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Many changes were implemented by Honda  to the 1981 FL-250 Odyssey. What is obvious when you look at the photograph is the 81 sports a full roll cage and head net. There's a sound reason for it.

Sharing the steel girder frame and power platform of its predecessors, the 81-84 Odyssey is still powered by the robust 250cc, single piston, 2 cycle that powers an flawless automatic transmission. Despite adding a few pounds it still has a generous power curve to tackle the most demanding terrain. A major, and welcomed change was to the electrical side of the engine. The 81 Odyssey went to electronic ignition (CDI). No more points to set! Honda also add a air box and snorkel system above your head to feed the 250cc engine without the dirt, water and dust. It works great. My 79 Odyssey would suck in all kinds of leaves from the forest floor when I went riding. Not so with the 83.

Like the earlier Odyssey models, when you strap on this machine, it's unlike any ATV you've ever ridden. You really don't ride it, you drive it and drive it hard. It's extremely fast and can turn on a dime. It will also bite you if you're not careful and control your speed and attack into a turn or jump. Jumps? There's a good reason that roll cage is there!

The fiberglass body tub and fenders change from the playful Calypso Yellow to serious racing Honda Passion Red. The fenders and body do a pretty good job of keeping old mother nature off of you. You can still take a good soaking when you blast through a deep mud hole and a wave of water and mud washes over you from the front. But that's what makes the Odyssey such a fun machine. You can get into the down and dirty with the best of them. The Odyssey has enough guts to pull you just about out of anything you get yourself into. It will climb some of the steepest hills we have here in Southeast Ohio and only fails when it loses traction and spins.

Honda retained the same independent front suspension with ridiculous small shocks that do a moderate job of absorbing the bumps and lumps on the trail. Again, no rear suspension so to speak. You're punished by the balloon tires inability to absorb major bumps. The pounding of the trail is transferred right to the fillings in your teeth. Some swear this adds an "entertainment and fun" value to the machine and I agree. It makes you think about what your doing too. Jumps can cause you grief. Try to take a jump and you'll bite your tongue! You can do it but the landing can be quite violent and you may bounce end over end. It is probably on only thing about this Odyssey that you can complain about.

There appears to be very little mechanical changes in the Odyssey from is debut in 1981 to 1984. The only way to tell model year is from serial number on the rear part of the frame, change of the color of the Odyssey decals. A rear tail light is added in 1981 and in 1982, Honda changes the bolt pattern for the rear rims from three to four and adds a cosmetic touch with the word "Honda" in white to the vinyl seat. Besides those changes, it remains untouched to 1984 model year. But just wait and see what Honda had in mind for 1985!

Want to buy a FL-250 Odyssey but you don't really know what your looking at?

Save yourself some grief!
Try this link for hints and tips before you purchase.

FL-250 Odyssey Link