250F Is this Crf250R worth $1750?

IMG_2441.JPG IMG_2442.JPG IMG_2443.JPG IMG_2444.JPG IMG_2445.JPG IMG_2446.JPG IMG_2430.JPG hi,
So I have been looking for a 250 four stroke race bike on Craigslist and came across this 2005 Crf250r. The guy bought it brand new in 2005 and raced it in 3 races. He pretty much stopped riding it in 07 because he had kids. There was also a new top end put in to it in 2007. He says the bike hasn't really been riden for the last 10 years (he would occasionally warm it up). He replaced the fork seals in 2013. He put an fmf powercore exhaust on it. The handle bars are pro taper, the brake line is steel woven but probably needs a brake flush/ maybe a new master cylinder, and he put new different plastics. He's also throwing in a new front tire, and other things too (pickup truck ramp for bike). I checked all the fluids on the bike and they looked fresh/almost brand new (he said there the same fluids 10 years ago). The engine area looks like it's worn a little from riding it. The bike started on the 6-7th kick. The engine sounds good. What do you guys think? Is $1750 a good deal on the bike? Let me know if you have any questions. I'll have to put a YouTube link in for you guys to here the bike.
 

SRAD97750

Moderator
Staff member
Looks ok, but an in-person inspection is the only way to tell.
I like to look into suspension for leaks and play in the bearings, especially the swing arm/linkage bearings.
A detailed inspection will tell you alot about it.
I teardown/inspect most top ends on new-to-me bikes as soon as it gets home.
-BIG DAN:thumb:
 
The CRF250's of this era were valve eaters. There was a couple buddies of mine that told me not to get the 250 when I was looking at one. One had his decked in SM trim and raced it quite a bit. Said it was a love hate relationship as he loved it when it ran great and hated that he had to work on it all the time.
 
You say "new" front tire. Is it really new or a spare he bought 10 years ago and never put on? Even if the tire was never ridden, I probably wouldn't ride a ten year old tire. If nothing else, the rubber is probably pretty hard by now.
 
I would not touch that era crf250. I had an 05, although it was a great performing bike, it was one thing after another, fix the valve problem with stainless steel valves, but the crank will only live about 60 hours before it needs replaced, considering you can get a yamaha that will perform on par, while still being reliable and not a total pain to live with, I'd go that route.
 
I tend to like Hondas. I have a 2004 that is pretty much the same as the 2005. The stock head was sent with a mismatch of materials, ie valve seats and valves on the intake side. I had a fresh head done by Fastheads, which cured that problem. I built mine as a cross country rig, putting a set of cases and gears from a crfx in the CRF frame, along with an RPM 82mm big bore cylinder. A host of other mods. In the end, I am not really fond of it. No problems mechanically, though it probably has less than the 60 hours that flake says the crankshaft will go south on. I am not a fan of using the stainless valves to bandaid the valve problem, although it works where the valves are concerned. You end up with valve springs of a stiffer variety than the stock ones and you lose some power there.

Anyway, the yzf's are as stated everywhere, and the 5 valve version is about as reliable as a race bike ever got. The new 4 valve version may become known the same way. If you really like the way the Honda works, with its better suspension than the 05 yamaha then consider that the 1750 price tag is reasonable and plan for at the very least the head upgrade. Mine just ends up parked so much while I ride my yz125 or my yz250 two strokes that I consider it one of my great ideas that didn't really please me.
 
you most deff do lose some power with the stainless steel valves but the main thing I hated was it did not build revs as quickly, which to me, for what I was doing, was important. And they do tend to hammer the head and destroy the seats, but in the 2 years I ran mine like that it never happened, I think its a viable solution for someone who just trail rides and doesn't want to spend tons of money fixing the thing.

In the campfires at the desert races I know of a couple 4 valve yami's that are beyond the 200 hr mark and are on their 1st valve adjustment, if that. To me if you want a used bike that won't be taking a huge gamble on things the manufacturer could have screwed up, its gotta be blue, especially if it has valves.

There are some others from Kawi and KTM that are very good, but where as an 09 kx was great 12's liked to split cranks. I mean, the first race I went to this season someone had a brand new CRF450RX, it came back into the pits on a tow strap behind a utility quad with chunks of the case missing.

I'm sure someone will be a long shortly to correct me and tell me how I wrong I am so I guess I'll add the in my experience clause here
 
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I think pretty much any bike listed for 1750, the owner wants 1500, and will take 1400 if you wave some cash around.
Unless its been posted for 30+ days, then somethings up and you need to start asking why its not sold, especially if it's all cleaned up and pretty.
IF it's as low hour as claimed, and IF it's been maintained as stated, it might be worth 1750, but he'll take less.
4T 250's of those years typically sell for 1200-1700 in my area so thats in the ballpark.
This was nearly 2 weeks ago now though...
 
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