This just in: it looks as though Honda may be moving forward with plans to mass produce a Direct Inject 250cc two-stroke in 2015! The details are currently unclear, but it appears that the bike will draw on the CR250R two-stroke powerplant that was mass produced until 2007, but with a DI fuel delivery system. The chassis and bodywork clearly take cues from Honda's existing CRF250R/ 450R lineup, with modern bodywork and a sleek design. In a nod to the CRF250X/ 450X, the bike evidently features a headlight and odometer, but no handguards. The final weight of the unit is unknown, but developers of the new bike have hinted that titanium exhaust components could help keep the end weight under 200 pounds. Clearly, this machine marks an attempt on behalf of Japanese manufacturers to compete with the Austrian companies in the off-road two-stroke segment.
Based on existing tooling and a push to sweep the market early, initial estimates put the suggested retail price under $5,000, and the rumor is that the bike will be street legal in all 50 states. Overheard at the Honda's top secret off-road test track, star consultant and development rider Jeremy McGrath stated, "Wow, you can't not nac-nac with this bike! I shaved two seconds off my lap times before the Honda was even warmed up, and that's with a headlight!" Sources close to the king maintain that he may be planning a return to racing via the GNCC series under the JCR Honda banner aboard the new CR250R.
For more information on this wild new machine, check out the April 2nd, 2014 edition of the Weekly Dirt, right here on dirtrider.com.
