The History of Honda's CR80R and CR85R from 1980-2007
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- čas přidán 4. 11. 2019
- This is my look back at the history of Honda's iconic mini racers the CR80R and CR85R. Produced from 1980 through 2007, the CR80R was often at the head of the class and nearly always one of the fastest minis available. In 2007, Honda eventually retired the two-stroke CR85R in favor of the new four-stroke CRF150R.
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My dad bought me home a 1986 cr80r when i was 12. Some of my best memories are just going down to the basement and looking at its orange paint and blue seat, smelling the fumes and wishing i was out riding it. The kids in the neighborhood would ask where i kept it and i had to hide it lock and key in the basement so they couldnt steal it!
Nice neighbors/neighborhood/hood. I bet it is worse today. Rural Michigan, we were still leaving our home doors unlocked, sans a vacation. I doubt anybody does that today.
G' dam. Those were some shitheads.
@@EarthSurferUSAnobody should do that.
I was 12, weighed 95 lbs. I hung on to my 1980 CR80 for dear life. Friend bought a 1982 YZ80 and the CR won to to first corner every time.
It had a brutal power band for the day.....pure awesome.
I had a 1980 YZ80G and I raced a 1980 CR80 and destroyed it every time but the YZ 80 was definitely not a beginners bike , you had to keep the rpms up and hold on . The CR80 was much easier to ride and control.
@@2216sammy That could be true for top end power only. Shift too early, (scared?), and you never stay in the meat of the power. I bet that bike showed you how to use the clutch. :) 4-stroke guys riding a 2-stroke with terrible clutch work makes me grin a bit. :)
His bike also could have used a top end rebuild. Small bores lost power badly if they got a bit sloppy, and they did not have coated cylinders back then.
I raced seriously from 87'-1999. My first bike was 86' cr80. What a screamer. Only top end power. Being just a kid at the time. I felt I was riding an advanced race machine from the future.
I was 11 and my brother was 9 when Dad surprised us pulling up in front of the house with a brand new 1980 CR80R on the back of the Suburban. We watched him start it and chased after him as he rode it through the back alley to the garage - and almost got thrown off when the power band kicked in. My brother and I took turns sitting on the bike while Dad lectured us on power bands and how fast the bike was. The next day I rode it on dirt and have vivid memories of my head and helmet snapping back when the power band kicked in. Over the next 3 years we had so much fun on that bike, even when it flipped us off! It was a rocket and I wish I still had it.
Thanks for these historic videos!
I raced a stock 1991 CR 80 from 91 to 93 and LOVED it. I rode every 80 out there at the time and not one other compared to it in my opinion. It was my dream bike as a kid.
My buddy had an 83 CR80 and I bought an 86 and mine not only dwarfed it, but it was blazing fast. Loved that 86 CR80R when I was younger.
That pic at 5:06 is my bike that I took back in 1980! I had a '78 XR-75 and was so pumped that they were coming out with a CR80R in 1980. I worked my butt off cutting lawns to make sure I could get one once they came out! It was soooo much faster than my XR-75 and was a great 2-stroke to learn on.
I had a 1982 CR-80R - thanks for this trip down memory lane - fascinating!
Nice work Tony, this makes me feel like a kid all over.. I had the 82 and 86, and bought my son the 05 when he was younger.. Awesome machines! Thanks for putting this together, we have the exact same taste in Honda styles over the years..
Still kept my 1994 cr80r from when I was a kid! 2nd owner. I sold off my other bikes but kept this old gal. This video inspired me to get it running and go for a RIP!
in 1981 the kx 80 was by far the best mini in the market! the bike was fast and suspention was killer.
yes no one talks about the 81 kx it really was revolutionary dominated for 2 years until 83 then the legendary 1983 kx 80 was released followed by the legendary 84 kx 125..lived and loved mx in those years as teen ager
@@craigsteinman9807 I think that was the time when the KX125's were made for more lower rpm power, (were the 80cc bikes similar?), and the starting lines turned green, but not with envy. Any other bike on the line had that.
Love the video. I had a 2007 Cr85 expert, I loved that bike.
In 2005 the carb was changed to a pwk, a big improvement. That's not to mention the flywheel was changed from outer to inner rotor. Also, the cylinder, head, and pipe were redesigned for significantly more peak hp.
