This was it, the weekend of foam and loam was finally here! I had seen we had a mix of motocross and enduro for the moto race side of the event, and knew a 450 would be a handful to ride in the enduro section so I was keen for the Stark, but with Boydy coming for a ride on the Honda CRF250R at my house the week before to test some maps he had been playing with, we ended up suggesting I race the CRF it to see how the 250 would hold up in race conditions.
The track was straight into some tight, tight bush and then onto the MX track for 300m or so, then back into some nice fast-flowing bush for a few minutes before another stint on the MX track for the last quarter of the lap. The conditions were pretty dry and dusty in the bush but the MX track sections were prepped nicely thanks to guys at Maitland Motocross Club.
After sign on, we were straight into practice and I was first up. I jumped aboard and off I went, and I was certainly glad I picked the 250. The track deteriorated pretty quickly in the first bush section and being tight I could make the smaller bike work well in the trees. I was using one of Boydy’s maps which he had set up for more bottom-end power, which made it a lot of fun to ride. I could hold third gear a lot easier which really helped in the slippery, dry conditions. Once back on the MX track I had the chance to open it up and I was really impressed with Boydy’s work. The second bush section is where I really enjoyed this bike; the softer suspension was perfect for the conditions and I felt like the bike had a lot of grip considering how dry it was. It allowed me to turn on the insides of the corners that were rutted and to stay out of the chop and deep holes.
Throughout the day the track really deteriorated to the point that when you caught someone, you really had to pass them quick or you were riding blind with the dust. I was surprised how well this bike handled the day, to be honest. I managed to bottom the fork two to three times on the MX track but being close to 90kg, I knew it would be on the softer side for me… but it was closer to what I would usually run for an enduro setup.
Overall the bike was really fun, the engine was really strong and useable, and the suspension, although a little soft on the MX track, was perfect in the bush. Hondas really do turn well and I found this bike was really impressive on the small chattery bumps and choppy sections. For an out-of-the-box bike it was one of the most fun I’ve ridden in a while and perfect for the event. If I was to keep it as an MX bike I’d definitely need some firmer springs and some valving, but for the day it was spot on!
Jeff Briggs
2025 HONDA CRF250R
RRP
$13,799
WARRANTY
NA
DISTRIBUTOR
Honda Australia
INTERNET
motorcycles.honda.com.au
SO FAR
TOTAL HOURS: 7
