There was a time when there were a lot less rules and true Works bikes ruled the racetrack. “Works” as in works of art–often hand-built race bikes of which only a handful existed each and every year. The race bikes of the 80s were amazing machines and were often a glimpse into what future production bikes were going to look and be like.
Here is a look at Honda’s Works 1982 RC250, the machine Donnie Hansen won both the Supercross and Outdoor National series on. Unfortunately for Hansen, he was never able to defend his two championships due to an overseas accident during a practice session that ultimately ending his racing career. Hanson went on to teach motocross schools, which he still does to this day.
In the 80s every racer dreamed of racing an Works RC250. The bikes were a head of there time with low slung fuel tanks, one-piece airbox/subframes and you could always spot a works bike by the swingarm and the bead of weld that reached the length of the tapered work of art. Notice on the ’82 Works bike had the kickstart on the left side and the chain and sprocket were on the right. This was the last year of this configuration, in 1983 everything was switched on the works bikes but the production bikes did not make the switch to left side final drive until 1984.
These bikes were ahead of their time and even had a air tunnel through the tank into the airbox. Riders could pick between a five or six speed transmission. At the time it was rumored these bikes cost in the neighborhood of $75,000 each to build. A fully adjustable works Showa 43mm fork up front with a rumored price tag of $13,000. Now those prices do not seem that out of line in 2014 but in 1982 that was a load of cash for a fledgling sport.
At the time these bikes were the so advanced compared to production bikes, yet if you lined a fully prepped 1982 Works RC250 with a stock CRF450R, the Works RC would feel like a dated ill-handeling machine—that just goes to show how far technology has advanced over the years.
