show your 92-97 steel frame CR
Started by
yota
, Aug 24 2010 11:29 AM
63 replies to this topic
Posted 12 February 2012 - 11:52 AM
My pic from earlier seems to have stopped working, here is my 94. I am not quite done with it yet, I have some new Throttle Jockey graphics to install.
Posted 12 February 2012 - 01:29 PM
Aluminum frames RULE!!! Steel frames DROOL!!! 
Hahaha JK guys, some really nice bikes in here!!!
I really love that one guys bike that had the red/white/blue graphics that also had the CRF
Hahaha JK guys, some really nice bikes in here!!!I really love that one guys bike that had the red/white/blue graphics that also had the CRF
Posted 14 February 2012 - 08:00 AM
BlackCR25098, on 12 February 2012 - 01:29 PM, said:
I really love that one guys bike that had the red/white/blue graphics that also had the CRF
After selling my '07 CRF450 in 2008 and "retiring", I got bitten by the motocross bug again in 2010 and decided to buy an older bike to see if I still liked riding before dumping a bunch of money on a brand new bike. I found a low hour '96 for sale, cleaned it up, rebuilt the top end, threw on some new tires, 47mm Showa Twin Chamber forks, and started riding. I decided I liked riding enough to buy a new bike, and purchased my '11 CRF250 in November of 2010. I was immediately appalled at how slow it was. Add in unbalanced suspension and funky steering, and I had my work cut out for me. I installed stiffer fork springs, a Dr. D pipe, a Pro Circuit shock linkage, wider footpegs, and replaced the stock Dunlop front tire with a Bridgestone. The bike was much better, but the suspension still wasn't right. In the middle of last summer, I sent the suspension to Factory Connection and pretty much had them throw everthing in thier catalog at it. I rode the '96 while the CRF suspension was being done and realized it was much faster, steered better, and the suspension was at least as good. When the CRF suspension came back, I sent the CR suspension to Factory Connection, installed a 10 oz flywheel wheel weight, and new Pirelli mid-hard tires on both ends. At this point the old '96 hooked up as well as the CRF, was much faster, had equal suspension, and steered better. When I race the CRF in the Vet classes (against 450s), I have no hope of getting a good start. When racing the 15 year old 2 smoker, I am able to occasionally get the holeshot against 450s and was faster on the rest of the track as well.
My CRF is now my spare bike - the old bike is simply much more fun to ride and much more competitive to race. I'm installing a 270cc big bore kit and Moto Tassinari AIR4ORCE intake on the CRF this week - maybe that will even things up a bit, but I doubt it. The problem with 4 strokes is that the 250s are slow and a little heavy and the 450s are faster than I need and really, really heavy.
Regarding aluminum frames vs steel frames, in addition to a variety of steel framed bikes, I've owned two 2001 CR250s, a 2003 CR250, as well an an '07 CRF450 and my current CRF250. My only real complaint with aluminum frame bikes is that they're hard to work on (the wide frame rails block access to the engine/carb). The aluminum CRs/CRFs feel smaller/slimmer at a standstill than the older steel frame bikes, but the difference isn't noticable when riding. That being said, I have taller/firmer seat foam on my '96, which makes it much easier to move around on. Back when I was younger and faster, I felt like my 2001 tracked better through bumpy terrain than my previous steel framed bike, but that could have been a suspension setup issue.
Edited by RealityCheck, 14 February 2012 - 08:09 AM.
Posted 14 February 2012 - 12:03 PM
RealityCheck, on 14 February 2012 - 08:00 AM, said:
After selling my '07 CRF450 in 2008 and "retiring", I got bitten by the motocross bug again in 2010 and decided to buy an older bike to see if I still liked riding before dumping a bunch of money on a brand new bike. I found a low hour '96 for sale, cleaned it up, rebuilt the top end, threw on some new tires, 47mm Showa Twin Chamber forks, and started riding. I decided I liked riding enough to buy a new bike, and purchased my '11 CRF250 in November of 2010. I was immediately appalled at how slow it was. Add in unbalanced suspension and funky steering, and I had my work cut out for me. I installed stiffer fork springs, a Dr. D pipe, a Pro Circuit shock linkage, wider footpegs, and replaced the stock Dunlop front tire with a Bridgestone. The bike was much better, but the suspension still wasn't right. In the middle of last summer, I sent the suspension to Factory Connection and pretty much had them throw everthing in thier catalog at it. I rode the '96 while the CRF suspension was being done and realized it was much faster, steered better, and the suspension was at least as good. When the CRF suspension came back, I sent the CR suspension to Factory Connection, installed a 10 oz flywheel wheel weight, and new Pirelli mid-hard tires on both ends. At this point the old '96 hooked up as well as the CRF, was much faster, had equal suspension, and steered better. When I race the CRF in the Vet classes (against 450s), I have no hope of getting a good start. When racing the 15 year old 2 smoker, I am able to occasionally get the holeshot against 450s and was faster on the rest of the track as well.