The cylinder as well.
2005? It was about time they changed something. :)
@@adamwilliams8254 He said that.
@@EarthSurferUSA 🧐he definitely did. My bad!
I love the pictures of old ads and brochures as you go over intricate details of the history and specs of these bikes....Excellent video!
I had the 1982, loved it... would love to have those days back.
I had the ‘86 CR80R. Gorgeous bike. It took me a year of after-school work to save up for that thing.
Which is why I'm keeping everything
So glad I found your channel!!I love your videos!! Keep them coming!!
Back in 1990 I had a 1988 CR 80r and loved it!!! I had a 1979 YZ 80 back in the early 80's and also my dad got me a 1985 CR 80 in 1988. I loved all the machines and actually miss them! I really love this channel!!! Thanks
I had the 1986 CR80R. For almost a year I dreamed about this bike. Finally, for my 15th birthday my dream came true. Bike was a rocket ship! I was lucky to get that model. Such a memorable time for me. Excellent video. 🤘
Your 86 cr80 was my dream bike as well. However my parents ignored my plea.
As a kid I bought and rebuilt an '80 or '81 cr80 and then sold it like an idiot.
I wish Honda would go back to this color scheme. Now KTM factory is kind of copying it(Decoster?).
Had an 89 back then
Thank you so much for doing the research on this, and putting something together for all of us enthusiasts. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. Great work, and pictures.
Really cool that you featured the XR75 right off the hop👍 I had 78 and 79 Yamaha YZ80’s. I remember my 1979 YZ80 was so fast and so hard to ride! It was literally quicker through third gear than my 1980 RM125 (until I changed the RM’s stock pipe and jetting). Another great video!
I love listening to this stuff!!!!! Keep up the great work. Especially like the minis. Takes me back to simpler days 💪🏽
My first bike, for my twelfth birthday in 1982, was a 1977 or 78 Suzuki DS80. A couple years later I found a perfect condition 1981 CR80! Not a scratch on the paint or chrome!
Of course, compared to the DS, it was a giant step up.
Then I ended up with a 1985 KX80. It was another giant leap above the CR80. I wish I would have kept that CR80!
I was 21 before I moved up, bought a 1991 RM 125 in July 91. I never grew above 5’6” so I was weary of jumping on a big bike.
But it didn’t take more than a couple rides before I was completely comfortable and wishing I had bought a 250!
Life got busy from that point on and didn’t have another dirt bike until this past summer when I found a good shape, right price, 2012 RMZ 450! I was surprised at how far 5 strokes have come, they were the slow, play bikes 30 years ago, now this thing will yank me off the back if I am not being attentive!
Absolutely love this nostalgic look back at what shaped my childhood. Be cool to see a review of the fluorescent phase the sport went through. Never forget Brock Sellerds KX60 with the neon orange T.U.F. Racing seat. Everyone else eventually followed suit with a random piece of neon colored plastic on their bikes, whether it was a shroud or a rear fender. Never and entire kit of plastic, just one random piece.Such a great era. Thanks, Tony!👍🏻
Long ago now
Thank you for bringing me back to old school CR’S my favorite was the 1983 back then I had 2 stroke oil running through my veins now I’m trying to find an early 1980’s bike to mess around with and my son wants to get a kx112 thank you for all your work I miss the XR’S too
I have a 06 cr 85 it’s a beast I love it I will never give it up
Your not kidding when mentioning the sound of the CR80 exhaust... I can still hear that pinging sound rattling in my head from when I rode my friends Honda in the late 80's.
This was the bike I learned how to ride on my friend John B had one this and the mighty yz 125
I had the '85 and I really had some fun on that thing! Good times. Now I have an '85 ATC 350x and still having a blast! Great vids you have made. Thanks
I had an 81 elsinore , was a little rocket ! Thanks for uploading these great memories, greetings from the UK 👍
I was so happy when I picked up my cr250, I’m sure I woulda loved having an 80 on the way up. Love the channel btw
So excited my dads getting his cr80 from 86 for me to have!
Thanks for these videos!!! Brings back so many memories of my childhood... I have owned three 80 cc bikes and loved them all!!! Thanks again.
