While Honda is known for making some of the best bikes on the planet, they aren’t bulletproof.
And that’s true for the CRF250R, which is known to have some common issues that drive owners a little mad.
Below are the seven most common Honda CRF250R problems.
Honda CRF250R Problems
The Front FFS Forks Suck
This is especially true for 2015-2017 models, which use stock SFF air forks.
These air forks are known to lead to issues with the handling of the bike, but they’re also known to begin leaking oil after even just your first ride.
If you notice your handlebars jumping when accelerating or crossing ruts, or your wheel bouncing/chattering on poor road surfaces…you can usually thank the air forks.
Those with air forks should consider upgrading to conventional spring forks, which are higher quality for these models.
To correct the oil leaking or get ahead of it for those with air forks who haven’t experienced it yet, add some SKF fork seals to your bike.
Electrical/Battery Issues
The 250R is known to suffer from some electrical issues, much of the time caused by the stock battery being a bit too small/underpowered.
The battery tends to drain quickly, leaving your bike unable to fire up the electronics properly or start. And the stock batteries may not charge either.
Adding a more powerful aftermarket battery is recommended to avoid this.
Faulty Kill Switches
The kill switch buttons on the 250’s are very susceptible to getting water in them and fry the electrical.
When this happens you’ll find that the bike won’t start with the button and you’ll have to bump start it.
It’s highly recommended to cover these switches with plastic when you wash your bike to try and avoid this.
But this is a very common issue with these models. If you get water in the kill switch button as so many have, you’ll need to have them repaired for the buttons to function properly.
Valve Issues
The stock valves on the 250R are known to cause issues that lead to bogging down, hard starting and stalling.
The intake valves are particularly susceptible to wearing down quickly and causing these issues.
The valve seats are also known to chip rather easily.
You’ll very likely need to replace the valves at some point if you start experiencing issues.
Faulty Fuel Pumps
If you’ve got an older bike, the fuel pumps are known to cause issues.
A faulty fuel pump will lead to bogging down, stalling and make the bike very hard to start, no matter the outside temperature.
It can happen in newer bikes as well but pre-2010 models are outfitted with a fuel pump that tends to be faulty.
Honda changed the fuel pump assembly in 2010 to correct this, but pre-2010 bikes should replace the stock fuel pump with a bigger aftermarket unit.
Drain Hole Threads Stripping
When you change your oil and remove the drain bolt on these machines, over time you’ll likely notice the drain bolt may not reinsert properly.
This is due to the threads on the drain hole being susceptible to stripping over time.
This can lead to oil leaks and smoking…so be prepared to fix this after a few oil changes if you’re unlucky.
Coolant Leaks
Especially for those who race, the 250R is known to get very hot when you push it hard for an extended period.
These bikes also are not meant to idle for extended periods, so idling for more than a minute or two can lead to overheating and coolant leaking.
If you find this is happening to your bike and your coolant is leaking, you’ll want to replace the stock radiator cap with a higher pressure radiator cap.
That should help to alleviate any overheating or coolant leaks.
