Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

irst Impressioo: The HlIlda Motocrossers c. en " ~ w z W ..J (.) > (.) ... The 125 proto from American Honda handles like a dream; features an impressive combination of power and lightweight. by John Huetter In case there was still any doubt in anybody's mind, four-strokes arc back ...and winning races. They always have been the dominators of the flat tracks, in any displacement above 250cc, but now in that class and in the 125 category, thcre arc bikes with four-stroke engines that are winning in motocross. These are not the trick one-off titanium-framed BSA 250s of a couple of years ago. They're Hondas. Good old mass-produced, solidly engineered Jlondas. Bob Hosford, riding for Long Beach Honda, startcd the trend by winning the CMC Expert class in Ascot motocross on a Honda XL 250 that had been only slightly, very slightly, modified. Now those winning 250s, are encased in Red Line racing frames to reduce the weigh t and improve the handling even. further. Another arrival on the racing scene is the KoThe Red Line Special Honda 250, being ridden by Jim O'Neal. The capper to this resurgence of four-stroke lightweights is a 125 Honda racer that prototype spedalist Bruce Baron Tode to an overall motocross win in the 125 Expert class, also at Ascot. That 125 win really raised some eyebrows, as serious off-road competitors hadn't paid too much attention to the Honda 125, even though one had garnered a medal in last year's Six Day Trials. By a happy coincidence of fortune and planning, we had a chance to ride these very trick little thumpers that look to be spoilers at any track where they put in an appearance. First impression of the machines can on Iy reflect power and handling characteristics, bu t remember Honda has a repu tation for reliabili ty and bullet.proof engi.nes. And the first impression is little shorl of mind-boggling. The 250s we encountered had Red Line frames, Barnes disc brakes at the rear and redesigned custom still air boxes, plus the usual options such as Iigh tweigh t tan ks. changed grips, and different shocks (Some of them still retained the stock XL 250 springs, however). The engines were still remarkably stock with a carburetor change and a wilder cam, plus some internal cleanup, as mentioned in our previous article on the hot Honda set-up. There is still a lot more horsepower to be gotten out of both size engines, particularly the 125, on which development has just begun. Power to the ground is really impressive. The four-stroke power pulses of the 250 transJate into torque that flings you out of comers without having to foot through the gearbox nearly as much as with a two-stroke of comparably displacement, thereby giving a rider more margin for error and correction. The 125 racer is like a finely cut jewel. It still looks very "works-like", but somehow it just doesn't come off as cobby. Forks have been reworked to provide more travel and Kanis witb XL 250 springs have gone on the back. Red Line has worked up a very ligh t, very neat-looking double down tube frame to cradle the 125 motor. Wben we rode it, the engine was breathing through a smallish 24mm Mikuni and very little work had been done to the mill itself. The potential in the 125 has h.ardly been tapped. But Great God, is it fun to ride! After one lap, the novice rider finds himself doing things with the 125 Honda that you don't usually do on small macbines. For a sweeper. just lean it over and dial the rear wheel out to where you want it with the throttle. It'll stay there until you pull it back up or wind the wick down. You go th rough flat comers in positive-feeling controlled slides. The wheelbase