The truth about the cr250.

doghouse
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doghouse 5/30/2017 10:45am
5/30/2017 10:45am
Lastander wrote:
Does the carb actually do that much of a difference or cant you guys just set up the stock carb right?:laugh: My 250 pulls like a...
Does the carb actually do that much of a difference or cant you guys just set up the stock carb right?Laughing
My 250 pulls like a beast, i dont think there is anything wrong with the stock if you can get it set up right
I run the stock, totally happy with it. Only complaint was they don't sell the gasket for the jet block via retail, so I had to get another one when it went out earlier this year.
captmoto
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captmoto 5/30/2017 11:05am
5/30/2017 11:05am
I had an 05, the bike in my avatar. 02 to 07 motors are not the same, 02-04 and 05-07 cylinders are different. Milling .030 off the base of the 05-07 cylinder bumps the bottom end really well. The Keihin carb gives trouble free jetting across the range. The milling trick doesn't work on the 02-04 cylinder but I have heard nothing but good stuff about PC and Varner Racing for motor mods.
My motor was stock but for the PC pipe and silencer and Keihin carb. The biggest improvement was to run Avgas in it. Pump gas made it feel like it needed jetting changes. If you can run anything other than ethanol pump gas you will see a change in how a stock motor runs.
Thumpertalk.com has a ton of info on CR250 tips including everything you need to know about adding a Keihin to your CR.
doghouse
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doghouse 5/30/2017 11:20am
5/30/2017 11:20am
Milling the bottom is a good trick for making the bike run more like a classic 250, a lot of people like it, but I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. Same as one of Varner's mods which is shaving the intake slightly. These are all aimed at reducing crankcase volume. Personally I think it kills the motor for my riding style, the upper middle punch of this bike is what makes it so good imo. Pin it and abuse the clutch, and this is the baddest 250 out. It's one reason pro level riders tended to be more at home on it than more intermediate riders. Not that I'm even remotely good, I suck, it just happens to suit me well.
Greenbush
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Greenbush 5/30/2017 11:51am
5/30/2017 11:51am
JWACK wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/30/198181/s1200_image.jpg[/img] 00 Built engine vs 06 built engine, the 00 wins. This bike is the best of both.. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/30/198182/s1200_image.jpg[/img]


00 Built engine vs 06 built engine, the 00 wins. This bike is the best of both..

Does that motor bolt right in to that chassis?

The Shop

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sickboy3636
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sickboy3636 5/30/2017 1:55pm
5/30/2017 1:55pm
overtheedge wrote:
Glad I'm not the only big guy trying to get these CR's to work! haha. Maybe it's not every bolt on possible, but I think it's...
Glad I'm not the only big guy trying to get these CR's to work! haha.

Maybe it's not every bolt on possible, but I think it's the big ones... Suspension, Vforce 3 Reeds, AirStriker, Stock expansion (which I've read is one of the better expansions to go with - not sure if that's true) with a Procircuit 304 silencer.

I'm in the woods a lot, which is why I moved away from the 450 and back to the lighter - more nimble feeling CR, I don't regret it at all but there are times where I really miss the low end.

I would like to get to the end of the season with the current set up - the motor could use a freshening up (not from lack of performance, but for preventive maintenance purposes). Compression holds steady at 160 so I've held off, if I'm going to freshen it up, it would be during this period I'd send to Eric.
Couple things....I've ran both a 304 and an fmf turbine core along with the v force set up next to a boyesen. I found a better low end response going with the Boyesen rad valve as opposed to the V-force. The V-force seemed to intensify the hit in the mid range, while the Boyesen seemed to give it more of a roll on grunt. As far as the silencers......I went back and forth with the 304 and turbine core. I can def tell you the turbine core also seemed to add a noticeable difference in the low end. The 304 seemed more on/off while the turbine core had more of a tendency to mellow it.

