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I raced my Dad's 1983 CR480 back when I was 17/18 (back in '85-'86) at 5'11" / 155lb. It was bone stock, except a Simons link for the rear suspension, 2 (TWO!) teeth up on the rear (per MXA recommendation to get you into the money gear...3rd...more), a pair of Rick Ryan's hand-me down aluminum Renthal bars(w/ Gold Belt DeBruzer bar pad), running on 91 pump / stock pipe / and a Richter silencer so we could take it trail riding at the State parks.
I don't recall what we did with jetting, because where do you start with that powerband (plus we were just learning about jetting anyway). It was a light switch of a powerband. All about mid-range, but not enough power to be scary, just a very fast delivery.
Clutch lever had a heavy pull and I needed 3 fingers off the start. A clean launch off the start (in 3rd gear) pretty much guaranteed a holeshot. Bike stalled easily, mostly because the light-flywheel effect. But, I learned to kick that thing over with my left leg (left sided kickstart) to save some time.
With all that said, the bike was easy to turn, had great brakes (for the time) and for tight quarter night motocross, it was an advantage (even against bikes 3-4 years newer)
Again, this is all my perceptions as I was learning about racing. But, another thing that bike (CR480) did was make my '83 and later '87 CR250 feel more manageable and modern. And, in comparison, my '01 CR500 feels like a 450 4-stroke compared to that 480.
Now, my buddies 1985 CR500? That bike was scary, but also scary good for the dunes and hillclimbs. Could go on and on, another friends 1986 power-valved KX500 was the cats meow on power delivery....etc.
Nice trip down memory lane. Good times and the CR500 is all about that!
Oh yeah, the 480 was good in the dunes too and some nights I'd bring home 2 pieces of "hardware"..
Pismo Beach
3rd 250, 1st 500 - Baylands MX - Fremont, CA
(w/pops and his celebratory banquet beer)
Massive amounts of slap-in-the-back power mean you are riding a dragster if you twist the throttle that way. Follow the point-and-shoot style from corner to corner (that is slide the rear around a quick as you can, then straighten it up and point it at the next corner, pull the trigger, break hard, repeat). Along the way let the front end come up a bit as there is nothing that says crazy power like a long, multi-gear power wheelie.
Big berms from the two-stroke slide turns seem to be a thing of the past replaced now by slot car ruts cut by all the torque of the 4S's out there. So get under their skin and tear holes in those corner ruts using all that power. Blow up the soft berms and let the roost fly. Forget that short-shift garbage and let that sucker rip. You will be rewarded with lots of holeshots on one hand, and looks of fear from all the guys who get caught in the roost you might be sending their way on the other. Like I said, focus on the fun things.
I had the habit of taking pix of each brand new bike before I unceremoniously stripped it of its maidenhood. Here's the '93 version which, of course, I wish I had back...
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
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DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
As far as starting, I’ve never experienced that problem so I’m sure what to add to that.
Stalled it one day and was coasting it down a hill kicking it, should mention now that he didnt believe in grip glue. So he's coasing, kick, kick ,kick, thwap; the bike kicks back so hard it throws my uncle over the handlebars and into a bush. He comes out of the woods holding left grip in his hand.
Pit Row
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