Our 500 was the one nobody ever wanted to ride. We used it when somebody else’s bike was broke down. Every wrap of the throttle wanted to kill you. It was heavy, unwieldy, and cumbersome. But it overcame all of that with extreme power. It would do things other bikes couldn’t. Like sink deeper into mud, slam into trees harder from a dead stop, and throw you off both forwards and backwards.
Sounds like your 500 needs an intelligent tuneup. ( it’s Not hard to Reduce power ( lower compression ) and properly jet the carb for Smooooooother throttle response. Added fly wheel weight, freshened up and correctly setup suspension goes a Looooooong way towards smoother ridability.
The bravest thing about riding the yz490 and the wr500 was not the power. It was the danger of not knowing which bolt would vibrate completely loose shortly after each startup.
@@peaceprayer595 complete nonsense, vibrations are no better or worse than any other 500. Power is on par with any other 500. Typical comment by one has no idea. I have never had one single anything vibrate loose on any 500 ever and that's over 35yrs of exp. Of course this is all from someone that knows how to build 2ts and make them run.
I only started to love 2t as an adult when I rode a kx500. I'm a honda guy to the core and am building the greatest bike ever imagined. The billet500 cr500AF
I also had a Kx 500 bought it new, my number was 666.people would ask why , is say ride it. Absolute monster, everyone but me who rode it got hurt. 😍😍😍 I loved it
@@christopherkgb I always used to get hurt on the KX500 my friend owned. The thing was an absolute beast. Pretty sure I could have got used to it. Or died trying lol. The guy that owned it was a plague on the local police they would spot him then lose him within a minute or so. He used it as a daily ride lol.
The WR 500 was never intended to be used as a Motocross bike, WR stood for wide ratio and the bike was intended for long endurance cross country racing !
I rode a YZ 490 back in the 80s and into the nineties. And they were a beast. But there was nothing like the feel of that thing. The torque was unbelievable. You race it using low revs it had that much torque. 4th gear standing starts, and it would rooster away from the line like a monster. We rode some long, fast bush tracks, had the bike geared to do around 110mph. Wish I still had it. A mate I used to ride with still has his. He has a 90 model. I had an 83 and an 87. The 87 was a far better bike, it had a front disc break, the 83 had drums and they never worked.
@@LG-fb9yt wow, that's a very fortunate experience. I was born the year the bike came out, so it was out of my generation a bit. But I would've loved to have a new one.
Yes, i took a KTM 300cc 2 stroke on a short drive and never felt more scared. CBR 900 is like a moped comlared to that and it was only a 300cc. I would not even sit on a 500.
@@korymanuel8682 Yes they were. Started out on a 1967 2 stroke sears moped with the twist grip 2-speed, then rotary valve suzuki 90, suzuki 185, Yamaha 125mx Yamaha 350 twin, kawasaki 750 triple Yamaha IT175, then the Cr500 broke me of my Oil Burning ways . Been on a Shovelhead hog ever since, definitely a more controllable powerband on the hog.
I can't imagine the absolute power(powerband)of a 500 two stroke!😳As a kid in the 70's;I remember seeing the RM370(in mags),and thinking THAT was unimaginable for a two stroker!
I rode a friend's 74 mx 360 and it was a beast, the local Yamaha dealer dug some long trenches in the field across from the shop with a sc500 and it was even nastier
Had one, dunlop terra flex tire just fit in swingarm, used to rip 2Nd gear clutch fanning circles in farmers roto tilled fields... big sprays of dirt,....clouds of dust.....so fun 👌💯👍👌👌👌😝😝😝🤣🥃🥃
I have a yz490 can confirm, that is the wildest ride i have ever been on. Im not an adrenaline junkie so i put a big sprocket on the front and a little one on the back. Cant remember the ratio, trying to get it to not violently yeet the front end up at the crack of the throttle in first and second. It didnt help. It just is going faster now when it does. 5th gear, 340 pounds on my belt buckle over the handlebar, if pinned it would either break the back tire loose or slowly stand up at 70ish mph. I call them dirt rainbows
In 1988 I bought a retired Sears Point 1986 RZ350 race bike, titled it, and rode the piss out that thing in the eastbay. 3rd gear wheelies on the freeway...miss the oil burner days
Theyre not gone, entirely. Im an avid snowmobiler and Banshee rider. Kids are getting hooked on the old 2 stroke sleds again. The days of monster triples left a visceral mark on us old timers and the young bucks are starting to feel it. On an ego note, Ive yet to find a modern sled hang with my T-Cat on the ice.
