This week we'll look at the CRF 250F and CRF 450R. Check back next week for another installment of the new bikes from Honda.

CRF250F    $6449

The 2008 CRF250R features Honda‘s revolutionary new Honda Progressive Steering Damper (HPSD), improving cornering traction and stability while reducing fatigue. Add all-new works-style brake discs, power-boosting engine mods, higher compression and new cylinder-head porting.

New for 2008
New piston with 13.1:1 compression ratio.
New cylinder head porting for improved power.
New lighter-weight valve train components raise rev limit to 13,500 rpm.
New lighter counterbalancer shaft and drive gears.

New exhaust system for more power.
New camshaft timing for added power.
Revised carburetor jetting gives smooth power delivery under all riding conditions.
Engine torque now reaches maximum at 8500 rpm.
New clutch features judder spring for smother engagement.
New Honda Progressive Steering Damper (HPSD).  
New fork triple clamps with 22mm offset for improved cornering.
New Showa fork features a larger cartridge rod and new cartridge oil piston for improved oil flow and less friction, plus stiffer springs for improved mid-stroke action.
New rear shock valving matches changes to the fork.
New works-style front and rear brake discs reduce unsprung weight.
New rear fender shape for improved mud protection
New larger left-side engine guard
New Black color (2008 special color†)

Engine/Drivetrain
Powerful four-stroke 249cc liquid-cooled four-valve Unicam® engine.
Lightweight titanium intake valves permit the use of smaller valve springs and reduce overall engine height.
ACG cover, clutch cover and cylinder-head cover are made of magnesium to reduce engine weight.
Forged 13.1:1 compression, slipper piston and rings are lighter than a conventional design, revving quickly while maintaining excellent cylinder sealing and high-rpm power.
Lightweight, compact, internal, auto decompression system and handlebar-mounted hot-start system provide superb operation, hot or cold.
Lightweight Nikasil cylinder lining provides cooler and quieter operation for extended engine life.
40mm Keihin FCR carburetor features four rollers on the flat slide, resulting in light throttle effort, smooth operation, crisp throttle response and excellent rideability.
Carburetor features a throttle position sensor (TPS) that helps maintain a linear throttle response throughout the range and new jetting for smoother power response.
Twin-sump lubrication system separates the oil supply for the crankshaft, piston and valve train from the clutch and transmission. This ensures a cool supply of oil to the clutch, eliminates clutch and transmission material contamination of the engine oil, and reduces the amount of circulating oil, which permits the use of a smaller oil pump.
Dual-muffler exhaust system centralizes mass and reduces turning inertia to improve the lightweight feel of the bike.
Dual-muffler exhaust system also increases low-rpm torque.
Exhaust system uses a lightweight stainless header and repackable aluminum mufflers.
Gear-driven balancer reduces vibration and drives the water pump.
Rugged eight-disc clutch and carefully matched clutch springs for light feel at the lever.
Durable five-speed close-ratio transmission.

Chassis/Suspension
Fourth-generation Twin-Spar Aluminum Frame with forged-aluminum steering head.
HPSD features a compact damper attached to the lower triple clamp and the steering head to allow more aggressive steering characteristics and assist straight-line handling.
Front and rear wheels feature HRC works-type lightweight aluminum spoke nipples.
Front wheel features large-diameter front axle and wide wheel-bearing span for excellent rigidity.
Large 25mm rear axle diameter and large-diameter bearings provide significant rigidity to withstand torturous track conditions.
Revised Inverted Twin-Chamber Cartridge Fork.
Pro-Link® Rear Suspension with new damper settings.
Large 50mm rear shock damper piston diameter for consistent performance under demanding riding conditions.
Link-type front brake master cylinder and a lightweight brake rotor provide strong braking.
Compact twin-piston front brake caliper, anodized-aluminum brake pistons and lightweight front brake disc minimize unsprung weight for improved turning and handling.
HRC works-type rear brake system integrates the rear master-cylinder and fluid reservoir, eliminating the separate reservoir and hose.
Large works-style 240mm front and rear brake discs.

Additional Features
Frame design allows airbox sidecovers to have larger intake ducts, contributing to significant airflow in the mid- and upper-rpm ranges.
Rider ergonomics are optimized by adapting the handlebar, seat and footpeg height to place the rider's legs at the narrowest frame width for improved comfort and handling.
Dunlop 742FA front and 756 rear tires for improved traction and cornering.
Front disc brake cover helps protect rotor and caliper from damage.
Removable rear subframe allows easy maintenance.
Washable, two-stage foam air filter for optimal engine protection and easy maintenance.
Comfortable, durable controls and high-quality fasteners.
Stainless steel clutch cable for long life.
Honda Racing™-inspired colors and graphics.
Cleated rear brake pedal and folding shift lever are made of lightweight aluminum and are designed to complement the riding position.
Brake pedal features optimized ratio to match integrated rear-brake master-cylinder design.
Wide, cleated, stainless steel footpegs are self-cleaning, resist corrosion, provide excellent grip and fold for extra ground clearance.
Aluminum Renthal handlebar (971 bend) is rubber-mounted to help reduce rider fatigue and improve comfort.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine type: 249cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder 4-stroke

Bore and Stroke: 78.0 mm x 52.2 mm

Compression Ratio: 12.9:1

Induction: 40mm Keihim flat-slide

Ignition: CD

Transmission: Close-ratio five-speed

Final Drive: #520 chain; 13T/5IT

Front Suspension: 47.0mm inverted Showa cartridge fork with 16-position rebound and 16-position compression damping adjustability, 12 4-inch travel

Rear Suspension: Pro-Link Showa single-shock with spring pre-load, 13-position [low-speed] and 3.5 turn [high-speed] compression damping and 17-position rebound damping adjustability, 12.4 inch travel.

