@MESSENGER01 LOL. My cousin was much older than me and raced local tracks on one. I basically took off and gunned the throttle in a straight line. Went through my grandparents garden in the blink of an eye....on accident. The power was unreal then. Heck...it's still unreal. CR125 was more than enough for me a few years later.
@@123123boobies 68 BP and 61 to the rear wheel damn fast my dad when he was a junior hot a brand new 1991 cr500 and throttle got stuck open in a field with his buddy's and it was in 5th gear still looped out lol
@@truckertodd4567 it actually will and does! Idiots try it with trainers on! Seen it with my own eyes. That bitch will brake and ankle, foot, leg....easily!
😂😂😂yeah no shit. Had a KX500. There was no real technique to riding it. You really just pointed it at an obstacle, you know, rock, building, mountain, 100ft triples and just blip the throttle and it was over before you knew it.
The men who rode these at world level were gods to anyone who had ridden a 500, just 10 mins on one would leave a normal guy absoluty ragged so when you saw guys riding these at the limit for 45 mins you knew that they were in a special league of their own.
@ yawning kitty, No doubt.. Get on a cr500 and ride it for 45 minutes a lot of people couldn't do that but, like you said" the ones that rode a bike like this, they were in a special league of their own" no doubt about that.. I would like to have beast like the cr500..
Aggression fellas that's what's needed for this 500 two stroke..man I'd love it and id wanna experience it while riding it wide open or as you Americans say just send it lol..I might end up doing an e.t. and riding over the moon but fuck yeah
They were insanely fast. Massive power everywhere, heavy, tall, and so much vibration everywhere. Huge respect for guys that can take these to the limit for a full moto- that's what's truly impressive to me.
I wonder how would a modern 2 stroke direct injection 500cc motor would output in terms of power and direct injection even gives it better throttle response than ever before and also better fuel economy, it would be pretty scary.
I bought a race tuned '94 CR500 in 2001. I took it to Hollister and when I fired it up, the whole paddock turned around to look at it. That's when I realized I had bitten of far more than I could chew. It spat me off every time I tried to ride - I have a huge amount of respect for Mick Doohan now.
Mick doohan and co, have legs full of metal plates and stuff. Those GP bikes were 4 fucking cylinder 2 strokes and went to 300KPH. Insane crazy. I went to a moto GP with doohan as a new guy. Wayne gardner was the big guy. I first heard the warm up laps and was shocked. And that was the 125s.
You don’t have to be able to start a bike. Such thing as too much compression for one to handle, and for quite some time, I could hardly kick a yz250f. Just give him a break. IT’S A 500
That my friend is an absolute fact. Its exactly what put me in a hospital bed with 9 broken bones. Loved my 87 YZ490 but she was the devil in disguise...😉
Raced these in the late 80s , dial in the suspension , after market pipe to broaden the powerband , port n polish , some good reeds and its a great bike 👍still got my 99 and love it 😁
Yes, but do research first on anyone putting a wrench on the motor. Every knucklehead who's ever worked on 2 stroke mopeds will claim to be an expert. I wasted lots of time, cash and almost an entire motor ruined by an expert LT500 builder.
You'll have to ride an 85/86 cr500 if you want the fastest most brutal year motor. I bought and restored an 86 this year over the course of 5 months, motor fully rebuilt 514cc with a couple upgrades. Never ridden a 500 before that bike and not afraid to admit it was to fast to have fun with. Front wheel wouldnt stay down no matter how far I slid up the tank or slipped the clutch/feathered the throttle. I'd rather man handle a smaller bike than let the 500 kill me lol. I have so much respect for the guys that raced these back in the days.
Lol yeah my dad had a friend who had a cr500 and he tried it out. He was up every gear. Also he had another friend who had a tuned rm 450 back in the day and that was fast.
@@hodun8 Wasnt really until after 87 or so they started to attempt to mellow them out. But they are all ridiculous. 85/86 had the short rods making them more brutal. I did a hybrid build on my 86 when I couldn't find a short rod anywhere. Oem rebuilt and balanced crank with a cometic spacer and prox 87+ long rod paired with the 91mm wiseco piston. Was like the best of both worlds. Had several 500 guys agree my particular bike vibrated considerably less than most other 5other they rode while delivering all the same brutal power the way it was built. I miss that bike but had to sell due to financial reasons. Cant wait to build another even though I could never ride them to their potential.
Agree the 85-86 were the beasts. My friend had a 1985 KX500. I rode it once at glen Helen in San Bernardino. Still shaking 35 years later. It was that scary, it wanted to kill me. Careful with them.
I would say the low pipe CR500's 89 on smoothed out the power delivery, 85 was the first water cooled and big improvement but explosive delivery of power and rear drum brakes, they had more power and speed than the suspension really and could have occasional evil headshake at speed, still would love to get another, have an IT465 but it's not nearly the same,
I remember the first time I rode a CR 500. It was 1993 and I was 13 years old, we were at glamis and my dads friend was like "go for it dude, just remember it's 4x strong than your bike". I had to sit on top of the gas tank to keep the front tire on the sand. It was crazy!
You rode it pretty well i think, i have an 04 Service Honda CR500 and had the suspension resprung and revalved. It rides like a Cadillac and vibrates like a soil separator. Theyre commonly referred to as a "vet bike" because the guys that own em are usually old farts like me. Good video
Amazing what a balanced crank, brakes, triple clamps, bars, pegs, seat, radiators, plastics, tires, levers, do to that bike.... scary but super fun! Set up they flick....
I'm 150lbs wet, been riding my entire life...ridden the CR5 many times and can usually never get it out of 2nd or 3rd gear in the woods and the bike definitely never even knew I was onboard. So much power few riders are able to wring one of these out.
