Making a monster...

[Rot Box]

You guy's are probably burned out on my old dirtbike projects that never seem to quite get finished but I figured I'd share my latest anyway and hopefully this one actually gets somewhere haha.

I've had my Honda since I was 16 and it is the only bike I have ever been attached to. I really don't know why I like it so much because the suspension is absolutely worthless and the power band is more like a light switch which although very powerful it is very hard to control when the trail gets tight. That said it has great ergo's and shares many parts with the newer CR500's. It has fairly low miles and I actually replaced the stock piston a few years back but its been rode hard and everything was really starting to show wear.

Before:

First up I pulled the bike completely down and found the frame to be cracked in a few places and actually broken in one spot--lame. Using a spare I had I sent it to CVC in Cache Valley for powder coat. These guys do incredible work and I am very impressed with the way it turned out.

After servicing the suspension linkage I bolted up my new shock. The stock shock came from the factory set up for a 110lb (one hundred and ten) rider and it also had a bad leak due to years of neglect. So I sent it out to Pro Action for their three way valving and had them set it for single track riding to match my body weight. I also installed a new spring--should be a night and day improvement.

 

[Rot Box]

The 84 motors make great power, but due to their high compression and stock porting they are known to detonate/ping when hot plus they are very sensitive to jetting. I ended up going with an Eric Gorr @ Forward Motion 520cc (91mm) big bore :greg: It is ported for single track riding and includes major head reshaping to not only lower the compression, but also smooth the powerband and hopefully help with jetting.

 

[rholbrook]

In 83 I bought a new YZ490 which I absolutely loved until some guy totally blasted me racing up the face of Sand Mountain on a CR just like that one. Ahh the good ole days of big bore oil burners. Damn they were fast.

 

[Corban_White]

To this day my favorite bike is my 83 480. I really like the powerband though. Mine has more low end torque than most 4 strokes I have ridden.



















I would like to see more pics of bikes being ridden and less of them torn apart though.

 

[Rot Box]

In 83 I bought a new YZ490 which I absolutely loved until some guy totally blasted me racing up the face of Sand Mountain on a CR just like that one. Ahh the good ole days of big bore oil burners. Damn they were fast.

When I first started trail riding I went a lot with an uncle that had a YZ465 and man that thing was a beast! I've never owned one, but the big Yamerhammers are pretty cool

To this day my favorite bike is my 83 480. I really like the powerband though. Mine has more low end torque than most 4 strokes I have ridden.



I would like to see more pics of bikes being ridden and less of them torn apart though.

I love the 480's. In magazines the 83 480 usually makes the top ten best dirtbikes ever made list and for good reason. We put a lot of miles on ours through the years and it never let up. I was actually going to steal it from my brother before I decided to give the 84 some tlc.

Stock 83 480 vs. stock 84 500 the 480 is a much better bike. The 480 has better suspension, much more reliable and the powerband was great--being a south paw I even loved the left kicker :greg:

Action pics to come soon as the snow melts

 

[Rot Box]

Yay! My new forks showed up today It has been said the 87 43mm Showa's that came on the Honda CR's were the best stock conventional fork of all time even by today's standards. I'm not sure how I feel about that yet, but for $150 I bought a set to try out lol. Just pushing on them I can already tell they will be much better than the stock 84 forks--which have a horrible reputation and the best part is they bolt right up :greg:

 

[Rot Box]

New forks (look just like the old ones ) and billet clamp mounted up. Sub mount Scotts and 3" risers.

 

[YOUKNOW]

Nice bike, good luck on the build.

 

[Rot Box]

Thanks YOUKNOW

I'm pretty excited yesterday I filled out all my paperwork for Widow Maker 2011!!!!:greg: Woohoo! I'm planning on running stock big bike and the vintage class on this bike. Looks like a fun hill can't wait to hit it. If you have never been you should all go its a good time! http://www.widowmaker.info/

Here is another upgrade that I am excited to try out. Ditching the PE (stock carb) for a later PJ flatslide made a big difference--hopefully swapping the PJ for 39.5mm PWK will be even better!

