I am considering selling my 350X, and buying a nice, older (88-90) CR500.
Reason: Im power hungry. My older CR125 was a quick bike, no doubt about it, and it was very tossable. BUT, I could handle its power easy. (though with different gearing I had its top speed in 6th up to around ~80-83 MPH.. FAST for a 125!!!, but no hill climber) My 400EX was fun... very fun, but had to sell it to pay off some bills. I could handle its power fine too. My 350X is powerfull. Its short stroke motor makes for some serious torque. More than the EX. I can handle its power too, though... even if it is pretty scary sometimes... shes obviously wheelie happy.

I want something that I cannot use all of its power. I want something that is intimidating for me to ride. I want something that will flat out FLY across a desert, If I dare go that fast. I want something that will turn most quads away at comp hill, and only other 500CC 2 strokes are a challenge. Basically, I want to have something that is too powerfull for me.

My questions are for mature, experienced people.
SERIOUSLY, HOW fast is a CR or KX500? What will these bikes do up comp hill?
Do these bikes just fly up comp, or olds hill? Just HOW easy will these bikes wheelie?
Heres an interesting question.. (for me), Compairing a CR500's quickness to, saaayyy.. a Raptor, or DS, or CDale, are they compairable? With all due respect for these quads and their owners, would a CR500 even sweat this dragrace at all? I know, this probably isnt a fair compario at ALL, but im just trying to get an idea of just HOW fast these monsters are.

Thanks for reading people,
-Matt

 

As a past owner of a 88' CR500R with boysen reeds and dynoport pipe its best described as deationing a case of TNT behind the bike when you gas it. These bikes will break 100MPH with only a one tooth larger front sprocket. a CR500 will also make all the quads you mentioned look silly in a true drag race "on pavement or other high traction surface" but on trails, its all in the rider. MY CR could bring the front end up in 4th gear at 60MPH easy! What you describe you want in a bike is mostly CR500R material. But the reason I sold mine was the vibration! I would seriously reccomend a XR650R and putting a pipe on it as I have also owned a 83'XR500R that had more "usable" power than the CR did with zero vibration and I could actually keep it wide open for a second or two[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] You are also able to actually take a XR on a long ride before haveing to fuel up half way threw it.... Brings back memories as Back in Highschool we had a 50 acor field that was ploud and disked to perfection to play in... gosh was it ever nice to pitch the XR and CR500's sideways in 3rd floored!

 

As a former cr 500 AND an xr600 owner, I concur with JRM. Cr 500s are great but only in the open areas lke cornfields and dunes. If it gets muddy, you will get your doors blown off. The xr was my bike of choice for the woods and I can only imagine what the new xr650 is like. Sure its a little heavy, but heck I wanted a workout.. Owners will tell you if you make a few mods to the new xr 650 you will easily hit triple digits. Talk about hill climbing! With the cr there was a greater chance of bogging, the xr just required you to keep your weight forward. I also had a banshee and to be honest ,when it got muddy, the 4 strokes were more fun. The best thing to do is ride them all. BTW, I was at my local honda dealer and he was selling NEW 2001 xr 650R s for 3995 plus tax... I nearly puked because I couldnt get one...Dont know if the deal is still on.... good luck.

 

I had a 91 cr 500 witht he reeds and a full pro circuit platinum series pipe and slip on. Fast is not the word!! But, and it is a big BUT, they are only faster than 250's on top end. I rode with alot of guys and in drags they would stay withe me 1st to 4th, after that I would fly away and leave them like they were standing still. If we swapped bikes it woulld be the same. Neck and neck until 4th then see ya! I wonder why more people aren't stuffing these cr 500 motors into the 250 r frames?

 

Hmm, sounds like a CR500 is for me.....

 

I have a friend who rides the CR500. He says he has never worn out a front tire, because the front end is NEVER ON THE GROUND!.

 

Mr350X,
As a former 97 CR 500 owner I would consider getting a newer model. I liked my 97 for the power it had but it wasn't really a good trail bike. My KDX 200 is better for the woods because you can control the forward movement better and its much easier to start. You better know where the trees are way ahead if you give it gas on the CR500. Chet[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Mr350x,
I used to hillclimb a kx 500 that was ported & polished ,piped,air box removed,radiators removed,and head cut ,with 10 inch extensions on swingarm and it would wheelie in every gear if you wanted it to.If you want a bike for the desert and hillclimbing you probably won't find a faster bike than any of the 500's,but if you are woods riding it beware.My kx would smoke my custom built Harley Davidson hillclimber on just about every hillclimb I raced exept for some of the longer hills where you could get the Harley into a higher gear.My Harley motor was a 92.5 in. stroker that ran high 9 sec. quarter mile times, when we had the motor in a drag bike chassis.later rpm

 

they do make a cr500 engine in a cr250 aluminum frame its called the cr 500AF u can read specs on it at servicehonda.com

 

Now thats COOL! I take it there were no milk crate sized rocks hideing in those weeds.