I dont know about that ,when Honda released the 86 CR 500 the front forks were cartridge forks and the were like nothing even to compare to night and day difference from any other bike at it's time! I had a 87 CR500 That had the same super plush front forks only I had swapped out the stock rear shock with a OHLINS rear shock which is exactly what it needed to make the suspension close to a factory ride ...
Raced my 1990 CR500 in the WFO Series AMA Sanctioned Series in California. Won the first race w a monster whole-shot! Had some ruff rides later in series, ended up with 3rd overall after showdown North vs South. Had to use the motor, in the power-band to make up for the suspension and keep your weight aft…Turn you into a triathlon athlete if you could stay on the bike and work through injuries Great Memories! 33 years ago “Jolt’n Joe Grana” Great Video, thx’s for sharing Jag
Well, my first bike was a KX500 1995 i still have it, mostly use it it the sand now but its a monster. I still have mine 20yrs later cause I'll never out grow it!
@@ollilehtonen6764 I was 11 years old when I first rode that thing. I'm still not used to that power, but when you grew up with it, it gets easier to ride. I have a Husqvarna TE 300i now and my dad still has his Honda CR 500
After riding crotch rockets all my life,decided few years back to finally take my buddy's 500 down the quarter mile gravel driveway. I launched it full throttle and only made it around 80 feet right into a dam tree lol. He warned me but I didn't believe as I never rode a 2 stroke dirt Beast. These bikes are mean and ripped my arms off handles lol. Props on keeping it down.
I had a '92 CR250 & followed it up with a '96 CR 500. It could pull trees out of the ground, overtake everything without exception & was utterly terrifying at all times. Hard work, the 250 was a far better bike in every respect.
I rode one for 1 lap. And I was done with it. My anxiety was through the roof and my cardio was not gonna be enough for a second lap. I handed it back to the insane man that let me try it and had a new level of understanding of how tuff dudes where back then.
I raced on and off for about 10 years. I tried a couple cr500s and usually the same result. Get off after a lap and hand it back "this thing is stupid"
I enjoyed this video! I bypassed the 125 class and went straight from 80’s to a 250 back in the day. Raced KX 250’s for about 10 years until I had to get serious with life. Not that it matters but placed top 10 at Loretta’s and Ponca City 7 of those years! Anyway, I was all cocky back then and decided to buy a KX500...my first laps were just like yours! Heavy, couldn’t turn it, front end kept raising up on me and don’t think I ever got it out of 3rd gear! Wore me OUT!! I sold it about 2 months later. Gained a whole new respect for David Bailey, Broc Glover and those guys for racing them so hard. Crazy!
I do have a RX 100 , 1987 (father bought it when he was in college ). I am sixteen now . RX has so much speed in it and I can feel what power this CR 500 has got . Well, in this quarantine period , I hope you stay safe in you home ❤️
I remember being 14 yrs old trying to kick my dad's kx500 over in the front field and it taking chunks out of my work boots. About 4 years later I bought it from him that thing wore me out after 2 laps around a track.
@@bryanlettow4389 I bet your right, i wasn't tall enough at the time to ride my dad's ...but i did start it a few times and you sure didn't want it to kick back... lol. My dad worked for AT&T but his friend owed the Kawasaki dealership, they were always doing something to get more power (like they didn't have enough, lol). To be fair i should say maybe they did because they did race motocross in the early '70's so maybe they did need more power. I can only imagine what kind of power the bikes of today would be capable of. Thanks for letting me share.
@@michaeleaster4047 My dad said the same thing about needing more power lol. He use to race it before me and went through it and changed the front sprocket and carburetor along with the brakes and a silencer. It was 2001 or so. Definitely regret selling but I needed the money.
There is a trick to starting the kx500, and the fact it requires a ton of fuel. If you had a decomp on the head it would't take more than 2 tries. Having a bucket handy will get you extra leverage to position it TDC and just WHAM on the kickstarter.
I had cr500 back in the day, I can tell there is a trick to it. If you didn’t kick it just right it kick back and bruise the crap out your foot, even through boots. I had a friend that was 6’4 300# and rode a lot and he couldn’t hardly start it. So I totally understand why the owner started it for him. Once you got it started it was either spinning the tire or doing a wheelie! Yes the suspension sucked even back then. Not for the faint of heart!
As someone who raced an ‘84 I enjoyed watching this ride and hearing your comments. Yes, very taxing to ride at speed but the power is intoxicating. I haven’t ridden anything like it since. I once jumped 105 feet on mine...ACCIDENTALLY. You pretty much summed it up when you said that it was dangerous. But I happen to like dangerous things.
Check out Jean Michel Bayle at the 500 USGP at Glen Helen. He Smoked everyone in both Motos, and even rode over half the Second Moto with a Flat Rear Tire. One of the most Dominating Performances by any MX Racer ever. Best Big Bore 2 Stroke ever made. Hey Honda, can we get a reissue of this Beast, Electric Start, with less Weight, Modern Suspension,and Anti Vibration Hardware ? 🤔
Jean Michael bale still holds alot of lap records at different tracks for open class on cr500s. Of course a race prep.500 vs a old barn find is gonna be alot different
Gen x guy who used to see and hear one of these from time to time down on the railroad tracks. You could hear him coming for days. That thing could go 80 and still pull hard. The sound brings me back. I never rode one I got scared on the 250! I think it takes a big strong dude with balls that jingle to ride those, especially at higher levels.
The classic CR500. Those bikes were beasts. The power was just crazy. Big difference in the weight of the bikes today. My CR500 would make me sore from riding it. Good fun.
