Sweet 1997 CR125

One-Hander
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One-Hander
Edited Date/Time 6/15/2017 10:44pm
Can't believe 1997 means this bike is now 20 years old. Man... I'm getting old.


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Jack_Mehoff
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Jack_Mehoff 6/14/2017 1:53pm
6/14/2017 1:53pm
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
SKIDLID
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SKIDLID 6/14/2017 2:38pm
6/14/2017 2:38pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I do remember the 1997 yz125 was the bike of the year, actually from 1996-99 in MXA.
kott0n
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kott0n 6/14/2017 2:55pm
6/14/2017 2:55pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
A lot of people like them as its the final steel frame year. The CR250 got the horrid frame in 97 but the 125 didnt get it until 98.

I think the 125 alu frame was still better handling/flexible than the 250 but people loved the the last gen steel 125's.
slowgti
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slowgti 6/14/2017 3:45pm
6/14/2017 3:45pm
Last year of the 6 speed/steel frame. Good bikes for sure, parts are getting really expensive though.

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cali11
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cali11 6/14/2017 4:16pm
6/14/2017 4:16pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
SKIDLID wrote:
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I...
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I do remember the 1997 yz125 was the bike of the year, actually from 1996-99 in MXA.
Thought KX125 was?
SKIDLID
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SKIDLID 6/14/2017 4:36pm
6/14/2017 4:36pm Edited Date/Time 6/14/2017 4:39pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
SKIDLID wrote:
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I...
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I do remember the 1997 yz125 was the bike of the year, actually from 1996-99 in MXA.
cali11 wrote:
Thought KX125 was?
I stand corrected it was 1996-2003 . I did have an 04 cr125 and rode 95 and 96 also. Lots of topend but bottom was weak. They where cool bikes, my favorite was with the factory fox style decals and white fenders. Like this one in video
burn1986
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burn1986 6/14/2017 6:11pm
6/14/2017 6:11pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
SKIDLID wrote:
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I...
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I do remember the 1997 yz125 was the bike of the year, actually from 1996-99 in MXA.
cali11 wrote:
Thought KX125 was?
I'm pretty sure the KX250 won this. The 125 was no match for the YZ from 96 on.
Gonzo0100
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Gonzo0100 6/14/2017 7:12pm
6/14/2017 7:12pm
I had a 1996 CR125. One of the best bikes I ever owned. Bought it used as my first "big bike" when I was... 13 or 14. It came with ENZO suspension, and PC exhaust. I guess the cylinder had been modded by Bills pipes, so it tore through pistons and rings like I did Kleenex at that age. Race gas or it detonated quickly. Unfortunately I was into dessert racing at the time (AMA Big 6) so I had it geared to the moon with a desert tank and what not... Black plastics, full SMP gear... it was the time...

I got a brand new 2000 CR125 when they came out, and it was a superior bike in every way, but it didn't make me any faster.

I wish I would have kept that bike, and the 00 for keep sakes. I wish I would have kept all the 2 strokes I ever had, even the 86 CR80... All other bikes since those three have been farters and as I have parted with them, I don't miss them.

crusher773
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crusher773 6/14/2017 8:40pm
6/14/2017 8:40pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran. You had to ring it about every 2 rides. The cylinder design on it was terrible.
kott0n
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kott0n 6/14/2017 8:46pm
6/14/2017 8:46pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
crusher773 wrote:
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran...
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran. You had to ring it about every 2 rides. The cylinder design on it was terrible.
A buddy who raced local B class ragged the shit out of a 95 for years. Top ends once a year.

I ragged the shit out of a 91 for 3 years. No top ends.

YMMV
Kevin_Reed
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Kevin_Reed 6/14/2017 9:46pm
6/14/2017 9:46pm
I rescued this in April. It turned out great. I just freshened up everything in the forks and changed the jetting this weekend. Its a blast and corners sooo different than my 350. Only rule on the track- if you back off the throttle grab clutch and/or downshift to keep going. My friend came and looked at it and almost started crying (not kidding). He is 52 and the looks and smell brought back so many memories as he raced CR125s from 1989 to 1997. Mine I found on craigslist only 20 minuets from me. I looked about a month later on craigslist and found another 1997 CR125 that had just been listed for an hour. It had Pro Circuit suspension front and rear and motor work. Also a hinson clutch. I bought it and called my friend and told him that he is the new owner of a CR125. We drove together and picked it up and he did not stop talking about his 125 days..

