The Elsinore
- Thread starter yzeater
- Start date
AJ Waggoner
Crash Test Dummy
- Nov 5, 1999
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The "elsinores" had a chrome tank...depending on year.
some were chrome and red..
some red..and some where green even!
youd have to pick a year and displacemernt size.
I owned suzukis at that time though,and lived 20 mins from elsinore ..lol
some were chrome and red..
some red..and some where green even!
youd have to pick a year and displacemernt size.
I owned suzukis at that time though,and lived 20 mins from elsinore ..lol
I beg to differ A.J., but the tanks were not chrome but rather a sort of brushed aluminum.
The '74 & early (?) '75's had a green top tank stripe.
The '75 & early '76 had a red tank srtripe and red side covers.
And yes, i owned one too.
One of the first CR125's in central Pa.
Oh, and yea they were fast! :p (still are)
The '74 & early (?) '75's had a green top tank stripe.
The '75 & early '76 had a red tank srtripe and red side covers.
And yes, i owned one too.
One of the first CR125's in central Pa.
Oh, and yea they were fast! :p (still are)
AJ Waggoner
Crash Test Dummy
- Nov 5, 1999
- 4,368
- 34
OAS!
Your exactly right..
it was brushed aluminum? or that look.
i know it wasnt real chrome - but looked it when new.
I have a red top tank stripe one sitting here :)
in 76 i rode 74TM250s though..couldnt afford those snazzy Pentons, bultacos or elsinores..lmao
Your exactly right..
it was brushed aluminum? or that look.
i know it wasnt real chrome - but looked it when new.
I have a red top tank stripe one sitting here :)
in 76 i rode 74TM250s though..couldnt afford those snazzy Pentons, bultacos or elsinores..lmao
I think my 73' Super Rat had a chrome tank.
- Nov 22, 2000
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I had a '74 that the previous owner had painted red. It also had Koni shocks on it that had been "laid down" for longer travel. I really don't remember much about the bike, but I remember drooling over the piles of aftermarket goodies that were available for it. I was 16, and my Dad co-signed a $300 loan with me so I could buy it. :cool:
Tokyo Tiddler
Member
- Jun 17, 2000
- 16
- 0
beg to differ
AJ & OAS..I beg to differ with you both..I owned all of those CR's..2 of each in some years.
The tanks were PAINTED metallic silver from '73 to '75. 73 & 74 had dark green stripes. The 75 had a bright orange stripe on the tank w/ the 125 having silver fenders and the 75 250 having white fenders. In 76, Honda went to "fire engine red".
AJ & OAS..I beg to differ with you both..I owned all of those CR's..2 of each in some years.
The tanks were PAINTED metallic silver from '73 to '75. 73 & 74 had dark green stripes. The 75 had a bright orange stripe on the tank w/ the 125 having silver fenders and the 75 250 having white fenders. In 76, Honda went to "fire engine red".
Tokyo , maybe in japan but not stateside.
My '74 CR125 elsinore was definatly NOT painted.
Clearcoat maybe, but no paint.
As for the bright orange stripe, i believe that may have been on the "MT" street legal elsinores.......??
And i definatly dont remember white fenders.
Any other old timers have any input?
My '74 CR125 elsinore was definatly NOT painted.
Clearcoat maybe, but no paint.
As for the bright orange stripe, i believe that may have been on the "MT" street legal elsinores.......??
And i definatly dont remember white fenders.
Any other old timers have any input?
Tokyo Tiddler
Member
- Jun 17, 2000
- 16
- 0
OAS,
Although I have lived in Japan for the last 12 years, I am not Japanese. I was born & raised in Massaschusetts, so the CR's were all bought in the US.
I owned
- 1 74 CR125 & 1 74 CR250 (both had dark green stripes)
-1 74 MT125 (had a blue stripe) & 1 74 MT250 (had an orange stripe)
-2 75 CR125s (1 was from D&G) & 1 75 CR250 (both had orange stripes, but the 250 had white fenders)
That makes 7 of the silver metallic painted tanks. I remember clearly because I dentated a few of the tanks and had them body worked & repainted after the paint chipped off.
Sorry to be so adament, but I get very nostalgic about this part if my motocross life.
Those bikes were more fun in corners than today's bikes, but less fun to jump.
As for Japan, the US 73 & 74 model was actually Japan's 71 & 72 model.
