CR500 Beast of a thing

[Skub]

It would take Waaay more than my dirt skill level to tame that one.

I'd love a go,but for health reasons I shouldn't be allowed near it.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I rode an 86 or 87 many years ago, my memory of it was that it was an arse to start from cold, but once running it was a big softy, easier to ride than a 250, a lot easier to ride than a 125, I suspect to get the most out of it you'd have to be good, but as I couldn't ride a 250 to it's max it wasn't a problem for me, I could just about use all the engine performance of a 125 or 175, I wasn't troubling the chassis of a mid 80s MX bike, they handled better than I could ride.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

MX bike I enjoyed the most was my 1980 YZ125 (I'm not that old, I had it in 1987), last air cooled Yamaha 125 MX bike, it was hideously loud, had a narrow power band and needed a new piston ring every 30 minutes of running time, but it was very light, handled brilliantly and was just good fun, it never threw me off, tried to kill me by wheelieing uncontrollably, which nearly every 250 I rode on an MX track did (my riding approach of "if in doubt, wide flat out" might not have been the best)

[crust]

I don't think I've challenged the chassis of anything since I bent the headstock on my Raleigh Grifter.

Best MX bike I ever had was my '96 CR250, I genuinely loved that bike and it was insanely reliable.
Best bike on paper was my silly expensive KTM350f with the kitchen sink thrown at it, but it was also the most unreliable by far, in fact so unreliable that by rights I should have gone after KTM.

A CR500 with a daytime MOT and 17" tyres sound like a lot of fun in theory, I don't know how it would actually pan out, it would certainly get spanked in absolutely every way by one of the 690/700 singles.

I registered one of my CR500s for the road as I wanted to do Welsh enduros on it. I had to turn the grips round so the flange was on the outside as it vibrated so much I couldn't hold on. Even a crank rebuild, flywheel weight and reworked cylinder didn't tame it much.

I loved racing them in MX as they were a big softy with an enormous punch, 'better than me through the whoops, don't sweat it, I'll destroy you on the straights'. I found them a lot easier than a CR250, half the gearchanges. Excellent machines to jump, land any angle with a bit of throttle and they would snap straight, got me a lot more results than my lack of talent deserved, I don't think the bike metaphoricaly broke a sweat with me on it.

[Demannu]

Used to ride a cr250, which was a bit of an animal, tried my mates 500, once I realised it only needed 3.& 4th, it was a doddle to ride, so much torque. Took it on the road for a laugh, and would spin up the mx tyre in top, then grip and lift.

[Taipan]

I remember riding, or trying to ride one down a country lane. It kept trying to punch me in the face with its handlebars and shakeme off and blind with the vibes. Absolute animal of a thing and all I kpet thinking was HTF do people race these in wet mud!

[Asian Boss]

Give it plenty of throttle or the plug'll whisker.

I looked at that bike and was guessing it'd be about £12k.

[Couchy]

That looks lovely, but I remember back in the supermoto days when I had my KTM 525SM a mate had a CR500SM. It was a huge disappointment after the KTM which was faster and livelier everywhere. The CR was meh. I can imagine in the dirt they are a handful but even a modern 250 is and would smoke one today. I think it’s a bike that lives on its reputation.

[Asian Boss]

I'm sure there are better bikes to ride. I rode one once back in t'day when I were on t'mags. Back when t'mags were good. And bird and beast and flower were one with man and death was but a dream.

Anyway.... the CR is getting on for 30 years old. my guess is it would be a bit of fun and *probably* wouldn't lose much. And might even go up a bit. Two strokes are gone and it was always thought of as one of the best. If you had space to store it and didn't mind the risk, I think it could be a good short to medium term punt.

[Bigjawa]

Wasn't there a kid on one of the old forums who shoehorned the engine out of one of those into a 50cc Derbi and ended up mullering himself? Spike was his name?

[ZRX61]

There's a bloke here who somehow managed to get one registered for the road. It's an '84 or '85. He's had it for years, getting on a bit now & might be selling it. If it was an '86 KX500 I'd be all over it.

[Taipan]

Wasn't there a kid on one of the old forums who shoehorned the engine out of one of those into a 50cc Derbi and ended up mullering himself? Spike was his name?

I remember him well. Never did know the final outcome, or cause of his death, but I think the engine had cracked the frame once and he'd repaired it but I think it broke again when he was riding it? Whatever the outcome it was a great shame as I remember the kid being madly enthusiastic in his posts!