Riding the WORST Honda Ever Made!

We ride the 1997 Honda CR250, the first aluminum framed dirt bike and quite possibly the worst motocross machine that Honda have ever produced.
This bike was so bad it was reportedly the reason why The King of Supercross Jeremy McGrath chose to leave Honda in 1996. Our mission in this video is to find out whether the bike really is that bad and whether or not Honda truly did make a backwards step with the new generation 250 2 Stroke by putting the 1997 head to head against it's predecessor!
Thanks to Anthony Moore for helping us with the stock graphics - / anthony.moore.7587370
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And also a big thanks to O'NEAL for always helping us to enjoy the ride: oneal.com
Riding the Bike that Honda Got WRONG!
Riding the Bike that Honda Got Completely Wrong!
Riding the Dirt Bike Honda got WRONG!

[@richardbolt287]

Very interesting video. I had both 1996 & 1998 250 CR"s. Loved them both. The 1998 couldn't of been too bad as I won the AMCA senior South West championship on it. Also gained enough points to move upto the Expert class.

[@limpetcarre1139]

My race buddy bought the 1997 Honda CR250 in 1996 and returned from his first outing on the bike saying it was the worst bike he had ever ridden. After only 2 race meetings he turned up to the next meeting on a 1997 Kawasaki KX250.

[@LBrawn]

And raced happily ever after.

[@999lazer]

I reckon a lot of people did the same that year! 2 turns in on my ride and i knew it was going to be a super harsh ride. Thanks for watching dude :-)

[@motodudes8787]

My 99 cr250r rides better then most bikes, my buddy's rm250 rides a lot more stiff harder to turn

[@mikeburney9282]

​@@motodudes8787 I smoke new 450s in the woods down here in Florida on my 99 cr250

[@OTAlucard]

​@@mikeburney9282 Amazing woods bike. I bought my 97 for $600

[@kevinmee3501]

Another cracking video Max, I absolutely love the testing of the 80, 90,00s machines, a lot of nostalgia for us old guys and great memories, you're a legend Max, keep the videos rolling , thanks mate.

[@999lazer]

Thanks Kevin, it a real pleasure to make these videos from the times when manufacturers were brave enough to experiment so much.

[@cruzinthefox]

This is hands down the best most comprehensive bike review I've seen. I love it! Thank you!

[@999lazer]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and leave a comment dude :-)

[@dr.hugog.hackenbush9443]

Im sure someone has mentioned the CR450, but the entire CR line was cursed in '89. Their then-new inverted forks and shock were a disaster, binding, galling, fouling the oil very quickly with metal shavings. The suspension basically ate itself and self-destructed. It has been referenced as a Top Fuel engine with Model A suspension. It took them a few years to get it right. While the '97 frame was "too stiff" for the 250, it was perfect for the CR500AF that AJ Wagoner was building at the time.

[@64maxpower]

Whose opinion is that the frame was perfect for the 500 other than the person who built it to sell?

[@Nathan8rr]

Perfect? Perfect for Seth to send into orbit and still land without breaking the **frame (I mean you can’t say the same for his triple clamps) but the ultra stiff frame held up

[@MrDannyboyhall]

@@Nathan8rrwasn’t that a 99 framed 500 conversion?

[@jesseleblanc989]

Excellent! Enjoyed every minute! Thank you! And yes, we need to see a hot lap showdown!

[@999lazer]

Thanks :)

[@melvarnio]

Excellent video. Really enjoyed that...especially the drone footage.

[@localenterprisebroadcastin5971]

My first 250 was this year…I didn’t know any better at the time and I had no problem riding it once I got used to it …(I got a hell of a deal on the bike though) a couple of years later I rode my buddies YZ 250, I sold the CR the next day and bought an 02 YZ250 …today I wish I had them both 😂…this year CR gets a bad rap because it was something new that people didn’t quite understand how to tune…nowadays any half assed suspension tech can get em dialed in and sprung properly…truth is those early forks were just overkill and punished the rider endlessly…however if you were a teenager from Southern California like me, you figured out that you could literally launch these bikes off a cliff and ride away unscathed…this bike was absolutely hated by track racers but loved by early freestyle and freeride desert guys. Just look at all the early crusty videos, like everyone is rocking these CRs…the 2nd Gen AL frame CRs get a better reputation but people ignore the suspension changes on those years

[@johnbrady2477]

The last of the cr250 like 05 was a beast of a bike. My mate has an 05 and every time I see him I ask him to sell it but won't part with it for love nor money 😂😂

[@999lazer]

If you'd never experienced the flexxy, comfortable steel frames than i guess it wasn't going to be shock whatsoever riding the Ally frame version....a bit like a modern rider going back to try the 97 CR250. A shame you didn't keep the old 2 strokes, they are in high demand these days! Thanks for watching dude :-)

[@dirtbikedave]

Another fun comparison for the 97 CR250 would be the 97 RM250

[@crf80fdarkdays]

​@@dirtbikedave I think the rm would hurt it all day long, I got an 03 rm125 and a 97 cr125 would have absolutely nothing on it

[@donovanmccoy6833]

Thank you!! I've always tried to figure out why I love my 99 CR125 so much, and everyone that rides it loves it, too. It was my first MX bike, and the only one I owned for 10+ years. Had never ridden another MX bike, so I just thought that's how they all were. I love the way it handles. It feels like a BMX bike with a motor. And frankly, I can't stand the other bikes from similar years (the steel frame YZs feel terrible to me.) Then I look at the frame design of the top MX bikes now, and they look like the Honda... But people say it's a terrible design. Makes me scratch my head a bit. (Yes IK there are also some small frame changes to improve flex) That being said, I've worked on the suspension a bit. Like you said, that makes a big difference in how it handles.

