Vintage Dirt Bike Q & A

I'm going to put a set of 1983 CR250 forks on my 1978 CR250. We've talked here about putting 83 CR480 forks on a 79 CR250, but is there anything different about this combination?

Is the 78 stem the same (bearings) as the 79?

Will I still need to have a spacer machined?

Thanks!

J

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#829 The "Factory Novice"

1988 Honda CR250RJ
1983 Honda CR480
1981 Can-Am 250 MX6-B
1979 Honda CR250RZ
1979 Kawasaki KX250 A5
1978 Husky 250CR
1978 Honda CR250R
1977 Yamaha YZ400D
1977 Suzuki RM125B

I KNOW FOR A FACT THE BEARINGS ARE THE SAME

I would expect the forks to be the same i.e. 43mm Showas with 15-position clickers at the base of the fork legs. However to be sure you can check out the on-line catalogs at http://www.powersportspro.com and/or http://www.racetech.com.

The headset bearings will be the same.

The 1983 steerer will be longer. While you can make a spacer (stack washers, machined or whatever..), I found some alternative Honda triple clamps that allowed me to transplant a 1978-1980 steerer of the right length. If I remember the 1983 steerer tube is held in the lower triple clamp with clip, while the older steerer tube wants to be clamped in with a pinch bolt.

If you change your headset bearings, absolutely try and preserve the gold-colored washers that go under the bottom bearing and upper bearing race. They are discontinued parts. (Unless someone knows different?)

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Michael Stiles
1979 Honda CR250R Elsinore | 2006 Husqvarna SM510R | 2007 Service Honda CR500R-AF

Will I be able to get new bearings and races from any good bearing house?

You are correct that the 83 has a c-clip and the 78/79 has a pinch bolt. Will I need to adapt a c-clip to the 78 stem or will the fluted end be enough?

What other year/model stems work without using a spacer?

Thanks!

J

_________________
#829 The "Factory Novice"

1988 Honda CR250RJ
1983 Honda CR480
1981 Can-Am 250 MX6-B
1979 Honda CR250RZ
1979 Kawasaki KX250 A5
1978 Husky 250CR
1978 Honda CR250R
1977 Yamaha YZ400D
1977 Suzuki RM125B

My guesses:

Yes on the bearings and races. Take an old one to a bearing supply house and see what they say. You can certainly get swing arm bearings this way. And they will probably be better quality than OEM and much cheaper.

No on the circlip. The two stems are very different. I would not bother trying...

Probably not on the steerer. I think you will find a whole bunch of applications that all have the same length C-clip steerer (and all will be too long). Go the other route and find a lower clamp that allows use of the older correct-length steerer. Or make a spacer for the C-clip steerer. I think I have XR clamps on my CR as the handlebars are not rubber-mounted.

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Michael Stiles
1979 Honda CR250R Elsinore | 2006 Husqvarna SM510R | 2007 Service Honda CR500R-AF