Yamaha XT250 vs. Honda CRF250L: How do they differ?

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How about getting a dirt bike that is below $6,000 but brings up to the mark performance?

Well, I am here to disclose two such entry-level dirt bikes you might want to check to bring ideal justification for your budget.

I could have also added the Kawasaki KLX 250 to the list, but that is for some other day.  

For now, let me introduce you to Yamaha XT250 and Honda CRF250L and how they match and differ from one another.

Yamaha XT250 vs. Honda CRF250l

So here is how the specification looks  on paper

Yamaha XT250 review

Yamaha XT250 is a 250cc four-stroke engine. It's suitable for both on and off road. It has all the legal features to be capable of getting vehicle license and road permit.  

Yamaha XT250 comes with a 250cc 4 stroke engine. It's a moderate power engine that is capable of providing a very good torque to move the vehicle faster than others. While some other manufacturers provide a 250cc engine with less actual capacity like 249cc, Yamaha provides just the same capacity as it is labeled with. The 4 stroke makes the bike energy efficient and more usable with less fuel. In technical judgment, there is 1 power stroke in every four stroke. So the engine gets enough time to begin the new phase of its task.

The transmission system is very important for the engine to transfer its power from engine to wheel. The speed of the engine is separated at several levels by the transmission gear for smooth speed up and down. Yamaha xt250 provides 6-speed transmission gear. It makes a fine distribution of the overall power of the engine.

The bike coming with an electric starter made things effortless for the riders. It eases the process of kicking the starter every time you need to run it.

Yamaha XT250 offers the best 35 mm telescopic fork on its front suspension system. It being telescopic makes the suspension more reliable without the fear of any suspension oil or air leakage. The rear suspension is designed with single disc adjustable preload and rebound with 7.1 intervals.

The brake uses a single disc at front and back with a variation of disc size. The front Disc is 245mm but the one in the rear is 203 mm.

Yamaha keeps an 11.2 inch ground clearance that is good enough to overcome the unparalleled passage.

Honda CRF250 review

Honda is a very famous brand and the flagship manufacturer of motor vehicles. It has its history on the production of the motor vehicle from the early 1950. Honda CRF 250l is a new model or variant of motorcycle that they offer. The new 250l offers the latest Electronic fuel injection that removes the hassle of the carburetor.

The engine in Honda CRF 250 comes with 6 –speed manual gear. However, it offers an inverted fork which is also called an upside-down fork. The brake on both of front and rear has a single disc of different sizes; 256mm and 220mm.

The tire in the front can be from 3.00 to 21 inches. The seat height is 34.4 inch which is moderately high enough for all classes of adult riders. The fuel capacity of the Honda crf250 is 2.3 gallons and 8.70645 liters.

Let’s focus on how they differentiates to the configuration and supports

Engine

The engine in Yamaha CRF 250L and Yamaha XT250 is almost the same in stroke and cc rating. Both of them provide 250cc rated engines. But the actual space is a bit less in Honda. Because they can maintain the actual cc rating of 249cc in their engine in consideration to bore and stroke measurement. However, both of them provide 4-stroke engine. A 4-stroke engine is more cost-efficient in comparison to 2 strokes one. In two stroke, there is one power stroke in every for two. But in four-stroke engine, one power stroke is in every four strokes. That’s how it becomes energy efficient but less powerful in comparison to two-stroke engine.

Fuel Delivery

Both of the bikes offer the latest EFI fuel delivery mechanism. EFI stands for Electronic Fuel injection. But Yamaha names it as YFI probably meaning Yamaha Fuel Injection. It removes the traditional carburetor and its hassle. The feature is the same in both models of Yamaha and Honda.

Suspension

The suspension might be the point of a variation between Yamaha xt250 and Honda CRF to choose one from these two. Yamaha offers the best telescopic fork suspension while Honda CRF provides an inverted suspension. An inverted or upside-down suspension fork is less strong and reliable than a telescopic fork suspension. A upsize down for encounters many troubles including the leakage of fuel. It is also less resistive in friction. But a telescopic suspension fork is the one that is more resistive and reliable.

Fuel Capacity

Fuel capacity in both bikes is almost similar. Yamaha XT250 offers a fuel tank with 2.6 gallon capacity but Honda CRF250 comes with a fuel tank that can contain 2.3 gallons. With the fuel capacity of the bike, the mileage changes. A bike with a larger tank has a bigger space of fuel and so its mileage is more.

Seat Height

The seat height in Honda CRF 250l is 34.4 inch which is higher than Yamaha xt250. Honda is 2.5 higher than Yamaha. So Yamaha provides a 31.9-inch high seat.

I know you are yamaha lover, so see our another Yamaha YZ125 vs YZ250 vs YZ250f review.

How does seat height matter?

Seat height is the point that matters for a user to easily mount on. A higher seat height is less suitable for young riders because of their body height. If the seat height is higher riders can hardly touch the ground to balance when the bike is on standby. But for an adult, it doesn’t matter.

Compression Ratio: Energy Efficiency

Yamaha offers its engine compression ratio 9.5:1 while Honda CRF250l offers 10:7. In this consideration, Honda is advancing from Yamaha. Post-purchase cost is an important concern that the buyer has before buying a motorbike. A higher compression causes more fruitful combustion resulting in better power generation.

Which one is suitable for whom?

The choice and need differ from person to person. So you should focus on your need or the person you buy it for.

1. Yamaha has better suspension that’s suitable for everyone
2. By seat height, Yamaha is shorter than Honda so those who can’t ride on large should go with Yamaha.
3. Yamaha has higher mileage because of its bigger fuel tank capacity.
4. Yamaha has a higher ground clearance that helps run off-road.

The selection of the bike that you can buy is very personal. We can talk from our personal experience. But that can also differ. In consideration of configuration and accuracy, Yamaha walks fast to us. But Honda seems more fashionable and amateur at the look.

Honda often comes in reddish color while Yamaha comes in blue or ash black color. So people of different color lovers can choose different motorcycles from these discussed above.