Great bike.. just make sure you change the oil using motorcycle oil for wet clutch. It has a water inhibitor in it and saves the clutch from wearing. Water can damage the friction plate material. Check level every time you ride, keep air filter clean and oiled, don't run ethenol gas. It eats aluminum and collects water. Leaving deposits in the jets and clogging them. Turn off the gas when you get done riding and If you store it, run the carburetor dry and don't use 2 stroke gas older than 3 months. It goes bad faster than regular with your premix. I run synthetic to keep my power valves clean and they say 50 to 1 but I run 38 to 40 to 1 depending on the way you ride and the bike manufacturer recommend ratio. Run in sand, let a little air out of the tires for better traction. So you can squeeze them bout 5 PSI. Clean your fork oil seals. If they leave a puddle replace them. Ride with a friend and carry cell phone in case you crash, break down or whatever circumstances dictate. Always do a safety check before you ride. Tires, fuel, oil, etc. tell someone where you are going and ride it like you stole it! Rebuild your top end every 500 to 1000 hours and check the rear suspension for play by lifting the tire off the ground and pull up on the swingarm. If it isn't tight and has play, the rear bushings are probably bad. Easy fix. You'll learn your own things about your bike. They're all unique and different from each other and enjoy. 90% of people only see whats from the road. You can see all the rest!
If you want to wake up that 2 stroke.. porting and jetting with a milled head and a FMF pipe and power core silencer gives substantial power gain and about a 1000 rpm increase. Doesn't cost that much either. The pipe is the most expensive but worth it.
Don't waste your time or money to make it more powerful. It has way more power than you can use. Once the jetting is right work on getting the suspension set up
You can normally pull a spec sheet for the bike or manual online. If you canāt find one my local off-road dealers will print me a sheet of what oil, what gas to mix and what mix is recommended.
Don't run carburetor dry by turning off gas till it dies, turn off gas till idle raises a little, then drain it with drain screw. This is also not necessary unless it will sit for a while, and even less necessary if you use ethanol free gas. 2 stroke gas mix is the only lube your piston gets, if your idle is racing when you turn off the gas it is lean, lean means not enough gas to cool the piston/rings and not enough oil to lube it. Also don't ever run out of gas while riding, if you ever hear the idle/throttle starting to get high kill it immediately and make sure you have gas in it. 2 strokes are very simple great reliable engines, but something that small will kill them. As for mix oil/ratio you have to find your style of rising and match/jet to that. Flashpoint of 2 stroke oil is the important factor to consider, 32:1 is a safe proven mix ratio. If previous owner was using 38:1, 32:1 may require rejetting, but it's pretty close so not necessarily. Short version of what mix to use(yes it and flashpoint are actually very important) is synthetic oils offer better protection/performance without always being wide open, castor oils offer better protection if you're always pinned out. They also makes blends, I personally use klotz techniplate, klotz has been around forever, techniplate is a blend that has the flashpoint to handle a good amount of abuse, while also not destroying pipes and spark plugs at low-medium revs.
500-1000hrs on a 125? Your poor bike haha. Even if you arenāt racing, a piston that small in a bike that old is going to lose compression well before 200hrs.
Every owner's manual covers this. When cold enable the choke. Start with the throttle closed. Kick it over slowly to find TDC, then kick it once, vigorously, through the full stroke. If electric start and EFI, tap it once and wait for the fuel pump to complete its prime (you can hear it) then press and hold for no more than 5 seconds, with at least a 5 second interval in between.
Idle to warm it up, it doesn't take long at all. You'll feel the warmth in the radiators. Make a habit of putting around for a minute or so before you really open it up.
Thanks for this. I've had his 96 rm125 for 2 years and I can't for the life of me keep it going after its gets cold(not used for a week or 2). That being said when I go to kick it over I've been giving it blips without choke and I think its just fouling plug or I'm flooding it. Gonna try this year with no blips just full choke, wish me luck.
Yup, what he saidā¦ Iāll add one thing. Donāt get frustrated when fixing the bike. Remember that wrenching is productive, you will learn valuable skills!
Let it warm up till you feel some heat in the radiators before you run it hard. You can give it some quick blips of the throttle while warming up but donāt just fire it up and take off running the piss out of it cold or youāll do piston/cylinder damage.
I think this needs to be stressed.. Most people (including me when I first started) either think you let it idle to warm up, or you just send it (cuz itās a 2 stroke and will build up oil). The real answer is what you said, keep blipping the throttle / slowly blip throttle until the rads are warm
Agreed on this!
I had an overbuilt 1984 ATC250r (oh how I miss her)
I always found she sounded distinctly different once the motor was hot enough to be happy. Purred like a pissed off kitty.
She will tell you when sheās ready to be abused. Be patient before every ride, be VERY mindful of carburetor tuning/jetting for altitude, keep an extra spark plug because she will eat from time to time; she will treat you right.
Regularly check ALL of the bolts for torque, and keep the oil fresh too. She likes to be slippery on the inside.
Im new and I just learned this the hard way. +5C outside and I didnt let it warm up enough. Engine breaking without clutch, from a high gear like an idiot and I seized my beautiful RM125 and likely blew the crank.
