Honda CRF 250 Rally - a ride out on North Devon trails and lanes

A few hours out on the CRF 250 Rally exploring some lanes and back roads of North Devon. Long and uncut.

[@peterbrewer6104]

Watching you do some lanes & trails, while we can’t go anywhere, helps to while away the hours in tier 4 😉

[@davidgerrard8661]

You've really actually demonstrated the strengths of the crf without being boring, North Devon is lovely. Good job

[@markdearlove8634]

Great, enjoyed every minute of that. You've got some nice scenic trails up there.

[@mrdavrosjipo]

this has been my life for the past 7 moths in south Devon love it

[@Sumpguard]

What a cracking video mate. Looks like I’ll be waiting until next year for my crf300 rally.

[@Cowley46]

That was fantastic. Thanks for posting and all the very best for the new year.

[@timselbie3419]

Last time I went off road I was riding a xt 350 yamaha , about 25 years ago in the Brecon beacons. Love your enthusiasm, Must try that 300 when it comes out.

[@nathanthepostman]

Yes keen to try it myself Tim. Get yourself down here for a spin on the lanes.

[@southboundeightyone4958]

I'm going to check out one of these this afternoon, might even buy it!! Wish me luck!!

[@marknichols5818]

Thanks for this video. It was enjoyable to see you riding the bike so well and great to see the local scenery. Best Wishes to you, your family and for your business in 2021.

[@dungbeetlemovies]

Don't need those noisy Akrapovič exhausts and the like either. A nice bit of incognito riding through the lanes is what's required to avoid attracting too much unwanted attention and disturbing the natives! :)

[@nathanthepostman]

Definitely. Quieter the better for me, especially with other folk about.

[@georgehatcher8867]

I use my Rally for commuting, I find that being able to look above cars, the light weight and responsive engine makes it a perfect commuter. Green laning for old boy like me it is perfect. Will probably upgrade suspension soon (have bottomed out couple of times) and if funds allow a full Yoshi system because it is pretty, lighter and makes a nicer noise.

[@leslieaustin151]

I loved that! Thanks Nathan. If I had seen some of those tracks when I lived there I might have been back to biking a good few years earlier, for sure. But then it was all about work. Now I’ve got the time. HNY mate, and I hope you’re soon able to share with Mum and Dad. Les

[@Paul-hu3zr]

Great video, using the bike as it's meant to be. Glad you have found the love for the Rally and some cracking lanes on your doorstep. Coastal Toll road looked wonderful.

[@chrishall7475]

Been out with you on a Postie bike in the past and recently the Himalayan and BMW 310 had a good time on both, it is a great area to be.

[@nathanthepostman]

Cheers Chris. Hope you're keeping well mate and had a good christmas

[@chrismayes3588]

Great stuff and happy new year! Used to live in Rackenford, nr South Molton and know that landscape well (many happy hours running around Braunton Burrows with the dog as well...) Lovely to see it again. Now live up in Newcastle and Northumberland is similar in many ways. Watched this in between chapters of your first book which my partner got me for Xmas - loving that too. Cheers and here's to getting out and about in 2021...

[@Belindaxtz660]

A breath of fresh air! Thanks for sharing North Devon with us.... been a few times but not on a bike! Just fixing up my 30 yr old Yam 225 bought recently to while away the hours now in lock down teir 4!😝Good health keep safe Happy new year! You deserve more than 7k subs!👌💪😍

[@matthewsylvester3013]

cracking vid! Hope I can find similar (probably flatter) trails around Exeter!

[@bikenavbm1229]

23 Miles across to Oxwich point not so far from where I live, Oxwich Bay not a bad spot to stop dont bother paying to go in to the car park with the bike go a little beyond keep left and sit on the wall. Nice area camped in watermouth couple of years ago got the little pitch on the headland real nice, knocked a hole in the GS rocker cover on one of your trails down there, a nice guy in a car garage (Barnstaple) gave me a bit of metal putty , if you stay in Lynmouth as I did once walk up the river thats nice too. Tiz nice round there, keep your chin up and the content coming.

[@braapp]

Looks like a cracking ride. Can't wait join u in the spring.

[@timparry5028]

Thanks for that Nathan. Really enjoyed it. Happy New Year

[@jbanks183]

Thanks for taking us along

[@daveyjones7004]

Great video- happy new year

[@jbrooks7797]

Thanks, Great video for keeping our spirits up mate.

[@dongraham1559]

Brill ride out Nathan! All the very best for 2021! Take care and stay safe!

[@nathanthepostman]

You too Don!

[@davemartin8997]

Just subbed, Great vid thanks I now have a new area to visit on my bucket list.

[@garyhulme3673]

Hi, i live in bideford, take my Suzuki jimney all over these tracks but not so off road as you. Love camping in the car park before hunters inn. Great views . Came across your vids as im interested in the bike your on .

[@SpiroZoren]

Great to watch. Makes me want to put my XR400 back together.

