Honda CRF250L Rally Bike Build

[@D13-z5m]

Just got the bike recently and the handling is amazing for daily

[@woodburymoto5267]

Decent review, no too much distraction and BS, the host is saying it professionally plus, the photography/camera guy is dong an excellent job for the picture/image proportion and lighting. Good job folks.

[@captsam54]

I did the Tusk Pannier rack addition, excellent, and I have the Tusk aluminum Panniers for the road, and got the Wolfman's for the trails.. I got Crash Bars from the Czech Republic, an EJK tuner, opened the airbox w/ a 2" diameter PVC elbow..(.98 cents) and a complete ARROW exhaust kit. Also did the Race tech front fork install.. 13 tooth front sprocket and 42 tooth rear.. a Clockwerks digital speedo calibrator.. TST rear LED tailight.. I have the new DR mirrors, love them.. and a Garmin 276 CX dedicated GPS w/ topo.. awesome.. Waiting on a better plan for a rear shock.. for now just try to pack as light as possible.. and my Rotax will mount under the left side rack next to the rear tire.. IF you do get the Tusk Rear pannier racks. you will LOOSE access to the little lockable tool box thingy.. I didn't use it anyway.. cept for my OEM tools still live there... FYI, there is a 12 volt power source (key switched) on the front left fairing, for a plug and play power source..

[@rmatvmc]

*Captain Sam Wilson* Wow! You've got your Rally set up quite nicely. Thanks for sharing all the mods you made, sounds like a sweet build. Thanks for watching!

[@johnwilliamson9453]

Crash Bars from the Czech Republic>>>can you share please?

[@captsam54]

www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-CRF250-Rally-CRF-250-Rally-CRASH-BAR-ENGINE-GUARD-FRAME-PROTECTOR-FAIRINGS/163055087794?hash=item25f6d730b2:g:ruQAAOSw0Lha7Vp9&vxp=mtrYou can also just do an eBay search for Rally crash bars and see all the ones from Tialand etc. red ones too..

[@yorkchris10]

I always carry tire spoons and it always seems like unneeded additional weight. I've seen some bikes with additional crash bars as well as luggage racks. It sounds a bit 'James Bond', but it'd be nice if some of those bars could be used as levers. Unbolt and put a spoon bit or axle nut bit on. I don't use spoons very often, so unbolting from frame wouldn't be a hardship.

[@lukelehman7833]

This is a SICK bike! My Mods; 1) Upgraded front sprocket 2) Yoshi RS4 full pipe 3) EJK EFI controller 4) grips, seat, bars This gives the bike PLENTY of power and performs awesome

[@rmatvmc]

have you done anything with suspension? We found the springs to be way too soft once loaded up with luggage.

[@tuckerharding1]

@@rmatvmc Awesome walk-through of the upgrades. I love my little Rally for fire roads and easy trails. The one very serious weakness is suspension and shocks. I'm 190lbs and even without any luggage the bike is WAY too soft. I mean, it can be ridiculous. I bottom out all the time and it's a real bummer because I love everything else about it. Are there any options to fix this without pumping $1k+ into it? The price point was what got me to pull the trigger. THANK YOU!

[@ph0t0g56]

Thanks for putting that all together. Great products. Definitely going to buy some of them for my CRF250L Rally. The only thing I would change is the paniers. You don't need the racks or the large bags. That just adds to much weight for the 250. Use the rackless sytem Mosko Moto Reckless 40L instead and you have sweet lightweight ADV bike. I would also add a bash plate as I did on mine. Also, I would not change the gearing if was to be used as an ADV bike. With that gearing (and all your gear), you top speed would probably be around 55mph. Too slow for the asphalt parts of you adventure. That gearing ratio is more suited for use as a dirt bike. Cheers.😀

[@stevebrinkert8339]

Really enjoy the the bike builds, a lot of great ideas.

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks for watching *steve!*

[@robertfancher7381]

@@rmatvmc why did you guys not included complete build sheet in the comments? I like to know exactly what model and bend bars you have on there as well as where did you get the 12-volt socket accessory mount?

[@brentoncarter2332]

Lol guys, the bike comes fine!! This is how they sell products from their store.

