HONDA ELSINORE
1973 CR250M

We have the very first Elsinore that was sold in Tucson.  The 1973 Elsinore was purchased by Doug Somerville from Tri Honda in Tucson.  Doug in his teenage years worked at Tri Honda and was excited when Honda finally came out with a 2 stroke bike.  Shortly after the bike was purchased Doug sent it to California to a performance shop to have the engine beefed up.  This bike was never raced but had many desert rides in Arizona and Mexico with Charouleau Gap in Pinal County being one of Doug's favorite rides. Doug became the owner of Tucson School of Scuba Diving.  In his young adulthood he became paralyzed from the neck down after a sand buggy accident in the sand dunes.  His doctors thought his life would be cut short by the injuries but he lived 50 years after the accident.

In 1973 Honda stunned the motocross world with the release of the Elsinore.  The bike was named after the famous Elsinore Grand Prix and was the lightest motocross bike in the world.  Honda worked with Steve McQueen on the ad campaign.  AMA 250 National Champion Gary Jones was hired to race the bike.  Gary won the 1973 AMA 250cc on his Elsinore.

Doug Somerville passed away two years ago but his bike and his memory now live on at JWJ Cycles thanks to his life long friend, Mike Sutherland.

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