WILL IT RUN - 1976 Honda Elsinore CR125 - Sitting 20 Years! - VINTAGE Motocross Bike 

I had a couple of early elsinores. I’ll never forget the smell :-)

Those were a blast to ride! Very narrow powerband meant they were not for everybody. Would love to find one in that shape.

That is a bad ass bike. Many people would kill to have that just for sentiment alone, not to mention the cool factor. Hope you give it the attention it deserves!

It's a Honda....it will run. Definitely a sweet bike!

I was always a 250 guy,a buddy lent me his 76 cr125 for a whole summer and told me to ride it like it was mine. I loved that bike.I broke the frame by the swing arm axle but other than that never had a problem with it.

Nice seeing old dusty bikes in a barn then make it run, and yup, I agree with Paul and Kevin, restore it and you'll never regret it.

I still have the original exhaust for that bike. Raced it way back growing up in late 70's-80's Has a wicked power band and loves being wound up tight. That bike is worth $$$ on the vintage racing circuit.

i dont think you know you have a gold nugget that bike is clean for its age..sick!

He says "I'm not a good mechanic" and proceeds to his badass toolbox full of well organized tools.

That's amazing the cables was not clogged up well done 👍

My first was the venerable x74 CR-125 Elsie. Honda made every other make up their game, quick & in a hurry.

I had that exact same bike when I was 16 y.o., got it used for $600, put another $700 into it and had a whole lot of fun..! The tech at a Yamaha dealer near me got it running like new. Great Bike... ! Don't paint it, just clean it up good. I would put a new pipe (or an after mkt if you can find one) otherwise it's a custom job.

I had one of these, quick little 125cc. Very collectable now,and hard to find.

I had one yrs ago. That has the bigger 34mm mikuni carb and kit like I had. Big difference and narrowed the power band but screams. Nice bike

The compression was good I would say about 145 150. The only reason it read 100 was because of a weak kick. You want strong good kicks as if you were trying to start it. Also you want to hold the throttle wide open. Just small tips for a more accurate compression test reading

Sounds like it's going to need a top end soon but it runs and it moves. You have a winner.

I had a 1974 like that. It was silver with a green stripe. Yes it liked high ram's. I remember that mine would load up, carburetor, if you didn't run it hard to keep the carb cleaned out. If it did " load up " I would have to turn the fuel off, start it holding it wide open and start it. It wouldn't run good until it started burning excess fuel off. Like being flooded. When it cleared out, it was ready to ripp again. It only did that when trail riding. Never when in the power band. It would bring the front end up in all 6 gears. No lie. I wish I still had it. Your bike could easily bring $5000. I currently have a 1974 Honda xl 125 with the title. It only has 1500 actual miles and original tires. $300 bucks. I think that I can get $2500 for it but I will probably keep it. Thanks for the video. I love that kind of stuff.

What's up bring that old baby back to life redo the whole thing let it live for another 50 years nice job.

Loved the way those Elsinores sounded back in the day, music to my ears.

I had a 75 Elsinore brand new at 14 years old . coming from riding a 73 Yamaha MX 100cc with the silver tank green stripe . Talk about a major transition ... !!! 6 speed Tranny , handling, power suspension .... I still think the 75 Elsinore is the most gorgeous looking motocross bike then and even now ....

Nice bike I would restore it and try to keep it close to original. I can't believe how quick she fired up too!

That's an old Honda for ya, those old bikes are bullet proof, second kick too, I wish I had one of those old bikes, if you take care of them they will run forever !

I owned the exact same bike in 1977.

I would love to own that bike!!

I use to have a mid 70s Elsinore 250(can’t remember the exact year) The bike absolutely flew for what it was! 70 mph with me on it ( probably weighed 140 lbs then) Wish I still had the bike but sold it to buy a car when I was 16…

Nice fix. Your bike starts up faster then my 01 cr125 😂

Had a 75 CR 125 Awesome machine. Wish I still had it . They had a sound all their own .

