Old, but not obsolete ? 2-stroke topics

Neek
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Neek
Edited Date/Time 7/20/2015 2:44pm
Hey guys,

I'm just thinking about a project of restoring a late steel frame era 125 CR (95-97) to ride for the fun a few times a year and probably compete in one or two amateur regional races a year. I would rebuild all the motor and set suspension for my (slow) level and weight.
Do you think an almost 20 years refreshed bike is still competitive enough to ride on modern tracks, motor wise and suspension wise ? However, I perfectly understand the bike it outdated and will be smoked compared to modern 2 strokes and particularly 4strokes.

Thanks for your feedback.
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CrGuy2T
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CrGuy2T 7/19/2015 12:11pm
7/19/2015 12:11pm
The motor is a great motor you won't have any problems getting it to do what you need. The suspension you can set it up to work. It will be a fun bike. If you want it competitive to the new 4 strokes most will be in your riding ability.
Mungusman
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Mungusman 7/19/2015 12:12pm
7/19/2015 12:12pm
The bike should be fine, if you get it set up right for you. I've seen plenty of older 2-strokes at the tracks. A lot of them do fine against the modern bikes. It's you and your abilities, that make the difference. 95% rider-5% bike. 2-stroke technology really hasn't changed much since the late 80's. There's one guy I can think of right now who has an 86 CR 250, and he stomps on the new bikes with it. There's another kid with a 93 CR 125 who does very well also. So I think you'll be fine, just ride and have fun. Plus you can't go wrong with 80's thru 90's Hondas. Some of the best bikes ever!!!
kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 7/19/2015 12:15pm
7/19/2015 12:15pm Edited Date/Time 7/19/2015 12:17pm
Riding a 20 year old bike is nothing like driving a 55 Chevy!

Riding old bikes are only fun if you ride nothing else. If you ride anything newer than those old bikes, they really aren't very much fun.
RandyS
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RandyS 7/19/2015 12:21pm
7/19/2015 12:21pm
Jerry Robin says you'll be fine.

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mark_swart
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mark_swart 7/19/2015 2:23pm
7/19/2015 2:23pm Edited Date/Time 7/19/2015 2:44pm
I raced a 94 KX 250 against modern machinery in Vet B/C a couple years ago and it did fine. You could even put later model twin chamber forks on that bike and have suspension that is pretty close to modern.
Caseclosed713 7/19/2015 2:41pm
7/19/2015 2:41pm
You can most definitely be competitive on that bike. Its all about your riding ability at the local level, especially beginner or intermediate classes.
nascarnate326 7/19/2015 6:36pm
7/19/2015 6:36pm
Raced my 1995 KX250 today. Its got a handicap against a 4 stroke for sure but its more in my lack of skill on a 2 stroke. There was a local pro ish rider out there on a 2015 YZ250 that was doing very well.

I think you could have a blast on a CR125 and part of me wishes I had a 125 instead of the 250, just hold it WOT all the time and have a blast.





Joko
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Joko 7/19/2015 8:23pm
7/19/2015 8:23pm
Looks like a nice track ... Where is it?
jeffro503
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jeffro503 7/19/2015 8:28pm
7/19/2015 8:28pm
kkawboy14 wrote:
Riding a 20 year old bike is nothing like driving a 55 Chevy! Riding old bikes are only fun if you ride nothing else. If you...
Riding a 20 year old bike is nothing like driving a 55 Chevy!

Riding old bikes are only fun if you ride nothing else. If you ride anything newer than those old bikes, they really aren't very much fun.
Ummm?...You must be either new to the sport or just totally ignoring the fact of the Vintage race scene? Up here in the NW the vintage race scene is still extremely popular. California is really big on it too. Maybe you should show up to one of their events , get on the loud speaker and tell them all that you don't believe they are having fun. Sell all those old pieces of crap and buy new bikes. They all must be completely clueless about the sport.

