Another excellent review Tony. I owned a brand new 1984 cr125 and can attest to it being quit under powered, especially when compared to the kx125. It handled really well, but boy, was it a dog. I remember the KX125's screaming past and wondering where was the missing power.
The best times growing up in the 80s and loving the crap out of all things dirt bikes. I always rode yz's, Xt's and whatever Yamaha made. Nowadays I appreciate all makes of dirt bikes made then. And it's funny how one remembers the articles and photos. Thanks much-needed
I owned one and raced it competitively against 1993 bikes. There was a used bike guide from Dirt Bike in the early '90's that reviewed it and they said, "if you can ride it for all it's worth, it can hold it's own against todays bikes." That became my mantra and it was for the most part true at the level I was racing at (B class). It was a great bike, and the handling had no quirks that needed to be addressed. Just hop on and go.
@@scottyd2262 wrong, these where 34hp. Also they were funnier to drive, as the torque was not linear like with the new ones, it was feeling like hitting turbo boost!
Nice! 1st big bike jump as a teen from the 80 class. Had a 85 CR125, 87 CR250 and 89 CR250. Been waiting for this! Great video! Love the OG pics! Gary Bailey, open face helmets and Scott venturi facemasks. 👍 Still waiting on one with the oddball 82 YZs. I had an 82 YZ80. I really digged the 80s era for mx. Regular changes from all manufacturers and the 82 YZs were proof they were willing to step out of the box. 👍👍 1st comment! 👍
Actually what was interesting in 84 and 85 was the dyno charts, the kx was stout in the mid range and made better power than the cr there but at peak the cr made the higher number. Dirt rider dyno had the kx at 23.5hp and the cr at 24.4 hp, again peak only, the kx of this era had a much stronger mid curve. From 86 up the cr was definitely faster than the kx.
Funny true story: I went to high school with a guy who, along with his riding buddy cousin, owned and rode 1982 Suzuki PE175Zs. We would talk about dirt bikes, what we liked, didn't like, what the magazines said about different models of dirt bikes, and all of the usual stuff guys who are into dirt bikes talk about. After we graduated high school, I didn't see them until a year later in the summer of 1984 when me and my riding buddy were riding in a sand and gravel bank. I was on my 1983 YZ125K and my buddy was on his 1984 IT200L, and both of these bikes were bought brand-new just a few months before. Surprisingly, we met our two PE175Z friends from high school at the riding spot that day and they wanted to try out our bikes - my buddy's IT200L and my YZ125K. In exchange, we got to take a ride on their PE175Zs. Knowing that the two PE riders always indicated in the past they liked to ride a variety of terrain - mainly trails and occasionally some more open sand and gravel banks - I expected them to dislike my YZ125K and prefer my buddy's IT200L due to the IT having more low-end and a more woods-friendly power delivery, similar to the PEs they'd been riding for a couple years by that point. Imagine my surprise when they were all smiles about how my YZ125K performed - they were basically amazed how the bike ran and I could see the gears turning in their heads as we talked about our bikes. I didn't see them for about a year after that, and when I did, they told me shortly after that bike swap meeting the year before they both went and bought brand-new 1985 Honda CR125Rs when they hit the showrooms. They said they really liked the bikes and were happy as clams at high tide. I thought this amazing because both of these riders always struck me as woods-oriented and they'd tell me how having good low-end torque was important to them. I'd have never guessed they'd buy a couple of CR125Rs.
Back in the 1980's I raced '80, '83. '84, & '85 CR125's The '85 was a big improvement. I tricked mine out with a Mugen engine kit (Cylinder, Head, Pipe, & modified Mikuni carb), Also a CRF reed Valve, Race Tech fork mods, & an Ohlins Shock. I wished I would have kept that bike, It really ripped with the modded motor & improved suspension, in '86 I raced a CR250 & that bike was a rocketship, All I did was add an FMF pipe & It really ripped. Honda ruled in the mid to late '80's for sure.