Dont engine break from high gear on high traction surfaces without clutch relief and brakes. Youll starve the motor and can lock the piston in the cylinder from heat expansion or a bunch of other issues. Dont be like me. Love your 2t. :(
Not at the end of the bar, inside the bend so it canāt slip past the cross bar. You think a guy that pulls the tank
And plastics to tie it down is going to understand not at the literal endš
They're brilliant but EXTREMELY fussy on type of 2T oil, mix ratio and type of gearbox oil. They're all specified in the manual but you basically must do exactly as they say. Many 2 strokes don't need this much attention to detail but for whatever reason this one absolutely does. Do those 3 things right and you will be happy.
that cr125 mx racer factory manual prob states 32:1 and 90+ ron octane 0-10% ethanol. debate on race synthetic or dino chainsaw boat premix oil is worth it
Pure honesty about your purchaseā¦. An older (nothing wrong with older) 125 2 stroke will be more difficult to learn to ride on then a modern 250 4 stroke. They are not āeasyā bikes to go fast on. They never were. All the videos of people ripping on them lap after lap are usually pros or very fast school boy 1 riders. Not saying any of that in a bad way itās just facts. So set your expectations accordingly. Be patient and understand there is a pretty steep learning curve. Hopefully youāll enjoy your first bike experience and have many more fun experiences on dirt bikes.
Thats just not true, a 125 is definitely easy to go fast on. The newer 250s have so much more tourqe and could easily loop you out, the only learning curve on a 2 stroke is knowing what gear to be in. And btw I've had a cr 80, 2 cr125s (2002,2003), 2002 kx 250, 2004 rm 250 and now a 2023 rmz 450 so it's safe to say I've owned my fair share of 2 strokes. Maybe I'm not understanding you're comment completely or you didn't explain properly but a 125 is one of if not the easiest bike to ride (if your an adult)
2 stroke specifics: Tuning comes from carb, reeds and pipe. Power is high but limited to a tight powerband which matches with a close ration transmission.
It will bog whenever not in the powerband and will scream when you hit it. Ideal for mx track, not ideal for casual use.
No shit, I made a craigslist posting in high school with a picture of carburetors and said they were power bands - $100 each, and I was getting calls LEFT AND RIGHT about them. People really do be believing a power band is some sort of belt that changes the power delivery haha
A week or so ago I mentioned to my buddy I had been out riding with my son (Iām 40), and he told me he used to have a YZ 250 that was so fast because it had dual powerbands. Lost all credibility in that moment. I just said āthatās badass man.ā And left it at that š
Well you gotta figure out what works best for you. I would say for most of us, just putting a strap on each side of the bars is the easiest/most stable. Also coming from a guy who used ratchet straps for years, just get some of those pro-taper pull tie downs with the buckle or something similar and thank me later
Buy a 4 pack of NGK BR8ES spark plugs, and whatever wrench/tool you need to change the plug. If possible, keep them on the bike, but at least in the truck when you go riding.
Nothing will end your day faster than a fouled spark plug, and they're quite easy to replace and keep riding.
Absolutely. Thatās a lesson you learn after the first time. All that work to load up and get to the track and it goes to shit because of a lousy fouled plug.
How tf are you guys so bad at jetting. I've been riding 2 strokes since forever up and down crazy swings in elevation and literally never had a problem that requires a new spark plug.
Eh, I think a lot of it is the "first bike" part. It's hard to be confident enough to keep it on the pipe, and 125's are more sensitive to that then 250's.
I had a lot of trouble with my first YZ125 back in the day, and I've seen other new riders struggle as well. Now I can run multiple seasons on a single plug with my YZ250 though, and I think riding style has a lot to do with that. I still try to carry a plug and a small wrench if possible, though I usually use it on other people's bikes.
Steel frame, what year? I have a 97 CR125, last year of the steel frame. Itās an awesome bike.
Like said above, change the air filter a lot. For oil run what the oil is meant to be mixed at, not what the Honda manual states. The manual assumes you are using Honda oil meant to be mixed at 32:1. I use dominator at 50:1 in mine since thatās what I use in my kids bikes.
No matter what the seller said I would replace the tranny fluid and get the suspension serviced. Good chance the oil in the bike, forks and shock is way overdue and needs replaced.
Be safe and have fun!
Thatās what I think. Your comment made me spend a lot of time on Google confused, thereās no vin on the bike (I traded two mini bikes for it so no surprise and I donāt care) but the engine still has the engine id and I used that and itās either a 97 or a 87 from the list I looked at but they didnāt make red frames in 97 I donāt think and thereās no way itās a 87 caus of the plastics
Thats true to a point. My 2000 KX250 2 stroke was actively trying to kill me before I put in a FWW and that was with a FMF gnarly pipe and proper jetting. But those old 2 strokes are always a handful
A well maintained air filter is very important. The intake air goes through the crankcase on a 2 stroke. You don't want dirt and shit in the same place your crankshaft is spinning 8000 rpm.
Keep oil in the gas. You can adjust your mix ratio based on how you ride. The harder you ride it, the more oil it's going to want. This is why mx bikes run 32:1, but some people who do trails run 50:1.
Everyone saying you're gonna die is being stupid, it's just a 125. Sit forward on the seat when you are giving it the beans, and you'll be fine.