Holy crap. That had my knees weak and butterflies in my stomach just *watching* that. I'm a long time street bike rider, so flying up into the air on those jumps is crazy feeling for me. ;-)
You know your in trouble when someone says "you have to kick start it with authority ". Its funny you say " i could never go fast on this thing" as he reels in and passed modern bike going all out like they are standing still. I loved and miss my YZ490! Effortless TERROR yet such a rush
@Ximos Trilox that's how my YZ490 was minus having to lay it on its side. I would slowly push down on the kick start until i felt it get harder to depress. Then one good hard kick and it would come to life. Lol i never tried barefoot.
As a suspension development rider for Honda in 89 I worked very hard to make sure the 90 didn’t have the mid stroke spike the 89 had. The forks were stiff compared to regular forks we were all use to. The 89 500 forks were trapping air inside the cone at the top of the fork. They put holes in them to bleed it off and changed the shape of the cone’s slightly. Getting it right took a lot of experimenting. Forks have come a long way.
Wish I was there with my CR-500AF from Service Honda. Then you could've tested them back to back. It has the massive ti bolt treatment, plus super lightweight wheels and the Showa A-kit fork and triple tree transplant. $7,500.00! It is also ported, has a Rad valve and has the head decked 2mm for even more power! The last time I rode it something screwed up in the throttle and it was pinned WFO! I spied a soft berm to lay it down into! I was all good after somebody unpinned me! I raced it many, many times and back in 1986, on my 1986 CR-500R, I was running fast enough to be in the points at a National. I currently own 2 stock 1997 CR-500Rs and 2 CR-500AFs. One heavily modified obviously!
Here in the UK we had a world champion in the name of Dave Thorpe. He was the best rider coupled with this very model. A dream to watch, never again will we see such a dream team of man and machine. He made it look soooo easy. When we really knew it wasn’t.
Marissa, yeh the blackwater is an ass kicker for shure, I got the T shirt but never participated, did some amerature videos walking the track, that was tough in itself.
Decelerating in a 2 stroke reduces the oil going to the cylinder, as you can imagine when the oil is only there with the fuel coming in through the carb
@Dick Little Think about it - pre-mix 2 strokes only get their oil from the pre-mix fuel, which has to come through the carb via the throttle and is this regulated by the throttle. Decelerate with the engine ran up for long periods of time and the throttle closed, it's getting very minimal oil at high rpm. It made sense as soon as I saw it just mentioned.
My dad had a 92 cr 500 when I was a kid racing in the 80cc class sometimes I would hop on and ride around the pits or make a few practice laps and it would make my cr 80 seem so much easier to race. The 500 Was a freaking beast! Not for the faint of heart!
1984 Cr-500 Here.. Air cooled.. I used a 5 gallon pail upside down to stand on to start.. Get. That piston to thump once,than crank her over.. It was a Beast.. Boyson Power Reeds.. Crazy Fun..
I think i heard you get on the pipe once ! whew cray cray ...Jerry Robin put himself on the podium at lorettas in 2014 on an 1985 cr 250 and 5 years of development in the 80s is like 10 years in the 20''s practice on 2 smoke always! only ride the 4 stroke on race day everything you have to do on a two stroke will make you faster on a four,, everything!
Thing with the 500s is you dont even need to get on the pipe like a 125 or 250, they have mega torque from idle right through and power peaks quite a bit earlier so revving the tits off it isnt always beneficial. Plus hed get no traction whatsoever 😂 The guys that rode these things to the limit were incredible though
I owned and raced at least a half dozen of these open-class bikes while in high school back in the day. And, I always loved the smell of a 2-stroke exhaust in the morning being wound tight while roosting boulders through any rider’s chest cavity that had the unfortunate opportunity of riding behind me.
I was in my early 20's 130lbs when I 1st rode a 500 (I'm 53 now ) and experienced insane power , going around the track in 3rd gear and blown away . Then the time of drifting back so I was along side the troopers car and dropping down into 4th and riding wheelies at 70 + mph and watching the expression on his face as I zoomed past him . Later in life I met that trooper and we laughed about it .
Back in my day the race track was nothing like today , i grew up on dirt bikes , were we lived was woods fields and motocross , i had Cz honda Yamaha ossa , and in later years a Ktm just for fun , we made our own track and just rode every day , on the weekends the big tracks would have a race , and our suspension had 3 1/2 inches of travel those bumps sent a shock up your spine , bikes like this 500 honda were just awesome , my dream was a 501 Maico with that sun burst head , never got one though , lots a good memories and not so good memories , of races lost and crashes , but that was part of the glory .
Back in the day, a friend had a CR480 he had hand ported a little too aggressively. It was the most violent bike I ever rode. You didn't dare open the throttle in a corner or it would try to high side. It's a miracle anyone survived those things.
"It feels like I'm riding a Honda."
-The guy riding a Honda, 2019.
Come on man that was only half the sentence🤣🤣🤣
@@zachdavis3974 I couldn't resist lol
😂😂😂
CR500's vibration so hard that three people missed the like button.
This comment is HIGHLY underrated 😂 I think it vibrates so hard people missed the like button on your comment too. This is gold 😂
@@choppedculture326 thanks bro :)
Lmao!!!
Omg you made my day with that LOL
Perfect!
Seems like a decent beginner bike
A good beginner bike would be a Honda xr100
@@FinnsDirtbikeClips What about a Kawasaki H2R with dirt tires?
Yea teaching my son on this bike when he turns 7.
I rode a CR500 when I was a kid. I went from a CT70 trail straight to the CR500.
@MESSENGER01 LOL. My cousin was much older than me and raced local tracks on one. I basically took off and gunned the throttle in a straight line. Went through my grandparents garden in the blink of an eye....on accident. The power was unreal then. Heck...it's still unreal. CR125 was more than enough for me a few years later.
