BEST 250 Motors Ever

[motometal]

I loved my '92 and '93 Crs. I remember sitting on the starting line just knowing that I would either holeshot or be at least top three (unless I was sitting in a row of similar Hondas).

I loved my '01 for it's high revving ability. My '03, although it doesn't rev as high, is faster overall. More of a strong but smooth midrange hit. Love that motor, the flywheel weight just makes it even smoother. Haven't tried an '04 or '05 yet.

 

[parkerCR]

I still have my 01 CR250, almost sold it when I bought the CRF450 but man am I glad I kept it. It has E-gorr mo betta everywhere and a 13oz flywheel weight.

I seem to ride the CRF a lot more though. I think its time to dust off the 01 CR and get her rippin again!

Awesome machine!

 

[Hick]

Wasn't the 03 KTM scary fast?

I was going to say that also.

I rode a friend's KTM that had the power curve of a pipey 125, dead down low and an instant 50 hp at about 3k rpm. I think it was an '02, but maybe it was an '03... :think: Felt faster than my CRF, but I couldn't wait to get off that thing.

He bought a new one the very next year and it was completely different. Very sweet motor (he also bought the KTM factory suspension. Wow).



This same guy had an '00 and '01 YZ (stands to reason his first KTM was an '02 then) and they were both amazing. Smooth and fast, I'm not surprised to see lots of votes here for that motor.

 

[Satch0922]

1980 YZ250G (in 1980-82) ......and of course....2005 YZ250 :D

 

[WhiskythrottleKeit]

What about the worse motors of all times and why

 

[Satch0922]

What about the worse motors of all times and why

oh...don't go there man!!

 

[motometal]

I'll bite...'97 and maybe '98 RM250 (can't remember for sure which year was the dog), and '02 CR 250. The RM had about 38 HP on the dyno, and both the '02 CRs I rode sure felt like no more than about 40 regardless of what they would actually pull on a dyno.

I'm talking just stock motors with no mods besides jetting. I'm sure there's all kinds of potential with hop ups, porting etc. I'm pretty sure for example the '03 (and possibly newer) cylinder fits on the '02 CR.

 

[Kevin003]

92 CR250 was the best 250 motor hands down.

 

[WhiskythrottleKeit]

I had a 92cr250 in my hand 4 months ago and it was in near mint.. Anyways it is a good motor but the newer YZ250 motors are more powerfull and crisper yet smoother. i had a 99/01 and my brothers 06 yz250 and all 3 are super motors. WHAT ABout them worse motors off all time Yeah i wanna go there lol

 

[Farmer John]

Best stock motor.....

For me it would be a tie between the 90 CR 250 & 99 KTM 250 MXC. I loved these two motors.....spent tons of money trying to make the chassis work.....the KTM chassis was just an utter pile of poo.

3rd place: 97 CR 250. Want more power just tap that clutch lever & hang on.

Worst: 92 CR 250. Horrible, but then again I disliked all the 92-96 CR 250's
2nd worst: 97 RM 250. wtf? My full size TM 80 would out pull it on hills.

 

[DirtRyder03]

I would say for the 125's the 1982 rm125 such a screaming motor for its time, will still destroy some newer 125 today in the motor department!!

and for 250 I really liked the 00-01 kx250 motors, they made it soo smooth and powerfull from bottem to top!!

 

[adrenaline420]

03-06 YZ250's, just best motor out of the box,hits real hard pff idle, and revs to the moon!!

 

[adrenaline420]

03-06 YZ250's, just best motor out of the box,hits real hard off idle, and revs to the moon!!

 

[motometal]

I would say for the 125's the 1982 rm125 such a screaming motor for its time, will still destroy some newer 125 today in the motor department!!

and for 250 I really liked the 00-01 kx250 motors, they made it soo smooth and powerfull from bottem to top!!

Can't resist telling a story here. Years ago (obviously), my friend shows up with his brand new '87 CR125. These were a pretty hot item at the time. He's braggin it up like crazy. I was on a larger displacement bike at the time, can't remember what. So I test ride the CR, and the handling, brakes, and feel of the bike are better than anything i've ever rode. I told my friend that the motor was "ok", but...
..."but what?" he says.

