Were the 97-99 Honda Cr250's really that bad????????

Talisker
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Talisker
Edited Date/Time 6/17/2019 7:29pm
Im about to start a shit storm, but here goes. Were these bikes really that bad?????
I bought many used bikes, but till this point this was the first brand new dirt bike i purchased from a dealer.
Think i was either 19 or 20. Yes, i realised the bike was stiff like a tank.
Being young with really no money i only had 2 options.

Option 1: Whine about it like a bitch!!!!
Option 2: Learn how to ride the bike fast!

I must say, looking at the bikes I've owed over the years, i think this is my best bike. This bike taught me more than any other bike. Techniques that now come naturally. I had to learn how to consistently find the smoother or best line. Sometimes create a whole new line. If i didn't , trust me, the bike would let me know. This bike also hooked up really, really well on hard pack (I'm talkin real hard pack).










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avidchimp
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avidchimp 6/15/2019 5:13pm
6/15/2019 5:13pm
If you were a heavier rider they were ok. Suspension setup was crucial. Try and get rid of the harshness of the frame by running a softer third of the stroke and it bottomed like crazy. Go for bottoming control and you needed see a dentist and an orthopedist after a day at the track.

Engine was absolutely amazing.
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pete24
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pete24 6/15/2019 5:18pm
6/15/2019 5:18pm
I had a 98 got a free craftsman tool box with it I loved that bike I would buy a clean one for 90s vintage
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Johnny Lock 6/15/2019 5:21pm
6/15/2019 5:21pm Edited Date/Time 6/15/2019 5:22pm
They got a bad rap - I think a lot of the mags thought the aluminum frame was too rigid - I never noticed as I wasn’t good enough to be so picky.

I had a new 98 CR125. The twin-spar frame was a revelation to me with regards to moving fore and aft on the bike.

Edit to add: I got the Craftsman box too.
bvm111
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bvm111 6/15/2019 5:24pm
6/15/2019 5:24pm
Yes they were... my partially torn right labrum just twinged looking at those photos!!

The motor was amazing, problem was the damn thing was so stiff it would react to every and all inputs... intentional or unintentional. When I was fresh it was killer, when I got tired it would spit me off without warning ending up with afor mentioned partial torn labrum... I still have no clue what happened!
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The Shop

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reded
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reded 6/15/2019 5:37pm
6/15/2019 5:37pm
Damn thing wouldn’t turn worth a shit. I always had to find something to bounce it off of to get it to turn on intermediate to hardpack. The motor was awesome, vibration wasn’t.
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Jharper
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Jharper 6/15/2019 5:50pm
6/15/2019 5:50pm
The engine is great. 98
19
Stoop 6/15/2019 5:55pm
6/15/2019 5:55pm
Ronnie loves his, just sayin
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mxracer666
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mxracer666 6/15/2019 6:02pm
6/15/2019 6:02pm
The magazines gave these bikes a bad rap...granted , the forks were awful and revalving them didn't do much, but the rest of the bike was great! Put a set of '05+ CR250 forks on them and they are money!
lappedrider
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lappedrider 6/15/2019 6:10pm
6/15/2019 6:10pm
My 99 was my least favorite bike of all that I have owned.
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Jrewing
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Jrewing 6/15/2019 6:44pm
6/15/2019 6:44pm
lappedrider wrote:
My 99 was my least favorite bike of all that I have owned.
My 99 is one of my favourite.
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ATKpilot99
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ATKpilot99 6/15/2019 6:49pm
6/15/2019 6:49pm
I had a 98 that I used for mostly grass track type riding and I liked it.
FLmxer
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FLmxer 6/15/2019 7:02pm
6/15/2019 7:02pm
My most disliked bike. Motor was awesone but the rest was not at all. I think it was JT that was saying how even the Honda guys were agreeing the bike should not of been released because it was that bad but too late. MC called it a career ender and wouldn't race it.
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Jrewing
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Jrewing 6/15/2019 7:20pm
6/15/2019 7:20pm
FLmxer wrote:
My most disliked bike. Motor was awesone but the rest was not at all. I think it was JT that was saying how even the Honda...
My most disliked bike. Motor was awesone but the rest was not at all. I think it was JT that was saying how even the Honda guys were agreeing the bike should not of been released because it was that bad but too late. MC called it a career ender and wouldn't race it.
Funnily enough he said it was amazing in pre production tests. Then the engineering team built it too strong in fear it'd crack.
Mike Craig liked his.
I tell people now the frames have finally bed in after 20 years!
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Jrewing
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Jrewing 6/15/2019 7:22pm
6/15/2019 7:22pm
mxracer666 wrote:
The magazines gave these bikes a bad rap...granted , the forks were awful and revalving them didn't do much, but the rest of the bike was...
The magazines gave these bikes a bad rap...granted , the forks were awful and revalving them didn't do much, but the rest of the bike was great! Put a set of '05+ CR250 forks on them and they are money!
Less offset of those later forks helped as well as being an updated fork.
Helda
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Helda 6/15/2019 7:25pm
6/15/2019 7:25pm
Vibration......that is all
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cable
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cable 6/15/2019 7:40pm
6/15/2019 7:40pm
Not a bump on that track, of course it was ok..lol same for any cr500.. great until you hit bumps
omalley
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omalley 6/15/2019 8:29pm
6/15/2019 8:29pm
97-worst bike I’ve ever owned. No contest. Sold that POS after 5 rides, sat out until I got my 98 KX. Worst part was that I traded in my phenomenal 96 CR on it...
Doddy
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Doddy 6/15/2019 8:31pm
6/15/2019 8:31pm Edited Date/Time 6/15/2019 8:32pm
Didn't own one, but did crash one into a fence. My knee hasn't been the same since... will not ride one again.
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reded
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reded 6/15/2019 8:36pm
6/15/2019 8:36pm
cable wrote:
Not a bump on that track, of course it was ok..lol same for any cr500.. great until you hit bumps
The 500’s had terribly soft suspension, hung down in the stroke and would bottom easily at any kind of speed.
Texas Built
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Texas Built 6/15/2019 8:50pm
6/15/2019 8:50pm Edited Date/Time 6/15/2019 8:53pm
I bought a 97 brand new when they hit the showroom. It was a fucking rocket. But vibrated and turned as sharp as one too. I liked mine.



