Changes to the CR250R over the years?

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2/22/2012 12:49pm Edited Date/Time 11/8/2018 5:37am
As the topic says, from the '97 CR250R, what was the best bike over the years, to it's last year in 2007? What was the best one? I found a killer deal on an '04, and am wondering how far different it is from the last CR250R built.
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jtiger12
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2/22/2012 12:55pm Edited Date/Time 2/22/2012 12:58pm
from 97 till 2007, i'd say the 2000, 2001 model years were the best "complete package". The 2001 had a slightly better motor than to 2000 (cylinder). I had a 98, 2000, and a 2002.

98 - like a log.. powerful motor, twitchy frame and handling. Beat you to death in the rough stuff.
2000- Great bike. powerful, reliable, and solid everywhere.
2002 - Great handling, better than 2nd gen frame, but sorely needed power everywhere. V force cage, and shave the cylinder deck I believe was the hot ticket on all CR250's from 2002-2007.
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bangmyhead
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2/22/2012 12:57pm
I loved my 02, handled awesome, with alil work the engine will come alive
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Graphite
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2/22/2012 1:16pm
Deetsmx wrote:
I did a google search on some cr stuff a couple days ago. I want to say it was on allthingsmoto but they had a list...
I did a google search on some cr stuff a couple days ago. I want to say it was on allthingsmoto but they had a list from 02 on with all the changes they made every year. Was quite informative.

http://www.allthingsmoto.com/forums/f-14/cr250-model-year-changes-1998-…
What's the deal with the 2004? I had an '04 125, and it had the RC valve with TPS, but yet the 250R didn't get the RC valve until 2005....I thought the 250 always got the updates first?

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jtiger12
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2/22/2012 1:22pm Edited Date/Time 2/22/2012 1:23pm
My 2002 cr250 had the RC (type) valve, whatever that gets you. Seemed to me, it meant "less power"
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2/22/2012 1:28pm
jtiger12 wrote:
My 2002 cr250 had the RC (type) valve, whatever that gets you. Seemed to me, it meant "less power"
lol, that's what I've been told also.
2/22/2012 1:50pm
jtiger12 wrote:
My 2002 cr250 had the RC (type) valve, whatever that gets you. Seemed to me, it meant "less power"
The RC valve is legit, but the reason th 02+ engines have the "wah-wah" powerband is because they are case reeds.
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2/22/2012 1:51pm Edited Date/Time 2/22/2012 1:52pm
The RC valve is legit, but the reason th 02+ engines have the "wah-wah" powerband is because they are case reeds.
ANd they're a bitch to jet. I shitcanned the Mikuni for a Keihin.
stackman17
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2/22/2012 5:58pm
I traded a 06 CRF450 straight up for a 01 CR250 yesterday. It needs some work and TLC, but I am older and want to return to the time I had the most fun riding a bike. I will post before and after pics when completed.
CamP
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2/22/2012 6:31pm
The RC valve is legit, but the reason th 02+ engines have the "wah-wah" powerband is because they are case reeds.
Case reed engines are good. Look at the new KTM 250SX. The 02-07 CR's just need a little massaging to get then running well. The 3rd gen CR chassis is worth the effort.
PRM31
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2/22/2012 6:40pm
The '03s motor was like a switch. No bottom end, and then instantly a TON of middle and up. Made it hard to ride. Pipe, jetting and reeds helped, but still not mellow by any means. I found my friends YZ250 much easier to ride.
wow123
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2/22/2012 8:31pm
stackman17 wrote:
I traded a 06 CRF450 straight up for a 01 CR250 yesterday. It needs some work and TLC, but I am older and want to return...
I traded a 06 CRF450 straight up for a 01 CR250 yesterday. It needs some work and TLC, but I am older and want to return to the time I had the most fun riding a bike. I will post before and after pics when completed.
wow! a 5 year older bike needing tlc, what was the crf like?
stackman17
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2/22/2012 8:36pm
The CRF450 I traded was in great condition. I took a hit financially, but it was worth it to get what I wanted. The CR250 just needs good cleaning and face lift. I cannot wait to finish it and go brraaaaap.
Hando
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2/22/2012 9:53pm Edited Date/Time 2/22/2012 9:55pm
The 93-96 cr250s were excellent bikes and still are competitive today IMO...

It depends on what you're using the bike for

If you're an experienced rider/fast B or A guy the newer case reed motors won't be a problem, they are like big 125s IMO

But in all honesty, the 00-01 motors that everyone raves about are over rated and not that much better than the case reed motors and i've owned both. I had an 01 with a Kehin PWK swap and it was a fairly easy bike to ride but I've ridden an 03 and 04 cr250 and there isn't that much of a difference.

