Best year :- CR250

NorcalVet
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1/9/2026 8:38pm Edited Date/Time 1/9/2026 8:39pm

 

2001 cr 250 w/ these graphics, got one off ebay 1 hr drive away

$2500 cash 

revalve, woody kit, PC pipe, new reeds.... what a nice ride 

 

2
JMX82
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Hyllykallio FI
1/10/2026 2:22am

2002 CR250 great handling and suspension and the engine character is much better than later models. 2002-2003 has super smooth engine with good low end with fools you thinking that it's not fast but in reality it's super easy to ride. In 2004 Honda went in to search for more top end power and kind of ruined the engine character.

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1
gregyou
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1/10/2026 3:10am
OldTech wrote:
I've raced the 86,89,95 and 96 that with suspension work were great bikes with wonderful engines. Now I'm on a 03 and the chassis and suspension...

I've raced the 86,89,95 and 96 that with suspension work were great bikes with wonderful engines. Now I'm on a 03 and the chassis and suspension is great but the motor is all in the middle. I started with a 39 but now I'm running a 36pwk because it doesn't like to rev anyway. 226.jpg?VersionId=qDrQICtOWCT2jiLf2UvPBnSHqVvK

What pipe is on that ? 
I had a fmf pipe on mine 02 can’t remember which one, I hated the motor with that on, it got rid of all the top end power.

husqvarnaUSA
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BEAVER DAMS, NY US
1/10/2026 4:30am
 😄
image 2446

 

😄

vdrsnk04 wrote:

That’s actually a CR250 as well. The thread title only says CR250 haha. 

👍I knew that (hence the thumbs-up I gave it) but obviously not what the OP was talking about, thus the meme. 😄I was actually wondering who...

👍

I knew that (hence the thumbs-up I gave it) but obviously not what the OP was talking about, thus the meme. 😄

I was actually wondering who would be the first to put up a Husky but thought it would likely be one from the '70s.

A Swedish Husky would be a 250 CR. 1000012772 0.jpg?VersionId=Zw8g 1

Here I am chasing what would be my favorite CR 250 [1973]  on my Husky 400 CR. 

1000014385 0
1

The Shop

OldTech
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Decatur , AL US
1/10/2026 5:28am
OldTech wrote:
I've raced the 86,89,95 and 96 that with suspension work were great bikes with wonderful engines. Now I'm on a 03 and the chassis and suspension...

I've raced the 86,89,95 and 96 that with suspension work were great bikes with wonderful engines. Now I'm on a 03 and the chassis and suspension is great but the motor is all in the middle. I started with a 39 but now I'm running a 36pwk because it doesn't like to rev anyway. 226.jpg?VersionId=qDrQICtOWCT2jiLf2UvPBnSHqVvK

gregyou wrote:
What pipe is on that ? I had a fmf pipe on mine 02 can’t remember which one, I hated the motor with that on, it got...

What pipe is on that ? 
I had a fmf pipe on mine 02 can’t remember which one, I hated the motor with that on, it got rid of all the top end power.

It is the FMF Fatty in ATV chrome and I hate it! 

Twigster
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GB
1/10/2026 5:38am

For me was my ‘96 as the best 250 and also frankly the best bike I’ve ever had. I was lucky enough to have backing from Fowlers dealership in the UK at the time so had some parts from the bike Neil Prince had used in GPs and some other bits from Honda UK that they’d had lying around from their bikes. The suspension was almost perfect, the motor had great roll-on pickup and was strong all the way through to the top but it wasn’t snappy like the current KTM’s are around the midrange. It was so good I was going to keep it and not ride the ‘97 bike at all (that was genuinely evil handling at the front). 

1
gregyou
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1/10/2026 5:41am
OldTech wrote:
I've raced the 86,89,95 and 96 that with suspension work were great bikes with wonderful engines. Now I'm on a 03 and the chassis and suspension...

I've raced the 86,89,95 and 96 that with suspension work were great bikes with wonderful engines. Now I'm on a 03 and the chassis and suspension is great but the motor is all in the middle. I started with a 39 but now I'm running a 36pwk because it doesn't like to rev anyway. 226.jpg?VersionId=qDrQICtOWCT2jiLf2UvPBnSHqVvK

gregyou wrote:
What pipe is on that ? I had a fmf pipe on mine 02 can’t remember which one, I hated the motor with that on, it got...

What pipe is on that ? 
I had a fmf pipe on mine 02 can’t remember which one, I hated the motor with that on, it got rid of all the top end power.

OldTech wrote:

It is the FMF Fatty in ATV chrome and I hate it! 

Yeah stock or pc pipe is like having a different motor. 

