2007 Honda CRF250R Shootout Photo Gallery

Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Honda all bring potent 250 Motocross machines to the table, but which bike will come out on top in our 2007 shootout? Check out how 2007 Honda CRF250R did in our 2007 250F Motocross Shootout.

Engine delivery characteristics were described in terms such as long-lasting, reliable and explosive.

Everywhere we took the CRF it performed almost flawlessly. If Honda could clean up the 40mm carb to eliminate the bog we'd be completely out of things to complain about.

Honda gave its perfect chassis a good set of Showa suspension and abundant motor to wrap things up. Whoop sections were one particular area where the CRF could shine.

The CRF250R took top honors in our 2004 comparison and has since topped plenty of other magazine shootouts. The little red devil failed to lift our skirt quite far enough last year, but it's easy to see why it was enough for some.

The beauty of this machine is how damn well-rounded it is. Much like the 450R, the small-bore has a good motor, comfortable ergonomics, powerful brakes and competent suspension - all centered around its tremendous aluminum chassis.

The CRF250R is a bike that can adapt to any environment and do well - probably one of the reasons why so many privateers ride Red.

While Honda claims a 15% increase in braking power, none of our testers made special mention of a monster binder.

The only real negative comment we heard was a matter of vanity. All of the 250Fs have wave- or petal-style rotors now except the CRF. We'd like to see Honda make the switch just for a bit of visual appeal.

All four Japanese 250Fs come with Keihin flat-side carbs, but Honda plays the one-up game harder than the rest. The CRF's 40mm unit is easily biggest with an additional 3mm over the remaining three.

Our pro tester, Horban, raced 2006 Hondas (which have the same 40mm unit) extensively over the past year and had major problems attempting to nail down the bogging problem with alternate jetting.

The Uni-cam motor is an excellent overall mill and ranked second only to the wild Kawasaki.

The range of usable power spreads wide and far, but most of us felt the bike is better suited to outdoor racing where its 35 hp can run wild.

Minus the bog, the CRF pulls as hard or harder than the YZ-F or RM-Z down low but kicks the pants off those machines through a broad, reactive mid-range.

Last year's big news for the CRF was the twin-muffler exhaust that claimed to centralize mass, balance the machine and stifle the decibel output.

You'd have to be one sensitive mo-fo to feel the balancing effect of two cans versus one, but the CRF is undeniably proportionate.

Despite having the tallest seat height (38.0 inches) and longest wheelbase (58.2 inches), the CRF feels tight, nimble and proportionate for even our smallest test riders.

The dual exhaust easily falls under the AMA sound limit for MX/SX. Interestingly, though, our test bike put out 94 dB from both sides at the Motorcycle Industry Council's standard 4300 rpm.

While sound testing when the revs increased to 5500, the clutch side was two decibels higher (98-96). Either way, it's under the 99-dB mark, but keep that tech guy and his sound meter on the throttle side just to be sure.

Honda 2007 CRF250R highs include: Utility player; perfectly balanced chassis; featherweight; stays looking fresh; largest fuel tank.

Honda 2007 CRF250R lows include: Needs a smaller carb; highest MSRP ($6349); no skidplate

'The Honda feels smooth and complete,' says Huffman. 'It's consistently good all the way through and is the most diverse. It just works on all tracks and conditions.'