The YZ-Clone 250cc 2-stroke motors shit all over anything 2 stroke honda has made

If you're a trail guy, go with the 00 bike, it has more bottom end then the 01.

The best part about the 00-07 bikes is the parts selection. I can mix and match close to 20 years worth of CR components and about 10 years worth of CRF stuff.

Want to upgrade your 02 cr250 to an 07?? buy a set of forks and a shock off a CRF and bolt it up.

These bikes are super reliable and were under rated by the mags because of the lackluster bottom end compared to all the other smokers.

Im a Honda and Suzuki guy..and while I love suzukis..they dont hold up well over time. Supposedly in the 90s they had a problem with cylinder plating flaking off but my 03 rm125 was flaking at one point and i heard the rmz had this problem as well.
CamP
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2/22/2012 10:07pm Edited Date/Time 2/22/2012 10:09pm
I just got a new 07. After experiencing the lackluster low end and the lightswitch mid range hit, I went in search for the fix. The common theme was to mill the base of the cylinder .030" to lower the ports. I have a friend with a CNC machine so that was easy to accomplish. Taking .030" off the base also reduced my head's squish band to .050", which is good. I didn't add volume to the combustion chamber so the cranking pressure went from 215psi to 230psi, but I run leaded fuel anyway. Testing on pavement indicates the low/mid transition is much improved and it still feels like it has over-rev. If I need more over-rev, I'll raise the exhaust port .030", or so. The proof will be in the pudding on the track.
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Deetsmx
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2/22/2012 10:49pm
CamP wrote:
I just got a new 07. After experiencing the lackluster low end and the lightswitch mid range hit, I went in search for the fix. The...
I just got a new 07. After experiencing the lackluster low end and the lightswitch mid range hit, I went in search for the fix. The common theme was to mill the base of the cylinder .030" to lower the ports. I have a friend with a CNC machine so that was easy to accomplish. Taking .030" off the base also reduced my head's squish band to .050", which is good. I didn't add volume to the combustion chamber so the cranking pressure went from 215psi to 230psi, but I run leaded fuel anyway. Testing on pavement indicates the low/mid transition is much improved and it still feels like it has over-rev. If I need more over-rev, I'll raise the exhaust port .030", or so. The proof will be in the pudding on the track.
Send that thing to Gorr. My brother has that bike, was slow as a turd stock but once he got that thing done it ripped. His prices are very good too.
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CamP
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2/22/2012 11:11pm Edited Date/Time 2/22/2012 11:20pm
CamP wrote:
I just got a new 07. After experiencing the lackluster low end and the lightswitch mid range hit, I went in search for the fix. The...
I just got a new 07. After experiencing the lackluster low end and the lightswitch mid range hit, I went in search for the fix. The common theme was to mill the base of the cylinder .030" to lower the ports. I have a friend with a CNC machine so that was easy to accomplish. Taking .030" off the base also reduced my head's squish band to .050", which is good. I didn't add volume to the combustion chamber so the cranking pressure went from 215psi to 230psi, but I run leaded fuel anyway. Testing on pavement indicates the low/mid transition is much improved and it still feels like it has over-rev. If I need more over-rev, I'll raise the exhaust port .030", or so. The proof will be in the pudding on the track.
Deetsmx wrote:
Send that thing to Gorr. My brother has that bike, was slow as a turd stock but once he got that thing done it ripped. His...
Send that thing to Gorr. My brother has that bike, was slow as a turd stock but once he got that thing done it ripped. His prices are very good too.
Half the fun is doing it myself. If I can't get it to run the way I want it, Gorr is at the top of my list for port work. Which porting type did your brother get?
CR250Rider
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2/22/2012 11:24pm
v-force reeds
PC pipe
jet it
clean up the ports
keep RC cables tight
fresh top end.

there, now you know
bd
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2/23/2012 1:58am
In my experience:

2005+ Airboot
V-Force
PC Pipe and Shorty
JD Racing Ignition
Head and Port
Match Cases
Jet
Hando
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2/23/2012 10:22am Edited Date/Time 2/23/2012 10:24am
I'd like to see someone take a fully built 93-01 motor and put it in a 02+ chassis..

The RC valve was a work of art in progress that was never finished as the technology was adopted from the road racing engines.

