TWO-STROKE TUESDAY: 1995 HONDA CR125

The 1995 Honda CR125 next to the CR250.

Honda’s first groundbreaking 125cc offroad motorcycle may have been the 1973 CR125M Elsinore. As a “followup” to the scrambler, a bike known for it’s lack of horsepower, the CR125M packed 20 horses under it’s light chassis. Fast forward 20 years, and the CR125 it still known as one of the fastest 125’s on the track. In 1995 the bike had poor bottom-end power but screamed on top. It also had excellent brakes and superb shifting. Since the 1973 Elsinore, a whole host of other changes happened like the single shock swingarm in 1981 and hydraulic front disc brakes in 1984. Some of the factory Honda riders who raced the CR125 included Jeremy McGrath, Doug Henry and Erik Kehoe. Honda eventually discontinued the CR125 in 2007.

Doug Henry on his CR125