Honda CR250 CR250R 2000-2001 Service Manual

PulpMX's retrospective on the era doesn't sugarcoat where Honda stood entering 2000: after pioneering the aluminum motocross frame in 1997, "Honda mystique began to tarnish" as early flex issues and stiffer competition chipped away at the brand's dominant position. The 2000 CR250R represented a genuine ground-up correction — Honda took what it learned from that rocky first aluminum-frame generation and built a second-generation twin-spar chassis that was lighter, leaner, and better in nearly every measurable way, while deliberately paring down spar thickness and narrowing the midsection to dial some intentional flex back into what had become an overly rigid frame.

The engine received real attention too: a larger airbox with 35% more volume sat 15mm farther forward, feeding a 38mm flat-slide Keihin PWK Air Striker carburetor with a triple-taper needle, while a reshaped CRV rotary exhaust valve improved scavenging and throttle response. A new dual-axis, double-taper swingarm with a lighter cast aluminum cross member paired with revised rear shock valving for better bump absorption, and front brake unsprung weight was trimmed via a new compact dual-piston caliper with steel pistons.

For 2001, Honda largely left the chassis alone, focusing changes elsewhere — most notably a revised rev-limiter switch that raised the maximum engine speed by 500 rpm and added a claimed 2 hp over the 2000 model, delivering roughly 58 hp total. Handling on both years remained a mixed bag by contemporary reports: genuinely improved over the harsh early aluminum-frame CRs, though some riders still found the chassis stiffer and more vibration-prone than they preferred. Redesigned fenders, shrouds, side covers, and a softer, narrower seat rounded out the bodywork updates for the 2000 model year.