New Honda Dirt Bikes

[MWEISSEN]

Here's from the Honda web site this morning:

CRF150F and CRF230F

Leave it to Honda to bring the excitement of four-stroke motocross to fun loving trail riders everywhere. Honda's 2003 CRF150F and CRF230F mark the introduction of a new series of Honda four-stroke trail bikes. Both machines combine tough, durable four-stroke engines with styling inspired by Honda's race-winning motocrossers to deliver endless grins-per-mile. As an added bonus, the CRF230F features electric starting. Both models will be available in Fall 2002.

Pictures coming soon....

 

[BadgerMan]

“bring the excitement of four-stroke motocross to fun loving trail riders everywhere”

“new series of Honda four-stroke trail bikes”

“styling inspired by Honda's race-winning motocrossers”

“endless grins-per-mile”

They sound like replacements for the XR100R and XR200R! It’s odd that they would chose to call them CRF’s though. They are definitely long over due, but where is Honda’s answer to the YZ250F?

 

[Norm]

I just checked out the pix on Honda's website. The bikes are indeed XR200 and XR100 replacements. They both have front disk brakes (rear still drum). The 230 looks like it has e-start. The 150 i s obviously Honda's answer to the TTR125L - the one thing I like about the Honda is that it has a real frame (you won't have to buy a cradle).

Norm

 

[BadgerMan]

I was not able to find any pictures. Can you post a link?

Thanks

 

[Norm]

I'm not sure how to directly link to it because the pictures are in a pop-up window.

Go to www.hondamotorcycle.com and click on the blue rectangle that reads "The future of performance is here..." This will bring up the pop-up window, which you can navigate to look at all the new models.

BTW, I just realized that the new CRF230 and 150 are 2003 models, so we won't see them until fall 2002 :(

Norm

 

[One Dollar]

They also have a neat little intro video. looks to me like an tamer XR with a new name (and e-button for the 230). Could to be a good wife bike for some. Unless the seat hight is lower or the same as the ttr125 my 5'-0" wife will have to keep her ttr :)

 

[LWilson250]

Click Here for a pic of the CRF230F. I am wondering, where is the YZF killer!!! I am going to be buying a new bike next year and I was going to go with a 2-stroke, but if Honda busts out a killer 250 thumper... :p

Lee Wilson

 

[socalwr]

socalwr

if the crf230 is just a replacement for the xr200, why even bother going up in displacement? they already make a xr250 trail bike. the only changes look like new plastics,and possibly different ergos. it seems like a half hearted attempt to compete with the 250f.

 

[LWilson250]

Re: socalwr

Originally posted by socalwr
if the crf230 is just a replacement for the xr200, why even bother going up in displacement? they already make a xr250 trail bike.

But will we see a CRF250F? How about a CRF400F to replace the out dated XR’s? The question is, will Honda spend the money on the frame? I would only buy a new Honda off-road bike if it has the aluminum frame. And are these new CRF-F’s really just old XR’s in CRF clothing? Are the engines different? Did Honda just stick disk brakes and fancy new plastic on there and call it new?

Lee Wilson

 

[longtime]

That's the cheesiest thing I've seen in a long time. The hype on their site about "the Future of Motorcycles" -- the clock running, etc., set the stage for much more. Even worse, though, is the "marketing over substance" gall -- I mean how stupid do they think everyone is? "Here's a slightly larger XR200. Let's call it a CR, though, cause Yamaha's got a motocross small bore thumper, with a trail version, and this way maybe we can sell it as our response." I'm a trail guy, and I see this as a travesty of their "CR" designation.

 

[LWilson250]

Originally posted by LongTime
I'm a trail guy, and I see this as a travesty of their "CR" designation.

:scream: I think you got something there!

Lee Wilson

 

[socalwr]

lwilson250

thats just exactly what i was saying. we were all waiting for this 250f race bike and honda comes with basically an xr230. the answers to your last three questions are probably yes-no-yes.

can you say 2004 crf250?

 

[GWO]

Small distinction, but doesn't Honda place an "R" after the displacement for "Racing"?

 

[BadgerMan]

Yes, and the "F" at the end of CRF230F stands for FOO FOO!

 

[Mudboy]

In typical Honda fashion, they'll wait for the yz250f to dominate for a few more years, then eventually realize they have to copy it, then they'll FINALLY release a bike and a year before you can buy it all the Honda faithfull will be ranting and raving about how much BETTER it is than yamaha's bike. Honda is not what I'd consider a leader in this industry.

 

[BadgerMan]

I think Honda is playing a cheap game of one-upmanship with Yamaha with regard to the TTR125 and 225. It would be so easy to better the two TTR’s by adding a rear disk and some better suspension components but that would price the new Hondas out of the market. Instead, they appear to have chosen to supply the consumer with a tad more displacement.

