A few questions...

[Fladdem]

Hi all!

I'm 20, got a few years trail riding under my belt with my trusty old TTR 250, but I'm about due for an upgrade. I quite fancy a two stroke, with similar engine characteristics to my bike, lower weight, suspension that can be easily upgraded as and when required, more room for playing with the USD forks, I would suppose. But with more pep and maybe mean I don't finish in the bottom ten when I do events. I'm aiming for bottom 20 now!

Anyway the CRM seems to fit the bill quite nicely, in fact nearly picked one up instead of the Yam, but due to licencing laws and being the only teenager that gave a damn about what the rules were, the CRM came in over the max power rating for my licence and would be daft restricting it down to 33BHP.

SO,
1, I'm 6'4" with 35" inside legs, the TTR is a touch cramped, I have heard the CRM is quite short, any lanky riders out there that can help with ergonomic issues?

2, I intend to use it for everything I do with my TTR, MX days, Enduro days, Long Distance Trials, Green Laning, the odd commute, grabbing a second set of wheels and super-moto-ing with it. Could it do it? I'm not competitive, not really interested in winning, but when you find someone that the same as you at the back of the pack to mess about with, it's good fun isn't it?

3, I'm a novice, happy to admit it. I make novice mistakes and get thrown off bikes A LOT! Do these bikes forgive you? With my TTR, even after all the hop-up mods, if you go over a bump funny, or land a jump funny, and the throttle gets wopped back, the engine doesn't pick up fast enough, and the bike is too heavy to pick the front wheel up and chuck you off the back, could I get away with similar mistakes on a CRM? Or like other two strokes, would you land, yank on the throttle by mistake and it hits the powerband and goes a bit mental. That must sound mental to you CRM riders, even I know that the engine is meant to be as three-stroke as you can get.

So in short, is it novice friendly and how does it compare to a TTR? Help me make the decision of converting my religion.

Thanks, Adam

PS, If I did convert, the TTR would still be knocking around out home, so not a true conversion just another option!

[abigsupermoto]

I'm 6'3 and don't have a problem with the CRM, and I also used to have a TTR
And my CRM is about to be up for sale, with both supermoto and off-road wheels.
where about are you in the country, I am on the Wirral if you fancy coming round to have a look

[Fladdem]

I'm in Warwick. What are you looking to get for it? I am really thinking about making the swap.

[knackeredMk1]

A CRM will be OK as long as the suspension is set up properly. You might want to put a set of risers on the bars to make them sit higher.

Quite a few CRMs are used with road orientated tyres or even Super Moto. A had two sets of wheels for mine - On & off road.

CRMs are quite a bit more forgiving than racing 2 strokes. There is a much more gentle 'hit' to the power band but they will scoot on if you so desire.

You will find the suspension soft compared to an MX bike but in your position that might be an advantage.

[Fladdem]

Thanks, abigsupermoto, but I just did some googling and you're just too far away from me. Good luck with the sale though!

I am running tall bars and bar risers at the moment on my Yamaha and it helped a lot, it's mostly the seat, it's too low to grip with my knees properly. I've also heard ground clearance can be an issue? But I suppose I won't be taken it through great big rock gardens or scrambling over massive logs on it.

How soft is the suspension? Could it do this?


I did bottom out when I landed there but my suspension was still standard, I guess my first mod, from learning from my current bike, would be to sort the suspension out instead of anything else.

I'm about 80% sure I want one next, for a while now I have been thinking about these bikes. How well do they crash? What are spare parts like?

[knackeredMk1]

Lots of answers in the FAQ section -

viewforum.php?f=20

[abigsupermoto]

Just sent you a PM ( and then saw your post )

[Fladdem]

Thanks, your bike looks really good, the supermoto wheels are awesome! It's a shame that you're just too far away.

Thanks for that link I've been reading through some of those threads now, I perhaps should have used the search function first, but I just wanted to see how it stacks up against my current bike.

[gregorious77]

I am running 13-52 gearing on my AR and if I was to wop the throttle back as you put it in 1st or 2nd it would loop you off the back (it will pick up 3rd with clutch no probs too) but thats the same for any upgrade to your TTR I expect. just keep a couple of fingers on the clutch and you can control the bike much better.
They jump ok but I wouldnt say they are light compared to more modern stuff.
Ground clearance is fine too as long as you set the sag correctly. cant see them being lower than a TTR?
Only thing that might catch you out is the lack of engine braking compare to the TTR you will use the back brake more and if you do pin it and get a bit out of control closing the throttle will result in not a lot of deceleration and you will be 'along for the ride'. This caught me out a few times in the early days of loosing control.

You will be fine I had an old KLR250 before I got the AR and only rode that a few times on the lanes before I killed it. I never had a problem with the power delivery of the CRM when learning to ride offroad so just do it and enjoy.

[Fladdem]

After all my mods, if I gun my TTR in 1st or second, I'll come off the back as well. I can wheelie the thing in 4th, if the tanks on reserve and I give her a bounce and sit on the pillion seat, hahaha. That's with 14/52.

Jumping isn't high on the agenda but so long as it's better than my current Yamaha I'll be happy, same with the weight, if it's more manageable than the TTR. I was worried about making the switch to stroker a little bit.

Anyway, I got this puppy!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1994-HONDA-CR ... 1667457749

Not anyone's on here is it?