CR/KX 500 anyone?
Discussion
the pits said:
I'm desperately trying to find a nice clean KX or CR 500 motocross bike to scare myself with on our farm. Anyone know anyone who's got one or is trying to sell one?
For that matter has anyone on here ridden one and how much more mental are they to the current motoX 250 smokers?
For that matter has anyone on here ridden one and how much more mental are they to the current motoX 250 smokers?
Utterly mental power - hope you have big arms and shoulders! I would have thought a 250 two stroke was more than enough power for a farm. I work with the ex head mechanic for CAS Honda motocross team so if you are serious, I'll ask him for you.
Much respect for even thinking about it!
I have a kx500 which I bought as a project. Sadly, as it was slightly more of a project than I anticipated and also due to the fact that I couldn't resist dicking about with it I've never ridden it and it's currently in bits at the bottom of the garden. However, judging by the height of the thing (tall), how heavy it is (not at all) and how much power it makes (loads) and combining that with what I've read about them I'd say that they have a bit of a reputation.
Mine's in bits as I've said and therefore not for sale as I will eventually put it back together with some road wheels but when I've occasionally looked for parts on ebay there have been several complete bikes.
Some of these (like mine) have been road registered and it might be worth chasing one of these. Good luck in getting it quiet or civil enough for green laning though
Mine's in bits as I've said and therefore not for sale as I will eventually put it back together with some road wheels but when I've occasionally looked for parts on ebay there have been several complete bikes.
Some of these (like mine) have been road registered and it might be worth chasing one of these. Good luck in getting it quiet or civil enough for green laning though
the pits said:
Very serious! I've owned some very lively road bikes (R1, GSX-R 1000, Kwak ZX-12) so the whole point of the exercise is an adrenaline rush. Any help much appreciated.
I'll see what I can do for you. I can see you have ridden some fast road bikes but I can assure you that the power of the 500 two stroke will blow you away. I had a mate come out to visit me a couple of years ago, who was used to riding fast road bikes. I took him to our local motocross track and popped him on a RM125 - he came in after 1 lap physically shaking!!! He had no idea that a 125 could do that. A 500 is in a different stratosphere. I would highly recomend trying a well sorted 250 and see how you get on.
Then again, no point in being too cautious! Might as well go balls out!!!!
HCMH said:
the pits said:
Very serious! I've owned some very lively road bikes (R1, GSX-R 1000, Kwak ZX-12) so the whole point of the exercise is an adrenaline rush. Any help much appreciated.
I'll see what I can do for you. I can see you have ridden some fast road bikes but I can assure you that the power of the 500 two stroke will blow you away. I had a mate come out to visit me a couple of years ago, who was used to riding fast road bikes. I took him to our local motocross track and popped him on a RM125 - he came in after 1 lap physically shaking!!! He had no idea that a 125 could do that. A 500 is in a different stratosphere. I would highly recomend trying a well sorted 250 and see how you get on.
Then again, no point in being too cautious! Might as well go balls out!!!!
I'll never forget watching Dave Thorpe on his 500 HRC works bike at Hawstone in the eighties. He used two gears the entire lap. 2nd up the hill, and third everywhere else.
Absolutely mental!!!
500 two stroke crossers are violent, so make sure you have a good old stretch and a warm up before jumping on board. :-)
I've ridden a CR500 and there is nothing on this earth that has given me forearm pump quicker. I think I managed about 5 minutes on a moto-x course.
They are just insane (fun), but don't think you'll ride it much, no mortal can be that fit!
As said, massive respect for even thinking of it, but for me, the 250's would be plenty.
They are just insane (fun), but don't think you'll ride it much, no mortal can be that fit!
As said, massive respect for even thinking of it, but for me, the 250's would be plenty.
Yep, it's not that 500's are ultimately fast in terms of outright speed. It's just the nature of the power delivery. A torrent of revs and torque, that will have you flailing along behind if you're not ready for it!!!
A 250 is a good happy medium, and much more agile.
A 125 is okay if you know what you're doing but the trick is to keep them pinned, use the gearbox and feather the clutch to keep the revs stratospheric.
I've raced all three as a lad/teenager, having had one of those competitive dads :-) (we're talking 80's when life was more simple and you had 125, 250 and 500 World Championships, and the 'Thorpedo' was King!
The 250 was most fun to race, but if I was messing about I'd go 125. The 500's are just too much for dicking about on :-)
Here's my old training trick for arm-pump.
Take a 2kg weight, or a bag of sugar for instance. Tie a piece of string to it, approximately 1 metre long. Tie the other end to a short length of broomstick.
