1994 Honda CR125 Two Stroke Restoration - Motocross Action Magazine
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- #motocross #supercross #twostroke #racing
We found a deal on a unique 1994 Honda CR125 and decided to invest our time and money into it. The bike didn’t run, and it looked in bad shape, but we saw potential. The engine looked intact. The frame had been oddly chromed but was straight and crack-free. The owner wanted $600. We gladly gave him the money, because we thought it was a steal.ur 1994 Honda CR125 project started off great. We had the idea of replicating the flo-neon pink and yellow colors of the historic Works Connection logo from back in 1989. The frame was in good shape structurally, but the chrome finish wasn’t. Our first thought was to strip it and paint it white, but we know the best polisher in town at All American Polishing. We let them do the dirty work on the chrome, and it came back in pristine shape. Even if the chrome finish turned out well, the hardcore MXA test riders thought it was gaudy and desperate-looking. We eventually convinced them that the flo colors would accent the chrome tubing. Boy were we wrong! We tossed out the outdated 1994 Showa forks for a set of 2008 CRF450 forks. We had Race Tech re-valve the stock shock and update the Showa forks to work in unison. Of course, the 2008 CRF450 forks didn’t fit in the 1994 CR125 triple clamps. Applied Racing CNC machined us a custom set of triple clamps to accept our fork-updated triple clamps. Since the clamps had to be built from scratch, we had Applied drill out the front fender bolt holes to accept a 2016 CRF450 front fender because we liked the look.At this stage, everything was going okay-not great, but not beyond the realm of the typical resto-mod of a 26-year-old motocross bike. It turns out that the hardest part of building any 26-year-old motocross bikes is finding parts for it. Honda stopped making 1994 CR125 replacement parts two decades ago. Why do they stop making parts for bikes that are still being used? Three reasons: (1) They couldn’t be expected to foresee a day when anyone would want to ride an almost three-decades-old dirt bike; (2) Back in 1994, the dealers had lots of CR125 parts on their shelves and didn’t have the space to keep stockpiling parts year after year for both new and old models; (3) Honda is in the business of selling new bikes, and they can’t stop the next year’s production line to run off parts for an old model.With the FMF bolt-on power mated to the Tom Morgan-tuned engine, our CR125 sounded crisp on the stand. It looked great on the track when the first MXA test rider started to spin laps on it. We swear that we could see a big smile on his face behind his 6D helmet. That is until the bike rolled to a silent stop. The engine had lost compression. Our maiden voyage only lasted 15 minutes. We tore the engine down and didn’t find anything suspect, just a badly damaged cylinder and piston.Everyone involved with the project was stumped, frustrated and embarrassed. We were breaking the bank with this build. There were test riders who wanted to shelve the project because it was taking up too much time for what there was to gain. We were missing something.This time we looked at each piece with a magnifying glass. We knew the engine was getting hot and we had some expensive aluminum paperweights to prove it, but why? We checked the rebuilt Myler’s radiators, water hoses, water pump, radiator cap and impeller, but everything was in good working order. Finally, by accident, we flipped the cylinder over and saw something odd in the water jacket. There was a plug stuck way down inside that was blocking the coolant from circulating through the engine. The engine was blown up when we got it, but why the prior owner had plugged up a water passage was a mystery.Gluttons for punishment, we rebuilt the CR125 engine for a third time. The third time is a charm, right? This time the bike ran great. For a change, the MXA test riders came back from their assigned duties, saying how surprised they were with how much fun it was to ride. It handled well, ran crisply, and the suspension, chassis and ergos were just what we expected. It didn’t erase all the flaws and foibles of a stock 1994 Honda CR125, but it ran better than a ‘94 Honda-at least after the first two times.In every failure there is something valuable to gain. We missed something that cost us a boatload of time and money. And, we learned that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Subscribe to Motocross Action:
hi-torque.com/...
Follow Motocross Action:
/ @motocrossaction
Motocross Action Website:
www.motocrossac...
Motocross Action Facebook:
www.facebook.c...
Motocross Action Twitter:
/ mxaction
Motocross Action Instagram:
/ motocrossactionmag
![[TH] 2024 PMSL SEA Finals D3 | Fall | รู้ผลทีมแชมป์ พร้อมตั๋วสู่ PMGC](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7NxsN0Ch6vk/mqdefault.jpg)
What a sweet build!! Long Live the 2Strokes!!!!!!!
I dont think it's ugly. Thanks for sticking with this build, I'd much rather see these mixed in with the new bike reviews than just old articles reprinted. Jodi and Josh are the best!
I like the modern yz's but holy crap do these bikes look sharp. Its probably cheaper to build one of these bikes than it is to buy a yz off the showroom floor too.
@@Jake-rp9cv you might be surprised! I went thru and redid a 97 CR250 right before covid hit and some stuff for Honda 2 strokes is everywhere. But there's a few things that might hurt your bank account if you need a new one. (air box, air boot, seat pan, fuel tank)
A 'restoration' is bringing back to it's original like new condition, this is a 'build'.
