I've done every mod this guy talked about and not have any problems other than getting the mud all over you from the tail tidy gearing and full FMF exhaust with the ejk made a big power different.. I've had this bike for 3 years and I've treated it as if it was a dirt bike and not a dual sport
Very frank and honest content. Its the truth... So many think they can bolt on a new sliencer and gain 5 BHP...or power commander. They've spent good money and want to believe it made a significant difference... The placebo affect.... Truth is....it didn't. Performance comes from the mechanics of the engine: Cam lobes, valve openings, piston, tuned exhaust, etc. Weight loss is a compromise somewhere else...
No clue on the crf250L but the crf300L is extremely lean from factory due to emissions standards. That pipe is also very clogged up too and God is it heavy. Lot of weight to bring the cog up on that bike. We hooked it up to a wideband o2 sensor and I can't recall the lambda exactly for all the ranges but it was pretty fucking lean until it got to about 6200rpm. It seemed to give it a jump of fuel then I'm assuming that's when the cams really started to shine as well. Now we plan on using this bike for offroading like a road legal dirt bike. So bottom end is pretty important I'd highly recommend adding some fuel to the efi map. Never used the ejk tuner I'd rather have complete control over the map and we are still working that out. I'd say the primary mods for off roading is get a set of Kenda Trakmaster Tires, Tubeliss system front and rear, a 13T front sprocket and a decent o ring chain, change the springs for your weight because odds are it is wayyy too soft. No need to go crazy just get proper spring rates for the rider weight and then get a real fuel map and exhaust that is corked up from emissions and it honestly is perfection. Perfect base platform for an extremely good and reliable off road machine. I've already been hitting my old single track enduro trails on it bone stock just for fun. I also own a ktm 250sx and a yz450f this is the first street legal bike I've owned and honestly for being a 300lb machine it is very nimble off road just a few things make a huge difference. I could run some pretty gnarly enduro trails on this thing and have a blast. You really need to try a few mods to uncork it a little bit and liven up that bottom end and get some decent shoes on there. You'd be surprised what they can do especially in enduro and single track riding. The fun per dollar ratio on a crf300L is higher than my ktm 250sx and yamaha yz450f combined it is a hoot. Going to take it to the Missouri Lead Belt enduro instead of my 450 this year just to see what kind of time a comfy little red pig 300 can do on dot legal tires. Just for goofs. I'd honestly recommend it though. If you get a proper fuel map and find it to be placebo when you able to get torque on demand and actually get the front tire put where it needs to be when hopping up something then it's a hell of a placebo. It wakes up the cbr300l's and it's the same motor essentially.
Big Pizza, very wise opinion, thx a lot. YT is full of crap. Wtaching for hours finally I have found someone who is smart a able to think reasonably. Ones again thx a lot for helping to make right decision/buy :-)
I agree with the general idea of the video. Don't modify the bike performance... But... I changed the exhaust. It was heavy, bulky (my soft bags were sitting on it, and ugly. Sounded like shit also. I don't regret it. I raised the bar and is much more comfortable this way cause I'm a monster with long legs and short arms. I stiffened the from suspension. Led led light (no fan inside, high quality one). Hands protections, custom seat, new bar (fucked last one cause I'm a shit at riding) and obviously bigger acerbis tank. Heard a lot of hate about the tank but I really like it. The plug is a shit but it almost doubled the range.
The only thing that lets my CRF250 L down is my lack of skill , I’m 53 and ridden all sorts of bikes and it’s the most fun I’ve ever had . Put a touring screen on mine ,bark busters and some better off-road tyres that’s all I’ve done , perfect .😁👍🇬🇧
I bought a CRF with loads changed on it already. It came with an FMF exhaust with no baffle. So annoying. If I'd kept the bike longer I'd have been looking to buy a stock exhaust to fit. Also had an EJK fuel controller, which from what I could tell just made the fuel economy worse, which ruins one of the best things about the bike, the amazing economy. I did a sprocket change too on advice from others to gear it for off road. Pretty quickly changed that back to stock too. it's a dual sport and crap on road with too low gearing. I didn't need the low gearing for off road either. it all works so well off the peg.
