Best year :- CR250

Had several CRs, but these three are among my favorites:

1.- 2001

2.- 1993

3.- 2003

Always wanted to swap the 2001 engine in a Gen3 frame, it would have been perfect (like JWACK)

One of these?

I second that, I raced a friends 86 250 a few time and it was awsome, just like my 86 125. Power, handling  (after heavier springs) stopped and turns.

My first bike was a '93 back in 2000.  It was clapped out when I got it, but man I loved that thing.

Owned several over the years:

1983: Game changer, this bike was a local racer's best option to move up in the pack. Fast, reliable, handled great, Honda nailed it in 1983 

1986: Awesome bike of that time, fast and handled great, suspension was smooth, I think the 1987 was a better bike

1993: Great chassis, decent engine, wasn't in love with this bike as much as the reputation it had

2003: Best chassis, engine was under rated, I think of the CR250R's I have owned I will say this was the best of the group

The 1987 CR is arguably Honda's 1st "modern" mx bike. They handled, they stopped, they had a fantastic motor, and they look great!! 

The jump/distance in technology, between the 1st mono-shock CR in 1981 to the 1987 is far greater than the jump/distance between the 1987 and latest 2026 models. Early 80s development was running at a phenomenal speed. 

I'd personally say the 93-96 era are the "best" CR models. They haven't really got significantly better since then, different, but not the huge, "leaps and bounds" better than the marketing would have you believe. A set of 47mm or 49mm Twin Chamber forks (with a set of our billet clamps, lol.) and they can still hold there own for 99% of riders today.

Anyway, The "best" year CR's imo.

1973. Changed the game

1978/79. Just when the other manufacturers thought that they had caught up Honda changed the game again.

1987. The first "modern" motocross bike.

1993-96. The pinnacle of mx machinery. It's been a very shallow improvement curve since!

I loved my 1996 CR250. It just worked for me. On the other hand, my 87 I never gelled with. Everyone talks about how good it was, but it put me on the ground for what seemed like no reason more times than I can count. I may have got a lemon.

86 was the first year of HPP variable exhaust port and was way faster than 85, but still had remote reservoir shock and drum rear brake. Still great bike 87 just a little better. 
87 had disc rear brake, seat up to gas cap,  integrated shock reservoir like modern bikes. Great ergos and handled better than my 88 and 89. Several years until there was a significantly better model. 

I raced a 2000 Honda CR250 for some time. I loved that bike. After some mild mods and suspension, it was one of the best bikes I have ridden. I kick myself in the ass for ever selling it. $1500 sold as a pristine bike. 😒

I had a 93 and it was by far the best 2 stroke I have ever rode. The handling, suspension and especially the motor was unbelievable. 

Had a 2001 and it was a handful. Engine was strong, rest of bike was stiff. 

Had a 2003 and I really liked it. Engine was strong enough, but not an animal. Chassis and suspension was very good. 

Had a 2005 and it was like a refined ‘02-‘04. With a few engine mods it was also great. 

I also ran the ‘01 engine in the ‘03 chassis for awhile and it was pretty great. 
 

After I got my ‘17 Husky TC250, I realized how much the Hondas vibrate.  A 2005+ Honda chassis with a counterbalanced and carb’d KTM 250/300 engine would be sweet. 

2000 or 2001. 2001 has a higher revving ignition module, 2000 has a Keihin PWK carb, vastly superior to the Mikuni TMX found on '01 models .  Either put an '01 ignition (ignition module, stator, rotor) on an '00 or a Keihin PWK on an '02. Be aware that the '01 ignition setup is very pricey. 

I've ridden/raced 1991,1996, 2000, 2001, and 2003 CR 250s.  The 1991 is simply outclassed in every aspect compared to newer models. The 1996, with properly valved suspension, is pretty damn good, but has old school ergonomics, which actually works better for some riders.  The 2002+ case reed/RC valve engines were a disaster.  In an effort to have the ultimate CR250, I swapped a 2000 engine with 2001 ignition into a 2003 frame and honestly didn't think the 2003 chassis was any better than the '00/01 chassis. 

'00 chassis, '01 ignition, Ohlins suspension.  Best CR250 I've ever ridden.  Probably selling soon since I'm getting too old (65) for this stuff and have too many motorcycles.

This ‘01 is the only CR I have ever owned

It doesn’t have the bottom end of other two strokes I’ve had, but nothing comes close to the top end pull this bike has.

I would love to try this engine in the ‘02+ chassis, quite a few guys have said it’s the best CR that was never made. 

 

1996! 

Fix the forks, PC pipe...and it ripped! I'm too damned old now, but I wish I had mine back. 

Its the '87 for me also.

With what the competition offered at the time i feel it was the best for sure.

1993, then the 1996. All downhill from there.

I was racing a well tuned 1996 CR250 - my buddies got shiny new '97's and I took 1 ride on a choppy dry track and gave it back so fast...that 97 was a turd. Utterly.

yup. I had FC gold valves front/rear and a pipe. I got a lot of holeshots on that bike.

Much as I adore the 78-79, I'd have to go with the 87 and 96.  They were better all around packages.

If you asked what CR made the biggest impact in the years of its introduction, definitely the 78-79.  It did very much need fork and shock work.  Engine is crazy good.

The 87' was the gold standard of the 80's, I was a bit too young to ride one, but they are still talked about today. The 93'-96' CR's were great with some fork work. The 2000-2001 had great motors. I was working at a shop during that time and I sold a lot of 2000 Keihin carbs to guys with the 01's to replace the mikuni's. That setup is probably the best 2 stroke motor package I've ever ridden. The 02' and up has a great chassis. I currently have a very nice 03', but the motor is soft compared to previous generations. I've always thought a 2001 motor in the last gen chassis would be the ultimate CR setup. I rode an 84' CR250 this last summer and was surprised how strong the motor ran. The brakes, suspension, and chassis, that's another story, but the motor was pretty strong even by today's standards. 

1997😝. I had a 94, 97, 2000, and this 2004.

94, I put over 60 moto's, then in the fall 5 H.S. on her in 2000. and it showed up upon disassembly that winter lol

I owed an 89, 95, 98 and now a 2000, I really liked my 95, the 98 never felt fast but I got lots of hole shots on it so it must have been, the 2000 seems a little quicker then the 98. I never seemed to have issues with the 98 handling to bad, the 2000 seems lighter that's about all I see better with that. The old 95 was a tractor, and the old 89 was all topend. Some of that can be the fact I was racing C class on the 89, and then in to the A class mid way into the 95.

My pick would be the 2000 but I liked them all.

Other than a few minor changes didn't the motor parts are pretty much the same from 92 -01?

One of the '03s -

Because tge 87 was a great bike & RJ dominated on it.  The 125 was so much better than other 125,s , it was ridiculous.  For 22k in Milan,oh. You can buy his like new 80,125,350,& 500.  I never seen that b4.  

I Love the feel of 02- 07,s . At a dealership I couldn’t believe how perfect the whole bike was & felt.  But Honda had that since 87 the 90 was so perfect. I had a 91 perfectly balanced on the ice it really showed. Lineer power from bottom to a screaming top.  I installed a rad valve it made it better . The badly rusted pc  I sold for 10 bucks & ran a fmf with a trick Answer silencer .  You had to get aggressive to get a strong hit. It had a soft hit then pulled forever. I would race that bike today. Noleen did a great job on the suspension.  

04 was the peak for Honda chassis for 125,s.  Beefier swingarm was the biggest reason.