My $200 Craigslist '90 CR500 project

[towman910]

Got a '90 500, pretty much complete but mostly in boxes on Craigslist in October. Just recently started buying small stuff for it. Should have a crank on the way soon, (Engine sat in a basement with the jug off and lower end got all rustified) Other than that, just needs a top end and some plastic and some assorted small stuff. (Fasteners, starter valve for the carb was broken, etc) and it'll be complete.

Before I get too serious riding it, I'll need to change the setup quite a bit. I'm 6'5'' 300 lbs, so stiffer boingers are in the works, along with a bar riser and some high bends or equivalent, some +1 or +2 seat foam, and seat cover (obviously).

I can't find any drop pegs for this vintage, anybody have any tricks? I was thinking maybe pulling the pins and getting some longer ones, putting the pegs below the mounts, and making up another mounting tab below the existing one. I'm sure there's plenty of other big/tall fellas riding these big bores.

What it looked like when I brought it home.


What it looks like now


Planning on painting up the frame, cleaning up the plastics so it doesn't look like KTM Orange, and generally going over just about everything before I ride it. Can't wait for next spring, though!

[kelroy_leon]

Cool !!!
i ended up with a 90' also ! My brother and I did the newer plastics on it, budget friendly and looks good.

[CR500R7]

Enjoy the rebuild, post pics when finnished.

[Joshwfl]

Good find, those deals are out there. I found this one for $100, the guy thought it was a 125.

[CR500R7]

Wow that is nice and at a NICE price.

[towman910]

getting a little further on. got the right side cover and right rad shroud, and the bottom half now has a crank in it that actually turns. Changed a bunch of bearings and all the seals. Got my bar risers, but still gonna get a different set of taller bars. The stockers that are on it are all bent to hell anyway. Painted up the pipe, repacked and cleaned up the silencer and swingarm with some acid and mother's. All she needs now to be running is the all-important BEATING HEART! I've been doing this build piecemeal so I can keep from spending too much at once, and my next purchase is a .5mm over Vertex and the top end bore job and she should be ready to roll. It's also gonna get some heavier springs and a taller seat for my big ass, but I wanna get it living and breathing first.

You can't tell from the pics, but the plastic I've bought is much redder than what was on the bike originally, which was turning orange. Any remedy for that that anyone knows of? I'll post some new pics after work tonight.

[towman910]

The pipe all painted up



Hey! There's half an engine in there now!


You can't really see it on the pics, but the orangey plastics are really obvious in natural light... You can just see it if you look right between the right side cover over the silencer compared to the rear fender. Maybe I'll just keep it ugly and go flying by all the four-strokes just as it is. I'm pretty sure I'm okay with that. I also got so jazzed up getting the lower half back together that I forgot I was gonna at least hit the frame with a spray can. I think I'll just leave it and let my boot wear the rust off when I start riding it.

[eyesky2002]

Any cheap CR500 basket case ($200 rocks) would be better then 1 man sex with a hand full of hot ass nympho chicks!

[CR500R7]

You can't tell from the pics, but the plastic I've bought is much redder than what was on the bike originally, which was turning orange.

The 90/91 CRs use the same orange red as the 83-87 CRs, thats why the plastics look orange.

The 88/89 CRs used a darker red known as Fighting red where as the 83-87 and 90/91 use whats called Flash red.

The 88/89 color is by far the best red Honda has used IMO.

[xtremeslide]

Good find, those deals are out there. I found this one for $100, the guy thought it was a 125.

Damn!! i would pay 400+shipping for one like this

[towman910]

Got 'er runnin! Turns out the jug had already been bored .5 over, just ran a hone through it to clean the surface rust, and the clearance was just right. The only reason it had ever been torn down by the previous owner was for the lower rod bearing that I replaced. Put the jug back on, put everything together and she started right up. Haven't heard that beautiful 500 music in person in about eight years, and it was great!

She wasn't running quite right, though. Maybe because of the cold air temp (about 30F yesterday), but it was really lean on the pilot circuit. I had to keep it choked to keep it running. Looking a little further, I think the jet itself or the passage could be clogged, since it's not like it's a true 'choke' on the PJ carb, but another fuel passage, so maybe it was staying running because of that, and as soon as I closed that 'starter jet', it would starve for fuel and die unless I kept it revved up on the main jet. I can't really mess with it too much yet, because I just had to have my appendix cut out last week and it hurts my insides to kick the beast over too many times.

I am completely psyched, though. I guess this isn't really an 'overhaul', since I didn't powdercoat the frame or meticulously clean everything, but it is definitely a rebuild. Stripped it down, cleaned everything up, acid washed and threw a little polish at the swingarm and silencer, greased all the bearings on the chassis, dipped the carb, new top end, changed the main and trans bearings, changed fork oil, etc.

I took it for a quick ride up the street, since that's the only thing not covered with snow, and I forgot how insane this engine is, even with the choke on, trying to loop me off the back. It obviously wouldn't rev out, but oh man, I can't wait for all this damn snow to be gone now.

Putting the jug back on


All Together Now


Ready to Roll!

[sabreguy]

Congrats man!!!

[towman910]

Thanks, Sabre. Those boots are gonna come in real handy real soon

Little update:

I think I nailed the carb problem. Pulled it this morning, just to make sure there wasn't something clogging the pilot jet or something, and it turns out there was. A glob of crud worked itself loose from somewhere and plugged up the needle and seat pretty nicely and there were some little turds in the bottom of the bowl. Cleaned it up and put it back together and it goes like a raped ape now. Even started on the first kick.

Snow melted today, as you can see in the pics from this morning, but it's just a fluke. 50 and raining today, gonna be 15 and snowing by tomorrow night. It's just Mother Nature taunting me.

[Roostius_Maximus]

rh # plate an '88?
looks good
whats the plan with the "rusty" crank?

[towman910]

rh # plate an '88?
looks good
whats the plan with the "rusty" crank?

not sure about the plate, it's aftermarket, but it IS a different color, so probably. As for the crank with the bad bearing, I dunno. It's perfect other than needing a rod kit. You want?

[Roostius_Maximus]

Yep, how much r we talking?

[towman910]

PM sent

[towman910]

Small update: got a set of stiffer springs for the old girl. Unfortunately, both Race Tech and Eibach have discontinued the fork spring, since it was only used in '89-'90 CRs and '90-'91 RMs. I found a pair on eBay, old dealer stock, luckily. Not the rate I was looking for, but still heavier than factory. (and can't beat the price at $25.)

I've never actually ridden a bike that was sprung for my weight, (currently 300lbs.) so this is going to be a treat. If it ever stops snowing, of course... 6-12 more inches tomorrow. Ugh.

[CR500R7]

rh # plate an '88?
looks good
whats the plan with the "rusty" crank?

not sure about the plate, it's aftermarket, but it IS a different color, so probably.

I think both right and left # plates are to suit the 1989 CR500RK by the look of the color.

The 89 and the 90 right and left side # plates are exactly the same except for the color, 89 is Fighting Red and the 90 is Flash Red.

The 88 and 89 are the same color but they are a different shape to suit the two different Sub Frames.