[Long_av8r]

This was originally going to be a response in another thread but I thought it would be best to postwhore in this forum instead...

did you fit the engine yourself or is it a Service Honda bike? I sold my 95 CR500 last summer, I had it for over 6 years, few places to ride off-road here now on LI.

I like the Service Honda bikes, but $9k is a little stiff for me. I'm building this one for a buddy and he has less than $2k in parts after selling off the extras. I'm actually doing the work in trade for another old monster. I had an 86 a while back and sold it when I moved from SoCal to NC. He happened to have an 84 that he picked up that needed a little cleaning up but not much more. He was going to part it out (that's how he earns his living) but I saved it by agreeing to do the conversion. We'll see how much I like it when I finish it but I'm more of an old skool kinda guy and really like the look and feel of the old monsters - and the 84 was the last and the biggest of the "finners." I think it's a keeper even if I do build another AF. I saw the Bailey Replica at the Service Honda website and have to say I like it the best. It would be cool to have the 84 and one of those.

Mine...

The build...

The Bailey...

And why a CR500R the others may ask? Well, because basketball, baseball, and football only require one ball.

 

[Captain Squid]

Sweet! Looks good!

 

[Putty]

CR dirt kings!

 

[suds1485]

looks great im liking the orange

 

[Kelevra]

Nice!!...And I thought my '95 WAS old school.. I didn't realize there was much of a difference with the CR5's from the 80's-2000's..
I'll post up pix of my desert mule, when I get back home...

 

[Putty]

My dirt bitch!

 

[Long_av8r]

Well, from 86 on up there were fewer differences, and actually the chassis of the 84 is very similar to that of the 86, but they were pretty much the same beyond 95 I think. The 86 had a pretty hard hitting motor in it and I think they civilized it a little bit in 88 or 89. That motor was again changed later on but from what I undterstand, 95 and up are virtually the same bike. The 84 on the other hand is definately different, and I guess that's why I like it so much. Oh, and when the midrange kicks in on that baby, you better have a good grip on something... For the desert it's a pretty good bike, but for trail riding, it's a pretty good way to bust yourself up. Still, I don't think I'd have it any other way.

I'm really digging that Bailey rep though. That orange does kinda stand out too. The whole thing just screams old skool, but I'm sure it handles 1000X better than my 84.

 

[Kelevra]

My dirt bitch!

Swaaeet! Another Migs fan..

 

[Long_av8r]

My dirt bitch!

Cool. Man, I can't wait to get that 84 out to the desert. I was supposed to go this last weekend, but plans got jacked. Hopfully I'll get out there next weekend or the following. It's not like I'm a couple hours away, I mean hell, I'm just down the road!!!

 

[Kelevra]

Well, from 86 on up there were fewer differences, and actually the chassis of the 84 is very similar to that of the 86, but they were pretty much the same beyond 95 I think. The 86 had a pretty hard hitting motor in it and I think they civilized it a little bit in 88 or 89.
I'm really digging that Bailey rep though. That orange does kinda stand out too. The whole thing just screams old skool, but I'm sure it handles 1000X better than my 84.

Very cool maan, you like what you like! There was nothing I couldn't do with that CR500 of mine, except steer it straight OTG in turns, lollz.

 

[Mphis Style]

Looks good... Diggin the orange too

 

[Kent Brockman]

And why a CR500R the others may ask? Well, because basketball, baseball, and football only require one ball.

I love that bike!! I remember that you could always find those for sale in the photo ad....guys would buy them and find out it was too much bike...

...it still is.

First time I rode a KX500 (16yrs old) I got thrown right on my arse....front end just went skyward!!

 

[Long_av8r]

Thanks Kent, but finding them ain't so easy no more. A lot of them got busted up.