And ya man......being 6'4", I wasn't built to be on a dirtbike......but its my first love so come hell or high water I've always found a way to ride. I did the same thing and made the switch to 450. I spent some time on Hondas, which I hated, then jumped to the Kawi in 2013 and really liked the size of that bike. But I've still always come back to the smoker. You can see I got some some gnarly bar risers in the picture above. On my tiny 2012 Honda I used to get shit at the track for looking like I had ape hangers on it. lol. But thats my only complaint is that the 02-07 is a shade smaller......but you do what you have to in order to make it work. I had considered trying to machine a bracket to move the pegs down, kinda like what Kawi did.......but I've just gotten used to it over the years.
sickboy3636
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sickboy3636 5/30/2017 2:00pm
5/30/2017 2:00pm
Lastander wrote:
Does the carb actually do that much of a difference or cant you guys just set up the stock carb right?:laugh: My 250 pulls like a...
Does the carb actually do that much of a difference or cant you guys just set up the stock carb right?Laughing
My 250 pulls like a beast, i dont think there is anything wrong with the stock if you can get it set up right
Its much more touchy than the PWK Airstriker. Especially if you do any modding. Do a little research and you'll see that its a common complaint on that bike. Even the shootout testing back in the day they commented on how they were having a hard time finding a comfortable set up with the stock carb. It may be working for ya, but you may be able to get a lot more out of your engine. Keep an eye on your plug and that'll tell you a lot about whats going on inside the motor. If you got the stock dialed then more power to ya.........but I know I fought with it for while before buying the PWK. And after that I haven't had a single problem and I've been through some drastic elevation changes with it too.
PRM31
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PRM31 5/30/2017 2:11pm
5/30/2017 2:11pm
I had the '04. I did eventually get it jetted well. Also added reeds and an FMF pipe. It seemed unusually difficult to get jetted. I can't say the power was bad, but it definitely was not for everyone. Not a linear power curve at all, rather a very hard hit. If you had the talent to keep it singing it was probably a rocket. In my 40s and only riding a handful of times a year, it was a bit much for me.
doghouse
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doghouse 5/30/2017 2:12pm
5/30/2017 2:12pm
PRM31 wrote:
I had the '04. I did eventually get it jetted well. Also added reeds and an FMF pipe. It seemed unusually difficult to get jetted. I...
I had the '04. I did eventually get it jetted well. Also added reeds and an FMF pipe. It seemed unusually difficult to get jetted. I can't say the power was bad, but it definitely was not for everyone. Not a linear power curve at all, rather a very hard hit. If you had the talent to keep it singing it was probably a rocket. In my 40s and only riding a handful of times a year, it was a bit much for me.
I'd say that's pretty accurate.
JWACK
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JWACK 5/30/2017 2:15pm
5/30/2017 2:15pm
JWACK wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/30/198181/s1200_image.jpg[/img] 00 Built engine vs 06 built engine, the 00 wins. This bike is the best of both.. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/30/198182/s1200_image.jpg[/img]


00 Built engine vs 06 built engine, the 00 wins. This bike is the best of both..

Greenbush wrote:
Does that motor bolt right in to that chassis?
It's very close. You have to take the extra casting off the back of the engine case so when the suspension is unloaded you have good shock spring clearance. Also roughy an eighth inch off the back edge of the front engine mount. Use the 00-01 upper mount The 00-01 radiators bolt on the gen 3 frame for the different hose routing. Take a heat gun and modify the bottom of the gas tank for spark plug clearance. Not needed but I felt better about it. And also the 00-01 air boot bolts on to the newer air box but you need to cut one of the lips off the air box side. 00-01 expansion chamber and use the 02-06 silencer. Turns a great bike into a fucking great bike.! I know this much.
mxracer666
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mxracer666 5/30/2017 3:11pm
5/30/2017 3:11pm
I've got a 2001 CR250 (with a Keihin Carb), a 2003 CR250 (also with a Keihin), and an '05 that I'm currently building. I love the 2001 engine (with stock porting and head), but my 2003 with a head mod runs very close to the '01, IMHO...Does anyone have current contact info for Varner Motorsports? When I google it, it seems to only have info that is from 10 years ago..I try the ph numbers and they are disconnected/no longer in service???
erik_94COBRA
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erik_94COBRA 5/30/2017 4:10pm
5/30/2017 4:10pm
JWACK wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/30/198181/s1200_image.jpg[/img] 00 Built engine vs 06 built engine, the 00 wins. This bike is the best of both.. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/30/198182/s1200_image.jpg[/img]