"Ill go a little bit faster" proceeds to blow everyone else off the globe with no throttle input. The power must be absolutely nuts on that thing
You can do a wheelie in every gear without using any clutch
I think 70ish hp
@DRZ22XX PRO my 250sx makes 50 hp too but i doubt itll pull anything like a 500
@@123123boobies 68 BP and 61 to the rear wheel damn fast my dad when he was a junior hot a brand new 1991 cr500 and throttle got stuck open in a field with his buddy's and it was in 5th gear still looped out lol
@@jeffyaboss4394 wait... To do wheele you need to use clutch?
“Im gonna go a little faster.” Continues to pass everyone on the track.
I wanna know who rode a 250 2 stroke and thought “ehhh, not enough power. Double the engine size!”
Definitely not me🤣
I did, first real bike was a yz250f and within a month I traded it for an yz400f. Cause you know, POWER!!! 😈
ETA UNKNOWN that’s not really the same thing...
Sean Collins I rode a 250EX for a while and thought, I want something with over 4 times the power and half the wheels.
ETA UNKNOWN that’s no where near the same as CR500😂
“Son, you gotta kick it with *_AUTHORITY_* “
Dude Same *AUTHORATAH*
I imagine the kickback on it would break a leg.
😂
@@truckertodd4567 it actually will and does! Idiots try it with trainers on! Seen it with my own eyes. That bitch will brake and ankle, foot, leg....easily!
@@taff6987 one kickback you learn fast
I had a 90’s CR500 when I was in high school. Look really cool but it’s hard to have fun on something that’s constantly trying to kill you... 😂
Don toth haha i could imagine🤪
Yup I bought an 89 cr500 when I was 19. Thankfully I blew the bottom end after having it a month or it woulda killed me. Lol
Hahaha!. that's for sure.
😂😂😂yeah no shit. Had a KX500. There was no real technique to riding it. You really just pointed it at an obstacle, you know, rock, building, mountain, 100ft triples and just blip the throttle and it was over before you knew it.
I felt they were to dam fast for the dirt lol I never went above my yz 125 on the dirt on the street different story
It makes you really appreciate how the older generation raced and managed to throw these things around
YES
When the men were men
He's to scared to use the powerband 😂 I don't blame him .
Must be insanely powerful
They were extremely powerful.but you learned to ride the wheel spin.always in powerband.
@@diegoesquivel8548 They are two Handfulls.
Power to Weight Ratio is insane.
I've busted my ass with the powerband on the 2stroke 150cc
Those things Hawl asss
@Jarrod St. George nawl maybe 90-95
The men who rode these at world level were gods to anyone who had ridden a 500, just 10 mins on one would leave a normal guy absoluty ragged so when you saw guys riding these at the limit for 45 mins you knew that they were in a special league of their own.
@ yawning kitty, No doubt..
Get on a cr500 and ride it for 45 minutes a lot of people couldn't do that but, like you said" the ones that rode a bike like this, they were in a special league of their own" no doubt about that..
I would like to have beast like the cr500..
@Mr D There is nothing like the sound of a 2 stroke..
@The Host They sure are..
No doubt about it..
@Mr D Have a great Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year..
Indeed. Not to many people who have the ability to ride a big bore 2 stroke on the pipe.
I'm going to try and go a little bit faster. * Proceeds to basically idle past everyone on the track *
Aggression fellas that's what's needed for this 500 two stroke..man I'd love it and id wanna experience it while riding it wide open or as you Americans say just send it lol..I might end up doing an e.t. and riding over the moon but fuck yeah
Try riding an 87 that's been restored!
cosp_ride I know someone who has a WR500 and he never got it wide open on a track
Lol right
*enters hyperspace
They were insanely fast. Massive power everywhere, heavy, tall, and so much vibration everywhere. Huge respect for guys that can take these to the limit for a full moto- that's what's truly impressive to me.
Me too, huge respect for anyone who can throw down a hard moto on these things
I wonder how would a modern 2 stroke direct injection 500cc motor would output in terms of power and direct injection even gives it better throttle response than ever before and also better fuel economy, it would be pretty scary.
I miss those days, it's been a while since I've been on one, my tt500 was alot of bike too. Sure miss it!
@@guily6669 you can only go so fast on a track it would just get to its spots a lil quicker but top speed wouldnt make much of a difference
@@2stroketyson79that track was pretty smooth, could have much higher top speed with gearing
I'm a minute 45 into watching this video and I broke my collar bone.
lol
I bought a race tuned '94 CR500 in 2001. I took it to Hollister and when I fired it up, the whole paddock turned around to look at it. That's when I realized I had bitten of far more than I could chew. It spat me off every time I tried to ride - I have a huge amount of respect for Mick Doohan now.
Mick doohan and co, have legs full of metal plates and stuff.
Those GP bikes were 4 fucking cylinder 2 strokes and went to 300KPH.
Insane crazy.
I went to a moto GP with doohan as a new guy.
Wayne gardner was the big guy.
I first heard the warm up laps and was shocked.
And that was the 125s.
CR500: *if a 14 year old teenager with mood swings was a motorcycle*
A jacked 14 year old
@@DrKampfpudding 😂😂😂
@@deepsix1827 lolol 😂
I say a wild stallion with mustard on his bollocks
bear Nope, you'd need to kick him in the nuts a couple times first, then you might be getting close the CR500 experience.
You can tell that bike wants to inflict bad things on you.
There's idea if a500cc best two stroke... Lol
lol. from experience you are 100% correct damn demon
More like bad thing to your wallet from all the repairs
patajos wrong very reliable out last smaller bores doesn’t rev as much all torque
4:13 dude.. 😬
He's no pro, but DAM good riding for a regular guy's first time on a 500 2 stroke!
Put him on anything else and I’m sure he’d beat a lot of people
Totally agree, he's a solid rider.