My CRF is now my spare bike - the old bike is simply much more fun to ride and much more competitive to race. I'm installing a 270cc big bore kit and Moto Tassinari AIR4ORCE intake on the CRF this week - maybe that will even things up a bit, but I doubt it. The problem with 4 strokes is that the 250s are slow and a little heavy and the 450s are faster than I need and really, really heavy.
Regarding aluminum frames vs steel frames, in addition to a variety of steel framed bikes, I've owned two 2001 CR250s, a 2003 CR250, as well an an '07 CRF450 and my current CRF250. My only real complaint with aluminum frame bikes is that they're hard to work on (the wide frame rails block access to the engine/carb). The aluminum CRs/CRFs feel smaller/slimmer at a standstill than the older steel frame bikes, but the difference isn't noticable when riding. That being said, I have taller/firmer seat foam on my '96, which makes it much easier to move around on. Back when I was younger and faster, I felt like my 2001 tracked better through bumpy terrain than my previous steel framed bike, but that could have been a suspension setup issue.
My CRF is now my spare bike - the old bike is simply much more fun to ride and much more competitive to race. I'm installing a 270cc big bore kit and Moto Tassinari AIR4ORCE intake on the CRF this week - maybe that will even things up a bit, but I doubt it. The problem with 4 strokes is that the 250s are slow and a little heavy and the 450s are faster than I need and really, really heavy.
Regarding aluminum frames vs steel frames, in addition to a variety of steel framed bikes, I've owned two 2001 CR250s, a 2003 CR250, as well an an '07 CRF450 and my current CRF250. My only real complaint with aluminum frame bikes is that they're hard to work on (the wide frame rails block access to the engine/carb). The aluminum CRs/CRFs feel smaller/slimmer at a standstill than the older steel frame bikes, but the difference isn't noticable when riding. That being said, I have taller/firmer seat foam on my '96, which makes it much easier to move around on. Back when I was younger and faster, I felt like my 2001 tracked better through bumpy terrain than my previous steel framed bike, but that could have been a suspension setup issue.
Hell yeah, that is always great to here. I ride with an older guy, middle aged and rides a 10' CRF250..He helped me do the top end on my bike, great guy, but one night he was like ya know we need to get this bike rebuilt and right and then you could get a ton for it and we can get you on a CRF250...I just kind of stopped what I was doing, slowly looked at him and just fell out laughing...Said, I'm sorry brother, and I don't mean any disrespect, but if all I had to ride was a 250F, I would get out of the sport. Those bikes bore me to DEATH...His 13 year old son rides it, and that's cool, probably way better for him since he weighs all of 60lbs. but I believe he knows now I'm forever a 250 2t guy.
Posted 14 February 2012 - 12:40 PM
LOLThats a laugh BlackCR25098. 250Fs dont do it for me either.
After reading RealityChecks post it inspires me to get out there and get my CRs on the track.
I'm loving these pics, its a credit to you how well they are looked after.
After reading RealityChecks post it inspires me to get out there and get my CRs on the track.
I'm loving these pics, its a credit to you how well they are looked after.
Posted 14 February 2012 - 12:43 PM
Paul, what can I say, they are Hondas...You give them an ounce of love, the give you a lb. of reliability and fun...Got 10 hrs on my 98' lol When I did the top end it still had factory piston and rings in it, and did not warrant a rebuild, just decided to do it.
Posted 29 June 2012 - 09:03 PM
This is a pic of it now. I just sent the frame out to get powder coated. I have a long way to go!
Posted 22 August 2012 - 05:44 PM
Man the old CRs were BAD ASS. Call me crazy but I hate pointy/angular modern MX look.
Keep em comin.
Keep em comin.
