Your Collection: 1979 CR125
Sunday, February 10, 2013 | 10:05 AM
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PrintThis weeks collection comes to us from Mike Varsava in Canada
I bought a new 1979 CR125 when they originally came out. When I recently saw this barn find, I had to have it. It needed engine seals, a clutch, top end, chain, sprockets, grips, levers and a good bath. The tank, plastic, seat and fork boots are all original. The tires appear to be original as well. I repainted the shock bodies. The bike sounds and runs great.
I share these photos to celebrate our hometown moto-hero Cole Thompson who is railing himself a pro career in AMA MX.
Thanks
Mick Varsava
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What a great find. The bike still looks cool. I had the same fire bike but it was a 250.
Wasn't that the 23" front wheel model.
PK
Badness,never had a honda,always an RM or YZ,but always thought those hondas were cool,the local guys that had,em could make them sing
I gotta quit clicking on this section without a chin guard. What a beauty, the year I graduated lol. Racing then was like racing now, it's 75% rider IMO. I remember when Can Am's were not cool, unless you were Mark Muscleman. He would embarass you on his "off brand" lol.
sweet machine..marty smith?
@PMK..yes the dreaded 23" wheel. Honda CR's in this era were cool though. Nice bike Mike.
Yes I was going to mention the dreaded 23 inch fron tire also! I made a comment about the Honda headshake even on the first 73 piston prt elsinores but I was told the "shake" did not start till 78, but the first time I rode an Elsinore I tried to shut it down fro topped in 6th and it shook me or spit me off the first 2 mnts I was on it! Might be because I was a Yamaha Man and the Honda did not like me?
@ 2damnold torace---- I still have a yellow or white Jofa guard if you want to borrow one?
Sweet looking Elsinore.
whaa..........the hoop! that brings back some nightmares....... and then what was it, maybe '02.... honda was offering a 20" front? its interesting to watch the engineering process over a lifetime.
were can-ams ever cool???
I have two of these and a '78 250.
I think you mean KTM regarding Musselman. Now, KTM rules!
Can-Ams were very fast in the time and no I never raced one.
The white plastic tank can-am's were totally cool.
I second that with the can-am white plastic tanks. Thought they always looked cool.
I just read the new MXA issue (March) and in Jody's Box he said the 1979 Honda CR 125 was the worst bike of that year. He said the bike swapped at any speed over any bump and handled like a dish rag.
The hot set up for 79 125 was to cut and remove part of the frame under the tank so the chassis would work with a 21" wheel instead of the 23".
I seem to remember that Al Baker was the creator of the mod.
Those who raced the 79 without the mod had a riding position that looked alot like the guys who rode the 80 model "banana framed" Maico's.
The same bike was featured back in December....
Nice find, very original, sweeet!!!
I had a '79 CR 250, and it had a "regular" 21" front wheel. Why did they decide to put the 23" wheel on just the 125? Anyone know? That certainly was strange.
Musselman did ride Can-Am, you just have to go back in time a little further.
I didn't own one but my riding buddy (at the time) did. I thought it looked really cool and had a pretty good motor!
Jody was right in that it handled real loosey goosey but we really didn't know any better at the time. And yes, it finished last in the MXA shootout that year.
Beautiful bike nice and clean! I still think the air cooled two strokes look the coolest.
Nice bike and great work. I don't think Honda ever had a worse idea than that 23inch hoop !
I raced one of these in the pro class for a year.
The good points.
It was very comfortable, the ergonomics were great.
Seat was very good.
Shifting was probably the best of any bike I’ve owned.
The bad points.
Brakes started out terrible, then got worse when worn or wet.
The clutch was an on off switch.
The power band was miserable, zero bottom end, a huge rush in the middle, then nothing on top. This combined with the clutch made it hard to ride in off road races, especially in the woods.
With a 23” on the front it was scary, I cut the frame and switched to a 21”, then it was only bad.
The rims would crack all the way across and break.
The forks would work OK if you fiddled with them enough, but flexed badly.
The shocks worked about the same (flexed too) but wore out quickly (a good thing). I put Fox Air shocks on it.
It was the worst bike I ever raced, looked good though.
A couple other things.
The stock tires were the worst tires that ever had knobs on them, the slightest hint of moisture and they would lose all traction and you would be sideways.
It was very loud
The cranks were set up too tight and the bottom end bearings would let go, not good when trying to clear an old school double.
The aluminum tank would dent when you landed hard on it, which was rather often because of how it handled.
Had the 1980 model,plastic tank 21 front wheel. Cost $850 out the door as a left over in 81
Very good yr for motocross thanks! The idea of the 23 front was, more tire to soak up the bumps. I never had a honda but Many RM'S. And by god I WAS COOL on a 1974canned ham 125
The uncool part of the very fast canned ham 125, was when she blew up, that rotary injection gizmo costs alot more than a carry out boy could make in a summer. Then we went to TM'S then RM'S.
Awesome. That is one sweet ride. Im envious. thanks for sharing.