Vintage Dirt Bike Q & A

I believe I have reached the point of replacement for my 1980 CR250 clutch basket. Honda doesn't carry them anymore. Does anyone know where I could acquire a new replacement?

Thanks,

Clint

look at ebay. someone in england makes them from billet aluminium.
many years before i made mine from steel (2379)

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80 CR250Ra
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90 Kawasaki KX250

You can find NOS parts at http://www.cmsnl.com, but the inner hub alone costs Euro 589.00...you'd be better to pick up a complete 2nd-hand engine with a basket in better shape than yours. How bad is it?

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

Thanks.

The inner hub looks pretty good. The outer has very deep grooves from the sides of the friction plates in each and every groove. I'm not an expert, so when I first saw this I thought maybe those grooves where there for the friction plates to rest in, but I don't think that's the case.

Lately, the clutch has been grabbing very hard - but not consistently.

Clint

You can file down the ridges in the clutch basket. It is not a long-term fix but it will help with the clutch action. Then check the plates, grease the actuating lever, cable and lever pivot. You may find that all these together make it acceptable. I have tried an easy-pull lever from MSR but it broke and I went back to a stock replica from Flanders. I also use Barnett plates and clutch springs.

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

Thanks for the input.

I was just a little concerned that if I file those ridges down I would take away so much material that the friction plates might have too much play and bounce around. I think the other items you suggest make sense. Just FYI, I did "bend" the top section of the clutch actuator (where it connects to the clutch cable) to gain about 3/16" leverage to reduce the hard pull of the clutch. I bent it toward the cylinder head as much as I could. It actually really helped a lot with the clutch pull. I don't think it is part of the problem I am experiencing now, but then again.....

Clint

If you file the grooves out of the basket, the plates do move more as a result, and make the next set of grooves come quicker. It is a temporary band-aid only....

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

For the cost of the basket - I can live with a bandaid.

Thanks again for the help.

Clint

Barnett has a great concept where they make the basket out of aluminum but put steel sleeves over the fingers that can be replaced...pity they don't do a retro-fit kit for old clutches.

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

Ya, that's the perfect concept.

I think I will go out and buy a bit for my Dremel and give the filing a shot. That seems like the best way to do it - unless you have any other suggestions.

Thanks,

Clint