RUST magazine: Rust#4

Dual Sport
suspension through exhaustive dyno testing
to ensure a top quality solution.
There were still niggles, such as the
19in front wheel striking the radiator at
full compression. That was solved using a
stepped top triple clamp that afforded the
front forks a further 20mm clearance. So
the new set up gives the bike 50mm (2in) of
additional ground clearance - necessitating
a longer sidestand (and removal of the
centrestand).
That, essentially, is the job done. But a
full conversion to adventure spec requires
other additions, such as the engine guards,
off-road spec footrests, handguards, even
luggage racks - all of which RRP have
developed or sourced. On the test bike
even the graphics are bespoke - but that’s
not something you’d immediately spot -
Mitchinson, as always, at pains to make
the finished article look factory-standard.
“I wanted the bike to look like Honda had
produced it themselves, it should have a
level of fit and finish that accords with OEM
and I think that because so many people
have mistaken it for a stock bike, we’ve
achieved that.”
The Ride
Having ridden a Honda CRF250L for the
best part of a year, there’s a certain familiar-