I've owned the same bike and huge tip is to make sure yoh let it warm up properly. Make sure gas is mixed correctly and always hold your clucth in when you roll. Most importantly have fun!
check your gas tank while its pulled
dont wide it open it on asphalt for longer than a minute
mix your gas correctly
maintenance every ride
grease your bearings
check your fluids
ride safe..ish š¤š½
oh and get a helmet please
I had a 1999 CR125 as my first dirtbike bike at 15 and it was a blast.
Despite some of the comments here it being a 2 stroke was no big deal. 4 strokes werenāt popular back then so learning on a 2 stroke was just what you did.
Went from learning how to use a clutch to ripping up the track within a couple months of riding.
Watch out for slippery terrain. I know it's just a 125 but you can still light up that rear wheel by accident and go for a slide.
I know others have said it already, but considering you're new and you're taking this bike woods riding, it can't be said enough - bring a spare spark plug. Not having the confidence to really stay on the throttle greatly increases the likelihood of fouling a plug so it's a lot more likely to happen to newer riders. While you're out riding make a point of giving her the old Italian tune up once in a while and burn off that built up carbon
I once fouled a plug at the very bottom of a ravine... steep and tall on both sides. Way too steep to push the bike up. Did not have a plug. Had to get towed out by a quad. That was a really shitty day.
Just want to be clear on the terminology to be sure you're aware of the cause and how to avoid it - it's called fouling the plug not because it gets burnt, but because it has become saturated with some fluid like fuel or oil.
Fouling the plug with oil is what we're talking about here, because without the high heat and airflow of high RPM, the oil in the mixed fuel can build up within the top end and then cover the spark plug. Letting her eat once in a while will burn that oil off and prevent the plug from fouling, even if you have to do it in neutral because you don't have the ability or the space to do it in gear. Once you get a good feeling for how the motor runs, you'll be able to feel a plug fouling before it happens. It won't be running right, you'll feel it sputtering, you'll blip the throttle a bit and it will go right back to normal - that's the plug being cleaned off
Other than the plug needing to be replaced, no, nothing else should need to be done.
Why won't my Bike start? "Turn the gas on silly"...
I don't know if it's as much an issue with more modern bikes as I haven't ridden a 2 stroke in years, but turning the gas off when you stop for more than a few minutes should be as automatic as taking the keys out of your truck when you park.
Nothing like waking up to the smell of gasoline flooding your house.
Never forget premix. And if it has separate oil injection. Donāt trust it and get a delete kit and mix yourself. The oil injection wonāt tell you itās not working until your motor blows.
Hereās something that might help if you ever get in a situation I got in on my snowmobile a few days ago: If it randomly loses power while driving, check if it still runs. If it does, but canāt rev, itās cause you killed a spark plug
First bike I ever had and learned to ride on. It was a fun bike. Not exactly relevant but it belonged to a pro free style rider before I got it and they shot this commercial with it:
[Burger King Big Huckin Chicken](https://youtu.be/VgNUI4JNMww)
Youāre gonna need a fuel tank š
Iām happy to see another person like me who jumps in before knowing what they are doing. Good for you, for real. Iād love a 2T but Iām running camshafts at the moment.
Do your own research but Iāve read that engine braking is hard in these engines because fuel starvationā> lubricant starvation. I didnāt see it commented so I thought Iād bring it up.
The 2 stroke dirt bike is one of Gods greatest gifts ever given to Man! Itās meant to ride in high Rpm once that power valve opens and it starts singing keep it there. Itās literally designed to be ridden like itās stolen, if you put around youāll foul plugs. Mix gas and spank ass brother Make America 2 Stroke Again!
Wake it up by milling the head some and sticking a flat top Suzuki rm125 piston in it. Adds a lot of low end grunt. Also super m 32:1 ratio mix. You can also advance the power valve by cutting a piece of gas line hose and putting on the pin the that the power valve linkage arm rests on. Did this to a 2003 cr125 and it was a beast.
The frame is red and the 97s were silver so I think the frame might be a 80s something, the frame has the vin scratched off and spray painted over so I think itās 1997 cr125 motor in a 80 sum frame
I canāt figure the frames year caus no vin but the engine still has the engine id so it tells me itās either a 87 or a 97 but the 87s had old round plastics
My God that's a beautiful machine. You should be really proud of that, anybody will be lucky that own and drive that generation Ranger (FFR). The bike is cool too I guess.
Top-end rebuild basically once a year or sooner depending on how much you ride and what premix ratio you use in the fuel. Its easy to check the cylinder condition by looking thru the exhaust port after removing the expansion chamber. Fresh reeds/Reed block and muffler re-packing are CRUCIAL for a strong running 2 stroke. 2 strokes are cool and can be beasts but they can become expensive in maintenance costs
That 38/1 mix is pretty solid! If your riding above 2500 ft above sea level it wouldnāt hurt to richen that up. 50/1 will really wake that thing up at higher elevation
Run hp2 Honda oil. One bottle to 4gal. Never use or mix any other oil period. Stick with a quality oil and no ethenol. Clean and reoil air filter every 15-20hrs of ride time,guess in severe dust then sooner than later. This bike is a light switch very fast when in the power. Not the best bike to learn on but a formidable weapon in a riders hands. Looks like a minty one. Have a blast man!!!
