Racer X Films: Rick Johnson Interview | 1986 Honda CR250 | Garage Build | Two-Stroke Motocross
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ต.ค. 2019
- The year 1986 was such a big year because it ushered in the production rule for professional racing, and Honda had Rick Johnson and David Bailey under their tent-two of the most amazing riders and personalities this sport has ever seen. We caught up with RJ to chat about these 1986 Honda CR250s.
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Bought a 87 CR250 off a pro in 89 . He was same height & weight as me . It was night & day to anything I had before , suspension was tuned perfectly . At 57 now , 2 hip replacements those days are over . Some of greatest times of my young life , miss it big time .Saw RJ at highpoint every year back then .
I love listening to RJ but after looking at the bike for a couple minutes I couldn't even hear him anymore. What a beautiful machine. Brings back a lot of memories when I was a kid. 80's & 90's mx was the best when 2 strokes ruled the world.
Great interview. Brought back a lot of memories. I got my 1st bike Christmas 1983 and got a 1984 KX 80 a year later. Great bike. I had a gravel pit a couple hundred ft directly behind my house. I rode every day. I had the KX and my buddies had CR's and YZ's, nobody seem to have RM's for some reason. I had a subscription to Dirt Bike magazine and I idolized these guys: RJ, Johnny O'Mara, Jeff ward, Bob Hannah, the Baily's, Broc Glover, Mark Barnett, everything meant so much more to you back when you were 12 years old. I still ride today, still on 2 stroke mx bikes but I could care less about the pros and watching other people, today I just am a free rider and I don't race I just love riding. There were a lot of good riders back then, nobody dominated but RJ was a fan favorite, all about racing, winning and he was into his style and looking cool. I mean Bob Hannah was a legend but he wasn't into his image like Ricky was. Ricky just had that cool 80's California kid image that was popular back then. I mean back then it was dirt bikes, break dancing, hair metal, God I love and miss the 80's. Part of my youth right there.
1983 first bike KX 80 I was 14 years old in 85 I got a KX 125 loved that bike. When I turned 20 I bought a KX500 built a Glamis dune bike Grew up in San Diego, so Glamis was close. Lot of good memory's from those years.
When I was 16 I couldn't read enough about Rick Johnson in the motocross action mags. All I wanted was a CR250r and I bought one a year later. That bike made me a life time enthusiast, to this day I ride moto!
We must be about the same age because what you just said is exactly how I felt as well. lol
Me too man, same story. I grew up watching Rick kick ass and idolized him, was lucky enough to get a CR 250 at 13 and loved it. I'll never forget my 87 CR 250 man.
Same here bud
We witnessed the very best!!!
I mostly restored a 85 cr 250 here in Massachusetts.
Rock on
Haha! Same here. I bought Oakley Blades and wore nothing but Bad Boy Club apparel back in the day.
1982cr250r here , it was awesome! Hello Rick from Tulsa Oklahoma USA 🇺🇸
I met Ricky at SD supercross in the pits when he was 16. I was so impressed how polished he was being so young. I worked for Oakley and we signed him when his deal expired from Scott goggles. I would set up his goggles for every race, color goggle/strap and what type lens he preferred. Did that for all our riders and Ricky was my favorite to work with. When he would stop by Oakley he had a cool lifted 4x4 Toyota with the loudest alpine sound system I had ever heard at the time. Fun times!
Cool job. I did a bit of the same for Mt. Bike rider support at the nationals in the mid 90's. Then I got the hubs to stop breaking in the shop. :) "Nuke Proof" out of Michigan, if you are familiar.
I want a 3-d printed prescription goggle lens that fits in my frame. How come that is not available yet!!??
The '86 CR250 was an excellent machine in stock form, I owned (& raced) one in 1986, with stock
suspension, & FMF Pipe, & FMF ported cylinder. Best bike I ever owned. I was also at Anaheim the night Ricky & David put on one of the best MX shows of all time. Great interview of a legendary Bike & Racer
I had the 88 CR250,---a good bike tuning experience. :)
RJ was my hero as a kid growing up and now also as a grown man. What a professional gentleman, I could have listened to him talk for hours. Great show
This guy deserves all the attention he gets RJ did not take it up a level he took it up two. A Legend of the sport.
