1997 CR125

[El Liebre]

Just picked up a '97 CR125 yesterday and want to know more about it. What is a good pipe for it...how's the carb...what settings or even go with a different carb? What other parts are compatible? There isn't too much out there so any info on these things  would be appreciated.

I'm basicly keeping this thing stock but I can tell there is something wrong w this thing...it just seems slow...I'm thinking it's the carb...taking it apart today.

Pics coming soon.

[El Liebre]

Alright so taking this 125 apart I'm finding all sorts of surprises. Mostly a bunch if missed matched bolts that came from your local hardware store...even a few re-tapped standard bolts:/

Frame has been rattled canned red which I will powder coat a metallic charcoal grey. Sub-frame lower mounting holes will be ovaled out 5mm to lower the rear of the seat so it will be easier for my kid to throw her leg over. Inner clutch cover has a small hole that has been JB-welded and there's no plastic spacer where the actuator arm for the power valve is. After struggling with a seized cylinder nut I took the cylinder off I see the piston is a wiseco along with the crank. The head has a few dings in it, not sure how that happened but no biggie since I'm having the head and cylinder sent to EG for a big bore 144 kit. Even though the crank looks pretty good and within spec I'm having a problem with the fact that it's a wiseco crank. Wondering if I should split the case and toss the wiseco for an oem crank.

Anyways this is what I have going on so far. Sorry if I'm all over the place I'm not good at writing these things. Any suggestions is appreciated.

[El Liebre]

Also going with a 38mm carb

[sparky666]

Xt 350

[M3NT4L5]

Have any pictures of it from before you took it apart?

[El Liebre]

Pics from the CL ad cause my old phone took a crap over the holiday weekend. Since the bike is for my 13yr old daughter I figure I'll keep the low seat until she gets used to being on a big bike.

[Texas2Smoker]

I would definitely put an oem crank in there, along with new bearings. Who knows how many hours are on that Taiwanese crank. Your daughter's safety depends on that engine not locking up, and I wouldn't trust a Wiseco crank. It would probably be a good idea to get a new con rod, too. I'd go with Pro-X or an oem one. Wiseco rods have been known to snap, as you might know. And I don't know if you've heard about the experiences some people have had with Eric Gorr on here or not, but I wouldn't send anything to him. I would probably send my jug to Ken Oconner for a big bore, and also to have the rod put on the crank. And personally, I would send the cylinder off to US Chrome instead of having Ken Oconner plate it

[Bodessa69]

It just doesn't look right with that seat on that bike

[El Liebre]

Yeah I know Eric has a controversial rep around here but he did a great job on my 250 2yrs ago so I'm willing to give him another shot.

And the crank I'm thinking you're right...might as well do it right from the ground up.

[frdbtr]

Alright so taking this 125 apart I'm finding all sorts of surprises. Mostly a bunch if missed matched bolts that came from your local hardware store...even a few re-tapped standard bolts:/

Frame has been rattled canned red which I will powder coat a metallic charcoal grey. Sub-frame lower mounting holes will be ovaled out 5mm to lower the rear of the seat so it will be easier for my kid to throw her leg over. Inner clutch cover has a small hole that has been JB-welded and there's no plastic spacer where the actuator arm for the power valve is. After struggling with a seized cylinder nut I took the cylinder off I see the piston is a wiseco along with the crank. The head has a few dings in it, not sure how that happened but no biggie since I'm having the head and cylinder sent to EG for a big bore 144 kit. Even though the crank looks pretty good and within spec I'm having a problem with the fact that it's a wiseco crank. Wondering if I should split the case and toss the wiseco for an oem crank.

Anyways this is what I have going on so far. Sorry if I'm all over the place I'm not good at writing these things. Any suggestions is appreciated.

 

Yes, I would replace the crank.  I had a wiseco crank in my 01 cr80 and the kid I sold it to babied the thing for about 40 hours, we took the top end off and the cranks side to side play was out of this world.  If he had been a top level supermini racer, I could almost have excused that but he rode it like a 4 stroke, always in the low end.  Anyway, if you want to take a small risk (this is what I was going to do with my 94 cr144 if I was going to keep it), go with the OEM crank from the 05-07 cr125 since it is a better design and cheaper than the older model OEM cranks. I say small risk because Honda will tell you it isn't compatible but the hotrods crank says it is compatible with 125's from 90-07 and the stroke is identical so it should work fine.  On the 01 cr80 we put an 06 bottom end in it and what we noticed was the flywheel fit slightly different but the only problem it caused was we needed to use a flywheel cover spacer in order to get the flywheel weight to work on it.  without the flywheel weight you noticed no difference in fitment.

[frdbtr]

I would definitely put an oem crank in there, along with new bearings. Who knows how many hours are on that Taiwanese crank. Your daughter's safety depends on that engine not locking up, and I wouldn't trust a Wiseco crank. It would probably be a good idea to get a new con rod, too. I'd go with Pro-X or an oem one. Wiseco rods have been known to snap, as you might know. And I don't know if you've heard about the experiences some people have had with Eric Gorr on here or not, but I wouldn't send anything to him. I would probably send my jug to Ken Oconner for a big bore, and also to have the rod put on the crank. And personally, I would send the cylinder off to US Chrome instead of having Ken Oconner plate it

 

I've sent 3 cylinders/heads to Eric Gorr and never had a seconds trouble with him.  All my bikes rip after his work.  2 big bore kits and 1 cylinder porting job.  a 144 from Eric Gorr will be a good thing for this bike. 

