Thoughts and opinions: CR85 big wheel

[B0000M]

anyone got an opinion of the 2005-2006 cr85 big wheel? good points, bad points? worth while mods?

prospctive rider is about 5 foot 3 and 60kg

[SpikedPunch]

Using it for trails or mx or both? How experienced is the rider?

[cheese]

LOL is manda sick of hauling the 250 about? Rupes mrs for a KX85 and she rode it fine. I think Manda would struggle comign of the 250 though....

[B0000M]

yeah pretty much, she had a jam on a cr85 big wheel around the pits at tussockbuster and realy liked the size of it.

its just a matteer of what can be done to make it trail friendly. my current plan is a 85, a pipe, spacers before the pipe, reeds, flywheel weight and practise practise practise.... i reckon it should work, but im open to suggestions.

she gets too tired to pick the big bike up after dropping it hundreds of times a day.

my reasons
size is good
weight is light. nothing else im aware of compares to the 65kg dry weight 85s
power is there... needs to be manipulated a bit
suspension is good
its 2 stroke. im sick of 4 strokes and their poor riding habit forming ways.
cheap to run, fix, maintain
its a honda
i know how hondas come apart and go together
i had one when i was a similar size (1996) and thought it was awesome - (also got a 8nz on it)

to answer the question above- mostly trail, but also a bit of play riding on mx tracks, padocks, riverbeds etc

[B0000M]

Rupes mrs for a KX85 and she rode it fine.

is your computer automaticly converting to chinglinsh for you?

[cheese]

No I meant rode, cause she has been off it for a bit.

Can you get a 100cc version like the RM/KX 100? Or an Athena kit?

the only think I thought that she would have an issue with is the different power delivery after the CRF. But yeah I think that it would be way more fun for her.

[krad_nz]

You can get RM/KX 100s. Punch has just got one. Not many around though.

[scott411]

the CR85 is a good bike, has not got the low end that a powervalve equiped bike has (RM/KX/KTM85) so will be a bit harder to turn into a trail bike,

as said above the KX/RM100's are a good package but are not that comman,

saying that tho the CR85 are a great reliable package, and since we know how you like your CR's you will be able to make it a good package, they have not changed much since 96 so the aftermarket bits are easy to get ,

[Reckless]

Just a small real cheap mod you could do is stick another base gasket (or two) under the barrell to lower the compression a weeeee bit. Changes the port timings a fraction but she'll never notice it! Takes the edge off the 2smoker quite well.
Good mod for learners as you can take them out as they learn to bring it back to full power, and I know you can do this yourself as well!

But it will always be an mx bike! There's very little good bikes in this bracket mate! bloody hard for a lady or a learner to get something that'll not put them off. Big big hole in the range here. I gave up, as I'd done all the above and more to my sons first KX85 (power valve model) it was always going to be a light switch. Decided a big heavy crf150 would be better and not scare them silly and put them off. Fun fun fun is best! My daughter loves it, feels she can thrash it but still learn to stand and learn all the other skills and I'm a 2smoke man through and through. I went an electric start CRF 150 you could go 230, maybe Xr range. Let her just have fun and leave the more capable bikes to a stage when they are out riding the learner bikes. I found it very hard for us to put ourselves back in their shoes! I followed a young fella for a short time on a crf150 (or 230) at the last Mr moto ride and he was fair canning it, getting along very very well. Oh just had a thought the new CRF 150r might be a choice but I'm not sure of your budget or how they compare to the 150 or 230 power wise??
Just my 2c (depends on where she's at, at the moment though)

[B0000M]

where she's at at the moment is shes a fairly capable rider, where she goes wrong it confidence & riding with masses of bikes coming from all sides. - eg the start of tussockbuster

then it all goes downhill after a few crashes as she doesnt have the physical strength to pick the thing up.

power wise the 250x (which for those who havnt read before is running 250r cams, jetting, exaust, header, ignition, and opened up airbox) she says is not that fast... but shes a bit of a acceleration seeker (her old s15 turbo silvia was "slow" too......)