[@Skilpadjie1]

I just fitted DNA Air filter. And the bikes Response is now brilliant. Daily commute on mine. And little off road so far. But performs stock standard. Also fitted small Engine bars and 2 x 1000 Lumens Spots for traffic and night.Rally has 12v Connector under left fairing.

[@PA96704]

The sprockets needs to be changed!

[@iray3242]

I'd love to see you guys do a build on the Kawasaki Versys X300, though you guys seem to favor more aggressive riding than that bike is made for.

[@ExplorewithZac]

You can add a higher rate spring to the shock. Not too expensive and gets the job done.

[@soumarku]

Fantastic advises, very convenient for all kind of riders, the brands mentioned are such an help avoiding hours of net searching. Thank you very much.

[@MotorDanko]

i love this videos, it gave me so much ideas for my own bikes.

[@RjRock11]

Nice build was looking forward to this build

[@hammerhead2869]

Nice build... I'm just a bit surprised you haven't put an oversized fuel tank (instead of or in addition of an additional fuel canister), nor used a shorter gearing for the front and rear sprockets. I know there are some aftermarket tanks available for the CRF250L. Hence I guess there should be for the Rally too. Plus based on reviews I've seen on YT , it seems a shorter gearing helps a lot on the L and Rally. Alternatively a big bore kit (300cc) could be a great option for performance. There is just one thing that I don't like on that bike. Unlike for the L it seems you can't really put a proper bash plate on it. The body kit looks good but I wouldn't feel confident going offroad while thinking the plastic bash plate might break if it was to hit a rock. I'd rather have a proper aluminium bash plate... Sturdier and more fit for purpose. Anyway... Still good video and great build.

[@paulbutterworthbillericay]

Amazing Bike & Kit, being lite is the way to go

[@p.t.anderson1593]

So, what rear shock did you guys go with? I don't think you mentioned it...

[@МихаилСтрогов-ш4ж]

Making the best of a bad situation. Great job. Was thinking to get this as addition to my CRF1000. After some more thought i found out that this thing really cant do that much more. Proper 2T dirt bike is more handy, even if i had to transport it in some truck.

[@damasovi_travels1244]

Love this bike builds!!

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks for watching *Harley RUIZ!*

[@garrettwessman998]

love this build. i ride a crf250l would love a video on that one as well.

[@zzxx33mh]

Follow if you wish instgrm #soloride_zx

[@cheetah694]

Have owned this bike for a year, made 12000 km on it, some TET, some 1300 km of hardcore offroad in Albania, was jumping to the roof the day I sold it. My conclusion: it's not meant for any serious enduro rides. It's a beautiful look-alike, but that's about it. Let me list my gripes with the bike.: 1. First off, terrible handlebar. You can bent it in a 5 km/h fall, like I did. And it weighs a ton. I replaced it very early with an aluminium one. 2. Now it turned out the triple clamps are weak. Almost every nap means the handlebar now holds the hit, but the front fork gets out of alignment. So you need to get it straight on the way or ride with a skew handlebar. I gave up on it, first it falls to the right, the next time you need to fall to the left, and it will be about straight again. Not for too long though! And I'm not talking about huge get offs. It all happened to me at a walking or running pace, mostly. 3. Suspension. It's a slow bike not that much because of its weight or engine, but because of its suspension. Offroad you have no other choice but to stand up on it, otherwise you won't go faster than 40 km/h. The front end looses stability, the bike can start doing weird things. 4. Ergonomics. This bike's ergonomics is very street oriented. I couldn't comfortably ride standing on it the whole day. I now own a true MX bike, it's night and day in ergonomics. I don't know what it is exactly, but the only thing you think about when you stand on the Rally is when you can start sitting again. 4. Plastics. They are brittle. I've seen a Husqvarna 701 falling into boulders at 80 km/h not having a single crack. I cracked my plastics in a 5 km/h fall on gravel! It's rubbish, but replacement parts cost like an airplane. 5. Weak engine. You need to clutch it out of turns, otherwise it doesn't accelerate, and frankly I rode it WOT almost all of the time. There were hills which it just couldn't make in the second gear with WOT. There were tons of traction, but the engine just suffocated. Also you cannot steer with your rear end rolling on the throttle, because of the lack of power, which is however an important technique in enduro. 6. Weight. I really started hating the bike when I needed to pick it up in a rut on a hill slope multiple times in a row. For a guy who is two times as light as the bike is, it's an almost impossible exercise. My right hand ligaments are still healing from that. But I finally made that hill with no help from strangers is what matters! 7. The toolbox. The toolbox itself is okay, but what the hell, the rear tire scrathes the toolbox when you're landing, and I was not even running a wide tire, just a 120/80 one. 8. Lack of aftermaket. Even if you find something you need to order it either from the US, or from Thailand, or from Japan, or from Australia. It takes time, it costs a lot of money, since you need to pay import costs for every single part here in the EU, and basically you cannot even return it if it doesn't suit you, because it will be even more expensive. I maybe could go further on that, so much distaste I have for this bike and for Honda in general, but I'll leave it at that. If you happened to have bought it, sell it as soon as possible, or at least get the suspension and triple clamps done.