When i was 15 i had a dt 400 yamaha. Single lung, dual plug head. I loved it. Huge rear sprocket. 97mph was top speed. But i could yank the front up, up to 80
Lot of people hate these bikes. I had one since 96-97ish. Started out as my dads. He messed up and told me when I was 14, if I could start it I could ride it…..Still have it to this day. It’s a hand full but damn is it fast.
In 1989 I gave my yz 490 a break and switched to the 125 class. I bought a brand new RM 125 to compete in district 38 and the Budweiser superstition series in the desert in el Centro California. I ended up with a #4 plate in district 38 and first 125 sportsman in the superstition series. I miss both of those bikes.
I had a 92 CR 500 when I was around 40 yo , many, many times I found myself asking why ? It was more beast than I wanted. Luckily a broken collar bone was the the worse that I got out of it. Fortunately I sold it to a younger man.
I do love the old Elsinorethat's what we were riding in the early eighties that and why these had an RM not as fast as the YZ the Elsinore was a beast at the time even had a Honda Odyssey with a 250 Elsinore it was bored 20 overand that Honda Odyssey would fly thank God it had a roll cage if not I'd be dead right now talking about climbing any Hill any slope it was a monster
Bingo, In the spring of 94 just after my first daughter was born i got on a 500. And in the next 7 mins that bike did its best to try and KILL ME. My wife was NOT IMPRESSED. When I got off of it I told the owner of it "I'll go back to YZ-250, That will likely give me the best opportunity to see my new born daughter grow up" About a 16 months later the YZ-250 got traded in on a Honda 4x4 Quad. And in 2000 that turned into a Side-By-Side. "With age, Comes the Cage" With a 6 yr old tagging along EVERYWHERE Dad went, It was the safest thing for all of us. She be 34 in the spring. And the Honda Side-by-side is still in the garage. And its still being ridden by the youngest daughter (14) and her 16 yr old sister today. And has never had the engine gone threw, Yet. LoL.. But she's getting tired, And needs freshend up before I retire and start using more myself.
Never rode any of the 500 2 stroke dirt bikes but I owned an 89’ Suzuki LT500, AKA “Quadzilla”, a 500cc 2 stroke quad. It was freaking *ANIMAL!* I could barely keep the front tires on the ground. I can’t even imagine what it takes to control 500cc 2 stroke dirt bike!
My first dirt bike was a 1980 wr500. That thing was a beast!! I weighed prob 100lbs if I was lucky. Had to stand on the picnic table to start it. Was the fastest dirt bike I ever rode for sure!
I still have my '91 KX500 I bought new. Glad I kept it, because people are paying big money for them now that it's for sale. I bought it to ride in the SoCal desert, that thing is a BEAST!
Had a 85 cr500. Easiest bike to ride I ever owned. Loved it. Worst was a rm250, dont remember what year. They could have replaced the throttle with an off/on switch .Second worst was a yz465. If you jumped it the back fell out from underneath you. Also liked to kick back and break the kick starter. Reason I got it. Broke the kick starter and put 32 stitches in the guys leg I bought it from. On the ground or in the air, that cr500 would fly. All it needed was an extra base gasket. Completely changed the bike.The difference was unbelievable.
I had a 1984 CR500. It was the highest horsepower production bike up until a few years ago. It would literally yank the bars out of your hands. I remember riding on a logging road 5th gear pinned. Riding a wheely. I glanced over at the trees and it was a wall of green. I thought dude your going to die. I then I smiled and slid up into the next turn and pinned it. If I was going to die it was going to be with a giant smile on my face!!!
I started riding in 1970. 500 cc was the Trans Am with Roger DeCoster and others. Macco had some bad ass bikes. The coffin tank was a hazard and why they were called Macco Breako because it was smack your balls.
As much as I love 4 strokes I’ll always miss 2 strokes as they were something else. Between the power, smell and the sound there was nothing like them. Back in the 70s and 80s I had my fair share of both 2 stroke dirt and road bikes.
Back when I raced desert I rode a 450 but got on a cr500 for about 2000 yards round trip. I don’t need to ride one ever again they are amazing machines them at demand respect.
