mid 90's Honda CRE 250 ??

FreshTopEnd
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8/28/2017 10:04am Edited Date/Time 9/6/2019 12:47pm
Anyone have information or maybe a linked article about the CRE bikes that Kevin Hines imported for a bit in the mid 90's? Not the Honda CRM.

Particularly interested in whether these had a wide ratio box. Thanks!
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Bearuno
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8/28/2017 10:56am
Google HM Honda Italy. That should get you to a few things.

Dirt Bike Mag tests, of Kevin Hines personal bike, and other mag tests of then generally had them as the Wide Ratio gearbox. But, they could be had spec'd with that, or the std gearbox, at least in other markets. A fair few riders still preferred the closer ratios.

I wish my CRE500 had come with the WR one, but Honda Australia just got the lighting stator / rotor/ side cover and extra wiring loom and the weird side stand from HM. One day I'll track down a WR gear set kit, one day.......
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FreshTopEnd
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8/28/2017 11:11am
Thanks! Have read a couple things that they had a WR bix, and did not have a WR box.

Interested in any thoughts folks have on the bike, and would love to hear from someone who had the 260
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avmechanic
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8/28/2017 12:55pm
I was always fascinated with the CRE Honda's back in the day. I remember reading about them in Dirt Bike and Dirt Rider. I dug through my old magazines for info on them but it seems I did not keep them all and don't seem to have anything on them. Finding info about them now seems to be very difficult. Even finding a photo is tough. One of my future projects is to restore a 1990 CR250. I was thinking of making it a CRE style replica. I can not seem to find a picture 1990/91 style CRE so I am assuming they never made any that far back. That won't stop me and I will just make a replica of how I picture it. I sure would like to find a wide ration transmission kit. That would really make the bike. I hope some others chime in with some more info.
Greg
1
8/28/2017 3:33pm
The CRE 250, possibly starting from 1989 or 1990, was a CR 250 conversion with additional lighting installed by HM, the Italian Distr. for Honda CR models.
They did this same conversion with the CR 125 and the CR 500, too.
All CREs came with paperwork and a license for road use, which made them great sellers, becoming even more popular than KTMs and Huskys at that time.
The wider ratio gearbox definetly was NOT stock; it was an extra option offered by HM, where taller 4th and 5th gears were installed, upon the owner's request.
This basically allows for a lower sprocket combination.
1st, 2nd and 3rd gear become lower, for tight woods riding, while 4th and 5th remain reasonably tall.
On the earlier HPP engines the gear kits were a direct fit into the cases, while on the 1992 - 2001 engines some minor grinding was required, for proper clearance.
I am not sure, but these same, wider gears will carry over to the latest 2002-2007 engines, too.
In the later years the request for the wider ratio kit seemed like it faded away, I have not heard of any recent CRE with a modified gearbox.
Some long time HM dealers may still have leftover kits, though.
I bought a set in around 2003, and installed it into my own 1994 CRE 250, while the cases were split for new crank bearings.
That was a nice addition, although the jump between 3rd and 4th/5th gear became a bit annoying.
These seem to be durable parts, made with quality, hardened material.
I have no idea wether the CREs imported from Italy into the US in the 1990s had been specified with a WR gearbox; if they did, that must have been an expensive option by HM.

alpine rider
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The Shop

MaxPower
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8/31/2017 9:25am
What kind of build are you scheming there FTE?
FreshTopEnd
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8/31/2017 10:10am
There's a 94 kicking around with the 01 forks and it looks to be a real HM bike. I had a 96 250, and like the 92-96 CR bikes. Trying to gauge how much is different about the HM model from the stocker.

Problem is I'm finding it hard to keep up with the physicality of even shooting a race, let alone riding a bike, so it would be a tinker thing, probably not a buy to ride. It'd make me feel warm and fuzzy having two more wheels in the garage, but not sure it's worth it.