00 Built engine vs 06 built engine, the 00 wins. This bike is the best of both..

Greenbush wrote:
Does that motor bolt right in to that chassis?
JWACK wrote:
It's very close. You have to take the extra casting off the back of the engine case so when the suspension is unloaded you have good...
It's very close. You have to take the extra casting off the back of the engine case so when the suspension is unloaded you have good shock spring clearance. Also roughy an eighth inch off the back edge of the front engine mount. Use the 00-01 upper mount The 00-01 radiators bolt on the gen 3 frame for the different hose routing. Take a heat gun and modify the bottom of the gas tank for spark plug clearance. Not needed but I felt better about it. And also the 00-01 air boot bolts on to the newer air box but you need to cut one of the lips off the air box side. 00-01 expansion chamber and use the 02-06 silencer. Turns a great bike into a fucking great bike.! I know this much.
I have a 2001 engine in a 2003 chassis and have a question and a comment for you.

Q: Did you make the front engine mount holes (tabs on frame) slightly oval in order to get the engine bolts in? Or is that what you mean by "take 1/8" off back edge of front engine mount"?

C: KTM sells a shorty version of the BR8EG spark plugs. Will look up number when on other computer.

Gratuitous photo of my other steed. Overall the bike is pretty damn good, but my new TC250 does everything better.



JW381
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JW381 5/30/2017 4:36pm
5/30/2017 4:36pm
All this talk about 6'4"



doghouse
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doghouse 5/30/2017 4:56pm
5/30/2017 4:56pm
JW381 wrote:
All this talk about 6'4" [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/30/198245/s1200_ashley_ashley_ms030_guy_im_64_homeless_i_dont_have_19841897.jpg[/img]
All this talk about 6'4"



Lol
sickboy3636
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sickboy3636 5/30/2017 4:59pm
5/30/2017 4:59pm
JW381 wrote:
All this talk about 6'4" [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/30/198245/s1200_ashley_ashley_ms030_guy_im_64_homeless_i_dont_have_19841897.jpg[/img]
All this talk about 6'4"



Lmao. There are a lot of benefits to being 6'4"......but trying to fit on production motorcycles is def not one of em.
JWACK
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JWACK 5/30/2017 6:15pm
5/30/2017 6:15pm
Greenbush wrote:
Does that motor bolt right in to that chassis?
JWACK wrote:
It's very close. You have to take the extra casting off the back of the engine case so when the suspension is unloaded you have good...
It's very close. You have to take the extra casting off the back of the engine case so when the suspension is unloaded you have good shock spring clearance. Also roughy an eighth inch off the back edge of the front engine mount. Use the 00-01 upper mount The 00-01 radiators bolt on the gen 3 frame for the different hose routing. Take a heat gun and modify the bottom of the gas tank for spark plug clearance. Not needed but I felt better about it. And also the 00-01 air boot bolts on to the newer air box but you need to cut one of the lips off the air box side. 00-01 expansion chamber and use the 02-06 silencer. Turns a great bike into a fucking great bike.! I know this much.
erik_94COBRA wrote:
I have a 2001 engine in a 2003 chassis and have a question and a comment for you. Q: Did you make the front engine mount...
I have a 2001 engine in a 2003 chassis and have a question and a comment for you.

Q: Did you make the front engine mount holes (tabs on frame) slightly oval in order to get the engine bolts in? Or is that what you mean by "take 1/8" off back edge of front engine mount"?

C: KTM sells a shorty version of the BR8EG spark plugs. Will look up number when on other computer.

Gratuitous photo of my other steed. Overall the bike is pretty damn good, but my new TC250 does everything better.



I didn't know about the shorty spark plug. Very cool.
You are correct Yes, make the front engine mount slightly oval. I was going to weld it shut and re drill but it didn't happen.