[@joederringer6716]

I had both the 95 and 97 and I preferred the 97. Mainly because I didn’t like the forks on the 95 they flexed too much. My brother bought a 96 and that was the best bike of the 90’s that I rode. For 96 Honda increased the fork diameter and whatever motor changes they made that bike was fantastic!

[@carltreurnich8482]

"Death machine " ...."that's got me right exited to ride this bike "😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Duppavich]

I'm always impressed with what content you come up with Max 👍 How about comparing the first CR500 with the last one they produced?

[@999lazer]

thank you & that's a great idea :)

[@TopRevs]

That’s a great idea

[@Duppavich]

@@999lazer I asked this because I own a 84 CR500. It came out of the factory with a pretty bad flaw in the cylinder head design and shit house forks. Once that is sorted, it's an absolute beast, I'm sure it will be faster than the 2001! I'd love to see a comparison around a good 500 track to find out 🤞

[@dirtbikedave]

I love this idea

[@dirtbikedave]

I always look forward to another episode of 999Laser. Running these bikes again would certainly be very interesting. So, please do!

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching Dave, We are working on it :-)

[@federicoturlettimunivez3530]

Absolute amazing video! 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@999lazer]

Thank you 🙌

[@brucebanner2039]

These videos are so well done

[@999lazer]

Thanks Bruce

[@arthurdunga345]

i think the drone shots are great max, be good to see a hot lap contest between them in the future

[@999lazer]

Cheers Arthur,

[@dc6233]

I think you could have benefited with a couple more test riders. I had a 94 CR250 and it was the best bike I had ever ridden. Rumor has it McGrath ran the 1993 chassis as long as he could, whatever it was about it, he absolutely loved that year. We all hated seeing him leave Honda, but we knew why, he hated how stiff it was. Seeing that he won 15 of 16 rounds, I think he knew what he was talking about. Great video, I just wish you had some more test pilots, the 97 was a disaster...

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching DC, listening to MC talk about the bike on Gypsy tales it's clear that he's got some bad memories to say the least lol This video was a difficult one to pull together with the weather playing havoc (we had to reschedule our shoot day 4 different times! lol) So we were just happy to get one ride in with one tester. But i do have plans for our upcoming shootouts to have different test riders of varying levels give their feedback :-)

[@MrDannyboyhall]

Yeah he did use the 93 frame as it actually had way more flex than anything after it the frames would actually stretch they flexed so much

[@julianlaustsen1991]

would be cool to see the same vid with the 2001 cr250

[@fjb2986]

I had a 01 Cr250, I really liked that bike. I liked the powerband more than my 03 Cr 250.

[@999lazer]

a 2000s 250 shootout is on my list of things to do :-) Thanks for watching Julian

[@BIG_BODWELL]

i got the 01 and local tracks like southwich and mx23 and 508 all within 20-30 min drives

[@RyanFrenchLifeStyle]

Great video Max!

[@999lazer]

Thanks!

[@steveortega534]

Loved my 97' 250 / 98' 125 boxed frames!

[@kentr2424]

Honda made a similar mistake in '89 when they came out with the first production upside down forks. They were overly stiff and very harsh for the average rider. Top-level pros loved the forks, though. Rumors at the time had Honda simply using Ricky Johnson's Supercross suspension settings, which were far too stiff for anyone who wasn't a top 10 Supercross rider. The basic gist was that Honda didn't spend enough time (and money) on developing this new fork technology before they released it to the public, something similar to what I think happened with that new aluminum frame. The '98 was the same frame, but Honda vastly improved the frame's feel for the '99 CR 250, having taken two years of racing experience and used that in the development of the new frame.

[@999lazer]

that's really interesting. We were surprised when Ed picked the 97, but maybe Honda were just ahead of their time with a stiff frame?

[@emexduzentos]

97-99 have the same frame, 2000-2001 the second generation of 250 AF and 2002-06 third gen so I'd suggest a 96, 2001 and 2006 shootout.