You are very welcome
I loved my ‘86. Then my friend got the ‘87. There was quite a difference. They were amazing bikes. Thanks for doing this!
Thank you for this video I had a 1985 cr 80 and it was the first bike I got in boxes all torn apart I traded a bag of weed , a early 90s Dyno BMX bike and 25$ around 1999 and built it ,and I absolutely remember the suspension sucked on that bike I saved every penny from birthdays to raking leaves to cashing in cans and bottles to buy parts for that thing, but it was fun to learn how to build a bike !!! I really wish I knew where that bike was today if it still exists or not !!
ive been waiting for this for a long time and it was sick
I love both 2 stroke and 4.. I've raced since I was 5 and now 24.. I will say the best era of my racing was when I moved from a cr85 to a crf150rb.. that bike was the best and most fun.. it dominated the 85 class but too many people were butthurt that it was a 4 stroke
First new bike I bought was the 91' kx80 big wheel. I wish I still had it. Best looking 80 ever.
Great video and brought back great memories! Thank you
I just bought a 1996 cr80r I think I'm going to like it. I'm 65. My grandson is ten.
Great video. So much information. Thank you for putting this together.
Love your attention to detail
On these videos, and the highlighting of minutia that I thought only I cared about. Please keep these going.
Thank you for the kind words
Wow incredibly presented learned so much!
Thank you for doing these videos. Your style is excellent and informative. So much of what you talk about takes me back down memory lane. Great job!
Thank you
Awesome man 👏🏻 love watching your videos I always tell my self I don’t have time right now to watch all this and always end up finishing watching lol great job tho super super cool
I've watched many of your videos and greatly appreciate the information👍👍👍👍
I had all Honda's during my motocross carreer from a 1984 CR80..85 CR80..86CR80...86CR125..87CR125...88CR125...and my last bike in the pro class..88250..i was always in the top three..wonderful machines.
That was amazing. Well done.
Loved it, the mini trail/z one was awesome too. Please make more, super fun when the models I had come up!
great work. love the history. thanks
I really enjoyed the video. Thank you .
5:56 I am not sure what is more nostalgic, the 1980 CR80 that kid is riding, or the riding gear he is wearing, complete with bell bottom jeans and work boots. :)
I remember my dad telling me to wear boots, (riding in tennis shoes), and I ignored him. Then a beer truck driver (we had a little store), saw me riding near the store, and told me he raced dirt bikes a bit, and I should be wearing boots. Guess who I listened to? But hey, after the street bike he bought for my brother and I, (because the Honda CL100 was left over for 2 years and got it for $300.00, of which I bought all my own bikes after that.), I just thought he had lost all credibility about the subject. :)
I had a 1990 cr 80 lots of mods super quick
Excellent 👌 report. Keep them coming.👍.
Great stuff Tony, keep it coming!
Thanks
I just bought a 2001 cr 80 r . Love your channel matey
Like the very cool plastic "Mattel Big Wheel" three wheeler that came out around 1970, I was just too big for an 80 when I got my first MX bike.
I am still bummed that I was too big for the Big Wheel. It was a traumatic experience. lol
Yamaha was The Leader. Now at 55 I am seriously considering a CRF150R for me. I weigh 165 and I'm not really fast nor am I really tall 5-9 so.... great bike for me. I sold them back in 2008-9 and rode those and the CR85s that came in on trade. Almost looped them every time LOL
This video is a masterpiece. I had a 90 80 cr and a 98 and 99. Great bikes very reliable except the third gear
Grandma got me a drift kart. It was fun but slow. Traded that for a 2001 CR80r on street tires. Changed the gearing for my weight. If you could keep the front wheel down it would surprise a 600cc sportsbike. Great machine.
Just found a 1972 60 cc Chibi made by Bridge stone.
My first real bike .
I need some small parts very hard to find now.
Nice work thanks.
Thx for the video I remember I got my brand new 1980 cr80
For 735$ I wish I kept it
Don’t get me started on the 03 85. That was my first year on 80s. That bike absolutely killed my confidence. So many recalls that I didn’t even get to ride the bike from October to may. That’s how long it was gone after buying brand new and riding 30 minutes. Way too twitchy. That bike just did weird shit for no reason, and bucked me constantly. That bike blew up 7 straight times at MotoLand in Indiana. Last time was the last time I rode for 15 years.
