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CRF250R top speed in white text on gray background with image of CRF250R dirt bike

James Stewart

CRF250R Top Speed: How Fast Is It?

Honda, Top Speed

Are you curious to find out what the CRF250R top speed is? Pretty much anyone who owns a dirt bike, car, truck, or really any vehicle, wants to know how fast it goes. In this case, what is the top speed of CRF250R?

What is the top speed of CRF250R?

Honda was one of the first brands to popularize off-road motorcycles, what we know today as dirt bikes.

Today, you don’t usually think of Honda as having the fastest machines. Honda is more commonly known for its reliability.

That said, Honda’s professional riders, specifically the Lawrence brothers and Chase Sexton, have been proving otherwise over the past few years.

The top speed of CRF250R is about 60-70 mph.

The CRF250R top speed is about 10-20 mph slower than the CRF450R top speed, and 10-15 mph slower than the YZ250 top speed.

That said, there are a few things that have a big impact on this CRF250R top speed number.

Here’s our Honda CRF250R:

Honda CRF250R dirt bike in the back of a pickup truck

What impacts the CRF250R top speed?

As dirt bike riders, it’s inherent in our nature to want to know how fast our vehicles go. Really, most motorheads want to know how fast their vehicles go, whether it’s cars, trucks, snowmobiles, or something else.

That said, it can be pretty difficult to know the true top speed of a dirt bike. The reason for that is that there are so many variables that go into determining the top speed.

Let’s look at some of the items that impact the top speed of CRF250R.

Modifications

Modifications and after-market parts are the items that impact the top speed of CRF250R the most. If your CRF250R has engine work and a pipe, that’s not comparable to a stock CRF250R.

The top speed of stock CRF250R will be significantly less than the top speed of CRF250R with a bunch of work done to it.

The more work that’s done to the bike, the more the top speeds are going to differ.

You might be thinking, “okay, that makes sense, but what is the top speed of CRF250R before I make any changes to it?”

If that’s what you’re wondering, it’s a bit easier to answer, but there are still more variables to consider, such as gearing, riding conditions, the rider, and more.

Gearing

The item that has the second largest impact on the CRF250R top speed is the bike’s gearing.

For those unfamiliar, gearing refers to the size of the front and rear sprockets, specifically the relationship between the two.

Riders choose different gearing based on the conditions they’re riding in. If the rider is racing supercross, they generally want more acceleration (known as more bottom end). To do this, they’d use a smaller front sprocket or a larger rear sprocket. This is a low gear ratio.

If the rider is racing motocross, they may want more top speed (known as top end). To do this, the rider would use a larger front sprocket or a smaller rear sprocket, which is a higher gear ratio.

This may sound like a small thing, but it has a huge impact on the top speed of CRF250R (any dirt bike, really). Depending on the gearing changes, it can increase or decrease the CRF250R top speed by more than 10 mph.

That would be a big change, but it is possible.

Riding Conditions

Another item that can impact the CRF250R top speed is the riding conditions. This can be the location where you’re riding and the conditions of what you’re riding on.

For the location, are you riding at sea level or thousands of feet above elevation? Generally, dirt bikes produce more power closer to sea level than at high levels of elevation. Of course, this will impact the top speed of CRF250R.

If you’re riding in Colorado, thousands of feet above sea level, your CRF250R top speed is going to be lower than if you’re riding on the coasts of the US at sea level.

The smaller the displacement of the engine, the more susceptible the bike is to elevation changes. For example, the CRF250R is impacted by high elevation than the CRF450R.

Also, for the location, are you riding in the woods, on a motocross track, or on a paved road? Are there hills or is it flat?

If you’re riding in the woods, your CRF 250 top speed might be limited by trees or other obstacles. If you’re on a motocross track, you can only go so fast while maintaining control and staying within the course.

This type of location consideration also impacts the conditions of what you’re riding on. If you’re riding on a flat paved road your Honda CRF250R top speed is going to be entirely different than if you’re riding on a tight, sandy racetrack. The tires you’re running in those conditions can also have an impact on the top speed.

Rider

The rider on the bike is also going to impact the CRF 250 top speed. This has an impact on the top speed for two reasons: 1) their size/weight, and 2) their ability.