Rick and Jeff Ward were my heroes growing up. Love the bike!
My very first bike was an ‘86 CR250R. Mine never looked that good and I sure couldn’t ride it like RJ but this brings back a lot of memories. Thanks Ping and RacerX.
Badass bike was perfect. I had the 125 that year
The bike manufacture evolution from the mid 70's to the mid 80's, (just before the production rule), was so intense, it was as exciting as the racing to me. In fact, it was more exciting than SX racing today, because it was about going faster than the other guy on different and better equipment, and not about going the same speed on redundant tracks.
85 thru 88 Cr's are some of the most brutal two strokes ever made. They only got slower and more tame after.
This guy was sooo fast during his prime that when he raced tbe Euros back then he made tbem look silly. Saw him at Unadilla during MXDN and several years of 250 USGP decimate the field. If he didn't holeshot he still would be in the lead within a few laps. During practice the Euros would pull off to the side and watch him float over the back staircase section. He would double double and then float over the top in a pancake and look sooo freakn cool doing it. Back in the day when outdoor track's were gnarly but natural.. . The tracks didnt have a manmade additive to find the predetermined sequence of prefabricated jumps. .. Each rider had to figure his own way to navigate the crater infested out of sync potholes, braking & acceleration bumps plus the ruts and off camber turns. NO ONE made it look as smooth fast and elegant as Rick Johnson. The dude could ride a MX bike!!! Made you feel proud to be an American...not this pansy ass shit we see today about riding for your country. A shame because we have the talent .. But lost heart. . And this man had HEART!!
Glory days indeed. RJ was mx royalty and had many fans in Australia. Used to read everything about him in the day and wore out my RJ VHS tape. Great to see you Ricky, too cool man!
I had the '86 CR250 back then with the Renthal CR High Bend...didn't know it was his bend! Cool interview, Great Moto History!!
Wow the Dunlop 19" story was awesome, can't imagine hand cut tires straight from Dunlop to race with. What a Legend! RJ was a true innovator
I grew up rooting for RJ . He was my hero and inspiration. Anything he has to say is interesting to me !
In Australia rooting is quite a different thing although just as fun 😂
Man this video brings back soooooo many fond memories. RJ, David Bailey and Hannah were my early motocross hero's.
I can't praise this video enough how much detail RJ (my childhood hero) goes into over this bike and how after all this time how clear ever bit of development and feel for the bike is emblazoned in his dna, one of the best things I've watched in a long time and what a machine. Thank you RACERX.
I was at that Anaheim Race in 86... got to see the whole battle between RJ and Bailey.... Pretty cool
Dave Bailey was the smoothest rider I've ever seen.
U lucky man.
Thank you RJ an Wardy...my dirtbike addiction is still goin strong at 48 yrs old...
Excellent interview,man.Rick Johnson is an interesting intelligent dude.Purchased my first CR 250 in 1985,because of RJ.
RJ may be the only person I have seen since WW2 who got a tattoo after he became an adult.
Great interview Ping man. Thanks for the greatness RJ.
Ricky, still have my sweater: bad boy club . More and more it falls apart but I can't threw it away 'cause the very good memorys. Thank you so much!
RJ was my hero....Mr Bad Boy! Great interview Ping. Very cool
So right Bryan! Thank you very much guys, really great memorys! See also: transmoto.com.au/bike-ricky-johnsons-1986-honda-rc250/
I thought RJ was the coolest guy on earth when I was a kid. I am now 49 and I think he still might be. I enjoyed watching this. I was sitting in a tent at Unadilla in 2019, it was the 50th anniversary there. They had Rick inducted into the there hall of fame. When they gave him the mike I had to take a seat. I was overcome with emotion over the whole event and being able see it all. I grew up in northern Canada, attending the US nationals has been a life long dream of mine. I have been living in Michigan for the last 30 years and now that my kids are grown up educated and out. It's how I'm going to spend the rest of my summers. Thanks for posting this........
These bikes absolutely were the hey day of moto cross...
And the aneheim race was so great because of track design....