I’m just going to say it... I disagree with most said. I’ve done the all the performance mods and it woke the bike way up and only lost two miles per gal. Also after I changed the front sprocket to a 13t. That transferred more torque sooner in the rpm range and gained 1mpg+ If you get rid of the old exhaust that Weighs like 25lbs for a 5 lb fmf and put a silencer that will take care of the noise and you put the bike weight below 300lbs. Yes it’s not out of the box perfect but no bike is. You end up customizing the crap out of them. They are great do it all bikes. You make some good points but not everyone can afford or is tall enough for the bigger bikes.
yea thats fine and the sproekt change is in my top 5 upgrades, but would not changing the front down to a 13 tooth mean the engine has to now rev higher to get to the same speed as before, so it wont add mpg it would lower mpg, not by alot and it also puts your speedo out so it will read a bit higher.
This is a great sensible antidote to the endless 'CRF 250 Mod' vids you see, so thank you. It's a really nice bike in standard form. I adjusted the (standard) rear shock and it is more stable now. Enough power to cruise at 75 on the motorway (more stable and comfortable than my G650). Not scary loud with the standard exhaust. No complaints from me so far. Now what I do need is a solid phone mount for an iphone 8 that doesn't interfere with the volume or on off button.
@@BigPezza I just got an Chinese X grip mount with a built in USB port. It's sitting on the desk in front of me and I'm wondering "Am I really going to trust that with my phone off-road???" Maybe I'll use the old 7 for navigation, not the new SE, just in case. Also I was hoping I'd be able to mount this on the cross bar above the instruments but it looks as if what it's come with will be easier under the mirror.
hmmmh if you watch my TET video and skip to the 6.30 seconds th-cam.com/video/qX6Z63G0bCM/w-d-xo.html you can see where i have my phone mounted and it says in place in a small crash but if it was mounted to a mirror or on the side it would have been hit by something. but yea i use a cheap phone would not want to put a expensive one on there
Great advice! I've gone up and down, and back up the motorcycle food change, and about 75-80% of the mods I've done have been "ego inflators." My next bike 2021 CRF250L. I live in Japan. I plan only luggage mods, and some USB's, for overnighters. Everything else is just a fad. No GPS, I have a Phone. KISS, Keep it simple stupid.
I agree with all your "don't mod!" things. The bike is great how it is. I was thinking about EJK, but I suspect it would just ruin the great fuel economy. What I don't agree with is "This is probably your first off-road bike and you'll want something better after a year and a half". Well, no. My first off-road bikes (experience wise) were Kawa G4TRD 100, Yamaha DT175, Suzi TS/TC185 in the 70s, then I've owned and off-roaded XL350, XR250, XR600 and BMW 800 and 1100 twins. This year I decided I wanted to get back into dirt and adv riding after 20 years away from it and considered BMW GS, Africa Twin, Tenere, XR/DR/KLR 650s, CRF450L, DR400, Himalayan, WR250R, and even Versys and VStrom. The CRF250 Rally stood out as being decent for 70 mph rides on the road for several hours if necessary while having huge capability to go anywhere offroad. I've only done 2000 km so far, but I expect to keep this thing a long long time.
alot of people dont get the settings correct so they run ritch or to lean and use up more petrol and cause dammange to the mighty honda engine in the long run
I agree with you Bruce Hoult I'm an owner also of a crf 250l all the brands that you mentioned are great mostly riders complaining about the under power of the 250l and the weight, for me it doesn't bother it depends how you utilized or your skill level, the weight is an advantage to me because enough I can pick it up and that's part of your physical fitness how tough you are, well if they want lighter bike they will go for a mountain bike, hahaha.... it's a joke only pls. don't be offended, more power to you all riders.
I've got mine for over 20k km, all good and valid advice. You forgot one,aftermarket levers, shift, clutch, brake... Shift levers in aftermarket are too strong, best one is stock 2017+ they made it foldable and thinner which is what you want, I think you touched on the topic before. Also many had burnt clutches (and some dragged front brake) due to ebay handlebar levers. I'd also add that there isn't valid reason to buy expensive handlebar for this bike, mine was down 5-6 times (only) in offroad never bent it. Replace for something only after issues not before. But, great bike in every way, I still love it.
I agree with everything you said. Had bar risers (1 inch) and took them off because I found traveling on the bike more comfortable without them. I completely understand why people will have different opinions though. Some people might stand up a lot. For some people the more HP the better. Your advice is still sound because you are saying you can do it but in your opinion, it isn't worth it. Something for people to consider when allocating their farkle budget.