Mike
Although I have lived in Japan for the last 12 years, I am not Japanese. I was born & raised in Massaschusetts, so the CR's were all bought in the US.
I owned
- 1 74 CR125 & 1 74 CR250 (both had dark green stripes)
-1 74 MT125 (had a blue stripe) & 1 74 MT250 (had an orange stripe)
-2 75 CR125s (1 was from D&G) & 1 75 CR250 (both had orange stripes, but the 250 had white fenders)
That makes 7 of the silver metallic painted tanks. I remember clearly because I dentated a few of the tanks and had them body worked & repainted after the paint chipped off.
Sorry to be so adament, but I get very nostalgic about this part if my motocross life.
Those bikes were more fun in corners than today's bikes, but less fun to jump.
As for Japan, the US 73 & 74 model was actually Japan's 71 & 72 model.
Mike
Tokyo Tiddler
Member
- Jun 17, 2000
- 16
- 0
..oh & the tanks were steel, not aluminum. YES, I DO AGREE THEY WERE FAST!
- Nov 22, 2000
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I have to agree with Tiddler. I inherited a dead 125 from a buddy, and the tank on it was painted silver metallic with a green stripe. I don't remember the fenders though. I think all my bikes had "Big Mudders" on 'em anyway.
As stated, 73 and 74 CR250s painted silver with a green stripe, 73-74 MT250 painted silver with an orange stripe. I have three 73/74 MT tanks in my garage and all are painted. Fenders were silver
75 was a one off cosmetically. Black frame, silver tank with orange stripe, Tahitian red side panels, and white fenders. I have a set of undrilled never mounted 75 fenders (white). All 73-75 had black frames and black engines. Everything on a 73-75 is interchangeable.
76 was the first Red Rider. Tahitian red frame, tank, fenders, and side panels. Engine was black. These were not the most competitive bikes around because Yamaha and Suzuki had closed the gap and passed Honda in the technology department. As a result of miserable sales figures, there were no 77 models built, just left over and over run 76 models. Hence, the 76 is an albatros, but a one off model both mechanically and cosmetically. I have one, top end by Eric Gore and lower end Jim at TooFast racing, and it's a fun yet less than competitive MXer. Great Vintage Hare Scrambler though.
78-80 are the long travel, yet still twin shock Elsinores. Tahitian red frame, side panels, tank, fenders, and the engine was red as well.
81 was the last year of the Elsinore. All Tahitian red with the exception some odd white things on the tank that that covered the radiators of the first watercooled MX bike, and they were finally sporting a Mono shock.
75 was a one off cosmetically. Black frame, silver tank with orange stripe, Tahitian red side panels, and white fenders. I have a set of undrilled never mounted 75 fenders (white). All 73-75 had black frames and black engines. Everything on a 73-75 is interchangeable.
76 was the first Red Rider. Tahitian red frame, tank, fenders, and side panels. Engine was black. These were not the most competitive bikes around because Yamaha and Suzuki had closed the gap and passed Honda in the technology department. As a result of miserable sales figures, there were no 77 models built, just left over and over run 76 models. Hence, the 76 is an albatros, but a one off model both mechanically and cosmetically. I have one, top end by Eric Gore and lower end Jim at TooFast racing, and it's a fun yet less than competitive MXer. Great Vintage Hare Scrambler though.
78-80 are the long travel, yet still twin shock Elsinores. Tahitian red frame, side panels, tank, fenders, and the engine was red as well.
81 was the last year of the Elsinore. All Tahitian red with the exception some odd white things on the tank that that covered the radiators of the first watercooled MX bike, and they were finally sporting a Mono shock.
- Nov 22, 2000
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The 76 Elsinore was nothing like the 75 model. In addition to being all red, it had foward-mounted rear shocks and seems like it had an up-pipe instead of the easily pancaked low pipe.
Txvintage, can you post a pic of your 76? I can't really remember what they looked like.
Txvintage, can you post a pic of your 76? I can't really remember what they looked like.
JP, your right on the up pipe, but the rear shocks are not very far forward. They are longer travel than the 73-75 though.
I'll have to find a pic of the beast, then try and figure out how to get it posted. If I can't find a pic of mine, I know where there are a couple of real cool shots of a brand new one.
I'll have to find a pic of the beast, then try and figure out how to get it posted. If I can't find a pic of mine, I know where there are a couple of real cool shots of a brand new one.
