Tommy Hahn's CRF250R
Bike: Honda CRF250R
Rider: Tommy Hahn, #42
Mechanic: Tony Jeske
Sponsors: SoBe, No Fear, Samsung Mobile, Honda, Amsoil, Rockford Fosgate, Napster, Factory Connection, Shoei, Gaerne, Spy, Etnies, Bridgestone, Cycra, EK Motorcycle Chains, Ferodo, Hinson, One Industries, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Showa, Sunstar, VP Fuel, Works Connection
"That thing almost feels like a 450!" was heard from more than one of the lucky testers who stepped off of Tommy Hahn's SoBe/No Fear/Samsung Mobile Honda CRF250R. The team does get extensive technical support from the Honda factory team, but it is the hours of testing in partnership with the team's technical sponsors that deserves most of the credit for the stellar performance; Pro Circuit, in particular, should get kudos for its engine. Kristian Kibby, the team's engine specialist, explained that though most of us mortals would love to have the power delivered by Hahn's bike , it would likely not be worth the trade-off in required maintenance. This is true of almost all of the top-level bikes you see at a National, as the intense competition has pushed the performance envelope to the max, which means almost all of the engines are being completely rebuilt at least every other race (especially the high-strung 250Fs). So you may not want a bike pushed to this level, but there were a lot of other things you would want on your bike.
With the Factory Connection suspension shop responsible for operating the team, it was not surprising that the suspension was incredibly good, even for us relatively slow guys. Hahn runs an FC-modified Showa kit fork and shock, which is hooked up to FC's linkage kit. It worked incredibly, even on the brutally rough Southwick track. The most amazing thing was it soaked up the small stuff and could just as easily soak up the big hits. We can tell you from firsthand experience that FC can also make the stock suspension work great and at significantly less cost than the kit parts.
So how about the things you can actually put on your own bike? Pro Circuit supplies the exhaust and cylinder head mods that contribute to the superb engine performance. The team uses an Amsoil air filter as well as Amsoil lubricants, a stock ignition, a Hinson clutch basket/pressure plate and an EK MRD 6 Light chain mated up to Sunstar sprockets. Putting the bike in contact with the ground are Excel wheels and Bridgestone tires. Ferodo brake pads are used in conjunction with "works" brake rotors and worked well but are not as noticeable on a sand track like Southwick. On the controls side, Hahn chooses a Renthal Twinwall 998 bar mated to Renthal soft half-waffle grips and a Works Connection Elite clutch perch/lever. The triple clamps are Works units, but they are standard offset so you can save some money there. Other than two rubber doughnuts on the left grip (to help hang on despite his damaged thumb ligaments), Hahn's overall handlebar, lever, seat and subframe setup are very standard and comfortable for most testers. Mettec provides the aluminum and titanium fasteners used throughout, including the titanium axles. Cycra supplies all of the plastic, including the Powerflow rear fender, which, through additional air ducting, could be contributing to the strong engine performance. One Industries supplies the team graphic kits to finish it off.
Opinions
Considering that Factory Connection is a suspension shop, the setup of this bike and the way it did something, something that was really good and very hard to describe, shouldn't surprise me. There was some magic inside that seemed to sense the bumps and give just the right stiffness without ever being harsh. This motor feels like a 450 for the most part. It actually chugs and torques like one on the bottom; the only giveaway is it won't race out of the low-end. But get it up in the mid and it has as much as a 450, so much, in fact, that I wasn't just pinning this bike, I was using throttle control. -Jimmy Lewis
When Tom Riles, our photographer for the day, asked me to do a few starts "because it would look cool with the sand and Toyota banners," I had no idea what I would be in for. Even with the sandy, uphill start, Hahn's bike pulled a controlled wheelie for 100 feet, and when I got to the first turn in fourth gear, I felt like I was going 80 mph. A couple more passes using the Works Connection EZ Holeshot fork-locking device showed the same results but without the wheelie. Once on the track, I couldn't wait to feel how the suspension performed. It works incredibly well, but I was happy to find that at my speed, it was not noticeably better than the FC-modified stock components on my own CRF250. -Sean Finley