As once i was a CRF250L 2013 owner i fully agree about the EJK, Exhaust. They are a totally waste of money, I have the FMF exhaust which was Obnoxiously loud. i couldn't bear it after a 30min ride, the EJK was just a waist of fuel and money because the EFI system still felt a bit snatchy. the best upgrade that i made was definitely the suspension with an aftermarket rear shock and front spring, that was literally what made the bike feel quicker , better and more planted in rough roads. the gearing is also a waist of time if you are really going to use it as a mild dualsport. the stock gearing is right except maybe for the 6th gear and you learn to get proper use of it. no matter what you do to it, it will still remain a HEAVY pig of a dual sport and underpowered, exhaust sound is greatly improved with the new models and has that nice quite thumping sound of a single cyl engine, only the suspension is really worth upgrading as it greatly improves the handling of the bike.
oh yea i have ajusted the suspension on mine but have not changed it out yet but i dont think i will untill it brakes but yea the bikes with a stupid loud exhaust is horrbile. good tips yea EJK unless you get it set up and dynod did you even feel more power? better top speed?
Well said, it was hard to believe how much better the 13 CRF250L got when I added the race tech rear shock and spring and gold valves to the forks. Whole new bike. I did the 305cc big bore kit, so I needed the EJK for proper air/fuel ratios, and the FMF Q4 muffler and powerbomb header for proper airflow with the larger displacement. The sound wasn't as big an issue for me, but thats because I have the dunlap 606 rear and all I can hear on the highway is that whine. But the traction in the dirt is well worth that.
@@BigPezza EJK and exhaust must always be bought in pairs if you want to benefit from one or the other. the EJK alone won't make much of a difference without the exhaust and vice versa. I remember that with bought you can feel more pull a very slightly top speed but not by much, but then again .. it still remains a 250 lol. again as i was sad before, the biggest improvement you can do to it is the suspension.
@@dickheadbrian lol yea agreed I love my Rally, only ecu and suspension swap and it's near perfect for me. Ecu swap (BRT Indonesian brand), full ohlins upgrade, Akrapovic (taken from crf250r) exhaust and it transformed the whole bike. Don't know what this guy is complaining about. Afterall it's not an enduro bike!
Have to agree with all that you said, good reasoning along with each point you make. Bigger bikes are great but they tend to be heavier, shorter service intervals, thirstier as well as more expensive for parts.
@@BigPezza Never touch any spirits/beers never have...Take a look at all the "Honda " Monkey bike upgrade vids if nowt else you will get a right chuckle ( mostly Americans ) HEY i just fitted a new race pipe and new oil cooler and new crankcase with a big bore kit ( ok so it keeps locking up but hey i get another 0.25 MPH outta that baby and it only cost a trillion $
well if you are taking part in a honda monkey bike GP then its ok to do all that other then that its a compleet waste of money... na screw that if i had the dosh i would do that
Very helpful, appreciate the experience you have shared here. Am currently waiting for my skidplate that like most bike parts this year is on backorder, as well as the tail bag I want. I am thinking of getting a bigger tank, the IMS 3.5 gallon, and a sprocket. That should finish off the bike, as soon as the before mentioned parts finally arrive. Thanks mate, much appreciated!
the petrol tank i am like 50/50 on its nice to have but i have never needed it, just make sure you get one from a propper place not ebay or something there is a few fake or cheap copys out there
@@BigPezza If I order straight from IMS it will accept the stock locking cap so will prob do that. Not in a hurry by any means but a bigger tank will allow me to stay out there longer!
I got the Acerbis tank and love the extra capacity. And since it is plastic, it weighs less than the stock tank. I also found the giant loop 1 gallon gas bag to be really helpful. Makes it really easy to carry an extra gallon of gas, and when it's empty, just roll it up and it weighs almost nothing.
Fair comments but I’ve done all your don’t do upgrades bar drilling the airbox. I really don’t see the point of that or removing the snorkel. If you’ve got the bike setup right then you don’t need to force flow more air into it and making it less waterproof seems a bit daft to me. I’m running the full FMF, EJK and K&N filter and it has made a difference power wise. Was it worth the money, pound for pound, that really depends on whether or not an increase of over 10% BHP and louder can is your thing. For me it is, the bike goes better and sounds awesome now. Loud but not too loud. Well, not compared to my Harley that is... Anyhow, great point of view. Oh and I added bar risers as I do have a knackered back... 😬
Thanks bro I really do appreciate all the valid points and information you put in this video...... I need to hurry up and cancel a few things I purchased from Amazon right quick now.... lol
I appreciate the advice. I am planing to pick one up once they become available here in the US again. Right now they are solid out and even to older used ones are selling for just under the actual MSRP. 🤷♂️ Anyway I thank you for the ideas of what needs to be upgraded and what not to waste time on.