[@gordonblackley8863]

10% more mid range available from just pulling the snorkel out, 17% from also putting another similar sized hole in the top of the airbox and pulling the metal screen off the filter. Gains 10% at the top too, free power, just from pulling noise emissions shite out people 😎

[@nathanthepostman]

Useful to know. Cheers Gordon

[@gordonblackley8863]

@@nathanthepostman if you’re interested I can send over the full details with the test data......

[@anxiousappliance]

and with the noise and emissions removed you can make lots of green lane friends. How thoughtful.

[@gordonblackley8863]

@@anxiousappliance the exhaust is still stock for that very reason, I agree with you completely that keeping the noise down on the lanes is very important. The CRF is still far quieter than my completely stock 1200gs, so worry not 😊

[@richardbyrnes8398]

Nice video Nathan, I was exhausted just sitting here watching it. I am moving down to Somerset in January, about an hour's ride across the moor from where you filmed this. I very much look forward to meeting up with you once that's allowed again to explore the area. Quick question: how do you think the Fantic Scrambler 500 would have coped on that trip? Happy New Year to you and your family and best of luck with the business in 2021. Cheers!

[@leighclifford7808]

Great video

[@andydavison7263]

Cracking vid fella well done

[@hughdemorville5864]

Nice one Nathan Happy New Year !!

[@claretbuck1882]

Awesome bud cheers 👍🏻

[@gosolobox]

Really enjoyed the video. Thank you

[@malcolmmuirhead8833]

I bet the wrong way apparently, got a 250 rally a couple of month's ago then found out about the 300, I am very heavy so in theory I should miss the extra performance but I don't, I find it gets me along the road fine without thrashing it. If I lose some weight I may even take it off road too, have not done that for around 30 years

[@nathanthepostman]

Glad to hear you're enjoying it Malcolm. And yeah just start gentle with the off road and build your confidence. The bike will cope with it no sweat.

[@thomasdecker8502]

Thinking about getting one of these for bopping around

[@davidmatthews3093]

It’s just over 16 miles from Minehead to Barry so a bit less to the nearest bit of the Welsh coast.

[@kalnwi2023]

two fiddy !

[@antonyross9957]

i do Gelligaer common , very slippery when wet, on my Himalayan,

[@paulbrook2459]

You lucky man 👍

[@ddbam6684]

I find the Rally on the road perfect, holds road speed no problem I use mine all the time on the road find it spot on. I always think you are hard on the 250🤔 I have ridden the Himalayan also find it fine,but it’s no better all than the rally.

[@nathanthepostman]

Yeah I hear ya. Though I think you're probably being a bit sensitive to the small complaints I have with the Honda. I have complaints with the Himalayan, I just find that bike a better all rounder for what I use it for (slightly more road use than off road), and to be honest, we shouldn't really be talking about a RE in the same breadth as a Honda, or a KTM or BMW. They should blow it out the water what with their pedigree and technical advantage. I like that it's come out and in many ways bettered a lot of the big brands. But yeah I like the Honda. It's a decent bike, but it's not the best Honda could have built and that's why I hope the 300 just gives it a bit more legs for the road where I do think it's lacking a bit, just because you have to wring its neck. I like the torquey nature of the Himalayan that's all. And my arse isn't sore after an hour on it either!

[@thomaskamei4268]

👍👍👍

[@MrAddks]

Crf300 rally or himalayan for commuting and green laneing? Maybe a little tet riding.

[@robertnewman1341]

If you can see Gower (Ilfracombe, if in Gower) it's going to rain, if you can't it is raining :-)

[@mattwilliams9758]

Thanks Mr M, nice video, nice lanes, and good thoughts on the lock down. Can’t believe your lad is 18 months already, where did that time go. By the way, I found an old video of you on Salisbury plain on a Desert Sled (possibly on my list for a Himalayan replacement) what were your thoughts on that bike?

[@nathanthepostman]

Cheers Matt. I must have been muffled. Our lad's 14 months old (unless I got it wrong heaven forbid!). Yeah I kinda liked the Ducati but it wasn't a real dirt machine. Still very road orientated and I can't say as I enjoyed it too much on the dirt, although it will do it. AJP PR7 maybe?

[@mattwilliams9758]

@@nathanthepostman ... sure you’d know the dates. The AJP is the right bike for someone who gets way more off road than me - it’s a super goldie locks package and deserves to do well - but I’d use about 6% of the thing with my riding. Hence the move to something faster that can still cope with the 5hite rural roads around my way. Ride safe. M

[@iangriffiths9930]

I’ve just started riding byways and my number one complaint is a complete lack of signage! How do people expect you to only ride byways that are legal if there is no sign to say either way? It’s madness. Yet there are loads of signs for foot paths! On the subject of the rally I just bought the 250l and like it very much, I did test ride the Himalayan and it was much better on the road, really easy going 🙂 but thought it would be way too heavy for someone like me who was new to it all.

