1996 Honda CR125R Project Bike Riding Impression

January 14, 2022 c_admin Dirt Bike Racing Comments Off on 1996 Honda CR125R Project Bike Riding Impression

Two-strokes are alive and well at riding areas and motocross tracks all across the country. In addition to being a blast to ride, ease of maintenance and being less expensive to rebuild are certainly contributing factors to the resurgence of premix-burning machines. Rather than buying new, some elect to purchase a used two-stroke off Craigslist, throw a new top end in it, and go ride.

Riding Kris Puffer’s 1996 Honda CR125R project bike at Cahuilla Creek Motocross in Anza, California. (Mason owens/)

Then there are bike builders who likewise scour Craigslist and other used ads, but go all-out in terms of rebuilding and refreshing the motorcycle from top to bottom. Sometimes it’s warranted though, as was the case with Kris Puffer’s 1996 Honda CR125R project bike he built in collaboration with Jay Clark. A former supercross race mechanic on the IB Corp Yamaha team, Puffer now owns and operates Sano Metal Finishing in Murrieta, California (just up the street from KTM North America headquarters). The combination of his mechanical expertise and running a shop that specializes in vapor blasting, REM finishing, Cerakoting, and bead blasting proved to be an ideal skill set to resurrect the 26-year-old motorcycle.

Related: Factory Motocross Bikes—Guy Cooper’s 1988 Honda CR125R

Sano Metal Finishing’s Kris Puffer purchased a neglected 1996 Honda CR125R in disassembled condition. Working in collaboration with renowned project bike builder Jay Clark, the duo brought the smoker back to life.

Sano Metal Finishing’s Kris Puffer purchased a neglected 1996 Honda CR125R in disassembled condition. Working in collaboration with renowned project bike builder Jay Clark, the duo brought the smoker back to life. (Mason Owens/)

“This 1996 Honda CR125R was bought from my neighbor as a project I was going to do for my wife,” Puffer said. “As time went on, I realized it was not for her and she would never want to ride it. Then I came up with the idea to build the bike for my neighbor’s 12-year-old daughter, the [same] owners I bought it from. This idea came as it was the neighbor girl’s mother’s first bike and I thought it would be a cool thing to do for her and [that way they could] keep it in the family.”

A top-to-bottom rebuild means no part of the bike was left untouched. As a former supercross race team mechanic, Puffer was up to the task.

A top-to-bottom rebuild means no part of the bike was left untouched. As a former supercross race team mechanic, Puffer was up to the task. (Mason Owens/)

Puffer described the condition he purchased the bike in as giving a whole new meaning to the term “basket case.” Disassembled with parts in crates and boxes, he went to work on cleaning more than two decades of unburned two-stroke oil on the swingarm, air filter oil in the airbox, and just as many years of grime and neglect.

“I was originally going to go with a motocross build, but that turned into an off-road theme as Ocotillo Wells is where the neighbors mainly go to ride,” Puffer explained. “A lot of builders like to do an original restoration. I decided to do what I think of as a ‘resto-mod’ on this and give it a little bit of a modern look and feel as it’s going to be a first bike for a new generation rider.”

The engine was rebuilt using a Hot Rods Bottom End Kit and Vertex piston. Millennium Technologies replated the cylinder and cleaned up the cylinder head from past damage. Then Tom Morgan Racing ported the cylinder and modified the head as well.

The engine was rebuilt using a Hot Rods Bottom End Kit and Vertex piston. Millennium Technologies replated the cylinder and cleaned up the cylinder head from past damage. Then Tom Morgan Racing ported the cylinder and modified the head as well. (Mason Owens/)

The good news was that once he began digging into the bike, Puffer realized it was actually not that bad. The bones were solid. A complete teardown was done and a parts list was created. Many items were still available for the old CR, but mostly through the aftermarket and very few OEM. Some of the components not available from Big Red anymore included the axles, airbox, fuel line, and chain guide.

In addition to Cerakoting several components on the bike such as the engine side cover, water pump cover, and clutch cover, Sano Metal Finishing also REM-finished the transmission.

In addition to Cerakoting several components on the bike such as the engine side cover, water pump cover, and clutch cover, Sano Metal Finishing also REM-finished the transmission. (Mason Owens/)

“We think Honda wants you buying new bikes and not fixing up 26-year-old models,” Puffer joked. “For the parts that were no longer available new, I began searching the internet and found some [items from] NOS Parts Now, and was able to have a local shop, IndeeSource, make some new axle blocks and a skid plate. For the plastic, UFO still has stuff available [for this bike] and we cut the side number plates to be a bit more modern looking. DeCal Works matched the graphics to them.”