the efi does make the bike run lean from factory and the airbox snorkel does suffocate the engine. The tuner will make the bike run richer and will just overall make it run better. The aftermarket exhaust does cut near 20lbs off the bike. However any mods past that are near pointless
Great video, your right on on things not to do. Whats funny is that I have done most of these except the airbox mod, couldn't agree more with this. Especially because I dropped mine in a river up to my waist and watched the whole bike disappear under water. Luckily I was able to get it up and out in time to prevent water from getting in the engine. I did the EJK and the FMF exhaust and header, but thats because I also did the 305cc big bore kit and needed the EJK for proper fuel/air mixtures and needed the exhaust to allow proper airflow. Also I did the Q4 so it is not that loud. But without the 305cc kit, I agree that these two mods don't make a lot of sense. I used the rox bar risers to pull the handles bars back for better comfort on the highway. I live in the PNW of America and have to ride, on average, an hour or two to get to the trails. I am a fairly experienced rider and love the CRF250L because it is reliable and service internals are extremely long. Also with all the mods I have done to this thing, it is extremely capable, and all in, I am still thousands less than comparable bikes from other manufactures. ($6500 USD). I know that is a preference thing but I wouldn't trade my CRF250L for anything right now.
SO i bought mine used with lowered 1 inch link 13t sprocket up front, bar risers, concept seat and bark busters for the same as any other crf 250l with a 1000 miles on the clock, then out of pure luck i found a used yosh full pipe, EJK, wider custom aluminum foot pegs and MZS levers all in one package sale on E-bay for less than $500 US shipped to my house. Some mods are awesome others not so much don't need tidy tail just cut the useless crap of the original and mod for plate it will give you the best of both worlds. wider snorkel on top of box is awesome but side holes are not a good idea, all the rest is fair game!!!!
Haaa love it...agree with everything you said not a bling person myself thats for newbs lol, i tend to make shit quicker than Amazon can deliver it...;-) ride ride safe
I bought a Rally with a Yoshi slip on, embarrassing on the road cos to maintain speed on slight inclines you have to either open it up wide or drop it a cog, both increase noise X2 so all around know you're riding a relatively low powered bike. As soon as I can get the thing off ( think it's glued on ! , any tips appreciated) it's going on Ebay. Keep Power Pipes for Powerful Bikes
Glued on i think you talking about the rear sprocket ? from factory you need to heat up the bolt stick a spanner on and KICK Hard and Fast to get them bolts to undo. dont use the alan key on the other side
@@BigPezza It's the aftermarket Yoshimura slip on can that's stuck, it's stuck fast to the downpipe, Undone the rear bolt and clamp, slackened off the bolt by the passenger peg and wriggled the rear of the exhaust can in the vain hope that would break the seal , but no, the join is solid
Correction: they know what works to hit a certain price point, highway regulation, noise level regulations, and epa regulation. For example the ecu. It shuts down the cylinder to conserve gas when coasting or idling. This is why these bikes (or at least the 300 and 450) have a very jerky low speed throttle. The exhaust is a piece of epa regulation and noise reduction gear. Which is why it's so restrictive and heavy. The tail is to satisfy certain highway regulations about needing a mud flap of certain length. So yes, the engineers do know what they're talking about. But they're not talking about what you want from your bike.
1:35 cmon you cant say "the only time ive noticed the lack of power" and then name like 4 out of the 5 things you do on a motorcycle. Slow on the road, slow on fast trails, slow on hills, and riding with friends. What else is there? riding alone on slow trails? That doesnt sound fun and I would not buy any bike if thats all the meat left on the bone here.
Every body droning on about how heavy slow and boring theCRF20L is has never spent any time on a 70s “enduro type motorcycle!! I’d give them one outing and, they’d be begging for the 250L!
I've done every mod this guy talked about and not have any problems other than getting the mud all over you from the tail tidy gearing and full FMF exhaust with the ejk made a big power different.. I've had this bike for 3 years and I've treated it as if it was a dirt bike and not a dual sport
Very frank and honest content. Its the truth... So many think they can bolt on a new sliencer and gain 5 BHP...or power commander.
They've spent good money and want to believe it made a significant difference... The placebo affect.... Truth is....it didn't.
Performance comes from the mechanics of the engine: Cam lobes, valve openings, piston, tuned exhaust, etc.
Weight loss is a compromise somewhere else...
No clue on the crf250L but the crf300L is extremely lean from factory due to emissions standards. That pipe is also very clogged up too and God is it heavy. Lot of weight to bring the cog up on that bike.
We hooked it up to a wideband o2 sensor and I can't recall the lambda exactly for all the ranges but it was pretty fucking lean until it got to about 6200rpm. It seemed to give it a jump of fuel then I'm assuming that's when the cams really started to shine as well.