ehr400
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ehr400 6/15/2017 3:24am
6/15/2017 3:24am
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
crusher773 wrote:
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran...
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran. You had to ring it about every 2 rides. The cylinder design on it was terrible.
You must have had a lemon, had numerous CR125's in the 90's with zero cylinder issues including a '97, and also own one right now I am restoring. If I remember right the hot ticket in the early to mid 2000's was a 96-97 cylinder on the newer style bottom ends. I thought I remembered FC and Team Honda doing this.
SKIDLID
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SKIDLID 6/15/2017 5:47am
6/15/2017 5:47am
SKIDLID wrote:
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I...
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I do remember the 1997 yz125 was the bike of the year, actually from 1996-99 in MXA.
cali11 wrote:
Thought KX125 was?
burn1986 wrote:
I'm pretty sure the KX250 won this. The 125 was no match for the YZ from 96 on.
I meant the 125 shootout winner, not the bike of the year. My bad.
Tracktor
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Tracktor 6/15/2017 11:52am
6/15/2017 11:52am
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
crusher773 wrote:
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran...
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran. You had to ring it about every 2 rides. The cylinder design on it was terrible.
ehr400 wrote:
You must have had a lemon, had numerous CR125's in the 90's with zero cylinder issues including a '97, and also own one right now I...
You must have had a lemon, had numerous CR125's in the 90's with zero cylinder issues including a '97, and also own one right now I am restoring. If I remember right the hot ticket in the early to mid 2000's was a 96-97 cylinder on the newer style bottom ends. I thought I remembered FC and Team Honda doing this.
It's definitely some type of set up issue. These HPP motors are still going strong today (92-97). We run an HPP top end in an '02 CR125 and it gets thrashed by my kid on a regular basis. No reliability issues at all............Probably more of these engines running today than just about any other 125 of that era.............
Katoomey
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Katoomey 6/15/2017 12:29pm
6/15/2017 12:29pm
Tracktor wrote:
It's definitely some type of set up issue. These HPP motors are still going strong today (92-97). We run an HPP top end in an '02...
It's definitely some type of set up issue. These HPP motors are still going strong today (92-97). We run an HPP top end in an '02 CR125 and it gets thrashed by my kid on a regular basis. No reliability issues at all............Probably more of these engines running today than just about any other 125 of that era.............
yeah, if I remember correctly these we're the go to kart racing motor for years.
wsc96
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wsc96 6/15/2017 2:38pm
6/15/2017 2:38pm
97 was a good year for the CR125. One of the best bikes I've owned.
jorgechavez 6/15/2017 3:19pm
6/15/2017 3:19pm
I rode a buddies '97 CR125 and was anticipating similar power to my '01 but it had a hell of a lot more, almost looped out!
cali11
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cali11 6/15/2017 3:28pm
6/15/2017 3:28pm
I haves 1995 KX125. It's fun to rip around on it some times

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cwtoyota
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cwtoyota 6/15/2017 3:35pm
6/15/2017 3:35pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
crusher773 wrote:
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran...
No no no no no! I had a '97 CR125 and it was a total pile of shit. That thing broke down more than it ran. You had to ring it about every 2 rides. The cylinder design on it was terrible.
kott0n wrote:
A buddy who raced local B class ragged the shit out of a 95 for years. Top ends once a year. I ragged the shit out...
A buddy who raced local B class ragged the shit out of a 95 for years. Top ends once a year.

I ragged the shit out of a 91 for 3 years. No top ends.

YMMV
The 1995 CR125R was an awesome bike, everything about it was pretty damn good. That 1995 engine was a top-end screamer though, my buddies who owned them couldn't keep them on the pipe and fouled plugs all the time. I loved the power, gearing and handling on that CR.

The 1996 YZ had more torque than the CR and still had good top-end, so it was easier to ride.

Back in the 1990s, the difference between Honda's build quality and all the others was huge.
Their brakes were dramatically better too.
cwtoyota
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cwtoyota 6/15/2017 3:42pm
6/15/2017 3:42pm
Kevin_Reed wrote:
I rescued this in April. It turned out great. I just freshened up everything in the forks and changed the jetting this weekend. Its a blast...
I rescued this in April. It turned out great. I just freshened up everything in the forks and changed the jetting this weekend. Its a blast and corners sooo different than my 350. Only rule on the track- if you back off the throttle grab clutch and/or downshift to keep going. My friend came and looked at it and almost started crying (not kidding). He is 52 and the looks and smell brought back so many memories as he raced CR125s from 1989 to 1997. Mine I found on craigslist only 20 minuets from me. I looked about a month later on craigslist and found another 1997 CR125 that had just been listed for an hour. It had Pro Circuit suspension front and rear and motor work. Also a hinson clutch. I bought it and called my friend and told him that he is the new owner of a CR125. We drove together and picked it up and he did not stop talking about his 125 days..

That bike looks mint! Nice work.
moore433
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moore433 6/15/2017 7:47pm
6/15/2017 7:47pm
97 cr125 was a awesome bike!!! Wish I had another one.
I races one slick track and won most of the time easily and people would come look at my bike and say that's one fast ass 250. I told them it must really be fast because it's a 125 and they couldn't believe it till they saw my 250 sitting beside it clean as a whistle
FGR01
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FGR01 6/15/2017 10:44pm
6/15/2017 10:44pm
Jack_Mehoff wrote:
We're these bikes any good? There's one that's beat to shit around me for 700 bucks and I'm very tempted.
SKIDLID wrote:
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I...
I never rode one, but I do have my 1997 yz125 still. I loved that bike, I keep thinking some day I will restore it. I do remember the 1997 yz125 was the bike of the year, actually from 1996-99 in MXA.
cali11 wrote:
Thought KX125 was?
Late 90's KX125's were pretty much complete piles of crap. No Power, mushy suspension, couldn't corner, and about the weakest brakes ever.

The biggest proof of RC being the GOAT is the fact that he won so much on those damn things. He was about the only person in the country riding them !!

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