Why did they stop making the XR250R

[YamahaForever]

Anyone know? Right when I feel like switch to the xr from my little yamaha, they make no more.

?

Thx in advance

[dirtbikesrule]

2004..

[dirtbikesrule]

2004..

srry i thought it said when did they stop making the xr. ?

[Misfit]

The CRF 250X replaced it. ?

[Kemp]

Why'd Honda quit making the XR's

They got stupid

[Motoriderx]

cost cutting??perhaps?? ?

[hxr400]

Exactly!

Well Said! ?

[Motoriderx]

i couldn't hav said it any better. although i think honda will definately be working out the issuses with the x in the near future because it has deturred a lot of pepl from buying them including me ?

IMHO, its to boost sales.

The XR was a dated product line that was looked upon as just that dated.

Regardless of how reliable it was developement dictated change for them to sell high tech bikes in a high tech market.

Everyone knows the CRF250s need alot more engine maintenance then the XR and more parts and service done = more money.

Its pretty common knowledge that once the XR was sold you did not visit the dealer very often for service or OEM parts so they had an initial profit but, that was it.

Now with the masses buying the CRF line they get the initial profit plus long term parts sales and service to boot.

Just like anything else that is state of the art comes cost.

I am not ragging Honda as actually it makes great business sense for them.

For the 4 stroke racing bike to compete the bike must rev fast and be light.

In making a bike that can compete on equal turf with the 2 stroke has emerged a 4 stroke bike that can do it but, at a cost of reliability and with that reliability comes more maintenance along with more exspensive high tech parts.

Its just the way the market flows.

Its the cosumer that dictates this.

If noone was to buy the CRF250 I can assure you it would be redesigned or dropped. People where buying more of the CRF250s then XR250s so they got the axe. So inreality we can blame that other guy riding a CRF for the discotinuation of the XR ?

[hxr400]

deturred?

What do you mean exactly? what did they say about it?

You were going to buy one and the dealer told you not to? ?

[Ron_Meidlinger]

couldn't agree more. talked to two dealers and they are unhappy because they believe that the cost increase from XR250/400 to CRF250X/450X is too great and has cost them sales.

I know sure as hell Honda was not getting rich on me. clutch plates and discs are the only thing other than maint. items i have eer repalce on my 98 XR, bought new in 98. didn't buy the clutch parts from Honda.

[Motoriderx]

deturred?

What do you mean exactly? what did they say about it?

You were going to buy one and the dealer told you not to? ?

go to the crf250x forum and serch valves. i think what people wanted in the x was a lot more "x"r reliability, from what i hear it's just a motocross bike w/ lights ?

[JoeBlow Kokomo]

IMHO, its to boost sales.

The XR was a dated product line that was looked upon as just that dated.

Regardless of how reliable it was developement dictated change for them to sell high tech bikes in a high tech market.

Everyone knows the CRF250s need alot more engine maintenance then the XR and more parts and service done = more money.

Its pretty common knowledge that once the XR was sold you did not visit the dealer very often for service or OEM parts so they had an initial profit but, that was it.

Now with the masses buying the CRF line they get the initial profit plus long term parts sales and service to boot.

Just like anything else that is state of the art comes cost.

I am not ragging Honda as actually it makes great business sense for them.

For the 4 stroke racing bike to compete the bike must rev fast and be light.

In making a bike that can compete on equal turf with the 2 stroke has emerged a 4 stroke bike that can do it but, at a cost of reliability and with that reliability comes more maintenance along with more exspensive high tech parts.

Its just the way the market flows.

Its the cosumer that dictates this.

If noone was to buy the CRF250 I can assure you it would be redesigned or dropped. People where buying more of the CRF250s then XR250s so they got the axe. So inreality we can blame that other guy riding a CRF for the discotinuation of the XR ?

Lets not forget planned obsolescence. Honda's figured out it doesn't make good business sense to make products that people can actually keep and use for 20 years.

[StillKickin]

I stopped by my local Honda dealer yesterday, and thought I'd take a look at the CRF450X, just or fun. They didn't have one on the floor and the sales guy said they were NEVER planning on getting one to put on the floor. He told me that at over $7,000, they didn't expect to sell many of these expensive "trail bikes" in upstate NY, so they weren't ordering any. He then went on to tell me how he wished he had bought a mint XR400 that a customer had brought in for service the past few years but hardly used. Without the XR's, it seems that Honda is missing a huge potential market of folks who just want a reasonably priced, reliable and fun dirt bike.

By the way, they still had a brand new XR250 on the showroom floor.

[DarinBell]

Lets not forget planned obsolescence. Honda's figured out it doesn't make good business sense to make products that people can actually keep and use for 20 years.

Exactly. My last bike I sold I had for exactly 20 years, and I didn't realize how bad that bike handled and performed until I got my XR400. I'll be keeping my XR basically forever because my riding abilities will stay the same and I don't need anything fancy. Just a reliable, easy to ride trail machine.

[Flosi77]

honda had turned stupid is the only thing to say.

[BlkHawkDown]

Wow, I am suprized they stoped. From what I hear it is a really good, bullet-proof bike. Dang, they should re-create it again.

[Flosi77]

Wow, I am suprized they stoped. From what I hear it is a really good, bullet-proof bike. Dang, they should re-create it again.

once all these crf's start falling apart becuase they are not built like the xr's they will but it will take some time and loss of business

[BlkHawkDown]

once all these crf's start falling apart becuase they are not built like the xr's they will but it will take some time and loss of business

Very true. But the CRF's are really good bikes also. I heard the phrase "bullet-proof." I think they should make both types of bikes, they are both good sellers.

[dr_drz]

Quote:

Lets not forget planned obsolescence. Honda's figured out it doesn't make good business sense to make products that people can actually keep and use for 20 years.

I think thats what I said in a different way.

Quote:

Its pretty common knowledge that once the XR was sold you did not visit the dealer very often for service or OEM parts so they had an initial profit but, that was it.

Yes, so we covered it twice in two different ways of phrasing it.[/Quote]

If that is Honda's new strategy, it is an extremely risky one. Basically they are saying to their customers: "The reason that you bought our products in the past is not part of our current thinking." The problem for them is, obviously, if those people still buy products for the same reasons that they did in the past, they are forced to go to a competitor who offers what they want. In essence, Honda is reinventing its product line, but its customers may not be reinventing their buying habits.

I don't think that Honda is that dumb, but they might be. I think that they misjudged the reliability and maintenance needs of the CRF250's.

[iceslice]

I was under the impression that the Japanese bikes (specificly honda) had take the dirtbike market over becuase of low cost, highly reliabile bikes. Its my guess that honda has something in the works (next 10 years) that will rival the XR in reliability and maintanance, but we're not seeing it yet. While they definatly make mistakes, the guys at honda are not idiots. I have a feeling that by the time the supplies of XR400s are gone, and people are starting to miss them, a new XR will come around. Well, one can hope right?