DON'T BUY THIS BIKE (CRF250L 2018) : FAULTY ENGINE !!

[tartampion]

 

Hi everyone,

I must warn those who want to purchase a second-hand CRF250L (mine !) Pity for me to say this but ... DON'T BUY IT !!!

 

Since I bought this bike in May 2017 the engine was vibrating (rattling) and noisy more than an ordinary 250cc 4 strokes engine.

I must say before I never used my bike for racing, off-road, high RPM, ... but just for touring and I took good care of it (never fallen down, no scratches, properly serviced, hand-washed, ...). I love this bike but ...

At the beginning, small vibrations coud be felt from 4000RPM until 6000RPM, nothing alarming yet.

 

As it was my first CRF250L, I thought it was normal for this new bike (I owned 14 japanese bikes, 7 Honda bikes, some of them I bought new) and I was very careful during the break-in process (never had any kind of engine problem in 42 years).

For this one, I ordered some expensive Motul double-esther oil which helped to reduce a little the vibrations.

 

At 2000kms I went to my Honda shop to tell them about this problem. They tightened a few bolts but without success.

Day after day, vibrations increased slowly until I have tingling sensations in my hands.

Also, an oil leak appeared in front of the engine (center gasket) resulting from the vibrations.

 

https://neeeeext.com/download/oil-leak.jpg

 

 

I tried some other CRF250L, even a new one, but none of them had this problem of vibrations or oil leak.

 

My bike was sent to BGKK but they could not find the source of these vibrations. They just changed the center gasket but nothing improved apart from the oil leak. Big job for nothing !

Also, during the transportation to/from Bangkok, my bike was slightly damaged (plastics, paint). By precaution I took a lot of detailled photos before letting them load my bike on the truck, having the same issue with one transporter in the past.

I reported this to my shop and I asked them to change the plastics and repair the paint as my bike was under warranty. My shop agreed with this with a forced smile.

I also spotted some paint chips on the frame around the engine, both sides. The paint has been damaged by the engineers in BGKK during the removal and reinstallation of the engine. Photos taken. My shop also agreed to repair the paint when I showed them the photos taken before loading the bike. Prevention is always better than cure, especially after 20 years in Thailand !! You know what I mean.

 

One month ago (at last !), two guys from Honda Bangkok came to check the bike and confirmed the engine was faulty from factory. They offered me to give me a new bike in exchange as Honda Thailand cannot replace a defective engine by a new one (not in their policy). BTW Honda CRF250L engine is guaranteed 3 years and 30.000 kms.

As my story angered my shop (even if it is not their fault), they decided to take back my bike (under waranty), refund my money and sell it back to someone else without fixing the engine (as Bangkok cannot repair a faulty engine from factory !). No one can fix it, in fact, neither Mr Jet or Mr Kong as they told me themselves : too big job (and cost) to find the faulty part.

 

Before I give them the green book they promised to send me back home by bike or car. When the book was changed to their name they told me to take a tuk-tuk. Big liars as most of the Thais !

 

Soon, my bike will be visible and for sale at my Honda shop for a while .

 

19°54'22.23" N  99°49'58.24" E

Road going South to Da Vinci/Night Bazar. On the right, you go to the big Clock Tower (200m).

 

My advice : if you want to buy a second-hand CRF, don't buy this bike !!!

 

External signs :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pity !!!!!!

 

 

 

Conclusion :

 

- Honda Thailand is slow but efficient

- Honda engineers and transporters are not careful enough. Take a lot of detailled photos before letting anyone touch your bike.

- Honda bikes Made in Thailand are not the same quality than those made in Japan. Cheaper but ...

- DON'T BUY FROM THIS SHOP !! Unfriendly staff, greedy but smiling manager only when you give her your money, grumpy old father and mother, low qualified engineers, .... AVOID THIS SHOP !!!

 

I hope my sad story will avoid hassle to others.

 

 

IF YOU WANT TO BUY A NEW CRF250L :

- Go to SINTHANEE (just before Big C, same side)

- Discount : 131.000 bahts (instead of 132.500 at my previous shop)

- FREE full face Index helmet with amovible UV screen (not a salad bowl as my previous shop gave me)

- FREE Sinthanee jacket (farang size)

- FREE 200 bahts coupon to buy parts

- 15% discount on all parts

- FREE Sinthanee lottery tickets (x2) : cars, bikes, helmets, ... many things to win

- FREE DELIVERY of your bike by special amenaged truck (not like the "cattle truck" I saw at my previous shop)

- Qualified engineers (they opened a CBR300 engine when I went to look the workshop)

- Mr First (bike saleman) speaks very good english.Hope this will help when buying a bike.

 

 

 

 

[ty91074]

Hi guys, thought I would put this here first. Back in Thailand & looking for a good mechanic to look at my Honda CFR250L in Surin? It’s started knocking abit think the timing needs done. 

Any help would be much appreciated.

thanks in advance