Now we plan on using this bike for offroading like a road legal dirt bike. So bottom end is pretty important I'd highly recommend adding some fuel to the efi map. Never used the ejk tuner I'd rather have complete control over the map and we are still working that out.
I'd say the primary mods for off roading is get a set of Kenda Trakmaster Tires, Tubeliss system front and rear, a 13T front sprocket and a decent o ring chain, change the springs for your weight because odds are it is wayyy too soft. No need to go crazy just get proper spring rates for the rider weight and then get a real fuel map and exhaust that is corked up from emissions and it honestly is perfection. Perfect base platform for an extremely good and reliable off road machine.
I've already been hitting my old single track enduro trails on it bone stock just for fun. I also own a ktm 250sx and a yz450f this is the first street legal bike I've owned and honestly for being a 300lb machine it is very nimble off road just a few things make a huge difference. I could run some pretty gnarly enduro trails on this thing and have a blast.
You really need to try a few mods to uncork it a little bit and liven up that bottom end and get some decent shoes on there. You'd be surprised what they can do especially in enduro and single track riding. The fun per dollar ratio on a crf300L is higher than my ktm 250sx and yamaha yz450f combined it is a hoot. Going to take it to the Missouri Lead Belt enduro instead of my 450 this year just to see what kind of time a comfy little red pig 300 can do on dot legal tires. Just for goofs. I'd honestly recommend it though. If you get a proper fuel map and find it to be placebo when you able to get torque on demand and actually get the front tire put where it needs to be when hopping up something then it's a hell of a placebo. It wakes up the cbr300l's and it's the same motor essentially.
Good sensible advice.
Z
'
Big Pizza, very wise opinion, thx a lot. YT is full of crap. Wtaching for hours finally I have found someone who is smart a able to think reasonably. Ones again thx a lot for helping to make right decision/buy :-)
Thanks
I agree with the general idea of the video. Don't modify the bike performance... But... I changed the exhaust. It was heavy, bulky (my soft bags were sitting on it, and ugly. Sounded like shit also. I don't regret it. I raised the bar and is much more comfortable this way cause I'm a monster with long legs and short arms. I stiffened the from suspension. Led led light (no fan inside, high quality one). Hands protections, custom seat, new bar (fucked last one cause I'm a shit at riding) and obviously bigger acerbis tank. Heard a lot of hate about the tank but I really like it. The plug is a shit but it almost doubled the range.
What exhaust did you go with? I'm looking to upgrade from my stock exhaust.
The only thing that lets my CRF250 L down is my lack of skill , I’m 53 and ridden all sorts of bikes and it’s the most fun I’ve ever had .
Put a touring screen on mine ,bark busters and some better off-road tyres that’s all I’ve done , perfect .😁👍🇬🇧
I bought a CRF with loads changed on it already. It came with an FMF exhaust with no baffle. So annoying. If I'd kept the bike longer I'd have been looking to buy a stock exhaust to fit. Also had an EJK fuel controller, which from what I could tell just made the fuel economy worse, which ruins one of the best things about the bike, the amazing economy. I did a sprocket change too on advice from others to gear it for off road. Pretty quickly changed that back to stock too. it's a dual sport and crap on road with too low gearing. I didn't need the low gearing for off road either. it all works so well off the peg.
I’m just going to say it... I disagree with most said. I’ve done the all the performance mods and it woke the bike way up and only lost two miles per gal. Also after I changed the front sprocket to a 13t. That transferred more torque sooner in the rpm range and gained 1mpg+
If you get rid of the old exhaust that Weighs like 25lbs for a 5 lb fmf and put a silencer that will take care of the noise and you put the bike weight below 300lbs. Yes it’s not out of the box perfect but no bike is. You end up customizing the crap out of them. They are great do it all bikes. You make some good points but not everyone can afford or is tall enough for the bigger bikes.
yea thats fine and the sproekt change is in my top 5 upgrades, but would not changing the front down to a 13 tooth mean the engine has to now rev higher to get to the same speed as before, so it wont add mpg it would lower mpg, not by alot and it also puts your speedo out so it will read a bit higher.
This is a great sensible antidote to the endless 'CRF 250 Mod' vids you see, so thank you. It's a really nice bike in standard form. I adjusted the (standard) rear shock and it is more stable now. Enough power to cruise at 75 on the motorway (more stable and comfortable than my G650). Not scary loud with the standard exhaust. No complaints from me so far.
