Honda has announced that it’s expanding its off-road racing program in the UK to feature the Honda CRF250R. The brand enjoyed a lot of success with the CRF150R Cup for young riders, which ran as part of the European championship. This time around, the CRF250R Cup will be for adult riders in both the amateur and clubmen ranks.
A total of four brand new bikes will be up for grabs to the winners of the 2024 racing series. The CRF250R Cup will be divided into two series, with one series running under the MX Nationals series dubbed the “Fastest 40 British Motocross Championship.” Races will be held on Sundays, and will feature clubmen riders. Meanwhile, the other series will be organized by the AMCA as part of the UK championships. Racers get to choose what series they wish to partake in, with the only requirement being that their race bike, a Honda CRF250R, is from the 2021 model-year onwards, and was supplied by a Honda UK dealer.
In the brand’s official press release, Honda UK Off Road Sales Manager Graham Foster-Vigors said, “Honda UK has set up this initiative to give Honda riders the chance to progress under the wing of a manufacturer, whether they are stepping up from junior ranks, or looking for extra competitive quality racing within existing national championships.”
At the end of the racing season of 2024, each racing series will give the winner a brand new Honda CRF250R. On top of that, each series will also select another winner of a CRF250R dubbed the “Power of Dreams Award.” The winner will be judged by a panel of experts based on their skill level, determination, sportsmanship, and social media reach.
Given the sheer volume of Honda CRF250Rs in the UK motocross racing scene, those who wish to participate in the 2024 Honda CRF250R Cup will first have to qualify via their regular AMCA regional race events. The scoring system keeps track of the racers’ performance in their respective race classes, as well as separate scoring for points awarded. Depending on the region, five or six racers will be invited to participate in the CRF 250R Cup class.
At the end of every round, the best rider, determined by a panel of judges, will receive a Fly Helmet, which they will use until the end of the season. It’s worth noting that although any 2021 and up CRF250R is eligible to join the races, buyers of the new models from official Honda UK dealers will receive a free Race Pack which includes a Fly Racing kit, holeshot device, and care package from Motul. On top of this, the bike also comes with a free off-road training day from Fly Racing, with instruction from British MX1 Champion Conrad Mewse and three-time World 500 Champion Dave Thorpe.
