After years on the FMX circuit piloting a Honda 250 two-stroke, it didn't take very long to adapt to the flight patterns of the '07. The 70-foot gap at the Resen Lab freestyle compound was handled with a fat burst of second-gear speed, and slight misjudgments in distance on my part failed to push the suspension past the point of comfort. And remember that stability I was talking about? The solid aerial stance of the Honda frame provides a great platform from which to swing, hang, fling, flick and stretch in midair. There are reasons that most freestylers prefer Hondas: They are consistent as heck, and I have yet to fly one that didn't feel right at home on the lip of a ramp. The motocross crowd may have been quick to discard two-strokes, but snatching the bike from the hands of freestylers will require the prying of more than a few cold, dead, tattooed fingers.
This test may have been slightly unorthodox, but I feel it helped show that there is still a lot that can be done with 250cc two-strokes. I know they are still hugely popular on the East Coast, and there is no denying that many trail and play riders refuse to quit mixing their gas. Did Honda realize what it was doing when it pulled the plug on its line of two-strokes? Absolutely. If anything, this move shows the confidence the Red Riders have in their four-stroke technology. But this doesn't make me any happier with the company's decision. Dealerships nationwide still have plenty of CR250Rs on the floor, yet they have the potential to sell faster than one might think, and there are no replacements in reserve. On behalf of every rider who has ever happily owned a CR250R; Stanton and Bailey, and the countless other champions who have had success on the bike; my fellow freestyle vandals; and the innumerable riders who are sad to see this bike go, I would like to say one last good-bye to Honda's infamous CR250R two-stroke. At least I still have my enduring hope that someday, somewhere, we may see this noble bike rise to the top once again.
What's Hot
Extremely versatile: works for off-road, moto and FMX.
Solid chassis with great suspension.
Strong motor pulls hard everywhere.
Excellent brakes and controls.
What's Not
Finicky carburetor requires spot-on jetting
Motor detonates on pump gas.
As of 2008, this bike will no longer be made.
Specifications
Price: $6449
Claimed weight: 213 lb
Actual weight (ready to ride, no fuel): 219 lb
Seat height: 35.4 in.*; 37.6 in.
Ground clearance: 10.7 in.
Seat-to-footpeg distance: 20.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 2.0 gal.
Freestyle seat height