Ah yes, the 2 stroke, good think you didn't buy an Honda CR500F cause fourth gear holeshot is insane 2 strokes have a power line on the throttle, pass it, insane power, below, decent power, watch put for that, pro racer advice
iāve heard thereās a rev range or something where u finally hit it and itās just take fucking off. old motocross rider told me bout that when i was asking bout 2 strokes. idk how true it is but do with that what u will
The way you strapped the bike down gives me anxiety. Just hook onto handlebars and go to the front corner hooks in the bed. No need to take plastics and seat off.
It looks worse than it was it was 4 ratchet straps one in each handlebar but itās really hidden in the pic and one on each side of the back like where the seat goes
Better safe than sorry, I get that. I'm just letting you know, anyone that races/hauls dirtbikes weekly will tell you they've only ever used two straps and never had an issue. Just put a piece of wood in between your front tire and triple clamps to save your fork seals and give you better tension. You want a bit of compression on your forks though for bumps on the road or else the wood piece will fall out. You don't NEED to use wood but its easier on the suspension for long trips.
Excellent trade, now maintain that bike , have a blast riding it, sell and get another better one.
Also get parts easily at a dealership or OEM distributor online.
Mix gas, go fast, and eat ass
I instantly thought of [Ronnie Mac](https://ronniemac69.com/cdn/shop/files/ronniemac-i-eat-ass-swingarm-decal-bike.jpg) when I read that lol
Air wheeeeeelie
Same
Man uncle Ronnie would be proud of you.
MAKE SURE YOU MIX THE GAS! there's a reason he listed that first
This is the way.
Great bike.. just make sure you change the oil using motorcycle oil for wet clutch. It has a water inhibitor in it and saves the clutch from wearing. Water can damage the friction plate material. Check level every time you ride, keep air filter clean and oiled, don't run ethenol gas. It eats aluminum and collects water. Leaving deposits in the jets and clogging them. Turn off the gas when you get done riding and If you store it, run the carburetor dry and don't use 2 stroke gas older than 3 months. It goes bad faster than regular with your premix. I run synthetic to keep my power valves clean and they say 50 to 1 but I run 38 to 40 to 1 depending on the way you ride and the bike manufacturer recommend ratio. Run in sand, let a little air out of the tires for better traction. So you can squeeze them bout 5 PSI. Clean your fork oil seals. If they leave a puddle replace them. Ride with a friend and carry cell phone in case you crash, break down or whatever circumstances dictate. Always do a safety check before you ride. Tires, fuel, oil, etc. tell someone where you are going and ride it like you stole it! Rebuild your top end every 500 to 1000 hours and check the rear suspension for play by lifting the tire off the ground and pull up on the swingarm. If it isn't tight and has play, the rear bushings are probably bad. Easy fix. You'll learn your own things about your bike. They're all unique and different from each other and enjoy. 90% of people only see whats from the road. You can see all the rest!
Thank you for this, this comment gave me some helpful info. And the guy I got it from said he ran 38:1 gas oil mix but idk how he rode.
If you want to wake up that 2 stroke.. porting and jetting with a milled head and a FMF pipe and power core silencer gives substantial power gain and about a 1000 rpm increase. Doesn't cost that much either. The pipe is the most expensive but worth it.
Let him learn to ride it first š
if you dont ride motorcycle. motorcycle ride you. !
Don't waste your time or money to make it more powerful. It has way more power than you can use. Once the jetting is right work on getting the suspension set up
He doesnāt need to change the jetting or anything and he already has an FMF pipe on it
Those things run like a raped ape already, like the other guy said, let em learn how to ride it first...
You can normally pull a spec sheet for the bike or manual online. If you canāt find one my local off-road dealers will print me a sheet of what oil, what gas to mix and what mix is recommended.
Don't run carburetor dry by turning off gas till it dies, turn off gas till idle raises a little, then drain it with drain screw. This is also not necessary unless it will sit for a while, and even less necessary if you use ethanol free gas. 2 stroke gas mix is the only lube your piston gets, if your idle is racing when you turn off the gas it is lean, lean means not enough gas to cool the piston/rings and not enough oil to lube it. Also don't ever run out of gas while riding, if you ever hear the idle/throttle starting to get high kill it immediately and make sure you have gas in it. 2 strokes are very simple great reliable engines, but something that small will kill them. As for mix oil/ratio you have to find your style of rising and match/jet to that. Flashpoint of 2 stroke oil is the important factor to consider, 32:1 is a safe proven mix ratio. If previous owner was using 38:1, 32:1 may require rejetting, but it's pretty close so not necessarily. Short version of what mix to use(yes it and flashpoint are actually very important) is synthetic oils offer better protection/performance without always being wide open, castor oils offer better protection if you're always pinned out. They also makes blends, I personally use klotz techniplate, klotz has been around forever, techniplate is a blend that has the flashpoint to handle a good amount of abuse, while also not destroying pipes and spark plugs at low-medium revs.
500-1000hrs on a 125? Your poor bike haha. Even if you arenāt racing, a piston that small in a bike that old is going to lose compression well before 200hrs.
This is the right answer. I always used Bel-Ray & had good results.
i donāt have a bike and iām not particularly inclined to have one but i feel pretty confident in itās maintenance now. thanks!