Some guy is selling a 13 KTM 150 with a 200 engine in it and the 150 engine on the side for a reasonable price, I'd be all over that bike if I was fit to ride. Have to figure out some way to keep my hands dirty without feeling like I'm missing out.
avmechanic
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8/31/2017 2:17pm




You sparked my interest in this again. I did some searching for some old Dirt Bike and Dirt Rider magazine articles. I found Dirt bike had articles in 94' and 96' I ordered some old copies of ebay and should have them in a week or so. I will scan the articles and post them when I can. In my research I found comments mentioning the first models from HM were built in 1988. 88' 89' models are rare anywhere. 90s models seem the most common to find in North America here as they were the only ones imported for a short time. It seems tough to find much on them anywhere on the net. Cool bikes.
Greg
2
MaxPower
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8/31/2017 2:34pm
I think you are a pretty amazing dude FTE. Since you have so much vintage mx knowledge do you have any desire to build a bad ass vintage bike?
FreshTopEnd
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8/31/2017 4:17pm
I'm still working on that 79, and I need to focus on that bike and rid myself of the extra 15 bikes worth of parts I accumulated Blush ....





This opportunity is itching because it would be a rider and I still kid/taunt myself about my capacity to ride.

I suspect that tinkering is going to be my moto outlet, but the trap will be one at a time rather than stacking up incomplete projects.

BTW, here's the bike if anyone is interested in taking a run at it.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/d/1994-honda-cre-260-cr250/6279321456.html

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avmechanic
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9/16/2017 1:40pm
I ended up picking up an old Dirt Bike magazine from ebay that has the 1994 Honda CRE260 and 1994 Honda CRM250 tests in it. The CRE is the early imported Italian bike before they had to be assembled in the states with pieces from Italy. Very cool bikes. The CRM seems a bit lame. I guess it could have been upgraded to perform better but was lame as just a Japanese spec dual sport. I have scanned the article for all to enjoy here.
Greg





















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avmechanic
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9/17/2017 9:07pm
Here is another article from Cycle World






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jstephe
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Seneca, SC US
8/18/2018 3:25pm
I recently purchased a 96 cr250 that a previous owner had turned into a CRE. I believe some of the parts are legitimate CRE parts. I have the lighting coil, extra flywheel and steering stabilizer.

I am considering selling the parts to help fund the rebuild of the 96 (turning it into an Evo MX racer). Any idea what they might be worth? Any help would be much appreciated!



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Duh_ave
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Capitola, CA US
9/5/2019 5:19pm
I think I have the bike that FTE mentions was for sale (I bought is a couple of years ago but am just getting around to messing with it).

I'm curious if anyone might have access to the parts fiches specific to the build, and also wiring diagrams that they'd be willing to share.
Thanks!
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450exc115
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9/5/2019 6:01pm
That's a WER steering stabilizer. Same company as the still in business Works Enduro Rider suspension company who is non other than Suzuki PE developer and racer Drew Smith.

Kevin Hines use to import the kits, he also did E-line carbon fiber guards and probably still has some information on them. Try reaching out to him
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MaxPower
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9/6/2019 12:47pm
I just had Drew Smith rebuild and revalve my conventional 9i8 showas. He is a great suspension guy
Adioblaster
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Spring Mills , PA US
1/18/2023 5:40pm
Anyone have information or maybe a linked article about the CRE bikes that Kevin Hines imported for a bit in the mid 90's? Not the Honda...
Anyone have information or maybe a linked article about the CRE bikes that Kevin Hines imported for a bit in the mid 90's? Not the Honda CRM.

Particularly interested in whether these had a wide ratio box. Thanks!

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My 93 CRE 250, Wide Ratio Gear kit, lighting stator, WER steering stabilizer, skid plate with kickstand, oversized gas tank, mechanical speedo was swapped to vapor trail tech. We took all the original parts off to persevere them and made it look modern I’m sure that’s unpopular but I can switch it back to original anytime, thing is a blast to ride around town! Was made street legal in Florida back in the day.

Adioblaster
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1/18/2023 8:04pm
Anyone have information or maybe a linked article about the CRE bikes that Kevin Hines imported for a bit in the mid 90's? Not the Honda...
Anyone have information or maybe a linked article about the CRE bikes that Kevin Hines imported for a bit in the mid 90's? Not the Honda CRM.

Particularly interested in whether these had a wide ratio box. Thanks!

D4C39440-4213-4CAC-A06F-51547268F515 Photo dump on all the documentation I have on my bike. This guy won it from the coors lite supercross sweepstakes made it’s up my direction it went through two of my buddies and I’m the fourth owner. Super cool the original owner kept all the documents so you can see what it took to actually become street legal. If anyone’s interested I can take/send pictures of the inside of the Baja designs books or any others I have shown. Sorry my phone switches all the photos sideways I didn’t take them like this.CCFB267C-C051-4FA9-8172-D68DE68BFE35

 

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