Tite twisty sections and a few long straight areas , which were about jumps....alot like the 2019 monster energy vegas race this past weekend , which was also a great show.....so long as track designs stay this good....the sport will be about ability rather than the fastest bike....Amen...
My older brother was so into motocross back when RJ was the lead man, he raced amateur races here in Maine for like 3 seasons in the mid 80’s, now as adults he comes to the tracks still here in Maine to watch my son race amateur 250C class on his 2023 crf250R, I’m a working class dad that’s trying really hard to give my son a good shot at a motocross life… this interview was so awesome…
RJ was/is my favorite all time MX rider. I was a teenager at the time, and lived and breathed motocross. Over 30 years later, and I'm still in the dirt.
IMO the classiest, greatest racer of all time! On the greatest motorcycle of all time! What a rider, what an era! Awesome vid with wonderful history! Amazing job X! Thanks Ping! 💪🏼👊🏼👍🏼
You are so right!! That era was the BEST! And RJ is the coolest.. and he’s just as cool in person.. i met and hung out w him at Unadilla this year. He was awesome. Even to a star-struck d-bag like me!! Haha
Prime RJ 86 87 beats any in history outdoors on a 250 or 500.
What an awesome interview! My all-time biggest hero growing up.
Brings back lot of great memories, I owned and raced XC on a '83, and then a '86 CR250
Such an incredible interview with you guys and everyone involved!!! Brought tears to my eye's. I raced at DeAnza and other southern California tracks in 1984. Thanks so much for all the time and effort Ricky and David!
One of the best bikes of all time and one of the best riders of all time! Nothing compares to the sound of a two stroke.
1986, the first year of "the production rule", (only for the USA, not Europe), was the first of a era of FIM/AMA intervention that caused the price of a bike to go up and up and up. For a new 250, from about $1,400 in 84 to $3,200 in 88. I never paid more than $850 for bikes before 1986. After than, prices still went up to about $5,000 in 97. Then came the EPA pushed 4- stroke, $10.000 or so today. If I were a kid today, I would never be able to buy a dirt bike. In fact, it is harder today than when I was 12 in 76, but I will get another. :)
I just luv the way RJ is so passonate and sharing with his experiences. Great Job!
A while back I put a silver Renthal RJ bend on my 93' CR250R after years of using fatbars. What a great difference !!. Much more comfort and feels more agile. Thumbs up.
MASSIVE RESPECT! A Fan since Day 1, thanks so much Rick!
RJ was a class act. A top rider and took care of his fans at a time when not every one did.
I was such a huge fan of RJ during the Honda years. I was lucky enough to watch him dust everybody at Hollister. Everybody being Bailey, O'mara and Wardy. Great vid.
Always was a RJ fan. But I really liked what he had to say about Danny Chandler. If you're an old timer 500 two stroke guy like me and remember what is was like back in those days. You can really understand just what a class act RJ really is. U might like watching the "Magoo" chronicals here on u tube.
So cool to hear RJ talk about the little things that made HUGE differences in history...love it! Thanks for posting
He’s a complete legend good sense of humour aswel 👍🏻
The 1986 CR 250, was my first 2 stroke bike I ridden. Dam this is a fast bike. Especially when I was 11-12 yrs old.
Ryan, your lucky that you didn't get hurt. This was the first year for HPP Honda Power Port system.
@@jimmadonna1436 yea it was like riding a CR 500! I had lots of riding experience with four strokes way before that bad boy.
man....can you please do a part 2 or even 3....loved hearing all those stories that i could only read about in MXA etc back in the day, cheers fro Australia
Thank me later... 👍🏼
th-cam.com/video/_msQUdJNG-Y/w-d-xo.html
Great to see you, Rick "Too Hip" Johnson.....!!
One of the best looking bikes ever.
Hey Rick,
WE
LOVE
YOU MAN!!!!!
Great Interview and bike....Thanks Ping!! RJ is the coolest!!
I live in SWFL and one year between Daytona and Gatorback, Team Honda showed up in town and used our POS practice track. Got to watch DeCoster do laps on RJ'S bike. Fun day.
Very cool interview ... always looked up to him and cheered him on ... even wore the rj mad dog moto 4 ... still got that ol helmet lol
Amazing video!! Beautiful!! Im so happy watching it. Thank you very much. Great hero RJ.