[@TheGaurangga]

thank you very very much for writing about it. what do you think about Yamaha wr250?

[@cheetah694]

@@TheGaurangga If you mean WR250R, then it's only slightly better. WR250f though is a much better motorcycle.

[@z50king29]

So what rear shock did you use? You didn't say

[@bullbars1822]

Wouldn't a CRF250L make more sense to do a build since it is quit a bit lighter and you can get a slightly larger fuel tank? Just saying every pound counts.

[@96joe]

Another great bike build 👌 I love it. 👌

[@rodie4352]

Soooo.. basically replace everything? Lol

[@katana258]

why buy this bike ??

[@spartan8390]

Roy Rodriguez I cant think of a single reason to buy it. Perfect example of “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”

[@stefanekmartinko]

After the modifications cost just buy straight one Africa Twin.

[@cheefussmith9380]

Martin Stefanek not really. Also the Africa twin is an adventure bike not a dual sport. Weighs 200lb more too. I agree putting 2k of upgrades into a 6k bike is a head scratcher but the crf250 is a great ds and these are pretty standard upgrades that lots of people do.

[@OnurKalkan]

that mirror shaking like shakira for sure!

[@Big.Ron1]

Did I miss it or did you not put a skid plate on the old girl? I have been on Harleys since 77 but learned on dirt bikes here in the desert north of Phoenix. Now I'm getting the itch to go back to some desert trail riding. I am seriously considering this or the L as my reintro before I spring for the KTM 300. Maybe do a build on the injected 300? So, thank you for this build.

[@walkerskii]

130 mi from a 2.7 gallon tank It's 48 MPG, are you sure you're not getting closer to 70 MPG?! I looked up the roto packs fuel tank, can you please tell me which one fits the 250 Rally? Excellent video I plan to purchase most of the mods you listed.

[@Revy8]

$6000 + suspension mods?? you can buy a very nice older adv bike for that price

[@sagark.c.6229]

$6000 very cheap price in Nepal we have to pay $13000 for the same bike 🤣

[@sammy3232]

@@sagark.c.6229 I feel you bruh! Biking dream is very expensive in our country currently.

[@KREllis-vr1ix]

Can you provide a link to the upgraded rear shock / spring? I'm only finding one aftermarket option from Ohlins.

[@Redrubicon1]

is the Rotopax mounting plate part of the pannier rack system? If so is there a good way to mount the Rotopax without the full pannier rack system?

[@haileeallen7017]

This is probably a dumb question, but where is this bike now? I just ran into someone selling the xr650l build that was done last year and it got me thinking I'd love to get my mittens on this bike!

[@jwbarker81]

How did you not add an aluminum skid plate?

[@williamrae9954]

First thing done if it were mine!

[@meganhartley3307]

What did you guys use to mount up the switches and usb charger? That wasn't mentioned at all, and it would solve some problems I'm having.

[@rmatvmc]

Hi Megan, This was a prototype dash panel that we built for the bike. It's made out of 1/8" aluminum, and we also had to drill and tap holes in the bar mounts to secure it. Just something simple to organize all of your switches. Unfortunately, this isn't something that made it to production for this bike. Thanks for watching. - Wes

[@gtws123]

awesome insight information. would be great to Summarize using the slide show at the end of the video with the prices...

[@villev8844]

I would just buy old crf 250/450r suspension from ebay. No more than 300- 500 usd and problem solved.

