My biggest article yet is up. The ten worst MX bikes in history.

tblazier
Profile picture for user tblazier
Posts
8819
Joined
7/20/2011
Location
Leesburg, VA, USA
tblazier
Edited Date/Time 3/29/2012 7:49pm
Here is my list of the 10 worst production MX bikes ever. It is pretty big because I tried to give a little background an context on each bike instead of just rattling off a bunch of reasons why it was crap..I hope everyone finds it interesting and entertaining.

The ten worst MX bikes ever.
|
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7852
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA, USA
Wandell 3/28/2012 7:24pm
3/28/2012 7:24pm
Great article!
CR250Rider
Profile picture for user CR250Rider
Posts
6706
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Moses Lake, WA, USA
CR250Rider 3/28/2012 7:33pm
3/28/2012 7:33pm
That's really good
Hando
Profile picture for user Hando
Posts
1571
Joined
11/13/2011
Location
USA
Hando 3/28/2012 7:41pm
3/28/2012 7:41pm Edited Date/Time 3/28/2012 7:44pm
i would've included the 97 CR250 in there as well with the 1998 CR125

It really is a shame that the CR125 went from hero to zero in the course of a year

ive ridden the steel frame cr125s and they are insanee fast.

good article though
bigborefan
Profile picture for user bigborefan
Posts
1472
Joined
3/8/2008
Location
Urbana, IL, USA
bigborefan 3/28/2012 8:09pm
3/28/2012 8:09pm
84 CR 500. I had mine a month before I ever got it started.

The Shop

See All »
willie838
Profile picture for user willie838
Posts
852
Joined
8/9/2011
Location
New Windsor, NY, USA
willie838 3/28/2012 8:14pm
3/28/2012 8:14pm
Wandell wrote:
Great article!
very well done.
TriRacer27 3/28/2012 8:23pm
3/28/2012 8:23pm
Loved it! It's great reading about the crapy stuff that happens since the average fan only ever hears positive things about factory bikes during interviews.
Moto Soul Mag
Profile picture for user Moto Soul Mag
Posts
736
Joined
1/24/2012
Location
Annapolis, MD, USA
Moto Soul Mag 3/28/2012 8:56pm
3/28/2012 8:56pm
Great job. Had me laughing.

I always thought the 81 CR450 had that weird front numberplate for people in a scoring tower. And increased airflow too. Between that and the Kawasaki rear fender./numberplate, things were strange around then.
Fred Boss Mx Dion 3/28/2012 9:04pm
3/28/2012 9:04pm
I answered an ad in 1967 ..The ad claimed that this racing bike was "TOO FAST FOR ME"...I thought, Boy , that's for me...Well, I went and bought this rocket, A 1967 Kawi, Rotary-valved, Green Streak,Evil handling,Plug fouling, ponderous man killer that I managed to survive even though it tried to kill me on numerous occasions. It, and those like it get my nomination to be included in the worst top 10.Well, I finally got that out of my system, so I can admit that I kind of liked the worthless piece of iron.
Actually had a lot of fun trying to stay on the thing
bents
Profile picture for user bents
Posts
3428
Joined
12/31/2009
Location
CA
Fantasy
615th
bents 3/28/2012 9:40pm
3/28/2012 9:40pm
That was a great article-congrats! I would ad my 1981 pro link honda pieces of shit 125 and 250, especially the 250. Brutal. To think I gave up two suzuki full floaters for those POS. No wonder I quit for a few years.....Geez!
brianfagan9
Profile picture for user brianfagan9
Posts
262
Joined
8/17/2010
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
brianfagan9 3/28/2012 10:06pm
3/28/2012 10:06pm
Loved the article and was laughing my ass off until I came up to the 1985 Yamaha YZ125 and then all of my own bad memories came back to the forefront. I had one of those and before that I had a YZ80. I think my 80 would have smoked the 125, just a total turd. That was the last Yamaha Ive ever owned.
mx757
Profile picture for user mx757
Posts
2275
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Pueblo, CO, USA
mx757 3/28/2012 11:10pm
3/28/2012 11:10pm
Haha #10 hits close to home with me. The 04 RMZ was the 1st, and last 4 stroke MX bike I ever owned. It was so bad it would boil out so much coolant that after each moto I could see the fins inside the radiator. It was also such a pain in the ass to change the oil filter I would change the oil every couple rides, but would only change a filter every 3rd oil change. Horrible bike that chased me back to 2 strokes.
TripleDigit 3/29/2012 2:36am
3/29/2012 2:36am
Those 1982 Yamaha's that had the radiators mounted on the forks WTF??