[@kentr2424]

I thought Honda changed the frame's stiffness in '99. Too many years, too many beers I guess...😉@@emexduzentos

[@emexduzentos]

@@kentr2424 Everts's bike in 1999 had the 2000 proto frame with split rads n all. There's a jap channel on yt with a race in 96 where Steve Lamson rode the 97 and it's amazing how that bike went through the woops no side swapping just like a train transporting lots of beer lol cheers mate

[@55tmilam]

After racing 86,89,94,95,96 cr250s I rode a buddy’s 97 at a race and I hated it!! Probably the only thing I had in common with MC! Hahaha that thing was unpredictable

[@BM205]

Man I baught one of these new! I have to say I absolutely loved the motor,great power, good all the way through. Loved the brakes. Didn't hate the suspension but it sure wasnt good. Loved the ergonomics,it was very slim and just felt so light. What i hated was the vibration. I couldnt hang on to the thing! Hands went dead in less than a minute! Swapped to rubber mounts and ProTapers and it was still bad. Let it go and got a 98 RM which I loved and rode RMs for many years, some good,some bad but none as bad as that CR

[@onlygazza]

I had a new 98 and 99 and even though it vibrated and had severe braking head shake it had good suspension and a fabulous engine, i loved em 👌( ps all magazines had the 98 Honda 250 winning the shootouts )

[@jaydenbrockington4525]

I had a 97 early in my dirt bike journey. Absolutely loved it and would gladly buy another. Just like he said, the stuff chassis gives you a very direct feel in a way that I haven’t felt in other bikes aside ones that are much newer. Yes it vibrates you to death, but between that sharp fork angle letting you turn on a dime and that great direct feel, the 97 cr is my favorite (not just dirt bike) motorcycle of all time.

[@typena151]

Love the video & shootout. What track is first half of the video shot at? I like the layout for a at home track.

[@999lazer]

its a private track in the UK

[@crazytoyzworkshop4515]

Nice one Maxx... I have the 98 250 I'm going to do some races on this year so this vid has given me a bit more confidence on the old girl😆 Would like to see another vid when its fixed🙃

[@codenamenel]

If you can, try and source an RG3 or similar triple clamp, I got one from the US a few years back, they're rubber mounted where the stock arent so absorbs a bit of the vibration and I dont seem to get the head shake that a lot of people moan about

[@davidgledhilljr71]

A few thoughts. NO the quality was not poor on this bike. Quality was best in industry. Always was, always will be. Very nicely engineered. Ergonomics were fantastic. Was this the worst bike ever? No. Have you ever ridden a 90CR250. Oh boy. I owned the 97. Yes the frame was way too stiff. However it did break in after time on the bike. Very rough on the hands, and as always Hondas stock suspension was garbage making it very difficult to ride. It took considerable work to make the bike competitive. So yes Honda did screw up. We valued and resprung the suspension. Lengthen the chain to move the wheel back. We tried some different links on the linkage as well. Then we replaced the triple clamps to steepen the steering angle to sharpen turning. The clamps were rubber mounted and Protapers were a must to deaden the extra vibration. Larger footings and steel plates in clutch for flywheel effect. After these changes the bike was dominant. I destroyed B and A class. Should have been competitive stock. Big screw up by Honda. The motor on this bike was the best Honda ever made. Good grunt down low, meaty mid range and revved out endlessly up top. Absolute monster. Best motor Honda has ever made in my opinion. My buddys had heavily modified Yamahas and Suzukis. Mine stock would smoke them on the start every single time. They were infuriated. I bought a 2001 which was awesome. Little smaller, not as stiff, but very similar in feel to the modified 97. I think people over exaggerated how bad the bike was. BRAAAAP!!

[@LBrawn]

"good grunt down low and a meaty mid range" you must have never rode a Kx250. The '97 cr250 was a top end only motor.

[@davidgledhilljr71]

@@LBrawn Never rode a kx. Put an FMF pipe, shorty silencer and changed the jetting. Total monster. What I did ride - was right by many a kX250. See ya. BRAAPP. Did you own a 97CR? It was exactly as i described.

[@purebloodheretic4682]

I owned an '88 Cr250 it was great, my mate had an '89 Cr250 the USD Forks were horrible - they looked cool as they were the 1st oem USD forks on a Honda but were utter crap I wish I still had the '88 CR250 & '91 KX250 steel perimeter frame 👍

[@davidgledhilljr71]

@@purebloodheretic4682 88 was my favorite year. Perfect red with that gorgeous white wing. I had an 88CR80. Good stuff. I really wish Honda would make two strokes again.

[@scotttravis9313]

I rode a 90 cr250 for a while. Talk about forks that sucked. I soon learned to just keep the front wheel off the ground. Problem solved. It was a beast down low.

[@davekingvmxdn]

Max. You need to ride the 81 CR450. That was just awful

[@999lazer]

I wonder if I know anyone who could sort that out for me.....lol

[@RonI-qz2tz]

Great video as always.

[@999lazer]

Thank you, Glad you enjoyed it:)

[@Gammabusa]

Fantastic!! Thanks and a big YES to get them out again for hot lap timing!!!

[@Lee-mx5li]

Great job on video

[@TexRobNC]

This was a wild era for street bikes as well. The move to fuel injection was part of it, but there were other notable screwups where newer bikes in SuperSport that were worse.