Love RJ!! Hes the Best and thats My Favorite Bike of all Dirt Bikes!! Great Build. And Interview!! Beautiful Job!!!!👍👍👍
Ricky has a great memory!
1986 and still looks cool 👍
Awesome video guys!!! Thanks so much for the Rick Johnson interview!!!
Did RJ just say, "You slide right up on your gooch" nonchalantly in the middle of a Racer X interview?
Oh nice see that bike one more time!
I remember it and I was on factory Kawasaki 500 at this time and we was way behind Honda. But still decent bike. Best regards Bjorn
That bikes ace watched you growing up what a legend 😎👍🏻🇬🇧
RJ is such a great interview! The Whiskey Throttle show was great, nice reference to it. I enjoyed this a lot. Thanks!
I was lucky enough to be at the 86 A race and still to this day that was the best race ever and RJ was a god to me moto needs another RJ in it now day's
Young Jet Lawrence got some personality.
@@joenobody2580 after this last weekend I'm a fan of Jett Lawrence he totally reminded me of RJ talking crap and backing it up and the donut at the interview that was classic supercross needs more kid's like him
Still the best looking bike ever built.
Yz
Mmmmm...the 87 by a nose.
@@llh3025 if the 87 had the same side number plates and same "CR" on the seat, then, yes. But, the 86 didnt have a rear disc either. We still have a good eye though.
I've loved these bikes since they came out.... ❤️
Thank you RJ for giving me the inspiration to inspire to ride with as much heart to apply as much heart to my life. Thank You 🙏
RJ was the man and when he went Honda I copied and got the 1987 and loved it.
The 87 CRs are my absolute favorite bikes of all time.
@@joenobody2580 probably mine too
@@joenobody2580 Yes it was very good.
That was the bike I had on my wall as a kid, plus the kx500,
My dream is to actually own( and ride obviously) a kx500 before im too old and have have too many broken bones to be able to ride and enjoy the bike.
(Im 40 this year, an not riden motox since my late teens/early twenties)
2strokes 4 life 💨💨💨💨💨💨
Time to get on it bro...time keeps going b.y I got on my RM 250 today for 10 minutes it felt amazing & I'm 50 haven't ridden it in a month and before that 1 year Its always worth your time
Do it!The biggest risk is the vibes and hard to control power will take *some* of the fun out of it. But even then it will still be awesome in certain conditions!
If you run good tires and try to only ride where there's decent traction, that's it's sweet spot.
Also i think i've heard some tuners can reduce the vibes and make the power more controllable?
IMHO you dont need lots of strength to ride them.But to get the best from one you'll need to concentrate! That's what i remember most - nearly always hovering above the bike ,trying to give it exactly what it wanted.
I'm 30 now havent Rode since my teens, I would love a 90's 250 now to restore and take out on easy rides. 2 stroke 4 life
Time to get on it mate, before 50 rolls around & you'll be lookin' for a Cruiser Bike!!😉👍
ANON YMOUS sold my bike in ‘97 to fund college. At 42 bought a two stroke KX250. Pretty upset at myself for losing out on 22yrs of riding. Get a bike dude,your riding will adjust and you will ride smarter. Trust me
Totally agree about the bars, can’t stand the new bars and rj was my hero on a bike like this and was responsible for my mx addiction to this day 😎✊
Gazza me too I prefer the Yamaha sweep but a slightly higher bend
Wooow man what an awesome interview ! The attention to detail those factory guys had back then is insane ! I just learned so much stuff about bars and controls i never knew ! Zero vibration crankshaft whaaaat ! You didnt ask what the hrc dyno numbers were ! Why isnt RJ manageing a race team ? Shoulda asked him about the story Decoster got mad at RJ about something and went out and spanked him on the track. Is that story true ?
I agree 100%! So much detail RJ remembers. I could listen to him go on all day about that small stuff.
Always love to see an og
Great interview, RJ is the man 💪🏼👍🏻
Beautiful bike, good work guys🇺🇸
Excellent interview. Lot of good info there. Thank You.
