The Dirt Bikes that Changed Motocross

The sport of motocross has evolved immensely since its creation in the United Kingdom nearly a century ago, and technology has helped move it along in leaps and bounds.

While riders have improved in the areas of skill level and overall fitness to become better riders, the technology and development of the bikes are what have taken the sport to the next level.

While many bikes have come and gone, there are a few special ones that have truly raised the bar and changed the sport for the better.

1973 Honda CR250 Elsinore

Honda has long been a powerful name in the motocross bike industry, and they completely changed how bikes would be designed from then on with the outstanding Elsinore.

This one of a kind bike was the first bike to change the overall design and would set the path for what these machines look like today.

One of the first quality builds you could get that wasn't from Europe, this fast and lightweight bike could reach speeds of 100 kmh.

With a body that was much easier to handle, this model would be top of the line into the 80s.

1975 Yamaha YZ250

After the popularity of the Elsinore, Japanese manufacturers began producing other bikes that were modelled after the Honda product with slight modifications.

In 1975, Yamaha released their version that featured the lightest body available on the market at that time.

With a combination of fibreglass, aluminium, and magnesium, this bike proved to be much easier to handle than others had been before it and make it an instant fan favourite among riders everywhere.

1982 Yamaha YZ250

The truly first modern bike that started it all, this outstanding machine set the course for the next stage of bikes that would lead us to what we have in the industry today.

While this new creation still had some major setbacks due to the early stages of design such as being too heavy, lacking tremendous power, and not being the most efficiently designed machine, the engine technology that debuted is what set it apart from the rest.

This bike would be the very first model to feature a variable exhaust port and debuted some top of the line power valve systems.

While these parts would not make the bike move fast enough at the time due to the tremendous weight, it did set the stage for improvements and alterations to be made on its innovative parts.

1988 Honda CR250R

Another outstanding model from Honda, this CR250 a completely redesigned bike that would be controversial, but start a newer trend in the overall design game.

While not a particularly successful or even popular bike, this model featured the parts much lower on the body of the bike to create a lower centre of gravity for better overall performance.

This didn't take off in 1988, but it was a model that would be worked off of for years.

These are just a few of the world changing bikes created through the years, and we have them all to thank for where we are today.