Had a CR500, bought it on a whim while looking to upgrade from my YZ125 to a 250. I figured it couldn't be that bad. Lol. Thing was insane, had to tow it to bump it with at least 2 people on, it lifted immediately in every gear and used a full tank in about 15 minutes. Sold it after a couple weeks, death was waiting.
My uncle worked for a local Yamaha dealer,I have 2 wr 500's one is still in the original shipping crate never been assembled, The other still starts first kick, Just rode it yesterday on new years eve
First big bore two stroke I rode was a Honda CR480. Sliding sideways in a corner, wheelie with chest on the crossbar, 1/2 throttle. Drum brakes added to the excitement. Love hate relationship. If you bobble you can still reel in the guy in front of you and you can short shift with all the low end torque.
I bought an FZ1 yesterday…a similar situation. A 400 2 banger at 29, now a 1000 inline 4 4 banger at 69. Knees in the breeze until they plant me under the trees.
We need this back! What does everyone think about a 500cc Banshee with the WR gearbox also? Yamaha has done the work already so everything is on paper. It needs to happen!
@@jamesunderwood482 is it just a big bore? Because big bore’s don’t get it for me. I am all about a reconfiguration that will have to be everything changed.
@FarTooRight I loosely agree, Fourstroke are four the people that want to be Lazy, Not Physically Active, or Mentally Active but still want to be viewed as cool by everyone else who doesn’t ride. And the EPA may be the start, but it is purely the buyers/us the customers who bought the products that are the cause. As in we all collectively let the EPA take the reins. As in, if we all collectively stopped buying Fourstrokes, the manufacturers would collectively stop making them and stop wasting time and money on developing them. So let’s all band together. No matter the incentives and benefits that come with buying four strokes. Stay Strong my two stroke Brothers!
@@practice4617same here, plus I ride 100% safe and honestly try my hardest to obey the traffic laws. In driving cars and trucks I literally just don’t care about, anything. I mean 6 months after I got my drivers license, it was restricted. My secret was that I have never and will never lie or even try to make excuses to the Judge. That is why a $120 ticket was $90. I Understood that being the judge, he has already heard everything. He also thanked me for being honest. Honesty always pays off lin the end.
Nothing like a 2 stroke. My buddy had a KX500. I rode it once. That was enuff. Couldn't keep it on the ground. Insane power, you could loop it at 65 mph. The street bike were even better. The good old days of Rainey, koczinski,Roberts schwantz, doohan,Lawson and Freddie. All I ever owned were RZs TZRs ,RDs, NSRs and kawi triples etc....
I had a 1977 YZ. 250 Yamaha. It truly was a bad ass bike. Stayed on its back wheel most of the time riding it. Nice bike. Think with financing then I gave almost $3,000 for it new. Eventually it was stolen out of my yard. By that time I had all the fun I wanted. ❤😊
I owned 2 montessa 360cc a enduro H6 and a moto X 360 they were definitely bloody quick and wheelstand easily in 4th gear the European handling was on another level
I had one of these and it was a beast but if you kept it at a constant rpm about 4-5 rpm cruising it would melt the piston rings to the head and lock the back tire up and then you really went for a ride after 2 pistons and 2 heads later the determining factor was the crank bearing was worn and the piston was wobbling inside the head
mine never failed! and I put lots of hrs on it for years ,never even fouled a plug! ran cheap oil 20 to one and it didn't even smoke when warmed up and burnin clean.. had someone take it out to see what he thought because he raced and had one... he said DONT CHANGE A THING!! .. IT RUNS GREAT!! LOL
My oldest brother had a yz465 I think it was and I crawled off of a yz125 on a RaceTrac I thought I had wings the power band on that bike was badass right from start I didn't win the race but I did place I miss my brother and all of his old motorcycles
Used to race as a kid till mid 20,s , 250 rm, was my ride of choice years later in my 50,s took a friends sons bike out for a few laps , didn,t walk right for months lol
Had the Kx250 & then bought a Kx500 and that was as the day i realised i wasn’t as manly as i hoped , the damn thing scared the shit outta me EVERY time.
I had a YZ490 when I was young. That thing was straight speed!! I swear I'd put that thing up against my old ninja 750, and Harley Sportster. Short distance it would smoke both of them! That 490 was hands down the scariest bike I've ever ridden!!! It was awesome lol
Lmao!!!!! I learned on a 500. I used to have to push it next to a table to get on it. It actually kicked me back so hard it broke my foot. I still rode it daily. I used to just lay it down to get off of it. I miss that bike.