Get in a drag race with someone on a straight, and you just twist the throttle.....

https://youtu.be/zoLx0AyZe-o?start=27
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CPR
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CPR 6/16/2019 12:37am
6/16/2019 12:37am
Compared to the 96 CR250, the 97 was the biggest step backwards that Honda had taken in 30 odd years
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Redrcr34
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Redrcr34 6/16/2019 12:41am
6/16/2019 12:41am
Yes they were, for me the worst Honda I ever owned, out of at least 10 other models.
Redrcr34
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Redrcr34 6/16/2019 12:43am
6/16/2019 12:43am
omalley wrote:
97-worst bike I’ve ever owned. No contest. Sold that POS after 5 rides, sat out until I got my 98 KX. Worst part was that I...
97-worst bike I’ve ever owned. No contest. Sold that POS after 5 rides, sat out until I got my 98 KX. Worst part was that I traded in my phenomenal 96 CR on it...
Me too, I traded my 96 in for that pos 97
fastchookracing 6/16/2019 12:46am
6/16/2019 12:46am
Never understood how a frame could be “too stiff”. Then first time I rode a 97 I came around a corner and hit a small rock. It was like flicking a wet towel, I was the towel. Cracked my arai helmet, bent bars onto tank. Major concussion...
nascarnate326
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nascarnate326 6/16/2019 3:37am
6/16/2019 3:37am
CPR wrote:
Compared to the 96 CR250, the 97 was the biggest step backwards that Honda had taken in 30 odd years
Bigger step back than 09CRF450R ?

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ti473
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ti473 6/16/2019 3:42am
6/16/2019 3:42am
I did own one, but I borrowed one once on an overseas trip. Even though I wasn't a great rider yet, the bike was awful.
GforceCoatings 6/16/2019 4:16am
6/16/2019 4:16am
I switched from a 93 KX to 97 CR250. Full Race Tech suspension. The motor and brakes were all I needed to go from a mid pack rider to top 5's. I have lots of fond memories of the 97-2000 CR's. Great years in my life. Probably good that I did not ride a YZ from that era for comparison though lol
JB500
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JB500 6/16/2019 5:25am
6/16/2019 5:25am
My 99 125 was a good bike, not the best suspension, as others have noted, but otherwise decent. Can’t believe that was 20 years ago.
JB500
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JB500 6/16/2019 5:32am
6/16/2019 5:32am

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