CRF250X or WR250F

[MarshyUK]

Hey all

I have another decision to make.

Which bike to get, i know it should be my choice, but its so hard.

So which one, the Yam or Honda. They both have their plus sides.

Altough most reviews make the honda out to be better, do you agree?

Please tell me what you think. If you have ither bike, please tell me what you like about it so much.

Also if you happen to be selling ither one of these bikes, please PM me.

Thanks

Jimdarkice

[ridered50230]

If you want looks? go honda

If you want performance? probably honda but im sure they are pretty even.

Reliability?- O4 crf x's seem to have V**** issues, but it is looking better for 05. The Wr's are proven to be very reliable.

Either bike is a good bike, its pretty much up to you and yout personal preference

About the V****s, people have reporterd that by putting in Pro circuit v****s in have eliminated issues.

[kpicha]

Whichever one you get the better deal on. ??

[skipn8r]

Please tell me what you think.

Pick your best local dealer and go that way.

[Crazyced]

If you want looks? go honda

If you want performance? probably honda but im sure they are pretty even.

Reliability?- O4 crf x's seem to have V**** issues, but it is looking better for 05. The Wr's are proven to be very reliable.

Either bike is a good bike, its pretty much up to you and yout personal preference

About the V****s, people have reporterd that by putting in Pro circuit v****s in have eliminated issues.

Is it realy true?! ? That would be awsome! ?

[ridered50230]

woah woah, im just goin after the one or 2 guys and TWMX (or was in MX action) that said that PC has "pretty much got the v**** issues covered"

[Hawaii-Rider]

just how did this shift into I heard/read/saw on a billboard, that my 2d cousin from France has a bike that was parked next to one that had valve issues and was fixed by. . . . .

I have two WRs and an X.

I would be very happy to have any of em as my only bike.

Yamahas have been rock solid. No problems at all.

My Honda will be a year old in 2 1/2 months, so not as long in the tooth as the WRs, but other than hurting my jaw from grinning, not a single problem to date. Other than...my only issue with my X is simply not being able to ride it more than the hammering I give it now.

Power: both are now slouches for 1/4 liter bikes. they will run with each other no problem. WRs are more race like in the motor, hit "harder" so to speak, and the WR has more ughmmmph on top. Honda is like an electric drill, smooth to the point of thinking you are going slow, but you aint. More bottom in the X than the WRs, bit easier to lug in the nasty stuff, touch easier to go smooth and faster on, especially as the race/ride gets long. both use almost no fuel. I get around 42-44 MPG in my X in single track.

Handling. Honestly the X wins here. A bunch to do with how the weight is carried and the fact that the X is lighter. The weight difference feels greater than it is. X is more flickable, easier to toss around the trails and easier to pick/change lines.

Build: Honda wins here. couple of wrenches and you do just about anything on the Honda. Yamahas you need your tool box to get stuff. By build I mean fit and finish, thought process on taking things off/on etc. Owned a bunch of each and the finish on the honda is the better. Neg? Getting to the Carb on the honda. But then honestly getting to the Carb on the WR aint a pick-a-nick either. ?

One could nitpick either one, this, that etc. Honestly your cutting pretty fine hairs when you do.

Neither company pays my salary so my loyalty is to how many grins I have purchased. On all three, I am ahead!

Woooooo Hooooooo!

Over all the Yamahas have been wonderful. the honda is honestly IMO just a step above. Handling, power, weight etc. I have a blast on both, but grin harder and am less tired on the X. if I could only have one in the garage, it would be the X.

But thats me.

Lots of aftermarket parts out there, and both can be the bike of your dreams and the one you have the most fun on, and that is all that matters.

Pick your best support, and dealer in your area, and take the plunge, you honestly cant go wrong.

Good luck!

Oh and I have no valve issues, no oil issues and on tear down at after 100+ hours, motor was in superb shape.....

HR

?

?

[meckanik]

I had a 03 WR350 and now own a 04 CRF250X. I had carb problems with the Yammy from the day I bought it - in my case a gasket had swollen and blocked the accelarator pump charge completely. The dealer swapped in a used gasket since you can't buy it seperately.

The Yammy also felt very top heavy - I dropped it a few times for no real reason at all. The damn thing would just tip over.

When I got my X I couldnt believe how well it turns, just amazing. Power stock is ok, mine is fairly modded and just slightly slower than a R. I was actually disappointed to find out that the X was completely different from the R (not much info was available when I bought it early last year). I wanted a R with electric start ?

Anyway, finally able to hit the track in WA here and I don't think the 250 is gonna cut it, so I'm gonna buy the bike I wanted last year - a 450 .

-Jeff

[MarshyUK]

Thanks you lot, i think i will go for the Honda.

Theres just one thing, i have read alot of reviews, and a few of them say that the Honda needs alot of maintence, which is not something i really want to do. They were saying every 36 hours the whole top-end would need looking at, is this true?

Are there anyother areas maintence wise wrong with the honda?

The WR seems in less need of maintence, is this true?