This was the bike that almost took me out with it on two occasions, still i had fun though just wasn't experienced and heavy enough to ride it properly at the time, being a 140 pound 14 year old lol😂. Kick like a mule was the definition of this beast💯👍🏾
Our 500 was the one nobody ever wanted to ride. We used it when somebody else’s bike was broke down. Every wrap of the throttle wanted to kill you. It was heavy, unwieldy, and cumbersome. But it overcame all of that with extreme power. It would do things other bikes couldn’t. Like sink deeper into mud, slam into trees harder from a dead stop, and throw you off both forwards and backwards.
must have been the KX!!
Sounds like your 500 needs an intelligent tuneup. ( it’s Not hard to Reduce power ( lower compression ) and properly jet the carb for Smooooooother throttle response. Added fly wheel weight, freshened up and correctly setup suspension goes a Looooooong way towards smoother ridability.
Hahahahaha that was great
So true ..
Now we’re putting them in trike frames.
The bravest thing about riding the yz490 and the wr500 was not the power. It was the danger of not knowing which bolt would vibrate completely loose shortly after each startup.
Bring them back @Yamaha!
Clearly from someone that's never rode nor owned one. All 500 vibrate the same. Owned all the jap versions myself.
100% straight facts
@@peaceprayer595 complete nonsense, vibrations are no better or worse than any other 500. Power is on par with any other 500. Typical comment by one has no idea. I have never had one single anything vibrate loose on any 500 ever and that's over 35yrs of exp. Of course this is all from someone that knows how to build 2ts and make them run.
@@alankelter9416 I'll see you at the Moto-Clown Tent Revival.
For me that's what Motocross should sound like and will always to me the 2 stroke it was so badass to hear and ride
and smell :)))
Never paid any attention but you're right that's what they sound like in my head but I pay no attention to anything involving bikes
I only started to love 2t as an adult when I rode a kx500. I'm a honda guy to the core and am building the greatest bike ever imagined. The billet500 cr500AF
I have two kx500's,1990 and 1993 and would absolutely die to add a yamaha wr500 to the collection! I do also have a 1991 wr250z,but no comparison.
I also had a Kx 500 bought it new, my number was 666.people would ask why , is say ride it. Absolute monster, everyone but me who rode it got hurt. 😍😍😍 I loved it
I had a 1992 WR250 factory connection full race bike that was ported for max power. My buddys had CR500s and I had know trouble keeping up
I always heard the Yamaha were unreliable
@@christopherkgb I always used to get hurt on the KX500 my friend owned. The thing was an absolute beast. Pretty sure I could have got used to it. Or died trying lol. The guy that owned it was a plague on the local police they would spot him then lose him within a minute or so. He used it as a daily ride lol.
Idk the 92 wr250 was quite a handful and capable of 90 mph easy
The WR 500 was never intended to be used as a Motocross bike, WR stood for wide ratio and the bike was intended for long endurance cross country racing !
I rode a YZ 490 back in the 80s and into the nineties. And they were a beast. But there was nothing like the feel of that thing. The torque was unbelievable. You race it using low revs it had that much torque. 4th gear standing starts, and it would rooster away from the line like a monster. We rode some long, fast bush tracks, had the bike geared to do around 110mph. Wish I still had it. A mate I used to ride with still has his. He has a 90 model. I had an 83 and an 87. The 87 was a far better bike, it had a front disc break, the 83 had drums and they never worked.
500cc are still beast bikes to this day
Someone hear said if he was younger he would still ride one.
I'm late 50s i ride like i STOLE IT !! NEVER STOP GIVIN'ER ✌️🇨🇦😎
I loved my WR500. it was a woods monster
Tractor.
I had one new... and it was more than a monster ...not just in the woods! rode it for years! never even fouled a plug!
@@LG-fb9yt wow, that's a very fortunate experience. I was born the year the bike came out, so it was out of my generation a bit. But I would've loved to have a new one.
By the 90s the 500s were so powerful that was almost impossible to ride
Yes, i took a KTM 300cc 2 stroke on a short drive and never felt more scared. CBR 900 is like a moped comlared to that and it was only a 300cc. I would not even sit on a 500.
