2006 Honda TRX250ex First Ride, by Off-Road.com

• October 2005  •

New for 2006

TRX250EX - $3,699

• TRX450R-inspired bodywor
• Hand-operated Honda "You can't stall it" SportClutch
• New front & rear suspension for improved ride and handling
• Brighter headlight
• Brake light as standard equipment
• Now available in Black and Red

TRX90 - $2,649

• TRX450R-inspired bodywork
• Electric starter
• New handlebar design for increased rider comfort
• Front brake lever repositioned closer to grip to fit a wide variety of riders
• Uniquely designed centermud guards for rider protection and comfort
• Silver-colored frame
• Tough plastic skid plate
• New suspension settings for improved rider comfort
• Now available in Black and Red

Rider Impressions:

From an entry-level prospective, I really enjoyed the ride of the 2006 TRX250EX. One of the first things I noticed right away was the easy start of the quad.

Another feature I really enjoyed was the new Honda Sport Clutch. The advantage to this was I was able to get a feel for the quad without having to worry about manually shifting with the clutch to change gears all the time. After I had a feel for the quad I was able to use the clutch to get the RPMs up.

Another great new feature for the 250 is ease of the reverse selector. Being a novice rider I sometimes get myself into some tricky spots where it's nice to have that feature. I was able to work the reverse lever effortlessly.

The 250 also sports rear brake lights, which came in very handy when I followed other quads around on the dusty trails. The new larger shocks made the ride through the whoops section quite fun.

My overall opinion of the 250EX was Honda made some very good changes. And any rider could get on this machine and ride with confidence.

I also had the privilege of riding the 2006 TRX90, Honda's true beginner or younger rider quad. Again I enjoyed the ease of the electric start. Later I found out that this was a new addition to this year's model. Riding this was so much fun. It had all the power and suspension a small-framed person could need to get any where on the track.

Both the TRX250EX and the TRX90 went through extensive changes on the body style. They have a much sportier look, and come in traditional Honda red or all new black. With all the new features Honda has put into the new line up, any experience-level rider should be able to hop on one of these quads and have a wonderful riding experience.