BannedCR500Riders.com

As one always lookin for ways to improve the already proven ultimate trail bike, I've used some of my limited skilz and a few of the machine tools this R.I.T(Redneck Institute of Technology)graduate has at his disposal, and built a few things over the yrs for my bike.

Like this deal


That thar is a Redneck Tire Saver. I'm one of those morons that runs the 120 and wider tires, and after a 1/4 season, the knobs on the chain side start to take a beating. Switching to an X-ring chain helped, but they still seem to get the corners a touch. This deal cured the rest of the problem.
A simple piece of flat stock, 1/8"x2"x7", couple holes drilled in it to lighten it up(weighs 6 OUNCES!). I then took some teflon, drilled 2 clearance holes in the center about 2.5 inches apart, counterbored em(hey, you could use flathead screws and a countersink), and transfered the holes to the plate. Those holes were tapped for 10-24 capscrews. This gadget mounts on the chain block, so I half ass located the bolt centers from the block onto the plate, drilled for clearance, picked up a couple of M6x60mm stainless bolts from the local hardware, and mounted it. The teflon is hardly worn after 2 seasons.

I also built myself a set of CR500 specific seal drivers. I hate leanin over and tryin to tap with a hammer, keep the driver set straight and my balance, then get the scale out and make sure I got it to the right depth. I always heard they should be driven no further than 2mm below flush, so these gadgets I put together take all the guess work and "I hope its straight, even though I'm drunk" worry out of it. I took some aluminum round stock, about 4.5" long, chucked it up in the lathe and drilled about halfway thru. I than cut it to final ID with a boring bar. I finished the IDs about .005 over the size of the various shafts, wellah, instant location. I then faced off the fronts, and turned the OD down on the ends to about .010 under the size of the various seals, and brought that back 2mm, instant stop.
Y'all seen my pivot bolt tool, with mixed reviews, but it worked.

Shit that I'm working on and cookin up?
A certain bro of mine outfitted his KX500 with a dual piston rear caliper. Some deal where he used a caliper from an 80's street bike, built a mount and says its the shit. I'm gonna tinker with that over the winter for one of mine, if it is the shit, both.

Billet engine cases, but thats gonna be a toughy. Thats gonna be an interesting program to write, mostly getting the time to sit down and sort it all out.

Off set triple clamps. just need to come across some suitable stock, and enough of it.

They don't make those killer steel inserted clutch baskets any more, at least not that I've been able to find for the 500. Wonder how hard that would be.

I dunno, guess I think too much

I must be a sick man

I too have fabed up some stuff, mostly for my fer by fer. As a warning to anyone that sees a GIANT red Nissan Frontier on 37's witha solid axle driving down the freeway next to you, be afraid, be very afraid. I made the entire suspension and the STEERING by myself with a tape measure and a sawzall, then glued it together with a battery powered welder.

keep me posted on those billet cases, i'm working on that aswell, but changing the trans housing from behind the mainshaft to try and use a 02 250 / 450 style trans for the ratios, also making the trans removable by side access from behind the clutchcase without spliting main case, and modifying the left crankcase to have a ktm hydraulic clutch lifter.

bigpower wrote:That thar is a Redneck Tire Saver. I'm one of those morons that runs the 120 and wider tires, and after a 1/4 season, the knobs on the chain side start to take a beating. Switching to an X-ring chain helped, but they still seem to get the corners a touch. This deal cured the rest of the problem.
A simple piece of flat stock, 1/8"x2"x7", couple holes drilled in it to lighten it up(weighs 6 OUNCES!). I then took some teflon, drilled 2 clearance holes in the center about 2.5 inches apart, counterbored em(hey, you could use flathead screws and a countersink), and transfered the holes to the plate. Those holes were tapped for 10-24 capscrews. This gadget mounts on the chain block, so I half ass located the bolt centers from the block onto the plate, drilled for clearance, picked up a couple of M6x60mm stainless bolts from the local hardware, and mounted it. The teflon is hardly worn after 2 seasons.

Why didn't you just offset the rim on the hub?

