It's a close relative to the first gen aluminum frame 97 CR 250 that ran MC away from Honda, and also Ronnie Mac's famed Screaming Eagle. Does it live up to the infamous rep?
Bought my 99 CR250 in 2003 and still have it in 2023. Still haven't done a top end in it, bike still runs great and is still in good shape. Best dirt bike I've ever owned and I've had a lot!
Me too. Had a '98 and it was a better overall bike than the '01 I had and everyone online raved about the '01 back in the day. I never could gel with it. Prefer the '97-'99 and '02-'07.
I have a 98. Glad someone finally reviewed the bike and gave them a little justice. Everyone's always talking crap on them because of what the magazines were saying at the time. They could have been payed off by another manufacturer to say that, could be a professional 1% of the population riders review, etc. To the everyday rider, that bike kicks ass!
@@jaysmokey The 98 has a tame low end and very snappy powerful mid range. Like you get into the mid range power and chop that throttle the thing rips your arms out of socket and pulls you back on the seat. That motor made way more power than anything else at the time and even beyond. It was pushing about 50 WHP on the Dyno. Crazy bike to hang onto man. Also about the turnablility, that can all be changed with suspension really. Mine snaps on a dime, doesn't headshake, and points straight all day. Which are also what hear a lot out of people on forums. It doesn't track straight and it headshakes bad. I think thats just bs passed down from the magazines by professional racers. Last thing I gotta say is it ain't a brick, it's a race bike. And it'll turn, go fast, and you'll wake up in a hospital bed eating your hamburger through a tube if you let it. I can wax ass on the thing!
@@jaysmokey How much experience do you have on one? When I ride single track it eats it up. When the trail gets fast and flowy it eats it up. If theres a fallen branch randomly in the trail and I was going mach 10 I could still just turn and power out of the way. You're like comparing this to a drag built Suzuki Hayabusa where literally all it does is go in straight lines and curvy anything is dreaded. It's a dirtbike, it turns well. You don't need to worry about such things unless you're going places. Which I highly doubt. You're not that guy and neither am I bud enjoy all bikes.
@@jaysmokey Maybe proper MX track is different then. Closest thing I've rode to one is a woods loop with jumps, berms, and whoops. Mines a weapon for what I do, sounds like your 99 was good for woods as well. We do just some redneck riding around here. Fast trails, power line trails, fields, single track, etc. Just some country riding
I've got a 96 cr250 I need to rebuild. Never did rebuild because it was so fast I was afraid I wouldn't be able hang on to it. At 300 hours on top end it will still smoke my 81 yz465. Starts 1st kick
20 years ago I had a very low-hour 1998 CR 250 with a PC pipe and off-road spec suspension. The motor was very strong, the vibrations were really a problem, and the bike felt big, but at 6'1" I could work with it. I felt these bikes were better than the McGrath era 1995 bikes no matter what others felt. These bikes really felt solid and beefy.
@@ryana7289 that track usually plays the local classic rock station over the PA there at the track on practice days, I didn't even notice it! Definitely nothing that I planned with my third-grade video editing skills LOL!!
Yeah I’m not really sure if it is that first generation or later? I always thought it was the 97 just because everyone likes to bash on it so much, but I haven’t scrutinized it. Hey if you listen to Gypsy Tales recent video with McGrath, he talks about that first platform quite a bit. He hated it even more than I realized! Basically said that as bad as the 97 Suzuki was, he doesn’t regret the decision especially once he put USD forks on it.
@@markswartmx56 I have a 99 myself and the frame is the same as the 97, it's got rubber mountings for the bar though so it doesn't vibrate as much as the 97-98. I put 2005 crf250 forks on mine and the bikes feel alot better with thoose. I'm just an amateur rider aswell so regarding stiffness of the frame I don't really feel much, but comparing the bike to an 94 YZ250 I had I must say the honda feel more sluggish in corners, and the 94 yz didn't have very good suspension aswell.
Bought my 99 CR250 in 2003 and still have it in 2023. Still haven't done a top end in it, bike still runs great and is still in good shape. Best dirt bike I've ever owned and I've had a lot!
Love my 99 cr250 got me two of em need one rebuilt the other ones ready to go
@@sherriebossana5550 Nice! Now if only parts for it were totally plentiful! Why Honda, why??
Me too. Had a '98 and it was a better overall bike than the '01 I had and everyone online raved about the '01 back in the day. I never could gel with it. Prefer the '97-'99 and '02-'07.
92-01 cr250 engine parts are interchangeable
Own a '00 CR250 & freakin love it. Honda could restart the production of the CR tomorrow & make $$$!