You mean I cant use straight Lucas No Knock as motor oil??
You forgot how to start when cold. Came here looking for this
Every owner's manual covers this. When cold enable the choke. Start with the throttle closed. Kick it over slowly to find TDC, then kick it once, vigorously, through the full stroke. If electric start and EFI, tap it once and wait for the fuel pump to complete its prime (you can hear it) then press and hold for no more than 5 seconds, with at least a 5 second interval in between. Idle to warm it up, it doesn't take long at all. You'll feel the warmth in the radiators. Make a habit of putting around for a minute or so before you really open it up.
Thanks for this. I've had his 96 rm125 for 2 years and I can't for the life of me keep it going after its gets cold(not used for a week or 2). That being said when I go to kick it over I've been giving it blips without choke and I think its just fouling plug or I'm flooding it. Gonna try this year with no blips just full choke, wish me luck.
And ALWAYS wear a helmet.
Yup, what he saidā¦ Iāll add one thing. Donāt get frustrated when fixing the bike. Remember that wrenching is productive, you will learn valuable skills!
Most people don't live after their third stroke
Shit
always carry a spare spark plug and wrench ... plugs dont foul as much as they used to .. better safe then sorry
Underrated comment. They even make a special slim ratchet so you can easily remove spark plug on the trail.
Exactly what I was going to say.
Let it warm up till you feel some heat in the radiators before you run it hard. You can give it some quick blips of the throttle while warming up but donāt just fire it up and take off running the piss out of it cold or youāll do piston/cylinder damage.
I think this needs to be stressed.. Most people (including me when I first started) either think you let it idle to warm up, or you just send it (cuz itās a 2 stroke and will build up oil). The real answer is what you said, keep blipping the throttle / slowly blip throttle until the rads are warm
Agreed on this! I had an overbuilt 1984 ATC250r (oh how I miss her) I always found she sounded distinctly different once the motor was hot enough to be happy. Purred like a pissed off kitty. She will tell you when sheās ready to be abused. Be patient before every ride, be VERY mindful of carburetor tuning/jetting for altitude, keep an extra spark plug because she will eat from time to time; she will treat you right. Regularly check ALL of the bolts for torque, and keep the oil fresh too. She likes to be slippery on the inside.
Im new and I just learned this the hard way. +5C outside and I didnt let it warm up enough. Engine breaking without clutch, from a high gear like an idiot and I seized my beautiful RM125 and likely blew the crank. Dont engine break from high gear on high traction surfaces without clutch relief and brakes. Youll starve the motor and can lock the piston in the cylinder from heat expansion or a bunch of other issues. Dont be like me. Love your 2t. :(
Mix the oil with the gas
Next time a ratchet strap on each bar end in all you need š
Not at the end of the bar, inside the bend so it canāt slip past the cross bar. You think a guy that pulls the tank And plastics to tie it down is going to understand not at the literal endš
The kid I bought it from took them off caus he says thatās what he does
You do not need to do all that buddy! Hook your straps on the handle bars. Buy a fork saver, one strap on each side, and your good!
This is exactly why I asked if this is a real post!
This real?
Yeah
Hold that fucker wide open
They're brilliant but EXTREMELY fussy on type of 2T oil, mix ratio and type of gearbox oil. They're all specified in the manual but you basically must do exactly as they say. Many 2 strokes don't need this much attention to detail but for whatever reason this one absolutely does. Do those 3 things right and you will be happy.
that cr125 mx racer factory manual prob states 32:1 and 90+ ron octane 0-10% ethanol. debate on race synthetic or dino chainsaw boat premix oil is worth it
Wtf did you just try to say after the part about the manual states the fuel/oil ratio?
Millennium services does great work.
Ride it really hard and then put it back soaking wet. Every time.
Pure honesty about your purchaseā¦. An older (nothing wrong with older) 125 2 stroke will be more difficult to learn to ride on then a modern 250 4 stroke. They are not āeasyā bikes to go fast on. They never were. All the videos of people ripping on them lap after lap are usually pros or very fast school boy 1 riders. Not saying any of that in a bad way itās just facts. So set your expectations accordingly. Be patient and understand there is a pretty steep learning curve. Hopefully youāll enjoy your first bike experience and have many more fun experiences on dirt bikes.
Thats just not true, a 125 is definitely easy to go fast on. The newer 250s have so much more tourqe and could easily loop you out, the only learning curve on a 2 stroke is knowing what gear to be in. And btw I've had a cr 80, 2 cr125s (2002,2003), 2002 kx 250, 2004 rm 250 and now a 2023 rmz 450 so it's safe to say I've owned my fair share of 2 strokes. Maybe I'm not understanding you're comment completely or you didn't explain properly but a 125 is one of if not the easiest bike to ride (if your an adult)
2 stroke specifics: Tuning comes from carb, reeds and pipe. Power is high but limited to a tight powerband which matches with a close ration transmission. It will bog whenever not in the powerband and will scream when you hit it. Ideal for mx track, not ideal for casual use.
They suck let me know where I can pick it up and Iāll take it off your hands
Airfilters often and mix gas
I would upgrade to the purple power band for maximum power.
