With Ricky Charmicheal winning nearly every race he rides on a CR250. Honda obviously knows how to make a competitive motor. However the last few years the machines have been less than stellar in the motor department. This year the motor recived a whole new begginging and the with a few exceptions the handaling and chassis recieved little changes. The biggest change is the new Showa works-style fork honing.
Ever since Honda went to the new case reed inducted engine and electronic power valve, the CR has been lacking some ponies and in '04 Honda hopes to return to the power house they once were with the CR250.
The cases have been re-cast to improve the crankcase volume and the intake is CNC machined to fit the new reed cage like a glove. From there, the cylinder is also all-new with a redesigned oval exhaust port and revised porting. To manage the power valve and ignition operation, a new carburetor has been fitted with a new throttle position sensor. According to Honda, the 3D mapping in the ignition works with feedback and information to provide the mill the best ignition timing as well as power valve operation.
With the new changes to the motor Honda claims to have increased the overall output of the CR and created more power from mid to top. If Honda did achieve the power claims then the 250 should be a serious threat once again. The '04 CR250R also receives the same changes as did the CRF450R and CR125R, which are the new darker red, new front fender, number plate and lighter fork guards and some lighter hardware.