My CR125 1985 was faster than my friends YZ250 1986-87. My friend was so frustrated by that, Lol I can't remember how many times he wanted a rematch & I kept beating him every single time, I meant my CR125 ('85 ) Always at our same location in the back woods of my home town Montreal. These 2 trail's met up then a 3/4 to 1 mile stretch flat & graveled was awaiting ! You could never avoid , at any moment to ride like a bat out of hell through that stretch !!! Lmfao 30-40 years down the road, I would still do the same etc... He always took off ahead of me at every start ,but top end, I always used to catch up pretty fast & really whiz by him, enough to really make that difference to piss him off every time. It actually put a strain on our friendship but actually for a 16 year old fairly shy kid ( moi :-) , it really helped with confidence. It at least helped someone to get noticed & kinda "be somebody" from all the kids in the neighbor, when growing up back then really meant something , well at least for me. I will always remember "that" moment ! That friend I beat about "A dozen times" actually was a dick ! You know, in every little gang of kids in the hood, no matter where...There was always "The Guy" who bull shitted everyone, a guy who always "Thought" & acted like he was the best, or the toughest etc...That friend, was one of those guy's etc...so I grew out of that friendship a few years later or should I say "Time" had a funny way of pushing aside people of lesser value, or problem people only with bad intentions , the Me Myself & I type of folk etc.. I also remember that the KX125 was the faster bike, but I also remember Ross Peterson of Medicine Hat Alberta winning many many many many moto-cross championship's ! He was like "The Best" back then Probably in the World for a few years "Back then" & he was on the RM125. When your down to 125's or 250's all racing together it ain't the bike but the rider that makes the difference. That 1-2 second mistake once or twice in that hair-pin turn is enough to lose any race. That's only 4-5 seconds, enough to lose !
yes I rode a friend's 85 cr125 brand new and was heads and tails better than my 81 yz 125..like Tony said my bike was good to go 3 years previous..but by 1985 my bike was obselete
I had an 85 CR125, best bike I ever owned. Take abuse it can, used to bottom out the shocks cause it balanced perfect in the air and redline the engine 2 full summers before selling it (still ran perfect)
I had an 85 YZ 125 and that was the biggest POS. Sold it and bought the 85 CR and it was like i bought a Cadillac. One of my favorite bikes. I thought it had good power and always got good starts. Handled so well and was bullet proof. Wished i Still had it
Watching the manufacturers dice it up back then was a treat we’ll never see again. I miss the WORKS bikes too, I know they were unobtainable for the average Joe but boy were they gorgeous.
A great review Tony! I agree with you on the 1985 CR's overall package was good. In 1987 I bought a brand new 1986 cr125 as a carryover model, the dealer had the new 1987 cr125 model in stock however the 86 was a bit cheaper so I went with it. Now looking back I see the 1987 had changed to a rear disc brake over the rear drum of the 1986, I am not sure of anything else that had changed but there must have been more changes. The 86 had great power from the early 80's bikes that I had been used to riding. I would ride in the desert with my friend who had a 1985 Honda ATC250r and it was fast! On the motocross track is where the CR125 was really fun to ride. Have a great day!
Ken Kaplans Musium 1981 CR125. Tony you have very Awesome videos Brother! I'm going to push your channel,and try to get you more subs,and i think i know how to get you a good many more .
Another excellent review Tony. I owned a brand new 1984 cr125 and can attest to it being quit under powered, especially when compared to the kx125. It handled really well, but boy, was it a dog. I remember the KX125's screaming past and wondering where was the missing power.
The best times growing up in the 80s and loving the crap out of all things dirt bikes.
I always rode yz's, Xt's and whatever Yamaha made.
Nowadays I appreciate all makes of dirt bikes made then. And it's funny how one remembers the articles and photos.
Thanks much-needed
Yep I'm a yamaha man through and through.. Love them
Cool looking bike for sure. The 1980s really was a time when Japan stepped up the look of MX bikes.
I love the vids man. Let's a guys mind go back to a way more cooler time in the moto world.
I owned one and raced it competitively against 1993 bikes. There was a used bike guide from Dirt Bike in the early '90's that reviewed it and they said, "if you can ride it for all it's worth, it can hold it's own against todays bikes." That became my mantra and it was for the most part true at the level I was racing at (B class). It was a great bike, and the handling had no quirks that needed to be addressed. Just hop on and go.