I had an 87 CR 250. IT was based on Rick Ryans bike. He was a privateer who had a factory Suzuki ride the year before. Rick Ryans bike was a pro circuit ported and polished cylinder, Matching cases and a pipe- silencer. The fork was awesome! I replaced the stock spring spring 038 to 042. The fork oil was 19.2 oz. The problem was the shoock. I revalved it and put a 6.1 Ebac spring. Geared it 14-55. The carb I jetted it 175 main stock the slow jet I changed from a 58 to 55. The needle R 1368 N raised the clip from the third to forth spot. The bike was AWESOME!. I LOVED it and miss it. Rick Ryan won the Daytona SX with this bike.
Honda, the championship company !
Great story.
Thanks for sharing
The first riders I kept up with as a kid were Rick Johnson, Broc Glover, and Bob “hurricane” Hannah!
I had the Rick Johnson Moto 4 back in 1989 when I was whipping through the gravel pits on my 250R. It was the balls!
I am going on 63 and been racing since 1975 on a 74 125 Elsinore real deal then all types of 250s then in 87 raced cr500 but now getting old but still ride have an 87 cr 125 but always kept that number 5 because he was an inspiration even though I was older when he came in ride red D.h
The original bad boy is there anyone who doesn't love this guy I saw him many times and he never lifted .........ever glad to see him years later still the goat
Makes me love my cr250 even more 😁😎
Boy do I remember those days. Walls covered in motocross posters. Racing my friends in the woods on my 80. Pretending to be these guys. My roll models were Bob hannah and Jeff ward.
Moth*****ing Rockstar's.
Nice excel rims! Great build
*KTM/Husky is where it at in 2 strokes - big 4 abandoned the entire 2 stroke market 15+ years ago*
The grips he had sound just like the "DeGrips" at the time. They were my favorite aftermarket grip.
Had the same bike, I did however slip in 88 forks up front & went to a 55 rear. Took GFI North vs South Winter-Fall 94/95, rode out of Burbank Ca
I miss my 87 250 best bike I owned
Except for the suspension. Not too many people had really good suspension front and rear back in those days.
Would make a great poster rick with 250 and the background sunny setting ..cooooool as you like rick 👌 uk
Who gave this a thumb's down!! Great interview! RJ rocks!!
Great interview.
Great interview. I had a 87' CR500. They went to both wheels having disc brakes. Only broke 2 kick starters. Off road only.
I definitely thought Honda had rear disc in 86. Kawasaki did.
@@derrickzenner9300 They did not. first production rear disk was 87.
Thanks for letting us know about the BIKE🏁🙏🏁,,, that made HISTORY 🏆,,,👍🏽🏁,,,,& how important CONDITIONING IS in MOTOCROSS 😷😇😷🏋️🏁🏋️,,,from the man who made HISTORY 🏆 on it👍🏽🏁👍🏽🙏
RJ is such a class act !!!
I was at the jersey meadowlands SX race my first time i swear RJ did a little half a nac nac over the triple one side i remember he took his leg part way over theseat an then put it back he was already bigger then life from exposure in MXA so to see him live was a dream blurr....i was so moved this guy cant be really that good but he worked hard an was in shape he looked like he could play footbal he wasnt small by any means which mafe his riding more impressive
So cool!
The ultimate mx pro!!!
Yes the ole days addiction of the two strokes they may not have been as good but they definately sound like we were having faster fun,I got a chance to ride a modren four stroke and they are absolutely awsum take one right to a National and get a holeshot if u dare and for 8 grand its about time they do...they are pretty amazing best part is the traction factor is unbelievable because it just spins that little tiny bit slower so the tire can grab and hook,I remember racing a two stroke I could get a holeshot every time because most of my competitors just didn't know how to get over a gate and get traction down the start straight...taking candy from a baby....hah hah hah hah THANKS guys I was hoping to see more of RJ riding the bike.
Ricky was my favorite american mx rider at the time
It was the CR250 RJ. It was appropriately named. One of the greatest bikes ever made
Hey Ping and RJ after owning a 86 CR250 I tried to find another one because I liked it so much and u want to laugh u know where most are and why I could find one ,they are ice racing in the upper New York area several people told me u would find one because smooth ness may be they are the desired bike of choice for winter ice racing go figure...
Freaking awesome!