Awesome video. Can you do the same with the RM's. I was on a 1981 RM 80 and it was a decent bike. I like that you show love for the 80/85 bikes.
Yeah love the rm. Had the 83. Mate had a 84. Fast bikes 😁
I raced the 93 rm80
The 81 rm80s were real fast when R&D tricked them out I am pretty sure they were winning a lot of races that year
i traded my cr85 (04) to 30hp+ crf150, and now i miss 85, so awesome bikes
Awesome vid
Phenomenal video thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome video, I rode rm 80's from 92 to 95 because Suzuki had the best contingency. I finally convinced my old man in 96 to go with the a Cr 80 for stock class and a cr 80 expert for super mini. Coming from rm 80s upside down forks and not riding a 15 year old unchanged machine was awesome.
I believe I remember you from back in those days. Freddie Mitchell and I stuck with Hondas, but switched to Suzuki for the 125s in 93.
Great to see my 1980cr again rode the hell out of it for many years and couldn’t agree more suspension sucked top end was wild no other 80cc could beat me around a track for several years what great memories
I rode in the 1980 in the 80cc class.I raced the 1980 Suzuki rm80 in that year and I raced the cr80 and the yz80s and the kx80s at the time, and the cr80 and the rm80 were about the same in the top end but my rm 80 would would last longer, now the fastest 80 in that year was the Yamaha yz80 and had good battles with these with my rm80. The kawasakis kx 80s were the slowest that year.
I wanted that 83 Cr so I bad. I had Mike Healy posters all over my walls from my mini cycle magazines which I still have!
I too had the 80 cc bug in 83,,so I finally convinced my dad to take me to the Suzuki shop,,and to my elation we drove out with a brand new RM 80,,so much fun in the hills,,and at my local track "Indian Dunes."
My first bike was a 1980 Honda CR80. I received it for my 12th birthday in 1983.
Really enjoyed great info man looking to buy my wife a 85
I had a 99 cr80 with an fmf shorty slip on. I loved that bike and beat the crap out of it for years. Absolutley no bottom end but Thing just pulled forever up top
Would love to see a history on the kx80.. I had my fair share of racing the kx80 83 to 86 models in 1996 against the new bikes remarkably I still managed some holeshots even against the kx 100 in my class.. going through the years i noticed the improvement of suspension and brakes the bike even felt superior for me to ride and went to an 89 Suzuki rm80 and it blew my mind at the time.. I can really relate to the broad power range on that bike, the delivery was smooth too, the last bike I owned was an 89 cr125
I got my first Cr 80 1997 won a national. Got a 93 Cr 125 was ran it from 93 until still this day and it'll run with the New one's. My 80 was all Barrs competition motor, Hesson clutch basket and clutches, Boyson power reads and flote bowl, works suspension and the best motocross tires Trelleborg tires, Renthal sprockets and a quick throttle. When I tell you it was fas I mean stuped fast. Run right with a 125. My 125 was a Pro Circuit Peak antifreeze Honda. Runs right with the new one's. I'm thinking about running the 125 Alstar Racees next year I'm guessing I'll have to get an up to date 125 , but if I can run my 93 Cr watch out.
I ride CR80 and 125 both 1984 I LOVE 80 I’m now 50 yrs old I have arthritis I can’t ride no more but was FUN
I remember the first year for CR 80 it had a wicked top end I had the first year KX80 with a 5 speed I would always get the hole shot but that CR 80 always get me at top end I think it had a 6 speed my KX80 was Bottom and mid range power very Strong off the bottom that was the best 2 years of my childhood life my KX80 made 17hp the 85cc today make between 23 and 25hp Wow they are truly little Rockships
My cousin had a 1977 Yamaha YZ 80 and raced it in the 80cc class in the summer and fall of 1979 and in the spring of 1980 traded it for a new 1980 model CR80 Elsinore and continued to race it as well.
I had the 1991 Honda CR80r. I remember the first time i hit that powerband.
It had no torque at all.. Just straight up DEAD. Mid range not much.. You can feel slightly tho how the ''Turbo'' feeling is starting to rise.