I have a 93 CR 125 that still flat out fly's. But the CR is the only bike that last 4-Ever.
Hade cr and kx 125 both bullet proof, not just honda.
Take me back to the 80's and leave me there
I had this bike... two words HEAD SHAKE!
That's a really good looking bike.
how would the power of this years 125 compare to a modern KTM 125?
They don't..
@@scottyd2262 what are the biggest differences?
@@swedish_sadhguru3854 New KTM's put out nearly 40hp where these don't even put out 30hp
@@scottyd2262 wrong, these where 34hp. Also they were funnier to drive, as the torque was not linear like with the new ones, it was feeling like hitting turbo boost!
Nice! 1st big bike jump as a teen from the 80 class. Had a 85 CR125, 87 CR250 and 89 CR250. Been waiting for this! Great video! Love the OG pics! Gary Bailey, open face helmets and Scott venturi facemasks. 👍
Still waiting on one with the oddball 82 YZs. I had an 82 YZ80. I really digged the 80s era for mx. Regular changes from all manufacturers and the 82 YZs were proof they were willing to step out of the box. 👍👍
1st comment! 👍
Bring on the 82's. I had an 81 yz 125 that was very similar to the 82s less the power valve
@@Eric--zs6um The 80s were great times for riding...
Actually what was interesting in 84 and 85 was the dyno charts, the kx was stout in the mid range and made better power than the cr there but at peak the cr made the higher number. Dirt rider dyno had the kx at 23.5hp and the cr at 24.4 hp, again peak only, the kx of this era had a much stronger mid curve. From 86 up the cr was definitely faster than the kx.
Great video. Had an 85 KX125, great engine in that bike.
Funny true story:
I went to high school with a guy who, along with his riding buddy cousin, owned and rode 1982 Suzuki PE175Zs.
We would talk about dirt bikes, what we liked, didn't like, what the magazines said about different models of dirt bikes, and all of the usual stuff guys who are into dirt bikes talk about.
After we graduated high school, I didn't see them until a year later in the summer of 1984 when me and my riding buddy were riding in a sand and gravel bank.
I was on my 1983 YZ125K and my buddy was on his 1984 IT200L, and both of these bikes were bought brand-new just a few months before.
Surprisingly, we met our two PE175Z friends from high school at the riding spot that day and they wanted to try out our bikes - my buddy's IT200L and my YZ125K.
In exchange, we got to take a ride on their PE175Zs.
Knowing that the two PE riders always indicated in the past they liked to ride a variety of terrain - mainly trails and occasionally some more open sand and gravel banks - I expected them to dislike my YZ125K and prefer my buddy's IT200L due to the IT having more low-end and a more woods-friendly power delivery, similar to the PEs they'd been riding for a couple years by that point.
Imagine my surprise when they were all smiles about how my YZ125K performed - they were basically amazed how the bike ran and I could see the gears turning in their heads as we talked about our bikes.
I didn't see them for about a year after that, and when I did, they told me shortly after that bike swap meeting the year before they both went and bought brand-new 1985 Honda CR125Rs when they hit the showrooms.
They said they really liked the bikes and were happy as clams at high tide.
I thought this amazing because both of these riders always struck me as woods-oriented and they'd tell me how having good low-end torque was important to them.
I'd have never guessed they'd buy a couple of CR125Rs.
I have kept mine, although it is sitting quietly at garage for the last 15 years... I hope one day to find the courage and make it fly again!
Back in the 1980's I raced '80, '83. '84, & '85 CR125's The '85 was a big improvement. I tricked mine out with
a Mugen engine kit (Cylinder, Head, Pipe, & modified Mikuni carb), Also a CRF reed Valve, Race Tech fork mods, &
an Ohlins Shock. I wished I would have kept that bike, It really ripped with the modded motor & improved suspension,
in '86 I raced a CR250 & that bike was a
rocketship, All I did was add an FMF pipe & It really ripped. Honda ruled in the mid to late '80's for sure.
“It did help to extend the lifespan of your undershorts” had me chuckling.