They are pretty cool looking bikes though. I would love to have one of the 230’s for my son right now. However, by the time they are available he will into a full size bike.

I am starting to question whether Honda is really interested in competing in the “serious off road bike” market. To put things in perspective, the last time I heard, the Marysville auto plant was producing 2000 Accords a day! That’s one plant and one model. Imagine being an Engineering type at Honda and asking for an R&D budget to develop a CRF250R motocrosser and enduro with anticipated sales of 5000 units! It would be a very small slice of Honda’s pie.

Maybe they are giving up on trying to compete with the Yamaha’s and KTM’s of the world.

 

[firecracker22]

Re: socalwr

Originally posted by socalwr
it seems like a half hearted attempt to compete with the 250f.

It's not--it's a great attempt to totally smear the TTR series that has been selling so well. Midsize playbikes are more popular now than ever. This is a pit bike, a chick bike, and a play bike.

Rumors are we'll see a CRF 250 debuting at the outdoor nationals next year, maybe even the last few supercrosses.

 

[sixstring4137785]

I think it's great that these guy's are experimenting with new hybrids of bikes, but it also saddens me to think it's one step closer to the demise of 2-stroke racing. I don't race moto cross but wouldn't it seem better to stick with whats good and hone in on fine tuning problem areas as Kawasaki has been doing for years ? No drastic changes thru the years but the KX lineup is still solid and still smokes the competition. I also ride thumpers occasionally a few guy's have them around here, and the 426F is the only one that earned my respect for MX racing.

 

[MWEISSEN]

I found the pics, and the video. What hype! What a (probable) disappointment! The suspension looks the same as what the Japanese has put on these types of bikes. It'd be nice to have something to at least work with suspension-wise for riders that grow or learn into a little more.

 

[wayneo426]

PUL-LEEEZE!

Are they serious? I realize the market for true "play" bikes, and can understand the e-start, but couldnt they give these bikes a little more than rear drums?

On the other hand, could there be a surprise lurking somewhere down the road in the 250/400 race market? Something tells me there is. Maybe common corporate marketing? Remember, they officially dropped the bomb on the 450F six months before they were available...... Maybe we'll hear about the 2003CRF'S in the spring? :cool:

 

[stormer94]

sixstring4137785

Don't think of it as the demise of the 2-stroke, but more importantly the future of our hobby/sport. Although the 150 and 230 are NOT the future of 4 strokes, but the cr450f, yz250f, yz426 and KTM400sx and that like are the future of four stroke technology. If it's easier to ride, goes fast as heck and keeps the "greenies" of our backs, it's a positive thing.

Disguising an xr100 as a race bike is not a positive thing. ALthough I don't believe that Honda made that claim specifically 'race bike', but the name of the bike CRF150F sure implies it. So that cheapens the CR lineage or makes a mockery of it in the very least. Which is quite a shame. CR used to mean race, XR used to mean recreational and entry level... not anymore. Maybe they should have called them CTR, kind like TTR and they got to use the letters 'C' and 'R' in the title but it would have pointed to a mid sized family/kid trail bike.

 

[stormer94]

Chick bike? I've had a mess of fun on our TTR... You callin me a Chick?! :p jk

 

[OnAnySunday]

It appears to me that Honda is trying to ride the wave of the growing populatity of Moto & Supercross with the general population.

This raises questions though.
Will they phase out the XR line?
Will there be a serious MX/SX version (CRfXXXR) as well as the play bike line (CRFXXXF)?

Hopefully Honda wont axe the XR series (upgrade it sure but dont axe it), just cause they think that the kiddies want to look like motoclones.
Heck i'd like to see them bring back the XL series for that matter.

Honda, if your listening, DON'T DO IT!!! :(

 

[MWEISSEN]

I'll bet they'll keep the XR name on the bikes with lights. I'll bet that the CRXXXF is a play on the CR and motocross popularity. Besides wives, the 150 and 230 are geared toward entry-level riders in the 10-15 year old range. Besides full-race 80's, there's not a lot for entry-level people in the size range covered by these. Hopefully hidden in the old-school externals of the boingers there's something to work with for those that want to improve these bikes as they get better. And I sure hope to god they didn't put STEEL RIMS on them!

 

[IDkTm]

I've been hearing that Ernesto Fonseca will be racing the 125 nationals next year. Wouldn't he just make a perfect test rider for a works 2003 CRF250R? Honda clearly wasn't aiming at the motocross market with there two newest bikes and was shooting right at Yamaha's TTR's and it looks like a direct hit from where I'm sitting.