I bought this bike in 1995, after being left a few bob by my lovely Gran' who sadly died in 94 (will always love her to bits for helping me out ) But I'm sure she'd be turning in her grave if she knew half of what I'd spent her hard earned cash on !
One of those things I know she hated most ... Read review
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A review by cashman44 on Honda CR500R June 9th, 2004
Author's product rating:
Comfort
Satisfactory
Handling
Good
Looks
Good
Features
Satisfactory
Fuel consumption
Poor
Advantages:
Buckets of power, bullet proof engine, great fun .
Disadvantages:
Arm pump, neck ache, chains and sprockets, frames can crack on heavy landings .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I bought this bike in 1995, after being left a few bob by my lovely Gran' who sadly died in 94 (will always love her to bits for helping me out ) But I'm sure she'd be turning in her grave if she knew half of what I'd spent her hard earned cash on ! One of those things I know she hated most would have been the CR 500 ! . Well ... you know what it's like , you've always wanted something, now you have the cash......... I wasn't going to invest it in a pension !.
*** The Dealer***
Me and a good mate of mine, had always wanted something mad and powerful , off road, having dabbled a bit in the past with moto x bikes. So off we went to see Mr Andy Taylor ( of P.R. Taylor of Calne Wilts,) An extremely experienced bike rider ,on and off road , ( sadly killed a couple of years later , by a volvo driver towing a horse box ). We asked him if he had a couple of 500's cheap we could have, an hour later we were the proud owners of a KX500 and the CR. Both bought for £500.
***The CR*** Sorry , finaly getting to the subject , the main thing that sticks in my mind about this bike is that it was a B....A....STAR...D to start , it needed a full swing on the kick starter to get it going, but unlike my heavier mate, ( who got his going quick) the fat bugger !, it sometimes took me 5 mins to get it going. ( wish it had an electric start). I once tried bumping it down a steep hill in 5th gear , and it still skidded, until I jumped off the pegs and as my arse hit the seat .... let the clutch out, wooosh away it went, still pulling as if it was in 2nd !. This bike would lift the front wheel in all gears, would plough through thick mud as if it was flat ground , and climb just about any hill you came across. I soon learned not to use 1st gear or the clutch when on the move. It was light and easy to chuck around, especially when racing a mate, it's surprising how your skill level increases when the red mist comes over you !! It used to catch air so easily, with so much power available , and after a few crashes ( remember that feeling when you know you've lost it in the air, and not enough room left to adjust for landing) , I learned its ways. The CR was very forgiving when you lost it due to the massive suspension travel. Providing you'd set up the sag for your weight and the front end ( at the very bottom of the fork legs, ther are click adjusters for rebound damping and 2 air bleed screws on top, covered with car tyre type dust caps ). The damping rate for the rear end can be adjusted on the move by way of a thumbwheel screw on the rear shock remote gas reservoir.
I remember once , blasting along at full throttle, must have been doing about 60 - 70 mph, the ground I was on looked totally flat, then , out of nowhere, I came across a 6ft ditch, that I hadn't seen, I thought " oh shit I'm dead", last thing I remember was twisting the throttle fully open, just before diving in , and to my disbelief, the CR had lifted it's front wheel just enough to clear the ditch( and my hospital visit ) and make it to the other side, I opened my eyes again and found , I was still bombing along in a straight line !!! ( god bless that long travel suspension ! )
Had to weld up the frame once, near the silencer, from heavy landings . My fault for getting it wrong !. Never had a speedo , but I recon it must have been good for around 100 mph also.
***Maintainance*** With such a massive piston ( I could get my fist down the bore ! ) I never had to change piston/rings, bore was still perfect, only opened it up to check. I also fitted steel clutch plates to help enertia for starting , also helps traction in sloppy ground. Replaced the standard steel reed valve for plastic type, this helps throttle response , and adds more power across the range, get an ' o' ring chain as this type will outlast standard cheap ones by about 3 times. Do both sprockets as well to avoid 'hooking'. I (being tight) also drilled and tapped in grease nipples on the suspension linkages, if this was a standard fitting it would last forever. You can check for wear in this area by lifting the back mudguard, any slop will indicate a problem. Look after the air filter by cleaning + oiling and keep that engine/gearbox oil fresh. Being air cooled this model of CR had no water problems to worry about ! The rear tyre can be turned round to provide an extended use , the chogs will be nice and sharp again !
***Finaly*** So much fun, make sure you invest in good quality body armour, or you'll be hospital fodder, in no time. Not for the faint hearted, But if you take the time to learn its ways this bike can be totally mad , or quite docile , twist right hand to choose !!.
***ps, about photos*** These pics were taken with the Cannon A300 in low res !, last 2 with Cannon sure shot 35mm film camera.
Advantages: massive power ! wheelies no problem ! Disadvantages: poor handling ! expensive to repair ! can cause fatal injuries in the wrong hands !
if you thinking about buying this bike theres 1 thing you need to do first write a will and leave you children the money for your funeral !!
i have ridden a friends machine which is fully standard and the bike is mental !!! your constantly fighting to keep the front end down whilst drawing the throttle back and ripping into powerband.this bike is bullet proof alongside the right maintenance frequent services should keep the engine clean and running ... ...be careful with the power through the bends this bike wont think twice about spitting you off or dropping the front end on a wet day.its perfect for you adrenaline rushes on a sunday daytime round the localtrack if you bored with the standard motocross bike this should be your next step !!!!
Specifications:
Model CR500R
Engine Type 491cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder
two-stroke
Bore and Stroke 89mm x 79mm
Compression Ratio 6.8:1
Induction ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Very, Very Powerful, Grips well, easily maintained. Disadvantages: Costly, heavy bike, very high.
Well, where do I start. This bike is not for the fainthearted! Drop the clutch in at 4th gear and it still boasts enough power to get a wheelie going!
I paid £3400 for my bike back in 2005, and since then the bike has had no problems whatsoever. The only things being the chain and the sprockets that wore abit due to this bikes power.
This bike is rather heavy, and feels heavy when ridden. It is also very loud, so not for beginners.
The engine ... ...maintainance, which is easily done.
I would recommend this bike to many people, however, if your under 6'0 in height, you may struggle with this bike. It's meant for 6'0 and over to be perfect.
Also, do not buy this as a first bike, get a 125cc and then work your way up the chain of power. Honestly, this bike is worth every penny. A must buy! ...
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Comfort
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helpful
18.08.2008
Quick review of Honda CR500R Review ofHonda CR500Rby
fox69
this has to be one of the most amazing off-road bikes ever built. i was on a mx track one day and some one on with a cr 500 flew passed me and i instantly fell in love! this is realy a bike for anyone who has a love for exteram speed and power
Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: loads of power,wheelies for miles with little effort Disadvantages: it can cause serious injury if pushed too hard!
...the bike's lifetime,therefore all you are really looking to pay for is not the most modern,but one in good nick for a decent price.
If you are an absolute power junkie,this is the bike for you!If,however,you are looking to upgrade from a Honda MTX80 or Yamaha DT125R,you have been warned.... ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Comfort
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somewhat helpful
16.01.2004
Quick review of Honda CR500R Review ofHonda CR500Rby
alle
da paura sta moto . id the best bike in the world ........................................................................... ..........
i hope the i buy one day one of this bike
Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