MICK wrote:

bigpower wrote:That thar is a Redneck Tire Saver. I'm one of those morons that runs the 120 and wider tires, and after a 1/4 season, the knobs on the chain side start to take a beating. Switching to an X-ring chain helped, but they still seem to get the corners a touch. This deal cured the rest of the problem.
A simple piece of flat stock, 1/8"x2"x7", couple holes drilled in it to lighten it up(weighs 6 OUNCES!). I then took some teflon, drilled 2 clearance holes in the center about 2.5 inches apart, counterbored em(hey, you could use flathead screws and a countersink), and transfered the holes to the plate. Those holes were tapped for 10-24 capscrews. This gadget mounts on the chain block, so I half ass located the bolt centers from the block onto the plate, drilled for clearance, picked up a couple of M6x60mm stainless bolts from the local hardware, and mounted it. The teflon is hardly worn after 2 seasons.

Why didn't you just offset the rim on the hub?

I run a 130 wide M5B on my 500 and my chain doesn't hit the left side knobs at all. I don't see how a 120 tire would be a problem.....unless your chain is worn out and loose resulting in too much side to side movement.

TYSTYX wrote:I run a 130 wide M5B on my 500 and my chain doesn't hit the left side knobs at all. I don't see how a 120 tire would be a problem.....unless your chain is worn out and loose resulting in too much side to side movement.

Because your 130 M5B isn't wider than a Dunlop / Bridgestone 120...matter of fact it's arguably narrower. It's been my observation and also publicized in magazines as well as noted by fellow members on this site and the next. Dunlop and Bridgestone measure their tires one way. IRC, Michelin and Pirelli measure theirs another. Actually it's even been noted that some manufacturer's sizes vary from model to model. Example: A 110/90-19 VE-40 may not be the same size as a 110/90-19 M5B. Where do the other tire manufacturers fit in all this? I don't know...But Dunlops 120s are some of the widest tires available and are the standard to which I judge others to, in regards to size.

Big Power didn't mention what brand tire he was useing, but I'm guessing it wasn't an IRC or Michelin. My 120 756 does just barely fit in the swing arm and not make contact with the chain. I have no more than 3/8" each side.

Hmmm.....strange....but great information. So do you think some tire companies are measuring with the knobs and others are measuring using the main carcus without including the knobs??

Yes that's what I read. It explains the size discrepancies between models of the same brand. Some manufacturers beleive it's the actually footprint of the tire that needs represented on the sidewall while others feel it's the carcass due to the fact it's the only part of a tire that remains the same size during it's service. Who am I to say one group is right and the other wrong? It's just something consumers should be aware of. MXA explains this in an issue I have burried in a box. A summer '06 issue? I first read about the conflicting tire sizes by Dirt Bike Magazine in the late '90s. Don't get me wrong, a 130 or 140 profile tire is still a wide sneaker. But one can't assume it's wider than X brand's 120 until you've measured it mounted to a rim.

Example: My Dad runs Michelin 130/80-18 M12s on his Gas Gas. It has the same width footprint as a 110/100-18 D739. We've measured atleast three sets of tires now. We always measure them brand new, just mounted @ 20 psi. How do we measure? With string.

I like the idea of Roost'Maxi's quick service tranny. Something I can see would be a benefit for the pro racer (or someone who loves cool gadgetry). Practical to me and the average a-hole...no, but cool no doubt.

I've experimented w/making various shit lately since I got my Bridgeport, but making up a set of custom cases sounds like a real pain in the ass. Spot-on, precise, computer generated, no-room-for-error work.

I saw a pic of a Moto GP bike that had a belt drive from the end of the crank to an exposed shaft on the tranny. Would it be easier to build a trannyless engine case and then have a divorced (coming from the 4X4 world) gear box?
Anything associated w/Harley is bulkey, heavy and expensive....but look at what they use.....A divorced belt powered tranny.
Baker makes a 6 speed box, maybe someone could think up of a smaller, lighter version of that....and then figure out how to clutch it.

Maybe someone could use a donor gear box from a blown-up 450F to make something. Making up a primary drive will be the hard part.

i may have an 02 250 engine right aways if the dude lets it go in the frame, the rod is bad, and cyl needs plating, a nice piece for hacking. A much better trans ratio than a 450 anyways