A black fuel tank from Clarke Manufacturing replaced the stock white unit, which matched well with the UFO “nuclear red” plastic and color-matched DeCal Works graphics.

A black fuel tank from Clarke Manufacturing replaced the stock white unit, which matched well with the UFO “nuclear red” plastic and color-matched DeCal Works graphics. (Mason Owens/)

A full engine rebuild was completed using a Hot Rods Bottom End Kit and Vertex Pistons Pro Replica Piston Kit. Millennium Technologies replated the cylinder and cleaned up the cylinder head from past damage, then Tom Morgan Racing (TMR) modded the cylinder and head to make sure it would run well. An All Balls Racing Carburetor Rebuild Kit and fuel vent lines were used along with a new All Balls Racing petcock for the Clarke gas tank.

FMF Racing provided the Fatty pipe and Shorty silencer, Race Tech went through the suspension, and Pivot Works supplied bearings for the linkage, wheels, swingarm, and steering stem. The full list of companies involved in the build can be viewed in the parts list below. Shortly after the resto-mod was completed, we shook down the fully rebuilt CR125R on the tracks and trails of Cahuilla Creek Motocross.

The goal of the build was to make the CR125R plenty capable on the motocross track, but also a bit off-road friendly. Items added to make it better suited for trail riding included an 18-inch rear wheel, custom skid plate, and UFO hand guards.

The goal of the build was to make the CR125R plenty capable on the motocross track, but also a bit off-road friendly. Items added to make it better suited for trail riding included an 18-inch rear wheel, custom skid plate, and UFO hand guards. (Mason Owens/)

After effortlessly kicking it to life, I reveled in warming up the small-bore Honda smoker. Its crisp throttle response and the sweet smell of VP race fuel put a smile on my face before I even clicked it into gear. Beginning on some tighter trails, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by how long it pulled in first gear, which made for hardly any shifting when connecting from one technical area to another.

The motocross track was a different story. As expected for a 125cc two-stroke, my left foot got a workout and I even found myself downshifting into first gear while hugging the inside line in some tighter corners. Second gear and some clutch work fit the bill for most turns, while third and fourth kept the bike in the meat of its power on straightaways.

First gear pulled quite long in sections of trail that opened up briefly, then became tight and technical again, making for a minimal amount of shifting in such areas.

First gear pulled quite long in sections of trail that opened up briefly, then became tight and technical again, making for a minimal amount of shifting in such areas. (Mason Owens/)

The fork and shock were not as progressive as what I’ve come to appreciate on modern dirt bike suspension. Albeit a bit firm, it seemed OK on the trails, but the fork initially felt somewhat harsh and the front end a bit busy on the track in square-edge bumps. Once I got up to speed, comfort increased but head shake was still noticeable in some choppy areas of the track. I would chalk that up to the components being set up for someone heavier than I, in which case Race Tech did a swell job, especially considering the age of the suspension and the corresponding limits of its performance.

The amount of gear changes that took place on the motocross track was a different story, however. The Tusk shifter got a workout here.

The amount of gear changes that took place on the motocross track was a different story, however. The Tusk shifter got a workout here. (Mason Owens/)

Although not as light feeling as a modern 125cc two-stroke, the little Honda still maneuvered wherever I wanted with ease. Aside from the front end being a little busy in some areas, overall handling was solid. Because it’s noticeably sloped at the rear and pocketed in the front, I found myself in a consistent forward position while sitting, which helped with cornering but made it a little difficult to slide back on. A minor ergonomic quibble, but it definitely makes me appreciate the flat seats on most modern-day motocross bikes that much more.

A sloped seat and dip at the front of it kept me sitting plenty far forward on the CR125R project bike while cornering. However, it’s certainly not as easy to maneuver forward and back on compared to the flat seats that come on most of today’s motocross bikes.