[@tmc.318]

I had the '97. That thing hurt me so many times in two years and I thought it was me. Sold it and got out of the sport. Then I got back in in 2005 on steel frame KTM's and have been ever since with a pretty long list of races under my belt. Damn that '97.

[@Andy-co6pn]

Honda even offered a 20 inch front wheel option on their ali framed bikes to try and get more front end grip.

[@dylangarsed7254]

Great vid again Max! Might be a bit stiff, but id still have it. I'd re spring it and rip the throttle lol

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching Dylan :-D

[@MrJokkoma]

Very interesting video man. I wonder if the harsh feeling and hard suspension setup have been a thing whit Hondas? I had a crf250 from -08 and that Showa fork was horrible, no matter what i tried that fork was always to stiff especially in small fast bumps, the rear shock wasnt much better and the steering damper that came that year was crucial to have quite stiff otherwise it got wobbly when standing to much forward on the bike. The 2015 kxf 250 i later bought was like riding on fluffy clouds in comparison.

[@Beardmondy67]

.. Ace vid again , Max ,.. I bought two Cr250s last year, ( yeah, don't ask ! ),.. I bought firstly a right pile of poop '97 Cr from a right chavvy lad with the all mechanical skills of a Barbie doll,.. Aside from discovering electrical tape being used as swinging arm bearings , I also discovered a nasty crack in one of the down tubes and also a crack near one of the frame's swinging arm spindle pivot holes ,.. It's still in bits in my garden awaiting an influx of enthusiasm alongside the '87 KX 500 and CR500 I haven't yet had the balls to take to a track,..The other CR250 is a 2001 and in a much better state !.. Keep up the great vids, Max mate ,.. Dan.

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching Dan we really appreciate it :-) Get those 500s to the track, even if it is for a little tickle! ;-D

[@Docs77TV]

Great Vlogg Max , I had a private hire Day at DMP 2 weeks ago

[@999lazer]

Cheers Docs.. where was my invite...lol. Ed does a great job with the track at DMP, particularly after all the recent bad weather.

[@golhabaki]

Stefan Everts won the world motocross Championship with this bike in 1997 dont forget that for me the world motocross Championship is more important than the American Supercross bye the way another great video keep going like this

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching! :-) I'd be very interested to find out how different Everts GP bike was to the stock version and the version that McGrath would've ridden...

[@brianandersonart1774]

It was very different. The factory bike had a different frame . Twin radiator s instead of one big one . Down tube spilt into 2. Rather than the stock. Although he did finish 3rd in unadilla that year in a one off ride with the stock frame. I think had he had his factory bike he would of won in that race he could have won

[@LBrawn]

The steel frame Hondas worked fantastic if you had full factory suspension like McGrath and Stanton. But people like to forget how brutal the forks and head shake was from the early 1980s through 1997 on the production bikes.

[@999lazer]

I think we often wear rose tinted glasses when looking back on the old bikes from our past that's for sure!

[@MrDannyboyhall]

I ran a 96cr 125 and never had any issues with the suspension on that it was a nice ride I think the head shake on Honda’s from back then were due to the take on the front end of you rode any of the other brands and then got on a Honda it felt like you were sitting on the front wheel they had a much steeper take on them it did make them turn on a dime though

[@bmoorear]

I had a 97 CR250 for years. Rode it out at Gordons and Glamis starting in 2000 or so and it was one badass bike.

[@wtfftw24]

We need to remember that on 1997 Stefan Everts won the world championship on that bike. In supercross Honda of Troy riders had several podiums as well.

[@scotttravis9313]

I bought one of these bikes. Had pro action suspension gold valve and it seemed fine to me. It was a holeshot machine. It was prone to breaking the piston above the rings on the exhaust port side. It never failed but I noticed it twice during periodic top end changes. Fast bike for sure.

[@Slane583]

From what I'm getting out of this 97 model CR is that it wasn't actually a bad bike. It was just a victim of being way ahead of its' time because its' riding characteristics either freaked people out or disappointed them. Riders were also trying to compare it to previous models with steel frames and the aluminum frame was so new even Honda couldn't tune the suspension properly. Now that just about every modern bike is built on aluminum frames this thing is no longer the stiff riding odd-ball that freaked people out. Imagine putting a modern tuned suspension on this back that matched it better. :)

[@999lazer]

You've summed it up perfectly! Thanks for watching Slane :-)

[@Slane583]

@@999lazer No problem, keep up the goodness. 😁

[@Nathan8rr]

Showing that quick clip of RC’s perfect seasons in 02 and 04 gave me goosebumps 🔥 like Emig used to say “He’s like a flag on that CR250 just hanging off the back”

[@pepwayne]

Tires, wheels, chassis and suspension are the keys to handling of equal powered vehicles. Spokes change chassis feel. The reason I mention it is the test rider mentioned Maico. I built a lot of them for USA and Europe pros. The wheels and spokes material and cross patterns highly affected the riders. We settled on very particular spokes and patterns for that reason. This '97 is very susceptible to them as well. The 1997 CR250R required more of the tech / engineer to set it up for a given rider. I personally bought the first one my dealer received and set it up for pro level. It made you listen to rider data and adjust accordingly. We did find the geometry handling and stability was enhanced by installing a steering damper and a particular rear top out spring for a given track condition. We did fine tune valving and springs both ends to rider likings. I still have it.