[Texas2Smoker]

I've sent 3 cylinders/heads to Eric Gorr and never had a seconds trouble with him. All my bikes rip after his work. 2 big bore kits and 1 cylinder porting job. a 144 from Eric Gorr will be a good thing for this bike.

That's fine and I know a lot of people have had good luck with him, but I wouldn't want to be one of those horror stories. That's why I personally would not send anything to him.

[El Liebre]

Yes, I would replace the crank.  I had a wiseco crank in my 01 cr80 and the kid I sold it to babied the thing for about 40 hours, we took the top end off and the cranks side to side play was out of this world.  If he had been a top level supermini racer, I could almost have excused that but he rode it like a 4 stroke, always in the low end.  Anyway, if you want to take a small risk (this is what I was going to do with my 94 cr144 if I was going to keep it), go with the OEM crank from the 05-07 cr125 since it is a better design and cheaper than the older model OEM cranks. I say small risk because Honda will tell you it isn't compatible but the hotrods crank says it is compatible with 125's from 90-07 and the stroke is identical so it should work fine.  On the 01 cr80 we put an 06 bottom end in it and what we noticed was the flywheel fit slightly different but the only problem it caused was we needed to use a flywheel cover spacer in order to get the flywheel weight to work on it.  without the flywheel weight you noticed no difference in fitment.

 

 

That's funny cause I think I ran into that problem with my 03' 250 when I put an oem 05-07 crank in. But the problem came when I installed an 8oz Steahly ffw, it was barely rubbing against the inside of the ignition cover so I had them turn it down to 7oz and problem solved.

Ok I'll look into the 05-07 crank. What else is compatible with these 125 motors? I'm looking for an inner clutch cover and have been watching a few on ebay, I think one is from an 02'.

What size sprockets are you running with your 144?

[El Liebre]

This the inner clutch cover. The broken bolt hole for the power valve cover was tapped out with some sort of standard bolt..#rolleyes.

[frdbtr]

That's funny cause I think I ran into that problem with my 03' 250 when I put an oem 05-07 crank in. But the problem came when I installed an 8oz Steahly ffw, it was barely rubbing against the inside of the ignition cover so I had them turn it down to 7oz and problem solved.

Ok I'll look into the 05-07 crank. What else is compatible with these 125 motors? I'm looking for an inner clutch cover and have been watching a few on ebay, I think one is from an 02'.

What size sprockets are you running with your 144?

 

I'm running stock 13/51 gearing on my 144 and it pulls it really well on a MX track.  If I were riding tight single track I would either put the 53 tooth rear back on it or go with a 12 tooth front.  We rode it a couple of weekends ago on stock gearing on a pretty technical single track trail on a southern Utah mountain and it performed pretty well but could have done much better with shorter gearing.  It also had 5mm of exhaust spacer and a 38mm PWK airstriker carb on it.

 

They changed the stators in 05 and I think the older flywheels fit slightly differently on the shaft because of it.  Either way, without a flywheel weight no one would notice.  Also Steahly makes a spacer for the 10oz flywheel weight, you might have been able to get them to mail you one and wouldn't have had to turn down the weight if you didn't want to.

Edited September 3, 2014 by frdbtr

[frdbtr]

This the inner clutch cover. The broken bolt hole for the power valve cover was tapped out with some sort of standard bolt..#rolleyes.

 

I had that exact same problem with my inner clutch cover on my 94.  It now has a 96 cover on it.  I think anything from 94-99 (maybe older) would work for you but the older ones are black, 96-99 should work and be the same color. I don't think anything newer than 99 will work because they changed the power valve in 00.  One other thing, if you can come up with the parts to put a 98-99 power valve in it with your bb kit, you will get even more low end throttle response since those valves sealed better than the older ones. 

Edited September 3, 2014 by frdbtr

[Arctic Pride]

I had a 97 CR125 as well, last year before the ALM frame...I liked the steel frame through the woods compared to my buddies 98 alm but his was undeniably better on the track...

[frdbtr]

That's fine and I know a lot of people have had good luck with him, but I wouldn't want to be one of those horror stories. That's why I personally would not send anything to him.

 

My experience with EG tells me if he made a mistake he would correct it at no charge to me so really there is no risk at "becoming one of those horror stories".

[magpie5]

Eric is a pretty levelheaded guy as long as you communicate clearly without getting hotheaded. I believe the errors come through Millennium Technologies poor management style. Write out clearly what work you want done, and follow that with a phone call.

He reworked the cylinder on my 144 for free, when they changed Pistons from custom Wiseco to Wossner with the difference of .015 top height.

[Texas2Smoker]

My experience with EG tells me if he made a mistake he would correct it at no charge to me so really there is no risk at "becoming one of those horror stories".

No risk, huh? Well do what you think is best, but I'm sure that's what the other guys thought too when they got bent over. I'm sure they sent EG their stuff and fully expected him to actually do the job, and I bet they thought there was no risk in sending him their stuff either, but guess what they got their stuff messed up and he didn't correct it. I'm just trying to help you out by suggesting someone with a reputation for never doing anything like that, and I bet the prices are quite similar anyway.