Raise your forearms at 90 degrees to your body, then simply keep winding it up and down using both hands until you tie up and can't do it any more. Then repeat holding you entire arm right out in front of you. Absolute torture, but it beats struggling to hold onto the bike 15 minutes into a race...
cheers
Ju
A 250 is a good happy medium, and much more agile.
A 125 is okay if you know what you're doing but the trick is to keep them pinned, use the gearbox and feather the clutch to keep the revs stratospheric.
I've raced all three as a lad/teenager, having had one of those competitive dads :-) (we're talking 80's when life was more simple and you had 125, 250 and 500 World Championships, and the 'Thorpedo' was King!
The 250 was most fun to race, but if I was messing about I'd go 125. The 500's are just too much for dicking about on :-)
Here's my old training trick for arm-pump.
Take a 2kg weight, or a bag of sugar for instance. Tie a piece of string to it, approximately 1 metre long. Tie the other end to a short length of broomstick.
Raise your forearms at 90 degrees to your body, then simply keep winding it up and down using both hands until you tie up and can't do it any more. Then repeat holding you entire arm right out in front of you. Absolute torture, but it beats struggling to hold onto the bike 15 minutes into a race...
cheers
Ju
Edited by julianb on Friday 15th December 09:37
Edited by julianb on Friday 15th December 09:38
julianb said:
Here's my old training trick for arm-pump.
Take a 2kg weight, or a bag of sugar for instance. Tie a piece of string to it, approximately 1 metre long. Tie the other end to a short length of broomstick.
Raise your forearms at 90 degrees to your body, then simply keep winding it up and down using both hands until you tie up and can't do it any more. Then repeat holding you entire arm right out in front of you. Absolute torture, but it beats struggling to hold onto the bike 15 minutes into a race...
cheers
Ju
That's a fantastic tip which I'm going to try. Love this place!!
my last bike was a 2003 YZ250, It was immaculate and I sold it for £1650 in September. Find a similar bike for that money and It will blow you away, seriously. A sorted 250 will scare most people. The other alternative would be a CRF450, its a four stroke but so responsive, not much quicker than the 2 stroke 250 though and heavier.
thanks for replies
everything I've read about the 500s makes me want one more, they sound like a must have experience! And a forearm workout gets thrown in for free! The two strokes are soon to be redundant in racing but for hooning around fields and the likes, they represent much better value than the new 4 strokes. That and they smell better too!
As mentioned, know anyone who's looking to sell a 500 and I'll be interested.
everything I've read about the 500s makes me want one more, they sound like a must have experience! And a forearm workout gets thrown in for free! The two strokes are soon to be redundant in racing but for hooning around fields and the likes, they represent much better value than the new 4 strokes. That and they smell better too!
As mentioned, know anyone who's looking to sell a 500 and I'll be interested.
Never had the Honda but I had a KTM 500 which I imagine is a similar beast, around 65hp and light enough that I could lift it, a real pig to start though and it would shake itself to pieces but what an absolutely mental machine it was with Superbike levels of acceleration (on the dirt!), power wheelies on demand in any gear at almost any speed, highly recommended 
(although personally I'd get something a bit more user friendly next time) very high seat so reaching the ground would be tricky for 'shortarses'.
Anyone who can ride one of these machines competitively must have huge Gonads and be an absolute mentalist - respect due.
Take out yer brain before riding - You know it makes sense, (rather it doesn't but go for it anyway)
(although personally I'd get something a bit more user friendly next time) very high seat so reaching the ground would be tricky for 'shortarses'. Anyone who can ride one of these machines competitively must have huge Gonads and be an absolute mentalist - respect due.
Take out yer brain before riding - You know it makes sense, (rather it doesn't but go for it anyway)
I had a KX 500 on the road then raced in the early years of the NORA supermoto race series, by far the best motorbike ive ever ridden, stupidly fast acceleration, awesome brakes, light, sounds phenominal, and even smells great!!! (only run on Castrol 747) Bit of a handfull on the road you will have to check tighten, wirelock, threadlock everything. You will NOT be disapointed!!
Sorry Catso, churlish of me to omit the KTM 500. I'm sure they are equally awesome. Presumably there was a Husky 500 or thereabouts too? From memory yamaha 'only' went to 490 with the two stroke.
Still please keep your eyes and ears open for me as I'm serious about buying one. Sadly it looks like not even Santa could get me one before Christmas!
Thanks
Still please keep your eyes and ears open for me as I'm serious about buying one. Sadly it looks like not even Santa could get me one before Christmas!
Thanks
the pits said:
Sorry Catso, churlish of me to omit the KTM 500. I'm sure they are equally awesome. Presumably there was a Husky 500 or thereabouts too? From memory yamaha 'only' went to 490 with the two stroke.
Actually although my KTM was labelled a '500', IIRC it was only 485cc, but what's 15cc between friends eh?
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