I will just have to respectfully disagree with you on the tc. Not for me. I'm selling my 16 ktm 350 because it just didn't give me the feeling I wanted even after spending the extra money on Ohlins and bars and on and on. I'm a Japanese bike kinda guy.
erik_94COBRA
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erik_94COBRA 5/30/2017 7:30pm
5/30/2017 7:30pm
JWACK wrote:
I didn't know about the shorty spark plug. Very cool. You are correct Yes, make the front engine mount slightly oval. I was going to weld...
I didn't know about the shorty spark plug. Very cool.
You are correct Yes, make the front engine mount slightly oval. I was going to weld it shut and re drill but it didn't happen.

I will just have to respectfully disagree with you on the tc. Not for me. I'm selling my 16 ktm 350 because it just didn't give me the feeling I wanted even after spending the extra money on Ohlins and bars and on and on. I'm a Japanese bike kinda guy.
If Honda made a modern CR250 I would have gladly bought that over the Husky. Honda even had a counterbalanced 250 2-stroke in the 1980s.

Saw your 350 for sale. Looks well setup. Too bad you didn't gel with it.
BobPA
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BobPA 5/30/2017 7:55pm
5/30/2017 7:55pm
agn5009 wrote:
Ha, this was my exact thought! Also, don't ride any new KTM or Husky 250/300. You'll regret dumping so much money into a CR.
Lastander wrote:
I wouldnt be so sure, my buddy has a cr125 -06, and he wanted a 250T also, so he bought a -16 husky 250 last year...
I wouldnt be so sure, my buddy has a cr125 -06, and he wanted a 250T also, so he bought a -16 husky 250 last year brand new, rode it for barely 2 hours then sold it for like a grand less haha.
I didn't ride it but man he hated its guts
2016 was not the new generation 250 BTW...
Mx286
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Mx286 5/30/2017 7:59pm
5/30/2017 7:59pm
I have a 06 and the motor in stock form is slow. Switched the carb to the PWK and even had the Eric Gorr 265 kit and still lacked the low end. I just recently sent the whole entire motor up to PR2 to have them set it up. They did the Blackfoot Honda's and claim to be getting some serious power out of those case reed motors.

I will say though other than the motor, the chassis set up is flawless. That bike will stick in any rut and turn wherever you want it to. Very fun bike to ride.

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Matt Fisher
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Matt Fisher 5/30/2017 10:59pm
5/30/2017 10:59pm
Easy mod for the 02-04 motors is run the base gasket from the 05-07. It's thinner so the cylinder gets lowered just a bit; more importantly it helps fix the excessive squish the come with from the factory. Add the PWK carb and 100LL fuel and it'll run much better than stock.
Lastander
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Lastander 5/30/2017 11:46pm
5/30/2017 11:46pm
BobPA wrote:
2016 was not the new generation 250 BTW...
Then it was a -17
H4L
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H4L 6/1/2017 10:18am
6/1/2017 10:18am Edited Date/Time 6/1/2017 10:58am
Yup. Still own a 03 CR250r I purchased back in Dec. of that year & have no plans on ever selling it. I've owned other 250 2 strokes like an 06 RM250 & 04 YZ250 with mods & have ridden many fast 250 strokes as well. I've sold them all including an 01 CR250r I had set up very well. Once you dial in the case reed engine especially with jetting there is no other 2 stroke engine that can compete. RC & MC proved it against the mighty factory 450's from 02-06 getting hole shots against them & competing at the highest level.
I've owned (5) CRF450r's including an 08 model & none of those engines had anything on the CR2 case reed.

The set up I found to work for me on mx use:
PC Cyl. & head mod done in 05 - Head was reshaped for race fuel / VP C12
V-focre 2 reed cage
Doma expansion chamber / silencer combo
JD aftermarket ign. - map programmed by PC to compliment cyl & head mods
13/50 gearing - with this gearing it has a robust lowend
Mid-Top power is unlike any 250 2 stroke ridden to date...

