Power Junkies Rejoice

[Boo]

The 1985 Cr500 rf was the most powerful model Honda produced the following years the power was mellowed and made user friendly , you needed to be a good rider or built like a rock ape to ride one.
Kawasaki tamed there KX 500 with the KIPS exhaust power valve system, the first water cooled KX's suffered the same problems.
If you take a look at the Aussi VMX champs in the open classes it's all CR500's with a smatterings of KX's, in the UK you can still buy a new CR500 made up from OEM parts it's pricey but available to order.

Yes the 85-88 were the most powerful, due to the cylinder and head design, all used the close ratio gear box accept the 87. They dont make the cases or water pump housing for them any more and are reconised by the high pipe.
KX500 are nickilsil coated bore, you nip one of those up and its along down time and expensive. I had a mechanic show me the differences between the connecting rods from a cr and kx at the end where the piston connects. The kx is alot smaller diameter at that point he seemed to think that was an issue with them.
I brought a new engine out of the states for 5k all oem, thats cheap when you think how much it cost to build aftera major on anything else.

[Crasherfromwayback]

. I had a mechanic show me the differences between the connecting rods from a cr and kx at the end where the piston connects. The kx is alot smaller diameter at that point he seemed to think that was an issue with them.
.

I dunno about that. I road raced them for years (which tends to be harder on them than moto-x) and never had an engine failure.

[Boo]

Racing has gone out the window and only the commited and select few can now. Gone are the days of change a set of rings after a race meet, piston every start of the session. And its killed the sport, 250 have suffered, all are out of reach for a normal person.But the sad thing is todays riders, parents don't realise how it was, they accept the cost.
Granted it is for the love of the sport but FUCK!!!.
Then they buy a new bike, 3/4's of would probably go just as fast, have more ride time and enjoy riding on an old 2t. They listen to the bull and believe it, then when they get to 50hrs, try to sell them before the next major service, they can't even get half the value back. Then there are the ones that blow them up and it's not worth fixing, I like those ones a good supply of rolling frames lol.
A return to 2t I think will be the older riders who are not looking for the bling they just want to ride at a reasonable cost, and at the end of the day isn't thats what its all about, riding.

[Crasherfromwayback]

, and at the end of the day isn't thats what its all about, riding.

Very true.

[Boo]

I dunno about that. I road raced them for years (which tends to be harder on them than moto-x) and never had an engine failure.

Fair enough comment if you did that much racing you should know.
You know the funny thing is when this subject comes up, it reminds me of the saying, when men were men and boys were gay lol
Watched a old motard race with chandler and magoo, they had a dirt section and it was long and wide. These guys were doing 70plus mph, sideways, you watch the lastest stuff and its boring in comparison.

[eelracing]

The 1985 Cr500 rf was the most powerful model Honda produced the following years the power was mellowed and made user friendly , you needed to be a good rider or built like a rock ape to ride one.

I think my mate Mike would take exception to being called a rockape...so he must be a good rider.

Oh yeah,no EFI here...85 CR500 doing what it does best

[Boo]

Yep on the outside, front wheel pointing in the direction you want to go, throatle wide open. Nice pic

[Crasherfromwayback]

Awesome pic that!

[eelracing]

Awesome pic that!

Don't tell him I told you,but he has to stand on a beer crate to kick the bitch over.(he aint no rockape)

[ktm84mxc]

A Rock Ape by looks is a large man with a hardened tough exterior a farming fencing contractor would be a classic example, the type who can take a 500 and beat it into submission.
Keith Peters could make the Cr500 fly and he was a light weight, Malcolm Moore and Barry Mclachlan more your type Rock Ape .

[Crasherfromwayback]

A Rock Ape by looks is a large man with a hardened tough exterior a farming fencing contractor would be a classic example, the type who can take a 500 and beat it into submission.
Keith Peters could make the Cr500 fly and he was a light weight, Malcolm Moore and Barry Mclachlan more your type Rock Ape .

Craig Wilkie was only a lil jockey and was fast as fuck on a CR500.

[motor_mayhem]

Racing has gone out the window and only the commited and select few can now. Gone are the days of change a set of rings after a race meet, piston every start of the session. And its killed the sport, 250 have suffered, all are out of reach for a normal person.But the sad thing is todays riders, parents don't realise how it was, they accept the cost.
Granted it is for the love of the sport but FUCK!!!.
Then they buy a new bike, 3/4's of would probably go just as fast, have more ride time and enjoy riding on an old 2t. They listen to the bull and believe it, then when they get to 50hrs, try to sell them before the next major service, they can't even get half the value back. Then there are the ones that blow them up and it's not worth fixing, I like those ones a good supply of rolling frames lol.
A return to 2t I think will be the older riders who are not looking for the bling they just want to ride at a reasonable cost, and at the end of the day isn't thats what its all about, riding.

To be honest I don't buy that yarn for a second. Showing up at club day and having the right gear and a wee bit of practice takes minimum commitment, it's just that in this age of easy options that's still asking too much of some people. If you had to change the rings and piston for each race meet on your old 2T's then you're having to do more maintenance than I have to do for my 450 - probably because I say it spends most of it's time at 1/3 - 1/2 of it's maximum capable revs. If you want to see how the old 2T's compare to modern bikes just take a look at the vid I posted recently at a club day when the vmx guys showed up - I'm not particularly good rider but the modern suspension and frame geometry puts me light years ahead and doesn't tire me out half as much so allows me more ride time.

[Stylo]

This is an interesting thread and I'm enjoying reading it.

I'm lucky to still have a CR500 last model '01 and an '04 Kawasaki KX5 , what's interesting is when I picked up the KX new from the shop I also got a box witrh some factory spares including - New Piston, rings,full gasket set, gudgeon pin, O rings, silencer packing, a bag full of different size jets, spare levers and a race Log book ( along with the handbook, of course ) . All free and Part of the service, thanks for your custom and call again. Don't know what that'd be worth over the counter but I hate to think. 10 points and still got the bike and the box.

The KX5 I bought new in '97 had the same box of goodys

What do you get when you buy a new 4T ?

With the new CR in '01 - Owners manual only and ..see you later, thanks Honda.

CR500 new in '01 $11K

KX500 new in '04 $10,750

The Nikasil coating on the cylinder has'nt has'nt been an issue on the KX500 for me either, my '97 had done 150hrs + and when I took the barrel off to freshen it up with a new ( free) piston , I took the barrel in to have it checked over and - no charge, "it's still like new" from the manager.

Guess that's down to how you look after and maintain your bikes as much as anything ...

My 10cents + recent pic

[Crasherfromwayback]

My 10cents + recent pic

Go and get 'em dirty you mongrel!

[CHOPPA]

I'm not particularly good rider but the modern suspension and frame geometry puts me light years ahead and doesn't tire me out half as much so allows me more ride time.

The great thing about MX is that the rider component is 90% of the package. There would be some guys that could run up front of most club events on 20 year old bikes.

VMX guys are mostly a bit different. It seems its more about the enjoyment and the bikes so its no wonder they get left behind at a club day.

There is no denying though that it doesnt matter who you are you will go quicker on a modern bike than an old smoker.