Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X

  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News

Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X

  • One Click Sign-In

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    OR

    Sign in with your username and password

    • Sign In
  • Features
    • 10 Things
    • 30 Greatest AMA Motocrossers
    • 3 on 3
    • 250 Words
    • 450 Words
    • Between the Motos
    • Breakdown
    • Deals of the Week
    • GNCC Report
    • Great Battles
    • How to Watch
    • Injury Report
    • Insight
    • In the Mag, On the Web
    • Lockdown Diaries
    • Longform
    • MXGP Race Reports
    • My Favorite Loretta Lynn's Moto
    • Next
    • Observations
    • On This Day in Moto
    • Open Mic
    • Privateer Profile
    • Race Day Feed
    • Racerhead
    • Racer X Awards
    • Racer X Redux
    • Rapid Reaxtion
    • RX Exhaust
    • Saturday Night Live
    • Staging Area
    • The Conversation
    • The List
    • The Moment
    • Things We Learned at the Ranch
    • Unphiltered
    • Wake-Up Call
    • Where Are They Now
    • 50 Years of Pro Motocross
  • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Photo Galleries
    • The Weege Show
    • Racer X Films
    • Video
    • SX Preview Shows
    • Factory Tech Tip
    • MX Preview Shows
    • Behind The Bars
    • Racer X Rapid News
  • Races
    • Series Schedules
    • TV Schedules
    • Results
    • Champions
    • Teams
    • 2022 Numbers
  • Results
    • Points Standings
    • Race Results
    • Riders
    • The Vault
    • Loretta Lynn's Vault
  • Shop
  • About Us
  • The Mag
    • Digital Magazine Bookstand
    • Customer Care
    • Current Issue
    • Newsletter
    • Store Locator
    • Subscribe
    • Free Stickers
    • Sell Racer X
  • Table of Contents
  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News
Results Archive
GNCC
Hoosier
Articles
Overall Results
  1. Ben Kelley
  2. Trevor Bollinger
  3. Josh Toth
Full Results
XC2 Pro Results
  1. Lyndon Snodgrass
  2. Angus Riordan
  3. Liam Draper
Full Results
Supercross
Salt Lake City
Articles
450SX Results
  1. Jason Anderson
  2. Chase Sexton
  3. Justin Barcia
Full Results
250SX Showdown Results
  1. Nate Thrasher
  2. Hunter Lawrence
  3. Pierce Brown
Full Results
MXGP of
Italy
Articles
MXGP Results
  1. Tim Gajser
  2. Jeremy Seewer
  3. Maxime Renaux
Full Results
MX2 Results
  1. Jago Geerts
  2. Tom Vialle
  3. Stephen Rubini
Full Results
MXGP of
Sardegna
Articles
MXGP Results
  1. Calvin Vlaanderen
  2. Jorge Prado
  3. Glenn Coldenhoff
Full Results
MX2 Results
  1. Tom Vialle
  2. Jago Geerts
  3. Thibault Benistant
Full Results
Upcoming
GNCC
The John Penton
Sat May 21
Articles
Upcoming
Motocross
Fox Raceway 1
Sat May 28
Articles
Upcoming
Australian SX
Gillman
Sun May 29
Articles
Upcoming
MXGP of
Spain
Sun May 29
Articles
Full Schedule

Your Collection: '77 CR125M Restoration

March 15, 2009 10:59am
  • Home
  • Your Collection
  • Your Collection: '77 CR125M Restoration

This week's collection comes from David Camerson of Oro Valley, AZ. Have something cool to share? Everyone that submits a piece from their collection from now until March 31st will be entered to win a free Racer X t-shirt. You will be notified via e-mail if you are the winner! Please include your shirt size.

My 1977 CR 125M was found in Mammoth, Arizona leaning upon a old junk Camaro . It did not have a “For Sale” sign but I stopped and asked about the bike with a guy who was the owner’s nephew. I negotiated with the owner over the phone and he said “ Whatcha gimme fer it” and I said $200 and I immediately drove home went to an ATM and drove my truck back and took her home.

The motor was locked up and I suspected that she had seized, that was not the case. The reason the CR had not run in 20 years was the bottom end of the connecting rod had broken and the bearing disintegrated on the crankshaft. You can’t buy an OEM connecting rod for a 32 yr. old Honda 125 and I had to get a Hot Rod kit and have the crankshaft line bored for the 2mm larger crank pin, bearing and rod. While I was in the motor we replaced all bearings, seals, gaskets, and had the cylinder bored over with a new piston, ring, clips etc. I had the frame and shock springs powder coated and the tank and shock bodies were wet painted. I painted the side cases, bars , triple trees, hubs ,brake arm ,air box, motor mounts, and all brackets. The bike got all new plastic and a new seat cover, air cleaner and intake manifold. The clutch cable was replaced and a fresh NGK B9ES installed. I replaced the fork seals, fork oil and swing arm bushings. All spokes were sanded and new Dunlops were mounted. The carb had black tar in every jet and it was the hardness of carbide. The machine now starts on the first or second kick. I saw an identical Elsinore at an AHRMA event in Phoenix with a $6000 price tag! The Throttle Jockey number plate graphics completed the package!
 
In 1977 the Honda CR was NOT the bike to have in the 125 class. Honda’s dominance was over by 1976 and the YZ’s and RM’s were much better machines. The CR is VERY peaky and the suspension is limited. I had owned and raced a ‘75 CR 125M after the Hondas out ran my ‘73 Suzuki TM125 in the ‘74 season. The first CR 125 in ‘74 owned motocross. It weighed only 188 lbs. with fuel and had 20 horsepower. By 1978 the Suzuki RM 125C and Yamaha YZ 125E were hard to beat and the old Elsies faded into history.
 
The early Elsinores had problems with the frame breaking around the kick stand mount and the transmissions didn’t last forever. The swingarms were not too strong, bushings were plastic, and the rear shocks were bad. Most people who were serious changed the Keihin carb to a larger Mikuni and bought a aftermarket swingarm and set of shocks. Some racers modified the triple trees and put CR 250 forks on the 125. Common mods were a FMF or DG pipe and high performance cylinder head.

This restoration was a lot of work but well worth it when it ran again for the first time since the mid-80s. It will NOT be ridden in the desert!

Do you have a collection you'd like to see here? Just visit ThrottleJockey.com, click "Contacts," and use the provided email address.

Click here for the Your Collection archives.

  • Racer X Films: Kevin Windham Racer X Films: Kevin Windham 10:20am
Read Now
July 2022 Issue Now Available
Get Racer X on your iPhone
Check out all the exclusive content this month on any device!
Read Now
The July 2022 Digital Issue Availalbe Now

Motocross & Supercross News - Racer X

122 Vista Del Rio Drive, Morgantown, WV 26508 | 304-284-0084 | Contact Us
©1999 - 2022 Filter Publications LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
designed at: Website DesignImpulse Studios