Posts
949
Joined
12/25/2016
Location
Piedmont, SC, USA
Edited Date/Time
3/23/2022 6:56am
This beauty followed me home the other day and I’m pretty excited. It a 97 and I would estimate it at 50-80 hours or so. Got it from the second owner that being said it’s pretty fought and not anywhere close to ready to ride for my standards.
For the build I’m definitely going to go period correct with yellow backgrounds, period correct seat cover, logos, etc. Other than that I don’t really have a clue.
Is the stock suspension worth messing with, or is it easier just to find some 47mm showa tc forks and swap them out. Are they a direct swap? And shock wise is that possible to update with something newer?
Motor wise what is done to these bikes to make them more manageable? FWW? Porting? If so who to send for porting.
Also the frame, how recommended is it to gusset the frames? I do plan on getting the swing-arm gusseted just because one of the POs drilled 3/8-1/2 in sized holes in the swing-arm for what I assume was for a kickstand.
Thanks guys!
For the build I’m definitely going to go period correct with yellow backgrounds, period correct seat cover, logos, etc. Other than that I don’t really have a clue.
Is the stock suspension worth messing with, or is it easier just to find some 47mm showa tc forks and swap them out. Are they a direct swap? And shock wise is that possible to update with something newer?
Motor wise what is done to these bikes to make them more manageable? FWW? Porting? If so who to send for porting.
Also the frame, how recommended is it to gusset the frames? I do plan on getting the swing-arm gusseted just because one of the POs drilled 3/8-1/2 in sized holes in the swing-arm for what I assume was for a kickstand.
Thanks guys!
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
47mm TC's are a great upgrade. Rear end needs a little more compression in the stack to hold up when trying to put the power down and a little more LS rebound. Feels more like a modern rear then.
Watch how this guy starts it, he pushes it through to just past top dead center before he kicks. Makes them fairly easy starters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gJ2NazDMYE
The frame - inspect for rust, especially in the cradle. No need for gusseting or 'rewelding' frame joints - unlike KX500s, CR500s very rarely have frame problems. But, once again, it's potentially 26 years old. And, rust never sleeps.
Forks - yes a properly set up late model front end can be great, but, the old 46 Kayabas can be made to be quite acceptable. The rear shock - I think the 97 had the HS Comp adjuster, it's a 46mm body, and, can be made to work well. You might have difficulties getting something like an Ohlins, but I think a few people on this site have been able to build up shocks from Late Model CRFs. My rear end, I converted to a PDS system, with a Ohlins TTX shock, why? - well, because I liked that set up so much on a mates KTMs I rode. I'm a Off Roader, not an MXer, nowadays.
As an aside, mine has now WPCC 48s fitted, which can be made to work very, very well, when made into a true closed chamber, which they certainly are not, as std. And, I run them with clamps set to 20mm offset - 4mm less than the std forks. For Me , it transformed the handling., very, very much for the better. I'd very much recommend you try less (total - combine the axle clamp offset to the fork tube center line, As well as the actual clamp offset) offset on the 500. . Another benefit to the WPs, was being able to use the PHDS bar clamp system. Helps with the vibes, though my CRE has never been too bad in that respect.
With the WP front end, I've the Brembo brakes that came with it - running with a 270mm disc, with the CR front wheel, using adaptors and a disc guard holder / spacer I made. At the rear, I run a 240mm rear disc, with my LHRB, with a Brembo master cylinder. Clutch is Hinson basket, with a Rekluse clutch (it's all about not being able to use a foot rear brake) , the older Pro model, so I can use a short little lever set up I made, that's just above, but in the same plane, as the LHRB - you can use both levers together very easily, compared to so many peoples dreadful set ups.
The engine - so simple a thing it's stunning, to most youngsters. A flywheel weight, as slowgti suggested, is a wonderful thing, though there's some twonkers that think it messes with the bikes turning.........
An Air Striker carb is a nice thing. I run a 38 that I oval bored ( towards the top, to match how high the slide goes up into the carb). I was one of the fools that paid months in advance for the cast Smart Carb, to find it a dreadful waste of money, the bike wouldn't even start reliably, even with many checks and needles tried. The bloody thing has sat in it's box for a few years now. I wanted it to further smooth out the power, and hopefully, to get better fuel consumption. A total dud of a thing, and a few mates that tried them, had similar problems. I'm trying not to be a fool a second time, and try the SC2. But only if they take the first one back.
Reeds - just a set of Boyesen Reeds in the std cage are good, but you can try the RAD Valve or the V Force - I found I preferred the V Force.
Foot Pegs - plenty of brands around, but if you've got mates with KTMs, who've 'blinged' them up, well, hit them up for their std ones - up to 2016 with most models, will fit with facing of approximately 1mm at the mount (of the Peg), with use of KTM springs. They are much Wider, and a tad lower that std CR ones.
There's a few companies that make Water Pump upgrades - a German one with an impellor and spacer plate, and the bloke in the US that does Exhaust manifolds (I've tried a few aluminium ex manifolds - they don't last long in my use, so I just machined an O'ring groove in the std steel manifold, to keep things spooge free) , 'M' - edit :MSV -something, that does an impellor, and I think a pump cover. BUILT, AJs company, have pumper covers, Clutch and ignition covers, right through to case sets - well, quite a few companies now make Case sets. Steer clear of Panthera's products, any of them, just the worst made things I've ever come across.
