The CRF250L Owners thread

Yup...D606...safest choice

As always, YMMV, but I ran nothing else but the MEFO (rear) on my KTM 990. The $ to mileage ratio I got was phenomenal and the tire was very predictable with a pleasant wear all the way down. I've since run the Heidenau on my BMW and I don't like that tire half as much.

Fair enough, when running a big enduro tire on a 250 the wearing should be much better.
The Scorpion front is also a great tire, I didn't care for the rear at all, but we're all different.
The reason I recommend a 606 front is it does indeed wear better when riding lots of pavement than the Scorpion, at least for me they have. The rear knobs were too short for good loose terrain traction and wore out to nothing very quickly. Folks who use them in the Dakar are changing tires daily... Granted they might last a little longer on the LRP, but there's no comparison to a D606 for all around performance and value, out here in Cali where we ride in rocky places with plenty of sand the D606 is king and most common tire used hands down for a DOT knobby.
The Scorpion rear is very similar to a Michelin T63, also a tire I didn't care for with short knobs that didn't last.
Also the Mitas E-09 are good DOT knobbies, but a little harder to find and pricier.

You can get a TKC80, D606, Shinko 705, Motoz Enduro I/T, Scorpion, all in LRP sizes for the rear and of course any DOT for the 21" front. We are running a 120/18 D606 on the LRP now.
The D606 and Pirelli XCMH front setup we're running on the LRP now is working excellent for us, with the reduced power like you mentioned they are wearing nicely.


Then there's always the Motoz Tractionator DOT knobs, I'm currently running the Enduro I/T rear on my Husa, the tire before was the Desert H/T and what I have on front and probably will try them out on the LRP next. Meaty, stiff, and wearing very well with excellent desert terrain traction.

Tractionator Desert H/T













Lots of good choices now a days, best thing for folks to do is experiment and find what works best for them.
Even though D606 is all around king IMO, I've always been interested in trying out different tires for myself. The best thing about the D606 is when you're traveling, it's easy to find at most any MC shop.
Always looking forward to new shoes day, especially on the LRP so I can compare the same tires on much different bikes.

I put a set of K270's on my DR650. 50 miles later, they were off and sold. HATED those f'ing tires. Squirrely as hell on asphalt, always felt like they were flat. Yet some people like 'em.

Just put a Shinko 244 (visually identical to the K270) on a friend's KLX250S (rear only) to replace his worn out stocker. Says it's okay, but also says it feels a bit squirrely. Hes' looking forward to warmer, dryer weather so he can put his Trackmaster II's on. He picked the 244 simply because it was cheap and his stocker was worn out, since he commutes on the bike.

Rob

Those Tractionator knobs are SERIOUS!

I would guess that the Big block knobby would be better to prevent the wobble effect. I did a set of off road Sadona tires that had this problem on the hard pack dirt roads, so I took them for a 200 km trip down tha hyw and they still had a bit of the wobble, so another 100 kms fix them up good.

The folks on V-Strom Interntional seem to like the Continental TK-80's I think they were. I'll look back and see what they were for sure.

I'm doing a set of Heidenau K60 Scouts. If I run into traction problem, then out comes the sipping tool.

From Jeathrow Bowdean

sweet jeebus this got big, ridiculous to try to scroll through and find the info, so Ima ask. WHo's the company that's making springs for the rear shock, it'd be awesome if someone could PM the info. Need a stiffer spring

Cogent Dynamics makes the replacement springs that you are looking for.