anywho, the overall bite of the cr85 i think will be fine, just wanting to smooth it out a little and give it enough down low to 'tractor' up those knarley hills where you lose most of your momentum yet still need that bit of juice quite low in the revs to continue to pull you up the hill.

cant remember if i said this earlier and cant be bothered reading my posts, but some kind guy at tussock buster we met in the pits was good enough to initially give her a bit of a sit on one, then a bit of a ride around the camp area, and even let me push her over while sitting on it to see how easyly she could get out from under it, pick it up, then start it again. all of these things were so much easier for her than with her crf.

then we go on to riding style.. and this is all my opinion.
i think riding a 4 stroke encourages bad techinques and un nessacary loss of speed.

i was talking her thru some steep downhill sections about using the front and rear brake together to keep the speed down and just go down at a snail pace so as to not get out of control on the big ruts and bumps, however using the rear brake in this way was a new thing to her due to the fact she had always just relied on the engine braking

the whole engine braking thing encourages slow riding, new riders on 4 strokes dont conciencely do it, but they are forever inadvertantly losing speed just because they have backed off the throttle. on the 2 stroke you are more or less directly in control of your speed just by either using the gas or the brakes, if you arent on the brakes you more or less maintain your speed you are going... in turn this makes you approach things faster without even noticing it and improving ability and flow of your riding.

[B0000M]

another thing is the expansion chamber spacer ive read about

does anyone know any details about how big this should be or where i could obtain such a device?

[B0000M]

Oh just had a thought the new CRF 150r might be a choice but I'm not sure of your budget or how they compare to the 150 or 230 power wise??

the 150r from everything ive read is bad news reliability wise... but im open to people to prove mw wrong... other than that the 150f is a bit slow and the 230 also a bit slow but almost as heavy as the 250

[Reckless]

the 150r from everything ive read is bad news reliability wise... but im open to people to prove mw wrong... other than that the 150f is a bit slow and the 230 also a bit slow but almost as heavy as the 250

Yep everything you say is correct above mate looks like she's above the level of the bikes I suggested. OK for my kids but if she's doing steep hills on a ride like the Tussock she'll need a bit more than the CRF range. What about a 200exc or even letting her on your CR250 for a few rides.(if you haven't already) or there's the good ol KDX200. They are only as tall as a Crf250f arn't they??
The Ktm200 tractors really well down low, 125 size frame and has the adjustable ( bloody great this) power valve you can turn back to her preference. My sons one is turned back a full turn and its perfect for his level. Only 3-4k as well for a good 03 or so. Just a few more ideas, don't wanna continually bang on about Ktm200's all the time. Might be a bit tall for her unless you get a stepped seat?? All good unless she wants to MX it as well then the Cr85 would come back into its own more??

[B0000M]

yea the big problem is lack of height. the crf is wound right down with a cut down seat and its still a little bit tall. ive tried her on my cr, it was a bit toooo quick for her lol. same height problem. the solution needs to be a physically smaller bike. which basicly points to that gaping big hole in the market trying to find a smaller bike which goes realtively well and has decent suspension and brakes... an area where most small bikes are a big let down - eg ttr's klx's crf-f's etc

the other issue with the other fullsize bikes is the starting thing, shes only little, doesnt have the leg strength to kick them over after a few times. eg cannot start my cr, and struggles on the manual leg option of the crf.

the 85 on the other hand was a piece of piss for her.

[Reckless]

yea I hear you there is a big hole in the market there, ask anyone with a kid/wife etc. The 200 would be ok for her to kick (my wife can easy pessy) but the 03 etc are quite tall and no linkage system for you to take some height out of it. They are quite punchy in the mid but our power valve adjustment solved that one nicely. Has the Kdx got a linkage system on the rear like the CR??? Trouble with all the 85 range they all have MX engines in them, bloody hopeless, big big hole in the market as you say!!! Dunno why they can'y see it! They make the CRF150 and the Kwaka 140 for it but no one takes them as serious adult bikes.