A 1984 CR500 for trail riding????

[Sam Simons]

Hi All,
I have a very clean '84 CR500 available to me. I would like to hear opinions about useing it for trails from any present(or past) CR500
riders-I've read all the info I can find on the older aircooled CR500's,so I need just firsthand accounts. If the bike
isn't good for this type of riding,I'd like to know why,and how it
might be corrected. My trail riding network is 3-4 miles long,
6'-9' wide,creeks,hills,etc.,well maintained,no "cow paths".


Thanks!

Sam in Indiana

 

[Papakeith]

I had an 84 that I used trail riding. It'll work but it is far from the best choice. I could never get it running super clean. It would burble, burble, burble and then hit like a freight train. Not that it's horrible, but it is something that seems to be common even if it's something you get used to in short order.

The big things you can do to make it more trail friendly would be to change the tranny gears, change the counter shaft sprocket and rear sprocket ratios, and add a flywheel weight. You might also look at getting a different clutch lever. One that gives you a mechanical advantage on the clutch pull. If my memory serves it was a bit of a bear.

Of course you could also do nothing and just ride it and have fun.

 

[Rooster]

Wasn't the running comment on those models "light switch power" or something along those lines?

 

[Papakeith]

Yep.