Engine crash bars

Wasn't going to go for these as I didn't want to add too much extra weight. However, on a ride out to Loomies cafe I met another CRF250 rider who said his fairing had "exploded" the first time he dropped it off road. He had reinforced the fairing with some sort of kevlar mesh and added a set of GPKompozit crash bars/skid plate. The bars looked good; so after some research, I narrowed the (limited) choice to the GPKompozit (from Turkey) and the Motoskills (from Thailand). The Thai ones were slightly cheaper, but the Turkish ones were a couple of kilos lighter. 

The small engine bars on my XT definitely saved the water pump in an off in Mongolia; so I decided it was probably wise to get a set for the CRF. I’ve seen many examples of over the top crash protection; the XT has integrated “crash panels” which work pretty well, but many people seem to think they also need crash bars to protect the crash panels giving the full scaffolding look; superfluous and heavy......madness!

Anyway, I digress.........

Didn’t need the integrated bash plate on the GPKompozit as I already had the stand-alone one from Thailand. The fitting of the bars was another opportunity to showcase my incompetence. Took me a while to work out how they fitted (which included the removal of an engine bolt). I had to zip tie a spanner in place on the engine bolt on one side of the bike before I could tackle the nut on the other side. It would have been much easier with a second pair of hands and a functioning brain, but you can only work with what you have....!

Soundtrack: “Space Monkey” - John Prine

Camel tank (auxiliary fuel).

The fuel economy of the little CRF is very good. It can get +/- 21 miles to the litre (pushing 100 mpg). The standard 10.1 litre tank can get between 200 to 220 miles depending on how "enthusiastically" it is ridden. With the hoped for big trip in mind, I wanted to increase the range. Could have gone the rotopax route, but I was drawn to the auxiliary fuel tank from Camel. Not cheap, especially as import duty was added by the lovely customs people. The alternative was the replacement tank from IMS; these hold around 13.25 litres, so a gain of just over 3 litres from stock whereas as the Camel tank gives an extra 6 litres over stock. (Reading this post back, I am aware of how tedious it is, but it is for my own benefit as a record of the bike build). 😴🥱😴🥱😴🥱😴🥱😴

The 6 extra litres extends the range to the 320-350+ miles. If I also go for a Rotopax then the autonomous range will be very healthy indeed.

Note: real world experience; last fill up produced a range of approx. 344 miles. Pleased. Next fill up: 347 miles.

https://camel-adv.com/products/honda-crf250l-

camel-tank-ct-250l?variant=42197151117

So, the fitting of the tank: this required the removal of the lockable panel where I’d fitted the Tutoro chainoiler. So that needed a re-think. Fortunately, there was no need to remove the rear rack, it was a tight fit but they do work together.

It was the usual routine of sweating and swearing to get the tank mounted. The instructional video said it would take about an hour to fit; several days later.............it was finally on. Managed to connect the main tanks overflow rather than vent pipe to the camel tank on my first attempt! I'm not good at this sort of thing....

Took it out for a test ride; works superbly well! Very happy.

Soundtrack: “Sit down by the fire” - Pogues

Renthal 613 bars and Acerbis guards

I wanted to raise the height of the handlebars as I am too tall to comfortably stand without being hunched over the bars: the Quasimodo approach wasn’t working. As higher bars were needed, it made sense to upgrade to a stronger than OEM bar. After A LOT (seriously: it was a stupid amount) of research, I determined that the popular “high” versions of CRF compatible Renthal and Pro-Taper bars (eg. the Ricky Johnson CR High or EVO CR High) were actually lower than stock. Not being a fan of bar risers and having Renthal 613 Enduro high bend on my XT660, even though they are a little wider than stock on the CRF, they ARE a bit higher (16mm) and they work very well on the XT. So, I took a punt. 

Despite the meagre gain in height (on paper); the actual feel of the bars is much better and more comfortable to stand. The small extra amount of width also seems to give better feedback.

This is a very useful comparison chart from Renthal: https://www.renthal.com/worksfit/

The stock wind deflectors (to call them hand/lever “guards” would be inaccurate) are for cosmetic purposes only. The upgraded bars needed proper guards. I had some Acerbis multiplo “e” which I salvaged from my old Aprilia Pegaso 650 before I sold it. As the cost of new barkbusters was a bit silly, they have been pressed into service on the CRF. Just needed to buy some new fittings.

As all this was going on, I picked up some Progrips 732 in black and red. Softer and more comfy than stock; and despite a personal aversion to “bling”, they do look very nice!

Soundtrack: “You shouldn’t do that” - Hawkwind

Tutoro ChainOiler

There is no centre stand on the CRF and I don’t want to add one because of the extra weight. Also, they are not generally available (as far as I can tell) which makes the decision easier. Oiling the chain manually was a faff, so after asking on an internet forum, the Tutoro chainoiler came highly recommended. It is motion activated, so no electrics or vacuum to set up. Only problem was where to mount it as there is not much available space on the bike. The solution? I mounted it inside the lockable panel housing the tool kit. Perfect fit; almost like it was made to measure! I was unreasonably proud of myself as I’m not great at this sort of stuff and there is usually more swearing than success. Drilled a hole in the tool box panel to route the oil tube through and down to the rear sprocket. It needs tidying up a bit around the foot peg, but overall it’s pretty successful. I even properly cleaned the chain before fitting the oiler.    So, Tutoro chainoiler for the CRF250 Rally: success!          