[@crspep]

Sometimes the stopwatch will tell the story. From the video, Ed looked more comfortable on the 95 & to me looked to be ripping along quite a bit faster. (fewer people in his way though)..... I'd be interested in the lap times, especially as the track gets rougher..... The bikes both look great, & the drone pilot has some skills.

[@scottpeters8640]

Back in 2001, I bought a cherry 1998 CR 250. A riding buddy had a pristine 1996 CR 250, so I got to ride each one multiple times on the same track or riding spot. While the '96 was certainly nice, my '98 felt more solid, which the aluminum frame does for bikes. My motor was a but stronger. The suspension was about the same, neither one was anywhere near as good as the Gen 2 or 3 CR's. Just recently I listened to a pod with Mickael Pichon, who rode the Factory Honda Gen 1 bike and he said it actually worked well for SX but was too stiff for outdoor MX.

[@ottokirk2325]

That thing did something different every pass through some trail whoops, where I was trying to tune the shock. No low end for hill climbs. Not running a cylinder base gasket helped, along with head mods.

[@tessbushell5489]

😎you and Kaplan American put out cr videos today,I should have taken mine out for a blast today 😔

[@999lazer]

ha ha really, great minds think alike...lol

[@wonderbread2364]

A friend of mine just got all the stuff to resto his ‘97 and as he was changing out the bearings in the steering head he noticed a hairline crack at the top behind the race. He’s way bummed out. Anybody know if this can be welded or if it’s fixable? Thanks Max, Ed, and team for another awesome video! I learned a lot.

[@999lazer]

Ah man that's gutting....hopefully he finds a solution and get it on track at some point. Thanks for watching dude :-)

[@wonderbread2364]

@@999lazer - yeah thanks bro! I think the crack must have been due to the harshness and rigidity of the frame you guys were talking about? The bike has been a trail queen its whole life so the frame must just self destruct from all that rigidity? Like you said “Honda piling on layers of aluminum”.

[@Hanky_Bannist8r]

I've ridden the '96-'97-'98 Cr250. The cockpit on the 97/98 was nice (I'm a tall guy 6'2) but the front end would wash and the head shake was so bad it would literally wear you out trying to keep it upright. The 96 chassis had a small cockpit but was semi comfortable with minor changes. It all comes down to preference and settings. That's why at that time I rode a Yamaha LOL.

[@999lazer]

It's hard to beat Yamaha for comfort and handling! Thanks for watching dude :-)

[@waylonvaughan8613]

Max id really like to see you do something with Jase from gypsy tales .... especially along the lines of what you do with the 2 strokes the builds and your quality content. I dig what you doing brother big time

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching Waylon :-) Jase is a cool dude and I enjoy what he does, i met him very briefly at at Stark Varg event a couple years ago. he was super nice

[@aidansmith1354]

I had a 98 250 and stopped riding for a time after I sold it. I hated riding, thought I couldn’t ride anymore. So stiff and vibrated your hands until they were numb. Can’t imagine riding a supercross track. Shame really because I had a 94 and 2000 125 and they were so much fun.

[@999lazer]

Dear god, i couldn't imagine trying to take this thing around an SX track! Lol Thanks for watching Aidan

[@jaydelaney9313]

Max, WE NEED THE LAP TIMES!!!

[@999lazer]

Roger that! We are working on getting our bike fixed as we speak :-)

[@Sliding-n-riding]

The biggest difference ive done to my 97cr250r is putting newer upper triple clamps that make the bars rubber mounted. Drastically cuts down on the vibration and allows me to ride it much longer because of it. I have to agree with Edd’s take on the rider triangle on the 97 frame. At 6’2 i feel very comfortable on it. I rode it back to back with my buddys 2001 cr250r and it felt tiny in comparison.

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

Any chance we can get an update?Or a ride video with you and your old man on that suzuki you purchased for him? Such a charming video I would love to see both of you riding.That will be fantastic.

[@JoshuaDomoslai]

Going from a steel frame to an aluminum frame is always very drastic. I rode steel frames and still do. Back in the day I had a steel framed yz250 and also a steel framed 05 kx250f that I raced every weekend at glen Helen Saturday REM. One weekend at glen Helen practice I switched bikes with my buddy. An 05’ cr250 and it was the stiffest, most vibrating thing I’ve ever felt in my life. My hands would get numb just a half a lap in it was ridiculous feeling.

[@speeddemon9555]

most iconic MX bike ? that would be the 1980 RM125x with the full floater rear suspension, it changed MX bikes forever !!

[@marcomodena8076]

In fact, when you said that this is the worst Honda, I stuck with it! because then afterwards you really say that usually when you think of Honda, you think of wonderful cross motorcycles. Ok, I'm all Ears 👍 Eee... congratulations again for your videos. Greetings from Sanremo, Italy 👌🙋🏻‍♂️🤙

[@999lazer]

Thank you Marco

[@Amac1825]

Love 90s 2 strokes from any of the big 4.