And then we reach the top revs and omg! It hits like a Mike Tyson punch and just keeps revving! It feels like it never stops!
Really cool info, as I’ve hadvthev1980 and 1983. 83’ bring my favorite. Thanks for the awesome video
I had a brand New 1990 CR 80.
That bike was great....
I rode one of those old kx80s loved the bike
16 sounds about right for '80. All of them were about that, it was just about delivery. I never rode a CR then (1980) but heard they looped easily, like the KX. I remember kids saying the KX was unraceable for that. Uncontrollable getting on the gas hard.
I used to race a '93 and boy was it fast. But it was also super squishy and super pink!
Wow, so it basically used the same engine from 86 to 2007?! I rode a Yamaha YZ85 2002 model way back, I wonder if that bike too had the same engine since the 80s......
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it
i have a 04 cr85r it’s an awesome bike it’s so fast and it’s a shame honda stoped making these they would be ktm killers. but great vid man
Thanks!
My 2002 model cr 80!! Best bike I’ve owned the funnest to ride...
Man you got me wanting to go buy an old vintage bike. maybe an old YZ 250.. or Honda.. I've had plenty of fun on the 80's and I never got the chance to have riddin their bigger brothers.. It's time!
in late 2001 I was 9 years old and got a brand new 2002 cr80 to start racing 80s. I was still a pretty small at that age and ill never forget my first ride on it. i was just putting around at first then went to open it up on a straight away and ended up in a wheelie for a good 20-30 yards. Stock that bike was a rocket I had asv levers bigger foot pegs got the suspension set up for me. pro circuit pipe and a couple other things. I was so bummed because not long after they came out with 85 and and wanted the dual shrouds so bad and I though the 85 would be "faster" lol. Man I wish I my parents would've kept that bike when I went up to a 125. I wonder if its still around.
Tony blazer is one of a kind nobody cares about moto like this dude I'd burn laps with him all day. New Hampshire has wicked respect for you.
Ethan stroup thank you 🙏🏻
Please do a ktm 85/ 105 history!
Love your content.
I would love to but it is really hard to get much info on them here in the USA. They were not offered on a consistent basis over here.
I was a CR Support Rider during these years. The difference between the '87 and '88 model was HUGE. You understate it quite a bit, actually. When I went from the 87 to the 88, it was like going from a Pinto to Corvette. The ergonomics and handling on the '88 put it on completely different level. I remember thinking I was riding on the bike instead of in the bike. Loved that bike. For quite a few years after that they didn't change much except for Bold New Graphics.
I never rode either one personally. I was off mini bikes by then. I did ride my buddy’s 1989 and it was a handful. I’m relying on the reviews of the time and of course your experience could be much different 👍🏻
@@TheMotocrossVault I didn't mean to nitpick or offend. You did an excellent review and I look forward to watching your other videos. I just remember the difference between the '87 to '88 model years because of a race at the Southern Regional qualifiers for Lake Whitney in '88. Jeff Dement and I were banging bars pretty good that day. Up until then, I had never been able to hang with him for long. The '88 year model changed that for me, it made me feel like I was a good rider for the first time - it was big deal to a 12 year old kid. But take all of this with a grain of salt because those memories have sweetened with age over the past 30 years....but damn those were the days!
John-Michael Self lol I was not offended. I like hearing the personal experience people have with their machines. Sometimes people give me grief because I will say a bike was trash and they love their‘s but I did not think that’s what you were doing. 👍🏻
I had the 1980 and then the 82 cr 80s both awesome bikes
I'm pretty sure the 1981 was the last Elsinore made. That was my first bike and I still have it today!
1980 cr 80s power band was wild
Man I wanted a cr80 so dam bad it was ridiculous lol, fast forward 15 years and turned into a full blown Yamaha guy.
Nice work. Thanks!
How about the YZ-F progression as being the first thumper besides ATK?
Ahhh the 89, my first race bike.
Great channel
Could you do a history of the Honda ATC three wheelers? It would be great if you could.
Awesome video! How about doing a video on the Honda SL70. One of the bikes I first learned to ride on. A lot of my friends had those and would trail ride and a few even raced them.