My very first bike was a very used 85 CR125.
My CR125 1985 was faster than my friends YZ250 1986-87. My friend was so frustrated by that, Lol I can't remember how many times he wanted a rematch & I kept beating him every single time, I meant my CR125 ('85 ) Always at our same location in the back woods of my home town Montreal. These 2 trail's met up then a 3/4 to 1 mile stretch flat & graveled was awaiting ! You could never avoid , at any moment to ride like a bat out of hell through that stretch !!! Lmfao 30-40 years down the road, I would still do the same etc... He always took off ahead of me at every start ,but top end, I always used to catch up pretty fast & really whiz by him, enough to really make that difference to piss him off every time. It actually put a strain on our friendship but actually for a 16 year old fairly shy kid ( moi :-) , it really helped with confidence. It at least helped someone to get noticed & kinda "be somebody" from all the kids in the neighbor, when growing up back then really meant something , well at least for me.
I will always remember "that" moment ! That friend I beat about "A dozen times" actually was a dick ! You know, in every little gang of kids in the hood, no matter where...There was always "The Guy" who bull shitted everyone, a guy who always "Thought" & acted like he was the best, or the toughest etc...That friend, was one of those guy's etc...so I grew out of that friendship a few years later or should I say "Time" had a funny way of pushing aside people of lesser value, or problem people only with bad intentions , the Me Myself & I type of folk etc..
I also remember that the KX125 was the faster bike, but I also remember Ross Peterson of Medicine Hat Alberta winning many many many many moto-cross championship's ! He was like "The Best" back then Probably in the World for a few years "Back then" & he was on the RM125. When your down to 125's or 250's all racing together it ain't the bike but the rider that makes the difference. That 1-2 second mistake once or twice in that hair-pin turn is enough to lose any race. That's only 4-5 seconds, enough to lose !
85 they changed the look and it did look amazing. 1990 and up the CRs really came into their game.
yes I rode a friend's 85 cr125 brand new and was heads and tails better than my 81 yz 125..like Tony said my bike was good to go 3 years previous..but by 1985 my bike was obselete
I had an 85 CR125, best bike I ever owned. Take abuse it can, used to bottom out the shocks cause it balanced perfect in the air and redline the engine 2 full summers before selling it (still ran perfect)
I had an 85 YZ 125 and that was the biggest POS. Sold it and bought the 85 CR and it was like i bought a Cadillac. One of my favorite bikes. I thought it had good power and always got good starts. Handled so well and was bullet proof. Wished i Still had it
Imagine how insane those 2 strokes would be today with more yrs of refinement.
Owned more than a few hondas loved them all bullet proof bikes. Lucky for honda toyota stayed out of bikes or they would have real competition lol
2 times in 1 minute you mention yourself ! first & last name !! Boy, you really love yourself !! lol
Watching the manufacturers dice it up back then was a treat we’ll never see again. I miss the WORKS bikes too, I know they were unobtainable for the average Joe but boy were they gorgeous.
Many works parts and engineering appeared on stock bikes in 1 to 3 yrs later. Made for fun every yr different bike winning best bike awards.
The Honda CR of the 1985 was really sexy.
Le Honda di metà anni "80 erano un vero spettacolo da guardare e di potenza.
👍👍👍🖐️
A great review Tony! I agree with you on the 1985 CR's overall package was good. In 1987 I bought a brand new 1986 cr125 as a carryover model, the dealer had the new 1987 cr125 model in stock however the 86 was a bit cheaper so I went with it. Now looking back I see the 1987 had changed to a rear disc brake over the rear drum of the 1986, I am not sure of anything else that had changed but there must have been more changes. The 86 had great power from the early 80's bikes that I had been used to riding. I would ride in the desert with my friend who had a 1985 Honda ATC250r and it was fast! On the motocross track is where the CR125 was really fun to ride. Have a great day!
Love these videos 👍
Thank you!
Always looking forward to new content. Your videos take me back in time. Love the old brochures.
Ken Kaplans Musium 1981 CR125. Tony you have very Awesome videos Brother! I'm going to push your channel,and try to get you more subs,and i think i know how to get you a good many more .