[@Patriot-Logic]

I rode both back in the day. 6,4 230 lbs the frame on the 97 was more ridged but felt good when pushed. 95-96 is a dream bike for a vet rider… stiffen the suspension and it is perfection!

[@nick4506]

had a riding buddy with a 97, it was a period thing to mill off material around the headstock and otherwise attack the bike with files. even your 97 has the welds filed down. i have a second generation 01 witch is a little more conventional. honda wasint comforble radicly changing up the frame till 02 witch came with a much smother motor, less vibrations through the frame the engineers were worrying about.

[@999lazer]

There was another guy at the track the day we filmed who had an 06 CR250 and it was interesting to see how different the frame had become in those years. Thanks for watching Nick :-)

[@paulmryglod4802]

I got my 97 in 99 from my idol, my A rider neighbor. I had a new 98 125 and learned on that. The 97 terrified me with the power and terrible suspension. In 2000, i had factory connection do the full suspension and i holeshot my open b race and won my first race ever, having installed the suspension at the track that morning. The engine only had a rad valve and fmf exhaust and to this day i love. It revs forever and has a good pull from low mid.

[@richardbarrett8375]

What a brilliant ride and ti get the lead a couple of corners from finish WTG!!!!!

[@nil8urbudz708]

That 97 definitely had some issues beyond the mentioned tranny. Also, looked as if kickstarter was trying to escape the hideous frame overlays. 😵 No idea the inspiration behind them which also failed placement on the gearshift side. Such a distraction from what was a sweet OEM representation. Mad thumbs on the video Max.

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching dude :-)

[@RonMortinson-wm5re]

If I remember right from back in those day's, McGrath's favorite bike was actually the 1992 CR250; and as time moved forward, he insisted to keep riding the 92 CR, they put bold new graphic's on his old bike year after year, but they couldn't hide the new aluminium frame with plastic!...

[@paulbudford]

Very interesting. I remember watching the racing and reading reviews at the time. Looking back now Honda had moved the game on. Just nobody realised.

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching Paul. You are right i think, Honda were changing the game and change is scary so people were nervous of the new ideas...

[@senditstinch5163]

If i remember correctly, Everts still won a world title with it. No more to say😉

[@mikehudg2209]

Boy does this bring back memories in 97 my friend had a 97 cr 250 and myself an rm 250 - I like my zook better but must admit 98 to 2000 I raced the KX 250s and thought they were far better machines ( I absolutely loved the 2000 KX 250 ) but the honda was much faster - in 01 I bought a cr250 and hated it 😢 2002 saw me a a Suzuki again and in 03 went to ktm and never looked back 😀 I just got my 24 beta last week - what a great video- imo try a 2000 KX 250 - you will love it - thank you 999 for all you share with us

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment Mike :-) I'd be really keen to try out a 2000 KX250. My dad had a KX250 when i was really young, but i think that was a '99

[@Ross-ql9fi]

Stock 01cr smoked the modded kazuki even with balled tire but everyone rides different

[@knowbody9679]

I was die hard Honda and it pained me when they changed that bike in 97. I despise that frame. It’s hideous

[@lucascady4992]

I heard Honda got pissed off at JM for riding a Yamaha Jet ski in his Steel Roots video.. I also heard JM Hated the AF CR250... 😢 I had a 00" CR125, Built 9-99" It was hands down me favorite bike I ever had! Before that I had a 96" KX125! That to me was a Death Machine, I had it set up for me at 6'2" 185lbs, anyone of my friends that rode it for the first time got "tank slapped, or highspeed wobbles" on it!! That bike was Spicy!! Splitfire graphics, and I had the Stock Purple as well!! 😮

[@999lazer]

I've also heard those Jet Ski stories as well, i think the split was caused by a mix of things but the new bike certainly didn't help the situation! lol Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment Lucas :-)

[@lukecombs5242]

I definitely want ant to see a hot lap between the two but I absolutely love the 95 but my favorite color schemes was the 91-94-96 but I love any bike that has the brand Honda on it ride red 🤙🏻great video max cheers.

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching Luke, we are getting our bike sorted as we speak :-)

[@zook_291]

Came off a 07 RM85 to a 98 CR125 5 years ago and thought it was amazing the way it rode. Rode my buddies 06 YZ125 and realized how slow and hard my bike was to ride. Was quite a big step once I went to a 19 YZ250F.

[@999lazer]

It's amazing how much friendlier and easier to ride modern bikes have become. Sounds like you're having fun though dude! Thanks for watching :-)

[@honda2363]

I had a 97 CR125 and I loved it. I completely forgot about Honda using aluminum for the CR250 in 1997 but not the 125. I'm guessing the 97 CR125 was probably considered a pretty good bike then? 🤞🤞😂

[@LBrawn]

Yes very fast and well built. Great brakes and clutch. But the YZ and RM were better overall because they had superior suspension.