Nice review, I also have a cr 250 99 , and a 88 and a 96 !
I agree with alot of your points. I own a 99 cr250 and its a great bike. And ive owned alot of dirt bikes in my time.
I have a 98. Glad someone finally reviewed the bike and gave them a little justice. Everyone's always talking crap on them because of what the magazines were saying at the time. They could have been payed off by another manufacturer to say that, could be a professional 1% of the population riders review, etc. To the everyday rider, that bike kicks ass!
Thanks!! I genuinely enjoyed that motor, and the forks can be great with the right setup. Not a bad bike at all from what I could tell.
@@jaysmokey The 98 has a tame low end and very snappy powerful mid range. Like you get into the mid range power and chop that throttle the thing rips your arms out of socket and pulls you back on the seat. That motor made way more power than anything else at the time and even beyond. It was pushing about 50 WHP on the Dyno. Crazy bike to hang onto man. Also about the turnablility, that can all be changed with suspension really. Mine snaps on a dime, doesn't headshake, and points straight all day. Which are also what hear a lot out of people on forums. It doesn't track straight and it headshakes bad. I think thats just bs passed down from the magazines by professional racers. Last thing I gotta say is it ain't a brick, it's a race bike. And it'll turn, go fast, and you'll wake up in a hospital bed eating your hamburger through a tube if you let it. I can wax ass on the thing!
@@jaysmokey How much experience do you have on one? When I ride single track it eats it up. When the trail gets fast and flowy it eats it up. If theres a fallen branch randomly in the trail and I was going mach 10 I could still just turn and power out of the way. You're like comparing this to a drag built Suzuki Hayabusa where literally all it does is go in straight lines and curvy anything is dreaded. It's a dirtbike, it turns well. You don't need to worry about such things unless you're going places. Which I highly doubt. You're not that guy and neither am I bud enjoy all bikes.
@@jaysmokey Maybe proper MX track is different then. Closest thing I've rode to one is a woods loop with jumps, berms, and whoops. Mines a weapon for what I do, sounds like your 99 was good for woods as well. We do just some redneck riding around here. Fast trails, power line trails, fields, single track, etc. Just some country riding
@@jaysmokey Hell yeah buddy!
Another great review! It was interesting to hear the review. The bike has basically the same engine as my 1995 CR250 but the frame is different.
My bike is fitted with RaceTech kit on front and rear suspension. So efficient and confortable now !
I've got a 96 cr250 I need to rebuild. Never did rebuild because it was so fast I was afraid I wouldn't be able hang on to it. At 300 hours on top end it will still smoke my 81 yz465. Starts 1st kick
20 years ago I had a very low-hour 1998 CR 250 with a PC pipe and off-road spec suspension. The motor was very strong, the vibrations were really a problem, and the bike felt big, but at 6'1" I could work with it. I felt these bikes were better than the McGrath era 1995 bikes no matter what others felt. These bikes really felt solid and beefy.
I got the same 99 thing is pretty fun in the woods
420 YO
Back ground song at beginning?
What background song?
@@markswartmx56 when you are talking about the bike it sounds like something is playing on the radio in background definitely from 80s
@@markswartmx56 btw great review !
@@ryana7289 that track usually plays the local classic rock station over the PA there at the track on practice days, I didn't even notice it! Definitely nothing that I planned with my third-grade video editing skills LOL!!
Journey - Separate Ways
i'll take the 96 over 97-07 any day!!!!!
Or even better- how about a set of revalved 97-07 forks on a 96, that’s my favorite setup!!
ronnie mac rides a 00 or 01 doesn't he? the 00-01 frame is better.
Yeah I’m not really sure if it is that first generation or later? I always thought it was the 97 just because everyone likes to bash on it so much, but I haven’t scrutinized it. Hey if you listen to Gypsy Tales recent video with McGrath, he talks about that first platform quite a bit. He hated it even more than I realized! Basically said that as bad as the 97 Suzuki was, he doesn’t regret the decision especially once he put USD forks on it.
@@markswartmx56 I have a 99 myself and the frame is the same as the 97, it's got rubber mountings for the bar though so it doesn't vibrate as much as the 97-98. I put 2005 crf250 forks on mine and the bikes feel alot better with thoose. I'm just an amateur rider aswell so regarding stiffness of the frame I don't really feel much, but comparing the bike to an 94 YZ250 I had I must say the honda feel more sluggish in corners, and the 94 yz didn't have very good suspension aswell.
Ronnie rides a 1st gen. 97-99.