Honda CRF250L Common Problems & buyers guide

well with 8 years of ownership and over 30k miles done i thought i would put this video togather
if you have or planning to get a 2nd hand honda crf250l i thnik this video might help you

if you enjoyed this and want to you could

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Video Content
00:00-00:16 - Intro
00:17-01:00 - 2nd hand
01:00-03:50 - What to look for
03:50-07:00 - Looked After?
07:00-08:24 - Mot Check
08:30-11:23 - Outside check
11:24-14:20 - In Depth Check
14:21-15:20 - Summing up
15:20-15:46 - End

[xbnnqll]

Really valuable advice—thanks! Also watched your top 5 don’ts, which I found both logical and very entertaining (and v amusing, having just watched the missenden flyer’s top 5 dos)

[afenijmeijer]

Itchy Boots has just done some 40000km on one of these around Southern Africa. Incredible bike. She eventually did a 1000km Rally/race on it and the sub frame broke. This, as a result of carrying lots of luggage and spare fuel bladders on her travels. She bought it with some 25000km on it if I recall. Incredible bike, like all Hondas.

[oldmanevasion]

Great info! Thanks a lot, I feel a lot more confident looking at the used bike tomorrow

[teamtempest]

Bought a new one back in 2013 (3.6k delivered!), unmodified other than acerbis handguards, forks and battery I agree with, quite poor. Still got it to this day, great addition to the collection.

[angryviking]

Plan on keeping things mostly stock on my 300L. Maybe a bong holder.

[Kenla]

Excellent video. Everyone hates the stock irc tires but I can’t fault them. I do loose gravel, sand, fire roads, asphalt etc and like the bike they always get me to my destination. There is no such thing as a perfect tire but the stock tires were a excellent choice by Honda IMHO.

[hblake]

Very tempted to get one of these for green lanes (tiger is a bit big and heavy) some great advice on the second hand buying 👍

[gremlin]

I heard that about the 13 tooth front sprocket that's why I went with the larger rear sprocketyboo 😉nice vid & some sound advice

[furiousgriz]

Awesome advice ! Thanks for this! Itll come in handy when i start looking for bigger better bikes...

[samsara]

Solid video, but where I think I might disagree or question, regards tail tidy, is which one you buy and additional precautions taken. There's a particular plug and play version available in the UK that's enclosed underneath, has no gaps around the light, and where there are a few machined holes in the design (e.g., for the brake light wire) these can easily and unobtrusively covered with tape.

[Rosbif]

I'd recommend a radiator guard as a good add on.

[mjc]

Great vid pezza... yes everything as MR Honda intended!! I even like the stock hand and feet levers - they bend back unlike the anodized aluminium from China !! especially don’t bother with the Ejk stuff that has proven only 1-2hp over stock (for a significant investment) - for that money you can get a cbr300r engine and swap and have “as MR Honda intended.. other things I would accept are unifilter washable filter and lithium battery - I would also consider an aftermarket exhaust - agreed on fork seals both my 250l and 300 rally (cbr engine swap) have blown a set of seals (80% off road riding lots of dust in SE QLD!!)
Please buy the new 300L to replace the trusty 250 :D

[jimbob]

Just thinking about getting one instead of a ktm exf. Teally helpful. Ta

[josephpotterf]

Thanks I just bought a 2016 crf250l and previous owner did a bunch of mods so I’m taking them off. Luckily he had the original exhaust. So while installing that I found he unplugged the emission stuff and had a fuel controller. I’m in the leave it alone camp when it comes to engine mods. If it’s not powerful enough get a GS.

[zeez]

Great advice especially about oil filter gasket if only if it was so easy as to live in Asia where more people ride bikes and parts are more generally available at better prices

[johndaroza]

Well I have a 2013 runs fine with that EKG fuel controller I put in aftermarket pipe on it I put a air filter in it a 52 we're tooth sprocket.
You do know that there is a replacement that you have to do for the piston ? That being said EKG air filter better exhaust 52 tooth sprocket are going to do a huge change. My personal opinion for me it was well worth it. But improvement in power and response from the throttle is impressive! Riding hard I get 90 miles to the tank. I bought the bike used. The piston was to be replaced long ago it is 2013.
It has a very durable engine.

[HippoDrones]

We gonna have to start calling you Pezza-Die-Pie? :D Ace vid dude, be proper helpful to folk looking to buy.

[rickybailey]

I just got 1 has 1300 hundred miles on it 2015 it's been setting the gas was bad battery but everything is stock feel good about the life of this bike ! Man had heart trouble and stopped riding it !! But he wonted new price for it ! I got it for 4 !! He wonted 5 !

[waynemartin]

What are your typical noises when on the pavement. I think I have tire noise almost a cyclic rhythm at about 5k rpm in gears 4 up and around 45 to 55 mph. No tapping noises or anything I would consider cam chain problems. Hard to tell with wind noise but seemed less with tire pressure up to 25psi

[RideOnTwo]

Pezza that was a brilliant video. I would like to add that my 2020 tool kit has a lot less tools. Not sure when they changed that. Ask the owner to leave the bike cold and feel the engine as soon as you get there. If it feels warm the seller may not be completely honest about his other answers.