 

 Soundtrack: "Motorcycle Emptiness" - Manic Street Preachers

Wish list / potential mods.

Done:

Front and rear shocks.

Saddle.

Chainoiler.

Rear rack.

Handlebars, grips and hand guards.

6 litre Camel tank

Engine crash bars.

To do:

Radiator guard..........maybe??

https://srcthailand.com/product_detail.php?product_id=%20%20212

Auxiliary power supply. Yes. SRC switch board? 

https://srcthailand.com/product_detail.php?product_id=%20%20315

Headlight guard. Probably not.

https://srcthailand.com/product_detail.php?product_id=%20%2057

Auxillary lights. Probably not; uhmm maybe?? Or upgraded LED bulbs?.

Tail tidy. Maybe.

http://www.drcproducts.com/elect/d45-18/index_crfl.html

Aftermarket exhaust. Probably not.

13 tooth front sprocket. Don’t know enough about it. Needs research.

Bigger footpegs. Unsure.

Side stand camel toe. Unsure.

https://srcthailand.com/product_detail.php?product_id=%20%2060

Upgraded clutch. Heard a few reports that the clutch is a potential weak point on the bike. Needs more research, but if the big trip happens; I may need to upgrade the clutch. 

CBR 300 (CBR 250R??) clutch fits and is "better" than stock?? Upgrade to heavy duty springs and remove judder spring?? EBC CK1313 clutch plates. EBC CSK188 HD clutch springs. OR Barnett heavy duty springs (For CBR 300R). Gasket.

Honda engine cover gasket (11394-KYJ-900)

Honda engine cover gasket (11394-KYJ-900)

Rotopax fuel container. If the extended trip ever materialises, might need extra fuel capacity. 

https://rotopax.com/1-gallon-gasoline.html?category_id=28

**Above items will be deleted if/when done.**

HyperPro shocks and Seat Concepts saddle.

Seat Concepts saddle

The stock saddle on the CRF isn’t great, though not as bad as some of the reviews I read suggested. As the intended use is for a, as yet, hypothetical long trip, I decided to upgrade it anyway. Seat concepts “Tall comfort” was ordered via a UK importer. When it arrived, it didn’t fit properly: the mounting holes didn’t quite line up to the frame bolts. So, some filing and sanding of the plastic mount holes in the seat and much swearing later, the seat was on and looking great. 

Time for a test ride. I’m not sure what I was expecting; plush armchair comfort? A fluffy duvet perhaps? Well, the new seat was “fine”; certainly better than stock, but the difference was underwhelming considering the price of the thing. It is wider than stock and is nice and grippy, so it’s staying on.
 

Hyperpro shock

The next mod made a much more significant change to the ride, a huge difference in fact. Stock suspension is very soft, especially for anyone bigger than a hobbit. A Hyperpro emulsion rear shock (with the spring rated to take myself as well as luggage) and a progressive front spring kit were ordered (after chopping off the necessary limbs to pay for them.......ouch!). Only one of the front forks has a spring in it, who knew? Well, the supplier did for one, patiently explaining to me why they only sent one spring when I asked where the missing one was. Whoops!

Now fitted, it is a new bike: more agile, responsive and predictable. A much more enjoyable ride all round, almost worth the loss of the arm and leg!

Soundtrack: “Shock Treatment” - Pallas

The Bike

In 2018 I took the decision  to invest in a Honda CRF250 Rally. After having had it for a couple of years now and provoked by the tedium induced by the Covid-19 lockdown; my thoughts have turned to making the CRF into a RTW ready machine, just in case I am ever in the position to head off into the sunset before the world goes into an inevitable meltdown. Again.

I was very keen on the new Yamaha T7; but got tired of waiting and was seduced by the light side. I'm keeping the XT660 Tenere (currently reduced to commuting duties, oh the ignominy!! But I couldn't part with such a reliable old friend!) and the T7 may make an appearance in the future, but for now, Honda has prevailed.

So, why the move to a smaller bike in the age of ever increasing CCs and complex electrickery? Well, inspiration came through the exploits of people like Nathan Millward and Ed March (among countless others); both of whom completed big trips on small machines. If speed isn't your #1 criteria, then smaller bikes offer more versatility. Cheaper to buy, run, carnet and ship; lighter, better fuel economy etc,etc. The list goes on.

While not quite ready to go for something as small as a C90 (Ed March) or a 105cc Aussie postal bike (Nathan Millward), the CRF seemed like a reasonable compromise in terms of size. It was a keeper from the moment I bought it; enormous fun to ride, with a huge grin factor. Sure, it isn't for everyone, but I love it. I am sure you could just jump on and ride off as it comes out the factory, but tinkering with and modding the steed is all part of the fun, right?

NB: all mods MUST have a significant, tangible benefit. Keeping the extra weight to a minimum and no bling for blings sake!

So brace yourselves for increasingly tedious posts about what I do to personalize my new(ish) toy.

Soundtrack: "Blog maggot" - Sleaford Mods