Best Trail Bike on the Market? | Honda CRF230F Review
Honda has always been known for their bullet-proof engines, and sleek product style. Well the Honda CRF230F lives up to the Honda brand. Okay before we start though let's get one thing clear, the Honda CRF230F is NOT a high performance dirt bike, it is a trail bike. So you may read reviews on how slow it is, and how heavy it is, blah blah blah. The people that are complaining about it are either horsepower junkies who can't ride a bike at all, or people who have ridden bikes since they were in diapers, and their first dirt bike was a PW50. Once again this is not a high performance dirt bike, it is quite the opposite, it is a reliable trail bike that will take you in the backcountry just about anywhere. Okay so now that we've cleared some things up, lets go over some of the key features on this bike that make it so amazing. First off Honda's 223 cc SOHC Air-cooled Single Cylinder 4-stroke Engine, two words: Bullet Proof. This engine was taken from the original XR200 motors and revamped to increase the performance on the trail. It is reliable, and most importantly really good on gas... I mean really good.
"What about the bike itself though, they look cheap and old fashion," but there are some things you can say about old technology. They use a standard steel frame design, SHOWA front and rear suspension system, and yes unfortunately rear drum brakes. But there's a lot you can say about these features, first off the cost is a beauty in itself. Where else can you pick up a brand new dirt bike for about $5,000, keep it for 10 years, then sell it for $2,500? Talk about getting a bang for your buck! If taken care of properly these bikes will last you a lifetime, all it needs is regular maintenance and oil changes, no valve adjustments, or massive rebuilds like the high performance 250's and 450's.
This summer we're picking up 2 2016 Honda CRF230Fs from the local dealer, so stay tuned for a follow-up review and videos.
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