Advice on short legs and tall bikes....here
crf250 Rally
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- Posts: 4441
- Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:14 pm
- Has thanked: 2280 times
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- Posts: 3516
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Re: crf250 Rally
Here's another helpful video for you, Gary!
Perhaps you'd get on better in shorter shorts!
Perhaps you'd get on better in shorter shorts!
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Re: crf250 Rally
hmmm ... I already wear fishnet tights, platform shoes, and short shorts ...... and i really like the wolf whistles .... but perhaps i really need something that i can go ride with the boys, that will actually help my falling off without a mud fight scramble to help me up
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Re: crf250 Rally
actually , as it happens .. i had already decided to wear some soft stretchy trousers or joggers, as they really do help in getting the leg over, the seat. and also manoeuvrability on the seat when riding. use knee protection of course. and trials type boots. Where my fear comes from is riding say in the middle of ruts or raised ground where there is nowhere to land the feet for paddling, or river crossings where ya can't put the feet down. A lower/thinner seat would go a long way to solve the problems, on top of the already lowered seat height using the suspension.. I am also thinking to fix my new bar risers so that I can actually stand up when riding. I don't know if any of this would help, but i am hoping to suddenly transform into an expert rider, once all done.
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Re: crf250 Rally
managed to get out for a bimble today ..
20220508_173145 (2) by gary boy, on Flickr
20220508_175459 (2) by gary boy, on Flickr
was going to raise handlebars, but decided not to ...
was going to add bash plate .. but didnt .. yet.
was going to lower seat a bit more ... but decided to ride instead lol
20220508_173145 (2) by gary boy, on Flickr
20220508_175459 (2) by gary boy, on Flickr
was going to raise handlebars, but decided not to ...
was going to add bash plate .. but didnt .. yet.
was going to lower seat a bit more ... but decided to ride instead lol
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Re: crf250 Rally
20220509_141310 (2) by gary boy, on Flickr
went for a longer bimble today, so more to report on the crf 250 Rally.
. the reduced height suspension at the rear is ... adequate .. kind of.
. the front suspension is horrendous now that it is is not balanced to the rear.
. the ergo are out, of course, as the front feels a lot higher, as it has not been adulterated lol,
. but i like the slow turn in, and the bike feels a lot more stable.
. the handlebars feel a lot higher, as the rear is a lot lower (but not low enough).
the ride, on small back roads is now fab.
the ride on more open road is ... only `bearable` .. but a lot better than the crf250L, tho still achey after a while.
plenty of power for a bimble type ride.
.. but wouldn't want to go for a long run on it.
very good for wind/cold protection .. hits the chest still, but really saves the knees and legs, as behind the big tank.
really good for in and out of small roads in town, and very light and easy parking.
easy to push outside a chip shop lol.
as others report, the front suspension shows its baddy now that the rear is lower ... it bounced so bad on the roman road rocks/stones/potholes that ... i am ashamed to say .. i turned back,
this can't be right.
disillusioned, and feeling even older, i kept to the small tarmac roads, but still had a really nice day, even if the knobblies were a bit restrictive, in terms of speed/wear.
O yeah, one more thing.
The L is much better off road than the Rally, as the extra 10kg? front fairing makes the front heavier and more bouncy. and also reduces vision of the trail.
went for a longer bimble today, so more to report on the crf 250 Rally.
. the reduced height suspension at the rear is ... adequate .. kind of.
. the front suspension is horrendous now that it is is not balanced to the rear.
. the ergo are out, of course, as the front feels a lot higher, as it has not been adulterated lol,
. but i like the slow turn in, and the bike feels a lot more stable.
. the handlebars feel a lot higher, as the rear is a lot lower (but not low enough).
the ride, on small back roads is now fab.
the ride on more open road is ... only `bearable` .. but a lot better than the crf250L, tho still achey after a while.
plenty of power for a bimble type ride.
