Low budget CRF250R

[RooTxBeeR]

Go ahead and spend the money on a good aluminum throttle tube, you'll be glad you did. On the chain and sprockets I would go down 2 on the back or up 1 on the front, the latter being a slightly more extreme change. Exhaust something like the FMF Factory4.1 is a nice setup, Akra, Leo Vince, Dr.D, etc all work well, just make sure to rejet accordingly. Sprockets I'd go SunStar they have always treated me awesome on my race quads, and ALWAYS do a chain swap with sprockets, even a slightly more worn chain will wear new sprockets faster. I like the DID X-ring chains, although the o-ring chain will work fine. A regular non o-ring chain will have less drag but wear faster. Wheels DNA makes some SUPER nice ones for a decent price, otherwise I like Excel.

All good shit, also if you have the money to dish out, check out yoshimura pipes. I believe thats how you spell it. They make some bad assssss pipes for all types of bikes. And to what ^^ he said, if your going to get new gears get a new chain to.

[Chris Hammer]

I have the same bike. 04 frame 05 motor with 07 and 08 parts.

Dont get an aluminum throttle tube...theyre cool but one good crash and it will pinch to the bars and your screwed. Get some moto hanguards not wrap around. they are just plastic will keep the roost off your hands but the aluminum will cause more headaches than not. Pinching the throttle bending and you can break your wrists if you endo.

Get new footpegs....MSR makes my favorite they are arched and have longer teeth on the edge to keep your feet on. FMF muffler is the best for our year. Factory or Powercore 4 not any noticeable difference between the two. Ive had DR.D..YOSH...PC...and a few others....the only brand I would get before FMF is MRD pipes here in California...hand built and crash warranty plus their pony numbers are the best.

Next time it needs valves get +1mm intakes....it frikken rips and I hav ea guy here by me who build race heads and motors for alot fo the local pros. He did full valve job SS valves springs oversized intakes and new seats for 270$ plus he will relieve your rod when you do your crank for about 20$ extra. Way more crank life.

DO NOT GET AN O-RING chain. You will lose more than you will gain. The second you put it on a small motor 125/250f you will notice...and the strength increase is negligable. Regina makes awesome non oring chains and if you stay on top of your sprockets you will go through 2-3 sets of sprockets on a chain. For faster tracks like racetown I run 13/48 and I can hit 5th a few places but usually 3/4th everywhere. At glen helen I'll bump up to a 50 or 51 depending.

If you have any questions on the bike hit me up on a PM or check out thumpertalk.

[tacomaguy1]

was just gonna suggest thumpertalk....tons of info over ther

[727Designs]

I have the same bike. 04 frame 05 motor with 07 and 08 parts.

Dont get an aluminum throttle tube...theyre cool but one good crash and it will pinch to the bars and your screwed. Get some moto hanguards not wrap around. they are just plastic will keep the roost off your hands but the aluminum will cause more headaches than not. Pinching the throttle bending and you can break your wrists if you endo.

Get new footpegs....MSR makes my favorite they are arched and have longer teeth on the edge to keep your feet on. FMF muffler is the best for our year. Factory or Powercore 4 not any noticeable difference between the two. Ive had DR.D..YOSH...PC...and a few others....the only brand I would get before FMF is MRD pipes here in California...hand built and crash warranty plus their pony numbers are the best.

Next time it needs valves get +1mm intakes....it frikken rips and I hav ea guy here by me who build race heads and motors for alot fo the local pros. He did full valve job SS valves springs oversized intakes and new seats for 270$ plus he will relieve your rod when you do your crank for about 20$ extra. Way more crank life.

DO NOT GET AN O-RING chain. You will lose more than you will gain. The second you put it on a small motor 125/250f you will notice...and the strength increase is negligable. Regina makes awesome non oring chains and if you stay on top of your sprockets you will go through 2-3 sets of sprockets on a chain. For faster tracks like racetown I run 13/48 and I can hit 5th a few places but usually 3/4th everywhere. At glen helen I'll bump up to a 50 or 51 depending.

If you have any questions on the bike hit me up on a PM or check out thumpertalk.

For a beginning rider, or any rider seeing a good bit of woods time, or woods racing an aluminum throttle tube can be the difference in riding back to the truck, or pushing the bike. Seen it happen several occasions. Never seen one "pinch" to the bars, and I work around bikes everyday.

The difference in the Powercore and the Factory are where they are designed to make the power, not really noticeable but there is a difference.

Oversize valves won't make much of a difference without more head work to go along with it. Porting would make a larger difference even with stock valves than he would see with slightly larger ones.