First, let’s consider the rider’s size and weight. Someone who weighs 250 pounds is not going to be able to go as fast on the bike as someone who weighs 150 pounds. The top speed of CRF250R is going to go down the heavier the rider is.

Also, someone who is a skilled rider can likely get the Honda CRF 250 top speed to be a bit higher than someone who is brand new to riding. A rider who can quickly and smoothly shift through the gears can hit a higher top speed on a CRF250R than someone who is just learning how to use a clutch.

Take Honda’s factory rider Jett Lawrence as an example. Not only is he just 150 pounds, but he is also very skilled. The top speed of CRF250R with Jett Lawrence riding it is likely quite a bit higher than someone who is just starting to ride and weighs 300 pounds.

Year of CRF250R

The year of your bike also has an impact on the CRF250R top speed because of technological advancements.

Four-stroke technology has come a long way over the years. Older four-stroke models don’t have the same technology in the engines that new four-strokes do.

Therefore, a 2007 CRF250R top speed is likely going to be quite a bit less than a 2022 CRF250R top speed, or any older year model compared to a newer model.

Other than just the technological advancements and improvements to the engine, different year bikes also have different stock gearing. Some years have the same gearing, but some are different.

The stock gearing of the bike can change the CRF 250 top speed.

Other Items Impacting the Top Speed of CRF250R

A few other items that will impact the top speed of CRF250R are the condition of the bike, riding weather, and how the top speed is being recorded.

A bike that hasn’t had maintenance kept up on it or has issues and isn’t running properly won’t be able to reach the peak top speed that the bike is capable of. The top speed of CRF250R which is maintained very well and running perfectly will be faster than that of a bike that is not taken care of and running like crap.

Similar to location, the weather you’re riding in can have an impact on the CRF 250 top speed. If you’re riding in the rain, causing the pavement to be wet, the top speed is likely going to be lower than it otherwise could be.

Also, the temperature you’re riding in can impact the top speed of your bike because it can impact how the bike is running. The newer CRF250R is fuel-injected, so this likely isn’t an issue, but for older models or other bikes that are carbureted, they might not run right in cold or humid temperatures, which would lower the bike’s top speed.

The final item we’ll mention that can impact the CRF250 top speed is how the top speed is being recorded.

Technically, this doesn’t change the top speed the bike is actually going – it only changes what you record it as. If you record a bike as going 40 but it’s really doing 65, that doesn’t mean the bike did 40. It did 65, you just recorded it inaccurately. I digress…

If you are recording the top speed of CRF250R with an onboard GPS, that’s likely going to be more accurate than someone pointing a speed gauge at you as you go by.

Checkered Flag on the CRF250R Top Speed

When it comes down to it, most people just want to know how fast their bike is capable of going. All the mods and items covered above are important and impact how fast their bike goes, but, most people would be satisfied with simply knowing how fast, in general, their bike is. In that case, the top speed of CRF250R is about 60-70 mph.

If the CRF250R is a bit too big or too fast for you, but you’re looking for something similar, check out the CRF150R.

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Frequently Asked Questions About the Top Speed of CRF250R

What is the top speed on a CRF 250?

The top speed on a CRF 250 is about 60-70 mph.

How much horsepower does a CRF250R have?

A newer CRF250R has about 41 horsepower.

How fast is a 250r dirt bike?

A 250r dirt bike does about 60 to 70 miles per hour.

Is a CRF250R faster than a YZ250F?

The CRF250R is not faster than a YZ250F stock, but Honda has closed the gap and come a lot closer in recent years.

How powerful is a CRF 250?

A CRF 250 has about 41 horsepower.

Is a CRF250R a race bike?

Yes, the CRF250R is a race bike.

Can you jump a CRF250R?

Yes, you can jump a CRF250R. It’s a motocross bike. It’s made to be raced and jumped.

Can you jump a CRF250F?

Yes, you can jump a CRF250F. It’s not a motocross or race bike (like a CRF250R), but you can still jump a CRF250F.

Is CRF250R reliable?

Yes, the CRF250R is reliable. It’s one of the most reliable 250s.

What does a 2020 CRF250R weigh?

A 2020 CRF250R weighs about 237 pounds.

How tall is a CRF250F?

The CRF250F seat height is 34.8 inches tall.

Is CRF250F slow?

No, the CRF250F is not slow.