[@bradenclarke8166]

So I own this exact bike , yes the exact bike used for this vid and I need help getting the Baja light as it was taken off before sold to me

[@rmatvmc]

Here's the link to the Baja light we used on this build: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/baja-designs-squadron-pro-single-led-light-p Hope that helps!

[@jasoncee666]

Thanks for the advice was spot on and I learnt a few tricks too 👍 My stock mirrors are great and don't wobble at all 🤔 We get the led indicators stock here in Australia, why do some countries have the old styles?

[@SuperSnallygaster]

Awesome build, but if you're going to replace all of that, why not just start with the less expensive 250L? I'm asking because I'm working out the math myself right now as I consider must have upgrades for a new bike purchase. Lots of great ideas here, but for now, I'm thinking barkbusters, heated grips, lighting, tires, rack and I'm still leaning Rally.

[@thejohnnerparty]

Including the rear shock upgrade, what is the approximate cost to get to the adventure level?

[@claytonbalzan2910]

Which pillion footpegs are fitted on the panmier rack? Thanks.

[@rmatvmc]

These passenger footpegs are the Bike Master Buddy Motorcycle footpegs and unfortunately have been discontinued. You should be able to find a similar universal footpeg and bolt it on.

[@Ridewithpinkeye]

this may be a stretch, but can you do a ural gear up bike build? ty! great video!

[@bseidem5112]

Yes! Yes! And use a late model R motor with a performance eval when completed.

[@Whos-That-Guy]

Alot of people replace everything anyway. Eg DR650..

[@dbtrackz33]

Full exhaust no fuel controller ?

[@biker1581]

approximate cost of upgrades? are other better equipped stock bikes available at the upgraded price?

[@ross_rusher0243]

Any difference between the 2017-2018-2019-2020 models?

[@johnwilliamson9453]

You did mention the shock performance was sub par, however I didn't see anywhere what upgrade you actually used. What would you recommend for the least coin?

[@DirtBikes_MathGarden]

John Williamson another comment recommended buying a 250/450r shock off of eBay, runs somewhere between 300-500 USD.

[@johnwilliamson9453]

Thanks, I just wouldn't know which one cuz I'm pretty stupid about these things!

[@midnightrider1523]

Just curious the approximate dollar figure of the addons

[@baranzadeoglu7203]

So you did change every part that worked okay to work a bit better. You didn't change that garbage skid plate?

[@meytavarieli1938]

How does it corner? Like enduro bikes?

[@GilbertCarosinPhotography]

how high is this bike I normally ride a vstrom and tested a friend drz400 sm and am on the very tip of the toe on both bike ... I am still undecided between the Suzuki and this one the probleme the agency here in Mauritius dont even let you test ride the Honda

[@Christofafaa]

Hi, Nice video, shew you really did just about change everything. How tall are you..? I have heard that the Rally is a very tall bike so shorter riders ought to bear that in mind. I had a CR 250 R with no issues... just wondered if the Rally was vastly different from that..?

[@rmatvmc]

Hi Chris, I'm 5'10" and the bike fit me just fine. I never had issues with the height even off-road. The weight of the luggage makes that rear end squat and allows you to plant your feet on those technical trails or when needed. Let me know if you have any other questions and thanks for watching! - Wes

[@75_films]

Do a crf150rb build

[@wallywad64]

What rear shock did you fit?

[@rmatvmc]

*Anthony Dwyer* We recommend looking into the Ohlins or Race Tech's rear shock. Thanks

[@williamrae9954]

Hyperpro(Dutch) or Wilbers(German) far cheaper!

[@CallsItLikeISeizeIts]

Are any of these shocks more adjustable?

[@MrGuano11]

What's wrong with soft suspension when riding offroad?

[@DirtBikes_MathGarden]

MrGuano11 many riders simply don’t prefer it, it can not withstand as much.

[@cheetah694]

It's not that much its softness, which is a problem, but poor damping. You need to stand up where other riders keep sitting and just rolling on the throttle. It also makes the bike less stable i.e. more dangerous at speed. This bike is meant to ride slowly offroad, like 40 km/h, I was pushing it to the limits, riding alongside KTM EXC's, and believe me, it's no fun.