- Nov 22, 2000
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E-mail a pic to me, and I'll post it.
Tokyo Tiddler
Member
- Jun 17, 2000
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Tokyo Tiddler
The CR250 was dropped in 76 & their was neither a CR125 or CR250 in 77. Both came back in 78...and yes that was the color..Tahitian Red.
I had a;
76 CR125 (had to ride a 76 RM for the 250 class)
78 CR250
79 CR125 & CR250
The 76 CR125 did not have an up pipe, it was still a down pipe that had a huge 2nd silencer for trail riding (as quiet as a QR50!) that killed all power. To make it an MXer, you had to remove that 2nd silencer and drop the carb needle. Ring a bell? The first up pipes didn't come until 1978...with the all red engines..the first killer CRs since 1975. I think Honda would rather forget the 76 & 77 years.
Actually, Suzuki started to pass Honda in 75..I also had a 75RM125..it was fast & better suspended, but the engine was very finicky with all top end and it broke down a lot...so it was kind of a trade off in 75.
The 76 CR125 was all red with a black engine and the lower shock mount moved forward slightly..not much better and outclassed by the RMs of the time.
the '78 & 79 CRs saw better forks, but the rear shock was so bad..didn't move & blew oil on the first ride. Most people replaced them w/ Fox Air Shox before the 2nd ride.
Only the 75 CR250 had white fenders..the only one. The 75 CR125 had silver fenders.
You can see pics of me riding the 75CR125 (ice racing), 76CR125 & 78CR250 at RM250GUY.COM "back in the day"...right next to the pic of my 2001 CR250.
You can clearly see the down pipe on the wheelieing 76CR125.
The CR250 was dropped in 76 & their was neither a CR125 or CR250 in 77. Both came back in 78...and yes that was the color..Tahitian Red.
I had a;
76 CR125 (had to ride a 76 RM for the 250 class)
78 CR250
79 CR125 & CR250
The 76 CR125 did not have an up pipe, it was still a down pipe that had a huge 2nd silencer for trail riding (as quiet as a QR50!) that killed all power. To make it an MXer, you had to remove that 2nd silencer and drop the carb needle. Ring a bell? The first up pipes didn't come until 1978...with the all red engines..the first killer CRs since 1975. I think Honda would rather forget the 76 & 77 years.
Actually, Suzuki started to pass Honda in 75..I also had a 75RM125..it was fast & better suspended, but the engine was very finicky with all top end and it broke down a lot...so it was kind of a trade off in 75.
The 76 CR125 was all red with a black engine and the lower shock mount moved forward slightly..not much better and outclassed by the RMs of the time.
the '78 & 79 CRs saw better forks, but the rear shock was so bad..didn't move & blew oil on the first ride. Most people replaced them w/ Fox Air Shox before the 2nd ride.
Only the 75 CR250 had white fenders..the only one. The 75 CR125 had silver fenders.
You can see pics of me riding the 75CR125 (ice racing), 76CR125 & 78CR250 at RM250GUY.COM "back in the day"...right next to the pic of my 2001 CR250.
You can clearly see the down pipe on the wheelieing 76CR125.
Tokyo Tiddler
Member
- Jun 17, 2000
- 16
- 0
We old timers are so sensitive about what our precious memories have preserved for us:
TXVINTAGE..you are right..the 75CR250 **DID*** have the first up pipe, but the 125 remained a down pipe in 76 as I mentioned in my previous post. However, are you sure that that bike is not just a 75 painted red?..or an RC?
Also the factory RC125 & RC250 did have an up pipe in 76.
On the painted tank issue..I recall the polished half moons that would appear on the sides of the tank from your knees rubbing the paint off in the mud. The aluminum shifter would wear down to a tooth pick and the foot pegs would bend downwards as it twisted the the lower frame rails.
OK guys..your turn..
TXVINTAGE..you are right..the 75CR250 **DID*** have the first up pipe, but the 125 remained a down pipe in 76 as I mentioned in my previous post. However, are you sure that that bike is not just a 75 painted red?..or an RC?
Also the factory RC125 & RC250 did have an up pipe in 76.
On the painted tank issue..I recall the polished half moons that would appear on the sides of the tank from your knees rubbing the paint off in the mud. The aluminum shifter would wear down to a tooth pick and the foot pegs would bend downwards as it twisted the the lower frame rails.
OK guys..your turn..
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