Again, for the average rider/racer and o-ring chain will be just fine. Longevity typically means more than that slight bit of rotating drag. NEVER change sprockets without changing the chain, a used chain WILL wear new sprockets faster. Proven fact.

We have probably 10-12 racers every level from your C class XC guys to Loretta's qualifier MX guys, to Pro XC guys and everything in between that we set up these bikes for, 04-current. All of which use setups I've pretty well described in here, none have any complaints, and all are pretty successful I must say. I'm assuming you're a higher class MX guy, which make a bit of a difference on some suggestions, but you have to realize 90% of the riders out there will do ALOT more riding than just racing. Longevity, and reliability mean ALOT more to them than squeezing out every tenth of a hp.

[LoganFehr]

@727Designs I'm definitely gonna see a lot more time in the woods and faster wide trails than track time. I live on a farm literally within 3 miles of a river, and there's a ton of trails down there. I like to ride hard, but I'm starting to doubt that I'll even get any track time this season at all. Passing all my classes is my first priority, then soccer, then motocross. But yeah, I definitely want more speed for the trails around here. What size sprockets would you recommend?

And about exhausts, how much difference does a slip on make compared to a full system? Say, for example, a Powercore 4 slip on compared to adding a Megabomb header?

Does anybody know anything about the Jardine RT-99 exhaust system? Full system on motocrossgiant.com is $480 and the slip on is $360. http://www.motocrossgiant.com/JARDINE_RT_99_FULL_SYSTEM_ALUMINUM_CAN_HONDA_p/x11-131.htm

[Chris Hammer]

I have the same bike. 04 frame 05 motor with 07 and 08 parts. Dont get an aluminum throttle tube...theyre cool but one good crash and it will pinch to the bars and your screwed. Get some moto hanguards not wrap around. they are just plastic will keep the roost off your hands but the aluminum will cause more headaches than not. Pinching the throttle bending and you can break your wrists if you endo. Get new footpegs....MSR makes my favorite they are arched and have longer teeth on the edge to keep your feet on. FMF muffler is the best for our year. Factory or Powercore 4 not any noticeable difference between the two. Ive had DR.D..YOSH...PC...and a few others....the only brand I would get before FMF is MRD pipes here in California...hand built and crash warranty plus their pony numbers are the best. Next time it needs valves get +1mm intakes....it frikken rips and I hav ea guy here by me who build race heads and motors for alot fo the local pros. He did full valve job SS valves springs oversized intakes and new seats for 270$ plus he will relieve your rod when you do your crank for about 20$ extra. Way more crank life. DO NOT GET AN O-RING chain. You will lose more than you will gain. The second you put it on a small motor 125/250f you will notice...and the strength increase is negligable. Regina makes awesome non oring chains and if you stay on top of your sprockets you will go through 2-3 sets of sprockets on a chain. For faster tracks like racetown I run 13/48 and I can hit 5th a few places but usually 3/4th everywhere. At glen helen I'll bump up to a 50 or 51 depending. If you have any questions on the bike hit me up on a PM or check out thumpertalk.

For a beginning rider, or any rider seeing a good bit of woods time, or woods racing an aluminum throttle tube can be the difference in riding back to the truck, or pushing the bike. Seen it happen several occasions. Never seen one "pinch" to the bars, and I work around bikes everyday. The difference in the Powercore and the Factory are where they are designed to make the power, not really noticeable but there is a difference. Oversize valves won't make much of a difference without more head work to go along with it. Porting would make a larger difference even with stock valves than he would see with slightly larger ones. Again, for the average rider/racer and o-ring chain will be just fine. Longevity typically means more than that slight bit of rotating drag. NEVER change sprockets without changing the chain, a used chain WILL wear new sprockets faster. Proven fact. We have probably 10-12 racers every level from your C class XC guys to Loretta's qualifier MX guys, to Pro XC guys and everything in between that we set up these bikes for, 04-current. All of which use setups I've pretty well described in here, none have any complaints, and all are pretty successful I must say. I'm assuming you're a higher class MX guy, which make a bit of a difference on some suggestions, but you have to realize 90% of the riders out there will do ALOT more riding than just racing. Longevity, and reliability mean ALOT more to them than squeezing out every tenth of a hp.

Your right about the valves my guy who did my head ported it as well but I figured any good head guy would do the same...I'm probably wrong.