4:16 my heart dropped felt like I almost dropped it
Having one of those nowadays in that good condition is like owning a unicorn
i met a guy that had one it was all black mint condition he was handling it like a g made it look easy
I remember I seen one pop up somewhere a few years ago still in a crate from factory.
“This thing feels dangerous.”
That thing is dangerous lmao!!
Something I'll never here in the bedroom
4:13 WOW THIS THING IS DEFINITELY DANGEROUS! 😲😢💩
@@ThatCarGuy1983 because he cant ride. Try a yz490 or even kx500
At age 68 my grandfather gets on his 1989 cr500 and rides at my motocross practice track
Badass Grandpappy!
That's one RAD GRANDDAD
Very cool. Glad to hear
@@neilestenson6595 grand-brappy!
64 here still riding my 87
If you can’t start it, you can’t ride it!
That's the rule i have with mine!
thats what my dad would tell me too. if you can.t start it you can t ride it. .
👍👍 if you can’t start it you can’t ride it. But if you do start it ride it like you stole it. What I told my boys when they learned to ride.
Scott Armstrong cmon give him a break. He probably could’ve started it but there was a time crunch
You don’t have to be able to start a bike. Such thing as too much compression for one to handle, and for quite some time, I could hardly kick a yz250f. Just give him a break. IT’S A 500
My wife would like me to ride one for the insurance money.
You'll be dead before you get the money 😂
@@evyncota8436 that's the whole point you tool.
@@evyncota8436 Damn, I wish I could sing vocals with words cause that was the smart idea.
For sure 👍
Thanks that might work
When you go to hop on your buddies bike and they say
"the brakes are...interesting"
I've owned two 500s, By the time you realize you gave it too much its way too late to slow down. Gnarly machines to say the least.
That my friend is an absolute fact. Its exactly what put me in a hospital bed with 9 broken bones. Loved my 87 YZ490 but she was the devil in disguise...😉
Raced these in the late 80s , dial in the suspension , after market pipe to broaden the powerband , port n polish , some good reeds and its a great bike 👍still got my 99 and love it 😁
Yes, but do research first on anyone putting a wrench on the motor.
Every knucklehead who's ever worked on 2 stroke mopeds will claim to be an expert. I wasted lots of time, cash and almost an entire motor ruined by an expert LT500 builder.
You'll have to ride an 85/86 cr500 if you want the fastest most brutal year motor. I bought and restored an 86 this year over the course of 5 months, motor fully rebuilt 514cc with a couple upgrades. Never ridden a 500 before that bike and not afraid to admit it was to fast to have fun with. Front wheel wouldnt stay down no matter how far I slid up the tank or slipped the clutch/feathered the throttle. I'd rather man handle a smaller bike than let the 500 kill me lol. I have so much respect for the guys that raced these back in the days.
Lol yeah my dad had a friend who had a cr500 and he tried it out. He was up every gear. Also he had another friend who had a tuned rm 450 back in the day and that was fast.
They actually detuned those 85/86s at the factory because the pro riders said they were too fast! Unbelievable!
@@hodun8 Wasnt really until after 87 or so they started to attempt to mellow them out. But they are all ridiculous. 85/86 had the short rods making them more brutal. I did a hybrid build on my 86 when I couldn't find a short rod anywhere. Oem rebuilt and balanced crank with a cometic spacer and prox 87+ long rod paired with the 91mm wiseco piston. Was like the best of both worlds. Had several 500 guys agree my particular bike vibrated considerably less than most other 5other they rode while delivering all the same brutal power the way it was built. I miss that bike but had to sell due to financial reasons. Cant wait to build another even though I could never ride them to their potential.
Agree the 85-86 were the beasts. My friend had a 1985 KX500. I rode it once at glen Helen in San Bernardino. Still shaking 35 years later. It was that scary, it wanted to kill me. Careful with them.
I would say the low pipe CR500's 89 on smoothed out the power delivery, 85 was the first water cooled and big improvement but explosive delivery of power and rear drum brakes, they had more power and speed than the suspension really and could have occasional evil headshake at speed, still would love to get another, have an IT465 but it's not nearly the same,
"So much more respect..." the CR500 was a necessity when I was riding and will forever be my favorite!
I remember the first time I rode a CR 500. It was 1993 and I was 13 years old, we were at glamis and my dads friend was like "go for it dude, just remember it's 4x strong than your bike". I had to sit on top of the gas tank to keep the front tire on the sand. It was crazy!
Had a 95 cr 500cc few years back up in Leicester “ uk” safe to say non of my friends wanted a go or jump on the back 👀. Power delivery like no other !
Ideal first bike!
Adam Finneran
😂😂😂😂😂
No i would recommend a maico 700
Adam Finneran it’s not his first bike, it’s his first ride on that bike
@@cb72804 woooosh
Well I am 12 and got a cr250 as a upgrade from crf125f
You rode it pretty well i think, i have an 04 Service Honda CR500 and had the suspension resprung and revalved. It rides like a Cadillac and vibrates like a soil separator. Theyre commonly referred to as a "vet bike" because the guys that own em are usually old farts like me. Good video
Hahaha 😂😂😂
When they came out ,there were no fast 4str. Dirt bikes, all too heavy, slow revving. That's why old guys know 500 2 str. Pwr
@@rogerdodrill4733 you have a solid point. I agree
Amazing what a balanced crank, brakes, triple clamps, bars, pegs, seat, radiators, plastics, tires, levers, do to that bike.... scary but super fun! Set up they flick....
I'm 150lbs wet, been riding my entire life...ridden the CR5 many times and can usually never get it out of 2nd or 3rd gear in the woods and the bike definitely never even knew I was onboard. So much power few riders are able to wring one of these out.
"The suspension is super old". Ha, the suspension was just as brutal back in 1990 when it was new.