 

[iamsparticus]

Cool build my father in law has a late 80's honda 500 2stroke but its water cooled. It is the hardest bike ever to start i almost broke my foot when i was tuning it up after 15 years of sitting

 

[rockreligious]

To this day my favorite bike is my 83 480. I really like the powerband though. Mine has more low end torque than most 4 strokes I have ridden.



Oh my heck, I had an 83 CR 480, freaking crazy fast, powerband was explosive and unpredictible, riding that thing was always an adventure, I ride an 04 KX500 now, and its fast, smoother and easier to ride, but not as memorable.

Love the Project your doing RotBox, keep up the good work, Id like to restore a an 87 CR 250, like RJ used to ride someday. I love the old era Hondas

 

[pELYgroso]

don't you also have an old WR 250??

 

[Rot Box]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Cool build my father in law has a late 80's honda 500 2stroke but its water cooled. It is the hardest bike ever to start i almost broke my foot when i was tuning it up after 15 years of sitting

I know the feeling! They are nearly impossible to start without knowing the drill. With the fuel on, tilt bike on its side until fuel pours out the overflow, pull the choke, find top dead center--then with every single ounce of energy you have slam on the kicker and hope to hell you don't have to do it again!

I have the ultimate fix for starting in the mail as of this morning Stay tuned

I ride an 04 KX500 now, and its fast, smoother and easier to ride, but not as memorable.

Love the Project your doing RotBox, keep up the good work, Id like to restore a an 87 CR 250, like RJ used to ride someday. I love the old era Hondas

Thanks! My family has a 83 480 and it is a very memorable bike that still gets used from time to time. My dad quit riding it when he picked up a 99 KX500 and the same thing much easier to ride, control, and handle--but it doesn't have the character (for lack of a better word) of the 480.

don't you also have an old WR 250??

No you're probably thinking of Turbohaulic on this board. His family has several WR250's (two strokes) and a bunch of IT's... I passed up a clean 97 WR and bought my RM instead and really wish I wouldn't have

How has yours been treating you?

 

[pELYgroso]

I LOVE it! I'm going to tear into it pretty soon and spiff it up a bit. Your project is looking great! Gotta love the older 2 strokes!

 

[Rot Box]

Nice! Those WR's rule the desert and single track--I can't believe how much power they have too!

One upgrade you could look into is finding a YZ (around the same year) seat and a YZ clarke/IMS desert tank. You'll gain about 4" of room up front and still have the same fuel capacity.

 

[iamsparticus]

I'll have to try that this summer it ended up needing tires so we only rode it in the dirt lot, but it had crazy power and power band. Actually my first bike was a 1976 400 DX yamaha it was a blast to ride, first year of any bike to have a mono shock . any way keep the pics and info coming!

 

[Rot Box]

UPDATE

Here's another item I'm really looking forward to :greg: Starting a flooded 500 on a hot day in high elevation is a total workout! This auto-decompression valve should make starting so much easier. Click it down and kick away--once the motor fires it closes automatically. Most reports say kicking a decompressed 500 is like kicking over a 125! Can't wait to find out LOL

 

[hedonist]

I love Hamms
Nice bike

 

[jevyguy]

I love reading your bike threads. The new forks and shock will make a world of difference, it will be a totally different bike. Riding a bike with crappy suspension is not very fun.
The decompression valve is way cool, you'll have to give a report

 

[Rot Box]

Well I tried to install the head tonight--tightening every head nut down 50 in/lbs at a time. All torqued good up to 250in/lbs, but the one decided to pull out of the cylinder at 200 in/lbs Not sure what to do now... The threads are trashed and I'm guessing I either need a time sert or tap it out to a standard 5/16th's. Any ideas?

I love Hamms
Nice bike

Thanks and me too! However Raineer is difficult to come by here so Hamms is second best in my canned cheap beer book lol

I love reading your bike threads. The new forks and shock will make a world of difference, it will be a totally different bike. Riding a bike with crappy suspension is not very fun.
The decompression valve is way cool, you'll have to give a report

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to this one Suspension is very high on my mandatory list for any bike. Its one of those things that you have to experience to appreciate--sorta like a steering damper and rekluse I guess.