Forever straightening them out and messing about with the poxy things
tbanks
Profile picture for user tbanks
Posts
1515
Joined
5/28/2011
Location
Great Mills, MD, USA
tbanks 3/29/2012 5:51am
3/29/2012 5:51am
Great article
Highsider
Profile picture for user Highsider
Posts
7679
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Way Toasty, IA, USA
Highsider 3/29/2012 6:12am
3/29/2012 6:12am
Good reading. Thanks!
pete24
Profile picture for user pete24
Posts
2733
Joined
10/20/2011
Location
Marlborough, MA, USA
pete24 3/29/2012 6:34am
3/29/2012 6:34am
god dammit, i had a 83 kx 500, my first race bike, i had a 98 cr250, and then i was a cannondale dealer! im a loser
4stroke4DWIN
Profile picture for user 4stroke4DWIN
Posts
2765
Joined
1/15/2012
Location
texas city, TX, USA
4stroke4DWIN 3/29/2012 6:39am
3/29/2012 6:39am
Wow man, that was a pretty cool read.
BobbyM
Profile picture for user BobbyM
Posts
21435
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
USA
BobbyM 3/29/2012 6:39am
3/29/2012 6:39am
tblazier wrote:
Here is my list of the 10 worst production MX bikes ever. It is pretty big because I tried to give a little background an context...
Here is my list of the 10 worst production MX bikes ever. It is pretty big because I tried to give a little background an context on each bike instead of just rattling off a bunch of reasons why it was crap..I hope everyone finds it interesting and entertaining.

The ten worst MX bikes ever.
pretty much nailed it
mx_579
Profile picture for user mx_579
Posts
366
Joined
6/27/2009
Location
New Iberia, LA, USA
mx_579 3/29/2012 6:43am
3/29/2012 6:43am
bigborefan wrote:
84 CR 500. I had mine a month before I ever got it started.
My dad had 1 and he'd tow it to start it usually. I rode that thing when I was 11.

Pit Row

See All »
tmauto769 3/29/2012 6:43am
3/29/2012 6:43am
Good read, I particularly like this line "The bike would headshake at speed like a wet dog getting out of a bath" hahaha, good stuff, thanks!
tblazier
Profile picture for user tblazier
Posts
8819
Joined
7/20/2011
Location
Leesburg, VA, USA
tblazier 3/29/2012 6:49am
3/29/2012 6:49am
pete24 wrote:
god dammit, i had a 83 kx 500, my first race bike, i had a 98 cr250, and then i was a cannondale dealer! im a...
god dammit, i had a 83 kx 500, my first race bike, i had a 98 cr250, and then i was a cannondale dealer! im a loser
LOL dude that is hilarious. i feel for ya brother. I had a 85 YZ and a 99 CR125R both were total piles in every way. Sometimes bad bikes happen to good people.
valvesr4wimps
Profile picture for user valvesr4wimps
Posts
84
Joined
3/16/2012
Location
Pleasanton, CA, USA
valvesr4wimps 3/29/2012 7:04am
3/29/2012 7:04am Edited Date/Time 3/29/2012 7:08am
SC500 always made those "worst bike" lists. MX or otherwise. So, of course I always wanted one to see just how bad it was. Finally got a roller a couple years back. Motor was blown. I rebuilt it and got it back into the dirt. While it may be awful as a race bike it sure was fun as a play bike. Plenty of beans, enough down low and good power higher. So so handling was fine for trail riding. 4 speed way to wide for the powerband but, again, if your not racing it was ok. (I know, supposed to be a race bike). Other good points were a counterbalancer that makes it vibrate more like a 125 and a auto decompressor for the kickstart that makes it easier to start than an XR75. Ridiculously easy to work on too. Simple, simple bike.

What worried me about it was the large holes in the piston surrounding the pin gudgeons. This bad design leads to broken pistons. So I ended up selling it after sampling it enough to say it was a fun bike before it could blow up again.

