Pre 90 what will be hot

[Marc.com]

So changes in the old rule book and who is contemplating their pre 90 mount

Usual suspects of CR/RM?YZ/KX I guess but now the choices just expanded.

[Nathan S]

Broadly speaking, I reckon most 88 models are better than the 89s because the first USD forks were universally rubbish due to bad design - no amount of revalving or spring swaps will make them good. The 125s punished the bad design less, due to their lower weight.

My picks...
500s: US-spec 89 KX, 88 CR with extra flywheel weight.

250s: 87 CR, US-spec 89 KX, 88 KX, and 88 RM (but I'm taking Bill's word on that one).

125s: 87~89 CR, US-spec 89 KX, 88 KX. Dunno about the 89 RM, but the 46mm RWUs are a good start.

But I'd love one of those ATKs...

Also: www.retrodirtbike.com

[Slakewell]

In pre 90 the 88 Honda's ruled just needed a WP shock and a few mods and you can win.
I love my 89 KX 125 which I had new back in the day and won a bunch of state cross country's races on it , plus some top 10 big motocross races like mountain man etc. I think I should have bought the RM but hey I have very fond memories of my little KX.   

[firko]

For me...
500..any eligible CR500 or KX500. Getting picky about which model over which is futile, they're all good.
       For quirky cool give me a 406 ATK. These bikes are way better than you'd believe.
250.. 1987 Honda CR250. It was in a class of its own, much like the '96 model a decade later.
125.. Don't know or care. Being a big fella, I've never had much interest in little bikes.....is there ever enough bikes to fill a 125 class anyway?

[bishboy]

Here's a ATK406 from Marks swapmeet, looks mainly complete, missing a few obvious things.  The landed cost cost might be a bit much and getting parts might be a bit difficult, but you would certainly have something unique 

http://www.vintagemx.us/cgi-bin/largephoto.cgi?C=mKjMuebXWWNG4tJU

[firko]

That ATK was the buy of the month...especially seeing that it came with a bunch of new parts and a spare bottom end. The only downside was that it was on the wrong side of the USA needing a $500 cross country delivery before it even got loaded in California. Even taking that into count, it was a good buy.
I thought long and hard about it but in the end figured that I didn't need it.

[gsr]

my choices for the pre90 class are
1988 yz125


1989 yz250


1989 kx250


and as a spare 1986 yz490 (not the best but something different to the red or green big bores)

[ba-02-xr]

My choice is a 86 KTM 250mx. If I ever get the bloody thing finished.

[whitey 43]

I can't pass my '88 YZ250, just A few more tweaks...Taking the W.P fork off, fitting KYB USD set with alledged "works" internals & working on A bit more top end pull. I love the thing! Had A '86 CR125 which was bloody fast too...I'd put some pics up if I knew how...

[Marc.com]

I can't pass my '88 YZ250, just A few more tweaks...

I also going to go the 88/89 YZ250 route, I remember getting mine in 88, it felt bullet proof and had more bottom end and much better power than the YZ490S I was riding. Awesome bike.

[Shaun G]

+1 for the '89 YZ250.

Probably the favourite race bike I've had. It has such good bottom end and mid range that it is a pleasure to ride on a MX track. And up top it hauls ass as well as I found out at Nepean Dirt Track. Even running standard gearing it lost very little on the straights against the 500's.

My second pick would be my recently aquired '88 YZ490. Mostly because it is something different to all the red and green bikes that make up most of the open class 

Cheers
Shaun

[whitey 43]

+1 for the '89 YZ250.

Probably the favourite race bike I've had. It has such good bottom end and mid range that it is a pleasure to ride on a MX track. And up top it hauls ass as well as I found out at Nepean Dirt Track. Even running standard gearing it lost very little on the straights against the 500's.

My second pick would be my recently aquired '88 YZ490. Mostly because it is something different to all the red and green bikes that make up most of the open class 

Cheers
Shaun
I have pics of Broc Glover on A '88 490 stuffed into A 250 frame...Project pending, after the 87 CR125,92 YZ80,86 KX80,82 YZ250 & 97RMX 250...

[Hoony]

1986 CR250RG. sweet engine, great handling & cartridge forks, and so what if it is drum rear.

[whitey 43]

I have pics of Broc Glover riding A '88 yz490, stuffed into A YZ250 frame...Project Pending-after the '87CR125,'82YZ250,92YZ80 & '86KX80...Oh, and the 96RMX250

[Nathan S]

1986 CR250RG. sweet engine, great handling & cartridge forks, and so what if it is drum rear.

250RG is a sweet bike, but does it do anything better than the 250RH?