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2017–2020 · Enduro · Buyer's Guide
The Rally Look, Barely Tamed
The Rally takes the 249cc single from the CRF250L, wraps it in a proper rally fairing, and adds a bigger 2.7 gal tank. The result is a lightweight dual-sport that asks nothing of you before you ride it. At 346 lb wet it sits at the friendly end of the class. The fuel injection is clean, 75 mpg is real, and the steel single-cradle frame keeps things simple and durable. This is Honda doing what Honda does best: a sensible, thoroughly sorted package that just works, with rally looks that actually earn their keep on the road.
On the road it rides smooth and thrifty, and it ages the way a good Honda should, with reliability and low running costs that make it cheap to live with year after year. It fits the rider who wants one approachable bike for commuting, broken pavement, and light off-road work. The honest caveat is the engine. It does not pull from down low. It wants to be spun, which runs against how most dirt riding actually works. Push into genuinely rough terrain and the suspension reaches its limit fast, with no damping adjustment to tune around it.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 25 hp (18 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 17 lb-ft (22 Nm) |
| Displacement | 249 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Bore × stroke | 76 × 55 mm |
| Compression | 10.7:1 |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Fuel system | Fuel injection |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Frame | Steel single cradle |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 296 mm |
| Rear brake | 220 mm |
| Front tire | 3.00-21 |
| Rear tire | 120/80-18 |
| Wheelbase | 57.3 in (1455 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 10.6 in (270 mm) |
| Front travel | 11.0 in (279 mm) |
| Rear travel | 10.3 in (262 mm) |
| Seat height | 35.2 in (895 mm) |
| Wet weight | 346 lb (157 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.7 gal (10.1 L) |
| Fuel economy | 75 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Lighting
Wheel it out of the garage and the lightness hits first. This is a tall bike at 35.2 in, but it is genuinely narrow between the knees, so a five-ten rider can still get a boot down without drama, and at six-one it just fits. The rally fairing does real work once the weather turns, putting up wind protection you do not expect from something this small and compact. The turning lock is huge, so tight U-turns and parking lots become a non-event. Stand up and the peg position holds your body for long stretches without fighting you. The instruments feel solid enough, but the handlebar feels like it came off something cheaper, and the clutch lever is the weak point off-road, where two-finger modulation just is not there when a technical section needs it.
My own 0–100 score for this bike against the class, area by area — the marker on each bar is the class average.
Here is where the bike asks for patience. The suspension does its job without protest, but it never talks back with precision; through bends and over broken ground the feedback stays muffled, fine to get on with but never the kind that builds trust. Keep to easy and middling trails and you will not outrun it. Point it at properly rough terrain and the travel gives up fast, and with no damping to dial in, you are stuck with the factory's call and nowhere to go.
Around town this thing is almost comical in the best way. The steering swings to a huge lock and the bike carries so little weight that threading traffic, slotting into gaps, and snapping a U-turn in a parking bay all happen without a thought. The other practical touch I lean on: I can kill the rear ABS, which is exactly what you want the second the tarmac ends and you need that wheel free to lock and steer.
What I keep coming back to is how much shelter this little fairing throws. On a machine this compact you brace for naked-bike misery the moment the weather sours, and instead I sat behind clean air. The saddle rides high, no getting around it, but the bike is so slim where my legs meet the tank that I never felt stranded at a stop; a rider on the shorter side stays in control, and at my height it simply suits me. Hours standing on the pegs never wore me down, because the body position works with you instead of fighting you. My gripes sit at the contact points. The handlebar feels lifted off a cheaper machine, and the clutch lever is the real letdown once the trail turns technical, since two fingers never buy you the fine modulation a tricky line demands.
This is the bike's easy charm. Wheel it off the stand and the sheer lightness lands first; it feels awake under you before you have even ridden anywhere. Creeping along at a walking pace, the speed at which most bikes turn nervous and top-heavy, it stays playful and willing instead, and I caught myself grinning at how little effort it took to make it dance.
The fueling is the part I genuinely admire. Roll the throttle a touch and the motor answers in kind, so in slow, careful going I could place the power exactly where I wanted it. The character asks something of you, though. Nothing waits at the bottom of the rev range; this engine pulls when you keep it singing high, and any rider weaned on lazy low-end grunt has to rewire how they ride, since that delivery sits at odds with how dirt usually rewards you.
I have spent years reading the comments under my videos, following the forum threads, talking with owners at rallies and events, and answering the emails and messages riders send me directly. On the CRF250 Rally the chatter is remarkably consistent. Owners love living with it day to day, and the handful of real gripes all circle back to the engine and the weight.
The praise riders repeat most is dependability. Owners describe the single as understressed and bulletproof, with long gaps between valve checks and easy upkeep that keeps it cheap to live with. Many tour on it and consistently call it comfortable for long days, helped by the plush suspension and upright seating, with real-world range past 200 miles between fills. They also single out the practical touches most dual-sports skip: a locking fuel cap, a helmet lock, a locking tool box, and a fuel gauge. Off the pavement, the long-travel suspension, 21-inch front wheel, and generous ground clearance earn steady nods for competent dirt-road riding.
The recurring complaint is straightforward. With the power on tap, owners say the bike struggles to hold 70-plus mph, and passing slower traffic against a headwind or under load takes planning. The other gripe is weight. At 346 lb wet, riders feel there is more machine than the engine can easily motivate, which leaves it lethargic on the road and a handful in deep sand or mud.
Transmission mainshaft recall (2018 models)
A safety recall (NHTSA #KK3) affects certain 2018 CRF250 Rally models: an improperly machined mainshaft could allow a circlip to dislodge, leading to unexpected gear engagement or rear-wheel lockup.
Premature headstock bearing failure
Several owners report notchy steering after as little as 8,000 miles due to insufficient grease applied at the factory, allowing rust and wear.
Fuel pump surging / erratic idle
A handful of owners report engine surging and backfiring, suspected to be caused by a faulty fuel pump, clogged filter, or injector issue.
Front fork seal leaks
Leaking fork seals are reported by some owners, typically after prolonged off-road use or high mileage. Regular cleaning and seal replacement fix the issue.
Where this Honda CRF250 Rally pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CRF250 Rally is actually built for.
This sits well below the middleweight bracket you are planning around. It is thrifty at 75 mpg and easy to ride all day, but the 2.7 gal tank and small single limit your range and pace over long BDR logistics.
Made for AZBDR — Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · California BDR South · COBDR — Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Honda CRF250 Rally. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