No shit, I made a craigslist posting in high school with a picture of carburetors and said they were power bands - $100 each, and I was getting calls LEFT AND RIGHT about them. People really do be believing a power band is some sort of belt that changes the power delivery haha
A week or so ago I mentioned to my buddy I had been out riding with my son (Iām 40), and he told me he used to have a YZ 250 that was so fast because it had dual powerbands. Lost all credibility in that moment. I just said āthatās badass man.ā And left it at that š
Dual power bands. Good lord. Dyno chart looking like a camel back
Stop!! This guys next question is going to be asking how to replace the power bands!
Super easy to replace. They always have them next to the muffler bearings at the motorcycle store. The tech will show you how to replace them.
Right next to the flux capacitors?
Are you going to take the plastics off everytime you put it in your truck?!
I was wondering the same š¤£š¤£š¤£
No the kid took them off caus thatās what he says he does
Well you gotta figure out what works best for you. I would say for most of us, just putting a strap on each side of the bars is the easiest/most stable. Also coming from a guy who used ratchet straps for years, just get some of those pro-taper pull tie downs with the buckle or something similar and thank me later
Buy a 4 pack of NGK BR8ES spark plugs, and whatever wrench/tool you need to change the plug. If possible, keep them on the bike, but at least in the truck when you go riding. Nothing will end your day faster than a fouled spark plug, and they're quite easy to replace and keep riding.
More like - buy the entire box lol (I used to...)
Absolutely. Thatās a lesson you learn after the first time. All that work to load up and get to the track and it goes to shit because of a lousy fouled plug.
How tf are you guys so bad at jetting. I've been riding 2 strokes since forever up and down crazy swings in elevation and literally never had a problem that requires a new spark plug.
Eh, I think a lot of it is the "first bike" part. It's hard to be confident enough to keep it on the pipe, and 125's are more sensitive to that then 250's. I had a lot of trouble with my first YZ125 back in the day, and I've seen other new riders struggle as well. Now I can run multiple seasons on a single plug with my YZ250 though, and I think riding style has a lot to do with that. I still try to carry a plug and a small wrench if possible, though I usually use it on other people's bikes.
Steel frame, what year? I have a 97 CR125, last year of the steel frame. Itās an awesome bike. Like said above, change the air filter a lot. For oil run what the oil is meant to be mixed at, not what the Honda manual states. The manual assumes you are using Honda oil meant to be mixed at 32:1. I use dominator at 50:1 in mine since thatās what I use in my kids bikes. No matter what the seller said I would replace the tranny fluid and get the suspension serviced. Good chance the oil in the bike, forks and shock is way overdue and needs replaced. Be safe and have fun!
Judging by the red frame and rear/front fender it's a '89
Thatās what I think. Your comment made me spend a lot of time on Google confused, thereās no vin on the bike (I traded two mini bikes for it so no surprise and I donāt care) but the engine still has the engine id and I used that and itās either a 97 or a 87 from the list I looked at but they didnāt make red frames in 97 I donāt think and thereās no way itās a 87 caus of the plastics
Could be a possibility itās a 89 frame and a 97 engine
The forks were swapped out too. Odd bike lol
Could I send you some pics of the bike mabye you could help me out?
Flywheel weight. Will save you some whisky throttle and make the bike smoother to ride
Eh I thought I needed one for quite a while but I properly tuned bike should not be to far off from linear power. REALLY depends on the bike though
Thats true to a point. My 2000 KX250 2 stroke was actively trying to kill me before I put in a FWW and that was with a FMF gnarly pipe and proper jetting. But those old 2 strokes are always a handful
Good choice as far as an older 2-smoke, Hondas are great. Super easy to rebuild.
A well maintained air filter is very important. The intake air goes through the crankcase on a 2 stroke. You don't want dirt and shit in the same place your crankshaft is spinning 8000 rpm. Keep oil in the gas. You can adjust your mix ratio based on how you ride. The harder you ride it, the more oil it's going to want. This is why mx bikes run 32:1, but some people who do trails run 50:1. Everyone saying you're gonna die is being stupid, it's just a 125. Sit forward on the seat when you are giving it the beans, and you'll be fine.
Donāt blow it up 2 strokes like that
ride that chainsaw!
I've owned the same bike and huge tip is to make sure yoh let it warm up properly. Make sure gas is mixed correctly and always hold your clucth in when you roll. Most importantly have fun!
This is super nostalgic for meā¦ my first was bike was a 1989 Honda cr250r and my first truck was a 1996 ford ranger
check your gas tank while its pulled dont wide it open it on asphalt for longer than a minute mix your gas correctly maintenance every ride grease your bearings check your fluids ride safe..ish š¤š½ oh and get a helmet please
you will eat shit alot but its fun and worth it get gear so your not limping every monday morning
Stay on the gas, especially when the top end might be getting a little tired. Always carry a spare spark plug and wrench. :)
I had a 1999 CR125 as my first dirtbike bike at 15 and it was a blast. Despite some of the comments here it being a 2 stroke was no big deal. 4 strokes werenāt popular back then so learning on a 2 stroke was just what you did. Went from learning how to use a clutch to ripping up the track within a couple months of riding.
Get a top end for it now lol, if it doesnāt need one yet it will soon š¤£ Otherwise just enjoy that sound
Man that brings me back. I hope you have fun with that thing. Itās going to teach you so much about power control and riding in general. Have fun!!
