Which Bike CRF250L vs KLX250S

[bazmlb]

I am looking at a bike for on road/off road trails, it has to be CRF250L or KLS250S i have decided when I purchase, what are thir good/bad points from the members?

Honda vs Kawasaki?

[ktm jeff]

I think the Honda looks more "stylish" , but it is in no way an off-road bike in the same league as the tried and tested Kawasaki. The Honda - apart from the CB / CBR / CRF 250 / 300 engine / gearbox problems that keep croping up - is way too heavy , has no susspension adjustment ( on an "off-road" bike ! ) and an engine that runs hot on the road , and even hotter if you tried it off road. The Kawasaki is far more suitable with its thicker wheel spokes and folding levers. Plenty of aftermarket upgrades available for both. Unless you dont have a dealer / service center anywhere near you , or the small price difference is critical , its the better established and far more capable Kawasaki everytime .

[Rhys]

years ago I had a KL 250... enjoyed it..

[nikster]

IMO CRF is way easier to ride and smoother. It might come down to a matter of taste, really. The CRF is a bit weaker when it comes to off-roading, not as tough as the KLX, but for the price difference you can easily toughen up the CRF. Hard-core off roaders seem to prefer the KLX.

[MJP]

Which one can be tweaked the best, you know, power mods and wotnot?

[bazmlb]

IMO CRF is way easier to ride and smoother. It might come down to a matter of taste, really. The CRF is a bit weaker when it comes to off-roading, not as tough as the KLX, but for the price difference you can easily toughen up the CRF. Hard-core off roaders seem to prefer the KLX.

I hear the CRF suffers clutch burnout from feathering offroad, so the KLX seems the go, especially as I have always had "Green" Bikes

[kaorop]

IMO CRF is way easier to ride and smoother. It might come down to a matter of taste, really. The CRF is a bit weaker when it comes to off-roading, not as tough as the KLX, but for the price difference you can easily toughen up the CRF. Hard-core off roaders seem to prefer the KLX.

hard core off roaders dont really ride dual purpose bikes, yeah sorry pedantic

but yes you're correct the klx has the edge off road....

i dislike honda marketing using the crf name on 2 bikes that may look a like but are 100% not the same,

kinda lame to me.

[papa al]

I would think they are at least 1% the same?

[kaorop]

I would think they are at least 1% the same?

yes maybe

the levers, the plastics compound, tubes, a few nuts & bolts, but for all intensive purposes, no.

[Dutchbike]

I can't comment on the Honda since I never rode one, but I do own a KLX for 4 years/23k km's and it's been a reliable bike. It's been sold unchanged (apart from color/decals) for a couple of years.

Did various trips in Thailand and took it to Laos, performs well on ( light) trails, front and rear suspension are adjustable. Ohlins Asia offers aftermarket shocks for both the KLX and CRF so if you would want to upgrade the CRF's suspension... they come not cheap though)

The KLX is restricted when bought new ( rev limiter in 3 /4/5/6/ gear) something to do with emmission rules I believe. But a simple wire trick can sort that out.

Plenty of aftermarket stuff around.

You looking at buying new or used?

You can't go wrong with both bikes, but I think I can endorse when other posters saying the KLX might be the best bike for (light) off roading.

Yamaha makes the WR250 which is more a hardcore off road bike ( but more expensive and not for sale in Thailand, at least not official)

Good luck deciding.

[Neilly]

IMO CRF is way easier to ride and smoother. It might come down to a matter of taste, really. The CRF is a bit weaker when it comes to off-roading, not as tough as the KLX, but for the price difference you can easily toughen up the CRF. Hard-core off roaders seem to prefer the KLX.

I hear the CRF suffers clutch burnout from feathering offroad, so the KLX seems the go, especially as I have always had "Green" Bikes

My CRF spends 80% of it's life offroad and no probs. As Nikster says, it's down to a matter of taste. At one point there was a Bht20k difference between the two, and for Bht20k you can do a lot of upgrades that will take the CRF way past the KLX.

If you do get the CRF...put a 13t front sprocket on it before any other mod...

[bazmlb]

You looking at buying new or used?

looking at used, both pretty clean klx at 67k and crf at 87k

[papa al]

I would think they are at least 1% the same?

yes maybe

the levers, the plastics compound, tubes, a few nuts & bolts, but for all intensive purposes, no.

I'd have guess far more identical parts.

No real data though.

What is your source?

[thaiguzzi]

Lifan cross 200. Air cooled, carb, and kickstart if electrics/battery lets you down in the middle of nowhere. 40-50k new depending from whom and where. That is a third of the price. I am not into my Japanese brand names, so it don't bother me if it says Honsukiyamasaki on the tank or Lifan. They are all made here in Thailand. Some of those Chinese dual sport bikes are getting huge mileages in the US with very few problems.

[thaiguzzi]

I forgot to add, yes i am a Luddite and have a paranoia for electronics.

[taninthai]

IMO CRF is way easier to ride and smoother. It might come down to a matter of taste, really. The CRF is a bit weaker when it comes to off-roading, not as tough as the KLX, but for the price difference you can easily toughen up the CRF. Hard-core off roaders seem to prefer the KLX.

^

exactly what he said ,there is very little difference between these bikes ,and it s more down to personal taste or brand preference ,there both great bikes the only problem with both of them is that after you have dropped them 3 or 4 times in a day they get a little heavy and tiring to pick up...........

oh and the last paragraph hardcore off roaders prefer ktm......

