500 AF With 1986 CR 500 Motor

[Balaclava]

750$ for a good running 86 engine??? good deal or no??? i'm nervous!

[dannygraves]

eeehhhh.... I picked up and entire '89 bike for $400 a few weeks ago, needs a clutch and the chassis was crap, but it was on the stock bore and way low hour.
I paid $730 for my entire '86 cr500 running. I don't think that is a good deal for just a motor that you can't see or hear running.

[dannygraves]

Young man you are becoming tiresome!

I aim to please

[Slow old Fart]

750$ for a good running 86 engine??? good deal or no??? i'm nervous!

I like the newer ones with the heavy clutch and better water pump plus they have more flywheel in the crank. You can update a older motor but is it worth it cost wise? The 5mm shorter crank is the deal breaker for me. Power band is noticably shorter but for out of the hole burst superior. And the crank angle puts the rod under more stress not as reliable.

[Balaclava]

eeehhhh.... I picked up and entire '89 bike for $400 a few weeks ago, needs a clutch and the chassis was crap, but it was on the stock bore and way low hour.
I paid $730 for my entire '86 cr500 running. I don't think that is a good deal for just a motor that you can't see or hear running.

i offered 450$ and then he said naw how about 750$...don't think i'm down...

[dannygraves]

ya, I'd tell him to enjoy hanging onto that motor forever...

I went and looked at a '87 by my house about a month ago. Its been on craigslist forever. The guy wanted $999 and it ran (like crap), it was leaking EVERYTHING, oil, coolant, fork oil, etc. The chassis was beat to hell with ghetto ziptie shit everywhere, but it had new tires. I offered $500 and he wouldn't budge past $875 so I left and told him good luck, you're keeping it. Sure enough the next day I found the $400 '89

they are out there, just keep your eyes open. There are also a lot of greedy people out there who think their junk is worth a lot of $.

[Balaclava]

the dude offered me 700$ for the engine carb electronics, and he will pay shipping...seems like a decent deal...they are hard as hell to find up here...i'l let you know what i do...

[Roostius_Maximus]

my '86 jug is WAY different porting than the "88! when i scuffed a piston cold inthe '88 i wanted to slap that jug on and go cuz it was ready for the other engine, The port height and deck are completely different! i had to use a different gasket at the base and head to try and correct it, now its awesome but back home on its '86 bottom end and is byfar the most power of any of my 500's, and the portwork and no exh bridge makes it rev higher too. I'd buy another before buying a new style one

[CR500PHIL]

Hey Danny when you put the pipe on the Gen 1 what did you do to accomodate the different positioning of the rear pipe mount? Did you remove the rear mount and reweld it on the pipe further up? If so what did you do about the nickel finish on the pipe. Like I said I am researching and taking notes on all this as a reference for when my project begins. Now I just need to find a motor to buy. Thanks again - you have been a great help.

[hoofarted]

Did you remove the rear mount and reweld it on the pipe further up? If so what did you do about the nickel finish on the pipe.

Exactly that. Cut it off carefully and re-weld it to the correct location. Or you can just not run the rear mount. I haven't yet and I know Danny isn't either. With regards to the finish, no worries - its quite durable and will hold up just fine.

[Roostius_Maximus]

I blew the chromed fmf pipe right off my bike, and tig'd the tabs back on without blowing the chrome off, and its staying together nice.

[Balaclava]

this is how i did it...but when i had my big crash this is the only mount that broke...the welder had a bitch of a time putting it there, so now i'm not going to use it anymore...just smooth out the frame and it'll be like it never existed...but when it was in place it was a kick ass mount...basically completely hidden...you can see where it was cut and rewelded...

[dannygraves]

I cut off the existing mount and run it w/o any rear mount. work fine, both my gen-1 and gen-4 run like that.

[CR500PHIL]

Thanks guys!

[Balaclava]

isn't this forum the shit?

[lightning78]

Yes it is....

Hey on those gen 1's are you using a CR500 silencer as well or is it the 250 one? Just wondering if the tabs on the silencer need to be moved.

[dannygraves]

I used the 500 silencerand kinda rigged together some mounts. check out my gen-1 build in the "completed builds" sticky.

[hoofarted]

Yes it is....

Hey on those gen 1's are you using a CR500 silencer as well or is it the 250 one? Just wondering if the tabs on the silencer need to be moved.

I dont think the 250 silencer will mate to the pipe correctly. 500 is slightly larger in diameter.

[CR500PHIL]

So is the 1985 the same to convert to AF as 1986 - any differences at all? Does anyone have a 1985 motor in one?

[dannygraves]

the only differenced between an '85 and '86 motor are... trans gears have 3 dogs in 85 and 4 in '86+, higher compression in '85 and a different ignition between the years, both have a 1 year only ignition.
size fit and form factor are all identical.

[CR500PHIL]

Would you say the are about the same reliability wise?

[dannygraves]

every year 500 was rock solid with the exception that '89 and older had a magnesium waterpump that corroded. in '90 they went to aluminum.

[hoofarted]

every year 500 was rock solid

...and to think u want a thumper.

[CR500PHIL]

Of course you know what the next question is LOL - can you use the aluminum water pump on the 1985?

[dannygraves]

yes, my '86 motor is running a '93 side cover, but I had to mess with the hose routing and get a sepparate clutch cover.