Honda CRF250L and CRF300L Tyre Sizes
The CRF tyre sizes can be a bit confusing.
Officially Honda specify the CRF250L Front tyre size as 3.00-21 and the rear 120/80-18. So it’s odd to see a metric and imperial size mixed together. Honda changed that for the CRF300L and both are now metric.
That CRF250L front tyre pretty much converts to 80/90/21 but there aren’t loads of tyres in that size.
So we recommend you run a 90/90/21 front tyre and a 120/80/18 rear tyre. That means the front tyre is approximately 10mm wider. It’ll make next to no difference in terms of the way the bike feels but it will unlock more choices. You can click those links to see all the different tyre options for this bike.
You’ll also find the following sizes will fit the bike:
Front:
2.75-21
3.00-21
80/90-21
80/100-21
90/90-21
Rear:
110/100-18
120/80-18
120/90-18
4.00-18
It’s worth noting that the CRF250/300L and the Rally version both run the same size rims, so the tyres will work for either bike.
For the CRF300L, Honda have updated their sizes. The front is a 80/100-21 and the rear is a 120/80-18.
We sell LOTS of tyres to CRF250 and 300 riders. The popularity of these bikes is insane.
The great news is that these are common motorcycle tyre sizes and so you have plenty of choice, whether you want a tyre for Light Trail Riding or Proper Off Road or even a pure road tyre if you’re using your CRF to commute (winter weapon?).
Honda CRF250L and 300L History
Honda hit another nail squarely on the head with the CRF250L when it was launched in 2012. On paper its 250cc, 23bhp engine is nothing to write home about and all dual-sport or Adventure bikes tend to be 1000cc plus if you want to sell them in bug numbers but Honda’s peppy little 250 appealed to riders who wanted a reliable commuter that was cheap to run and insure and a proper off-roader that could take on even the muddiest of trails on the weekend.
It features long-travel 43mm upside down Showa front forks and Honda’s Pro-link rear suspension, meaning it can soak up potholes or tree roots with ease. The single cylinder engine isn’t that powerful but the bike can cruise at 60mph with ease and return amazing fuel economy. The cherry on the cake is it’s weight. At 145kg wet, it’s a light bike that’s easy to hustle around town or pick up if you end up knee deep in the muddy stuff.
Honda CRF250L Stock Tyres
The CRF250L 300L (and Rally versions) came on either IRC Trails GP or IRC Footloose tyres as the OEM tyres. These tyres are not that popular and most riders ditch them pretty quickly.
Honda CRF L-models Best Tyres
There are a few really good options for the CRF250L and CRF300L. We sell a lot of tyres for these bikes and our choices below are based on rider feedback.
Road Riding / Commuting
Light Trails (but still decent on the road)
Challenging Trails
Proper Off-Road (pretty much Enduro-spec tyres but still road-legal)
For the best off-road ability, there are a handful of really good choices:
The Bridgestone E50, the Metzeler MCE 6 Days and the Michelin Tracker.Â
You’ll need the 120/90-18 rear, but some customers do fit the wider 140.
Almost MX levels
If you want the ultimate in off-road, then check out the Kenda K777 front and K778 rear which are lesser-known but seriously good options.
They are as capable off-road as they are hopeless on the road, so don’t fit these if you’re spending a lot of time on the road and only tackling the occasional muddy byway – because you’ll be wheel-spinning in 3rd gear on damp tarmac on these…
Inner tubes
We get asked a lot of questions about inner tubes.
You can get different thicknesses of innertube. There’s normal, reinforced and heavy duty.
We recommend normal inner tubes, even if you’re riding off-road.
Lots of customers call up asking for heavy-duty tubes as they’re worried about getting a flat tyre but a heavy-duty tube weighs a couple of kilograms, compared to a few hundred grams for a normal tube.
If you are riding at road speeds, the heavy-duty tubes can overheat and tear if your pressures aren’t bang on or you’re riding at motorway speeds. You are far better off running normal tubes and just ensuring that you are running the correct pressures. Modern adventure-bike tyres are designed to be run at their road pressures even when off-road. Reducing your tyre pressure off-road will increase the chances of your tyre pinching the tube on the rim.
Check out the Michelin Road & Trail or Continental Road & Trail inner tubes.
Honda CRF250L Tyre Pressures
You can find your motorcycle manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressures in your owner’s handbook. You’ll also find a tyre pressure chart sticker on the swingarm.
If you have no idea what pressures to run, this is our general rule:
Road and Trail: F 33psi, R 36psi
Off-Road: Reduce the pressure by a few psi if you’re lacking traction.
You should always check your tyre pressures when the tyres are cold. Check out our range of motorcycle tyre pressure gauges here.
About Two Tyres
Our mission is to ensure we listen to every customer’s needs and ensure they’re riding on the right tyre. Out of the showroom, your motorbike is a compromise, designed to suit a huge range of riders and riding conditions. To get the best out of your bike in terms of handling, performance and safety, tyres make all the difference. In fact we think it’s the most cost-effective performance enhancement you can make!
We are based in London where we supply and fit motorcycle tyres and consumables in our workshop. We also mail order motorcycle tyres around the UK, across Europe and even to places as far-flung as the USA, Canada and Japan.
Here at Two Tyres, we stock more than just tyres. Take a look at some of our essentials for any biker.
Motorcycle puncture repair kit – Our top-rated kit includes everything you need to carry out a roadside repair and get back up and running.
Motorcycle tyre pressure gauge – Our tyre pressure gauge has been rated in RiDE magazine and features a clever design to make it easy to get accurate readings.
Motorcycle first aid kit – a DIN-rated first aid kit that’s compact and also includes extras that are handy for any biker. A must-carry in some EU countries.
HyperCharge battery charger – The HyperCharge is a smart charger that can charge lead-acid and lithium batteries and it’ll charge bike and car batteries too.
Cordless tyre pump – Small enough to fit in your luggage, this tyre pump doubles as a powerbank, so you’ll never have a flat tyre or phone battery again!
All of these products have been well tested and are top-rated by our customers.