.. but wouldn't want to go for a long run on it.
very good for wind/cold protection .. hits the chest still, but really saves the knees and legs, as behind the big tank.
really good for in and out of small roads in town, and very light and easy parking.
easy to push outside a chip shop lol.
as others report, the front suspension shows its baddy now that the rear is lower ... it bounced so bad on the roman road rocks/stones/potholes that ... i am ashamed to say .. i turned back,
this can't be right.
disillusioned, and feeling even older, i kept to the small tarmac roads, but still had a really nice day, even if the knobblies were a bit restrictive, in terms of speed/wear.
O yeah, one more thing.
The L is much better off road than the Rally, as the extra 10kg? front fairing makes the front heavier and more bouncy. and also reduces vision of the trail.
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Re: crf250 Rally
the last time i used the Rally, the bioinging from the, now unbalanced, front soft spring, was so violent that i actually turned back to home. Reducing the seat height by shortening the oem rear shock also caused some violent upjerks over short whoops. I will probably replace the rear shock when i win the lottery (o .. must check my ticket lol) but the front weak pogo spring will, hopefully, be replaced soon.
This .. arrived today .. from ebay ... only £88 .. cheapest i have seen .. from Racetech.
I was afraid that it was the spring only, at that price, but fair play, as stated in the ad, the whole kit is there.
I don't know if the spring rate is the correct one .... but it doesn't really matter too much as it is an addition to the oem rhs spring (oil only in the lhs fork) so will be an improvement on front wimp dive, anyway. Performance reports are good though.
I notice that the finish is rough, on both the spring metal and the plastic tubing, but a good clean should at least get the swarf off.
Delivery brightened up my Jubilee weekend misery lol.
20220604_113523 (2) by gary boy, on Flickr
for reference, from Andy, last year ..
This .. arrived today .. from ebay ... only £88 .. cheapest i have seen .. from Racetech.
I was afraid that it was the spring only, at that price, but fair play, as stated in the ad, the whole kit is there.
I don't know if the spring rate is the correct one .... but it doesn't really matter too much as it is an addition to the oem rhs spring (oil only in the lhs fork) so will be an improvement on front wimp dive, anyway. Performance reports are good though.
I notice that the finish is rough, on both the spring metal and the plastic tubing, but a good clean should at least get the swarf off.
Delivery brightened up my Jubilee weekend misery lol.
20220604_113523 (2) by gary boy, on Flickr
for reference, from Andy, last year ..
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Re: crf250 Rally
well .. I dun it, innit ..
fitted the racetech (hopefully) spring into the lhs fork of my rally 250.
no pics as it was exactly like the video.
except for the (extra) abs pickup and lead.
it was really easy, the hardest bits being fitting the wheel spindle, and fitting the washer to the top of the spring, as it was slippy and u had to hold up the rod to fit the top nut to the rod.
much more pressure feel when you push down on the forks .. will try it out tomorrow.
[only thing, it now shows up the weakness of the (now lowered by me) rear spring, as it squats without much effort .. doh ... but will replace the rear shock in the future .. hopefully.]
my usual mechanic was overrun with work and wanted £50 sometime in the future (2 weeks) ... pahhhh ..
fitted the racetech (hopefully) spring into the lhs fork of my rally 250.
no pics as it was exactly like the video.
except for the (extra) abs pickup and lead.
it was really easy, the hardest bits being fitting the wheel spindle, and fitting the washer to the top of the spring, as it was slippy and u had to hold up the rod to fit the top nut to the rod.
much more pressure feel when you push down on the forks .. will try it out tomorrow.
[only thing, it now shows up the weakness of the (now lowered by me) rear spring, as it squats without much effort .. doh ... but will replace the rear shock in the future .. hopefully.]
my usual mechanic was overrun with work and wanted £50 sometime in the future (2 weeks) ... pahhhh ..
Last edited by garyboy on Sat Jun 11, 2022 8:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.