2017 HONDA CRF250L RALLY
I
’ll be honest, most riders of a certain
generation think I’m mad for buying a
250cc motorcycle. As a fully licenced rider
of something years, surely the perfect bike for
me is something more in the range of 800-
1000cc than a pint-sized Honda? But the
thing is, I can’t think of any other bike I’d
currently like to own.
Okay, I’ll openly admit Yamaha’s Tenere 700
would be a fantastic next bike once I decide
it’s time to retire the 250, and the CRF450L
is also starting to look rather appealing. But
with both costing a pretty penny and a service
interval on the latter that would require it to
be serviced nearly weekly if I got a real job
and had to commute on it, for now, they’ll
remain a bit of a fantasy.
The bike I have, however, ticks so many of
my finicky boxes I’m genuinely amazed it even
exists. If the title hadn’t given it away, that bike
is the 2017 Honda CRF250L Rally I affectionately
call Rosie.
With a stated oil change interval of 12,000km
and a reputation for rock-solid reliability the
CRF250L ticks the box for servicing costs and
with its 249cc single, which is happy to run on 91
octane, it’s cheap to run as well.
Okay… with 24hp at the crank it is not going
to win any races like the CRF450 Rally inspired
aesthetic might suggest, but considering most
of the time it’s plodding along State Highway 1
between Cambridge and Auckland it’s ample.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
I first fell for the CRF250L Rally when it was
announced at the 2016 EICMA Show. It just
looked amazing and with adventure riding
being the aspect of motorcycling that drew
me in in the first place the sound of Honda
reliability in a cool looking entry-level package
really appealed to me.
I then waited for the bike to make its New
Zealand debut. And waited. After what felt
like an eternity for one to arrive on Blue Wing
KIWI RIDER 39