HONDA The Power of Dreams

TIMELINE

Timeline leading up to the CRF Series

*Model year

1957

Motocross World Championship 500cc class begins

1960s

Late 1960s

US
Growth of recreational off-road riding and motocross racing
Japan
Two-stoke models gain popularity

1970s

1972

Two-stroke RC250M
First victory in the All Japan Motocross Championship

1973

Honda’s first production motocrosser

Production motocross machine Elsinore CR250M launched

1974

Elsinore CR125M launched

Mid-1970s

Long-distance off-road racing gains popularity in the U.S.

XR four-stroke off-road brand launched
American-built XR series expands worldwide,
becomes a flagship name for Honda four-stroke off-road machines

1979

1979-81
500cc world champion

Honda claims first Motocross World Championship 500cc Riders’ & Manufacturers’ titles

XR185 launched

XR enduro bike brand expands in the US

1980s

1981

XR200 launched

CR250R/CR125R
Water-cooled engine, Pro-Link

CR450R launched

1985

XR250R
(Four-stroke)

1990s

1997

CR250R
World’s first production motocross machine with aluminum frame

Applied to CR125R in 1998

Honda announces transition to four-stroke technology
(except for certain racing machines)

1960s

1962

First full-fledged scrambler in Japan

Dream CL72 Scrambler launched — Honda’s first model suited for off-road riding

1966

Benly CL125 / CL90 launched

CL brand name introduced for models suited to off-road riding, touring, and city use
CL Series
Street scramblers derived from road sport models
sharing chassis and engines
50cc～450cc
Street scrambler lineup expanded

1967

First BAJA 1000 held

  • CL series
  • evolves into SL series

1970s

1970

Dream SL350 launched

SL Series
Four-stroke dual-purpose models
90cc～350cc

1973

Honda’s first two-stroke dual-purpose models

Two-stroke dual-purpose models Elsinore MT250 / MT125 launched

1975

Four-stroke XL brand gains popularity

XL250 launched

  • Four-stroke SL series
  • XL series

1980s-1990s

  • Two-stroke evolution:
    MT series
  • MTX series
  • CRM series
MTX
Series

1982MTX125R

MTX Series
Two-stroke dual-purpose models
CRM
Series

1989CRM250R

1997CRM250AR

CRM Series
Two-stroke
dual-purpose models
Highly regarded for enduro performance
  • Four-stroke evolution:
    XL series
  • XLX series
  • XLR series
  • XR series
XL
Series

1981XL250R

XL Series
Four-stroke dual-purpose models
XLR
Series

1985XLR250R

XR
Series

1995XR250/XR BAJA

1997

Honda announces transition to four-stroke technology
(except for certain racing machines)

CRF designation introduced
“CR” (two-stroke motocross models) + “F” (four-stroke)
Used widely for off-road and dual-purpose models