Imagine a CR250 with a EFI engine with the RC valve? Smile
flyinb501
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2/24/2012 8:09am
I picked up a pretty sweet 2003 a couple weeks ago. I was originally looking for a YZ or RM, but this bike was too good looking to pass up. I did some research and it sounds like these generation CR's handle great, and that is all I really care about. A slow 250 has more than enough power for me. I have only had a chance to ride it around the parking lot, but the thing rips! Couldn't keep the front wheel down in any gear. It does have some stuff done to it, and it runs race gas. The suspension has been revalved too. I can't wait to get it out on the track when the weather warms up!
Deetsmx
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2/24/2012 10:03am
CamP wrote:
Half the fun is doing it myself. If I can't get it to run the way I want it, Gorr is at the top of my...
Half the fun is doing it myself. If I can't get it to run the way I want it, Gorr is at the top of my list for port work. Which porting type did your brother get?
He got the "mo better" or whatever it's called. Gorr was kind of known to have a good set-up for the CR and it's definitely night and day over stock. My brother rode a magazines project bike (don't know if the issue is out yet) where they had Varner (I think) do the motor and he did mention it had really good low end so I know you can get the motors to run to your liking with some work. I hear you about doing the work yourself, I did some porting and machining on an 04 CR 125 about 2 years ago but that's only because I couldn't possibly make that bike any slower. We tried to clone my friends ported motor and actually got it to run decent. My 06 yz125 will still run circles around that bike though.
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Hando
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2/24/2012 10:43am
the cr250 is a better 250 than the cr125 is a 125...

a slow 250 2-stroke is still balls to the wall fast for most mortals
BIGRIGGIN
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2/24/2012 10:48am
2001 CR250. Great bike.
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burn1986
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2/24/2012 10:54am
A KTM 150sx engine in a late model cr125 frame is the hot ticket.
CamP
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2/24/2012 11:54am
CamP wrote:
Half the fun is doing it myself. If I can't get it to run the way I want it, Gorr is at the top of my...
Half the fun is doing it myself. If I can't get it to run the way I want it, Gorr is at the top of my list for port work. Which porting type did your brother get?
Deetsmx wrote:
He got the "mo better" or whatever it's called. Gorr was kind of known to have a good set-up for the CR and it's definitely night...
He got the "mo better" or whatever it's called. Gorr was kind of known to have a good set-up for the CR and it's definitely night and day over stock. My brother rode a magazines project bike (don't know if the issue is out yet) where they had Varner (I think) do the motor and he did mention it had really good low end so I know you can get the motors to run to your liking with some work. I hear you about doing the work yourself, I did some porting and machining on an 04 CR 125 about 2 years ago but that's only because I couldn't possibly make that bike any slower. We tried to clone my friends ported motor and actually got it to run decent. My 06 yz125 will still run circles around that bike though.
I've heard Gorr's "Mo Better" porting for the CR250 is good. I got a chance to ride my 07 with the lowered cylinder yesterday and I'm very pleased with it. The added compression and reduced port timing pumped up the low/mid and reduced the light switch hit in the midrange. I didn't notice any reduction on top, but the track doesn't have any super high speed sections.

The next thing I'm going to do is epoxy the hooks out of the rear transfers for even more low/mid power. If that reduces the top end over-rev, I will try raising the exhaust port 1mm.
Stooperbike
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2/24/2012 12:30pm
I have an 02CR250 with a stock motor PC pipe and silencer. I just keep a close eye on the jetting and a closer eye on the RC cables, once they get loose the motor feels like more of a turd. I will admit its slower than my buddies RM but I always felt the handling was like a 125. I absolutely love the bike. I happen to love the case reed electronic power valve slower motor cause it does not wear me out so fast. It took a little while to get used after years of riding 4 strokes, jumping it was scary but once i got used it, it was so much fun. I had a 2000 CR250 and the motor definetly had more punch but the chassis felt stiff compared to the 02. the 97-99 are great motors but will rattle your teeth out of your head. I would really like to get a 93-96 CR250 to have some fun with.
2/24/2012 12:45pm
CamP wrote:
Half the fun is doing it myself. If I can't get it to run the way I want it, Gorr is at the top of my...
Half the fun is doing it myself. If I can't get it to run the way I want it, Gorr is at the top of my list for port work. Which porting type did your brother get?
Deetsmx wrote:
He got the "mo better" or whatever it's called. Gorr was kind of known to have a good set-up for the CR and it's definitely night...
He got the "mo better" or whatever it's called. Gorr was kind of known to have a good set-up for the CR and it's definitely night and day over stock. My brother rode a magazines project bike (don't know if the issue is out yet) where they had Varner (I think) do the motor and he did mention it had really good low end so I know you can get the motors to run to your liking with some work. I hear you about doing the work yourself, I did some porting and machining on an 04 CR 125 about 2 years ago but that's only because I couldn't possibly make that bike any slower. We tried to clone my friends ported motor and actually got it to run decent. My 06 yz125 will still run circles around that bike though.
the last good Cr 125 motor was 1994. Bone stock it was a ripping beast!
MotoMo165
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11/7/2018 9:06am
Does anyone know what forks are compatible with the 2003 cr250? I need to replace fork seals and want to know what tools I’ll need. i plan on buying bushings, 5wt fork oil and obviously new seals.
Any help would be appreciated

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