Motocross

Honda CRF250R

Honda's 250 motocross bike. Twin muffler DOHC screamer from 2018, then an all new lighter bike from 2022 that pulls harder off the bottom. Sold in Australia from 2004 to 2026, 23 model years.

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About the Honda CRF250R

The CRF250R is the 250F that revs the hardest. The 2018 to 2021 bikes with the twin mufflers and DOHC engine made their power at the top and needed a rider who kept it there, which is why they suited fast juniors and frustrated clubmen. The 2022 onwards bike fixed that: a single muffler, a lighter chassis, a hydraulic clutch and a lot more mid range.

It suits a junior stepping up who likes to rev a bike, or a clubman who wants Honda build quality and the sharpest turning 250 in the class. A YZ250F is torquier and easier; the KTM 250 SX F is lighter and stronger on top. The 2022 onwards Honda sits nicely between them.

What changed by year

2010 to 2013
Fuel injected single cam engine, kick start. Reliable and cheap, but soft on power by modern standards.
2014 to 2017
Twin muffler bikes with a revised engine and, on the later years, an air fork that most buyers convert to springs.
2018 to 2021
All new DOHC engine, electric start, spring fork, twin mufflers. Screaming top end, weak bottom. Great for fast riders, hard work for everyone else.
2022 onwards
All new lighter bike: single muffler, more bottom end, hydraulic clutch. 2024 brought mapping and chassis updates. The current bike and the one to buy.

Servicing a CRF250R

Separate engine and gearbox oil on most years. A 250F that is revved to the limiter all day wants its engine oil changed every 5 to 8 hours, gearbox oil every second or third change, filter every second engine oil change. Capacities are small so check the manual and check the level hot with the bike upright.

Air filter every ride. Valves need watching on a Honda 250: check them at the interval in the table and straight away if the bike gets hard to start hot. Plan on a piston around 30 to 40 hours on a race bike, and do not skip it, because a 250F run past its piston takes the bottom end with it.

Engine hours between jobs: the schedule the Digital Garage tracks for this bike, based on the manual. Racers and hard riders go sooner, as above. Ride in sand or mud and halve the engine ones.

JobEvery
Air filter3h
Engine oil & filter15h
Gearbox oil15h
Valve clearance45h
Coolant flush60h

Parts that fit a CRF250R

Chains, sprockets, filters, oil, brake pads, grips, levers and tyres for the CRF250R are in the MWMX Parts Store, with member pricing. Shop parts for this bike →

Buying a used Honda CRF250R

Ask about valve checks and the last piston, and get receipts. Make sure it starts easily hot and cold. On the 2018 to 2021 bikes, listen for a rattle at idle, and on the 2022 onwards bikes check the hydraulic clutch for slip under load. Pull the seat and look in the airbox. Check the linkage and swingarm bearings for play.

Recent sold prices for each year are on the Marketplace page linked below.

Used Honda CRF250Rs for sale

4 listed on the MWMX Marketplace right now.

All Honda CRF250Rs for sale and recent sold prices →

Honda CRF250R known issues

Honda CRF250R questions

How often should I change the oil in a CRF250R?
Engine oil every 5 to 8 hours if raced, gearbox oil every second or third change, filter every second engine oil change.
What year did the CRF250R get electric start?
2018, along with the DOHC engine.
Is the CRF250R good for a beginner?
The 2022 onwards bike is friendly enough for a first motocross bike. The 2018 to 2021 bikes need to be revved and suit a more experienced rider.
CRF250R or YZ250F?
The Yamaha is torquier and cheaper to run. The Honda turns sharper and revs harder. Most clubmen pick the Yamaha, most fast juniors are happy on either.

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