Favorite Bike

[Hondacrrider]

Probably my dream bike would be a TM144 with a microblue coating and full RG3 suspension service.

[burn1986]

I've had two CR500s - an 87 and a 94. The 87 felt like a tank when you rode it, but I actually liked it slightly better than the 94. The suspension seemed better. Once you get these bikes on the track, you get used to them. It's just sometimes you don't know exactly where you're going to land when you gas it on a jump.

[opfermanmotors]

The 87 felt like a tank when you rode it

I have an 86 & I know exactly what you mean there.  I also have an 86 Maico 500, that thing feels like a piece of paper, very light and easy to turn and lean.  

I guess that's why Guus Mulders says the 86 is one of the best handling frames.  He makes a hybrid bike.  1986 Frame modified to a Twin Shock, the 86 frame can take the new motors so he puts a 2003 bottom end for hydrolic clutch, then he puts a 1983 air cooled top end on.  Ultimate vintage weapon I guess, depending on the legality of it.

[opfermanmotors]

I've seen it on Ebay from time to time.  The late Jim McCabe sent me several photos of it he saved back in 2008 when I was considering what it might take to modify my 82 into an 81 frame.

[JETZcorp]

Man, if you just flat-out want to win...

[offroader]

WOW,now that would make a nice vintage race bike!

[ford832]

A 500 isn't scary unless you ride it like a bone-head.  

I didn't realize you had experience with a CR500AF. Give us a report...

You're in the wrong generation Coop.Drop back to the air cooled versions that Jetz likes.Back in those days,bikes like the RM 500 were running an honest 40hp-about the same as a modern day KTM150.Certainly much easier to hang on to than a service Honda I expect.

[offroader]

Looks like a honda front fender on the maico.

[JETZcorp]

An honest 40hp?  That's about what a 250 made in the '80s, try 55-60 for big-bores..  Regardless, there's a right way to ride every bike, and if it's ridden right, it won't kill you.  Will things get out of hand if you ride the thing like a 125?  Of course they will (and that's true with the air-cooled dinosaur engines, too).  If "don't be stupid and ride this flat-out" applies to a big smoothie like a 490, then you can bet your ass it'll apply to an axe-murdering beast like a CR500.

When you guys want to bring up the old bike vs new bike thing yet again next time (you might notice I haven't been starting it), then this might help.  Instead of thinking Model-T, think Shelby Cobra.

[ford832]

From the September 1983 issue of Cycle magazine that I'm now holding in my grubby paw with their test of the "new" RM500D......


"Certainly,if you whack the throttle open in conditions where traction is at a premium(hard packed and dry or really muddy)
,the RM,like any 40 horsepower two stroke,can be a handful........Against it's main competition the RM does well.Honda's superb CR480R barely edges the RM in suspension performance and turning ability,and has just a tad better power.Yamaha's YZ490K,a big improvement over recent YZ's,falls short against the CR and RM on tight tracks."

Now I fully realize that Kevin Cameron and the then staff at Cycle don't know anything and that an old air cooled 500 has as much or more power than it's more modern LC power valved (KX anyway) counterpart but still, oh,ok, I take it all back-you're right


Oops,sorry,I forgot one thing: I'm not thinking AC Cobra-or model T.I'm  thinking Edsel.

[ford832]

Here's a better one-but I realize that's all wrong as well  ........

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBQQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.e-dirt.co.za%2Fforum%2Fforum_posts.asp%3FTID%3D24196&rct=j&q=1983%20RM500%20horsepower%20figures&ei=MmRkTILGEYWglAfN0fTuDA&usg=AFQjCNEssPRjC5gVZVRg8kdup2I1gjPe8g&sig2=kfczTr2wDHvh2ax_LhTuSw&cad=rja

[JETZcorp]

I think it comes down to the fickle nature of dyno readings.  I've seen numbers like that, but like I said before, I've also seen magazines claim low-40s for a 250, and as high as 56 for a 490.  I've also seen numbers that should indicate that a YZ426F has ten horses over a 430 Husky.  Problem is, I read this after seeing a 430 Husky walking all over a YZF in drag races, including standing and rolling starts.  Even the numbers you posted indicate that the '83 490 and 495 should be some of the slowest-accelerating bikes in that class, yet these are the ones with the greatest reputation for power.  And, someone on here told the story some time ago of a CR250 one year that dominated everyone on paper in the dyno pulls, but had about as much power as a plastic bag when it got on the track.  I'm inclined to believe that there's no such thing as an "honest" 40hp, because there's not really an "honest" reading at all for off-road bikes.

[ford832]

I think it comes down to the fickle nature of dyno readings.  I've seen numbers like that, but like I said before, I've also seen magazines claim low-40s for a 250, and as high as 56 for a 490.  

Link please?
These are industry accepted rear wheel hp figures for that time-not crank or brochure figures.While dynos do vary somewhat,500 figures wouldn't be printed in a mag for a 250 of that era as it would be obvious something was  wrong with said dyno.
As for which bike will outrun which due to gearing,hook,suspension or whatever-that has no bearing on dyno hp figures-which is what we are talking here-are we not?

[Paul P]

The new day dyno reports are to help bolster the the 'Big' power of the 4-strokes. The same KX500 that dynoed at 48.8 was dynoed again a few years back and put out over 62HP. It's all hype. My 99 CR250 is no faster anywhere than my 89 CR, but it's supposed to have about 7 HP more than the 89, so the magazine tests say.
    It's all hype to help sell the 4strokes to the public who will argue on end about HP figures, all the while being passed by a ten year old kid riding a KX85.
     I wouldn't judge any of the older bikes with 30 year old write-ups from magazines known to bow to the almighty dollar, either. This has been going on with magazine tests since the early 70's when the big 'dirt bike boom' hit the US.
    I am constantly riding new and old MX bikes and some great bikes never won over the public because of a stupid magazine test.
     

[opfermanmotors]

I have this article from 1983 that has Dyno Tests for 8 500 Class MX bikes.

http://www.maicowerk.com/Articles/PDF/1983_500_MX_shootout.pdf