Honda Cr250r
...WHAT A MOTOCROSSER
Improvements are far less common than changes in motorcycle design. Last year Honda managed to change nearly all of the parts on the CR250R and ended up with a motorcycle in need of engine and suspension work. This year the CR250R has come away from the engineers with fewer changes and more improvements, enough improvements for every shortcoming.
Ride last year’s 250 motocrosser for an hour and the rear shock was gone. Now there’s an entirely different shock, still made by Showa, but with adjustable rebound and compression damping. Shock body and reservoir are aluminum. There are 20 rebound and 12 compression damping adjustments, the rebound set with a flat-blade screwdriver turning a screw on the bottom of the shock, the compression adjusted by turning a knob on the reservoir. With the damping set at minimum on compression and rebound, and spring preload adjusted for 4 in. of suspension sack, the bike worked best.
That new shock is connected to the beautiful box-section aluminum swing arm with new forged aluminum connecting links. The links have different measurements this year to reduce the stress on the shock. Walls on the swing arm are thinner to reduce weight, and internal block-type axle adjusters are fitted at the back end. A long-lasting rub block and neat plastic chain guide fit at the front of the swing arm.
Inside the 43mm forks are new damper rods with a compression damping adjustment screw sticking through the bottom of the slider. One turn of the screw rotates the compression damping through four click stops. A total of 14 stops are provided. Damping worked best set nine clicks out from full compression. Double bolt aluminum triple clamps hold the fork legs and pivot on an aluminum stem fitted with caged needle bearings.
Cylinder and head are obviously new. The head bolts form a circle at the outside edge of the cylinder. Last year the studs were placed in a tighter circle and used valuable water space between the cylinder liner and outside casting. The radiators are mounted 2 in. lower this year, lowering the center of gravity. This requires a new bend to the exhaust pipe to fit around the lower left-side radiator.
The outside changes only hint at the important changes inside. A shuffle of the ports has resulted in an 0.03-in. lower exhaust port, slightly higher transfer ports and a much higher compression ratio, 8.4:1 instead of 7.4:1. The ignition curve has been altered to take advantage of the new porting. All of these changes have been made to improve the powerband, and they are successful.
HONDA CR250R
CYCLE WORLD TEST:
A change in the powerband requires a change in the gearing, so 3rd, 4th and the primary drive ratio are slightly lower. A new friction material on the fiber clutch plates makes for a stronger clutch with a larger working surface.
Another new frame is used on the ’83.
It’s chrome-moly steel and has a steeper head angle, 27° vs. 27.5° last year. Additionally, the footpegs are mounted 0.1 in. farther back on the frame and they are slightly higher. The rear brake pedal is also mounted higher on the frame so its pivot doesn’t drag during hard right turns. The footpegs are wider and mounted closer to the frame, for the same reasons. Maybe the best thing about the new frame is its bolt-off rear section. It can be removed from the main section in a couple of minutes by undoing four screws, so adjusting the shock spring’s preload is an easy job. The seat, airbox and rear fender stay on the rear section as it’s removed. The complete rear section, with these parts attached, is surprisingly light.
Both hubs are again new, for the third year straight. They have small, strong straight-pull spokes and don’t loosen. The rear brake is strong and positive but has a tendency to squeal when it gets hot. The front brake has new linkage for its dual-leading shoes. It increases lever feel and progression. Aluminum rims have dual serrations at the tire bead to keep the tire from slipping. Tires are Bridgestone M-32 and M33s used by the pros for hard terrain.
A lot of attention has gone into making the ’83 CR250 lighter. The swing arm, kickstarter, shift lever, brake pedal, static arm, brake arms, triple clamps, steering stem, shock body reservoir, and rebuildable silencer are aluminum. Our test bike weighed 226 lb., 10 lb. less than last year’s CR250.
Getting your boot to the highmounted left side kick starter isn’t an easy job unless you’re 6-foot-2. Best to roll the bike up next to a berm or rock before attempting to start it. Even then it’s a clumsy thing to do. The return stop lets the pedal go past center and every time your foot slips off the lever it’s necessary to try and move the pedal rearward slightly before it can be booted again. Luckily it usually fires with one or two swift kicks when cold, one when warm. If the engine stalls in mid-turn, it’s best to restart it with the left foot. The primary kick feature makes searching for neutral unnecessary; just pull the clutch lever in and kick.
Warmup takes three or four minutes, like any water-cooled engine. The engine vibrates quite a bit in neutral, but all the buzz disappears as soon as it’s shifted into first or second. Second gear starts are no problem when the ground is dry and slippery, first is better if the ground is wet or tacky. Shifts are smooth and precise. The transmission can be upshifted with the throttle pegged if the rider fans the clutch slightly as the shift is made. Gear ratios are perfect for track racing and they aren’t too bad for trail riding, although low is a bit on the tall side.
With the CR250 motor, it would be hard to find a wrong gear. This engine is every bit as good as last year’s CR250 engine was bad. There’s power from idle up, and it goes a long ways up. This is one of those all-too-rare engines that has every part in harmony. The jetting, pipe, ports and ignition are all spot-on, making the engine responsive and powerful beyond its displacement. It’s hard to believe this is the same basic motor used last year. That engine only made power in the middle and required absolute concentration to ride properly. This bike is easy to ride, never falling off the powerband at the bottom or top.
Cornering is fantastic. The chassis and suspension keep the bike straight and the wheels on the ground. Diving in deep and hitting the clutch, the transmission one gear higher than normal, lets the bike explode out of turns, saving the time required to upshift. It’s hard to believe this is only a 250cc engine, it behaves like a good 360. The bike stays neutral through any type turn; no tendency to highside or lowside. And the steering is wonderfully accurate. The Bridgestone tires do their part, never skating or doing anything to scare the rider. And they work well on a variety of surfaces.
Perhaps the best thing about the CR250R is its agility and light weight. It has the general feel and handling of a sub-200 lb. 125 motocrosser, it’s so easy to flick around and so non-tiring to ride. Jumps and gulleys and nasty whoops are swallowed up easily. The CR is very narrow in the middle and the rider can move forward or back without rubbing his legs on anything. And a perfect seat makes the bike comfortable to ride anyplace the rider chooses to be. Nearly perfect brakes provide strong, controllable stopping from any speed, even when wet.
The 1983 Honda CR250R is the closest thing to the perfect motocross racer we’ve tested. No rider could find anything to complain about. The one question everyone came up with concerned next year’s 250. How are they going to make it better? HI
HONDA
CR250R
$2218
