Vintage Dirt Bike Q & A

Hi!, GREAT SITE!
Im sure you guys that own the early Elsinores know what I'm
Talking about when I say Transmission Problems.
This is my 3rd 73-74 CR250M Elsinore, I've replaced shifting
forks and gears alot on these bikes (in the past).
5 years ago I pulled out my (only one I have left) Baby.
I had put it up 10-12 years before, within a few days I had it
running and remembered also why I put it up, third gear not staying
engadged. So the bike set till a few months ago, mean while the last 5 years I have been stocking up on whatever I could find for the transmission.
I have, including the one from my bike 3 full transmission gear sets.
two 73-74 one 75,and two sets of shifting forks, but of course they all
have problems, (DOGS AND COGS!).
Ok finaly I'll get to my question, is there anything you guys know of
that a guy can do to help/fix this problem.
I was looking at a 74 cr250 racer a month or two ago and he had listed that the transmission had been gone through and been back ground,
Have you guys heard of this? doesn't make since to me, I have spent hours stoning on those gears but this sounds like maybe a fix. maybe?
any help appreciated.
Once again GREAT SITE!
Thx

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Al Carr
73-74 CR250M Elsinore
78 CR250 Elsinore
2003 CR250R

Sam Alexander aka "Jasco" does work on the 73-4 CR250 transmissions. I'd contact him and see if he can help. He back cuts the gears so they stay engaged. Never seen an example, but it must work as I've heard nothing but good things about his work. Ive also been told that you can run a 75 or 76 tranny and they are supposed to hold up better. If memory serves me correctly, Honda updated the shift forks by adding some webbing to the forks to stiffen them up.

it is a common problem on this model and basically all the experts - Jastco at al - will tell you the original factory tolerances were pitiful and everything needs to be shimmed and adjusted to allow no float. I had a 76 gearbox in mine and still did the same thing. Overhauled the box but have been progressively buying what gears and selectors I can find as it will happen again. I believe Jastco was looking at the possibility of making gears but this was very cost prohibitive?

Rossco

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1974 Yamaha YZ360B
1977 Suzuki RM370B
1980 Honda CR250RA

Hi, this is Sam at Jastco. I do backcut the gears to make them engage quicker and keep them engaged. Only one problem to this, you need good gears to start with, the gears are only case hardened and once you round off the dog you go thru the case hardening. I have done this to bad gears and they will last a while, but not nearly as long as a good gear. I only shim one gear in the transmission, that is 3rd countershaft, it needs more engagement. I have some gears in stock, but I do not sell to Joe Public, the reason being is these gears are almost gone and Honda is not making anymore, guys were taking a new gear and putting it with a bad one and destroying the new gear, that is a waste of a limited supply, so now I only sell the gears when I do a transmission. We have kicked around the idea for a while about making gears, but people complain about the price of some of the parts we already have, gears will be very expensive to make. They would however be stronger and hold up better than the stock ones if we did make them.

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Sam Alexander

1974 Honda CR250M
1976 Honda CR250
1974 Maico MC440
1974 Maico MC250
1977 Maico AW400

Sam...your triple clamps for the CR250M are first class. I'm saving my $$$ bucks for a set.

I guess I'm lucky. I 'm running a 1975 tranny in my 74 & that thing shifts sweet!!

Forrest Rohrs
1974 CR250
1982 CR250R
1980 CR125

1972 LT2M 100