2012 Honda CRF250L: A Dual Sport CBR250R!

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

That looks like a terrific successor to the XL lineage.

I love the entire concept of a high-tech, liquid cooled, single cylinder, fuel injected engine! I would love to have a matching pair of the CBR250R and the CRF250L! Since these bikes are manufactured in India and Thailand, the price of spare parts, as well as the price of the bikes, is very low. I certainly hope Honda prices the CRF250L around $4,000, the same as the CBR250R!

Spud

[gloud]

I would be all over the bike at $4K

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

...
For me the difference would be the FI. 8)...

Fuel injection is the bee's knees! No carburetor to clean or rejet with fuel injection! Don't worry about altitude changes! The bike starts easily at any temperature, and any altitude; just turn the key and ride without a warmup period. Engine performance and fuel economy are maximized with fuel injection. This bike gets 104 mpg when riding at a stead 36 mph! Therefore, the stock, 2-gallon fuel tank has a range over 200 miles!

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by gloud

I would be all over the bike at $4K

Me too! I couldn't resist at that price.

Spud

[FastDoc]

I wonder how well it would do on the street in a 'race' with a CBR250. It could be a guy wouldn't even 'need' both.

After riding Roger's FI KX450F against my 'old school' YZ400F the FI has it ALL OVER the carburetor, and my YZ has an excellent carburetor. A flat side pumper carb with cold air induction hot start and electronic control integrated with the electronic ignition.

I'd $hitcan it in a moment for FI though. :P

[SpudRider]

Of course, the CBR250R has much better wind protection. Therefore, top speed should be higher with the CBR250R, and touring would be far more comfortable.

Imagine the convenience and cost effectiveness of having a sport/touring bike and a dual sport bike with the same, economical, water cooled, fuel injected, high-tech, single cylinder engine!

Spud

[Weldangrind]

It sounds like a near-perfect 1/4 litre adventure bike. If I was in the market for a new bike, I'd jump on it.

[FastDoc]

The European KLX is fuel injected. Choosing between an EFI KLX vs an EFI CRF would be harder but against a carburetor its hands down, all else being equal.

I wonder how well the engines have been holding up in the CBRs... :?:

[davidsonsgccc]

i like my cheap and efficent zong but that does sound like a good upgrade. especially with the poor quality of gas i keep seeing the fuel injection would probably earn its keep in mileage increase.

[FastDoc]

I like the EFI for it's self adjusting nature.

On a given ride out West we may change altitude by many thousands of feet, and 40+ degrees of temprature. A carb can't do a darn thing about it but EFI you'll always be right on the money.

As a bonus you can screw with the pipe and/or air filter and it adjusts itself. At the worst you reprogram it a bit with a software change and your laptop.

[SpudRider]

The engine in the new CRF250L/CBR250R is very high tech. Honda applied for 9 new patents on this engine. Check out the quote from the following link.

http://motorcycles.about.com/od/hond...-Tech-Dive.htm

"The CBR250R is powered by a single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 249cc engine that boasts 9 unique patents. The fuel-injected mill features a so-called "offset cylinder" whose centerline is moved 4mm towards the exhaust side of the engine. The purpose of un-aligning the cylinder from the crankshaft is to reduce the resistance between the piston and the cylinder during the power stroke. On the outside of the cylinder sleeves, a spiny texture helps dissipate heat and aid cooling, while keeping inner cylinder wall distortion to a minimum. The cylinders are centrifugally cast for thin, uniform wall thickness, and a striated piston skirt retains engine oil for better lubrication. An Idle Air Control Valve aids smooth throttle response and minimizes torque reaction.
A dual overhead cam valvetrain design was chosen for greater combustion efficiency and in order to reduce the weight of reciprocating portion of the valves. While a DOHC setup is not unusual in a motorcycle, the CBR250R features the world's first patented application of roller rocker arms used in combination with DOHC valves. The arrangement's lightweight components enable lower overall friction levels. Within the valvetrain assembly-- which is operated by a "Silent Type" cam chain-- an O2 sensor and air injector work together along with an exhaust catalyzer for reduced emissions. Charging efficiency is enhanced by the straight path from air cleaner to exhaust pipe, and valve shape is also optimized for intake and exhaust flow. Finally, a primary balancer reduces engine vibration."

Spud

[SpudRider]

Here are some photographs I found regarding the technology in the CRF250L/CRB250R engine.





















Finally some creative thinking and innovation for small displacement engines!

Spud

[FastDoc]

That offset cylinder makes such sense amazing it took 100 years to patent it. I wonder how much it helps? Seems like it would decrease friction.

[MICRider]

And I fell in love all over again... That bike is sweet! 8)

[Weldangrind]

I bet that O2 sensor isn't cheap. I wonder how long an O2 sensor lasts on a dual sport?