02' CRF 450 Conversion

Balaclava · Post by **Balaclava** » April 3rd, 2008, 7:12 am

What's up guys. I am in the process of beginning my 02 450 conversion. I have a 97 CR500 engine going into it. I have spent countless hours on this website without posting anything, just trying to cram as much knowledge into my brain as i can. I believe I have only seen maybe two or three builds like the one i am attempting on this and the other site.

Problems:

-on an 02 450 is it better to cut the inside mount off the Y and then reuse the Y like Eyesky did in this thread?

http://bannedcr500riders.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1170

(I am just having major doubts as to where i should cut my frame up since i'm rather ignorant.)

-Motor mounts?, Swingarm Bushings?, Swingarm bolt (CR 500 is too short for 450 frame)?, Washers and Engine Alignment, Kickstarter Placement, and deffinately the Headstay fabrication are ALL confusing as shit to me.

(wondering if there are specific kits, i know dannygraves sells Gen 1 kits, and i would like to know if there are any such kits available for my build)

-I need to get this engine in soon, so i can eventually get it all nice and welded up. ANY help on these issues would be hugely appreciated and would make this build 5 times faster and 10 times more interesting. (for you and me!)

Thanks alot and by the way pictures are coming by the end of tonight after my ol' lady installs the program. Kick ass...

Balaclava

Balaclava · Post by **Balaclava** » April 3rd, 2008, 6:20 pm

Ok here is my 02 Crf 450 chassis...Got a real good deal on this roller.

The swingarm bushing was seized to the bolt, had to grind it in half to get it out

looks like my frame has found a drinkin buddy, how cute is that...

ok This is where i'm sitting, too scared to cut my frame up before i know how high i have to go with the y...and i am just going to reuse it i suppose. I'm guessing my kickstarter can be cranked forward to fit in the frame? what is the best method of not hitting the pipe and getting inside the frame?

And the most confusing part, the swingarm bolt is too short from the cr 500 motor, and i just had to cut my 450 bolt to get the arm off. so during this period of waiting for parts, i guess i have to figure out what size bushings and washers to use...have no idea at this point how i'm supposed to correctly align the engine.

Any input would be huge to me...i'm a total rookie at this shit...thanks alot

eyesky2002 · Post by **eyesky2002** » April 4th, 2008, 3:24 am

Balaclava wrote:
-on an 02 450 is it better to cut the inside mount off the Y and then reuse the Y like Eyesky did in this thread?

http://bannedcr500riders.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1170

Balaclava

I got my frame with the Y and cradle already cut, when the original builder changed direction towards a CR250 build, rather then the 450.

Personally I am not happy with mine now that I have it back from the welder. I should have replaced the cradle tubes instead of just adding the extensions, maybe it was the solid extensions or where and how I cut the cradle tubes for its placement. Either way I would have reused the Y itself. I will post up some pics to my thread when I have some time at home to get to it!

Either way good luck on the build!

Balaclava · Post by **Balaclava** » April 4th, 2008, 5:50 am

this 02 frame i'm noticing is not really the easiest of conversions...None of my mounts fit...kickstart doesn't fit, swingarm bolt doesn't fit...

Why are you not happy with extensions? what doesn't work? IT looks like it should to me. you got nice exhaust clearance and your mounts seem to be in the right place??

Post by **AlisoBob** » April 4th, 2008, 3:55 pm

Balaclava wrote:...have no idea at this point how i'm supposed to correctly align the engine.

Any input would be huge to me...i'm a total rookie at this shit...thanks alot

It must pivot on the swing arm bolt

To "ball park" Left to Right, the sprocket will align with the center rib on the chain guide.

When viewed from the right side, you want it rotated "clockwise" as much as you can.

DO NOT WELD OR LOCATE ANYTHING UNTIL YOU GET THE CORRECT SWINGARM SPACERS, AND TORQUE THE SWINGARM BOLT!!!

Sorry for that last bit of drama.... its that important.

iggys-amsoil · Post by **iggys-amsoil** » April 4th, 2008, 4:22 pm

AlisoBob wrote:
Balaclava wrote:...have no idea at this point how i'm supposed to correctly align the engine.