Front brakes: Single disc with rear piston caliper

Rear brake: Single disc

Front tire: 80/100-21

Rear tire: 100/90-19

Rake: 27.9 degrees

Trail: 125 mm (4.9 inches)

Wheelbase: 58.2 inches

Seat height: 38 inches

Ground clearnce: 14.2 inches

Curb Weight: 227 lbs. (includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel - ready to ride)

Fuel Capacity: 1.9 gallons

Available colors: Red, Black (2008 special color, limited availablity

Model ID: CRF 250R

CRF450R  $7199

The 2008 CRF450R is updated, with all-new works-style brake rotors, retooled frame geometry, and the new Honda Progressive Steering Damper (HPSD).

FEATURES & BENEFITS  450

New for 2008
- New tapered exhaust head pipe improves low-end and midrange
power.
- New lighter counterbalancer shaft and drive gears.
- New works-type multi-map CDI system uses a transmission gear-position
sensor to provide specific ignition maps for First gear, Second
gear and Third through Fifth and produce the optimum power curve
in each gear.
- Rev limit of 11,270 rpm has increased 50 rpm.
- Friction-reducing coating on the clutch basket, clutch center and
pressure plate improve clutch life and clutch feel.
- New Honda Progressive Steering Damper (HPSD). Developed by Team
Honda, this lightweight, compact steering damper improves cornering
ability and reduces rider fatigue.
- New fork triple clamps with 22mm offset for improved cornering.
- New Showa fork features a larger cartridge rod and new cartridge oil
piston for improved oil flow and less friction, plus stiffer springs for
improved mid-stroke action.
- New rear shock valving matches changes to the fork.
- New works-style front and rear brake rotors reduce unsprung weight.
- Auto decompression and hot restart system make starting easy in all conditions.
- 41mm FCR carburetor features four rollers on the flat slide, resulting in very light throttle effort, smooth operation, crisp throttle response and excellent rideability.
- The capacitive discharge ignition system (CDI) features an 8-bit digital CPU for extremely accurate ignition and maximum performance.
- Twin-sump lubrication system separates the oil supply for the crankshaft, piston and valve train from the clutch and transmission. This ensures a cool supply of oil to the clutch, eliminates clutch and transmission material contamination of the engine oil and reduces the amount of circulating oil and minimizes oil pump size.
- Exhaust system features a titanium header and heat shield. The repackable silencer is aluminum with a stainless steel connector pipe.
- Gear-driven balancer reduces vibration and drives the water pump.
- Eight clutch plates provide the surface area necessary to handle the engine's massive torque, while carefully matched clutch springs provide a light feel at the lever.
- Rear axle diameter of 25mm and large-diameter bearings provide significant rigidity to withstand torturous track conditions.
- Revised, sophisticated Inverted Twin-Chamber Cartridge Fork.
- Pro-Link Rear Suspension with new damper settings.
- Large 50mm rear shock damper piston diameter for consistent performance.
- Compact dual-piston front brake caliper saves more than 1 ounce.
- HRC works-style rear brake system integrates the rear master-cylinder and fluid reservoir, eliminating the separate reservoir and hose.
- Link-type front brake master cylinder and a lightweight brake rotor provide strong braking.
- Large works-style 240mm front and rear disc brake rotors.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES
- Frame design allows sidecovers to have larger air-intake ducts, contributing to significant airflow increase in the mid- and upper-rpm ranges.
- Rider ergonomics are optimized by adapting the handlebar, seat and footpeg height to place the rider's legs at the narrowest part of the frame for improved comfort and handling feel.
- Brake pedal and shift lever are designed to complement the riding position.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Type: 449cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder Unicam four-stroke

Bore and Stroke: 96.0 mm x 62.1 mm

Compression Ratio: 12:1

Induction: CD

Transmission: Close-ratio five-speed

Final Drive: #520 chain, 13T/48T

Front suspension: 47.0mm inverted Showa® cartridge fork with 16-position rebound and 16-position compression damping adjustability; 12.4-inch travel

Rear suspension: Pro-Link® Showa single-shock with spring preload, 13-position [low-speed] and 3.5-turn [high-speed] compression damping and 17-position rebound damping adjustability; 12.5-inch travel

Front brakes: Single-disc with twin-piston caliper

Rear brakes: Single-disc

Front tire: 80/100-21

Rear tire: 100/90-19

Rake: 26.76 degrees

Trail: 4.3 inches

Wheelbase: 58.6 inches

Seat height: 37.6 inches

Ground clearance: 13.4 inches

Curb weight: 238 lbs (Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and a full tank of fuel—ready to ride)

Fuel Capacity: 1.9 gallons, including .07 gallon reserve

Colors: Red, Black (2008 Special Color, Limited Availability)

Model ID: CRF450R