In the corners the AWD takes some getting used to. The front end holds its line better than a non-driven wheel and eliminates much of the push a standard bike would have. The front wheel pulls the bike around in the line you choose. The Christini likes to be steered with the bar more and slid with the rear less. Jimmy quickly found new ways to ride the bike, "The steering is affected when the tire is pulling. At first it's strange, then I was using it to my advantage. If I was going into turns too fast, locked up and sliding, and was going to miss my line, I would gas it early and the bike would, almost magically, grab the line I was going to miss and pull through the turn instead of missing it completely."
When trail obstacles turn a little more technical, the Christini continues to impress. Slippery, steep rocks are ridden over with less drama. Karel Kramer noted, "The bike shines brightest when you end up with the front wheel butted up against rocks or logs. Normally that means getting off and lifting the bike over one or both of the impediments. With the Christini you ease out the clutch and it crawls right over." The front wheel pulls and the rear wheel spins less, and the rear has much less tendency to try to come around on off-camber rocks. One quirk of the bike found here is its tendency to bog when the front wheel hits an obstacle (whether rock, log, ledge, etc.). This is a trait the Christini rider must adapt to by using a little more throttle. For the less-advanced rider, the technical obstacles are the place where the AWD can make all the difference. It's the point-and-shoot of motorcycles. Advanced riders benefited from the AWD in dead stops on steep hills, or on hills that included kickers that throw the bike into the air. Jimmy was impressed. "The little lunge the bike gives you if you get stopped on a hill can be priceless for getting going again. It is like someone, or a group of guys, is giving you a push, without tugging you out of balance. And if you bounce or jump on a steep climb, the bike goes when it lands, it doesn't try to dig in like normal, especially on soft hills," he said.
While 250Fs aren't the best weapon for bombing high-speed fire roads, we tested the AWD system here, too. You might be surprised to realize how much you're actually sliding when you think you're steering through sweeping turns. The Christini front end pulls the bike along and goes exactly where it's pointed. No drama and no strange feelings. And the bike always has a more stable nature. The system seems to act like a good steering damper. And any time you don't want all-wheel-drive, you can shut it off with a handlebar-mounted lever in one easy pull.
The Christini does have some general disadvantages. The bike weighs 13 pounds more, dry (257 pounds compared to 244 pounds). The system also changes the weight distribution. Full of gas, where the stock X has a 47- to 53-percent front/rear weight ratio, the Christini has a 49- to 51-percent ratio. The added weight and weight bias can be felt, especially when trying to loft the front end over something. Also, the driving front wheel can get you into trouble if you get it turned off-line in the air then set it down. On steep hills, where the bike is in a small wheelie, riders use the front wheel for balance, often pulling it to one side as they guide the bike on the rear tire. If that front tire comes down sideways or off-line, it will pull the bike in that direction and can upset the rider's balance. Whenever the rear is spinning and the rider is turning the handlebar, there is some added resistance, like a steering damper set pretty stiff. Riding at speed in the soft stuff brings another difference--the Christini's front feels rock solid but the rear takes on a loose or less planted feel that takes a little getting used to. And lastly, the bulge and hard edge of the upper drive sprocket cover can be felt at your left knee. It doesn't stick out far, but it can be bothersome.