I dont know about that ,when Honda released the 86 CR 500 the front forks were cartridge forks and the were like nothing even to compare to night and day difference from any other bike at it's time! I had a 87 CR500 That had the same super plush front forks only I had swapped out the stock rear shock with a OHLINS rear shock which is exactly what it needed to make the suspension close to a factory ride ...
Bike is the same , men is getting softer
"its vibrating so much" that's a big boy bike for ya buudd
I had one in the early 90’s. It was a monster. After crashing it my mate dropped the engine into an RGV. Crazy quick.
Raced my 1990 CR500 in the WFO Series AMA Sanctioned Series in California. Won the first race w a monster whole-shot! Had some ruff rides later in series, ended up with 3rd overall after showdown North vs South. Had to use the motor, in the power-band to make up for the suspension and keep your weight aft…Turn you into a triathlon athlete if you could stay on the bike and work through injuries
Great Memories! 33 years ago
“Jolt’n Joe Grana” Great Video, thx’s for sharing
Jag
Went through a hedge on one of these in the eighty's 😁 good times.
That's right my friend..they were Dangerous...very Dangerous..that's what made them so much fun...!!!!
The vibration really isnt that bad. More of a buzz.
Now a stock YZ490? *THAT* vibrates.
or the kx :P
Or a Ktm 550 hahahaha
@@luke9299 Maico 700 :P
or my rieju with broken crankshaft bearings
Or my frankesteim build with a chineze 110 four stroke
Not even joking, I learned to ride on this thing, my dad had one
Me to and a Cr250r 2stroke Borded 1982
Don’t EVER tell mom about that!
Well, my first bike was a KX500 1995 i still have it, mostly use it it the sand now but its a monster. I still have mine 20yrs later cause I'll never out grow it!
I learned on a 110cc pitbike at age nine. To think even that felt "too big" at one point is crazy. How old were you back then?
@@ollilehtonen6764 I was 11 years old when I first rode that thing.
I'm still not used to that power, but when you grew up with it, it gets easier to ride.
I have a Husqvarna TE 300i now and my dad still has his Honda CR 500
After riding crotch rockets all my life,decided few years back to finally take my buddy's 500 down the quarter mile gravel driveway. I launched it full throttle and only made it around 80 feet right into a dam tree lol. He warned me but I didn't believe as I never rode a 2 stroke dirt Beast. These bikes are mean and ripped my arms off handles lol. Props on keeping it down.
I had a '92 CR250 & followed it up with a '96 CR 500. It could pull trees out of the ground, overtake everything without exception & was utterly terrifying at all times. Hard work, the 250 was a far better bike in every respect.
I rode one for 1 lap. And I was done with it. My anxiety was through the roof and my cardio was not gonna be enough for a second lap. I handed it back to the insane man that let me try it and had a new level of understanding of how tuff dudes where back then.
I raced on and off for about 10 years. I tried a couple cr500s and usually the same result. Get off after a lap and hand it back "this thing is stupid"
@@MrMotor11 lmao 😂
Hell yea brother...best bike ever produced
I wish there was made more new, sophisticated 2-strokes these days, and with direct injection they would be emissions friendly as well.
I enjoyed this video! I bypassed the 125 class and went straight from 80’s to a 250 back in the day. Raced KX 250’s for about 10 years until I had to get serious with life. Not that it matters but placed top 10 at Loretta’s and Ponca City 7 of those years! Anyway, I was all cocky back then and decided to buy a KX500...my first laps were just like yours! Heavy, couldn’t turn it, front end kept raising up on me and don’t think I ever got it out of 3rd gear! Wore me OUT!! I sold it about 2 months later. Gained a whole new respect for David Bailey, Broc Glover and those guys for racing them so hard. Crazy!
I do have a RX 100 , 1987 (father bought it when he was in college ). I am sixteen now . RX has so much speed in it and I can feel what power this CR 500 has got .
Well, in this quarantine period , I hope you stay safe in you home ❤️
I remember my first ride on one! You ripped it! Very skilled riding brother!
0:02 "you have to kick it with authority" 😂
If it backfires when you kick it, you'll get launched over the bars or have your knee broken on the brake lever clamp.
on cold starts and cold days, you blow through the carb over flow tube, helps clear the carb for a clean kick and start
Owner wasn’t making a joke
@@hondacr64 thanks
CR: "I am gonna run right here....
Rider: "Jesus Christ..."
Yes, these things will make you call on the name of the LORD and more than once....
GREAT video--that GOPro was steady. Thanks for the ride.
Nothing beats the fun factor of a CR 500!!!
I remember being 14 yrs old trying to kick my dad's kx500 over in the front field and it taking chunks out of my work boots. About 4 years later I bought it from him that thing wore me out after 2 laps around a track.
When i was a boy in the very early '70s i seen my dads kx kick the heel completely off his boot. I was like, wow!
@@michaeleaster4047 There's definitely a trick to it. Once you get a feel for how it starts it becomes easier.
@@bryanlettow4389 I bet your right, i wasn't tall enough at the time to ride my dad's ...but i did start it a few times and you sure didn't want it to kick back... lol. My dad worked for AT&T but his friend owed the Kawasaki dealership, they were always doing something to get more power (like they didn't have enough, lol). To be fair i should say maybe they did because they did race motocross in the early '70's so maybe they did need more power. I can only imagine what kind of power the bikes of today would be capable of. Thanks for letting me share.
@@michaeleaster4047 My dad said the same thing about needing more power lol. He use to race it before me and went through it and changed the front sprocket and carburetor along with the brakes and a silencer. It was 2001 or so. Definitely regret selling but I needed the money.
