cr125 vs. yz125

[fifty dude]

Which one would yall suggest for me if Im going to be riding lots of trails, some dunes, and a little mx? thanks

[adam13]

well alot of people are saying that the yz has more bottom end than the cr but then i heard the 05 + cr's are on par with the yz, so its a hard choice but i would still go cr but thats my personal oppinion

[cuddies say YEE 925]

Well, you are in the Honda two stroke forum............?

[NO_FEAR]

Cuddies is right, everyone here is going to say Honda! Except me:busted:

I would go with the YZ, from what i here they have a much stronger motor all the way through the RPM range.. they again the Honda suspension will out perform the YZ.

Tough call really, they are both great bike that have there strong and weak points. ?

[FLMX909]

The way I see it is ALL other 2 strokes are inferior to Hondas for the simple fact they are old frame technology. Honda is the only manufacturer to put a 2stroke in the perimeter frame. Granted the YZ is an aluminum frame, but it is an old design. They YZ has a stronger motor, STOCK. Do a little port work and add a v-force reed, and the CR will run with any 125, plus you will have the best frame you can get for a 2 stroke and GREAT suspension.

[cuddies say YEE 925]

The way I see it is ALL other 2 strokes are inferior to Hondas for the simple fact they are old frame technology. Honda is the only manufacturer to put a 2stroke in the perimeter frame. Granted the YZ is an aluminum frame, but it is an old design. They YZ has a stronger motor, STOCK. Do a little port work and add a v-force reed, and the CR will run with any 125, plus you will have the best frame you can get for a 2 stroke and GREAT suspension.

You know, this is one of the best posts' I have read in a long time, not sure why. It sums it up real well, great answer.

[fifty dude]

I have been hearing lately that Honda really hasnt changed their 125's in years. Is this true? I've heard that they are way behind in the 125's. Is this true?

[evil1]

05 was the last major redesign for the motor

[ynotyz]

well again it may seem biased but here it goes. You are trail riding? Fast trails or woods with hill climbs and stuff? If its anything like the trail riding I do, go with the YZ. The CR's are not that east to make as strong as a YZ. I have an 01 yz and my friend an 03 cr. Mine is beat up, stock except an upper pipe, and 2 years older than my friends. He has a minty 03 with full exaughst, v force reeds, air filter, much lower gearing (sprokets) a new top end and all new jetting and my bike still has lots more low end. This is not a my bike is better than yours post its just honest. He has a very hard time in the trails because of this and if you spend a short amout of time lookin it up you will find alot of people complain about the honda lack of power. Yes the frame and ergo's are better on the CR. If you were doing more dune or mx riding I would say the power wouldn't matter as much but you will notice it alot when it comes to trailing. best thing to do is try to ride both and then you will know for yourself. thats my long winded post ?

[fivepointnine]

yz has a better motor, but the CR looks better and the frame is much better

[FLMX909]

well again it may seem biased but here it goes. You are trail riding? Fast trails or woods with hill climbs and stuff? If its anything like the trail riding I do, go with the YZ. The CR's are not that east to make as strong as a YZ. I have an 01 yz and my friend an 03 cr. Mine is beat up, stock except an upper pipe, and 2 years older than my friends. He has a minty 03 with full exaughst, v force reeds, air filter, much lower gearing (sprokets) a new top end and all new jetting and my bike still has lots more low end. This is not a my bike is better than yours post its just honest. He has a very hard time in the trails because of this and if you spend a short amout of time lookin it up you will find alot of people complain about the honda lack of power. Yes the frame and ergo's are better on the CR. If you were doing more dune or mx riding I would say the power wouldn't matter as much but you will notice it alot when it comes to trailing. best thing to do is try to ride both and then you will know for yourself. thats my long winded post ?

I'm not sure what is up with your friends bike, but, I can GUARANTEE you that if you port the intake and exhaust and add a v-force, pipe and silencer and the bike will sure fire come to life. Stock the are anemic. The CR actually produces more peak HP than the YZ stock, but is is a upper mid to top end motor.

I have an 03 CR125 and have it punched out to a 134 ported polished, milled head, v-force, pro-circuit pipe and 296 spark arrestor, and the bike will absolutely fly. It will out corner any YZ and the suspension is awesome. Just had it resprung and revalved for my son who weighs 100 lbs. and is just starting to get on 125'a from his supermini, and was comfortable right away.

People can say what they want, but with a little work, a CR will out perform any other 125 around.

