CR250 ignition for the 500 question (pic)

MICK · Post by **MICK** » January 16th, 2009, 4:41 pm

Got it today. OEM ignition has been removed and the 250 equipment have been test fitted. Direct fitment. Fits like it was meant to be there

Pics coming before the end of the night...

100hp honda · Post by **100hp honda** » January 16th, 2009, 5:51 pm

ride report ? comparisons ?

MICK · Post by **MICK** » January 16th, 2009, 7:26 pm

Can I put it together first

For you 100hp,

The 250 flywheel is 1/2" smaller in diameter, and made from 1/10" thinner material.

Before and after installation pics will be posted tomorrow, followed shortly there after by ride impressions.

Can't wait

DesertCR · Post by **DesertCR** » January 16th, 2009, 7:34 pm

Hey Mick, I'm surprised it got there so quick. I see you dont mess around, you're on it!

100hp honda · Post by **100hp honda** » January 16th, 2009, 8:15 pm

4.4 vs .3 ? dude thats going to rev up like RIGHT NOW

MICK · Post by **MICK** » January 16th, 2009, 8:15 pm

DesertCR wrote:Hey Mick, I'm surprised it got there so quick. I see you dont mess around, you're on it!

Like stink on shit my man

And a big thanks for the parts. Appreciated doing business with you

4.1oz isn't really that much. A Service Honda ignition uses a flywheel that's 3oz heavier. You think about the after market FWWs in comparison. I don't think you can buy one less than 9oz. So in the grand scheme of things I don't believe the weight alone is going to make the largest difference. And of course this is a work in progress. I'm going to see if I can't use the 500 flywheel with the 250 cdi. Just so I know what's making the difference and where...

100hp honda · Post by **100hp honda** » January 16th, 2009, 8:26 pm

at any rate, thnx for the info man

. also if your testing everything, you could try the 250 stator/flywheel with the cr500 cdi.....if it plugs directly into the 250 stator wires

MICK · Post by **MICK** » January 16th, 2009, 8:34 pm

It does. I will be testing all the components individually. See if I can't do it all this weekend.

MICK · Post by **MICK** » January 17th, 2009, 9:40 am

Everything mounted like is was original equipment. Cleaned all the parts up and applied dialectic grease to all the fittings. Be riding in an hour.

500

250

britincali · Post by **britincali** » January 17th, 2009, 10:51 am

The size of the flywheel will make the biggest difference not the weight.

100hp honda · Post by **100hp honda** » January 17th, 2009, 12:31 pm

if the diameters were the same minus 4oz, i guess that wouldnt be that noticeable. but 1/2" smaller and 4oz less should be a very noticeable difference. i wish there was info about the difference between 250 cdi through the years, ive looked and never found many answers

Ported&Polished · Post by **Ported&Polished** » January 17th, 2009, 12:42 pm

Freemer has been using a trx250 ignition and flywheel in his 500 for like 15 years, it works well. That motor puts out mad power and revs to the moon in a fraction of what the standard cr500 does. He used it primarily to have the trx lighting coil.

http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore · January 17th, 2009, 12:56 pm

another dude missing the return spring from the clutch arm! That rod will wear on the cam.

JBaze · Post by **JBaze** » January 17th, 2009, 12:59 pm

Roostius_Maximus wrote:another dude missing the return spring from the clutch arm! That rod will wear on the cam.

What spring?

robertg · Post by **robertg** » January 17th, 2009, 1:00 pm

Roostius_Maximus wrote:another dude missing the return spring from the clutch arm! That rod will wear on the cam.

Honda quit using that spring around 88. I thought mine was missing also but couldn't find it on the parts diagram.

JBaze · Post by **JBaze** » January 17th, 2009, 1:01 pm

robertg wrote:
Roostius_Maximus wrote:another dude missing the return spring from the clutch arm! That rod will wear on the cam.
Honda quit using that spring around 88. I thought mine was missing also but couldn't find it on the parts diagram.

Thats what I was wondering because none of my bikes have had a spring on the clutch actuator.

http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore · Post by **Roostius_Maximus** » January 17th, 2009, 1:07 pm

wierd, my 88, and 00 have them but not my 91, maybee someone put it on there cuz i didnt see it in the microfiche for that 00 either

robertg · Post by **robertg** » January 17th, 2009, 1:15 pm

How many CR500's do you have?

MICK · Post by **MICK** » January 17th, 2009, 2:15 pm

The clutch actuator still has the hole for the spring. But it never came with one. The arm doesn't move enough to cause wear on anything. I'll show you a pic some time if you'd like? There isn't any harm in not running the spring. So far that I've seen anyways...