There is a trick to starting the kx500, and the fact it requires a ton of fuel. If you had a decomp on the head it would't take more than 2 tries. Having a bucket handy will get you extra leverage to position it TDC and just WHAM on the kickstarter.
I'd never let anyone ride a bike they couldn't kick over themselves.
No shit. I used to kick start a 1200cc drag bike. Kawasaki of course.
In his defense, I would say he did the thing justice while actually riding it.
Should I not drive my Mustang drag car because I can't crank-start the engine by hand like a fawkin Model T? lmao
I had cr500 back in the day, I can tell there is a trick to it. If you didn’t kick it just right it kick back and bruise the crap out your foot, even through boots. I had a friend that was 6’4 300# and rode a lot and he couldn’t hardly start it. So I totally understand why the owner started it for him. Once you got it started it was either spinning the tire or doing a wheelie! Yes the suspension sucked even back then. Not for the faint of heart!
He never got it into the power band.
Rode one of these back in the day real mans bike
Possibly the greatest video. Man you brought me back to
My youth in lake Havasu Arizona. Me and my bro’s rode Cr 500 through high school.
As someone who raced an ‘84 I enjoyed watching this ride and hearing your comments. Yes, very taxing to ride at speed but the power is intoxicating. I haven’t ridden anything like it since. I once jumped 105 feet on mine...ACCIDENTALLY. You pretty much summed it up when you said that it was dangerous. But I happen to like dangerous things.
Now you got to get on a Maico 700
Just Ride wow Maico my grandfather had a 501 it was a beast!
Yeah, I had a Maico 490 & that was plenty scary....
Check out Jean Michel Bayle at the 500 USGP at Glen Helen. He Smoked everyone in both Motos, and even rode over half the Second Moto with a Flat Rear Tire. One of the most Dominating Performances by any MX Racer ever. Best Big Bore 2 Stroke ever made. Hey Honda, can we get a reissue of this Beast, Electric Start, with less Weight, Modern Suspension,and Anti Vibration Hardware ? 🤔
Rubber mounted motor and counter balance would be nice
Jean Michael bale still holds alot of lap records at different tracks for open class on cr500s. Of course a race prep.500 vs a old barn find is gonna be alot different
Kinda cool to see how much bikes have evolved in my lifetime. The CR500 was like a modern miracle back in the day....
Gen x guy who used to see and hear one of these from time to time down on the railroad tracks. You could hear him coming for days. That thing could go 80 and still pull hard. The sound brings me back. I never rode one I got scared on the 250! I think it takes a big strong dude with balls that jingle to ride those, especially at higher levels.
Back when I rode a 500 my friends said it was like trying to pass a wall of Dirt
Ride behind this beast and its the closest thing to a sand storm in the Sahara
The motocrossers who rode this bike in the eighties and nineties must have been super fit!!
Riding is my workout. 😁
bailey and johnson rode the works 500s..can u even imagine...
Yes I was ...👍
I was in shape in the 90's, now I am a shape. round
No whine babies, thats for sure!
Murphys Motocross? That’s my home track !!......i’ve got a couple hundred hours riding Murphys. tons of helmet cam video on both tracks
So
welfare police ride much do ya
@@marcgraham6438 ride pretty much everyday. How bout u
@@marcgraham6438 your that squid at the track that is more concerned about your selfies and helmet can. SQUID
@@marcgraham6438 you ride much squid??
The classic CR500. Those bikes were beasts. The power was just crazy. Big difference in the weight of the bikes today. My CR500 would make me sore from riding it. Good fun.
Holy crap. That had my knees weak and butterflies in my stomach just *watching* that. I'm a long time street bike rider, so flying up into the air on those jumps is crazy feeling for me. ;-)
You know your in trouble when someone says "you have to kick start it with authority ".
Its funny you say " i could never go fast on this thing" as he reels in and passed modern bike going all out like they are standing still.
I loved and miss my YZ490! Effortless TERROR yet such a rush
@Ximos Trilox that's how my YZ490 was minus having to lay it on its side. I would slowly push down on the kick start until i felt it get harder to depress. Then one good hard kick and it would come to life. Lol i never tried barefoot.
In terms of vibration, just remember : 89 was the first year they used inverted forks and they were extremely stiff for the first couple years
As a suspension development rider for Honda in 89 I worked very hard to make sure the 90 didn’t have the mid stroke spike the 89 had. The forks were stiff compared to regular forks we were all use to. The 89 500 forks were trapping air inside the cone at the top of the fork. They put holes in them to bleed it off and changed the shape of the cone’s slightly. Getting it right took a lot of experimenting. Forks have come a long way.
Wish I was there with my CR-500AF from Service Honda. Then you could've tested them back to back. It has the massive ti bolt treatment, plus super lightweight wheels and the Showa A-kit fork and triple tree transplant. $7,500.00! It is also ported, has a Rad valve and has the head decked 2mm for even more power! The last time I rode it something screwed up in the throttle and it was pinned WFO! I spied a soft berm to lay it down into! I was all good after somebody unpinned me! I raced it many, many times and back in 1986, on my 1986 CR-500R, I was running fast enough to be in the points at a National. I currently own 2 stock 1997 CR-500Rs and 2 CR-500AFs. One heavily modified obviously!
I ride a 250 2 stroke and my palms were sweating just watching this video. What a beast!!
Here in the UK we had a world champion in the name of Dave Thorpe. He was the best rider coupled with this very model. A dream to watch, never again will we see such a dream team of man and machine. He made it look soooo easy. When we really knew it wasn’t.
Thorpe was a God among men
Look up The Black Water 100 Davis West Virginia...What I grew up watching and riding..These bikes were Monster along with the old Yamaha that size
Marissa, yeh the blackwater is an ass kicker for shure, I got the T shirt but never participated, did some amerature videos walking the track, that was tough in itself.