Porting? Millar in Canada has a Great reputation. Eric Gore had some porting specs in his Book that many used. But, ride the bloody thing a fair bit, before you go sending the barrel off. 500s, require a bit of learning of "nuance", that most riders of modern bikes, have not had to acquire. Throttle Control, is a good skill to master.
But, cleaning up the port castings is easy enough, and, often overlooked. My Old Teddy Bear of a bike had a couple of 'boulders' in the Boyesen ports and, severe mismatching of the case to barrel interface. Curing those made everything nicer, but those factory f**k ups may be because the last of the CR500s, used for the CRE500s here in OZ, were just thrown together....
A decompressor is a good thing to have - not just for ease of starting, but also to give the Cases, and KS mechanism a much easier life - once again, you've got a 26 year old bike on your hands.
Modern front guards are nice things - you've one on it already. I use the CRF R and X types (not the later, valancing onto the triples / fork leg type), and, give those cut down side panels the 'flick' for goodness sake!
Pipes : I've used FMF and PCs, of all their types over the decades, but the std one I find works very well, and I snaffle goods ones up, whenever I come across one. Though, they tend to crack , Down through the reinforcement plate that is std on them, but a weld at that point, stops that from happening again.
Mufflers, I've got 6 different types, 3 of which I've made. Long, quiet ones for my local area riding. I now leave them on all the time, as they make it smoother, with absolutely no loss of performance.
One of the funnest bikes I ever had.
Raced it all the way to 89, with the last 2 years being without second gear. Took it apart to fix it and ended up selling it in a basket.
If I knew where it was I would go buy it back.
If any of you evet see one at a vintage race with a stainless steel gusset wrapping up around the steer head with milled slots for more welding surface, please pm me.
It's pretty much stock, with revalve (and springs) that work for my weight/ability, spare plastics, 2 pipes/silencers (Pro-Circuit and Off-Road FMF Gnarly). The two things I did to it was add a mount for my Scotts stabilizer and swap the bars. I do have a flywheel weight, but haven't added it yet.
I've told this story before, but I’ve done some hare scrambles over the years on it and it’s been a grin fest for 2 plus hours(the power's addicting) including the “random 500cc 2-stroke zone" cheering sections that pop up around the course or when going by timing and scoring. They knew I was on a 500 and I'd gave them a couple 500cc braaps as I went by! Good times.
Enjoy the bike. Personally, I don't think a whole lot needs to be done to it. Just make sure bearings (suspension, wheel, steering head, etc.) are in good shape, sort out the jetting (if hasn't been done already) and I run 50/50 Sunoco 110 leaded/pump. The stock suspension can be made to work pretty well, but that's a personal (and $) decision if you want to swap out.
No, smoking guns. The normal stuff, freshen up the basics and personalize it for yourself.
Congrats!!!
Replace swingarm/linkage bearings. Don’t bother opening them up without replacements in hand.
Put a decompressor on the the head to ease starting and lessen chance of breaking kickstart gear or case.
MSV exhaust flange and stator. I run stator 1.5 degrees advanced to get more bottom end.
89 Kawi 500 PWK 39mm Keihin carb PN 72RA4 works good. Look up jetting for your area. Starts easy with right jetting, hard without. Fmf gnarly, silencer good combo over Pro Circuit. Keep crank, main bearings fresh and exhaust flange tight to lessen vibration.
Parts are getting scarce, be careful to not get scammed. Facebook has several pages with good info on builds.
A flywheel weight, modern PWK carb, and mod the head for a better squish. It'll run much cleaner, and start easier.
Dump the forks, slap a complete late-model front end on there. You'll upgrade the forks, brake, and bar position in one swoop. All Balls makes the conversion bearings.
The 97 shock is a modern design, my friend that owns a suspension shop used a late-model YZ piston and Gold Valves in a 97 shock to make my rear suspension work really well.
1. Big balls required
Pit Row
Should fire right up. When it's warm you can half kick it like it's a 250 or 125 and will fire.
Also, if it’s as hard to start as some guys are making it out to be something isn’t right. You should be able to just turn the choke on, get it to top dead just like any other two stroke, and give it a smooth kick through to get it going. If the starting procedure takes 10 steps something isn’t quite right.
I have a PWK 38mm and CR250 ignition on mine. Starts easily this way.
Also, the front brake hose routing as shown in the pics above is stock as delivered from Honda.
Sure you’re not thinking of a different bike?
I mean, yeah that’s how you start it, but if it’s got any compression at all, it’s not so much a smooth kick as it is jumping onto the kicker with everything you’ve got.
And gentle? Those things are never more than a few thousand rpm away from 60hp. It happens fast.
My experience was a bit different than yours I guess.
These cases are getting old at this point. The idea is to reduce it to 1 kick so you don't break a side case by doing more kicks.
But, if I was riding it back to back vs my '01 KX250 back in 2001, I'd think it was more of a "beast".
Starting (for me), is usually a 3-kick affair cold. Good kicks with choke on.
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