http://motocd.com/

Well gents, here's my take on this spring & shock business. The obvious choice is to buy the spring from Cogent and be done with it. However, unlike my KLR650, the spring on the CRF shock seems like it will come off by removing the assembly, loosening the locking ring and unwind the two threaded rings off the shock body. The KLR requires a special compressor to get it off...so you have to pay to have the spring swapped. We have established that the stock spring is about 325 lb/inch rating was what I recall. If someone will share the information in the service manual, the free length of the is probably in there. Then measure the diameter of the wire the stock spring is made of, as well as the outside diameter. Then study the numerous spring manufacturers out there, and buy what you want that will fit. Eibach is the biggest, there are others. Progressive probably has an appropriate size spring that will fit the stock shock. A spring is worth maybe $100....or even less. BUT that doesn't address the other issue which is, can the stock shock be opened up and modified for "better" compression and rebound damping? And if it can be opened and modified...then what does it get modified to. Those last two bits are the hard part. Cogent, Progressive and others are in this business....sure they want to sell a good quality NEW shock, because of profit margins, but also they know a modified stock shock may not be up to the trouncing that many riders may give it...so..they are smart and want to protect their reputation by avoiding the rebuild business. So...those are the choices I see. Personally, I spent $135 rebuilding my KLR650 shock, and the difference was night and day, and I kept the stock spring. My OPINION is that the CRF shock is pretty decent....and it may only need a bit stouter spring for my fat geezer ass, some spare gas and some luggage.

'Morning, Ed.

No Cogent spam this time, I promise, just first hand experience getting the spring off the CRF shock

The threads on the locking rings do not go all the way to the top of the shock body. CRF spring will need to be compressed to access the nut that locks the clevis unto the rod. Here's a couple photos, one a close-up of the top of the shock, the others showing my homemade spring compressor.

No Cogent spamming intended. Clever little spring compressor. Are those modified muffler flanges or something? SOOOOO...the shock clevis is too fat to slide up thru the ID of the spring eh? Maybe it could be trimmed a tad. Doesn't look like any little split rings to ease assembly. Yup....an "economy" model. Don't see any hints that it could be rebuildable....like my KLR shock that Kawasaki said was "not rebuildable" but actually was.

Yep... exhaust flanges. One had to be carved on with a dremel tool to fit.

Edit: found another pic of the shock w/o spring. You can see that the bottom is pressfit and according to Rick at CD can be separated in order to rebuild/revalve.

Damn clever! Good to know rebuild might be possible

I just got off the phone with Scotts about getting a Damper.

The kit will NOT support Rox risers. Also to use the kit they make for the LRP you would also need to be using 7/8 bars without cross bar.
It also would NOT work with HDB's top bar mount as the Damper kit comes with the top clamp.

I have Rox risers with 1 1/8 protaper HDB set up.

They were very helpful and listened to my needs and are going to see what they can do for me using the universal set up ... just some FYI for ya.

I can update later if anybody wants.

Someone asked the other day about 17" wheels for their bike, this add is on Craigslist for CBR250 wheels, http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/mcy/3582797224.html

John

Very SERIOUS...look well priced too. Wonder how they fair on pavement and muddy/woods conditions?

One would guess seriously squirmy on dry pavement, serious FUN in muddy/woods...and a serious ticket to have a 1:1 encounter with God on wet pavement

I bought a DRC led tail light and some 602DRC LED flashers http://www.wheelingc...2/24/1406.shtml
along with 2 DRC IC Relays http://www.wheelingc.../36/24/62.shtml one for the front and one for the rear. i was a bit confuesd when i ordered the lights apparently i only need resistor wires for the front and the relay for the rear.. the parts came with little to know instructions..

Electrical is not my strong suit but it cant be that hard to install this stuff. Wiring up the tail light isnt a problem but i need to make the blinkers blink at the stock tempo for inspection around here hence buying the DRC IC Relay.. I guess my question is do i just replact the stock Flasher Relay with the one i bought or do i have to wire it inline somewhere along with the stock flasher relay? also being that i have two relays where would i wire the front one in. Sorry if this is a dumb question, like i said electrical is not my strongest suit. Any help or insight would be great.

i have downloaded the Wiring diagram for the crf and highlghted the lines i will be working with just basically need to knwo where and how to install the relays?

Thanks in advance

Checked mine the other day and it was off 10%. That's close enought and easy to compute.