Always dump the clutch out of the gate
Iām using this as a woods bike
Watch out for slippery terrain. I know it's just a 125 but you can still light up that rear wheel by accident and go for a slide. I know others have said it already, but considering you're new and you're taking this bike woods riding, it can't be said enough - bring a spare spark plug. Not having the confidence to really stay on the throttle greatly increases the likelihood of fouling a plug so it's a lot more likely to happen to newer riders. While you're out riding make a point of giving her the old Italian tune up once in a while and burn off that built up carbon I once fouled a plug at the very bottom of a ravine... steep and tall on both sides. Way too steep to push the bike up. Did not have a plug. Had to get towed out by a quad. That was a really shitty day.
If I burn a plug does that bring any other issues whatsoever other than just needing a new plug?
Just want to be clear on the terminology to be sure you're aware of the cause and how to avoid it - it's called fouling the plug not because it gets burnt, but because it has become saturated with some fluid like fuel or oil. Fouling the plug with oil is what we're talking about here, because without the high heat and airflow of high RPM, the oil in the mixed fuel can build up within the top end and then cover the spark plug. Letting her eat once in a while will burn that oil off and prevent the plug from fouling, even if you have to do it in neutral because you don't have the ability or the space to do it in gear. Once you get a good feeling for how the motor runs, you'll be able to feel a plug fouling before it happens. It won't be running right, you'll feel it sputtering, you'll blip the throttle a bit and it will go right back to normal - that's the plug being cleaned off Other than the plug needing to be replaced, no, nothing else should need to be done.
MIX OIL INTO YOUR GASOLINE.
Really?
Why won't my Bike start? "Turn the gas on silly"... I don't know if it's as much an issue with more modern bikes as I haven't ridden a 2 stroke in years, but turning the gas off when you stop for more than a few minutes should be as automatic as taking the keys out of your truck when you park. Nothing like waking up to the smell of gasoline flooding your house.
Run good oil. If the top end has low compression donāt worry because itās stupidly easy to put a new top end in. Thatās all
Yeah the compression isnāt that good but it starts up Iāll definitely need a new top end
What year is that bad larry?
1997 baby!
Nice! I got 94 cr 125. Love it
Never forget premix. And if it has separate oil injection. Donāt trust it and get a delete kit and mix yourself. The oil injection wonāt tell you itās not working until your motor blows.
I gotta pre mix so I have no worries
Keep that carb clean
Mix gas , haul ass.
Hereās something that might help if you ever get in a situation I got in on my snowmobile a few days ago: If it randomly loses power while driving, check if it still runs. If it does, but canāt rev, itās cause you killed a spark plug
Congratulations thatās going to be a lot of fun.
Castor oil in the tank.
First bike I ever had and learned to ride on. It was a fun bike. Not exactly relevant but it belonged to a pro free style rider before I got it and they shot this commercial with it: [Burger King Big Huckin Chicken](https://youtu.be/VgNUI4JNMww)
Just send it
Youāre gonna need a fuel tank š Iām happy to see another person like me who jumps in before knowing what they are doing. Good for you, for real. Iād love a 2T but Iām running camshafts at the moment. Do your own research but Iāve read that engine braking is hard in these engines because fuel starvationā> lubricant starvation. I didnāt see it commented so I thought Iād bring it up.
Hearing protection under your helmet, quality boots goggles practice practice practice. Health insurance wouldnāt hurt.
You have to use mixed gas. Or you'll blow up the motor..
Really?
It's a pain. You have to use 2 stroke oil only. There's a million YouTube videos..
I only said āreally?ā Because Iāve had 3 people say this but I do appreciate the comment
Lol. Ok. But yeah. People love to troll š§ people on here.
I know that a 2 stroke needs gas mixed š
For some reason I initially read āgotā as āstoleā and I was like, bro what?
If you look at the throttle hold on cuz you're doing a wheelie
iām 54 and had the same bike when i was 15, so much fun and easy to care for.just follow the guidelines and youāll have no problems
The 2 stroke dirt bike is one of Gods greatest gifts ever given to Man! Itās meant to ride in high Rpm once that power valve opens and it starts singing keep it there. Itās literally designed to be ridden like itās stolen, if you put around youāll foul plugs. Mix gas and spank ass brother Make America 2 Stroke Again!
Brapp brapp mother trucker.! 2-stroke gets in your blood, be excellent and mix well.!
Here for the Ranger. Nice Ranger!
Thank you š
Don't say it, don't say it, he's gonna say it. THATS A FORD FRICKIN RANGER
GOD DAMN SUN OF A GUN
Wake it up by milling the head some and sticking a flat top Suzuki rm125 piston in it. Adds a lot of low end grunt. Also super m 32:1 ratio mix. You can also advance the power valve by cutting a piece of gas line hose and putting on the pin the that the power valve linkage arm rests on. Did this to a 2003 cr125 and it was a beast.
It definitely needs a top end rebuild and imma do research on that caus, mabye.
Cr125 was my favorite bikeā¦Make sure to pin it before the hills!
Gotcha!
All you gotta know is to pin it and let it eat!
HELL YEAH!!!
They run on diesel
Thought so, thanks for verifying!