A sloped seat and dip at the front of it kept me sitting plenty far forward on the CR125R project bike while cornering. However, it’s certainly not as easy to maneuver forward and back on compared to the flat seats that come on most of today’s motocross bikes. (Mason Owens/)

From a box of parts to a fully built project, all of the hard work that Kris Puffer and Jay Clark put into this 1996 Honda CR125R certainly paid off. A restored motorcycle doesn’t always get ridden much as it may be kept as a garage queen to retain its spotless appearance. This bike spent the past quarter century in similar living quarters, but for different reasons. In the hands of its next owner, hopefully this CR125R spends a lot less time in the garage and gets ridden, which is, after all, what is was meant for in the first place.

Gearbox

Helmet: Shoei VFX-EVO

Goggle: Oakley Airbrake MX

Neck Brace: Alpinestars BNS Tech 2

Jersey: Fly Racing Evolution DST

Gloves: Fly Racing Evolution DST

Pants: Fly Racing Evolution DST

Boots: Alpinestars Tech 10

Parts List

Sano Metal Finishing

sanometalfinishing.com

Vapor honing

Cerakoting

REM finishing

Custom skid plate

Chain blocks

Vertex Pistons

vertexpistons.com

Pro Replica Piston Kit (piston, ring, wrist pin, and circlips)

Hot Rods

allballsracinggroup.com/hot-rods

Hot Rods Bottom End Kit

Hot Rods Transmission Bearing Kit

Hot Rods Output Shaft Kit

Hot Rods Water Pump Kit

Tom Morgan Racing

morganracingengines.com

Cylinder porting

Head modification

Carburetor setup

Millennium Technologies

mt-llc.com

Strip, repair, and replate cylinder to stock size

Cylinder head repair

UFO Plastic

ufoplasticusa.com

Full plastic kit

Mud flap

Hand guards

Chain slider

ICW Radiators

icwbikestands.com

Radiator straightening and bracing

All Balls Racing

allballsracing.com

Carburetor Rebuild Kit

Clutch cable

Upper chain roller

Lower chain roller

Front Master Cylinder Rebuild Kit

Rear Master Cylinder Rebuild Kit

Front Caliper Rebuild Kit

Rear Caliper Rebuild Kit

Front Brake Pad Retaining Pin Kit

Rear Brake Pad Retaining Pin Kit

Fuel Tap Repair Kit

Upper Shock Bearing Kit

Uni Filter

unifilter.com

Two-stage air filter

Hinson Racing Clutch Components

hinsonracing.com

Billetproof clutch basket

Billetproof inner hub

Billetproof pressure plate

FSC clutch plate and spring kit

Cushion kit

FMF Racing

fmfracing.com

Fatty pipe

Shorty silencer

Moto Tassinari

mototassinari.com

VForce4R reed valve system

Pivot Works

pivotworks.com

Steering Stem Bearing Kit

Front Wheel Bearing Kit

Rear Wheel Bearing Kit

Linkage Rebuild Kit

Swingarm Kit

Specbolt

specbolt.com

Full Nickel Würks custom restoration bolt kit (engine and chassis)

Faster USA

fasterusa.com

Complete wheelset with Faster USA hubs

ODI Grips

odigrips.com

Podium 7/8-inch handlebar (Champ bend)

Half-waffle motocross grips

Dunlop Tires

dunlopmotorcycle.com

Geomax AT81 front, 80/100-21

Geomax MX33 rear, 100/100-18

DeCal Works

decalmx.com

Semi-custom graphics kit

Preprinted number plate backgrounds

MotoSeat

motoseat.com

Seat cover

Seat foam

Supersprox

supersproxusa.com

Front sprocket (13-tooth)

Aluminum rear sprocket (51-tooth)

Motocross chain

Motion Pro

motionpro.com

Full throttle assembly

Titan throttle tube

Throttle cable

Works Connection

worksconnection.com

Elite clutch perch

Front brake lever

Factory 4 stand

Brake caps

Oil fill plug

Hourmeter

Hourmeter mount bracket

Rear caliper guard

Air caps

Rotating bar clamps

Galfer USA

galferusa.com

Oversize rotor

Adapter bracket

Rear rotor

Front and rear brake lines

Front and rear brake pads

IMS

imsproducts.com

Footpegs

Race Tech

racetech.com

Suspension revalve and setup

Klotz Synthetic Lubricants

klotzlube.com

R-50 two-stroke premix oil

VP Racing Fuels

vpracingfuels.com

C12 fuel

Tusk Off road

tuskoffroad.com

Shifter

Clarke Manufacturing

clarkemfg.com

OEM-style/sized fuel tank