Author Topic: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?  (Read 9872 times)

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Offline Husk72

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Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« on: July 13, 2012, 07:22:37 am »
G'day.
I own a Honda CR250 1989 model.After months of getting it ready,I took it out for a ride,it certainly flies,and handles pretty well too.
Just as matter of curiosity,could you guys who know,or raced in that era,tell me which models in the Pre-90 class, would be the one to own,and race?
Thanks.

                                                                                       
                                                                                  Cheers,Mark.
I used to drink a lot.
I still do,but I used to,too.

Simo63

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2012, 09:32:48 am »
If you get the standard front end sorted out on your 89 CR250 then the bike you own is perfect.

Offline Slakewell

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2012, 09:51:56 am »
I would go with 88 Honda just because the forks were much better the first upside down. With a good rear shock and a few mods they were the gun bike.
Current bikes. KTM MC 250 77 Husky CR 360 77, Husky 82 420 Auto Bitsa XR 200 project. Dont need a pickle just need to ride my motorcickle

Offline JohnnyO

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2012, 10:27:41 am »
All the '88 '89 250's are good, I've got a'89 cr250 and have revalved the forks and shock and love it.

Simo63

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2012, 10:29:31 am »
I would go with 88 Honda just because the forks were much better the first upside down. With a good rear shock and a few mods they were the gun bike.

Slakewell has a point the 88 was a great bike.  I believe that some in 89 were running conventional 88 forks in their 89 CR's.  I also believe that this was such a problem (the first upside forks on the 89 CR) that Honda in the US retrofitted all CR's sold with Mugen front end kits.  That is what I have heard, not definate on that though.

That's why I said sort out the front end and you've got a brilliant bike.

Offline firko

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2012, 10:41:21 am »
Quote
Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
How long is a piece of string? One man's dream bike is another's worst nightmare so my answer to the question is....'the bike that sets off a positive emotional response when you see or ride one'.

That goes for every era. If we all bought and raced the best bike according to the magazine tests or race results we would never see the great variety that sets vintage racing apart from its modern counterpart.
'68 Yamaha DT1 enduro, '69 Yamaha 'DT1 from Hell' '69 DT1'Dunger from Hell, '69 Cheney Yamaha 360, 70 Maico 350 (2 off), '68 Hindall Ducati 250, Hindall RT2MX, Hindall YZ250a , Cycle Factory RT2MX flat tracker, Yamaha 1T250J, Maico 250 trials, '71, Boyd and Stellings TM400, Shell OW72,750 Yamaha

Offline YZ250H

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2012, 11:53:51 am »
Possibly the best post I have ever seen on this forum Firko.  You have wrapped up VMX in a few short sentences.
Looking for YZ250C parts NOS if possible

"My inability to use emoticins in the right context is really getting me down :)
The only triple jumps he would have been doing are the hop, skip & jump.

Offline VMX60

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2012, 01:31:27 pm »
Right on Firko

One mans Junk anothers Treasure

Thats VMX

maico police

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2012, 01:40:40 pm »
Crap. '88, '89 YZ 250......

Simo63

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2012, 01:49:00 pm »
Crap. '88, '89 YZ 250......

Are you saying that 88 and 89 YZ250's are crap Mont?

maico police

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #10 on: July 13, 2012, 01:52:00 pm »
Yeah that's right mate. You're wastin' your time working in a pizza shop. You should be on the telly.

Offline OverTheHill

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #11 on: July 13, 2012, 01:55:37 pm »
Best [pre 90] i ever had was an "86 KX125" was thrashed by me & the kids when they grew into it. Bought it new & never had the bottom end apart, ran it for a few years & put semi-regular piston kits in it whenever it was due for rings. Funny thing is the original piston lasted very well, & from then on--every piston got rattly & was always due to the gudgeon eye getting elongated [took me a while to figure that one out--till i rocked the piston & found it, could stand over the top & pull it up & down--albeit only a small amount like about i dunno, 10 thou. [not small]. Used to put the original back in if i was stuck for parts for the weekend & never rattled. What's that tell us--not sure--replacement pistons were made of cheese?. Thanks.

Simo63

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #12 on: July 13, 2012, 02:07:18 pm »
Yeah that's right mate. You're wastin' your time working in a pizza shop. You should be on the telly.

 I don't really work in the pizza shops (yes that's Plural Ross) .. I own them.  I also have a full time day job as a Financial Analyst Ross so life is busy.  Do you want to be my agent?? ;D
« Last Edit: July 13, 2012, 03:16:27 pm by Simo63 »

Offline Nathan S

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #13 on: July 13, 2012, 02:49:13 pm »
Those early USD forks are rubbish. They can be improved, but will never be as good as the better RWU forks.

The "best" bike is probably any of the '89 250s, fitted with a US-spec KX 46mm RWU front end.

I love my '88 KXes. About as fast on either, and I enjoy riding the 125 more, but it gets hosed off the starts.
The good thing about telling the truth is that you don't have to remember what you said.

TM BILL

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Re: Which is the better Pre 90 bike to own?
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2012, 03:19:05 pm »
For me 88 RM 250J  :) would love another one  ;D i raced it in MX and enduros best modern bike i ever owned  8) 88 and 89 KXs were good to but everything fell to bits on them or wore out even when you were at work thinking about riding them  ::)

Every thread stripped in the subframe the 2nd time you removed the side covers , the bearing in the bottom of the crankcase for the clutch actuator broke up , the factory must have coated the cylinder with teflon before the nickasil because the nickasil peeled off quicker than a $10.00 hookers knickers and many other things . They were great bikes but very expensive to maintain  ::) i sold the 89 (read gave away  ::) )and rode my 88 rm again  rather than take out another morgage ;D

85 CR 500 another personal favorite , dont know how different the 86,87,89 CRs are but the 85 was a rocketship  ;D my first open classer , caused a bowel evacution every time i rode it  ;D