Naw I road the shit out of mine, but did end up in the woods off track many times😂😂
My Pal had a Honda CR500 and I couldn't get it out of second gear. It was terrifying. But I'm not a dirt bike guy.
The 90s were the Pinnacle of 2 strokes
@@korymanuel8682 Yes they were. Started out on a 1967 2 stroke sears moped with the twist grip 2-speed, then rotary valve suzuki 90, suzuki 185, Yamaha 125mx Yamaha 350 twin, kawasaki 750 triple Yamaha IT175, then the Cr500 broke me of my Oil Burning ways . Been on a Shovelhead hog ever since, definitely a more controllable powerband on the hog.
I can't imagine the absolute power(powerband)of a 500 two stroke!😳As a kid in the 70's;I remember seeing the RM370(in mags),and thinking THAT was unimaginable for a two stroker!
Madness. Faster than most cars. The KX was almost 1 bhp per kilo.
I rode a CR500 a few times. I don't know how many gears it had, I knew it had 1st and HOLY FUCK!!! That bike tried to kill you.
No. They’re broad and easy to ride. Big torque.
I had a 1973 Yamaha SC 500 two Stroke. What a Beast.
Me too, same year I feel you!
I rode a friend's 74 mx 360 and it was a beast, the local Yamaha dealer dug some long trenches in the field across from the shop with a sc500 and it was even nastier
When I was in High school I got to take a burn on a YZ 490. Absolutely a savage beast.
Had one, dunlop terra flex tire just fit in swingarm, used to rip 2Nd gear clutch fanning circles in farmers roto tilled fields... big sprays of dirt,....clouds of dust.....so fun 👌💯👍👌👌👌😝😝😝🤣🥃🥃
I owned a 93 WR 500 twenty years ago. Now have a yz 490 and yz 465
I have a yz490 can confirm, that is the wildest ride i have ever been on. Im not an adrenaline junkie so i put a big sprocket on the front and a little one on the back. Cant remember the ratio, trying to get it to not violently yeet the front end up at the crack of the throttle in first and second. It didnt help. It just is going faster now when it does. 5th gear, 340 pounds on my belt buckle over the handlebar, if pinned it would either break the back tire loose or slowly stand up at 70ish mph. I call them dirt rainbows
In 1988 I bought a retired Sears Point 1986 RZ350 race bike, titled it, and rode the piss out that thing in the eastbay. 3rd gear wheelies on the freeway...miss the oil burner days
Theyre not gone, entirely. Im an avid snowmobiler and Banshee rider. Kids are getting hooked on the old 2 stroke sleds again. The days of monster triples left a visceral mark on us old timers and the young bucks are starting to feel it. On an ego note, Ive yet to find a modern sled hang with my T-Cat on the ice.
I had the same bike I was 14 when I got it. It was used and it was the best
I'm not sure anyone could ever ride one of these insane bikes to their full potential.
1987/88 Honda Factory Fox CR500 was a freaking neck breaker with a powerband that would rearrange your face! 🔥
Moto cross action mag said only 11 riders in the world could use them to their full potential. For those models.
So was the 250 three wheeler. They stopped manufacturing them because of that machine
I've had most big bore two strokes but have to say as a factory 500 the husqvarna is amazing
I had a 96 WR 250 piped and jets.. it was a beast... I miss it. It was in beautiful shape
I have a 94 in original condition. Yours has purple tank?
I ride a DR650, I grew up in Alaska on 2 stroke bikes though. I miss them. I miss their scent.
When i was 15 i had a dt 400 yamaha. Single lung, dual plug head. I loved it. Huge rear sprocket. 97mph was top speed. But i could yank the front up, up to 80
My 84 500r was my first bike I raced, it was fun when it wanted to run.🙄👍🤠
A superman shirt should have be given to anyone racing anything with 500cc's. The largest I ever raced was a MX 400B Yamaha and it was a handful.
I rode my WR500 in the back country of Idaho for years. Vibrated like crazy. A fun simple bike. I wish my 500 xcw weighed the same.
A cr 500 are a good strong bike but if i had a choice the wr 500 is a dream bike for me
Same here👆
had one new..
@@LG-fb9yt nice 👍
Lot of people hate these bikes. I had one since 96-97ish. Started out as my dads. He messed up and told me when I was 14, if I could start it I could ride it…..Still have it to this day. It’s a hand full but damn is it fast.
