Posts
465
Joined
7/13/2014
Location
Tulsa, OK
US
Edited Date/Time
7/14/2017 9:37am
I thought I'd ask this question for the Experts. I race Modern bikes now in the Vet classes, but also want to get in to Vintage racing too. I want to get either a "78 or '79 CR250. If I'm able to find either one or both, which is the better one to go with? And why? What's a fair, or expected price on a fully restored one? Are parts fairly easy to come by, both OEM and aftermarket? I'm totally new to the Vintage market, but I did ride them back in the day. Just don't remember anything about them, except that if you had a part time job in high school you could save up some money and buy one pretty quick. Thanks in advance for any advice.
The 80 was the bigger change, but even then a lot of the components cross over, especially the engine (which has a different ignition variation from the 78-79).
New parts are not that easy to find, but it's not impossible. I will confess this can leading to hoarding expense issues.
Pricing tends to be all over the place, and from whom you're buying. There are guy-cleaning-his-garage buys out there. Given the parts chase, I wouldn't pay more than a few hundred for one that needed work, but they can run up pretty quickly if in good shape, and way more if equipped with rare aftermarket bits, especially Fox suspension, if the seller knows what he has.
The 80 model went to a plastic gas tank, FIM side panels and a center port cylinder so top end, pipe etc. are different from the earlier models.
I have seen well sorted race bikes go from $2500 to $3500. Fully (and correctly) Restored bikes will bring considerably higher but it sounds like you are looking for a race bike, not a show bike.
The Shop
Paw Paw
The thing that I see happen with these bikes somebody gets ' a deal' on a prettied up one with repo fenders,levers, grips, sray can tahitian red and $40 seat cover,,ect,, but either stock shocks or progressives...then realize how the stockers suck(progessives are no better than stock in my book) and they want want foxs,ohlins,wp(500-1100) on back,, then the forks(37mm) are the next sucky thing after the shox are straightened out and they want 43mm 82-83 CR250/480 front end with double leading brake(used 250+ on ebay/400-500 rebuilt) and a aluminum swingarm(750) and some gold rims laced up with buchanons tires tubes(1000)....then they look inside motor and it needs replated(200) ,,clutch basket is steel and notched (300 aftermarket),,crank is loose on right side(replace or hard chrome plus rebuild rod). The kicker is also a flopper with rubber band to tuck it in...send out for repair ($),V-force,,mikuni carb,,ect
Stock they are pretty and ran well in their day....but anyone that races them, especially after riding a modern bike,, will be hunting all the 'good stuff' later if his came stripped-- not equipped.
I have/had multiple C250s where the initial 'cheap' $500-$800 purchase price was the cheapest part of the project.
If you buy one look past the bling of shiny fenders and seat covers and consider the other stuff there and not there.
Brian
I got carried away on my 1st one,1980 CR250, that came with fox arm and shocks,,,I was scouring the country salvages, internet, motorcycle back rooms..and hoarded fox forx, 2-3 sets of simons,not 1 but 2 DG heads for CR250,,DG swingarm,pipes,foxs and more foxs. carbs seats tanks clutch baskets,sun rims,more fox swingarms. more 79-80 CR250s....this hunting process led to me buying other brands and other sizes from 50-480,,,I can blame the 'piles syndrome' on buying that first 1980 CR250. The wife has accepted I have a incurable disease ...she said sell some! our garage is full...I bought another house with 2nd garage out back..now thats full..she says sell some...no, now Im building a huge pole barn that'll hold them. Be careful old dirtbikes are addictive and can harm your health.
Post a reply to: '78 or '79 Honda CR250