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1985 CR500 a good idea?

39K views 54 replies 11 participants last post by  albertacr500 
#1 ·
I have a chance to pickup a 1985 CR500 for a decent price, I cant seem to find a whole lot on the 85's but from 86-2001 has a bunch of information. Would this be a bad idea to buy and turn into a supermoto, the guy says it runs well he just cant start it (he's 112lbs and has his buddy start it for him :lol: ) The plastic is faded and nasty will other CR plastic swap.
 
#31 ·
Don't listen to the people who tell you about how you have to change top ends on a two stroke constantly. I run Amsoil at 50:1 and have gone years of VERY frequent riding on my two strokes and only had to rebuild a top end ONCE, only because the bike was stolen, run without premix and seized.

Two strokes are 20X as reliable and maintenance free than the newer 4 strokes comparable in power. Just a little less predictable, tractable, and efficient. Who's looking for that in a hooligan bike anyway?
 
#32 ·
+1

Unless you are racing competitively on a sponsored team, there's no reason to do a frequent top end rebuild (unless you fail to folllow the simple gas/premix do's and don'ts).

2 strokes are reliable as hell if you feed them properly and do your regular gear box oil changes.
 
#33 ·
I'll measure the axle diameters and shoot you a PM.
The rear is a 5", I think the front is a 3.5 (I'll have to pull the invoice to make sure).

.

This has become an interesting chit-chat thread.

You dudes have pics of your rides????
 
#37 ·



I always loved the "red" CRs of that era, they have a timeless coolness w/gold rims. I remember David Bailey's bikes having gold DIDs.

Blue backgrounds?
Need to put the proper yellow ones back on.

Cool bike no doubt.
 
#39 · (Edited)
good news is the waterpump area looks good, well to me it looks good. but the bad news is the engine has aniliated the pipe, cracks in two places and broken tabs throughout, so that brings me to the next question...what pipe. The only one i can find for an 1985 specifically is the FMF Gnarly, can you find anyothers.
http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae295/tankerbean/?action=view&current=cr500035r.jpg AHH damn pictures...how the hell do you post pictures on here, i am computer retarded.
 
#40 · (Edited)
I still need to go into the shop and pull the paperwork to check pricing and front width.

I noticed yours has a drum rear....the rear from the 125 has a disc.

I have an '83 XL600 that was rear drum....I converted to disc when I swapped in a mag set from a CBR 600.

Thread:
http://www.supermotojunkie.com/showthread.php?t=94866

If you run the Suns, you'll have to do a disc conversion.
I have the caliper/bracket assembly for that rim set.....I also milled the caliper stay off of the 125 swinger (I used the swing arm on another bike).
So...you'll have to weld the stay flange onto the inside of the 500's SA.

Mounting the master cylinder wasn't a big deal.
Welded small tabs to the frame for the mount and welded a pusher arm to the brake pedal.

.


I'm guessing that a brake pedal from a newer CR500 will fit your frame....just have to mount the MC some how (strange how modding stuff snowballs into a bigger ordeal).

I have a rear drum/front disc 17" set from the 600 also.
Either will be a challenge to swap to your 500, though the Sun set is way wider.

.
 
#42 ·
No, it's too narrow.

I get my rim kits from Jeff at Pro Cycle.
He can get spoke/rim kits for any bike.

http://www.procycle.us/main/supermoto.htm

I don't care for Excell's poor quality.
Suns are made by the fine folks in California, and are trued on a lathe during production......Excells aren't.

Oh as for the Gnarly, I have one on mine.
I've always been a fan of FMF pipes.
 
#44 ·
I think its a park sticker, in order to ride on park/public land?...oh I have a question for those CR500 guys.


I have searched this topic and I have not come up with an answer i can find, I just got a 1985 CR500 and would like to put new plastics on it, The only place I can find these is Maier USA but they do not have the radiator scoops. You can get all the plastics for the 1986 but i dont know if these would fit. So the question is can I do a plastic swap from a newer year, or subframe swap from a late 90's CR and run there plastics, or has anyone tried a CRF plastic swap on a steelie???..would that look retarded? Sorry for all the questions, I just can not seem to find an answer. Thanks Aaron.
 
#48 ·
Hi Guys being the 2 stroke fan that I am I just had to chime in with my project bike. I picked up a 93 CR250, that is plated in CA. I stripped the bike down to the frame, powder coated the frame and replaced all the bearing every where. The bike is almost done just need to add some warp 9 rims then time to tear up the streets.
 

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#51 ·
Im using a moose racing lighting coil, there are very few to choose from for this bike. It only puts out 65 watts, but m using LED lights every where so it works just fine. I dont know about the plastics for a CR500, I would say just keep looking on the internet and maybe talk to a bike salvage shop, they might know a little more.
 
#54 ·
I know where the 1985 cr500 is that I sold years ago. It is a beast! Ported pretty agressive by dg (must run race gas) But the best thing of all is that it has the HRC wide ratio transmission in it. It is currently sitting in a barn still to the guy I sold it to. Here is a link to the exact bike. I'm not on here very often but I will try to respond in a timely fashion to you. http://supermotojunkie.com/showthread.php?101922-CR500-Road-Racer-on-its-way!!!
 
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