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For those claiming the 87 cr125 and 87 cr250 could win today, I mean that's a bit of a strecltch but Jerry Robin proved it possible at the highest level of competition his bike was allowed on that 85 cr250 winning LL Qualifiers in the A or B class but for mere mortals it's a stretch.
I have owned and ridden every last generation Japanese 250 2 strokes and I love my 03 kx250. Aside from the hp disadvantage to a 450, the rest of these bikes as far as chassis, handling, ergonomics and competently reworkable stock suspension are absolutely competitive at the highest level and especially if they were raced 250cc smokers to 250cc 4 strokes, the last gen 250 smokers could be raced against today's 250 class bikes in supercross with proper sx suspension. Today's supercross tracks don't bear much if any difference to what they raced on back in 2005. You could even run the suspension factory teams used in 2005 on todays tracks no problem.
I know I'll get hate for this but as good as my 87 cr250 was, I thought my 1993 cr250 was a much better bike everywhere except the suspension which was an easy fix back then and even easier now.
Not only is the PW50 greatest all time, whatever is in second place has been lapped multiple times.
Since the YZinger was introduced over 40 years ago, the CR500 and countless other bikes have come and gone, with various opinions about them... But the P-dub is still there, still a formula that hasn't been beaten, still connecting families to racing, still putting trophies on the mantle, and still launching the start of nearly every great racer.
Pit Row
Hill climbing, off-road, sand dunes, supermoto, drag strip etc. and, oh yes, very capable in desert and moto too.
Excellent chassis with an anvil of a motor, adaptable to all those disciplines mentioned. The ultimate swiss-army knife. Love mine.
While the 500 class is white knuckle and can be scary, they can be managed. But that was a bit much for me back in the day. No management, just ballz out on a 250. I did see a post about the 1981 water cooled moto crossers coming out and how they were a game changer. I rode a KX 250 A5 from 1979. I loved it, but I think it was considered a failure as by 1980, they still had 5 at the dealer and they were selling for $999 going in to 1981. But at 40+ horses, the water cooled 250 bikes ate my dust in the hole shot. I have a pic somewhere of me a bike length ahead hitting the first turn. Thing did 14.01 in the quarter mile and topped out at 91 mph at SIR near Seattle. Hit that 91 in the first 8 or 9 seconds. Was too much fun. Gold anodized rims were weak and a rock between the hub and swingarm shattered my hub. Hit the next triple and it blew apart. See below and you can guess where the rock got wedged between those ribs - not my hub in pic. (sniff sniff) Rear suspension was laid a little down too. And I had never touched the top end when I raced. Took 5 years of thrashing before it got slow. CR500? Wish I rode the big bores more. The debate continues...
Yep, thats the bike that changed .. everything.
Apologies to Rupp minibikes, Yamaha DT-1, Hodaka super rat & Honda SL 70.
My right knee is trashed from skateboarding years ago, so the CR480 please
As great as CR500s were, and I loved mine, the KX500 was smoother and easier to ride fast.
Interesting thought popped in my head. What was the last national won on a YZ250?
High Point 01? DV?
This was like 10+ years ago at speedciti before it closed. Sean and I were so slow lol, we had no idea what we were doing lmao, so funny to see the beginnings of it. Could barely put 2 laps together lmao. I wish I had that bike again I’ll tell you that!! That was a random Craigslist find and flip, it had like decrepit worn dry tires on it, but the engine was so smooth!!
I really want to try a kx500.
NO.
This one
No, not for most conditions. It's funny to me that I heard so much crap in the 80s and 90s about my 500s I raced. Now, they sell for more than I ever paid for one and they have this cult following. I raced a Cagiva 500, several YZ 490s, 3-4 CR 500s, a WR 500, a Noleen YZ 360, one KX 500 and probably a few I forgot about. They were very fun play bikes, and not so much fun when you raced them close to your max skill level. If conditions were perfect, with plenty of traction, they could be a blast. The CR 500 always felt to me like the most nimble, 250ish open class full 500cc race bike. But it didn't love high speeds, hit too hard in the mid range and didn't calm down once it got upset. Most rode them a gear or two too high and just lugged them trying to avoid that hit. I tell people, the CR 500 is the only bike I've ever crashed accelerating out of a turn going straight on smooth ground. The hard hit upset the chassis and could induce swapping. Off road, if you add slippery mud or rocks, the fun factor went down really fast. The KX 500 felt and looked like a tank compared to the CR putting thru the pits. But in less than perfect conditions or racing off-road, they were better and liked going the speed they could so easily reach. I still have a CR 480 in the garage now, a friend is always trying to get me to bring it out to vintage races. It hasn't been started in about 8 years, I really don't even want to start it, or ride it. I'm lucky enough to have miles of track in my backyard, including a MX track. So much better to up to just go to my 350, push a button and have much better everything. GOAT? Maybe the 98 YZ 400, because it's the reason we have such great bikes to ride now.
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