So I rode about 35 miles of single track and did some goon riding in a clay pit. I ran the 250 ignition complete. The 500 stator and flywheel with the 250 cdi, and the 250 flywheel and stator with the 500 cdi. This is how I place the different combinations:
1. 250 complete
2.
3.
4. 250 cdi / 500 flywheel
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. (would rather ride a 450 at this point)
10. 250 flywheel / 500 cdi

94-96 CR250 CDI: It produces very linear and progressive power. I'm not so sure it even makes as much right off the bottom, but from 1/4 throttle to the stopper it pulls real well. Cleaner than the 500 cdi, feels almost...fuel injected I guess? I don't know how to explain it any other way. From 1/2 throttle to the stopper there is NO denying it makes more power than the original cdi. It stands my bike up in high gear like it's never been able to do before. Very impressive on top.

CR250 flywheel: Makes the bike feel 15lbs lighter. Knifes into corners like it's nobody's business. The ability to pull down to an idle as soon as you let off the throttle is very liberating...means higher entrance speeds into corners. Bike is noticably more difficult to start. First time in a long time my bike didn't start 1st kick. Took 8-10. Would it still start 1st kick every time? Sure it would. But stupid me it took almost a dozen to realize I wasn't kicking it hard enough. It needs a heavier foot and a longer push.

Total package: It pulls very smooth. The 250 flywheel doesn't make it anymore difficult to ride with the 250s cdi. Honestly I think the 250s cdi works so well I think the bike is actually easier to ride with the smaller flywheel. Not the least bit pipey or difficult to control. I expected it to be too much. To much power and too snappy. When actually the combination is just what I was looking for. I will not be regearing due to this ignition. I will not be porting the cylinder or having compression reduced either. This is perfect.

500 flywheel and 250 cdi: Really shows how well the 250 cdi works. Again really smooth. Must be a change in ignitions from the year Danny uses because it's smoother with the 250s cdi than it is with the 500s. The power output is the same, but the 500s flywheel really delays the signal from your wrist to the tire. I was pleasantly surprised with this combination. Still pulls much harder on top than does the 500 cdi, but below half throttle the motor was just too slow for me. It just doesn't run as alive as I want it too.

250 flywheel and 500 cdi: Terrible! I only rode it like this for about 20 minutes. The power is waaayy to sudden off the pilot and the small flywheel just lets the motor spin like it's not attached to anything. If the clutch was engaged with this setup the bike was sideways. The rear end NEVER followed the front. And for what little time I did spend on the bike with this combo I could tell the bike had horrible top end...just ran like a top fuel dragster that wouldn't come out of 1st gear.

Here is how I think each of them effects power delivery. 0 - would be stock. 1 -5 would be for the better and -1 - -5 would be for the worst.

250 complete: Bottom 1, midrange 3, top end 5
250 cdi/500 FW: Bottom 0, midrange 1, top end 3
500 cdi/250 FW: Bottom -1, midrange -3, top end -5

Going riding again tomorrow, hopefully at Monster Mountain. Will have more input then. But for now I'm very pleased. A bit shocked actually the complete 250 ignition works as well as it does. I did not expect that. I will not be using the 500 ignition components again...

*Oh and a big thanks to some of the members of this forum. Danny and Ugly in particular. I would have never thought of this had I not gotten the idea from you. Blows all other bolt on mods out of the water

MICK · Post by **MICK** » January 17th, 2009, 5:01 pm

It's kinda hard for me to explain the differences between the different combos. And they say a picture says a thousand words so...
The vertical axis would represent power output while the horizontal axis reflects rpm:

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » January 17th, 2009, 5:30 pm

thanks for the full write up dude! very nice.
The one I an running is an '87 cr250 cdi on all my stock stuff, except that year ('86) all the CRs used the exact same setup only the 125 had a lighter flywheel.
mine ended up being an improvement in performance all over, but kinda abrupt and jumpy.
glad yours worked out so well. BTW my gen-3 will be getting the ign that came with the chasis. the stator plate will need to be modded, but thats it.

100hp honda · Post by **100hp honda** » January 17th, 2009, 6:22 pm

top fuel dragster in first gear sounds the funnest

. thnx for the info man

100hp honda · Post by **100hp honda** » January 17th, 2009, 6:24 pm

dannygraves wrote:
thanks for the full write up dude! very nice.
The one I an running is an '87 cr250 cdi on all my stock stuff, except that year ('86) all the CRs used the exact same setup only the 125 had a lighter flywheel.
mine ended up being an improvement in performance all over, but kinda abrupt and jumpy.
glad yours worked out so well. BTW my gen-3 will be getting the ign that came with the chasis. the stator plate will need to be modded, but thats it.

i thought the '02+ wouldnt work because it controls the carb also ?

hoofarted · Post by **hoofarted** » January 17th, 2009, 6:34 pm

Awesome review!!

Looks like I'll be placing a complete 250 ignition on my shopping list. Now, does it matter what year range you use? I know there was a switch to digital during the years as well...

JBaze · Post by **JBaze** » January 17th, 2009, 6:58 pm

After reading that Mick, I wish I would have kept the electrics from my 01 250.

BannedCR500Riders.com

CR250 ignition for the 500 question (pic)