[@andresmolestinamotorcyclee9908]

I Will like to know the cost of the entire equipment or kit to make a bike like these. I am considering to buy the CRF 250L I will like to make it like yours.

[@rmatvmc]

We have a link in the description with most of the parts we added to this bike to give you an idea of the cost on a build like this.

[@zzod2354]

Cool upgrades there ! ... perfect for off ride with reliability 👍

[@abatel234]

Where to find that passenger footpegs please?

[@rmatvmc]

These footpegs are the Bike Master Buddy Motorcycle footpegs and unfortunately have been discontinued.

[@daveyjones7004]

Do you sell this graphics kit ?

[@rmatvmc]

This was a custom kit made by Attack Graphics. If you have this same bike, Attack Graphics can still make you an identical kit. You would just need to place an order on our website for any Attack Graphics complete graphics kit and then email [e-mail] with the order number so that they can put the order on hold and prevent it from getting designed on the wrong kit.

[@edrodrigues3333]

People who buy this bike won’t load it down like a GS. They totally missed it on this build, must weigh close to 400 pounds now.

[@justinward1580]

Ed Rodrigues considering the bike itself weighs 350, 50 pounds of gear is not unreasonable.

[@edrodrigues3333]

Justin Ward About 322# wet to be exact. My guess with all that luggage filled, it’s at least 75#. How good do you think a 400# 250cc bike would ride, especially with all the weight they added up high.

[@justinward1580]

Ed Rodrigues Honda says 342, you must be looking at the non rally version.

[@edrodrigues3333]

Justin Ward Your right 342#, all the more reason not to load this bike down. For what RMC wants to do with it, they need to start with at least a 400cc bike, not a 250. They’re in the business of selling stuff, not necessarily making the right decisions for personal use. You can achieve the same results with much less gear, but that’s not their business plan.

[@angebishop]

No EJK after adding the full exhaust?

[@americandualsportrvifeadve3153]

That's exactly what I was wondering.

[@raceraxe]

Crash bars?

[@darrinlafontaine6116]

Where do I buy the toggle switch mount you have on the bars?

[@rmatvmc]

www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/1156/46279/Tusk-Universal-Water-Resistant-Toggle-Switch

[@robertfancher7381]

@@rmatvmc the mount not the switch

[@jaomap]

pls review honda xr 150L

[@mihhail1988]

What is the MAX weight of Load (my weight+ luggage, or if i want to ride with my wife on it=)?

[@beardedguyproductions3107]

I own one and stock i wouldnt wanna even go down the driveway with a passenger

[@jaymontgomery3330]

Wish it came with the 300 motor! (286)

[@lukasebel3994]

And now it does! Yaaay

[@wesgilbert3030]

I’ve been doing TONS of research as I am hoping to buy my first enduro/adventure bike. Would you recommend this bike as a beginner?

[@rmatvmc]

*Wes Gilbert* Yes. This bike would fit that beginner rider category. Thanks for watching

[@zrkn1]

One of the best looking bikes out there. Liking the build so far but Scotty we need juuust a little more power. Any thoughts?

[@davidhardstaff8110]

by an Africa Twin

[@T0BBi94]

Buy a different bike maybe a 450

[@zrkn1]

I meant more power out of the 250 but thanks.

[@olivo-viejo]

The rider should loose some weight?

[@86Hilux22R]

@@davidhardstaff8110 I have both the crf250l Rally and a crf1000. Completely different bikes meant to do different things

[@walterconn5637]

I like these videos, but you came down a little too hard on the crf250L. It is kind of nice that the engine starts every time with minimal maintenance.

[@cokanyildirim]

Comes with clutch problems, anyone experienced it?

[@rmatvmc]

None that we've noticed. Thanks for watching.

[@lazyfucker5244]

I had an issue with my 2017 crf250l the other day. Had very high rpms with poor acceleration. Could smell a clutch smell. Stopped went back to first and started over again and was good from then on. Was very weird.

[@riaanvanwyk5374]

Clutch not too smooth at times yes

[@1StefenM]

So we bought a cheap bike and doubled its price with mods...

[@andresmolestinamotorcyclee9908]

Belive me, you will have lost of fun riding a bike like that on the off road.

