Man, that CRF 250. Great bike, everyone says so, and I mostly agree. But let me tell ya, the first time I swung a leg over it, I was like, “Whoa, Nellie!” This thing felt tall. Like, really tall for my inseam. Tiptoes at every stoplight, that was gonna be my life, I figured.
My First Thoughts and What Everyone Else Says
My first instinct? Just deal with it. Maybe get some boots with thicker soles, I dunno. Or maybe just get better at that one-cheek sneak at red lights. You see all sorts of advice out there when you start looking into it. It’s like a whole industry built around making these bikes fit normal-sized humans.
People were talking about all kinds of stuff:
- Buying expensive lowering links that change the suspension geometry.
- Getting a whole new custom low seat, which costs a fair bit.
- Actually cutting down the original seat foam and re-stapling the cover. That sounded like a disaster waiting to happen for someone like me.
- Some folks even mess with the internal fork spacers or get the shock professionally shortened. Way too involved for my liking, honestly.
It all sounded like a lot of work, or a lot of money. And I’m not exactly a pro mechanic over here. I just want to ride the thing without feeling like I’m about to topple over every time I stop on an uneven bit of trail.
So, What I Ended Up Doing
I decided to start simple. Real simple. Before I went chopping things up or emptying my wallet, I figured I’d look at what I could adjust myself, with the tools I already had, or at least, the tools that came with the bike. The two things that came to mind were the seat (maybe just a little squish over time?) and the rear suspension preload. I figured the preload was the easiest first real step.
I’d read a bit about it. Backing off the preload on the rear shock can give you a little bit of a drop. Not a massive amount, but maybe just enough to make a difference. And it’s reversible, which is a big plus for me. If I messed it up, or didn’t like it, I could just crank it back to where it was.
The Actual Process – My Garage Adventure
So, one Saturday, I decided to give it a shot. First thing, I wrestled the bike onto a stand. You pretty much need to do this to get the rear wheel off the ground and take the weight off the shock. Then, I dug out that tiny little toolkit that comes with the bike. Found the spanner wrench in there – looked a bit flimsy, but hey, it’s what they give you.
Locating the preload adjustment rings on the rear shock wasn’t hard. Getting them to move? That was another story. Those things were on there tight. The lock ring, especially. I had to give it a few good, careful taps with the spanner and a rubber mallet to break it loose. Didn’t want to go full gorilla on it and strip something.
Once the lock ring was loose, I started backing off the main preload ring. I didn’t just guess; I measured the sag first. That’s basically how much the bike settles under its own weight, and then with you on it. Wrote down the numbers. Then I backed off the preload ring a few turns. I didn’t go crazy, maybe about 5-6mm of actual movement on the spring. Then I tightened the lock ring back up. Hard.
Then I measured the sag again. It definitely changed. The bike sat a bit lower. It wasn’t like, inches, but it was noticeable. I think I got about half an inch, maybe a touch more, right at the seat. Every little bit helps, right?
The Result and My Two Cents
And you know what? It actually made a difference. It’s not like I’m flat-footing it now – still on the balls of my feet mostly – but it’s definitely better. That little bit of extra confidence, especially when dabbing a foot on a tricky off-road section, it’s worth it. The bike feels a bit more planted for my weight too, which is a nice side effect.
I didn’t touch the front forks. Some people lower the front by sliding the forks up in the triple clamps to match the rear, but I wanted to see how it felt with just the rear adjusted first. So far, so good. It doesn’t feel weird or anything. Still handles fine for the kind of riding I do.
So yeah, that was my big adventure in seat height adjustment. Didn’t cost me anything but a bit of time and some scraped knuckles. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one to try first. It worked for me, anyway. Maybe later I’ll think about a slightly lower seat if I find a good deal, but for now, this little tweak has made the CRF 250 a lot more enjoyable. That’s my experience, hope it gives someone else an idea if they’re in the same boat.
