In October 2017, Justin McMurrich was diagnosed with cancer growing along the nerve in his jaw. This required a radical surgery removing a large portion of his jawbone and 17 rounds of radiation. To occupy his mind and hands, he found and purchased two Honda CR500s to work on when he was fighting to survive during his recovery. This led to a discussion with me about rebuilding 500s and a garage build project. After all, the two of us grew up racing together in Arizona and we’ve both since become firefighters. Cancer within the fire service is rampant due to the exposure to carcinogenic materials on the job, making this project something very personal to both of us.
When Justin got the bikes, they were pretty beat up. We had to tear them all the way down to the frame. After reviewing the needed parts and getting a list together, parts were ordered. We were ready to get down to business. The frames were repainted and the bikes were rebuilt from the frame up. This was a three to four-month process to complete and really helped Justin to deal with his serious health issues. One of the bikes Justin plans to keep and ride as a reminder of the single most difficult thing he’s ever had to deal with. The other bike he wanted to auction off for charity and the folks at Road 2 Recovery were our non-profit of choice. The bike is currently up for auction on the R2R website: https://road2recovery.com/event-view/1992-93-cr500-rebuild-ebay-auction-for-r2r/.
A special thanks to Cahuilla Creek MX. Check them out at www.cahuillacreekmotocross.com
Hot Rods
Complete crankshaft
Main bearings
Main seals
www.hotrodsproducts.com
Vertex Pistons
Pro replica piston kit (ring, pin and clips)
www.vertexpistons.com
Cometic Gasket
Engine gaskets
www.cometic.com
FMF Racing
Fatty exhaust
Powercore silencer
www.fmfracing.com
Supersprox
Front and rear sprocket
MX chain
www.supersproxusa.com
Pivot Works
Steering stem bearing kit
Linkage rebuild kit
Swing arm rebuild kit
Wheel bearings front and rear
www.pivotworks.com
Dunlop Tire
MX33 front tire
MX33 rear tire
www.dunlopmotorcycle.com
All Balls
Carb rebuild kit
Throttle cable
Clutch cable
www.allballsracing.com
Faster USA
Stock hubs treated and rebuilt with new spokes and excel takasago rims
Cerakote of the hubs and water pump cover
www.fasterusa.com
Hinson Clutch Components
Full clutch set up
www.hinsonracing.com
Uni Filter
Two-stage air filter
www.unifilter.com
UFO Plastic
Full plastic kit—2008 front fender
Front disc guard
www.ufoplasticusa.com
Works Connection
Hour meter and mount
Stand
Front brake rotating bar mount
Steering stem nut
Brake reservoir cap
Elite clutch perch
Oil filler plug
Rotating bar clamp
Fork bleeder valves
Skid plate
www.worksconnection.com
Zr1 Suspension Services
Suspension rebuild and service
www.zr1suspension.com
ABOUT PRO CIRCUIT
Based in Corona, California, Pro Circuit Products, Inc. is a leader in off-road motorcycle and ATV exhausts and aftermarket performance parts. Started in 1978, Pro Circuit is the go-to shop for recreational riders and professionals for everything from suspension work to complete engine packages, and everything in between.
ABOUT NAMURA TECHNOLOGIES
Pistons and Gaskets Coming from decades of Powersports aftermarket manufacturing, Namura continues to impress riders and dealers alike with their aggressive development and innovative product design and manufacturing in MX and ATV Pistons and Gaskets. Based out of the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Namura is taking piston quality and durability to another level.
Visit Racer X Online: https://bit.ly/2VKTEp0
Subscribe to Racer X Magazine: https://bit.ly/2E45hlW
Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2X2F7Xc
Follow us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2HvF6Wy
Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2JWWaWV
Subscribe to Racer X on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2HvhS2E