My YZ 490 was a blast!Literally!
I had a YZ 490 and my tz400 eats it up in race every time. It was slowest 500cc. motocross bike. I traded mine for a 1990 KX500 and became a winner.
In 1989 I gave my yz 490 a break and switched to the 125 class. I bought a brand new RM 125 to compete in district 38 and the Budweiser superstition series in the desert in el Centro California. I ended up with a #4 plate in district 38 and first 125 sportsman in the superstition series. I miss both of those bikes.
I had a 92 CR 500 when I was around 40 yo , many, many times I found myself asking why ? It was more beast than I wanted. Luckily a broken collar bone was the the worse that I got out of it. Fortunately I sold it to a younger man.
Always remember my dad saying if you can kick it over and start it you can drive it lol holy compression lol
I do love the old Elsinorethat's what we were riding in the early eighties that and why these had an RM not as fast as the YZ the Elsinore was a beast at the time even had a Honda Odyssey with a 250 Elsinore it was bored 20 overand that Honda Odyssey would fly thank God it had a roll cage if not I'd be dead right now talking about climbing any Hill any slope it was a monster
Bingo, In the spring of 94 just after my first daughter was born i got on a 500. And in the next 7 mins that bike did its best to try and KILL ME. My wife was NOT IMPRESSED. When I got off of it I told the owner of it "I'll go back to YZ-250, That will likely give me the best opportunity to see my new born daughter grow up" About a 16 months later the YZ-250 got traded in on a Honda 4x4 Quad. And in 2000 that turned into a Side-By-Side. "With age, Comes the Cage" With a 6 yr old tagging along EVERYWHERE Dad went, It was the safest thing for all of us. She be 34 in the spring. And the Honda Side-by-side is still in the garage. And its still being ridden by the youngest daughter (14) and her 16 yr old sister today. And has never had the engine gone threw, Yet. LoL.. But she's getting tired, And needs freshend up before I retire and start using more myself.
Yeah those YZs were freaking nuts , the power band was insane 😮
When I think of bikes in the 80s it’s this style of bike that immediately springs to mind
I raced the 1982 490 Yamaha in moto cross and cross country races and hill climbs till 1984... Those bikes were beasts for sure...
Never rode any of the 500 2 stroke dirt bikes but I owned an 89’ Suzuki LT500, AKA “Quadzilla”, a 500cc 2 stroke quad.
It was freaking *ANIMAL!*
I could barely keep the front tires on the ground.
I can’t even imagine what it takes to control 500cc 2 stroke dirt bike!
That WR looks stunning
My first dirt bike was a 1980 wr500. That thing was a beast!! I weighed prob 100lbs if I was lucky. Had to stand on the picnic table to start it. Was the fastest dirt bike I ever rode for sure!
I am a cr fan, I owned a cr-250 and the cr-500. I have ridden them all and the cr series was the sickest stuff !. Miss my old bikes!! Lol
I had a KX 500 in 1989 amazing bike
I had a 1973 KZ750 Kawasaki I think it was the fastest production bike made that year. It would scream.
Those are just too much fun and ive always thought they werent fast enough for me 💯🤘🤑 braaaaaap
I still have my '91 KX500 I bought new. Glad I kept it, because people are paying big money for them now that it's for sale. I bought it to ride in the SoCal desert, that thing is a BEAST!
Had a 85 cr500. Easiest bike to ride I ever owned. Loved it. Worst was a rm250, dont remember what year. They could have replaced the throttle with an off/on switch .Second worst was a yz465. If you jumped it the back fell out from underneath you. Also liked to kick back and break the kick starter. Reason I got it. Broke the kick starter and put 32 stitches in the guys leg I bought it from. On the ground or in the air, that cr500 would fly. All it needed was an extra base gasket. Completely changed the bike.The difference was unbelievable.
I had a 1984 CR500. It was the highest horsepower production bike up until a few years ago. It would literally yank the bars out of your hands. I remember riding on a logging road 5th gear pinned. Riding a wheely. I glanced over at the trees and it was a wall of green. I thought dude your going to die. I then I smiled and slid up into the next turn and pinned it. If I was going to die it was going to be with a giant smile on my face!!!
Ain't no fun if your not WFO...