I trail ride frequently and usually have to carry 1-2 aluminum bottles with extra gas even with my desert tank. If I didnt carry my tools I would have been stuck out in the mountains because of my aluminum throttle tube. I cartwheeled down a rocky rutted slope and I guess im the 1/1000000 guys that experienced my throttle tube getting smashed ans actually preventing me from closing or moving the throttle. It was smashed near the end so I actually removed my handguard (aluminum pain the ass ones...i hate em so i went to plastic now) worked the throttle tube off the side of the bars and clamped the throttle housing back down with the throttle tube hanging off past the dented/pinched area. Probably 1/1000000 thing but a plastic one will crack but still be able to twist at least.

I am wrong on the sprocket thing and dont know what I was day dreaming on when I wrote that. And I just moved out so beerpong early in the day doesnt help either. Either way I've never had any luck with o ring chain lasting any longer than a regular one...even with proper maintanence. And the rolling resistance is alot different between the two at least to me.... I have several chains and sprockets so I dont have 2 masterlinks when I do gearing changes...my chains/sprockets see alot less wear becasue they get changed 3-4 times a month or more.

The powercore 4 and Factory system do make power in different areas...for the OP i would lean toward the Powercore especially if you arent gonna race but trail ride. I felt more mid range with the Powercore vs Factory. I'm not gonna race any more but really the only changes to my bike will be the desert tank will be put back on...and suspension revalved.

And I'm not a high level racer...riding my whole life and started racing beginning this year. First race was beginner...than second was novice....and now I settle in Novice or Amatueur depending on the event. In GrandPrix's I do better than just Moto because I grew up riding desert and trails. I have to take it easy because any serious injuries could disqualify me from the navy or a future in Law enforcement which are my two goals right now.

[Chris Hammer]

@727Designs I'm definitely gonna see a lot more time in the woods and faster wide trails than track time. I live on a farm literally within 3 miles of a river, and there's a ton of trails down there. I like to ride hard, but I'm starting to doubt that I'll even get any track time this season at all. Passing all my classes is my first priority, then soccer, then motocross. But yeah, I definitely want more speed for the trails around here. What size sprockets would you recommend? And about exhausts, how much difference does a slip on make compared to a full system? Say, for example, a Powercore 4 slip on compared to adding a Megabomb header? Does anybody know anything about the Jardine RT-99 exhaust system? Full system on motocrossgiant.com is $480 and the slip on is $360. http://www.motocrossgiant.com/JARDINE_RT_99_FULL_SYSTEM_ALUMINUM_CAN_HONDA_p/x11-131.htm

Jardine builds quality pipes but as far as their pipe for the crf250 i dont know.....but I found the powercore 4 online right now for 250$ and the megabomb headers are on ebay for 150$ usually thats 400 for the full system.

If you are going to be doing alot of fast trails go with 15/48...its big and really the biggest negative is that if you get in really tight technical stuff 1st still may be too high....but in open trails it will haul. I have no probelm keeping up with 450s or 250 2t out in the desert when I have my gearing that high...plus hillclimbs are still not a problem. But I dont like that kind of riding and usually ride in the mountains...up there I use 13/48 or 14/50 just depends they are close in ratio though.

[727Designs]

Jardine's dirt pipes are iffy quality IMO.

Chris the lick that bent your aluminum tube, would have busted a plastic tube past the point of being usable, atleast you had a way to limp it back. You'd wish you had it if you had a plastic tube

OP gearing would be hard to recommend, everyone prefers something different. I tell people what I use on my XC LT-R's and they scratch their heads compared to what 90% of other people run, but it's what works best for me.

[LoganFehr]

Jardine's dirt pipes are iffy quality IMO.

Chris the lick that bent your aluminum tube, would have busted a plastic tube past the point of being usable, atleast you had a way to limp it back. You'd wish you had it if you had a plastic tube

OP gearing would be hard to recommend, everyone prefers something different. I tell people what I use on my XC LT-R's and they scratch their heads compared to what 90% of other people run, but it's what works best for me.

I totally know what you're talking about with the gearing. When I had my YFZ450, I had it geared way higher than stock because I liked the torque for mid and high-speed trails. The last speed I clocked with GPS was 76 mph, and that was before I went another -2 in the rear and 22 inch XC tires. I found I could use the power the best with that gearing.

But anyways, I'm leaning towards either a Powercore 4 system or a Yoshimura RS-3 Comp if I can find one for a good price (which hasn't been looking good so far). Any advice on jetting for either of those?

[Bigsix]

Surprised no one has mentioned something very important to going faster off-road, suspension. Upgrades in this area can make lap time lower. Not to mention it makes the ride easier on you, less fatigue, less fighting the bike through choppy sections, lets you focus on what youre doing and you'll be faster as a result.