Bought the video from pep boys back in like 93. Black water 100 and I aint no chicken Jeff Matiasevich
Rule number 1 for any rider... Don't ride faster than your Guardian Angel can fly... N you'll be ok..
Truth
How do you know,how fast they can fly?
Good question bud ! Every one is different on this one... If you push your luck hard enough.... You will know.. Or find out quick.. LoL..
@@bradquall1547 shut up brad.....lame ass comment
Ride as fast as you can control your bike and don't let your ambition outweight your talent.
hello,
as a former cr 500 rider: LEAVE THE CLUTCH ALONE WHILE RIDING!!!
2t dont need a clutch when riding idk why they use it
Absolutely opposite in 2 strokes you have to use the clutch or else the motor will break down !!
At 4 strokes using clutch is not as important !!
Decelerating in a 2 stroke reduces the oil going to the cylinder, as you can imagine when the oil is only there with the fuel coming in through the carb
@Dick Little What is gow
@Dick Little Think about it - pre-mix 2 strokes only get their oil from the pre-mix fuel, which has to come through the carb via the throttle and is this regulated by the throttle. Decelerate with the engine ran up for long periods of time and the throttle closed, it's getting very minimal oil at high rpm. It made sense as soon as I saw it just mentioned.
My dad had a 92 cr 500 when I was a kid racing in the 80cc class sometimes I would hop on and ride around the pits or make a few practice laps and it would make my cr 80 seem so much easier to race. The 500 Was a freaking beast! Not for the faint of heart!
1984 Cr-500 Here.. Air cooled.. I used a 5 gallon pail upside down to stand on to start.. Get. That piston to thump once,than crank her over.. It was a Beast.. Boyson Power Reeds.. Crazy Fun..
My cousin just got one of those and broke his leg
So
welfare police go play with your barbies
Sh. Osmanov Ok.
Sorry mate but that made me laugh 😅😂🤣........... 😳
I think i heard you get on the pipe once ! whew cray cray ...Jerry Robin put himself on the podium at lorettas in 2014 on an 1985 cr 250 and 5 years of development in the 80s is like 10 years in the 20''s practice on 2 smoke always! only ride the 4 stroke on race day everything you have to do on a two stroke will make you faster on a four,, everything!
Thing with the 500s is you dont even need to get on the pipe like a 125 or 250, they have mega torque from idle right through and power peaks quite a bit earlier so revving the tits off it isnt always beneficial. Plus hed get no traction whatsoever 😂
The guys that rode these things to the limit were incredible though
Stop giving away the secrets damn it. Shhhhh
@@GeneralNOH jojo Keller Weims Scott. NESC and the cr500was the slowest
LOVE THAT SOUND!
I owned and raced at least a half dozen of these open-class bikes while in high school back in the day. And, I always loved the smell of a 2-stroke exhaust in the morning being wound tight while roosting boulders through any rider’s chest cavity that had the unfortunate opportunity of riding behind me.
lol sweet vid. I love how you are trying to get comfy on it and and test it out and you are just wailing past ppl. leaving them in the dust
"Alright, I'll try to go a little faster."
*Blows past kid on KX85*
Speed wobble!I got nervous for yea..great bike great video keep it lit👌👊
Got a little nervous myself😂 head shake on a big heavy bike like that is scaryyyy
@@zachdavis3974 yea I no man f#ck that 🙈
I just got a 1996 kdx 200 does the same thing. Guess stabilizer is a must have on these older bikes for faster riding
@@zachdavis3974 Bike was not set up correctly, One of the worst years for forks.
skorchedearth1 that, and CR500’s always had head shake problems at speed due to the chassis design.
"Let's go a little faster"
*Flies past everyone*
I was in my early 20's 130lbs when I 1st rode a 500 (I'm 53 now ) and experienced insane power , going around the track in 3rd gear and blown away . Then the time of drifting back so I was along side the troopers car and dropping down into 4th and riding wheelies at 70 + mph and watching the expression on his face as I zoomed past him . Later in life I met that trooper and we laughed about it .
Back in my day the race track was nothing like today , i grew up on dirt bikes , were we lived was woods fields and motocross , i had Cz honda Yamaha ossa , and in later years a Ktm just for fun , we made our own track and just rode every day , on the weekends the big tracks would have a race , and our suspension had 3 1/2 inches of travel those bumps sent a shock up your spine , bikes like this 500 honda were just awesome , my dream was a 501 Maico with that sun burst head , never got one though , lots a good memories and not so good memories , of races lost and crashes , but that was part of the glory .
Hard bike to ride fast on a track for sure. After a few laps you'll be shaking like booty meat on a two dollar stripper 💯😂
I wish i never sold my old 2 stroke watching this.
It’s like a angry chainsaw between your legs 😭😂
Try angry chainsaw on steroids there still isn’t a bike out there that can beat it in a hill climb once modded up
I had two of these. Once you ride one, NOTHING else compares!
the power isnt all in the low end, he just told you that because if you hit the power band you are on a ride to the moon.
The 500 (2) stroke: Jack Kevorkians first suicide machine.
He called it a failure because it only worked 72% of the time
The Cr500 screams “Respect ma Authoritaa “ in it’s best Eric Cartman voice and you better fuckin listen!
Red lock tight can’t even hold that thing together
They do vibrate but getting the crank balanced helps with that, as well as flexx bars, and using blue loctite on mostly every bolt, does just fine 👍.
Back in the day, a friend had a CR480 he had hand ported a little too aggressively. It was the most violent bike I ever rode. You didn't dare open the throttle in a corner or it would try to high side. It's a miracle anyone survived those things.
Nice job! Feeling out the bike, increasing speed as you feel more comfortable. Refreshing to see. Lots of cowboys out there. 🇨🇦