1983 Honda CR250R Rebuild

[SlowDinoDog]

I brought home a classic 1983 Honda CR250R this week. I plan to rebuild it and use it in Vintage races. I'm in the process of getting it to fire up. Cleaning tank / carb / air filter. Changing oil / rad fluid. New plug. Going to put on my boots and try left foot kick start in a couple days.

[Into the sunset]

Nice bike you have there! Keep us posted.

[SlowDinoDog]

Started disassembling and cleaning bike.

[SlowDinoDog]

This is an early generation progressive link suspension. You can see from photos that shock is not centered in swingarm and swingarm is not symmetric. Rear shock has separate reservoir.

y

Edited January 17, 2017 by Sofiedog

[SlowDinoDog]

Removed and cleaned rear subframe (a Honda first for this '83), airbox, and carb.

Carb looked good.

Previous owner was running a #160 main

The needle was marked 28P, clip was in top slot

The slide was marked with the numbers 3.5 and 03F

The slide looked pretty worn in the slot on the surface that the idle speed screw rides against

Edited January 17, 2017 by Sofiedog

[SlowDinoDog]

Reed valve looks stock? I didn't mess with it. I just wanted to clean carb and find out how it was jetted.

Carb boots are in good shape and seal well.

Edited January 17, 2017 by Sofiedog

[SlowDinoDog]

Changed oil. Used 800cc Rotella 5W-40 T6 Synthetic oil in the cases.

Reinstalled carb and airbox and new air filter. Radiators were full.

I left Idle mixture screw at 1 turn out, where previous owner had it.

Mixed up some 91 octane gas and Spectro Premix in a 32:1 ratio. (Spectro bottle says to mix at 53:1? )

Kicked a while with choke on, approx 50 F.

Tried left leg kick sitting on bike, but ended up kicking right footed standing next to bike.

Got bike to start. Didn't want to idle so I turned in idle speed screw a few turns.

Bike made lots of smoke. I have an exhaust leak where pipe attached to head and at the extension between pipe and silencer.

https://youtu.be/dM153ncOAno

Edited January 17, 2017 by Sofiedog

[SlowDinoDog]

looks like the exhaust pipe gasket for the pipe to attach the the flange on the head, p/n 18359-KA4-700, is out of stock/production. I need to find an alternative.

Edited January 17, 2017 by Sofiedog

[Pygmy Warrior]

I used part number 18359-KA5-690 for my 83 CR480. The CR480 seal is listed as the same part number as your 83 Cr250, so it will work.  You just need to cut it to the proper length.

[SlowDinoDog]

I used part number 18359-KA5-690 for my 83 CR480. The CR480 seal is listed as the same part number as your 83 Cr250, so it will work. You just need to cut it to the proper length.

Thanks Pygmy..just ordered a few of them..

[SlowDinoDog]

I have a few things to do before the bike is rideable. The front tire is cracked badly and needs to be replaced. There seems to be too much play in rear wheel. I'm going to replace the bearings. The chain is too worn. I'm going to replace both sprockets and the chain at the same time.

All in all, it was a good find. It looks mostly original and in good condition. The only obvious new parts are the plastic side panels, shrouds, seat cover, tires and front fender. All else looks original, to me.

Edited January 18, 2017 by Sofiedog

[mxsteve1968]

nice bike. getting pretty hard to find in that condition

[FroggerXCF]

I owned the '84 model. Brings back alot of good memories. ATAC chamber, lol.

[SlowDinoDog]

This is my first CR...so I'm no expert...supposedly, the '83 was a sweet motor with a broad power band, for the day. Had significant changes from '82. There was no ATAC in '83. The'84 was all new ATAC engine with kickstart back on right side?

[FroggerXCF]

Wow never realized the '83 had a left side kicker. Wtf were they thinking?Yep the ATAC was on the '84.

[knucklespisano]

I had an 82 CR480 with left side kick starter. For shorty's like me, 5'6", I could stand on the left side to start it with my right foot. I also learned to start it with my left foot while on the bike. I can still kick start a CR500 with R or L, comes in pretty handy in tight situations.

Edited January 19, 2017 by knucklespisano

[SlowDinoDog]

If you're interested, you can watch old MX videos from the late 70's and see the factory Honda race bikes with the left side kickstarter. By '83 it looks like the factory bikes were back to a right side kickstarter and that's what showed up in the '84 production bikes.

[Into the sunset]

This is my first CR...so I'm no expert...supposedly, the '83 was a sweet motor with a broad power band, for the day. Had significant changes from '82. There was no ATAC in '83. The'84 was all new ATAC engine with kickstart back on right side?

I'm dating myself here but I remember a Vet rider buying a new 84 and promptly selling so he could buy another 83. He preferred everything on the 83 over the 84 and that was before the spotty reliability reared its ugly head later that year.

[jmc02]

I live in AZ and sold my 1983 CR250 to a guy in Apache Junction probably 20 years ago. I wished I would have kept it for sure.

Nice bike you have there.

[SlowDinoDog]

First things, first...got a '82-'83 CR250R Shop Manual on ebay.

I've gotten a lot of the bike taken apart to see what I have.

Edited January 24, 2017 by Sofiedog