[2strokenut]

The way I see it is ALL other 2 strokes are inferior to Hondas for the simple fact they are old frame technology. Honda is the only manufacturer to put a 2stroke in the perimeter frame. Granted the YZ is an aluminum frame, but it is an old design. They YZ has a stronger motor, STOCK. Do a little port work and add a v-force reed, and the CR will run with any 125, plus you will have the best frame you can get for a 2 stroke and GREAT suspension.

I disagree. I think inferior is a good way to describe a cr125.

Wrong, the kx125 has a perimeter frame. A perimeter frame is nothing new and is considered by many people to be an "ok" design. Street bikes have had them since the 80s. If a perimeter frame is so great you would see yamaha and ktm going to it.

I can promise you a well jetted yz with a pipe will run with a well modded cr, a big bore even. The 03 I rode felt like an 80 until 10k. The problem with the cr is that the overall design makes it very peaky. Everything from PW to port layout to crankcase volume. The yz and ktm motors are SO much better set that you get relatively broad power for a 125 with a ton of HP stock, with potential for a lot more. Also, I've known kids with cr125s and a big problem with the bikes other than being slow is they foul plugs when not jetted perfectly. I havent found this to be the case with my 01kx125, 00yz125, 03rm125 ect. So you'll need to put in some time jetting or you will be stranded.

The cr has good suspension but it is many years older than the yz KYB. Honda hasn't touched the sus. on the tiddler since 04 and even then the fork was old. The YZ is light years ahead in suspension. Handling, well any 125 handles well. Shouldn't be a deciding factor IMO.

Sure, with a 1000 dollars in motor work a cr125 will hang with a yz or ktm but why would you want to spend that much?

[FLMX909]

If a perimeter frame is so great you would see yamaha and ktm going to it.

I can promise you a well jetted yz with a pipe will run with a well modded cr, a big bore even. Also, I've known kids with cr125s and a big problem with the bikes other than being slow is they foul plugs when not jetted perfectly. I havent found this to be the case with my 01kx125, 00yz125, 03rm125 ect. So you'll need to put in some time jetting or you will be stranded.

If the perimeter frame isn't good then WHY IS EVERY MAJOR 4 STROKE IN A PERIMETER FRAME now? Yamaha is a modified perimeter and KTM does things stupidly anyway. As for the KX250 it is also a modified perimeter and it is STEEL, not aluminum.

We race with two kids who ride 06 YZ's and when they rode my son's CR they couldn't get enough of it. They said it corners better and the suspension feels light years better than the YZ. As for what they said about the motor, well they said the YZ (both have PC pipes) sucked compared to the modded CR. Yeah, I spent some $$ on it, but when I did the mods the bike was for me, not my son.

Just so you know, I have NEVER fouled a plug in the CR, even when it was stock. Could have something to do with keeping on the pipe and keeping fresh plugs in the bike.

Oh yeah ,why does every major magazine who reviews the bikes, say if they had their choice of a "rolling chassis" it would be the CR? Because it is the best, and it is top quality.

[jayc250x]

I can promise you a well jetted yz with a pipe will run with a well modded cr, a big bore even. The 03 I rode felt like an 80 until 10k.

I've heard that the CRs through '04 are pretty soft, especially on the bottom. In '05, however, even the dirt rags gave the CR props on it's improved low end. I recently saw dyno charts of both '06 YZ125 and CR125, and the CR has significantly more midrange. The YZ revs out farther, but you need to be hitting the rev limiter to get peak power, where the CR peaks a couple grand sooner.

So, based on published information, it struck me that the late model CRs would be better for trail riding than the late model YZs, so I went with the CR. OTOH, I haven't even started it yet, so I can't tell you either way. YMMV.

Apart from performance, the CRs look like works of art. Fit/finish is second to none, and the design aspect of the bikes blow all others away, IMHO. I've never like YZ design - even the brand new models look like they were designed 10 years ago. Fit/finish is not bad, but not Honda either - they have always looked a little shabby around the edges to me.

JayC

[mullet708]

i use to be a hardcore honda guy, until recently, as for newer 125's the only ones i have alot of seat time are 06, 07 KTM125SX, 06 YZ125, 06 KX125 (i live in canada) 04 CR125, although the cr handels good and i felt comfortable on it because at the time i had an 03 cr250 its motor just plain sucked, i felt like i was on a 80, i have also rode 2 01's and both felt the same, for modern 125's overall i would rate the yz, sx a close tie, both these bikes rock and yz forks are awsome, the sx pulls like nothing else, the 06 kx is great too it actually had some changes for 06, it handles well and has a nice all around motor, i know this is a honda forum and ill get flamed for this but i was once a honda die hard since but i have relized there is other things out there, ppl standing up for the new honda smokers i use to be one of you too but once u give something else a chance u find there is better, so i say go for the yz there a reason it has won all the shoot out for last how many years?