Remember when these came onto the scene in the U.K. could spot them easily amongst the sea of yellow RMs and YZs. Great video, lovely old bike 😊

Hondas were and are still the best looking bikes ever made..the championship company !!!

nice bike! Honda it`s cool! good luck!

That’s looks very nice wish I had one

Those days i had one like it with glass carb you could see inside the carb.1978

Had one of the first ones of these broke swingarm first week used to tear off exhaust every week and would seize engine every couple weeks had everything fmf by the end about a year later loved that bike

The muffler on the end of the expansion chamber is from a Honda MR250 if you didn't already know that. Sweet bike, worth a small fortune. So, I am wrong about the muffler, still doesn't change the fact that it's ugly and a power leach. 😠

Sweet bike

Damn what a jewel to find, I'd luv to find one in that shape. I'd carefully washed cleaned maintenance and fix any mechanical issues and leave it as is to admire, sure wldnt be beating on it. Nice bike cherish it.

Nice bike, make a longer video of you riding it

Sweet bike... big power..

Looks like it would be easy to get into nice rideable condition, but that stock coffee can silencer is pretty rare, most of those were ditched as soon as they left the dealership. Look into that, could fund some parts for it, but you could probably get a hefty price on the collector market. I'd sell the silencer, fund the rest, get it mechanically sound, and take care of it but still have fun on it.

Had a ‘75 and a ‘76 CR125. Bought both new. The 75 was lighter and faster but the ‘76 looked like Marty’s bike. Personally, I’d restore it to showroom condition because it is very, very original and complete. In fact it looks like the only change made to it is the rear sprocket and the modified ignition cover.

Bought one brand new just like that exactly like that very good start on a motorcycle they do have a high RPM ban and they don't like low RPM's real nice looking bike there have fun with it I wouldn't mind finding one just like it myself but they are so hard to find they're either total junk or expensive as heck enjoy

for sure worth a restoration, it is the most fun part.....

i had one of these back in the day, the 125 was nicknamed the red bullet, while its bigger 250 version was the red rocket..and both lived up to those names! they were the last of the air cooled motocross bikes made by Honda, so they marked the end of an era. i regreted selling the 125, a second after the deal was done, and have regretted selling it ever since!🙁 😮

I had one of these in the early 80s went like stink when it hit the power band, scared me to death, so loud with out the silencer but ran better then piston went bang. still got the manual lol, wish i still had the bike.

Way ahead of it's time variable geometry exaust system genius 😂

My first motorbike was a 70s CR 125', perhaps an Elsinore. not sure. Anyways it had the same power-pipe but with a home made baffle at end of exhaust. It soon fell off completely, so I was given a power-pipe from a Suzuki RM 125. I rode my CR 125 with a broken exhaust to a backyard welder, who rolled a big Dooby then got to work cutting the RM pipe in three places to curve around the engine. This resulted in a stylized power pipe that would hit powerband much better. It also had part of the pipe curve up close to the tank and my right knee. I noticed that your back muffler moved under revs, perhaps you should remove altogether for better power band.

Never saw one with the huge stock silencer,. Those must have been Removed so fast when new.

I would restore it to like new. But some might sneer at the idea. I guarantee since it runs that good before putting new carburetor parts and such on it, it would turn a lot of heads at bike shows!

What in the world is that for an exhaust 😁 it looks strange but also really cool...😆

Leave it the way it is but tidy up the working components 💃

What about Kaplan's surely they would love it in they're museum

Good sprockets chain and tires it can't be that worn out it sure doesn't look it .previous even left the spark arrestor on it

That's cool.

12,000 rpm to go on these Top end sounds a little loose check piston and wrist pin etc . Suppose to change them after Every few races . We raced these in 70s when I was 14yo . Before Rm Suzuki came out .