Now what I do need is a solid phone mount for an iphone 8 that doesn't interfere with the volume or on off button.
I think the ultimate add-ons case is what you need. I use a X grip but I have a cheap phone
@@BigPezza Thank you.
@@BigPezza I just got an Chinese X grip mount with a built in USB port. It's sitting on the desk in front of me and I'm wondering "Am I really going to trust that with my phone off-road???" Maybe I'll use the old 7 for navigation, not the new SE, just in case. Also I was hoping I'd be able to mount this on the cross bar above the instruments but it looks as if what it's come with will be easier under the mirror.
hmmmh if you watch my TET video and skip to the 6.30 seconds th-cam.com/video/qX6Z63G0bCM/w-d-xo.html you can see where i have my phone mounted and it says in place in a small crash but if it was mounted to a mirror or on the side it would have been hit by something. but yea i use a cheap phone would not want to put a expensive one on there
Great advice! I've gone up and down, and back up the motorcycle food change, and about 75-80% of the mods I've done have been "ego inflators." My next bike 2021 CRF250L. I live in Japan. I plan only luggage mods, and some USB's, for overnighters. Everything else is just a fad. No GPS, I have a Phone. KISS, Keep it simple stupid.
I agree with all your "don't mod!" things. The bike is great how it is. I was thinking about EJK, but I suspect it would just ruin the great fuel economy. What I don't agree with is "This is probably your first off-road bike and you'll want something better after a year and a half". Well, no. My first off-road bikes (experience wise) were Kawa G4TRD 100, Yamaha DT175, Suzi TS/TC185 in the 70s, then I've owned and off-roaded XL350, XR250, XR600 and BMW 800 and 1100 twins. This year I decided I wanted to get back into dirt and adv riding after 20 years away from it and considered BMW GS, Africa Twin, Tenere, XR/DR/KLR 650s, CRF450L, DR400, Himalayan, WR250R, and even Versys and VStrom. The CRF250 Rally stood out as being decent for 70 mph rides on the road for several hours if necessary while having huge capability to go anywhere offroad. I've only done 2000 km so far, but I expect to keep this thing a long long time.
alot of people dont get the settings correct so they run ritch or to lean and use up more petrol and cause dammange to the mighty honda engine in the long run
I agree with you Bruce Hoult I'm an owner also of a crf 250l all the brands that you mentioned are great mostly riders complaining about the under power of the 250l and the weight, for me it doesn't bother it depends how you utilized or your skill level, the weight is an advantage to me because enough I can pick it up and that's part of your physical fitness how tough you are, well if they want lighter bike they will go for a mountain bike, hahaha.... it's a joke only pls. don't be offended, more power to you all riders.
I've got mine for over 20k km, all good and valid advice. You forgot one,aftermarket levers, shift, clutch, brake... Shift levers in aftermarket are too strong, best one is stock 2017+ they made it foldable and thinner which is what you want, I think you touched on the topic before. Also many had burnt clutches (and some dragged front brake) due to ebay handlebar levers. I'd also add that there isn't valid reason to buy expensive handlebar for this bike, mine was down 5-6 times (only) in offroad never bent it. Replace for something only after issues not before. But, great bike in every way, I still love it.
I agree with everything you said. Had bar risers (1 inch) and took them off because I found traveling on the bike more comfortable without them. I completely understand why people will have different opinions though. Some people might stand up a lot. For some people the more HP the better. Your advice is still sound because you are saying you can do it but in your opinion, it isn't worth it. Something for people to consider when allocating their farkle budget.
Great advise, most guys who mod the crap out of their bikes never seem to keep them.
As once i was a CRF250L 2013 owner i fully agree about the EJK, Exhaust. They are a totally waste of money, I have the FMF exhaust which was Obnoxiously loud. i couldn't bear it after a 30min ride, the EJK was just a waist of fuel and money because the EFI system still felt a bit snatchy.
the best upgrade that i made was definitely the suspension with an aftermarket rear shock and front spring, that was literally what made the bike feel quicker , better and more planted in rough roads.
the gearing is also a waist of time if you are really going to use it as a mild dualsport. the stock gearing is right except maybe for the 6th gear and you learn to get proper use of it.
no matter what you do to it, it will still remain a HEAVY pig of a dual sport and underpowered, exhaust sound is greatly improved with the new models and has that nice quite thumping sound of a single cyl engine, only the suspension is really worth upgrading as it greatly improves the handling of the bike.
oh yea i have ajusted the suspension on mine but have not changed it out yet but i dont think i will untill it brakes but yea the bikes with a stupid loud exhaust is horrbile. good tips yea EJK unless you get it set up and dynod did you even feel more power? better top speed?
