D

Hello! You mean the PR5? Thats a good idea :D

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Justamente!

1.80m :) Thanks for commenting!

Ahahah, thanks! I have all the love in the world for all trail/dual-sport bikes from the 90s and early 00's! In my opinion, still today they offer the best bang for the buck...even if you have to spend a few hundred dollars getting them top notch again. Little known fact, there is a "rare" version of the N250 with disc brakes and 21" front wheel...the AX-1 ;)

Obrigado eu, por veres e comentares :D Se souberes de alguem que goste deste tipo de videos, partilha-o ;) obrigado!

@@OFFroadOFFcourse De nada, posso fazer iso! Gosto muinto da tua maneira de falar nas coizas que tu agradas e tambem as coizas que não gostas. Eu comprei para mi o Honda CRF300L. Eu ainda sou muinto novo nas motorciclos e teinho muinto para aprender, e por iso eu acho que este qualdade de moto é perfeito para min. Facil para andar e tambem não tem muinto força para dar mi muinto problema. Até a proxima. Continua o teu trabalho no RU-vid, tu tens talento para isto👍

非常感谢你，我的朋友！ 欢迎上车！

Ahah, thanks for the comment! I really enjoy reviewing bikes ^^

They are very good! I also like the mitas mc23, within the same type (slightly cheaper :) )

Theres a good idea... will try to find one, or contact the brand =)

its a project on the line :D... s0000n!

@@OFFroadOFFcourse stock gearing on WR is crap. 38tooth rear is a must. I can flog the crap out of mine and it is so much fun. Offroad with good tires it very competent. Looking forward to this video

@@Dirtpoorhomesteader probably "mine" will have stock gearing transmission though :(

Hey there! Well, that question requires a very long answer :D In my opinion "all motorcycles are adventure", in the sense that you can live an adventure with any vehicle or even on foot... "C90adventures" (a youtube channel I adore) is the living proof of that. This being said, althought I am sure you can live a great adventure on a Monkey, and I am absolutely sure you will have a lot of fun with it, I don't think the Monkey is a small adventure bike. Its just a very small bike. By the way, the fuel economy is more in the order of 1.5-2L/100. Its a 125cc after all, not a 20cc :D Its not good for offroad...but its so small and light and portable that you will be able to get it through most difficulties probably, so it will be a small vehicle that will keep you going...and thats good! But it won't have anything that resembles offroad performance. In my opinion, these kind of bikes (Monkeys, CP125, etc) are fun novelty toys, but not replacements for "the real thing". Its like wearing a Chewbacca costume on a funeral... Fun and Epic? Yes. Does it have a real purpose? Nah. Long story short: If you want to have fun your own way and the Monkey appeals to you, then go ahead! It provides adventures of its own kind. On the other hand, if you want a "normal" adventure machine, and play "in the same league" as the bigger bikes, then get something like a XR125L for instance (a cheap used one, from 2005 or something. It will be cheaper than a Monkey). It has big wheels (19"-17"), basic but acceptable suspensions, it weights 118kg, top speed is ~115km/h, it can take a beating, and it is "a real bike". I hope I didn't sound too "posh" criticizing the Monkey like this... but it just seems a bit of a waste to spend that money on a toy when you can get something cheaper that is actually a normal sized bike where you can apply "normal" motorcycle techniques and have a "normal" motorcycle experience. ...but maybe "normal" is not what you want :D

Fuerte!!!

Têm que me meter uma das unhas! :D

With a 360cam. All my "drone" shots are done with the 360, except the ones in the BN Endurocamp (offroado school), those were actually done with a drone =)

@@OFFroadOFFcourse ok, I thought you were holding a cam, but the different angles confused me, lol. I thought you had a really fast drone.

As minhas favoritas...fds...

It is a good city comuter no doubt. I am 180cm, i dont think this bike would "suit" you very well :o not without modding it a bit (handlebar and pegs). But nothing like sitting on one and see how you feel :)

I dont really know, but I would guess 2018? Its from a friend of mine :)

I'd love to try the 300... It might actually be the only mod this bike needs... a little bit more umpf =)

Not yet! I never tried one... but I am negotiating with a friend and subscriber who has one :D

You can remove the fuse yourself, you don't need a tree to do it :P Now I want to try the 300L... could be the little "umph" that this bike needs :o

@@OFFroadOFFcourse friend is getting one in 2 months, I will report 😁 but yeah, bike misses just a little bit of torque in second gear and I am quite sure those 50cc extra will do the magic! Paired with right gearing ratio I believe bike wont struggle uphill in second gear. At least I hope, as I plan to buy one next year myself 🤣

@@Slavkoadv Yeah, a lower gear ratio is a cheap mod and definitely would make offroad more interesting !!

@@OFFroadOFFcourse it helps a lot, but it cripple bike on the open road, and for me that is a big no no as I don't have good trail near by... So if I want to have proper fun I need to drive 200kmto the seaside :(

@@Slavkoadv "a cripple bike on the open road" ahahhahahhah!!!!

É uma boa escolha.. dá para ir a todo o lado e aprender muita coisa :D Tens feito muito fora de estrada?

@@OFFroadOFFcourse Tenho feito mas nada hardcore, só coisas softs. Passear aqui pelos montes e ribeiras do Algarve onde moro. Foi muito bom para aprender a andar, nada a ver com a escola de condução xD. Abraço

Vivas Rui! Vai ser uma diferença gigante, da 125 para a 300cc. E se a diferença sao 600eur, nao penses 2 vezes. Vai para a 300 SEM QUALQUER duvida (pq nao é so a cilindrada q muda, toda a moto tem melhorias e quando a quiseres vender vai valer mt mais dinheiro do que a versao ha hoje desactualizada ;) )

@@OFFroadOFFcourse a 300 está esgotada, talvez no final de Setembro... Que trauma.

Its a LS2, but i dont remember the model :o

You are not the first saying that! I should have tried :(

Seen and replied ;)

Not the CRF250L exactly, but you guys have been using this engine (not this one exactly, but all the 200-300cc engines that share the exactly same technology and development) =)