Resto for sure

That’s a beaut I’d definitely restore it worth a fortune as well 👍

Don't paint it. Clean it up and leave the orig. If it were in bad shape i'd say paint it but it's not, so orig only adds to the nostalgia which is irreplaceable in character. The way it looks rn gives of such nostalgic vibes that to ruin would be a shame. If there was a way to put a layer or two of matte or medium clear coat over it without ruining the current look i would look into that as opposed to repainting if you plan on using it. To protect from the elements, and the orig.

Cool !!

Had a Elsinore cr250r forever ago

Today i wanted to replace my head gasked on my yamaha aerox....and as i was in the Garage....the landlord has shut off the electric....no light...no heater....no work....thx landlord....by the way, everything is payd😉🤣

restore it.nice old bike.

Can you do a video you riding it that would be awesome bro!!!

It should have a Kehin carb OEM.

Now this is Honda reliability at its finest😮‍💨

Restore it I had the same bike years ago I traded it and a 1980 xl 250s for a part payment on a 1981 xr500r I got ripped off mine was a barn find the tank was like new the motor had blown piston I put new piston rebored to 155 it went good it's funny my rear shocks were stuffed too

I'm 8 minutes in and I'm thinking 100 PSI is fine cuz there is might be stuck or just needs to run and go through a couple heat cycles then check it

Well worth spending some money on. Too good to just for away.

Sounds like it needs a top end.

The good old days ) raced a 76 cr 125 . Was bored 60 over with a 250 carb . Very fast and fun machine. TRADED it in on a 77 YZ 250. The first monoshock bike. That was a leg breaker once the power band kicked in. Things got blurry in a hurry . Still love the smell of KLOTZ in the am. Only an old 2 stroke rider will know what KLOTZ is ; ))

I think they. All had that silencer on the end of the expansion chamber.

I had one and it was a fun bike. it was stolen February 1977.

Original rear tire with the variable pitch knobbies

What did you do to the carb? How about the tank? Thanks for sharing!

Anything that is worth doing is worth doing right the first time so if ur going to put money in might as well fully restore it

Please get rid of the 4-stroke muffler first thing. It moves when you gas it. It's going to come off and go in the spokes!

wasnt the "elsinore" 125 named after the Elsinore Grand Prix in California?

Damn I want that! Change the crank seals or you could blow it up

Nice bike, but you have defenitely a bottom end damage maybe the crankshaft bearings.

Honda from Terminator 2?

Little end and some other vibration

Hi Brad, great vid! I'd like to buy it Been looking for a '76/77, I raced one in '76. Let me know, thx!

Had the same bike ... It was loud ....

Need to lose the 4 stroke muffler--expansion pipe won't be able to breathe

Lets rev the piss out of it

Such a dumb question. Of course it will run IF you do your part.

Tear the whole bike down powder coat the frame fresh paint full resto

Are you selling it please..?

It’s a Honda …. Put some fresh two cycle gas in it and it will fire on first or second kick No worries

its a honda.....of course it runs...

If it was mine l would restore it

Sell it to me, had one when I was 16 in 1976

That is a MR muffler welded on 😦😦😦😦😦🏍🏍🏍

Restore it ,elsinores collectable

That pipe is as Ugly as Sin I'd just replace it with a FMF pipe

Restore

AHHH!!! Should have loosened up that intake boot before ripping out that carb?!?!? Get rid of that air filter before it disintegrates into the cylinder!!! Dont gas it immediately after starting especially after a decades long sit!!??!! Let her warm up a bit before going for infinity RPM's?!?!! Thats a cool machine from my era but i preferred the 79' when they went with the up expansion chamber. Ive got 3 vintage 79' 250'S (RM,CR,KX) I rebuilt from roach status in my hangar. Golden spectro in the morning makes for a great start to a day!!!

"I'm not a good mechanic" This guy doesn't deserve to even attempt to work on one of Hondas finest, let alone ride the poor thing. Please sell it quickly to an enthusiast.

Restore the bike

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