Honda Cr250r
HONDA CR250R
CYCLE WORLD TEST
THIS TIME, ALL-NEW MEANS ALL-BETTER
FOR MOTOCROSSERS, A FAVORite fantasy is to be able to go back in time with a brand-new MX bike and absolutely destroy the competition. With the way that motocross bikes change and improve so rapidly, living out such a fantasy could be like using ballistic missiles against cavemen.
In 1985. however, had you chosen a Honda CR250R and traveled back in time just one year, you'd have been in for a big surprise: You wouldn't have had the most-corn petitive CR250R on the track. That's because Honda's standard policy of totally revamping its MX bikes every year backfired last year. resulting in a 1985 CR250R that wasn't nearly as good as the 1984 CR250R.
C Still, true to form for Honda. the (`R250R once again has been seri ously redesigned for 1986. But this time, the CR is more than just allnew: it's also all-improved-so much so that it sets new standards for 2 50cc motocross machinery.
Those standards are particularly high in the new CR's front suspen sion, where a Showa cartridge fork
ends the all-too-common complaints about Honda front ends. Long a stan dard item on Honda's works racers. the cartridge design keeps air away from the damping valves more effec tively than will a non-cartridge fork. which ensures that the damping re mains more constant throughout a long, rough mob. And in terms of performance. the fork truly is flaw less. It seldom bottoms or transfers shock to the rider, and landings from killer jumps are absorbed smoothly and controllably. The front wheel never bounces back into the air after hitting the ground. Frankly. it's the best fork we've ever tried, including those on the works bikes we've sam pled in the past.
In the rear, the suspension also is much-improved, but not to the level of the fork. A return to a shock link age that yields a progression curve more like the `84 CR250R's, along with a revalved Showa shock, gives the CR's rear end a much-needed shot in the arm. The Pro-Link system is at least on par with any other stock rear suspension, and is much better than most. The shock is easy to adjust for different tracks and riders, and it won't fade in a long moto.
But when it comes to handling, the CR goes far beyond being merely "on par" with other bikes. CR2 5ORs have been the masters in the handling de partment for quite some time, and the `86 model is the best yet. Corner ing precision, balance in the air and the bike's reaction to rider movement all are superb. Turning under an other bike without fear of front-end washout, and charging over double jumps without regard to nose-dive or looping, are easy on the Honda.
Our only handling-related com plaint centers around the front-end shake that occurs when slowing from
high speeds. This shake has become traditional on Honda MXers. and is more of an annoyance than a prob 1cm. But the `86 CR's frame is only slightly changed from that on last year's bike, so there's no reason for the shake to have gone away. The frame retains the same geometry as in 1985, although Honda claims it is stronger thanks to a thicker backbone tube and additional gusseting around the swingarm pivot.
Rather than in the chassis, most of the CR's new goodies are in the en gine. The ATAC powerband-broad ening exhaust system used on CR motocrossers for the past couple of years has been abandoned in favor of a new arrangement called Honda Power Port (HPP). The HPP consists of a little sliding door at the top edge of each half of the bridged exhaust port, giving the capablity of changing exhaust port height by about a third depending on engine speed. (For a more complete description of both the HPP system and the ATAC, see "How Motorcycles Work, Part 10," elsewhere in this issue.)
Considering that the HPP valves are designed to open rather abruptly at 6500 rpm, we suspected that there would be a sudden burst of power at that engine speed. Not so. The transi tion is smooth and barely noticeable. The same goes for the transition from the `86 bike's stronger low-end power into its healthy mid-range: There's just a gradual progression of power. This smooth power delivery some times can make the new bike feel lesspowerful than last year's CR, espe cially in the mid-range, but the engine is actually more powerful-to the tune of about five horsepower. if Honda's claims are correct. We think they are, for the CR is
really potent on the track. The rear tire hooks up well, and the powerful engine rockets the bike out of corners with the intensity of an Open-class machine. Holeshots are as easy as twisting the throttle open. indicating that CRs will own the first turn. And new transmission ratios that match the powerband help keep the CR ahead of the pack once it's off the line. Shifting is smooth and quick thanks to a crunchiess five-speed gear box, an easy-pull clutch and nicely shaped controls.
Another area of excellence on the CR is the brakes. The rear shoes are 3mm wider for `86, which adds to what already was a good brake. The infamous Honda rear-brake squeal is still present, but it now takes longer to show up. Honda's front disc brake has been one of the best for several years, and it's unchanged for `86 with the exception of long slots rather than round holes in the rotor. The slots reduce the amount of disc sur face, giving a more progressive feel. In keeping with Honda's ethic of
yearly change, the plastic parts are new, and the bike's mid-section is considerably narrower. Conse quently, standing on the pegs doesn't require bowed legs. and a slimmer gas tank/seat junction makes sliding for ward easier and more comfortable.
With so many improvements, it's no wonder this latest CR250R gave us so little to complain about. We ini tially were disappointed that the new CR engine has a non-boreable, Nikasil-coated cylinder rather than its usual cast-iron liner that can be punched-out to an oversize when damaged. But later, when an improp erly mounted air filter allowed dirt to be sucked into the engine, we learned that the Nikasil is quite durable. The
cylinder suffered very little damage, whereas the rings were destroyed. It is also worth mentioning that the jet ting on our test bike as delivered to us from Honda was not stock; the origi nal 175 main jet had been replaced with a 170. The engine pinged badly in the mid-range until we raised the carburetor needle, but after that, it ran well. Honda warned us, however, that the CR doesn't get along well with low-octane gasoline.
Despite those~warnings and con cerns, though, the fact remains that the 1986 Honda CR250R is the most-powerful. best-handling 250cc motocrosser we have ever tested. All of our riders were awed with the CR's nearly perfect power delivery, fantas tic fork, excellent rear suspension, sticky tires and precise handling. Which means that when the time comes to make changes for next year's model, Honda's corporate will power will be put to the test. Because while making changes always is easy, making significant iniprove/nents to this bike is going to be one tough job. I~
HONDA CR250R
SPECIFICATIONS
$2598
