BannedCR500Riders.com

I have a deal on a 87 complete bike. Was wondering if this is a good motor to go with? Thanks For any heads up and help.

The 87' was the best. Honda "toned it down" every year after...

Buy it, and a box of band-aids.

( a check the waterpump housing for corrosion )

I consider it the best Honda engine made. There's only two kinds of 87' CR500 water pump covers. Those that are rotted out and those that will rot out. Buy the late model cover and you'll be done with it. Fenders might still be available but I don't think any other plastic is available, in Flash Red anyway. You can still get a DG silencer for it, what's not to love about it? The forks are good even by todays standards, the rear shock, not so much. Ebay is your friend for finding an Ohlins shock. It's a damn good bike that you can still win races on.

if its planned for an AF project the rear engine bushing has to be machined or the cases machined for the larger bushing.

It is planned for a AF project. So the bike itself isn't very important. But it is in good shape for the year, at least in the pics. So I can use a newer water pump cover and the right case?

I bought an '87 500 new, and traded "up" to the '88 the following year . . . HUGE mistake. The '87 was the best CR I ever owned, and I kicked myself for getting rid of it. The 88 handled like a supercross bike, had less power but delivered it peakier. The 87 was the 'do anything' CR, mild mannered enough for trail riding, and wild enough for desert racing. Love those '87's ! Enjoy !

how much ? 23yo so might have alot of hours

It is up for $600, but i will only pay $500 for it though. I'm not worried about hours as long as it runs. I will go through it top to bottom before putting it in my bike.

other wrote:I bought an '87 500 new, and traded "up" to the '88 the following year . . . HUGE mistake. The '87 was the best CR I ever owned, and I kicked myself for getting rid of it. The 88 handled like a supercross bike, had less power but delivered it peakier. The 87 was the 'do anything' CR, mild mannered enough for trail riding, and wild enough for desert racing. Love those '87's ! Enjoy !

Wierd. I have both bikes, both had the original engines when i got them, i checked port timing and everything, they had the same reeds, i did swap the fmf pipe from one to the other, but other than the taller trans in the 87 the bike I'd say is identical. Cranks weigh the same, never mapped the cdi.

$500 aint bad. figured it was alot more

Yeah, Roostius, that could well be the case, you clearly know your CR5s REALLY well. I guess I just got lucky in '87, and got the peach out of the factory, with nice port matching etc, and got a Friday pig in '88, coz it fuckin' oinked. Back in those days, I never opened 'em up, just bought 'em, dialed the suspension, and raced them for 12 months then shoved them out the door, so who knows what was going on inside there. I have a '90 now, and it rides a lot like I remember my old 87, just not jetted quite as clean. Interesting though, thanks.

cool, I know dad prefered his '87 too, he had a works CDI on it after his quit, there was no inventory anywhere and he paid double retail to ge it from Honda of Troy. He said it made more difference than anything he'd run on it before that, wish i had it

Did you buy it? one of the best engines honda made for sure, the water cooling just above the intake means a denser charge sorta like an early morning ride, that is if its all still cool for the water cooling, ie your not cooking it all with lean out fast racing or long wfo, longer warm up but nice idea honda. the porting is brilliant but then later models may be same/better?