1
1/10/2026 5:51am

Of the bikes I’ve owned and raced, the best CR250R was the 2004 (raced it until 2015). Close second was my ‘92, wonderful bike. I did own the ‘73 Elsinore 250,  back in ‘74-‘76 I believe, but never raced it.

1
1/10/2026 6:04am
I hear this a lot.......why the 87 ....I ask because there is another 20 years of cr's produced after this bike but often hear the 87..interested...

I hear this a lot.......why the 87 ....I ask because there is another 20 years of cr's produced after this bike but often hear the 87..interested to hear your thoughts 

The '87 is the unicorn amongst the older crowd.

rogers wrote:

Why is the 87 a Unicorn?

A lot of the 86/87 bikes were leaps ahead technology wise due to the AMA making the production rule I’d imagine. 

Tiki
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Corona, CA US
Fantasy
1/10/2026 7:17am

1996 and 2001. 

Worst year 1999. 

DirtDgr
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Lakeport, CA US
1/10/2026 7:48am Edited Date/Time 1/10/2026 7:49am

I had the 89,91,95,97 CR 250’s. I was on CR 125 from 83,84,87,88 before this so was definitely Ride Red. 
So I can only speak to four of the CR 250’s 
I raced moto, desert, hare scrambles on all of them. 
The 89 was my first 250. Had Race Tech fix the suspension. Great bike. 
Got the 91 raced a lot of cross country and desert stuff. Beat this bike for four years in the A class. This thing was bullet proof. Dead engine starts were always good. Holeshot king of a bike. Loved it. Tons of power. 
95 was the cool purple! I had let myself get fat and happy by this point😂. But loved this bike. Soooo smooth. Easy to ride bike. Raced a lot less. Little more moto. Very good bike all around and if I had to have one today with my old ass it would be the 95 for sure. 
Then I rode someones YZF 400. Could not wipe the smile off my face. Bought a 426 and thats that. 
For me the 95 CR250 was best

1
Village Idiot
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1/10/2026 8:47am
vdrsnk04 wrote:

That’s actually a CR250 as well. The thread title only says CR250 haha. 

👍I knew that (hence the thumbs-up I gave it) but obviously not what the OP was talking about, thus the meme. 😄I was actually wondering who...

👍

I knew that (hence the thumbs-up I gave it) but obviously not what the OP was talking about, thus the meme. 😄

I was actually wondering who would be the first to put up a Husky but thought it would likely be one from the '70s.

A Swedish Husky would be a 250 CR. Here I am chasing what would be my favorite CR 250 [1973]  on my Husky 400 CR. 

A Swedish Husky would be a 250 CR. 1000012772 0.jpg?VersionId=Zw8g 1

Here I am chasing what would be my favorite CR 250 [1973]  on my Husky 400 CR. 

1000014385 0

My first bike was a Yamaha JT60. My second one was a '73 Husky 450 WR. 😄

Looking good and if you can't be leading, at least you're wearing the correct open-face helmet, chest protector, duct-taped visor and boots! 😁 

👍

1
Timo
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Wichita, KS US
1/10/2026 9:55am

I rode a 96 and 98 quite a bit, I liked the motor tune on the 96, but I don't think the 98 was a bad bike at all. The suspension was softened quite a bit and the bike was really good, just not as much lower rpm power as the 96. 

2
1/10/2026 11:48am
brocster wrote:
Had these91 - weird motorcycle for me93 - kicked ass96 - Kicked ass2001 - kicked ass Exclude the 91 and they are in order of preference for...

Had these

91 - weird motorcycle for me

93 - kicked ass

96 - Kicked ass

2001 - kicked ass 

Exclude the 91 and they are in order of preference for me but can see where the 87 was also a bad ass bike. 

 The '90 was atrocious for sure. 

OldTech
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Decatur , AL US
1/10/2026 3:14pm
Timo wrote:
I rode a 96 and 98 quite a bit, I liked the motor tune on the 96, but I don't think the 98 was a bad...

I rode a 96 and 98 quite a bit, I liked the motor tune on the 96, but I don't think the 98 was a bad bike at all. The suspension was softened quite a bit and the bike was really good, just not as much lower rpm power as the 96. 

I wish my 03 ran like my 96!

1/14/2026 1:44pm

Hey this thread’s right up my alley (screen name …)

Had 81, 83, 84, 86, 88, 92, 96. Never had aluminum frame 250, never even rode one, so steel frame linkage shock era comment only. 

The 86 and 96 had in common that they were kind of great all around performers of their eras - great suspension, power, handling, durability, fit/finish/ergos, you couldn’t go wrong having one of those. In 28 years of MX I’d probably say the 96 is the best bike I ever had. 

The 81 won’t be making any best lists all time or  probably even best in its year, but I have to give a shout out to its spaceship appearance  trickness at the time, I was amazed I could actually buy a water cooled linkage shock ride

2

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