The Honda CRF250L Supermoto as displayed by Honda at the 2012 Bangkok Motorshow.

2012 Honda CRF250L Supermoto

Maybe the Honda CRF250L has a SOHC valves? The Honda CBR150Ri has DOHC, but the Honda CBR125Ri has SOHC valves

What is the difference between SOHC and DOHC?

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced the start of sales in Japan on May 14, 2012, of a new 250cc on/off-road model, the Honda CRF250L, which offers an agile ride in a wide range of riding environments from urban to off road riding.


Under the slogan, “‘New On & Off Gear, your right buddy on the road’ to make ‘On’ (daily life) more convenient and ‘Off’ (weekends) more enjoyable,” the development team, by pursuing total balance and driving stability to the utmost, created a vehicle that enables a broad spectrum of users from beginners to experienced riders to enjoy the sheer fun of handling the machine.

The Honda CRF250L is powered by a liquid-cooled 250cc 4-stroke DOHC single-cylinder engine with powerful output in the low-to-mid rpm range. Low-friction technologies including an offset cylinder are also employed to realize the excellent fuel efficiency of 44.3 km/L (measured at a constant speed of 60 km/h on a level road).

A newly-designed frame makes use of the steel twin-tube structure to offer the rider a nimble ride while ensuring both agility and stability. In addition, an agile, high-performance run-through ability in a wide range of situations from urban riding to off road is realized through the adoption of an inverted suspension with a 250mm cushion stroke for the front and the Pro-Link suspension with 240mm of axle travel for the rear.

Styling has been refined to be sharper and more aggressive while inheriting the basic concept of Honda’s CRF motocrosser series, resulting in a design that asserts a Honda identity fitting for a new-era CRF. Customers are offered a choice of two color schemes: Extreme Red to present an aggressive image or Ross White for those who wish to impart a cool image.

Main Features of the Honda CRF250L

• Engine
  The engine aims for powerful output that can be handled with equal ease on on-road and off-road. While achieving powerful torque from the low rpm range to high, the Honda CRF250L’s engine also boasts output characteristics expressing the smooth rev-up that typifies a liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC engine. The Programmed Fuel Injection System (PGM-FI*), the O2 sensor, catalyzer fitted inside the muffler, and the newly applied low-friction technologies embedded in such components as the offset cylinder and the roller rocker arm all form a synergy that delivers high environmental performance along with excellent fuel efficiency of 44.3 km/L (measured at a constant speed of 60 km/h on a level road).
• Vehicle body/suspension
  The newly-designed frame makes use of a steel twin-tube design to offer a nimble ride while ensuring both agility and stability, and the oval cross-sectional shape of the main pipe helps boost rigidity while enabling a slim vehicle body. The inverted front suspension employs a Separate Function Front Fork having an inner tube diameter of 43mm and a cushion stroke of 250mm in a design that secures both light weight and high rigidity to deliver excellent operability and high driving stability. The aluminum monoblock cast swing arm yields high strength and proper rigidity balance and is paired with a Pro-Link rear suspension having 240mm of axle travel providing the rider with impressive agility and high road-holding capability from urban riding to off road.
• Styling
  Styling has been refined into a sharper and more aggressive tone while inheriting the concept of “centralized mass with triangular proportions,” a key feature and basic principle of Honda’s CRF motocrosser series. This design asserts a Honda identity befitting the CRF for a new era. A surface encompassing tank shrouds, side covers, and a rear fender has been made flush to project an even sharper image. Meanwhile, the muffler cover and tool box on the left side add accent to the design by forming a shape reminiscent of a side racing number plate. The body comes in one of two colors, Extreme Red featuring a red seat to impose an aggressive image and Ross White with a silver seat to emanate a sense of coolness.
• Key equipment
  - A headlight visor that enhances a tough and muscular look and a multi-reflector headlight (60/55 W) with superb visibility
  - A multifunctional digital meter that incorporates a fuel meter, a clock, and trip/odometer
  - Skid plates that prevent mud, flying gravel, and other elements from damaging the engine
  - A handle turning angle that extends to 45° on both left and right in a design made for maneuverability
  - Cargo hooks in the rear fender section to make loading convenient
  - Fuel tank with a capacity of 7.7 liters

The Honda CRF250L will go on sale at local Honda dealers around mid May 2012, probably your Honda dealer was hoping that it would come available after the Bangkok Motor show.

I can understand that a Kawasaki KLX250 looks tempting, but the specifications of the Honda CRF250L would suggest that the suspension on the Honda CRF250L is superior to the stock Kawasaki suspension.

Correct.

The 250L is in dealers now; even in Chiang Mai!

Seems to be a slight variation in price from place to place, from 138,000 down a bit.

He David,

As you know it's hard to predict what APHonda is going to do with prices, but it's not uncommon that they will introduce new motorcycle models with a special introduction price...

If the Kawasaki KLX250 and Honda CRF250L would be identical in price I would probably still select the Honda CRF250L, simply because of the two the Honda has the best and most modern suspension.

Good suspension (forks and shock) is expensive, for example a good shock for a Kawasaki ER6N will quickly set you back 30,000 THB (if not more, depending on brand and model). It's one of the never-ending discussions between the commercial/marketing and designers/developers at a motorcycle manufacturer, will a end user be willing to pay a bit more for better suspension (safer motorcycle)....

Honda has the idea that they can make the CRF250L a bit more expensive as they have saved cost in developing the engine (the engine was already developed for the CBR250R). So with a more expensive front and rear suspension which on the aftermarket will almost set you back for something like 90,000 THB you get it standard on a CRF250L (surely Honda did not paid 90,000 THB ).

The only downside, comparing the Honda CRF250L with the Kawasaki KLX250 is that currently lots more aftermarket accessories are available for the Kawasaki. But, if we look at the local motorcycle stores today we can see that most now have more accessories for the Honda CBR250R than for the Kawasaki Ninja 250R. So I think something similar will also be happening with the Honda CRF250L... and not forget that most aftermarket stuff for the Honda CBR250R engine also works for the Honda CRF250L... so the CRF250L doesn't start with zero options...