Video of my rebuild is here:



Now I have to shop for a Cyclone!
MX558
Profile picture for user MX558
Posts
1995
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
MX558 3/29/2012 7:06am
3/29/2012 7:06am
All I can say is I'm glad I didn't have the money to buy a 97 cr250 at the time. lol My buddy bought one and I rode it 3 laps, shit suspension and the worst chassis ever.
vet323
Profile picture for user vet323
Posts
3641
Joined
7/31/2010
Location
Lead, SD, USA
vet323 3/29/2012 8:18am
3/29/2012 8:18am
Fun article, I've had the good fortune not to have owned ANY of those bikes.
Motocross83 3/29/2012 8:40am
3/29/2012 8:40am
"Thankfully for Yamaha fans everywhere the 1986 YZ125 was a huge improvement over the Yama-dog 85. They ditched the idiotic BASS-omatic shock"

I thought they held onto this until 88? I have an 87 YZ 125 (project build) and I'm pretty sure it still has the BASS system attached. Very entertaining read, I enjoy your articles.
pete24
Profile picture for user pete24
Posts
2733
Joined
10/20/2011
Location
Marlborough, MA, USA
pete24 3/29/2012 9:01am
3/29/2012 9:01am
YUP 86 87 HAD BASS (BAD ACTING SUSPENSION SYSTEM)
300zx
Profile picture for user 300zx
Posts
126
Joined
7/22/2008
Location
Baltimore, MD, USA
300zx 3/29/2012 9:11am
3/29/2012 9:11am
pete24 wrote:
YUP 86 87 HAD BASS (BAD ACTING SUSPENSION SYSTEM)
Regarding the BASS system, that is correct. I remember the 84YZ125 as being worse than the 85 YZ125. The 85 had a little more bark. Hot setup was to run the 83 YZ125 cylinder on the 84/85. After the strong motors that Kawasaki built for the 84 and 85 KX125s, I think the 86 which was way too peaky may have been even a greater let down. Also, everyone likes to bag on the 81 CR450. I bought a used mint one and did not think it was really all that bad.
Erick
Profile picture for user Erick
Posts
181
Joined
1/20/2010
Location
NL
Erick 3/29/2012 9:37am
3/29/2012 9:37am
Thank you !! That was a very interesting read
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7852
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA, USA
Wandell 3/29/2012 9:50am
3/29/2012 9:50am
Moto Soul Mag wrote:
Great job. Had me laughing. I always thought the 81 CR450 had that weird front numberplate for people in a scoring tower. And increased airflow too...
Great job. Had me laughing.

I always thought the 81 CR450 had that weird front numberplate for people in a scoring tower. And increased airflow too. Between that and the Kawasaki rear fender./numberplate, things were strange around then.
1981 was the year of the weird number plate! Remember that cowl thing on the 81 YZ125? I think Honda's hangnail plate was for airflow to the radiators on the CR125 and CR250 and they just threw it on the CR450 to save a couple bucks and make the bikes look similar.
Stooperbike
Profile picture for user Stooperbike
Posts
270
Joined
10/6/2008
Location
Salem, NH, USA
Stooperbike 3/29/2012 10:25am
3/29/2012 10:25am
Anytime someone comes out with a 10 worst of anything I usually have 1-2 items on that list. WTF!!

I still have my beloved 1999 CR125 and I actually love it, I will admit the motor is so slow. But the bike always makes me smile when I ride it. I have logged a bunch of hours on it and never did it do anything crazy handling wise, it seemed to like any terrain and it was always stable. The motor is slow but so easy to ride compared to my 03 125. Its all what you like I suppose.

Great article, Just a question but how were the 1985 Huskys? They look the balls but were those models comparable to the other bikes of that year??
Hando
Profile picture for user Hando
Posts
1571
Joined
11/13/2011
Location
USA
Hando 3/29/2012 10:54am
3/29/2012 10:54am
The 03 cr125 is a dog too!!

ive heard people say the cr125 handles good because its slow..but the chassis is similar to the 250 and the 250 has an awesome chassis/suspension

Post a reply to: My biggest article yet is up. The ten worst MX bikes in history.