Alright, folks, let’s talk about something that’s been on my mind – and probably yours too if you’re a shorter rider like me: the seat height on the CRF250F. I’ve been messing around with dirt bikes for a while now, and this one had me scratching my head at first.
So, I picked up this CRF250F, all excited to hit the trails. But when I hopped on, I quickly realized, “Whoa, this thing is a bit tall for me!” I’m not exactly a giant, you see. I needed to find a way to make this bike work for my, shall we say, “vertically challenged” stature.
Lowering the Bike: My Adventure Begins
First thing I did was check the basics. Could I adjust the rear shock’s preload? Yep, I could, and I did. I backed off the preload to soften the rear suspension, which helped the bike sag a bit more under my weight. This lowered the seat a little, but it still wasn’t quite enough. I still felt like I was on my tippy-toes.
- Step 1: Preload Adjustment. I grabbed my tools and went to work on the rear shock. Easy peasy.
Next, I thought about sliding the forks up in the triple clamps. Basically, this means you loosen the clamps that hold the front forks and slide the forks up a bit. This lowers the front end of the bike, which in turn lowers the overall seat height. I gave it a shot, moving them up maybe half an inch. I made sure to do it evenly on both sides, of course. Gotta keep things balanced!
- Step 2: Fork Adjustment. Loosened the clamps, carefully slid the forks up, and tightened everything back down.
After that, I took the bike for a little spin around my yard. Definitely felt better! I could get more of my feet on the ground, which gave me a lot more confidence, especially when stopping or navigating tricky terrain.
But I wasn’t completely satisfied. I still wanted it a tad lower. So, I considered a lowering link for the rear suspension. This is a little piece of metal that replaces the stock linkage and changes the geometry of the suspension, effectively lowering the rear end.
I choose not to use it.
- Step3: Contemplating the use of tools.
So, after a bit of tinkering, I managed to get the CRF250F’s seat height down to a manageable level for me. It wasn’t a huge change, but it made a big difference in how comfortable and confident I felt on the bike. Remember, it’s all about finding what works best for you and your riding style. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make adjustments until you’re happy with how your bike feels!
