More-For-'94 Honda Crs

MORE-FOR-'94 HONDA CRs

ARE LOOKS SOMETIMES deceiving? You bet they are. Honda’s 1994 CR motocrossers may look unchanged except for their new graphics, but each model has been the recipient of at least a little fiddling.

Most changed is the CR250, which comes this year with a new frame built of thicker tubing to provide more rigidity. The engine’s mounts were raised 5mm to provide, Honda says, better traction and handling. Hung onto the back of the frame is a new swingarm with a stouter cross-section.

The bike’s Showa shock gets a new piston similar to that used in the works shocks. The Showa fork has thicker, untapered, outer tubes with a shorter upper section. Spring rates on both the shock and the fork have been increased this year.

Changes to the already very potent engine are minor, and

emphasize smoother transition between lowand midrange power. This was achieved, Honda says, through a change in the shape of the intake port and a change in the location of the exhaust port.

The major change for the CR500 involves a Showa shock replacing the KYB unit of last year. Increased spring rates, stronger rims and larger-diameter spokes on the rear wheel round off mechanical changes for the biggest CR.

The CR125, meanwhile, gets a new KYB fork. At the rear, the swingarm pivot gets a larger pivot bolt and redesigned Heim joints for increased durability. Particularly welcome on the 125 is a muffler that has 83 percent more packing to tone down the exhaust note of what last year was a very loud motocrosser.

Jimmy Lewis