Recent Purchase 87 CR500/CR250 tank install

wolfy0067
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1/22/2018 5:11am Edited Date/Time 11/4/2020 12:33pm
Scored this low hrs. 87 CR500, all original, with it being winter, I just couldn't keep my hands off of it. As with most of my builds I like to add some modern and keep a lot of old school, will be keeping the original plastics, the tank will get restored as this build moves along.

Sorry for not having the photos in proper sequence























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Bearuno
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1/22/2018 7:53am

If you want to spend ( a Lot of) money, check out: http://www.bormiparts.com/

Among a hell of a lot of other bike parts, they've made Aluminium Tanks, Subframes, Subframe / Airbox combos, and 'Coke Bottle' Swingarms for the 87s.
1

The Shop

lumpy790
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1/22/2018 8:23am
I never did it my self but know a GOOD A rider that would put a thinner CR250 tank and shrouds on his 500 every year for better handling.
wolfy0067
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1/22/2018 8:27am
lumpy790 wrote:
I never did it my self but know a GOOD A rider that would put a thinner CR250 tank and shrouds on his 500 every year...
I never did it my self but know a GOOD A rider that would put a thinner CR250 tank and shrouds on his 500 every year for better handling.
I just installed a 250 tank yesterday, mounts are a bit different, I am on the fence, doable, I hate the bulky 500 tank.

You may have just pushed me to take the project on.

Thx
wolfy0067
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1/22/2018 8:35am


Cr500 tank is just to bulky, specially the fact that in moto your lucky to run 5+ laps now a days
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wolfy0067
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1/22/2018 8:45am
Cylinder head is a temporary setup, have all my specs. figuring on sending it to Gorr for decompression and dome volume and angle reshaping. I see a lot of info on this, however my piston protrudes above the cylinder surface.

Would love to find a spacer plate for the cylinder base, allowing me to have the cylinder flush with the deck and allowing the transfer ports to align properly, any input would be appreciated
Bearuno
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1/22/2018 10:02am Edited Date/Time 1/22/2018 10:18am
Spacer Plates - I think you can get Cometic / Wiseco to make them for you.

But , if you've got a garage, with a vice, a drill, a bandsaw - heck, just a hacksaw, and some files, it's not hard to make your own with some aluminium sheet / plate.

PS : one of the things I liked about some of the earlier Pro Links was the nylon upper chain guide / plate, so when I made my PDS set up for my 500, I set it up for that. I just got sick and tired of the airbox shock guard getting chewed up by the chain (on so many of my bikes) on 'transport' sections, when the chain would set up a resonance at various revs, and under little load.

By the way - did you see last years Hawkstone Park International, where the Only Honda in the 'Open Class' (must have been that sort of thing to allow a 500 against 450s) was a privateer, Barry Turnbull, on an '87 CR500?
Pictures of reactions by the MXGP Husky Team Mechanics - well, many of those there - at him pushing it past in the waiting zone, were quite the chuckle. Here's a couple:



wolfy0067
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1/22/2018 3:19pm
Shock is an 87 with 88 internals, much better valve stack, Also reinstalled the 87 250 tank, will need 250 radiator, just happen to have a couple sets





avmechanic
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1/22/2018 6:25pm
Another very cool bike you are putting together there. Thanks for sharing.
Greg
MaxPower
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1/23/2018 1:39am
That's funny, I scrolled down to say you should install a 250 tank to replace the huge stock tank. Years ago I don't remember looking at them and thinking they were obnoxious. I guess getting used to the sleekness of modern bikes older 500 tanks really stand out for what they are.
How do you like riding open bikes? I know that you are comfortable on 250 and 125. I never really could ride 500s. I don't even like starting them
wolfy0067
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1/23/2018 8:38am
Max, didn't ride the bike yet, funny one of the first things I did was throw one of my 250 tanks on to see the fit, at I thought to much work, what the heck i'll play around with this idea GP radiators are double row, should be good to go, the 250 tank is lay on the upper balance hose, either need to find a way to lower the huge stockers or fit up the ones in the picture above.

Thanks, AV mechanic, try to do builds on a working mans budget, keeping in mind these builds will be raced
MaxPower
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1/23/2018 12:33pm
I always thought a 125 tank would look cool sitting on top of the fat 500 cylinder too
I find it hard to believe that you find any challenge to makes one of your bikes into a trick functional race machine too much work.

wolfy0067
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1/23/2018 12:42pm
MaxPower wrote:
I always thought a 125 tank would look cool sitting on top of the fat 500 cylinder too I find it hard to believe that you...
I always thought a 125 tank would look cool sitting on top of the fat 500 cylinder too
I find it hard to believe that you find any challenge to makes one of your bikes into a trick functional race machine too much work.

Max, I guess it's that will I actually keep the 500, always been a 125/250 rider
FreshTopEnd
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1/23/2018 12:54pm
One of the good things about the bulky tank is that it "helps" keep your leg off the chamber. The pipe on the CR500's up to 88 was a real leg burner. Still have scars on my right calf from blistering it.
1
1/23/2018 4:43pm
wolfy0067 wrote:
Shock is an 87 with 88 internals, much better valve stack, Also reinstalled the 87 250 tank, will need 250 radiator, just happen to have a...
Shock is an 87 with 88 internals, much better valve stack, Also reinstalled the 87 250 tank, will need 250 radiator, just happen to have a couple sets





oh..my bad.. I saw the horizontal shock resevoir and thought it was off a 2016 CRF or something like that. It threw because I had a 1986 CR500 years ago ad it had a remote resevoir..never knew the 1987s looked like this.
cvm
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1/24/2018 1:29am
wolfy0067 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/01/23/239814/s1200_IMG_2975.jpg[/img]


Outstanding, Congrats on the find.
If that's the original seat, that's amazing.
Thanks for sharing, droooool
dadofagun
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1/24/2018 8:42am
Damn nice bike, build looks fantastic.
Robgvx
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GB
1/24/2018 11:56am
What’s interesting is that you’ve replaced the stock 500 tank because it’s too bulky, but in Europe our stock tank was even bulkier than that! At that time we were still racing 40 minute motos, which had long gone in US.

The hot ticket in Europe for races that weren’t the full 40 minutes was to fit the stock US 500 tank.

1
wolfy0067
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Wernersville, PA US
1/24/2018 12:32pm
https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/44115/setup_checks/49333/photos/1402…

I've done this before, I attached a link, this was a 79 RM250 I put a 125 tank on. We use to also put 125 tanks on the 84/85 RM250's this was a factory deal all Suzuki race team bikes we're setup with 125 tanks, 125 radiators lowered about two inches and special race pipe to clear the radiators. I have a photo of mine somewhere, was actually the #2 bike Barnett raced back in the day
EatMyDust
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San Diego, CA US
1/28/2018 11:38am
87 cr500 was a fast bike that thing just pulled n pulled.
wolfy0067
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Wernersville, PA US
1/28/2018 2:25pm
Will the 87 250 tank fit the 87 125?
There pretty close, you would have to fit one up and modify as needed
wolfy0067
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Wernersville, PA US
2/7/2018 4:33pm
Finally got some time to fab up some mounts and weld up my right radiator to flow as the 500 does. Simple my system I can radially remove and change back to stock. Radiators are much lower as with the tank. Just need to trim the mt's paint, polish the tank and find a set of decent shrouds





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