Any input would be huge to me...i'm a total rookie at this shit...thanks alot
DO NOT WELD OR LOCATE ANYTHING UNTIL YOU GET THE CORRECT SWINGARM SPACERS, AND TORQUE THE SWINGARM BOLT!!!

Sorry for that last bit of drama.... its that important.

Ya man you gota get a 450 bolt.

Would the CR125 spacers work?

Balaclava · Post by **Balaclava** » April 4th, 2008, 4:24 pm

DO NOT WELD OR LOCATE ANYTHING UNTIL YOU GET THE CORRECT SWINGARM SPACERS

[/quote]

i just ordered a brand new swingarm set up...bearings bushings seals etc...i don't know what to use for spacers...

Balaclava · Post by **Balaclava** » April 6th, 2008, 8:19 am

iggys-amsoil wrote:Would the CR125 spacers work?

Any ideas?? I just bought all new bearings and seals for my swingarm, and i bought the 450 bushings,...i suppose they are not going to work?

Check out the brass bushings this guy used...Is this the right way to go about it? would anyone do it like this guy? i'd like to see more completed swingarm pics...

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showth ... p?t=448423

TJC510 · Post by **TJC510** » April 6th, 2008, 8:51 am

the way i would do it is put it all together, with what you have. measure how far is has to move over, figure out how long the bushings need to be and find a honda part that fits.
you can find the lengths from the service honda parts lookup page. they are all listed from 2000-on, and every model uses a different combination of bushing lengths.

eyesky2002 · Post by **eyesky2002** » April 6th, 2008, 10:48 am

Balaclava wrote:
iggys-amsoil wrote:Would the CR125 spacers work?
Any ideas?? I just bought all new bearings and seals for my swingarm, and i bought the 450 bushings,...i suppose they are not going to work?

Check out the brass bushings this guy used...Is this the right way to go about it? would anyone do it like this guy? i'd like to see more completed swingarm pics...

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showth ... p?t=448423

Move the right bushing (54mm) to the left side and then order a 52141-KZ4-J40 Bushing (59mm) and use it for the right. That's my set-up and it lines up great on the 03 450 frame; no need for washers or anything else other then the bishings and stock spacers (think washers) on each side!!!

Balaclava · Post by **Balaclava** » April 6th, 2008, 8:56 pm

^^^^MINT!!!

Gix · Post by **Gix** » April 15th, 2008, 3:26 pm

Balaclava wrote:
looks like my frame has found a drinkin buddy, how cute is that...

ok This is where i'm sitting, too scared to cut my frame up before i know how high i have to go with the y...and i am just going to reuse it i suppose. I'm guessing my kickstarter can be cranked forward to fit in the frame? what is the best method of not hitting the pipe and getting inside the frame?

And the most confusing part, the swingarm bolt is too short from the cr 500 motor, and i just had to cut my 450 bolt to get the arm off. so during this period of waiting for parts, i guess i have to figure out what size bushings and washers to use...have no idea at this point how i'm supposed to correctly align the engine.

Any input would be huge to me...i'm a total rookie at this shit...thanks alot

This is mine already converted..it's an 03 but same frame.. it uses the original Honda 'Y' moved up and over the downtube and the the bottom cradle is extended up to meet it

Balaclava · Post by **Balaclava** » April 16th, 2008, 4:08 pm

^^^^ that build thread has the most information on the 450 frames that i've seen yet...that is an amazing job...just got all my swingarm parts but they forgot to order me a nut to go along with my brand new bolt...so now i'm postponed for another week yet...ridiculous

Gix · Post by **Gix** » April 17th, 2008, 12:15 pm

It is a very good job for sure.
It actually looks a lot better now as those pics were taken just after I'd picked it up and the frame was still covered in dust and all sorts of crud..
It's now completely spotless and ready for polishing, which should be done this weekend

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » April 17th, 2008, 12:18 pm

Gix, is that a ysr I see in the back ground??

