Ryan Huffman signed on as our ringer this year. His facility isn't too far from where JC grew up, nestled in the hills of Douglas County.
I would buy the Honda. First off, it's the best bike overall in my opinion. The sponsors who back me also play a part, mainly my motor and suspension sponsors. Pro Circuit does both for me and I'd call them and ask their opinion. Obviously they make the KX-F a rocketship but it also needs more maintenance. The Honda can be made fast and very reliable with only basic maintenance requirements. You just can't beat fast
and reliable.
Randy Pekarek, Pro
In 2007 you cannot buy a bad 250F. The competition in the 250 class is closer then ever. All of the bikes are ready to race out of the box with some minor adjustments. I had a hard time deciding on the best bike. It was a very close match between the Kawasaki and the Honda. When all the testing was done I decided that the Honda was the best bike for the money.
Randy "Boney" Pekarek chose the Honda as his favorite as well. Strange, seeing how he works at a Harley shop we figured he'd take whichever bike was the loudest.
We tested all the 250's in the same conditions, indoors and out. The CRF performed well in every category. It has great low-end power coming out of corners, feels light in the air and is very comfortable to ride. The Honda and Kawasaki were very close in comparison on the outdoor tracks where I favor the Kawasaki over the Honda just slightly. However, the KX-F didn't perform as well as the Honda indoors. The Honda worked very well regardless of location which ultimately made my decision.
The '07 dirt bikes are so close in comparison I would be most concerned with which has the best reliability, contingencies and parts availability. You can feel good knowing that no matter what bike you choose it's going to be a good choice.
JC Hilderbrand, Novice
Hilde just can't get over the Kawi's motor and is willing to put some money into fixing the suspension to his novice needs.
Because I've already decided that I'm going to invest money in customized suspension, there's no doubt that I would take that KX-F. I feel kind of bad seeing how I went for the KX450F as well - like I'm transforming into a Kawi-whore of some kind - but the green bikes have really made an impression on me in the last two years. Probably the single most influencing thing is the power delivery off the bottom. I know these little bikes are supposed to be run ragged, but I'm a wuss when it comes to running a gear low and revving the piss out of things. The short-shifting nature of the KX250F really appeals to me.
What I wasn't too happy with was the shock, but, after having ridden my whole life without the pleasure of professionally dialed suspension, I've decided that my next machine could be equipped with pogo sticks from the dealer but I'm still going to get it fixed up right. What I liked best about the Yamaha and Suzuki was how supple they feel. Once we hit the indoor track I could really feel how plush they were on short, hard bumps. However, I'd rather get my suspension done than try to get better low-mid power with motor mods and spendy aftermarket pipes. The little 4-bangers are known to require a little more TLC than their larger counterparts and additional motor work seems like sprinkling gas on the fire for an amateur wrench like me.
Back to the
2007 250F MX Shootout.