[@999lazer]

We filmed a cool video with Nev Bradshaw on the 1997 CR125, he loved it but If i remember rightly he said his one felt very slow (probably was compared to the 500s he usually rides! lol) Here's the vid - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmbIfYeGr8ycnbc

[@paulmryglod4802]

My cousin had one new. I got a 98 and we rode together. His bike was far better than mine. He put a pipe and rad valve on his by 98 By 99, I put a 250 airboot, bored my carb to 37.5mm, carbon fiber reeds, port and head work, a pro circuit exhaust and had pro-action do my suspension. My bike was faster but his bike overall was still better. With just a pipe, rad valve and front fork springs (iirc)

[@DUBYA-DUBYA]

It looks like it rains there even more than where I live in Pittsburgh pa and that’s a lot. lol. We might get 60 sunny days a year.. been better test on hard choppy track but great test anyway.

[@lw3918]

The "97 was horrible. Had a 2001 CR that was awesome. But by far the best bike I've ever owned was my 2007 CRF 450X.

[@Mike_HuntizWet]

No Schitt??? Best bike I’ve ever rode much less owned was my bought brand new 2007 CRF450R 🤘

[@lw3918]

@@Mike_HuntizWet Honda hit it out of the park with those. Set mine up for desert racing.

[@Mike_HuntizWet]

@@lw3918 I’m now 47 so whatever the math is to my age in 2007. I been on dirt bikes since I was 5 or 6 and on that 07 with me in the older/vet class I was a much better, smoother and gutsier than at any other time on any other bike in my life. I miss that bike

[@lw3918]

@Mike_HuntizWet I'm 53 and been riding since I was 6 also. Bought a KTM 300 and hate it. Haven't ridden in a couple of years due to the cost of gas just to get out to Mojave. Plus a knee replacement.

[@Mike_HuntizWet]

@@lw3918 Bummer. Yeah gettin older ain’t for pu$$y$ that’s for sure

[@electro1622]

I don't think the frame was the cause of the harsh ride... suspension was and is the problem with this bike.... my friend had one and after about a year of sorting it out ( we were amatures with no budget so changes were few and we had to pay for them ourselves) it was better than the previous year...

[@999lazer]

I think it was a mixture of the new frame and suspension, they ran out of time to figure out how to set up the suspension to gel with the new frame. Like you say with a bit of time and patience you could've got the settings dialed in much better. Thanks for watching dude

[@LBrawn]

The 1992 through 1999 CR 250 motors were all top end and unless you were a pro on a smooth fast track the YZ and KX had better motors and superior suspension. Also the Honda Head shake was wicked. Only the factory Hondas had these evils corrected.

[@johnnyskied]

Bad frame, one of the greatest motors ever built. I rode a 97 from 97 until 2011. Went through one top end and that was it. Sold it in 2016 after 5 years of sitting in my garage. Sold it and it started on the 2nd kick.

[@999lazer]

That's an awesome story Johnny, I'm happy to read that you got so many years of enjoyment out of it! :-) Thanks for watching!

[@stephenroesler4919]

I loved mine. It had a lot of power and would go where you pointed it, instead of flexing all over the place. The stock fork and shock both had a lot of low speed compression dampening that only compounded the harshness. Revalving helped, but it was never a comfortable bike to ride.

[@noControl556]

Stiff frames, air forks, air shocks, etc. all look great to engineers on paper. Ideally you want a absolutely rigid frame where you can then control interaction with the ground via the suspension. However suspension still isn't good enough to deliver the correct feel, especially when you are also trying radically different suspension components to reduce weight, costs, etc.

[@1969cmp]

The 1981 CR was the worst CR ever made, but also a very important model in that the 125. 250 and 450 being their first Pro-Link models with the 125 and 250 being their first liquid-cooled production motocrossers. But it wasn't just the suspension, the gearbox was all out of sorts as was the frame. I can see the parallels with the 1997 250 being that continued step in modern development, though I'm still a round or square tube frame bloke (showing my age). There was also a CR125, that was fuel injected and that didn't last long.

[@nlnl4523]

1998 the best cr250 ever made. Way above and beyond its time. I will always say that too my dieing day

[@phillipmcgrath599]

My first bike I ever bought is the 97 CR250 I really enjoy it I still trail ride on it today (in southern Utah) I guess I have nothing to compare the bike to but I'm going to buy the 2024 Beta 300 race edition then maybe I'll feel the difference but I'm going to keep my CR I just love it ... Thanks for the video

[@999lazer]

Thanks for watching Philip! I'm glad to hear you've had many years of enjoyment from your CR :-)

[@tituskoreman1565]

Having the 97 as a supermoto is quite nice! Never had it in stock form, so not sure what its like in the dirt. Cheers

[@rfiskillingussoftly6568]

In topical Honda fashion....they were ahead of their time with the 97" let that sink in! Great video man...make it happen!