Yeah with a new front end it's a better bike, but it's not a '94 CR125
Thank god your here to clarify this up...
he does call it a "resto-mod" during the video so mostly just whoever titled the video made a booboo
Are you telling me that a 26 year old bike screamed for 15 minutes with no coolant.... holy shit lol insanely good engineering.
Would love to see more old racers brought back to life! Nice job!
Love the chromed frame and colors. Its refreshing.
Wow, 3 rebuilds because some dingus plugged a water passage prior to purchase...
I bet you guys were not happy about that surprise!
🤔I bet that old, dark Honda red and the chromed frame would look so good.
Sweet looking bike. More builds like this👍👍
Where do all of these rebuilds go, who gets to keep em
Right the things I would do get me hands on this one
Fun fact: pro circuit ran the same cylinder for the honda 125 from about 91 to 99. So, any engine from that era will make about the same power if they do your motor.
I actually really like the chrome in this particular case.
Sounds nice and crisp, I miss that sound.
I dig the look🤙🏽
Same 🤙
This is my dream bike. One day I’ll have one
That bike looks amazing! I love the colors!
Simply amazing!!!
I’m about to get a cr125, hopefully! I rode a 2021 yz125 at a demo ride yesterday and it was awesome! I really think I’m ready for one!
Maybe the cylinder water jacket was plugged off as it was once used on a hotsaw. ??? 🇨🇦🇺🇸
This bike sounds insane
Awesome
I love the color scheme
That's y I go Barrs comp or Pro Circuit.
Best engine builders in business ?...... I can guarantee Eric Gorr would have found that plug in cylinder. Did you modify the side panel number plates too ? They look great .
I’m wondering the same thing!!
Best Oem look retro
Millennium is the problem ! Max Anstie's Mechanic is my mechanic. I needed a new cylinder for my 2003 Honda CR 250 2-stroke . He warned me against replating it. You have to go through it with a fine tooth comb to make sure no metallic fragments and particals are not present before rebuilding the motor. He has connections and it still took 2 months to find an OEM new cylinder for my bike. I know that would be impossible for a 94. So when you replate Nikalsil , you need to clean meticulously the jug for hours to make sure every metal partical is removed.
El sonido de la 2 tiempos es celestial....🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
anyone know where i can get them graphics and seat cover and stuff
Amazing.....
Whts up Josh. another off the Chain Build. I cnt wait till the nxt Build✌
What ktm pegs and springs fit?
Hey did you end up finding out? I wanna put some pegs on my build
What rear brake rotor setup is that? I was unable to find a aftermarket rear rotor anywhere.
White is Bad Ass.
Sweet music.
hello, where did you buy the saddle?
where can i find these plastics, thanks
What year Ktm foot pegs were used
Hey did you ever find out I'm looking for some pegs for my 95 build
Where did you purchase your stickers from?
What year are those plastics?
Are is it running on 2stroke fuel ?.
Not even a wisker of smoke, very lean.
Looks awesome love it great vid as always.
I'm looking for a CDI BOX please can someone help me i have one sitting In My garage just because I need a new cdi box.
Where did you guys get the restyle kit? I'm getting a 96 cr125
did you ever find a good one? I’m looking for one
That swing arm is not a ‘94. The stock one has a black cap covering the hole on both sides to access the linkage bolt. Curious what year swing arm that is from. Those rear number plates don’t look like they’re from a ‘94 either. Good looking bike, nonetheless!
Gotta run the blooper reel. 125 with a glass jaw on dry hard pack with a rider with good sense of humor.....lol
😍😍
Even Stevie Wonder looked at this bike and said wtf?
Pink and yellow/lime color... Not really feeling the color scheme
Bonjour je suis amoureux de cette série est elle a vendre??? et combien Speak french or not , i want buy this 125 cr honda 1994 !! Please respons of me of france thank you !!
Def not an ugly bike.. sad to hear about the first two tries
to hour to miniuts to instant of add the news emblemas on this cases tops. kaligraficoz - Daney 8.8 technology.
All in white what is a angel??
Damn I got a kx 85 that won’t take more than 10 hours I’ve rebuilt this bike like 8 times 10 hrs is max we r getting out of it if we r lucky no one seems to no why we r only getting ten hours out of it an completely rebuilding it! I call it the million dollar 85
Check to see if your pulling in air somewhere, making it lean and burning up the piston. Looking at your piston can tell you a lot about the bike and what went wrong.
What a bute💪
those pegs look dangerous
Dam ppl still ride 125s. Love the colors tho. Very nice build. Dam a plugged cooling port wtf who dose that lol
I got the same bike but not as good looking
2 strokes are dope and all but with green/red sticker bullshit infringing on your right to ride all year round....
Getting famous off of comments day 173, so I can live the dream, live life to the fullest🤙🚀
Cool story bro
Congrats on making a bike uglier than a 1992 rm250
this thing looks so slow .
The hpp motor is the best motor of the 90' , the Bike in this video don't reflect the real sound and the real power of 94 hpp , I've racing in 94 with this bike and still have one. Thi is the worst video ever made on this type of bike.