Also raced pretty much a stock 02 model with just a V-force 2 & 50t rear sprocket & podium-ed.

Good to see these model 02-07 bikes getting some well deserved recognition on the case reed engine design. Good jetting & fuel is the key I've found out through the years, but engine mods will be like waking up a sleeping GIANT !
Lastander
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Lastander 6/1/2017 10:24am
6/1/2017 10:24am
Just took mine out of hibernation, a broken wrist doesent stop the cr from hitting the road!



Bruneval
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Bruneval 6/1/2017 11:33am
6/1/2017 11:33am
Had a 2003 and 2004 CR250, and they are great bikes with superb handling and are very well made. However, and I say this with the utmost sincerity, I prefer my 1989. The motor is much more useable, and with some suspension work to bring it up to date, the bike is just perfect for me.



H4L
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H4L 6/1/2017 12:26pm
6/1/2017 12:26pm
My first 250 2 stroke was an 87CR250r & afterwards a 93 model. While those were very good bikes they don't compare to the 03 model with a FC 07 Showa B-kit / PC engine mods.
doghouse
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doghouse 6/1/2017 1:58pm
6/1/2017 1:58pm
H4L wrote:
Yup. Still own a 03 CR250r I purchased back in Dec. of that year & have no plans on ever selling it. I've owned other 250...
Yup. Still own a 03 CR250r I purchased back in Dec. of that year & have no plans on ever selling it. I've owned other 250 2 strokes like an 06 RM250 & 04 YZ250 with mods & have ridden many fast 250 strokes as well. I've sold them all including an 01 CR250r I had set up very well. Once you dial in the case reed engine especially with jetting there is no other 2 stroke engine that can compete. RC & MC proved it against the mighty factory 450's from 02-06 getting hole shots against them & competing at the highest level.
I've owned (5) CRF450r's including an 08 model & none of those engines had anything on the CR2 case reed.

The set up I found to work for me on mx use:
PC Cyl. & head mod done in 05 - Head was reshaped for race fuel / VP C12
V-focre 2 reed cage
Doma expansion chamber / silencer combo
JD aftermarket ign. - map programmed by PC to compliment cyl & head mods
13/50 gearing - with this gearing it has a robust lowend
Mid-Top power is unlike any 250 2 stroke ridden to date...

Also raced pretty much a stock 02 model with just a V-force 2 & 50t rear sprocket & podium-ed.

Good to see these model 02-07 bikes getting some well deserved recognition on the case reed engine design. Good jetting & fuel is the key I've found out through the years, but engine mods will be like waking up a sleeping GIANT !
xr70
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xr70 6/1/2017 2:00pm
6/1/2017 2:00pm




Year ago I built this 02 with 01 engine, but after riding four strokes for years I never felt comfortable on the smoker and sold it.
H4L
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H4L 6/2/2017 6:56am
6/2/2017 6:56am Edited Date/Time 6/3/2017 12:48am
captmoto wrote:
I had an 05, the bike in my avatar. 02 to 07 motors are not the same, 02-04 and 05-07 cylinders are different. Milling .030 off...
I had an 05, the bike in my avatar. 02 to 07 motors are not the same, 02-04 and 05-07 cylinders are different. Milling .030 off the base of the 05-07 cylinder bumps the bottom end really well. The Keihin carb gives trouble free jetting across the range. The milling trick doesn't work on the 02-04 cylinder but I have heard nothing but good stuff about PC and Varner Racing for motor mods.
My motor was stock but for the PC pipe and silencer and Keihin carb. The biggest improvement was to run Avgas in it. Pump gas made it feel like it needed jetting changes. If you can run anything other than ethanol pump gas you will see a change in how a stock motor runs.
Thumpertalk.com has a ton of info on CR250 tips including everything you need to know about adding a Keihin to your CR.
I've ridden an 06 model with .025" milled off the base of the cyl. & it kills the topend power since it moves the port timing down. Honestly I wouldn't recommend this mod on the 02-07 CR2's unless you ride in some tight woods & only use the low-mid part of the powerband.

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