[@999lazer]

Cheers, will do

[@guyredshaw1422]

Nice Honda! I’m sure I’ve seen that frame somewhere before🤔….Now where have I seen it?🤭

[@999lazer]

Haha If anyone is curious..... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXjIlqaEocZ-d5osi=r7kTz6dHK2Ytq2cI

[@johnladd9885]

All those 250 smokers in the 90s yz,rm,kx,and cr are still fun and amazing bikes even today in 2024.. technology has came along way but those old smokers will put a smile on anyones face..

[@Randy_Cox]

I wonder how much the switch from KYB suspension to Showa changed the feel on top of the frame change. Because i can tell you there is a huge difference between the two suspension setups. KYB is always known to be soft and comfortable and Showa is known to be harsh and stiff.

[@999lazer]

Trying to make the new suspension work with the new frame was their biggest struggle i think, they just ran out of time to get it dialed before release! Thanks for watching Randy :-)

[@chriscarson8218]

I had a 1988 CR250R it was a rocket ship

[@SMOKEY-JAYS-DIESEL]

I used to love my 1998 CR250 Best handling/fastest/worst resale/worst parts availability - 06-08 RM250. they'll rip your armss off compltely stock, handle like a mountain bike. hard to find used parts for, and the transmission parts have tripled in price in the last 4 years from the OEMs. they're drying up. Comes with an 18mm shock that costs twice as much as the shock thats on the RMZ., they definitely didn't skimp on that bike. 03+ Kawasaki. feels like the front tire is made out of cement, abrupt motor. Best overall package/best parts availability - 06+ YZ250 as far as the KTMs go, it's just my personal opinion that those bikes aren't all that. I think they tend to look better than they are because Japan hasn't produced anything in a decade, plus most of the reviews are from people who just dropped 8K on one, so they arent going to tell you it sucks. the motor falls on it's face up top, which is absolutely bizarre for a case reed motor. just beware of any bike that has a dozen "fixes" to make it run with a stock YZ. The RC valve Hondas sort of fit into this category too. The best 250 two-stroke i've ever ridden in my life was a full deal Watts Performance CR250 with the Ricky 24-0 replica engine work. Zero hit, and it just keeps revving and revving and revving. It's truly a 450 killer. But it's not cheap. If you ever see someone with "Watts Performance" engraved on their cylinder, ask nicely to ride the bike. unreal.

[@Paul-gu2lv]

It's incredible that in 30 years the only design changes are the front and rear guards.

[@swedish_sadhguru3854]

I’m thinking about buying a 93-96 Honda 250, how difficult is it to find spare parts to it these days?

[@paulmryglod4802]

I just restored my 97 and spent some time at the honda dealership getting as much as I could. Combined with aftermarket parts, you can get 95% new stuff and ebay for the remainder.

[@therallyguy1]

This is so confusing. How much deflection does a tube steel frame have?

[@paulmryglod4802]

Laterally a lot and it has twist too. Back in the day, Carmichael would stretch his kx practice bike frame to being out of spec once a week. When buying used bikes, who ride the bike, where, and for how long really mattered because a couple of seasons on a frame from an A rider would make the bike clapped out.

[@zane762]

Still have my 98 CR250 , Awesome machine that's nearly thirty years old so gonna have to disagree , safe trails y'all !

[@nlnl4523]

Most experienced riders had never felt a bike like this and the power that the 98 cr250 put out,fuel injected electronic carburator an amazing amount of horsepower and extremely fast rpm band

[@martiniv8924]

I had a brand new 97’ great quality as usual from Honda, peaky compared to the earlier 250cr , but the frame was so stiff it would beat you up, even in the open desert

[@wtfftw24]

I used to ride a my friend 97 model for quite long seesions back in the day. I have to say that I liked and, yes it was a bit stiff, but I always preferred stiffer bikes so it was a YES from me.

[@G31mR]

Most influential brand in motorcross? Yamaha, who started the move to single-shock rear suspension.....which, by the way, has been adopted by ALL modern motocrossers. I'm not a Yamaha fan-boy, but I cannot deny the contribution Yamaha made to motocrossers.

[@999lazer]

It's a difficult question to answer really, Yamaha for the reasons you state but also Suzuki were the first Japanese manufacturer in the sport and they dominated through the 70s and the sport probably wouldnt look the way it does without them. But for me nothing is more iconic than the HRC era of the 80s and 90s..... thanks for watching and taking the time to comment :-)

[@bmdbigfeet1031]

Yamaha needs more credit than you give them. Yes, first monoshock suspension, variable port timing (powervalve) suddenly mx bikes were being ridden offroad because the power wasn't so peaky. First liquid cooled production MX bike. Modern day four stroke fans can thank the YZ 400F. Honda gave us the aluminum frame.(didn't start off too well. I know, I had a 97 250)Kawasaki gave us disc brakes. Don't believe Suzuki contributed anything. They were smart and let all the others spend millions on R&D and managed to keep up.

[@ragnarironspear1791]

When i was riding it was always Yamaha 250s

[@LBrawn]

Yes the YZ AND KX were better.

[@999lazer]

I'd like to do a 90's 250 shootout one of these day, thanks for watching as always :-)