New member form UK, planned AF build.

[mxcrazy]

Hi guys, just thought I would come say Hi and introduce myself, with a bit of history.

My name is Ollie, I am 24 (best birth date too, July 4th) I am from the South East of England, around 50 miles South of London if any of you have ever been over here (or live here for that matter). For work I sell bearings, seals, o-rings and associated items, plus power transmission parts, belts, chain pulley etc. In my spare time I am looking after my bikes, whatever they need, suspension re-valves, engine builds etc etc, plus doing some private work for friends too.

I havent really done the whole 'rounds' with bikes, i have owned 80's, 125's, and 250'fs, i currently own a 1996 CR125, a 2006 CR134 and a 2006 CR250, so pre-mix is for me right now (Maxima 927, mmmm castor)!! I have ridden all the main sizes of mx bikes, 80, 125, 250f's, 250 2t, 450f's, 350'fs, also one short stint on a KTM300.......I have never ridden a 500 2 stroke though, but i hope to be the owner of a nice AF soon.

Basically I have just put a deposit down on a 1989 CR500 engine, with carb/pipe/electrics. Total cost is around $780 (bearing in mind that normally over here you are looking at double that just for a bare engine, they are very sought after over here, a whole bike will cost you atleast $2300 and that might be a basket case, 1989 whole bikes are very sought after, we have an 'Evo' class for motocross, up to 1989, they will sell for $4500 +)

What I am looking to do, is get a Gen3 CR250 chassis, and put it in there, using the 'stretch' method, utilising some ideas I have seen on here. I have some local companies that have good experience with Tig welding aluminium, though i dont want to cut and shut the frame, maybe just do the 'half moon' tunnel for the exhaust springs.

I expect this build to be a slow one, I dont have the money to just get all the parts I need and build it straight up, so I will be month after month trying to purchase necessary parts to keep the build going.

My aim for this bike is to race it at local level motocross meetings, there are zero 500's around my area, and I think it will be a funny sight, seeing as I am only 140lb's.

Thanks in advance for any help I receive, and also thanks to all those guys who have put pictures and tutorials up already, it has been a great help and an inspiration to start a project.

[hoofarted]

Welcome!

No shame in cutting the frame. It has worked well for countless others and is much cleaner in the end too.

[ridin4fun]

Agreed with Hoofarted. I cut mine and raised the Y, and I am quite happy with the results. My fab man put some serious effort into blending the joint on mine and you can barely tell where the work was done. But, I'm sure there are plenty of excited frame stretchers out there as well, so happy building and welcome to the site.

[mxcrazy]

Just an update, i have the 89 500 engine now, the water pump casing is rotten though so need a new one of those. I ended up paying £200 for it ($320) though so not so bad, i will be making an order of genuine Honda parts from the US to come back to the UK.

I also bought a complete 2005 cr250, super clean too, i have taken the engine out of that and its being sold to a guy that build shifter kart engines.

I got to keep the whole electrical system including the stator/flywheel, i also have a cr125 programmable ignition that i am going to have 'tested' for the maps, to see if that will be suitable.....mmm.

I may have available to me a brand new pro circuit platinum front pipe off of an 89-91 model, i assume i will be able to make this work with some basic bracketing, as far as I am aware (and i may be wrong) but are the AF specific pipes not just the same as a normal 500 with different bracket points?

[Roostius_Maximus]

those 125 maps won't be ideal, but post what they are so we can calculate what they consider the base timing to be and you can get some decent numbers adapted to suit it.

[mxcrazy]

those 125 maps won't be ideal, but post what they are so we can calculate what they consider the base timing to be and you can get some decent numbers adapted to suit it.

Once i get them i will be sure to post them, the guy can also map the ignition for me. I just wonder if he can map it suitably so that i dont have to mess about with the stator plate holes, elongating them, or running a keyless flywheel. i know very little about the electrical systems to be honest, I am more regular chassis and engine orientated. I need to do some more investigation with this system.

Roostius_Maximus, you have a Pm also.

[mxcrazy]

Update, personal thanks need to go to Roostius_Maximus for massive help with the electrical system and other odds and ends.

Also, Stoffers, for the engine mounts that have turned up here in the cold and rainy UK.

I have my PC plated front pipe now, I have all my genuine parts, plus all my engine bearings, a Vertex 89.5mm piston is here and the cylinder is away for boring. I have a rod kit too to get the crank pressed.

At the moment the crank cases are having a bit of work, the gear shaft was bent like a banana somehow when i got the engine, it had worn the holes in the vases oval, so they are being bored and sleeved, and a small amount of welding on the lower sprocket guard mount.

Once that is done I will be teasing the chassis into shape slowly and carefully with my stoffers mounts, and then working out clearance for the exhaust fitment.

I ended up getting a great deal on Honda parts here in the UK, discounted price and no VAT, back door trading. I supply bearings for a living so got all the bearings I could through work, and the 'odd' ones as genuine.

I am updating the engine to the 'wide' clutch cover and clutch assembly.

I have a 2005 CR250 stator, flywheel and loom ready to roll, which will be fitted with a HPI (Dutch) programmable CDI unit (was fitted to my CR134) but with some 500 maps inserted.

I also managed to bag myself a CRFstuff 280mm front rotor and bracket, so i can stop the beast, I also managed to get hold of a set of Billet stainless steel footpegs and brackets, those that get used by the GP teams over here, they are much like the Factory Honda Billet Ti pegs, hopefully they will keep my feet planted. (I weigh like 145lbs without kit).

I have opted to run stainless cap head type fastners on the engine, I have a 39.5mm PWK at hand also too.

Hopefully over the next couple of months i can start piecing bits together, there are still lots of things i need, like gaskets, seals, clutch basket, plates, engine painted, head modded, work out head stays, engine bolts etc etc.

[pstoffers]

Ollie, I got what ever you will need. Head stay, bolts, just let me know...

[Algava]

Hi Ollie,
How is it going with the conversion, any pictures?
I made a couple of conversions myself but have sold them.
My next one will be in a 02 cr125 frame, I have tried one and liked it a lot over the 02cr250 and 05 crf250, but hey, I'm a lousy rider soo take it for that.
On another note I sell cr500 89ers to a UK dude all the time,he refurbishes them and resells them. I live in Cali but go back to Italy twice a year to ride with my old buddies. We're trying to organize a trip to the UK to race at Farleigh Castle, I wouldn't mind ship a few 89ers to the UK and then sell them when I'm done rather then haul them from Italy where I usually ship to.
BTW is the Dave thorp EVO strictly older than 90's bikes or do they have a new class for 2013?
Al

[Tharrell]

Hi Ollie,
How is it going with the conversion, any pictures?
I made a couple of conversions myself but have sold them.
My next one will be in a 02 cr125 frame, I have tried one and liked it a lot over the 02cr250 and 05 crf250, but hey, I'm a lousy rider soo take it for that.
On another note I sell cr500 89ers to a UK dude all the time,he refurbishes them and resells them. I live in Cali but go back to Italy twice a year to ride with my old buddies. We're trying to organize a trip to the UK to race at Farleigh Castle, I wouldn't mind ship a few 89ers to the UK and then sell them when I'm done rather then haul them from Italy where I usually ship to.
BTW is the Dave thorp EVO strictly older than 90's bikes or do they have a new class for 2013?
Al

You gotta get us some pics or vids if you ride at the castle.
Ya know, I like the brits.
We should have a track on the south lawn.
Or, a gp through the streets of DC


mxcrazy, how bout some pics?

[Algava]

I will be posting up about this trip if anyone else wants to join in.