I say "wait here, i'll be right back". Go to the chicken coop, and roll out a very ragged '82 RM125. This thing had been through hundreds of hours of hard riding without so much as a new piston ring. Rear knobby worn to a slick, handlebars so bent that they look more like the handles on a wheelbarrow, and the grips are so bad that the last inch or two you are just gripping the bare handlebar. The chain is so warn and the sprocket teeth so hooked that the bike doesn't want to back up. I don't think the last two owners of the bike even knew that it had an air filter. The most recent owner (not me!) abandoned the bike, and I parked it in the chicken coop.

Anyway, you can guess the rest of the story...that rat bike of an RM spanked the five year newer and waaaay fresher CR time after time in a drag race down the field lane, we switched riders with the same result. My friend was speechless.

 

[DirtRyder03]

Can't resist telling a story here. Years ago (obviously), my friend shows up with his brand new '87 CR125. These were a pretty hot item at the time. He's braggin it up like crazy. I was on a larger displacement bike at the time, can't remember what. So I test ride the CR, and the handling, brakes, and feel of the bike are better than anything i've ever rode. I told my friend that the motor was "ok", but...
..."but what?" he says.

I say "wait here, i'll be right back". Go to the chicken coop, and roll out a very ragged '82 RM125. This thing had been through hundreds of hours of hard riding without so much as a new piston ring. Rear knobby worn to a slick, handlebars so bent that they look more like the handles on a wheelbarrow, and the grips are so bad that the last inch or two you are just gripping the bare handlebar. The chain is so warn and the sprocket teeth so hooked that the bike doesn't want to back up. I don't think the last two owners of the bike even knew that it had an air filter. The most recent owner (not me!) abandoned the bike, and I parked it in the chicken coop.

Anyway, you can guess the rest of the story...that rat bike of an RM spanked the five year newer and waaaay fresher CR time after time in a drag race down the field lane, we switched riders with the same result. My friend was speechless.

haha thats an awsome story, suzuki defintly knew how to make a 2 stroke back in the day, I had an 82' rm125 and would ride with and beat 1998-99 125 mx bikes on flats. God I wish I never sold that bike :bang: honestly I rode that bike soo hard original top end and all and it never left me stranded or didnt start for me....nomination for greatest 2 stroke motor ever :cool:

 

[mobrown]

My vote...

My 91 CR250 is hangin with all the newer bikes I ride with. The cylinder has been modded and maybe that's why but man is it fast with a killer mid hit!

 

[rodH]

2nd worst: 97 RM 250. wtf? My full size TM 80 would out pull it on hills.

You sure it was a 97??? if so, something was wrong with it.

 

[Farmer John]

You sure it was a 97??? if so, something was wrong with it.

it was a 97
Nothing wrong with it, the guy who bought it from me loved it, but I swear I could climb hills better on my TM. The RM was either bogging or spinning.

 

[rockcrawlerdude]

anyone have an opinion about the 1996 KX 250's? good? bad? and the ugly??? let me know... nathan

 

[john3_16]

Rode my buddies Varner modified 04' CR250 again yesterday...Varner modified an 03' cylinder for the bike and it is the strongest MX bike I've ridden....You definitely need to be in shape to run hard for a full moto on that thing...He holeshots almost every moto even with a class full of 450's.

 

[funfactor1]

YZ 250 has the best all around motor.It pulls from the bottom all the way up. (01-06)

 

[rockcrawlerdude]

...The 98 KX 250 would be my second favorite. The bike was fun to ride.

just bought a 98 KX 250 :aj: .... cant wait to open her up... bottom end seem great compared to my 125...thanks ya'll for the info in this post....... nathan

 

[Daisycutter]

My old 94 CR250 with a PC-pipe had a harder hit and way more overrev than my 2001 CR500 does with a FMF-Gnarly. Stock motors.

My buddies on 2001 CR250's weren't any faster than me on my 1994.

 

[250racing]

i had a 92 93 and 94 cr 250. each year the motor felt smoother. could be that the frames and suspension got better. the 96 cr motor was a good mix of torque and power. the 98 cr 250 was a rocketship the 99 sucked a$$ then bought a 99 cr 125 that could barely keep up with a snail until i got a '95 cylinder and fmf pipe and silencer. then got ktms the 03 250 sx is definately the fastest it often beats 450 off the line. dont talk about whoops thou.

 

[john stu]

the best 250 motor of all time is the cr500..........yes i know its not a 250.....but who cares it rocks cr500af