Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127754
our bars forward in the clamps to compensate for the sensation. As for the rest of the bike's feel, the footpeg-to-seat relationship is just right for most riders, and the plastic bodywork offers a smooth surface to shift back and forth on. Honda elongated the locating pin on the air-filter cage, and we were delighted to find that the new pin does indeed make it much easier to reinstall the filter. The brakes are awesome. Enough said. Same goes for the control levers, grips, and all-around quality of the machine. . curse? For some riders, the dual adjusters may be just another thing to play with and set up incorrectly, but for some, the clickers may be the ultimate. Patience and a good feel for what the bike is doing are needed to make the most of the new feature. For improved maintenance, the bearings and collars at the top and bottom of the shock are now designed to stay in place while the shock is removed from the chassis. For the same reason, the locating pin on the air-filter element cage was elongated, making it easier to reinstall the filter. Chassis-wise, the CR was left basically unchanged, with the exception of the footpeg mounting position. In order to open up the riding position, the footpegs were lowered 5mm, and the handlebars were moved 10mm forward. And of course, the bike has taken on a new flourescent red, white and black color scheme, similar to that run by the factory race team throughout '95. No, the 1-800-Collect logos are not included. BRAAAPI A few weeks before we took delivery of our 1996 Honda CR250 test bike, we ran into Honda R&D rider Rich Taylor at a local track. In addition to contesting most of the SupercIOss and 250cc National Series, Taylor is one of the main American test riders used by Honda for CR development. "The new 250 is awesome," raved Taylor. "The motor is even better than before." We must admit that we were skeptical. After all, the CR250 engine has long been one of, if not the best, 250cc-class motors around. In '95, Honda smoothed out the hit of the CR motor and we loved it even more than we had the '94 version. How could they possibly make the motor even better? As soon a we threw a leg over the new CR, however, we knew that Taylor had been right. Incredibly,.the newest version of the CR250 engine is even smoother than it was before. A wide spread of power from the bottom to the top pulls smoothly and predictably, without having that slow feeling that other manufacturers' "smooth" motors sometimes have. The power delivery is steady and strong, and the motor is just as effective being lugged or screamed. We preferred a happy medium between the two. Extra power is always on tap with the CR. A stab at the clutch lever is all that it takes to get things going, especiallyon supercross-style courses. Sit-down takeoffs from tight, inside lines are a breeze. As always, the clu tch action is superb. The feel at the lever is excellent, and the clutch usually shows no signs of fading under heavy abuse. Only our most clutch-happy tester was able to make the clutch fade, and that was on a sand track. As far as the rest of the bike goes, the story is the same - it's even better. At the same time that a CR250 is expected to be super fast, it's usually expected to be a little twitchy up front. Is the story the same in '96? In a nutshell, no. The 46mm Kayaba inverted forks do wonders for the new CR. The huge legs yield a cushy ride over the small bumps, yet absorb the rudest landings without a whimper. s.quare edges are no longer your enemy on the CR - they're hardy noticeable if attacked with the correct body positioning and throttle application. You do your part, and the forks will do theirs. As for slap-down landings, well, one tester actually looked forward to them on Carlsbad Raceway's infamous downhill. The forks gobble up the jolt, and the (Above) The 46mm Kayaba Inverted forks do a much better job of soaking up the rough stuff than their predecessors. (Above right) Afew minor changes made the CR250 pull harder, longer. (Right) The Kayaba shock features high- and low-speed compression damping. The new shock boasts 7mm more travel. front end stays straight as an arrow. We initially set ~ forks up on the stiff side, with the compression adjusters set at four clicks, but later installed a set of heavier .42 springs, which allowed us to back out on the adjusters a bit. As for the rear, none of our testers had any complaints about the stereotypical Honda swapping. The back end isn't as progressive as say, a Kawasaki or Yamaha, but still, the Honda does a fairly good job of providing a stable ride. The double compression adjustment makes fine tuning the ride to the nth degree possible, but plan to spend several hours - if not days - trying all of the different settings. A helpful hint stay away from the two extremes - the best settings are right in the middle. The stock 5.6 spring should be acceptable for all but girthy or pro level riders. True to Honda form, the new CR250 carves through turns like an electric knife though the Thanksgiving turkey. Point it where you want to go, and voila, you're there. The CR is just as Thanks to the sorry state of the American dollar, the CR250 has gone up $400 in price. At $5499 the Honda CR250 isn't cheap, but it is, in fact, th.e least expensive of the Japanese· 250cc MX machines. What a bargain - a bike that could very well be the best, for less. While Cycle N=s believes the foregoing test reliable, it is the "Pinion of the reviewers only and should not be relied IIpon in determining the performance or safety of the vehicle(s). The reader should make his or her own investigation. happy sliding as it is tracking, and skilled riders can make the bike rail the outside line as well as any other machine. If the Honda could speak, and you asked it what its favorite track obstacle is, it would without a doubt reply, "jumps." The CR loves to fly. Doubles, triples, table tops, fly aways - you name it, the Honda can do it all. Of all the Japanese 250s, the CR feels the most at home on steep-faced supercross-style obstacles. A stone-stock CR will bring out a little McGrath in everyone. In the air, the bike is neutral, easy to maneuver on, and quite responsive to corrective body English. Like power and suspension, comfort must be high on the priority list for Honda engineers. The new handlebar mounting position opens up the CR's riding stance considerably, but we must admit that after using Applied Racing's upper clamps with adjustable handlebar mounts, even the new, roomier position seems cramped in comparison. We ran Honda CRlSOR Specifications Us! Price 55499 Displacement 249cc Engine type... Liquid-alOled, ~ two-stroke Bore I stroke 66.4mm X72mm 8.7:1 Cornpreaion 11IlIo CaI1Iuretion 38.3mm IIa1side ~ ~kHsbUe Tl'llIlmlllloll speeds _ 5 S1Irtlng system KicIt Fuel ClIplICIty.........•......... 2.0 gal. WbeebIIe...........•......... 58.4 In. SIll height ..........•......... 36.9 in. Front tire...•............... 801100 X 21 Relrtlre 110190 X 19 Front lnIveI 12.211I. RIIr wt..r IrMI Front bnIa RIIr FInIII ctiIle CIIIInId dry 12.6 In. Dl8c Dl8c _ QlIIn 213.811l8.