Thanks

[dogchod]

go with the honda. if you decide to buy a yam you will lose a heap of cash next year as there is supposed to be a few changes and if this true it won't sell for ages,i know i tried selling a yam when the honda's came out (i wanted one ? ) and ended up selling to a mate cheap ?

as for maintenance theres now more to do than a yam,suzi,or kawasaki, there all higher maintenance than 2 smokes. i change my engine oil every 3 hrs and engine oil filter and transmission oil every six,I have 30 odd hours on mine (with a hour meter) and nothing has changed from the day i bought it,i will be replacing the piston when she hits 50 hours,and as long as it looks o.k that will be it ?.

[MarshyUK]

Im not worried about the oil change, thats fine, its just when the engine parts need replacing after a short time, the valves, pistion, top endit seems theres alot more to do on the Honda than on the Yam, the Yam looks like it can last longer, and not need so much, is this true?

[kpicha]

You know, with all of the comparisions between the WR250 and CRF205X, I'd really be interested in seeing a back to back comparison of the '05s to each other.

The '05WR250 has gone through enough significant changes (from what I've read-I'll be riding mine for the first time today) that the previous "top heavy" comparisons don't hold anymore. Just pushing them around, the WR250 feels lighter,although, the numbers don't say so. I know that's no where the same as riding them, but it gives some indication of the where the WR250 stands and it made a difference to me.

Well, that said, there are probably more aftermarket parts for the Honda so that might be something to consider.

I'd still love to see a side by side comparison of the '05s though. ?

[WheelsUp]

Wrooster has 4000 miles on his '02 WR250F and it's just now needing to have the valves shimmed.

Not replaced, not a full top end... just adjusted (and likely changing the chain as well while he's in there). This is his first adjustment. Compression/leakdown is fine. IIRC, he changes the oil every 10 hours or so using Mobil 1 Redcap.

He's not riding like grandpa... look for his posts on "Six Days of Michigan".

Anyone who claims the Yamaha is high maintenance is either not taking care of theirs, or never owned one and is going by what they read on Dirtrider.

Ya, if you're racing track and constantly bouncing off of the rev limiter, any bike will need more valve work.

[wrooster]

Wrooster has 4000 miles on his '02 WR250F and it's just now needing to have the valves shimmed.

correction: '01 WR250F

He's not riding like grandpa... look for his posts on "Six Days of Michigan".

correction: grandma. ?

jim aka the wrooster

'01 wr250f

[MarshyUK]

Still no-one has given me a straigth answer.

Which is better in your opion Red or Blue?

Arent the yams and honda fairly simular on the maintence front?

[wrooster]

Arent the yams and honda fairly simular on the maintence front?

there is absolutely no difference in periodic maintenance of the honda CRF250/X and the yamaha YZ/WR250F.

both bikes are high performance race-ready steeds. they both have a motor, a lubrication system, a cooling system, a suspension, a linkage, a brake system, and so on and so forth -- all of which are of comparable complexity and in some cases use the exact same components from third party OEM vendors.

owning a honda doesn't exclude you from changing your oil on an agressive schedule.

owning a yamaha doesn't exclude you from changing your oil on an agressive schedule.

ditto for checking valve clearances, changing brake and cooling fluids, etc etc etc.

the old saying "a stitch in time, saves nine" is very much applicable to these bikes. lube it or it will lube you from behind.

note: i may have a different outlook on maintenance since i regularly ride long events (see sig) and i don't like the idea of pushing my bike 75 miles back to my truck/campsite.

jim aka the wrooster

'01 wr250f w/ 4000 miles

[dr_drz]

Still no-one has given me a straigth answer.

Do you honestly just want someone to tell you what to buy? There have been alot of honest opinions expressed so far in this thread. If you can't figure out what's being said so far, it is this: "These are both good rides. You can be happy with either one."

[MarshyUK]

Yes, i understand this, as i am only 16,and live over in the UK, i want to know which suits me the best, and which i'd be happiest with. As i havent much experience with 250 four-strokes its harder to decide than you may think.

Thats why i am asking for personal opion, so please keep listing.

Also can anyone recomend any good US brokers, ive heard of Motorcycle-Brokers, any others, as i am not buying one in the UK that charge around $8500 for a brand new 2005, which is a rip-off!

[dogchod]

when you do find a u.s dealer willing to ship to the u.k,yep you might save from a u.k price but don't forget the import tax you will have to pay?

and also the long wait ?

have you phoned different shops in the u.k as you can get good deals on european bikes and you could pick it up or get it delivered within a week

good luck

[Crazyced]

I'm in the same situation then you: 17, have a CRF230, whant to go to a WR250/CRF250X. I' did'n't find a solution to my delima but I think you will be happy with both of them. I also think (from all the post I've read) that with the same maintenence, the honda will tend to break faster. Can't be verified though.

In the end, if you whant to be happy, buy one of them, ride it, and never, ever try the other one. So you'll never know if you did the ''wrong'' choice, and will live happy. ?

Cedric