[@nathanthepostman]

Definitely. It is an absolute mine field knowing where you can ride. That slow going climb I was on was marked on the TRF map but on the OS map is very vague as to legality. Then with no signage you've just got to hope the map you used is up to date. Local knowledge is really the only way to discover half these routes. I was lucky that someone showed me the bulk of them when we first moved down here. We also have a helpful rights of way officer although they don't make it easy to make contact. But yeah, good shout with the CRF as your first bike for this. The Himalayan will do all these trails but more hard work. Hope you're getting on alright with it.

[@iangriffiths9930]

Hi Nathan, thanks for your kind reply. Am loving the CRF! Had to buy a bash plate, hand guards and a radiator guard but since then it’s been great fun! Although the bash plate looks like someone’s been at it with an axe now! It’s really rocky here in north wales. I can’t believe there are no apps that we can all use that are updated by the local councils? If they and the police want us to ride legally then surely it’s in there interest as well as ours to make identification of these lanes as easy as possible?? An app would be best but simple signage would be a great start !

[@deanroberts2021]

Love the video & motorcycle sport and leisure , i'm looking for a cheap offroader but they seem to be very thin on the ground. Any plans to review the kurz fs 250 ? Keep seeing them on ebay for £2300 new, too good to be true ? , & could maybe use a higher up camera

[@nathanthepostman]

I've just had a look at them. Interesting for sure and definitely a good price. Servicing every 4 hours seems a bind, and only warrantied for limited road use. You get the impression that if you buy one you're on your own with it. A little bit more for a CRF might be the safer option but would be interested to try one of the Kurz.

[@deanroberts2021]

@@nathanthepostman I think your right the warranty is probably worth no more than the paper it's printed on, have been subscribed to American channel motocheez for a while & he seems to have had some luck with Hawk 250 offroad bikes from china, might be a case of once a few people give ok or good reports they could take off or might just be bad , suppose thats the case for many Chinese bikes.

[@Slyck255]

Sunny Devon rains six days out of seven - isn't that the saying?

[@erikparisher9460]

Love my 250L and traced my ancestry to Devon. It's quite a bit like Columbia, North Carolina where we settled in the 1600's. I explore the area on my CRF like you and I appreciate your tour of my homeland. Here is my "colony" tour if you're bored, loads of bears, lanes, and canals. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j52tlIiCZ5dnfrM

[@DeeDee-jd9kc]

How would the rally compare to beta alp 200? Interested in both

[@nathanthepostman]

Good question and I've not ridden an Alp so could only guess that the Beta would be lighter and therefore more manageable when the trails got tricky, and I would imagine still powerful enough to haul you up most things. Being lighter, smaller and I would have thought with a touch less power it won't be quite as refined on the road. I guess if you're doing a bit more road work then the Honda, and if it was predominantly trails you were doing then maybe try the Beta. But either will do a similar job I would have thought.

[@DeeDee-jd9kc]

@@nathanthepostman Thanks👍

[@gordonblackley8863]

Having ridden my Rally from the UK to Italy and ultimately Sicily, including a couple of days on the motorway, I think the comment about faster roads is a bit wide of the mark, it sits nicely at 70, I have 2 friends with Himalayans, and my rally is quicker on the motorway. Love the Himalayan though, about to buy the wife one 👍

[@nathanthepostman]

Yeah I guess everyone will have their own view but I personally favour the torquey relaxed engine of the Himalayan irrespective of the ultimate speed to that of the honda that does perform but I find needs a lot more revs to get it going. Maybe I'm a lazy rider I do think the 300 will give a nice bit more midrange and do the job nicely. Nothing wrong with the 250 tho.

[@gordonblackley8863]

@@nathanthepostman I agree completely

[@gordonblackley8863]

@@nathanthepostman I agree completely 😊

[@davidroberts7490]

I own Rally and live in Sicily. Next time you visit let me know and I will show you some great routes

[@gordonblackley8863]

@@davidroberts7490 cheers, we did TET Sicily in the summer, I live in Naples, but am moving back to the uk in March, so thanks for the kind offer, but very unlikely I’ll be back. 😊

[@jamesbellucci1356]

NY,NY USa

[@KL-uu2vq]

Those tires must be mud tires.

[@nathanthepostman]

They're the stock IRCs at road pressure. They seem pretty good

[@teneretraveller8980]

If you can talk for an hour and ride trails simultaneously you must be quite fit. Perhsps Joe Wicks should ride trails? Think he rides a Triumph Scrambler. If the general public want to make it clear where you can and can't go it should be clearly signed. That way no confusion and hopefully no confrontation. Not advertising BOATS is perhaps a very deliberate attempt to keep bikes out.?

[@nathanthepostman]

Yeah I don't know if it's deliberate or just a lack of joined up thinking by the councils. Although I wouldn't be surprised if they were keen to not advertise which were legal for motorised vehicles. Selfishly it's no bad thing as it keeps the lanes quiet. I wonder how those living around the TET are getting on with it and whether the authorities might look closer at the increased green lane traffic through those areas. Although I get the feeling we're going to lose legal access eventually so we might as well use it whilst we can. As for Joe Wicks, we need to get him down on a few trails to up his cardio. I reckon I must have ridden and talked for 3 hours all up!