Gix · Post by **Gix** » April 17th, 2008, 2:29 pm

dannygraves wrote:Gix, is that a ysr I see in the back ground??

Yes mate it is...if you frequent any of the ysr forums you may recognise my username as I build quite a few with big engines...
That particular one is fitted with a TZR125 motor which I did over 10 years ago and I have one with a full race tz170cc and one with a yzf426 motor(currently in bits being refurbed)..I do a lot of conversions for other people and one of the only ones I haven't done yet is a cr500...probably due to the motors being so sought after

here's the tz170 during mock build

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » April 17th, 2008, 2:37 pm

very nice!
I just sold mine and all the goodies with it

I was planning on putting a yamaha dt2 250 motor in it. would have been great to keep it street legal, almost a direct bolt-in, 6 volt system and oil pump...
oh well, meybe next time a ysr comes my way..
shit dude, the tricked out 50cc motor it had in it made it hard to keep the front wheel down, how the hell do you control it with a 426 motor???

Gix · Post by **Gix** » April 18th, 2008, 12:47 pm

Gix wrote:It is a very good job for sure.
It actually looks a lot better now as those pics were taken just after I'd picked it up and the frame was still covered in dust and all sorts of crud..
It's now completely spotless and ready for polishing, which should be done this weekend

nearly done

Ported&Polished · Post by **Ported&Polished** » April 18th, 2008, 9:19 pm

Keep on polishing it man. I wish I polished mine before putting it all together, and polishing these bikes to a mirror finish is easy, it's the engine and small parts that are tough to do. Then after each hard weekend, you just spend a couple odd hours touching up the polishing and the bike will look killer every time you go out.

Post by **AlisoBob** » April 18th, 2008, 10:58 pm

I cant imagine a bigger waste of time than polishing out a dirt bike.

Just bolt it together, and ride ........

Gix · Post by **Gix** » April 18th, 2008, 11:57 pm

AlisoBob wrote:I cant imagine a bigger waste of time than polishing out a dirt bike.

Just bolt it together, and ride ........

Normally I'd agree with you but there's a few reasons it's been polished...

1.The bike was never intended to be a dirtbike. It's being built as a supermoto(street legal) and is more of an excercise in 'bling' as it will be living in my dining room on display when finished with the occasional sunny day outing and a few tarmac only sprint hillclimbs( I'm building another Crf with the leftovers of the original donor which will be my general 'beater' bike)
2. It's also to show off the skills of the frame fabricator..the main beam of the frame had suffered how most older crf's do...midway along the beam where the rad shrouds edges touch, there was a 6" groove worn deep into the alloy, which he has filled in and ground down...you would never guess by looking at it now. The main cradle and downspar that he has altered will also be polished to show off his skills(part of the deal of getting discounted fabrication)
3. I was bored with time to spare and as the cases and other parts were away at the coaters or anodisers it was a case of either polishing the frame or decorating the bedroom....... choice made

bigjay · Post by **bigjay** » April 19th, 2008, 1:00 pm

heres a ysr, i didnt even know these bikes existed untillyesterday

http://modesto.craigslist.org/mcy/647997795.html

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » April 19th, 2008, 6:11 pm

if you like those things, check out team calamari racing.

Balaclava · Post by **Balaclava** » April 21st, 2008, 7:28 pm

AlisoBob wrote:I cant imagine a bigger waste of time than polishing out a dirt bike.

Just bolt it together, and ride ........

haha...ya but his frame is siiiiiick looking...even if it is only mirrored for a couple hours after the bike is together it is still worth the pictures...

what are you doing for the headstay?

Gix · Post by **Gix** » April 21st, 2008, 10:46 pm

Balaclava wrote:
what are you doing for the headstay?

Once the bike is built it's being taken back to the fabricator who did the frame and he will make up a headstay using the 450 motor mounts on the main beam.
It's needs to be fully built so he can tackle any clearance issues and he also needs to tack on bottom rad mounts,coil mounts and pipe mounts

BannedCR500Riders.com

02' CRF 450 Conversion

02' CRF 450 Conversion

Re: 02' CRF 450 Conversion