Well said, it was hard to believe how much better the 13 CRF250L got when I added the race tech rear shock and spring and gold valves to the forks. Whole new bike. I did the 305cc big bore kit, so I needed the EJK for proper air/fuel ratios, and the FMF Q4 muffler and powerbomb header for proper airflow with the larger displacement. The sound wasn't as big an issue for me, but thats because I have the dunlap 606 rear and all I can hear on the highway is that whine. But the traction in the dirt is well worth that.
@@BigPezza EJK and exhaust must always be bought in pairs if you want to benefit from one or the other. the EJK alone won't make much of a difference without the exhaust and vice versa. I remember that with bought you can feel more pull a very slightly top speed but not by much, but then again .. it still remains a 250 lol.
again as i was sad before, the biggest improvement you can do to it is the suspension.
I got 25hp on my rally by a simple ecu and exhaust swap. Can send you the dyno if needed
@@dickheadbrian lol yea agreed I love my Rally, only ecu and suspension swap and it's near perfect for me.
Ecu swap (BRT Indonesian brand), full ohlins upgrade, Akrapovic (taken from crf250r) exhaust and it transformed the whole bike. Don't know what this guy is complaining about. Afterall it's not an enduro bike!
Have to agree with all that you said, good reasoning along with each point you make. Bigger bikes are great but they tend to be heavier, shorter service intervals, thirstier as well as more expensive for parts.
This vid is the reason i subbed from the start i just knew you talked sense ..
if you drink wisky just add a few drops of water to unlock the taste never add ice
@@BigPezza Never touch any spirits/beers never have...Take a look at all the "Honda " Monkey bike upgrade vids if nowt else you will get a right chuckle ( mostly Americans ) HEY i just fitted a new race pipe and new oil cooler and new crankcase with a big bore kit ( ok so it keeps locking up but hey i get another 0.25 MPH outta that baby and it only cost a trillion $
well if you are taking part in a honda monkey bike GP then its ok to do all that other then that its a compleet waste of money... na screw that if i had the dosh i would do that
Thank you for this video
100% agree with every point
I'm replacing exhaust purely for weight saving & better sound, got a Delkevic on the way only £155 keeping the rest stock me thinks..............👍
Yep same as mine just a different tone not that much louder
Can't wait to see it Grem! :-)
Very helpful, appreciate the experience you have shared here. Am currently waiting for my skidplate that like most bike parts this year is on backorder, as well as the tail bag I want. I am thinking of getting a bigger tank, the IMS 3.5 gallon, and a sprocket. That should finish off the bike, as soon as the before mentioned parts finally arrive. Thanks mate, much appreciated!
the petrol tank i am like 50/50 on its nice to have but i have never needed it, just make sure you get one from a propper place not ebay or something there is a few fake or cheap copys out there
@@BigPezza If I order straight from IMS it will accept the stock locking cap so will prob do that. Not in a hurry by any means but a bigger tank will allow me to stay out there longer!
I got the Acerbis tank and love the extra capacity. And since it is plastic, it weighs less than the stock tank. I also found the giant loop 1 gallon gas bag to be really helpful. Makes it really easy to carry an extra gallon of gas, and when it's empty, just roll it up and it weighs almost nothing.
@@OswaltSamuel great tip man, thanks!
Okay well I did 1,3,4 and 5 but at least I didn't do 2!
saying that I do actually agree that they were a waste of money
Fair comments but I’ve done all your don’t do upgrades bar drilling the airbox. I really don’t see the point of that or removing the snorkel. If you’ve got the bike setup right then you don’t need to force flow more air into it and making it less waterproof seems a bit daft to me. I’m running the full FMF, EJK and K&N filter and it has made a difference power wise. Was it worth the money, pound for pound, that really depends on whether or not an increase of over 10% BHP and louder can is your thing. For me it is, the bike goes better and sounds awesome now. Loud but not too loud. Well, not compared to my Harley that is... Anyhow, great point of view. Oh and I added bar risers as I do have a knackered back... 😬
Thanks bro I really do appreciate all the valid points and information you put in this video...... I need to hurry up and cancel a few things I purchased from Amazon right quick now.... lol
Great insight on the tail-tidy and air-box, in particular.
I appreciate the advice. I am planing to pick one up once they become available here in the US again. Right now they are solid out and even to older used ones are selling for just under the actual MSRP. 🤷♂️ Anyway I thank you for the ideas of what needs to be upgraded and what not to waste time on.