As far as riding them, that part is easy, but starting them is another story. If you don't get it just right... You just won't get it. I've had my ass kicked by my 86 a few times, but I just kept getting back on it. Every time I was thrown was a learning experience, no question about it. I guess it really depends on the learning curve if you are going to remain a 500 rider, or if you are going to start riding big bore four strokes with electric starters. Ya'll know where I stand on that one... At the top of the hill with the big ol' red widowmaker. :biggrin

No such thing as too much bike. But every dog has his day and I'm getting older. Maybe this one will be the last, you never know. But damn, they are just so much FUN!!!

 

[flounder]

I would love to give a 500 a shot... Those things are beasts and the ones that are still around are hard to come by... Yours looks great.. I love that orange.

 

[Kelevra]

This was originally going to be a response in another thread but I thought it would be best to postwhore in this forum instead...

I like the Service Honda bikes, but $9k is a little stiff for me. I'm building this one for a buddy and he has less than $2k in parts after selling off the extras. I'm actually doing the work in trade for another old monster. I had an 86 a while back and sold it when I moved from SoCal to NC. He happened to have an 84 that he picked up that needed a little cleaning up but not much more. He was going to part it out (that's how he earns his living) but I saved it by agreeing to do the conversion. We'll see how much I like it when I finish it but I'm more of an old skool kinda guy and really like the look and feel of the old monsters - and the 84 was the last and the biggest of the "finners." I think it's a keeper even if I do build another AF. I saw the Bailey Replica at the Service Honda website and have to say I like it the best. It would be cool to have the 84 and one of those.

Mine...

The Bailey...

And why a CR500R the others may ask? Well, because basketball, baseball, and football only require one ball.

Finally got a chance to really look it over, awesome work bro!! I love it!!!

 

[Long_av8r]

Finally got a chance to really look it over, awesome work bro!! I love it!!!

No, no, no, you got me all wrong, I didn't do that one, that's the Bailey bike I was talking about that I wanted. Service Honda made that one. The top and the middle are my bikes. Well, the top is anyway, the middle is one I'm building for somebody else. But, I could build one like the Bailey bike...

 

[Kelevra]

Your first bike looks showroom...

 

[Long_av8r]

Your first bike looks showroom...

Thanks, yeah, that one is mine, but it looks better in the photos. I'm going to fix the stuff that's wrong with it though with a little help Captain Squid. Hopefully it'll be ready in time for next weekend.

I just got a dealer brochure, an 84 Cycle Guide with a test and a comparison to the YZ490, and a factory service manual for it off ebay recently so it's a start.

 

[Kent Brockman]

damn...I love the old school dirt bikes...It still floors me that dirt bikes all come w/electric starters....guess I'm a product of the 80's mang.....right around when the mono-shock, uni-trak, pro-link first came out!

 

[Long_av8r]

Yeah, same here bro. I'm always amazed at how far we've come in motorcycle technology in my lifetime. I mean, some things still haven't changed much, and some changes haven't been for the better, but when you take an 81 PE250 for example (one of my first full size dirt bikes), and compare it to a DRZ400... You can't help but to be amazed at not only the engineeing it took to create the bike, but also the engeneering it took to mass produce it at a reasonable cost. I wonder where we will be in another 20 years from now...

Me on a DRZ400 in Cairns Australia...

I know the gear doesn't match very well - or at all really, but it was all rented as was the bike and the guide. I was on my way back from Iraq on a ship and when I found out we were stopping Australia, that was one of the first things I started looking for - some way to ride. I came accross this guy (David Williams) that ran an outfit called Fair Dinkum tours http://www.fairdinkumbiketours.com.au/ and immediately started emailing him. Normally he didn't take out small groups but mae an exception in my case because I was on my way home and he thought it would be cool. He was right, and I got a one on one tour that was so awesome that it will remain at the top of my list of most memorable adventures likely for as long as I live. We must have rode for at least 6 hours straight and I was wore out by the time I got back to the ship. I slept like 13 hours after the ride and up until then I hadn't had more than 2 hours continuous since entering Baghdad.

One of the best rides I've even been on. If you ever have the opportunity, go for it, it's money and time well spent. Simply no better way to view the rainforest - even if it is cold and raining. Just watch out for the grey clay "shear death mate!"