[taninthai]

IMO CRF is way easier to ride and smoother. It might come down to a matter of taste, really. The CRF is a bit weaker when it comes to off-roading, not as tough as the KLX, but for the price difference you can easily toughen up the CRF. Hard-core off roaders seem to prefer the KLX.

hard core off roaders dont really ride dual purpose bikes, yeah sorry pedantic

but yes you're correct the klx has the edge off road....

i dislike honda marketing using the crf name on 2 bikes that may look a like but are 100% not the same,

kinda lame to me.

umm kawasaki has done exactly the same with the klx marketing

the real klx below.

[pokerkid]

IMO CRF is way easier to ride and smoother. It might come down to a matter of taste, really. The CRF is a bit weaker when it comes to off-roading, not as tough as the KLX, but for the price difference you can easily toughen up the CRF. Hard-core off roaders seem to prefer the KLX.

hard core off roaders dont really ride dual purpose bikes, yeah sorry pedantic

but yes you're correct the klx has the edge off road....

i dislike honda marketing using the crf name on 2 bikes that may look a like but are 100% not the same,

kinda lame to me.

umm kawasaki has done exactly the same with the klx marketing

the real klx below.

2010-kawasaki-kx250.jpg

not really, kawasaki calls the real motorcross bikes kx like the one in the picture you added.

[taninthai]

^

oh shame on me looks like i need to learn to read........555

you get the idea though all manufactures do it ninja,cbr etc etc.

[ktm jeff]

The clutch problems on the Honda CRF is widely known ,( its a vibration spring / plate fault ) , but can be rectified . Both bikes respond well to several mods - bars , handguards , gearing , exhausts etc , up to individual owners taste and percieved use . I think it better to start of with the better quality of the Kawasaki in the first place , and go from there .The KX bikes are "true" off-road bikes , no green books and frightning performance / maintainence costs . Or spend nearly half-a-million on a KTM !!.

[taninthai]

The clutch problems on the Honda CRF is widely known ,( its a vibration spring / plate fault ) , but can be rectified . Both bikes respond well to several mods - bars , handguards , gearing , exhausts etc , up to individual owners taste and percieved use . I think it better to start of with the better quality of the Kawasaki in the first place , and go from there .The KX bikes are "true" off-road bikes , no green books and frightning performance / maintainence costs . Or spend nearly half-a-million on a KTM !!.

wow ktm jeff you seem to be really unlucky with yours you mention engine ,gearbox and clutch problems.i had the crf for a year used only off road ,i did give it a fair amount of abuse and i didn't have any of the problems you mentioned.

how did honda deal with your problems.i guess from all them bad experiences you didn't like the bike the bike ,what happened in the end did you keep it or sell it.....

[Don Mega]

You looking at buying new or used?

looking at used, both pretty clean klx at 67k and crf at 87k

A friend at work has just been laid off and looking to sell his CRF.. priced a bit more than what you are looking at already but his comes with both off road wheels and tyres as well as onroad wheels and tyres (currently it is on road/motard).

Has an exhaust and power commander already fitted.

I think he wants 100k (it is a 2012 model), very clean and well maintained.

Food for thought anyways.

[Rhys]

But the proof of the dirt.. Which bike with equally gifted riders.. will peform a Flying Wheelie the farthest? Distance...

[ktm jeff]

taninthai Thankfully i didnt buy the CRF . I did plenty of research on it , but after the problems with the valves / cams / chains started surfacing i bought a KLX instead. This KLX is a "greenlaner" (light off-road) play thing that keeps the Husaberg FE 450 (enduro) company in England. I took a test ride on a CRF , and it felt very good , smoother than the KLX on the road , but the lack of adjustable off-road susspension and only one radiator (yes , even in England) was , along with several other shortcomings , just too much of a compramise. It seems i made the right decision . Ive seen several CRF,s sudenly come up for sale , some with nearly 10,000 KM on , (so some are lasting as well as yours) , but ive also read , on this very forum , of several letting go "big time" in as little as 1,000 KM . Not just engines , but gearboxs too . Thats not a risk im prepared to take on an low powered bike that should be capable of doing 40,000 KM as the KLX can do . I considered a CRF - Motard as a town / shop run-around (superb looking) but played safe ( ) and bought a Platinum PX 250 , on road tires .A real hoot .

[taninthai]

oh so you have never owned one or had any personal experience with one , but you know they have problems with valves,cams,chains,engine,gearboxes and clutch according to you. where are all these actual owners then with these problems ,never heard of anyone with these problems myself ,would be interested in any links you have backing all these many problems up .

[Neilly]

oh so you have never owned one or had any personal experience with one , but you know they have problems with valves,cams,chains,engine,gearboxes and clutch according to you. where are all these actual owners then with these problems ,never heard of anyone with these problems myself ,would be interested in any links you have backing all these many problems up .

^^ I'm with you TaninThai...the only known fault was the inherited one from the CBR, and that was the cam chain tensioner. As for the other probs mentioned...???? No faults on my bike, or two friends here...or my mate in UK who has one.

[Phra Ek]

oh so you have never owned one or had any personal experience with one , but you know they have problems with valves,cams,chains,engine,gearboxes and clutch according to you. where are all these actual owners then with these problems ,never heard of anyone with these problems myself ,would be interested in any links you have backing all these many problems up .

^^ I'm with you TaninThai...the only known fault was the inherited one from the CBR, and that was the cam chain tensioner. As for the other probs mentioned...???? No faults on my bike, or two friends here...or my mate in UK who has one.

No problems with my 250M (which is almost the same thing as the 250L except for wheels and fork springs). It's used almost exclusively on the road - but Thai roads can be similar to off road!

[Neilly]

[Rooo]

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[mcfish]

Amazing woman, Amazing bike by the looks