Your gonna love it, I ride mine on the highway, on single track and forest service roads. Couldn't be happier with it.
100% agree.
Agree with all of them apart from the bar risers. They are wayyyy wayyyy too low for standing up in stock form
Nice topic and ace vid Pezza :-)
thanks
the efi does make the bike run lean from factory and the airbox snorkel does suffocate the engine. The tuner will make the bike run richer and will just overall make it run better. The aftermarket exhaust does cut near 20lbs off the bike. However any mods past that are near pointless
Agreed 100%
Great video, your right on on things not to do. Whats funny is that I have done most of these except the airbox mod, couldn't agree more with this. Especially because I dropped mine in a river up to my waist and watched the whole bike disappear under water. Luckily I was able to get it up and out in time to prevent water from getting in the engine. I did the EJK and the FMF exhaust and header, but thats because I also did the 305cc big bore kit and needed the EJK for proper fuel/air mixtures and needed the exhaust to allow proper airflow. Also I did the Q4 so it is not that loud. But without the 305cc kit, I agree that these two mods don't make a lot of sense. I used the rox bar risers to pull the handles bars back for better comfort on the highway. I live in the PNW of America and have to ride, on average, an hour or two to get to the trails.
I am a fairly experienced rider and love the CRF250L because it is reliable and service internals are extremely long. Also with all the mods I have done to this thing, it is extremely capable, and all in, I am still thousands less than comparable bikes from other manufactures. ($6500 USD). I know that is a preference thing but I wouldn't trade my CRF250L for anything right now.
How many miles do you have on your 305cc kit? Have you had any issues with it?
SO i bought mine used with lowered 1 inch link 13t sprocket up front, bar risers, concept seat and bark busters for the same as any other crf 250l with a 1000 miles on the clock, then out of pure luck i found a used yosh full pipe, EJK, wider custom aluminum foot pegs and MZS levers all in one package sale on E-bay for less than $500 US shipped to my house. Some mods are awesome others not so much don't need tidy tail just cut the useless crap of the original and mod for plate it will give you the best of both worlds. wider snorkel on top of box is awesome but side holes are not a good idea, all the rest is fair game!!!!
Haaa love it...agree with everything you said not a bling person myself thats for newbs lol, i tend to make shit quicker than Amazon can deliver it...;-) ride ride safe
Stock bike goes to a lot of places...great little bike.
I bought a Rally with a Yoshi slip on, embarrassing on the road cos to maintain speed on slight inclines you have to either open it up wide or drop it a cog, both increase noise X2 so all around know you're riding a relatively low powered bike. As soon as I can get the thing off ( think it's glued on ! , any tips appreciated) it's going on Ebay. Keep Power Pipes for Powerful Bikes
Glued on i think you talking about the rear sprocket ? from factory you need to heat up the bolt stick a spanner on and KICK Hard and Fast to get them bolts to undo. dont use the alan key on the other side
@@BigPezza It's the aftermarket Yoshimura slip on can that's stuck, it's stuck fast to the downpipe, Undone the rear bolt and clamp, slackened off the bolt by the passenger peg and wriggled the rear of the exhaust can in the vain hope that would break the seal , but no, the join is solid
Will you sell the Yoshimura slip
On? I’m located in WA
Disagree with EJK. The better throttle response you can gain from EJK makes a major difference
I got an exhaust for the sound ? 😂
Hi! No need for an EJK or power commander when you change to a GPR exhaust?
only if you remove all the baffels then yes
There’s a reason engineers get paid as much as they do. They know what works.
Correction: they know what works to hit a certain price point, highway regulation, noise level regulations, and epa regulation.
For example the ecu. It shuts down the cylinder to conserve gas when coasting or idling. This is why these bikes (or at least the 300 and 450) have a very jerky low speed throttle.
The exhaust is a piece of epa regulation and noise reduction gear. Which is why it's so restrictive and heavy.
The tail is to satisfy certain highway regulations about needing a mud flap of certain length.
So yes, the engineers do know what they're talking about. But they're not talking about what you want from your bike.
1:35 cmon you cant say "the only time ive noticed the lack of power" and then name like 4 out of the 5 things you do on a motorcycle. Slow on the road, slow on fast trails, slow on hills, and riding with friends.
What else is there? riding alone on slow trails? That doesnt sound fun and I would not buy any bike if thats all the meat left on the bone here.
Every body droning on about how heavy slow and boring theCRF20L is has never spent any time on a 70s “enduro type motorcycle!! I’d give them one outing and, they’d be begging for the 250L!
CRF Karen, lol.