[@scottrtomlinson]

Clip meant to show no vibration in rear mirror shows mirror shaking like crazy. lol

[@МихаилСтрогов-ш4ж]

This isnt dirt bike crazy, my friend.

[@dansobieski9985]

So how much all upgrades cost?

[@zzxx33mh]

250L is not that heavy, so good ..it meant to be ridden offroad 'as soon as possible' so dropping is big possibility..

[@pgirard26]

I sorta have to disagree with the 'money into this bike' assessment. The suspension issue is well documented, thus budgeting for a suspension upgrade is a known and worthy mod. You are upgrading a part on the bike that significantly increases the enjoyment of the overall experience.

[@johnconley9966]

A 400 + pound six thousand dollar 250. 😆

[@nursangsherpa5039]

If you buy this bike here in Nepal it will cost you 13000 dollars

[@wickedcoolname399]

Buy a $5500 Honda, add $2000 worth of upgrades and you almost have a KTM.

[@usmanjaved7232]

Why you didn't change its engine???

[@yessure5291]

! $3000 in extras to 'fix' it. Too bad the factory doesn't do it right.

[@24879067marshall]

Do like watching your builds. You had to change almost every part of the bike. Minus , tank , frame , engine. So not really a good choice of bike in my eyes.

[@cil-6350]

Haha yeah just road worthy a second hand dirt bike :P

[@oso1165]

this bike doesnt cost much to modify

[@damasovi_travels1244]

the one thing I would have change is the tank, but they did not, maybe because it adds weight and the focus was performance and not travel??

[@dougiequick1]

And after spending thousands of dollars Many more pounds heavier weight overall but STILL just a sissy two-fiffy ....help to get RM ATV MC owners richer though!

[@Hash9377]

“Way better” loll

[@tennyis28]

or just buy a 450L

[@chuckbowen4334]

Bike build? They build them in Thailand? Why on earth put one together here..Go to tour local Honda dealership and buy one already put together!

[@howitzeroutdoors]

Just doubled the price lol

[@zyonsdream]

Why in the hell would you buy this bike and do that much work to it. That’s well over 2k in parts. Could just get a more capable bike with that investment.

[@jo041326]

Oh, you doubled the price of the bike and it is still 250.

[@geofflloyd7232]

Or... save the extra $6,000 in add-ons and buy a Yamaha Tenere 700 instead. 🤷‍♂️

[@ImpostorModanica]

That's not enough for hiring somebody to help you lift it when you drop it!

[@sujan7642]

14000$ in Nepal.....@

[@jimijoe6432]

or, just buy it and ride the crap out of it as is.

[@fc15min]

One BIG ADvertisement...

[@rmatvmc]

Uh oh, you discovered our secret! We are an online RETAILER, meaning we sell things. So yes, our goal is to help promote product sales with a bike build video. - Chase

[@1980ify]

Sell Me This Bike.

[@philbrown5512]

Fix your website

[@rmatvmc]

*Phil* what did you experience bad on our website?

[@philbrown5512]

Won't let me create an account, wanted to price, and order the racks on your build bike but it won't let me price ,or even see that they exist for my bike. When I get back to my house in a day or two I'll just call.

[@snjdufloth]

J

[@chuckbowen4334]

You guys kill me. You remove Honda parts and replace those parts with inferior off brand parts and you expect a pat on the back? In most cases you end up with a bike that is overfueling or worse lean, runs hotter, is louder, produces less horsepower. For that, you expect applause. Most componants like the tail tidys, are illegal anyway. Two Brothers exhause sez on the muffler, "for off road use only" EJK fuelsystems usually over or under fuel. Why on earth do it. Lots of expense for marginal performance improvement. A fool and his money are easily separated!!

[@doublex632]

Whooly Crap just buy a KTM, lol

[@UhYeahWhateverDude]

Horrible. All you did was fit every piece of gear you could on it. My stock 250 Rally does just fine the way it is, and I put nearly 600 miles a week on it. Don’t lie in the title, that’s weak.

[@AZdirtdog]

Seems like a rally bike in name only, this thing has the stink of poser all over it and it takes some mighty expensive soap to was it away.

[@MT03.LX88]

So we buy a 6k 250cc and we have to spend 3k to get it like it should be!? What a piece of crap...

[@WardEnduro]

What is the recommended rear shock for this bike?