[Honda125 358]

I'd go yz if I could go back.

[ynotyz]

"Sure, with a 1000 dollars in motor work a cr125 will hang with a yz or ktm but why would you want to spend that much?"

This is my point. It all depends on how much he wants to spend. What model years hes looking at. What he wants to do with them. The yz has more torque than the cr hands down. So for trail riding in the northeast where I am there is no question. I picked up my bike for 1450. and put not a cent into it. It will out climb, out drag my friends crs stock. Then they put 1000 into it. Yes more peak hp at the high rpm I agree. They have tons of top end. But that is not useable where we ride. Then with the 6 speed vs the 5 speed I pull away from him in a drag as well. Poeple get so sensitive about their stuff. All the top brands (even KTM ) make really good bikes, otherwise they wouldnt be top brands. It all depends on what you need and how much green you got. So my vote is get a gasgas ?

[FLMX909]

.... So my vote is get a gasgas ?

Now that's funny right there....

[jd3020]

well again it may seem biased but here it goes. You are trail riding? Fast trails or woods with hill climbs and stuff? If its anything like the trail riding I do, go with the YZ. The CR's are not that east to make as strong as a YZ. I have an 01 yz and my friend an 03 cr. Mine is beat up, stock except an upper pipe, and 2 years older than my friends. He has a minty 03 with full exaughst, v force reeds, air filter, much lower gearing (sprokets) a new top end and all new jetting and my bike still has lots more low end. This is not a my bike is better than yours post its just honest. He has a very hard time in the trails because of this and if you spend a short amout of time lookin it up you will find alot of people complain about the honda lack of power. Yes the frame and ergo's are better on the CR. If you were doing more dune or mx riding I would say the power wouldn't matter as much but you will notice it alot when it comes to trailing. best thing to do is try to ride both and then you will know for yourself. thats my long winded post ?

I'm not sure I understand this. I would think MX and Sand would require the MOST power. I am seldom on the pipe in the woods, suspension is where it is at in the woods. Perhaps your friends riding ability isn't all that it could/should be in the woods.

I could counter you YZ being faster than the CR with my old 99 CR125 would out run either of my buddies 01 YZ or 03 YZ, all with home done top ends and after market pipes (save for the 01 would take mine on the very top end, but when is anyone doing 50+ in the woods? never). All the 125's are so close, I don't care who makes them, the average rider needs to find the one that makes them feel the most comfortable in a corner. I will add that both Yammy buddies like the way my Honda had no head shake at speed, I guess that says something.

[jd3020]

I've heard that the CRs through '04 are pretty soft, especially on the bottom. In '05, however, even the dirt rags gave the CR props on it's improved low end. I recently saw dyno charts of both '06 YZ125 and CR125, and the CR has significantly more midrange. The YZ revs out farther, but you need to be hitting the rev limiter to get peak power, where the CR peaks a couple grand sooner.

So, based on published information, it struck me that the late model CRs would be better for trail riding than the late model YZs, so I went with the CR. OTOH, I haven't even started it yet, so I can't tell you either way. YMMV.

Apart from performance, the CRs look like works of art. Fit/finish is second to none, and the design aspect of the bikes blow all others away, IMHO. I've never like YZ design - even the brand new models look like they were designed 10 years ago. Fit/finish is not bad, but not Honda either - they have always looked a little shabby around the edges to me.

JayC

I rode mine at the dealer yesterday, and let me tell you what! 5th gear pinned and I couldn't keep the front down!! Seriously though, hitting about half throttle felt nothing like my KTM300 (well duh!). I'm moving from the 300 back to the 125 due to harescrambles and my inability to keep the 300 on the pipe or anywhere near it. I wanted the weight savings and butt savings at times when I grab more throttle than I needed, the 125 shouldn't want to shuck me like the 300 has on occasion:)

I've never had a BRAND NEW dirt bike before so I am probably going to be a little tentative with the break in. I will say, the 3 or 4 times I've started it, it was first kick and purred like a kitten, which is basically all a 125 is:) But I like kittens.