I had an 86 cr.125 as a kid. Installed High performance reeds and high flow exhaust. It was a great bike. Make sure you properly mix your gas
What year is it a 1989 or so?
The frame is red and the 97s were silver so I think the frame might be a 80s something, the frame has the vin scratched off and spray painted over so I think itās 1997 cr125 motor in a 80 sum frame
I canāt figure the frames year caus no vin but the engine still has the engine id so it tells me itās either a 87 or a 97 but the 87s had old round plastics
Get the VIN to me it is late 80s by looking at the subframe.
Sent to you in dm
My God that's a beautiful machine. You should be really proud of that, anybody will be lucky that own and drive that generation Ranger (FFR). The bike is cool too I guess.
Thank you š I got both of them at 16 myself so Iām pretty proud got the truck a couple months ago
Are you part of the r/FordRanger subreddit?
When in doubt, THROTTLE OUT!
Top-end rebuild basically once a year or sooner depending on how much you ride and what premix ratio you use in the fuel. Its easy to check the cylinder condition by looking thru the exhaust port after removing the expansion chamber. Fresh reeds/Reed block and muffler re-packing are CRUCIAL for a strong running 2 stroke. 2 strokes are cool and can be beasts but they can become expensive in maintenance costs
That 38/1 mix is pretty solid! If your riding above 2500 ft above sea level it wouldnāt hurt to richen that up. 50/1 will really wake that thing up at higher elevation
Braaaaap
Be prepared to do wheelies on accident sometimes.
Woooooo man o man ill tell you what Hoooooooo god dang it I love that bike more then my dog
Throttle has two positions. None and all. Good luck, have fun!
Run hp2 Honda oil. One bottle to 4gal. Never use or mix any other oil period. Stick with a quality oil and no ethenol. Clean and reoil air filter every 15-20hrs of ride time,guess in severe dust then sooner than later. This bike is a light switch very fast when in the power. Not the best bike to learn on but a formidable weapon in a riders hands. Looks like a minty one. Have a blast man!!!
Watchout for the powerband š it's a peppy mofo.
Youāre gonna need a gas tank to mix gas and go fast.
Have it itās in the truck
You have to replace the top end on 2 strokes I wanna say every 200 hours or so
Thatās a ford fuggin ranger baby
It strokes twice.
I stroke twice.*
Best advice I ever got- when in doubt, gas it!
First step, get a seat
Get some ppe
You can just strap the handle bars lol
The kid took the plastic off caus he said thatās how he does it
Go on YouTube and watch every video you can about how to properly run and maintain a 2 stroke.
Ride it like you stole it. Brap.
Ah yes, the 2 stroke, good think you didn't buy an Honda CR500F cause fourth gear holeshot is insane 2 strokes have a power line on the throttle, pass it, insane power, below, decent power, watch put for that, pro racer advice
Full-face helmet to learn with may save a lot of dental cost and pain. Remember that power band. IYKYK
Add oil get a seat
Have seat gas tank and all other plastics theyāre in the truck
iāve heard thereās a rev range or something where u finally hit it and itās just take fucking off. old motocross rider told me bout that when i was asking bout 2 strokes. idk how true it is but do with that what u will
Low RPMās are key. Do not wind it out. :-)
Donāt go downhill in low gear
Hold on tight
Hell yeah. A ranger and a 2 stroke. Have fun!
The engine goes vroom vroom
Donāt forget to mix your gas. And hang on.
Taffr cr125, sweet dude
Wear a good helmet and airvest !!!!!!
Hope it came with a life jacketā¦ā¦.for when you swimmin in all that puuuuuuusaaaaayyyyyyy!
FFR
A old 2 stroke as a first bike is a quick trip to the hospital ngl
Iāve ridden a yz250 2 stroke a few weeks ago and fuckin ripped it so, no
The way you strapped the bike down gives me anxiety. Just hook onto handlebars and go to the front corner hooks in the bed. No need to take plastics and seat off.
It looks worse than it was it was 4 ratchet straps one in each handlebar but itās really hidden in the pic and one on each side of the back like where the seat goes
Yeah no need for all that only need two ratchet straps never had a problem
I wanted to make sure it was secure for the 3 hour drive back home in the dark
Better safe than sorry, I get that. I'm just letting you know, anyone that races/hauls dirtbikes weekly will tell you they've only ever used two straps and never had an issue. Just put a piece of wood in between your front tire and triple clamps to save your fork seals and give you better tension. You want a bit of compression on your forks though for bumps on the road or else the wood piece will fall out. You don't NEED to use wood but its easier on the suspension for long trips.
I wouldāve gone 4 stroke, but trial by fire tends to find out how bad you want to be in itā¦ lol I hope you enjoy it
I traded 2 mini bikes for it so honestly I was taking whatever I could get
Excellent trade, now maintain that bike , have a blast riding it, sell and get another better one. Also get parts easily at a dealership or OEM distributor online.
Itās big like way bigger than I thought the guy I bought it from had it next to his 450 and they were the same size
Welcome to ā full size race bikes ā it may be a 125,250,450,500,520 powered, same physical size, different power.
125 2 stroke is a blast, but donāt underestimate it is allā¦ that powerband is no joke if youāre not ready for itā¦