Just finished restoring my CR250 today.
I’ve owned this bike about 6 years. I bought it when I was in college 20 years old and left it at my parent’s house where it’s sat for the first 4.5 years of my ownership I only got to ride maybe a dozen times when I make the haul back to their house. My friends brought it out to my new home about a year and a half ago and it’s gone out once. Now I am finally in a position where I can start riding it.
The seller told me when I bought it, to his knowledge the bike hadn’t been opened up. In December I started it up ran good 2nd kick no worries. I noticed a coolant leak on the tip of the expansion chamber where it mates to the cylinder. So I took it apart and I found 2 cracks in the piston and it was stamped “ART” on the inside which google states would be an oem piston. So I got away with putting only a top end in it. Cylinder looked amazing as well to my surprise. Oddly enough it ran fine in December. I took it apart for a coolant leak from the head.
I don’t really feel like I cut any corners either time was on my side. I learned a lot rebuilt the forks, welded the swing arm re did the linkage, obviously the top end. And just went through every inch of the bike. Was a really fun project I am very proud of. Enjoy these pictures. I will own this bike forever.
Started it up today and it sounded great. Such an awesome feeling.