Honda: There's no holding MXer back

The Honda CRF250R motorcrosser takes to trail riding with gusto. Photo / Supplied

Think the CRF250X is the MXer, or motocrosser? Think again. That's the regular trail bike complete with electric start and a handy sidestand. The racer is the CRF250R, which is what actually arrived for my trail ride.

That the 250R survived almost unscathed is testament to just how flexible today's four-stroke racers are.

This 2010 model is now fuel injected using the same system as last year's 450cc motocross bike. Honda says it delivers more power across a wider rev range.

The engine has a higher compression ratio than before, more efficient lungs and a larger diameter throttle body. It's more powerful but also more efficient, so Honda could fit a smaller fuel tank to help keep the weight down.

Mounting's a stretch for a shorty like me, but it's certainly easy to ride. You don't have to rev it to its 11,000rpm max; it's almost as happy to putter along, with plenty of torque from even low revs.

But wind it up and you really feel the power, for this bike's a lightweight - 2.3kg under its predecessor and with the centre of gravity set low.

The longish wheelbase to keep the front wheel down under hard acceleration plus sharp steering geometry made for a heady combination, as appreciated on the tricky Central Plateau trails I traversed as it will be on a race track. The progressive steering damper fitted between the steering head and the lower triple clamp no doubt helped with straight line stability, which left me to concentrate on the throttle. Too much and I'd be off; I'm no Supercross star after all.

Mind you, I had had plenty of chances to put the larger-diameter 16-step-adjustable Showa inverted front forks to the test. They're designed to improve rough-track performance and were impressively compliant over rocky traverses or when landing from jumps, ably assisted by a Pro-link rear set-up with so many adjustment steps it made my head spin.

Get airborne and there's no shock on landing; those knobs touch down, hook up and you're off.

There's a lot more techie guff - this is the latest racer after all. Suffice to say, its power and light weight made for a sometimes savage response, as you'd expect from its hard-core focus. That you can also take such a bike trail riding is impressive indeed.

HONDA CRF250R

We like
Sharp-handling racer you can take on a trail ride

We don't like
It's a race bike - so sky-high seat, no side stand, and no electric start

Powertrain
249.4cc four-stroke with electronic fuel injection, five-speed transmission

Price
$14,315

Performance
32.4kW at 11,000rpm, 29.3Nm at 8000rpm

Vital stats
2187mm long, 965mm seat height, 100.7kg wet weight, 5.7-litre fuel tank