I have a 86 CR500 and it's terrible in the trails. Too heavy, doesn't turn, the snappy power makes it just spin tire if you ever loose momentum.
A friend of mine has a 2001 CR500 and it's actually even worse in the trails. The 86 has a bit more bottom end makes it a little easier to ride in the trails, but the 2001 may have a little better suspenion, but its harder to ride in the trails. He is always crying when we go on tight single track or what not and has backed out of attempting hills that the Maicos put up. He is actually thinking to get a Maico just because of how mine handle in the woods compared to his CR500.
I'm like this trail isn't that bad, he's like but look at what you're riding! He always says why don't I bring the CR!
One time on a double black diamond he almost went over the edge of a cliff, I have it on video. I was there on the 1982 Maico 490GS and there is a landslide that went onto the trail. One side of the trail is the hill the other side is a 50 foot drop stright down. On the trail at this section is a pile of loose rubble from the landslide.
I stopped at it, and then I just putted right over it on the Maico. He went on it and slowed down and when he gas it a little bit of gas to keep going, like CR500's do, the back end just spun out and kicked itself right down almost off the side! The maico doesn't spin out and those CR500's are all pretty heavy as well.