Not trying to be an asshole here , but that comment is one of the dumbest ones I've seen on here in a while.
Lightning78
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Lightning78 7/19/2015 8:37pm
7/19/2015 8:37pm
I firmly believe that any mid nineties generation 2 stroke with retrofit modern twin chamber Suspension or SSS Suspension upgraded brakes and Motor work are just as fast and very close to just as good as the last generation 2 strokes and what's being offered today… they would be wider which isn't necessarily a bad thing when trying to grip the bike but mostly it would be an ego thing there REALLY Hasn't been any earth shaking changes since then just slow advances in suspension, brakes, and 2 stroke engines. The only huge difference IMO was adding a shitload more weight to the engine and 2 more strokes aka converting over to 4 strokes.
kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 7/19/2015 8:48pm
7/19/2015 8:48pm
kkawboy14 wrote:
Riding a 20 year old bike is nothing like driving a 55 Chevy! Riding old bikes are only fun if you ride nothing else. If you...
Riding a 20 year old bike is nothing like driving a 55 Chevy!

Riding old bikes are only fun if you ride nothing else. If you ride anything newer than those old bikes, they really aren't very much fun.
jeffro503 wrote:
Ummm?...You must be either new to the sport or just totally ignoring the fact of the Vintage race scene? Up here in the NW the vintage...
Ummm?...You must be either new to the sport or just totally ignoring the fact of the Vintage race scene? Up here in the NW the vintage race scene is still extremely popular. California is really big on it too. Maybe you should show up to one of their events , get on the loud speaker and tell them all that you don't believe they are having fun. Sell all those old pieces of crap and buy new bikes. They all must be completely clueless about the sport.

Not trying to be an asshole here , but that comment is one of the dumbest ones I've seen on here in a while.
Interesting!
Neek
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Neek 7/20/2015 12:36am
7/20/2015 12:36am
Thank you for your replies, I just need now to find a good on a not too claped out scooter.
Just to evaluate my budget, when you talk about updating suspensions for newer, do you talk about triple clamps, and front Wheel as well ? For the rear, do you now if new shocks can be mounted on old steel frames CRs ?

At least but not last, what are the best pipe/silencer combo for these 125 CR ? I don't want to build a tricky bike but pipe will have to be changed I guess.

The Narrator 7/20/2015 4:28am
7/20/2015 4:28am
1. shocks won't work. linkage is different, must be the same length eye-to-eye and none of them are.

2. Emig racing makes HRC replica triple clamps for that bike to accomodate the TC Showa forks from the 97+

3. Get the 97, it has the newer digital ignition.
ratonmacias
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ratonmacias 7/20/2015 7:09am
7/20/2015 7:09am
i understand the fork advances. but the shock seems unchanged what do you gain other than a high speed compression adjuster?
GeorgiePorgie 7/20/2015 7:11am
7/20/2015 7:11am
If I knew now. What I didn't know in 1995. There would be 3 or 4 94-95-96 cr250s still crated in my garage.
Neek
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Neek 7/20/2015 11:46am
7/20/2015 11:46am
GeorgiePorgie wrote:
If I knew now. What I didn't know in 1995. There would be 3 or 4 94-95-96 cr250s still crated in my garage.
That's what I steel (and probably will) keep my '07 YZ 250... no matter what.
Lawrence929 7/20/2015 1:14pm
7/20/2015 1:14pm

I'm with you on this one 100%.

My first bike was a 1995 CR125 and it burned up last year along with my 2014 KTM150 and everything else.

SO I bought a new one, and I'm putting the whole KTM front end (with A KIT WP Cone Valve Forks/ KTM Brakes, al of it into the old 1995 clamps (need bored to 48 and anodized Red Wink )

I just want to show up on the 1995 and then proceed to pass 450s.















I paid $400 for what you're seeing. I'll be keeping:

Frame
Subframe
Swingarm
Linkage (i think)
Throttle assembly (some of it)
Carb


Replacing every bearing, wheels, sprockets, chain, brakes f/r, suspension f/r, plastic, airbox, bolts etc.

I already own the Suspension and now the 1995 so the rest will be out of pocket as I sell my 2015 KTM 150.

Good luck and hope you enjoy your build!
Lawrence929 7/20/2015 2:44pm
7/20/2015 2:44pm
inthebadboycorner wrote:
If you have to go deep into the motor, no one will really know or care if it becomes a 134 or 144 cc.
Smile I dunno about big bores anymore. My 150 KTM doesn't rev worth a shit compared to 125's i've ridden.

Hence I"m going back to the 125. Porting/compression/good fuel/ pipe/ intake/ case mods Whatever it takes but you like you said you still won't see all that and it will still be old and people will get the point.


This is like what STankdog is doing, but grassroots level.

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