Old bikes vs new bikes

I know that i newer bike handles better and is more technologically advanced. I want an old project bike. What is the power like on older bikes? 1986 cr125 is what im looking at. How comparable is the power from that bike to a newer 125? Way less power? Same?
 
I know that i newer bike handles better and is more technologically advanced. I want an old project bike. What is the power like on older bikes? 1986 cr125 is what im looking at. How comparable is the power from that bike to a newer 125? Way less power? Same?

That bike was pretty much a rocket, nothing special about the low end and had a decent midrange. Very good top end though....I believe the hp was in the mid twenties. I think that with a decent rider that bike could compete power wise with the newer 125's.....Suspension was good but I don't believe it had disc brakes yet.
 
That bike was pretty much a rocket, nothing special about the low end and had a decent midrange. Very good top end though....I believe the hp was in the mid twenties. I think that with a decent rider that bike could compete power wise with the newer 125's.....Suspension was good but I don't believe it had disc brakes yet.

No discs your right.
 
So my friend has an 86 cr 125. The bike used to run, ive ridden with him. Tons of parts: Rims, gears, pipes, plastics, tanks, spare frame. Thing is, the motor is in boxes. If i can pick it up should i? Even if i have to find another motor. Would other ones fit that bike?years, cc? probably paying around 100 bucks so seems like a dealto me :rocker:
 
Last time the bike was rippin i was there. Then buddy took it on the paved road, pinned it to about 4th gear and next thing ya know the con rod snapped in 2 and there is a huge hole in the cases.
 
If it is honestly an 86 the front was a disc. Forks were getting good for natural terrain and really didnt get any better until the mid 90's. About 5-7 hp down at peak.

Not sure if you get notifications if i dont directly reply to you, but maybe you can have a look at my above posts. Thanks ^^^^^^^^^^
 
Worth good money in parts @ $100 if you can be bothered otherwise it will get costly!
The 87 is regarded nowadays as a better all round bike and best front end of that era,
If I had a spare bit of cash I'd buy a 1997 or there about! Yes 97!
 
Worth good money in parts @ $100 if you can be bothered otherwise it will get costly!
The 87 is regarded nowadays as a better all round bike and best front end of that era,
If I had a spare bit of cash I'd buy a 1997 or there about!

I want to have a project going. Im in the process of selling my Crf230 and i have a yz250f which runs good, but ive never had a good running bike before and i get bored if i dont got anything to work on.
 
Go for it and get your teeth into it and make it your bike!
Get a new engine that runs first off, I could be wrong but I don't think you'll be able to put a cr250 engine in without a bit of serious ball ache but it wil have been done!
You could chuck in an XR engine for low maintenance if you want a more reliable bike but if you do go old CR engine hope it's a good one for you because they can go wrong as you seen already leading you to needing a new engine! Just sayin!
If all the bearings throughout and suspension plastics and wheels are hammered already then it will spend a fair bit of time and cash being fixed but as you said you like a project like me too but just pick wisely before you go ball deep in it as you'll easy spend the price of a usable 97 cr125 rebuilding that engine!
 
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I do love old Honda cr's :hail: and some of their other Jap counterparts too as they were built from great quality steels and alloys all the way through to the late 90's but the global economy meltdown and China buying up all our ( UK + USA's ) crap scrap metal for years :doh: most major intl manufacturers started farming production of parts out to China more and more to the point where we find ourselves today looking at rusty 3 year old Hondas and yams etc with cheap electrical and mechanical components!! They're even making Audis FFS
Big let down modern motoring is!:picard:
Old bikes win for me and given just one bike to have I would grab a late 90s to very early 2000's XR400R
 
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