CRF 250 R (MY2022)

The CRF 250 R is a motocross bike and nothing else, and Honda builds it that way on purpose. At its center is a 249 cc liquid-cooled single that loves revs and saves its strongest pull for the top end. It still stays easy to manage off the bottom, so it doesn't punish you when you get a gear wrong out of a rut. The rigid aluminum twin-spar frame carries fully adjustable Showa suspension, with 12.2 in (310 mm) of travel up front and 12.3 in (312 mm) at the rear. Honda adds launch control and selectable ride modes, then stops there. It's a well-tuned race package with no gimmicks, and that is Honda at its best.

This bike is for riders who race, or who train like they do. A 44 hp quarter-liter makes you work for your speed. You carry corner speed, you keep the engine spinning, and you pick precise lines through braking bumps. Do that and it pays you back. The chassis is tough and the aftermarket support runs deep, so it holds up well to a hard season and to years of tuning. The honest caveat is that this is a race tool with race-tool demands. The seat is tall, the tank is small, and riders who ride lazily or mostly on trails won't get the best out of it.