Millennium Motocrossers
Millennium Motocrossers
JIMMY LEWIS
Honda CR25OR New from the knobs up Why is it that Honda has been taking so much heat for its aluminum-framed CR250? The bike hasn't been that bad, it's just been searching for a good setup. In 1997 it was a supercrosser, and in `98 it was more of an off-road racer. The '99 model was a great compromise, but by then the twin-spar frame had begun to feel a bit thick between the legs. And even though it was the lightest 250 on the scales, it felt the heaviest. So, to fix all of the above concerns, Big Red went all-new for 2000. The thinner-walled and thinner-railed aluminum frame holds an even more potent engine that will have even the mighty Suzuki RM250 shaking in its cylinder walls. Power is delivered in a way more serious fashion, feeling like the '98 CR but with a more controllable hit. How'd they do that? Easy: They just filled in the soft parts of the powerband and let the rider use a
little throttle control. It works; we were looking for taller gearing to get the most out of the motor. With the frame comes a new riding position that, judging by the numbers, would appear to be more cramped than previous CRs. But on the bike, you feel more spread out, in a very aggressive position. You tend to sit farther forward, and with the taller handlebar and thinner frame mid-section, the Honda is again at the head of the class in ergonomics. All of the CR's previous high points remain, such as top-shelf brakes, silky clutch action, superior attention to detail (witness the single-sized bodywork fasteners that replace the five different sizes/types used previously) and bearing-equipped chain rollers. Even the as-delivered jetting and suspension settings didn't require hours of fiddling, as with past CRs. Our only complaint is that the new black gas tank will cause a sudden spill or two, because it's difficult to see the fuel level inside. Now, only shootout time awaits-eagerly for the CR250.
Kawasaki KX250
No more nervous Novices
Last year, if you were a Novice motocrosser and wanted the bike that best fit your skill level, the KX was undoubtedly your number-one choice. Its plush suspension and unflappable stability made anyone this side of a cruiser rider envious. And the velvet sledgehammer of a motor didn’t hurt either.
So, where did Kawasaki point the fix-it stick for ’00? At the suspension, for starters.
The new, KYB internal-bladder front fork with straight-rate fork springs mated to the good ol’ Uni-Trak rear suspension keep the plushness that we loved, but kick it up a notch for those hard chargers who need stiffer settings. The front end still feels soft, but doesn’t act like it. Still with the KX are its great turning capability (especially with the fork tubes slid up to 10mm above the top clamp) and excellent stability. Now you can aim for the big bumps with confidence, because the front end will soak it up without bottoming.
The engine’s ability to pull taller gearing is testimony to the KX250’s speed. Yet the Kawasaki is as friendly as ever. The only gripe we have is the shifting, which is a bit notchy. And while the clutch works well on the track, it’s grabby off the starting line.
The year 2000 will again see the KX250 as the Novice’s choice, only spreading farther
up the ability scale. The green machine definitely takes the cake for the plushest MXer.
Honda CR125R
IVIix-n-match MXer
“I think I’ll take the Honda with the Kawasaki's forks and the Yamaha’s carburetor...”
With the Y2K CR125, you get the same second-generation aluminum frame as on the CR250, but that’s not all. The little Honda is the most radically changed motocrosser that isn’t altogether new. It gets a new RSI25 roadracer-derived powervalve, a new bladderinternal KYB fork and a Mikuni 36mm carb, replacing the Keihin from years past.
So, how does it run? Let’s just say that everything short of a Yamaha YZ125 feels soft compared to it, especially in midrange and top-end power. It doesn’t quite recall the CRl25’s glory days, but as long as you scream it, you’ll get around the racetrack pretty quickly. In terms of handling and suspension, the 125 mirrors the 250, all good for sure.
Yamaha YZ250
Better blue streak Wrapped inside the confines of the Y2K YZ250's plastic, alu minum and steel lies every fix possible. Sitting through the tech briefing and examining the spec sheet, we realized that there wasn't an aspect of the YZ that hadn't been changed for the better: roomier riding compartment, better suspension, more motor. Does it deliver? And how! We thought last year's engine was responsive and torquey; well, the `00 YZ has a surprise in store with snappy power capable of sending Jeremy McGrath flying over 80-foot triple-jumps from a 5-foot takeoff. Though it signs off a bit abruptly, the YZ's engine will appeal to those who like snap-and-burst power. As is the case with the YZ125, the suspension was made stiffer initially to let riders use the whole stroke, rather than sacking to mid-stroke and losing trav el. On the 250, you can really feel the lighter front end, thanks to the aluminum (replacing steel) fork cartridges. And looking at the new forward handlebar posi tion with its trick, on-the-fly quick-adjust clutch lever, it's apparent that Yamaha fired its fleet of stumpy, 5-foot, 2-inch testers and hired some real men to develop the new models. Next stop, shootout!
Suzuki RM125
On the right track
Although the RM250 wasn’t ready in time for this issue,
Suzuki let us flog the year-2000 RM 125 for a day. And for a bike with such a short list of improvements, the little RM has come a long way.
Last year, we were perplexed by the unbalanced feel of the suspension. That’s gone. Also, the power was strung a bit too low for a 125. Now, it screams.
It’s like a bike that you’d spent all year tweaking, only it comes this way. You feel instantly at home. Forget about past RMs’ notoriously twitchy handling, the new 125’s balanced suspension lets the bike retain its agile feel without any hint of instability. Now, it’s confidence-inspiring and tracks great.
The motor’s new willingness to rev and smooth delivery won’t impress you with arm-jerking power, but it will propel the bike around the track faster than before. It bogs a bit more easily on the low-end than some of the other 125s, but it isn’t slow in a tum-to-tum drag race. Especially if you keep it singing.
In terms of refinement, the RM 125 has come a long way. If the RM250 gets the same treatment, we can only imagine how good it will be. The yellow bikes definitely are on the right track.
Yamaha YZ1Z5
Maximum motodrive
Do not doubt Yamaha. Because the 125 with the mostest, meatiest, super-throwdown engine just got even better. We don't know how the engineers did it. but we've ^ quit thinking that they’re only going to mess things up by playing with the bikes.
’ ¿ : (Has anyone checked the displacement on this thing lately?) The '00 YZ 125 just plain .'•v rips, putting it three steps ahead of its class. Yamaha snuck in a bit more low -end and midrange power without losing anything on top. It just doesn’t feel as fast as the '99. ?€? because the bottom end got filled in and the top end doesn't surge as much anymore.
The most significant change is the stiffer overall ride, courtesy of suspension settings that favor Pros and Novices, but Intermediates w ill just have to ride faster.
That’s because a hard-charging Pro or a hit-all-the-bumps Novice w ill get the most out of a suspension that lets the rider feel more of the ground’s imperfections, and rides a bit higher in its stroke. More like a CR and less like a KX. We found the YZ tackled straight-line obstacles better than last year’s model, but turning and those pesky, bumpy ruts take Pro-level speeds to make the bike work. After experimenting w ith suspension settings and finally returning to standard, we found that dropping the fork slightly lower in the triple-clamps helped, but didn't completely fix things.
A big plus is the new roomier cockpit, result of the revised handlebar bend and new clamps. The bar itself is as good as an aftermarket item, except it bends in the first crash.
Oh well, nothing’s perfect.