I started riding in 1970. 500 cc was the Trans Am with Roger DeCoster and others. Macco had some bad ass bikes. The coffin tank was a hazard and why they were called Macco Breako because it was smack your balls.
Had an 85 YZ 490, I was King Shit Cat Daddy on our riding trails...that is till the CR 500 came a callin...what a bike!
I had a kx500 bought new ,and an lt500 quadzilla.two absolute monsters.so fun,i miss those days😢
As much as I love 4 strokes I’ll always miss 2 strokes as they were something else. Between the power, smell and the sound there was nothing like them. Back in the 70s and 80s I had my fair share of both 2 stroke dirt and road bikes.
Back when I raced desert I rode a 450 but got on a cr500 for about 2000 yards round trip. I don’t need to ride one ever again they are amazing machines them at demand respect.
I remember when dad made the switch from heavily modified Yamaha 500 to his stock KX 500, never bought a yamaha again 🤣
Kwak kwak kwakkers.
I'm an old fuck, and God Damn I miss my 1987 KX 500!! An absolute TERROR!!
💯 scary bike and need to be a special rider for sure !!!
2 stroke for life. I had a 94 cr 500. Felt like riding on a cloud. I hate aluminum frames.
Had a CR500, bought it on a whim while looking to upgrade from my YZ125 to a 250. I figured it couldn't be that bad.
Lol.
Thing was insane, had to tow it to bump it with at least 2 people on, it lifted immediately in every gear and used a full tank in about 15 minutes. Sold it after a couple weeks, death was waiting.
I had XT500 for years four-stroke... I can only imagine it being a two-stroke insane 🤯
My uncle worked for a local Yamaha dealer,I have 2 wr 500's one is still in the original shipping crate never been assembled, The other still starts first kick, Just rode it yesterday on new years eve
Had a yz 490 back in 82 still have the scars, a monster
First big bore two stroke I rode was a Honda CR480. Sliding sideways in a corner, wheelie
with chest on the crossbar, 1/2
throttle. Drum brakes added to the excitement. Love hate relationship. If you bobble you can still reel in the guy in front of you and you can short shift with all the low end torque.
I just love to hear those ol' 2 stroke engines 👍
The Suzuki 465 RM I had was no joke either.
I loved the 250 slingshot
I had a 400 and it was insane!
I bought an FZ1 yesterday…a similar situation. A 400 2 banger at 29, now a 1000 inline 4 4 banger at 69. Knees in the breeze until they plant me under the trees.
We need this back! What does everyone think about a 500cc Banshee with the WR gearbox also? Yamaha has done the work already so everything is on paper. It needs to happen!
U'd luv my 10mil 521 Bansher.
@@jamesunderwood482 is it just a big bore? Because big bore’s don’t get it for me. I am all about a reconfiguration that will have to be everything changed.
@FarTooRight I loosely agree, Fourstroke are four the people that want to be Lazy, Not Physically Active, or Mentally Active but still want to be viewed as cool by everyone else who doesn’t ride. And the EPA may be the start, but it is purely the buyers/us the customers who bought the products that are the cause. As in we all collectively let the EPA take the reins. As in, if we all collectively stopped buying Fourstrokes, the manufacturers would collectively stop making them and stop wasting time and money on developing them. So let’s all band together. No matter the incentives and benefits that come with buying four strokes. Stay Strong my two stroke Brothers!
@FarTooRightI feel WAY safer on 2 wheels than 4...
Four-wheelers are for farm work etc
@@practice4617same here, plus I ride 100% safe and honestly try my hardest to obey the traffic laws. In driving cars and trucks I literally just don’t care about, anything. I mean 6 months after I got my drivers license, it was restricted. My secret was that I have never and will never lie or even try to make excuses to the Judge. That is why a $120 ticket was $90. I Understood that being the judge, he has already heard everything. He also thanked me for being honest. Honesty always pays off lin the end.
Rode an Yamaha IT 465 once,that had more power than i could handle. Scary fast !
If I was 40 years younger, still I want one.
Brother I'm late 50s still ride like I STOLE IT !
I still have my 94 cr500 in the garage. Still runs like a champ strong as hell panty dropper.
1991 xr250r is the best bike in the world,, hands down 🤠
I rode the shit out of an IT465 and a CR 480 in the late 90s, what a blast!
