My interest in dirt bikes is limited pretty much to engines, because what you see in the dirt bikes today, will be what you see in the quads later (sometimes MUCH later!!). I have not kept up on dirt bikes lately, so I don't know what they are saying about the new 250s in the magazines or dirt bike forums. The (water cooled) CRF250X is billed as an "off-road" machine, yet it appears to have the same engine and dimensions as the CRF250R motocross bike (only the X has electric start). Is this an eventual replacement for the XR250???

The reason I ask, it would make sense for Honda to phase out its (old tech) XR air cooled engines, and replace them with better performing water cooled ones (we saw the XR600 dropped for the water cooled XR650). Is this the beginning of a trend where the CRF motocross engines will all end up in (CRF450X and CRF125X) off-road bikes??? And how would this effect the quad line???

HONDA HAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH PROLIFERATION OF MODELS!!! Look at all the different models Honda has. From a manufacturing point of view, this is a big burden on a company....to many different engines to produce, to many different frames, to many different... whatever. Maybe, this is why Honda is so slow getting out any new models?? Doesn't it makes sense to just have several great engines that are found throughout all the lines, rather than dozens of different ones.

So, to carry this to its logical conclusion: Drop the 400EX for a CRF450EX. Drop the 300EX for a CRF250EX. Make a new CRF125EX (to compete with the Blaster). Keep them all way light, by using aluminum perimiter frames. Like we have seen with the Z400, you can milk a lot of horsepower out of these modern high-tech power plants.

 

I can see both sides of the issue. However, I tend to favor the fact that Honda is able to produce so many different models for so many different types of riders. The fact that they are able to produce so many models year after year is commendable. This also means that there is a machine to fit nearly every wallet as well.

On the CR250R, is it a counter-balanced engine? If so, that'd would sure make a fun machine.

Imagine that engine in a small and very lightweight chassis... mmmmmm!

 

the crf250X motor is tamed a little bit for trail riding purposes... download the video on honda's website to see more info.

 

like i posted a cpl days ago,the crf engines would be killer for the quads,as well as the CR250 engine in a aluminum frame,with efi to keep up with cannondale if not beat them honda can do this but in a cpl yrs if nothing has happend to new quads,my R will be one that nobody will mess with me![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Rougly 21 years ago 7 days from a week before today I was wondering around in the Honda dealership. This was no ordinary dealership though. It was a Honda kosher dealership, everything was of fine fine quality and there tehnology was very advanced, even for this days standards. They had a Cannondale "avitor" made for the big air competitions of te future, It had 21" of rear travel and 31" front travel. The frame was made of an auro-space tech. material called "noftid 4" The entire machine had a weight = to one small sow !!! I couldn't bleave how light it was. The seat was a mear 1/8th "tick" thick but was so plus I felt as if I was on a simons mattress. The handlebars had no throttle or brakes, I asked how you operate a vehicle of this caliber, the salesman-blorp responded by dropping a book "in front of my heal" then hoverd away. I thought about what he had and had not done, I relized that what he was transfering to me was that you opperate this machine with your mind for precise action, even the most uncoordinated beligerent could use this wit ease.

I walke to the back of the store, there was a sign that said, "__BLORP__ exitus NaH;i__ Un craoo)( nonpolk`..l.~" I instantly ran out of that dealership after reading that lude racist sign. Then I clicked my tap shoes together and exclamed "theres no place like home theres no place like home!" When I opened my eyes the dentists said "Mr. ***EITED***, we just finished your gold plating, would you like a complimentry toothbrush?" Obviously I didnt want a toothbrush so I kicked him in the left temple and flead the office without paying my gold tooth bill. I understand you can't even fathom half the things I see in one day of my life, but I thought I would share this bit of unclassified evidence with you fellow riders, and wannabe's.

ONE

 

"..........and then the nice people came and put me in that cute little white jacket with straps and returned me to the lovely padded room" LoL


JaMeS

 

the CRF motors are counter balanced and the X is electric start version of the R. I would look for a 450X version soon as well honda is after the WR250F and WR450F market. The problem is these motors are high performance beast and will not take the abuse a quad can put out. This is why Yamaha has not and will not put a YZF motor into a quad and why honda will not put these motors either.
The e-button will make life easier for those willing to buy an after market frame though.