I recently bought a new Honda CRF250R with the intent of building my own "dream ride" bike for grand prix and WORCS-type racing. I'm not finished with my bike, but after experiencing the Ride Engineering, Dubach Racing, TBT-suspensioned Honda CRF250R, I now know exactly what else I'm going to do to it. When I got the call about doing a dream ride on a WORCS-ready Honda 250F, I nearly whooped with excitement. I didn't know what the bike had on it, but with four-stroke maestro Dubach involved I was pretty sure it was going to be gnarly.
When I saw the bike my jaw dropped! The bike has that purposeful look of a racer, and the Ride Engineering parts added just the right touch of bling to dazzle a moto kid like me. Everything I've ever wanted in a race bike was there, with only one important part missing: a big tank with a dry-break for a quick pit. Aside from that, this looked like the ultimate grand prix bike. Riding this baby at Milestone Ranch was way better than looking at it! After a couple laps of getting used to the track, I automatically connected with the bike. Everything felt comfortable yet much different than my 250F. On my Honda, the engine quickly flattens out on the top-end, leaving me hurting on high-speed courses. This dream ride never flattened out; even on a long sandy straight the bike kept pulling. I was instantly sold on the engine and was very curious about the modifications. Surely this was a full-mod engine? When I found it was stock except for Dr. D's porting and exhaust system, I was stunned in disbelief. There may not be a lot of work done, but there is enough.
What about the suspension? TBT set the suspension stiff for off-road but a little soft for aggressive moto, which left it able to absorb those treacherous little braking bumps. I really like how aggressive I could be without the suspension failing or not keeping up. Suspension setup is key for off-road racing because of the numerous changes in the course. You can go from deep whoops to tight square edges to a smooth track all within a single lap. TBT set it up spot-on to meet all of those requirements. The last big change I noticed was the revalved Honda damper. I only feel the stock damper in corners. After TBT's mods I could feel it every time I hit a bump. It was great because it was never too stiff in the smooth, yet never too light in the rough. TBT really has the right setup for dampers. This is a race bike with almost no added weight but with adequate protection, full-boost power and great suspension. Add the fact that the bike looks great, and this really is a dream ride!
The combination of suspension...
The combination of suspension and damper mods and the Dubach-boosted motor makes a potent package.
Parts
Ride Engineering:
www.ride-engineering.com
800.805.1516
22mm-offset triple clamp set: $429.90
One-piece 7/8-in. bar mount: $89.95
Plastic brake line guide: $9.95
Showa holeshot device: $69.95
Front wheel spacers: $31.95
Rear wheel spacers: $31.95
Axle blocks: $44.95
Brake line clamp: $31.95
Braided-steel front brake line: $64.95
Braided-steel rear brake line: $54.95
Aluminum banjo bolt kit: $14.95
Rear master cylinder extension: $29.95
Front master cylinder cover: $24.95
Rear master cylinder cover: $21.95
Ignition and timing plug kit: $39.95
Oil fill plug: $19.95
Valve cap and rim lock spacer kit: $24.95
Showa compression adjusters: $84.95
Dubach Racing Development:
www.dubachracing.com
877.382.2241
Ti/Ti exhaust system with spark arrestor: $779.95
Hourmeter: $36.99
Forged quick-adjust lever: $29.95
Hot-start lever: $48.95
Radiator lowering kit: $49.99
Cylinder head porting: $549
TBT Racing:
www.tbtracing.com
951.707.7837
Fork revalve: $215
OS bladder kit: $50
5.4kg/mm shock spring: $110
Shock revalve: $205
Steering damper mods: $80
Aluminum preload rings: $50
Cycra Racing:
www.cycraracing.com
800.770.2259
Powerflow intake radiator shrouds: $38.97
Side number plate panels: $25.97
Cycra-lite vented front fender: $25.97
Powerflow replacement rear fender: $16.22
Stadium number plate: $19.47
Stealth handshields: $29.22
Disc cover: $16.87
JP3 Graphics:
www.jp3graphics.com
781.264.5214
Complete bike graphics and custom number plates: Call for pricing
Light Speed Performance:
www.lightspeedperf.com
714.990.5767
Carbon-fiber glide plate: $199.95