I rode on the back of a friends older brothers 85 Zuke 500 and it was an insane ride. I was like 12 years old 😂
Nothing like a 2 stroke. My buddy had a KX500. I rode it once. That was enuff. Couldn't keep it on the ground. Insane power, you could loop it at 65 mph. The street bike were even better. The good old days of Rainey, koczinski,Roberts schwantz, doohan,Lawson and Freddie. All I ever owned were RZs TZRs ,RDs, NSRs and kawi triples etc....
Greetings. What a beautiful WR500cc, it's great.
I had a 1977 YZ. 250 Yamaha. It truly was a bad ass bike. Stayed on its back wheel most of the time riding it. Nice bike. Think with financing then I gave almost $3,000 for it new. Eventually it was stolen out of my yard. By that time I had all the fun I wanted. ❤😊
I wish they would bring them back
My first bike was a 500cc KTM 2 stroke. Being young was fun.
I owned 2 montessa 360cc a enduro H6 and a moto X 360 they were definitely bloody quick and wheelstand easily in 4th gear the European handling was on another level
I had one of the best 2-stroke dirt bike out there. 1987 CR 500. I miss that death trap!😅😅😅
I had a sc 500 2 stroke Yamaha 1974 it was a great bike
The 81 Maico 490 got the ball rolling.
My buddy has a Honda cr500 it's amazing the front wheel never touches the ground
I had one of these and it was a beast but if you kept it at a constant rpm about 4-5 rpm cruising it would melt the piston rings to the head and lock the back tire up and then you really went for a ride after 2 pistons and 2 heads later the determining factor was the crank bearing was worn and the piston was wobbling inside the head
mine never failed! and I put lots of hrs on it for years ,never even fouled a plug! ran cheap oil 20 to one and it didn't even smoke when warmed up and burnin clean.. had someone take it out to see what he thought because he raced and had one... he said DONT CHANGE A THING!! .. IT RUNS GREAT!! LOL
I have one currently. A real beast
My oldest brother had a yz465 I think it was and I crawled off of a yz125 on a RaceTrac I thought I had wings the power band on that bike was badass right from start I didn't win the race but I did place I miss my brother and all of his old motorcycles
I had the IT 460 , all be it in 2000! Ran great😊
Had one. It was OK. Vibrated a lot.
I loved the chainsaw sound my 250R four wheeler made it was a special time!!!
SONIC 500 CAN-AM. NOW THATS A NECK SNAPPER🇨🇦
I rember those 500cc scramblers. Beasts. And later honda had a 600cc as well
Used to race as a kid till mid 20,s , 250 rm, was my ride of choice years later in my 50,s took a friends sons bike out for a few laps , didn,t walk right for months lol
The shoulder breakers !
One of the most insane bikes I ever rode😮
Had the Kx250 & then bought a Kx500 and that was as the day i realised i wasn’t as manly as i hoped , the damn thing scared the shit outta me EVERY time.
Only knew about their IT and TT's. Awesome I want one.
I had a YZ490 when I was young. That thing was straight speed!! I swear I'd put that thing up against my old ninja 750, and Harley Sportster. Short distance it would smoke both of them! That 490 was hands down the scariest bike I've ever ridden!!! It was awesome lol
My god I wish I still had mine. AND my WR200
You forgot to add “and it’s an absolute monster!!” 😂
Lmao!!!!! I learned on a 500. I used to have to push it next to a table to get on it. It actually kicked me back so hard it broke my foot. I still rode it daily. I used to just lay it down to get off of it. I miss that bike.
Love the 500 cc
Real deal power .love to rebuild one soon
Always wanted a CR500
MAICO 500 , 84' 2 stroke 75 hp
I learned how to ride dirtbikes on a cr500, was a scary experience to say the least. That and a banshee were how i learned to ride
I had a YZ 490. It was dangerous. That thing had incredible power.
The very best motocross times ever ; I ride my MAICO GME 490 , 61 twostroke horsepowers with 112 kg weight, only ❤💨💨💨👋🏻
got a few listen near me. around $3-$4.5 grand. amazing bikes
This was the bike that almost took me out with it on two occasions, still i had fun though just wasn't experienced and heavy enough to ride it properly at the time, being a 140 pound 14 year old lol😂. Kick like a mule was the definition of this beast💯👍🏾
I miss riding my 500, almost killed myself multiple times but wow what a ride
Love them 2 strokes