is adjustably from 53 out to 55.5 inches aod it's reflected in the stability of the lillie beast over the whoops and ruts. Control is absolutely positive without thinking about it overmuch. Going through d series of tigh t turns is a breeze: just keep the throllie on and flick it from side to side. The 125 Honda is so light, it just barely meets FIM weigh t minimums for a 125. That's a shade under J8 0 lbs., and the frame keeps thc MAVRICK ~~ "'~ ~'" ,Jq,v ~ +~~'I!' ~. -,\~$~-~.'"" +'r-+'r- ' :. . "'v"'v ~oo ~ , • ~~ ~o~.... ~-~ O~~ oC,j.... +~.t~ MOTOCROSS MODEL $32.00 pai, Dealer Inquiries Invited Phone: tl 29.9SW::;r $ 'l" (80S) 824-4261 Model $34.00 pa ir I . Deluxe 4' Iravel w/60-90 progressively ~ The 250 Honda motocrosser abounds with trick stuff like a Barnes disc brake, custom still air box, Red Line frame, etc., etc. stopping the very light machine, with no pitching or grabbing. The Honda seems so tractable that you get to feeling like a botshoe on the Iirst go-round. I t will also idle and plonk along at trailing speeds, or less, without fouling the B-10 plug that has been running in iL The 125 racer is an R&D project of Americao Honda and they are flat crazy jf they don't talk the home office into going into production on this 125 motocrosser, once they get it to a satisfactory state of developeron!. They wiJl, for sure, sell like hotqkes at a lumberjack breakfasL weight down low. The ligh tness and power of the bike is reflected in the absolute ease of lofting the front end. Grandstand wheelies of just getting it ligh t over ripples and jumps arc all a snap. It is flat exhilarating to ride the machine. Corners tbat normally require downsh ifLing, didn't, when astride the 125. It comes out smoothly from the very low end in any of the bottom four gears. The J25 docs not have the trick disc set-up, as did the 250s but it's not necessary. The brakes do a good job of In VAN NUYS If IT'S CYCLE CARE PRODUCTS Open 7 days MonfThurs. 9-9 Fri. till 6, Sat. 7-5, Sun 7-2 14813 Oxnard St. 91401 COOD lNOUCH fOR JOll, BUCS, J.N., SYlVAIN AND DlCOSTlR ••• FRELAN.INC. (213) 997-7301 "ST1/0NG' X 248-2850 Allaches to Front or Rear Frames 01 Any • • CAR TRUCK • TRAILER springs SprinC Ralios hom 6St 10 ust in sloek Shoeks come wilh 7st as standard spa.. sprincs S8.00 pair. Complele rebui Id kits SS.OO ea. lW EXlenslons S3.00 pr. Seals $1.50 pal, Please specify moloreyele make & model. MolIn! Iype required. Eye al each end or eye and clevis Iype. Now in sloek lhe ""w "Mavrlek' S·way adjuslable ..avy duly shocks, ,ebuildable luslrous chrome sprlncs, 11\2' or 121,' lenclh a..llable. Cenler 10 center 0' eyes 311 ' BI-S maybe you should try it! travel. 'lie Pay Poslace on Prepaid Orders. California Residents add S% lor sales lax NOW ......NEW ADDED WARRANTy ...... II lhe seal lails on .ny MAVRICK unit wilhin 90 days from dale 01 pureh.se we ..ill ,eplace lhe se.l Iree. P.S. Does anybody else do Ihis? 'MAVRICK II~I~ DOES IT AGAIN ~~ """- regular p,iee SIS.00. Calii. ,esid.nls ade SQ~ " sales tax. ," STAINLESS STEEL ".:,. SPOKES ... IN STOC 1\ NOW ....... Oealer Inquiries Invited MAVR'CK NORTH AMERICAN IMPORTS 2325 Cerro Gordo, P.O. Box N Mojave, Calif. 93501 OUT OF REACt-! OF C·Y" , BAY AREA BULTACO Inc. * * 1352 Centmela. W. Los Angeles of Santa Monica Blvd. & Centinela Corner Open 9 am to 6 pm Mon. thru Sat. "5<1 ~ NET CONTENTS 16 OZ (j lUBRI-TECH Accessories /.' RACING FORK OIL ~L'ION: ~EEP Weldill!f Porting ~- IRHICII 'liii!"""';;':~ SALES SERVICE Santa Monica Blvd. >. N .:: ~W+E S ~ Santa Monica Frwy. PRODUCTS, Inc. 7106 Barry Avenue Kosemont, IllinOIS 600J.8 213 826-7856 ~- 0 " • i:S 0 ~ '"

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