2001 CR250 $pecial Restoration Part II - Recreation of a 1999-2000 Japan Honda Factory RC250M

I haven't been looking to do much more on this build and stopped searching for parts, but when I bump into something, I naturally take advantage of the opportunity.

I came across an NOS set of the exact same handlebars used by the Japan factory team in 1999 and 2000.  For some reason, I do not know the answer to, the Japan team did not use the latest Renthal handlebars available at the time, but instead had Renthal special manufacture the older design Renthal handlebars that were used during the earlier 90's. These bars did not come color anodized.. they were polished aluminum with a wider cross-bar design.  Takahama was using the JM Bayle bend and that is exactly the bend that I found.  The top bar is Takahama's handlebar shot with his typical very strange position for his clutch lever.  All I can think of was this was a pro rider very set in his habits and wanted to stay with a handlebar bend he got used to in years past. In 2001, Atsuta started using the newer Renthal bar design which the MXGP and US factory teams had already been using.

I also found a Honda gear position sensor that was very close to the one that HRC used on these bikes after a little machining (thanks Kyle!). HRC just drilled a hole through the left side engine case to access the transmission spindle and welded this bung onto the stock engine case.  I mocked up the gear position sensor and the wire runs up under the tank, but not connected to anything. HRC also used these white plastic wire organizers for this wire as well as for the clutch cable where it runs alongside the right frame spar.

I hadn't started the bike in several years, so thought it was time. I hung a remote fuel canister from the left grip and it started on the 2nd kick. Runs real good and took this opportunity to adjust the carb idle mixture screw.  The engine is all completely new inside and the bike is begging to be ridden.

Video is here,,, IMG_0941.MOV

The hole in front of the fuel cap is just the front tank mount. There is the standard M6 bolt in there and a large washer. The front mount was designed like that for strength. Same design as on the Carmichael 2001 MXdN bike and the Bolley/ Hughes MXGP tanks.

I had thought that the #6 prototype bike would have been the best Honda 2T ever. I really hated the last generation case reed engine, but the 2001 engine in the 2004 HRC protype frame ridden by Katsuya would have been the ultimate.... a frame that never made it into production.

The mounting holes for the 2001 vs the 2002+ engine are not that far off so it is a fairly easy swap w/o having to make huge modifications.  The 2001 engine in the 2009-2012 CRF450 engine has been done by AJ Waggoner which is close to the ultimate modern 2T for me.

In the early 2000's, Honda had also built an aluminum framed CR85 2T that they were planning to launch in Japan, but gave up on putting it into production at the very last minute.

I should post a video of the RC250 going WFO down the street. That would be a better video/ audio.

I haven't been searching for any more HRC parts for this build, and have moved on to other projects, but I still bump into the occasional original rare part. Here is a set of HRC Japan side plates off a 2000 RC250M that I just received.  I had always thought the Japan team was using the red UFO side plates as they were readily available in Japan in 2000, but I was wrong and these turned out to be a special Honda part made for the Japan RC250s. The plastic is a bit thinner in some areas than oem. Another aspect I had gotten wrong was I thought the wire mesh screen used to cover the rear air vents on the factory machine, were also used on the front air vents and held in place by the rivets. In reality, those rivets held on the special white plastic vents on the inside of the side plate. These HRC vent modifications were said to increase horsepower on the dyno slightly.

These side panels are used and in need of reconditioning.  I will probably go that route instead of moving the HRC vents over to a set of new UFO panels since they are quite rare.

Good idea, but not so sure there are many people out there that would want it as it only fits a 2000-2001 CR. Only the Honda Japan factory team used these riveted on vents. The MXGP and US factory teams did not use them. But it is definitely a very rare part.  Anyone have any interest?

I have been meaning to take the RC250M for a ride down the street for the past year, and just got around to doing it. The HRC engine parts really moved much of the power to the mid-range with a bit of low end. Although it runs really great, she will spend most of her life as a garage ornament.

I rode them back to back, and they had similar power, but the HRC set up seems to have a narrow, peaky hit. I probably need to adjust the exhaust valve. It has the HRC adjustable exhaust valve. The Beta has nice smooth, and probably broader power. Neither is the best 2T, I have ridden.. that would be the set up I had on my 2001 CR250 with the FMF SST pipe, V-Force, larger volume exhaust valve cover, and one more tooth on the rear sprocket..

Thanks.. I keep thinking about it, but not quite yet. I would like to try out the factory suspension.. the rear shock is off Federic Bolley's 2000 championship winning bike.  I have extra plastic, fuel tank, seat and pipe I could swap on to do a few laps. You only live once.. I am getting old and I can't take the bike with me... so why not!

I do have a practice bike that has a lot of HRC parts on it.. it is a CRF450 that weights 218 pounds with half a tank of gas and a Rekluse clutch set up to kill as much engine braking as possible... but the old RC250M 2T is cooler. I had to buy a Beta 2T to satisfy the urge to ride a healthy 2T again which I alternate with the CRF450.