The History of the Honda CR500 (Documentary)

I had the 86-87-88-89-91-and 99 model CR500, raced all the hare scrambles and enduros in FL with them! The 86 was hard to start .Now I have a 2007CR500AF Service Honda in a 250 Aluminum Frame! That is the bike to own! Of course I race the KTM 300 in Hare scrambles and Enduros now.

I love my 1982 CR480. Grandpa bought it brand new on sale in 1983 and gave it to me. She still RIPS! Still has the original top end on it.

I purchased a new Honda CR 450 back in 1981. Except for a blown base cylinder gasket which I was able to repair at our camp in less than 20 minutes, I did not experience any of the shortcomings that you listed for this bike. The engine's power band was as wide as a barn door. All that power and torque worked great with the 4 speed gear box. With a 12 cup paddle tire this bike was the perfect Glamis machine. All the years riding in the desert it never let me down. One of the most reliable bikes I have ever owned.

I owned a 1985 CR500. I loved that bike!

I used to race the 1987 CR500! The thing was a beast! The motorcycle required a tremendous amount of respect! You had to ride them totally different from a 125 or 250. Come into the turn hot lock the brakes up both of which were disc brakes lay the bike over turn the throttle, and hold on for dear life! I survived racing several years on the bike pretty much unscathed with only two blown-out ACLs, a ruptured spleen in a ruptured colon, in about a week and a half and ICU If I had to do it all over again, I would not change a thing! What a rush to ride this bike! Even though it almost killed me several times! :-)

Well Done.  I Had an 87 CR500, and can tell you that after installing an FMF Pipe, the power was slightly smoothed out and Extended perfectly. The bike was King where ever I went, and Never lost an open field Drag Race to any other DirtBike, including Several KX 500s, 450Fs, and even newer CR500s. I Loved that bike and the raw power that could turn Mountains into Mole Hills... The Torque actually allowed me to do quite well in a Hairscamble one time as well. From my experience the 87 model did have the most Power, but the newer bikes had better suspension for larger jumps.     Great Documentary.

Excellent video. I'm glad there are still a few of us enthusiasts out here. Other than those who only care about Service Honda bikes. I built my own 500AF using a 2004 CRF250R rolling chassis. I've owned 6 500s so far. Love em!

The '83 CR480 was a GREAT bike. Not scary fast, GREAT handling, GREAT suspension, and the most amazing set of drum brakes ever put on a motorcycle.

Had a 2000 cr500. So much fun. A lot of bike for a 150lb guy but I was nice to it and it never let me down. Had a goofy friend try to kick it over wearing sneakers against my advice and it broke his ankle. Absolute beast of a machine. What a workout!

I had the 85 and besides being difficult to start until you figure out the technique and crazy head-shake at high speed it was lots of fun. No so great to race and I often had to race with the 250s since I was the only dummy to race beginner 500. I remember once hearing the commentator say, "Now we have the least experienced riders on the most powerful bikes."

Thanks for the walk down memory lane.  I have had my '85 CR500 since 1994, and still have not lost in a drag race.  But, it's time to sell it and pass the fun on to someone else.  Long live the speed king.

Great doc! Thanks for putting in the time to make it. I bought a '83 495, back in the day. Wish I still had it... It had a four-speed also, but it wasn't that bad. Who rides in low gear on an open-bike? Still remember those fourth-gear launches. Now that was fun! Thanks for the memories.

the 87 was the best engine ive used. i have owed and rode 86.87.88.89.90.93 and the 98. the 87 engine is what ive got in my service honda af after trying a few it iz smooth power that never ends. long live the 500s (even the green 1)😀

Had a 89… A huge powerplant w/ a nervous front end. It's a wonder I never got seriously hurt on it. I liked & subbed. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

The only Professional Motocross Race I ever went to was in 1977 , I believe. Marty Smith was riding a CR 500 against the Legend Roger Decoster on his Suzuki RM 500. I was honored as a young man to see these two legends in person and Bob Hurricane Hannah was there riding for Yamaha. THESE GUYS WERE GOOD AND IN THEIR PRIME.

I remember in '74 watching Chad McQueen ride his new CR125 around "the Mesa" in Malibu. We talked to his dad (who we didn't know was a famous actor-we were 12 years old) and asked him how they hade a CR125 six months before they we to be released in the states. His reply? "I know some people" Steve McQueen was a really nice guy. He liked our home-made rear suspension Schwinn Stingrays.

Hey mate I have an 84CR500 and when I first bought it a few years back it was a bit of a pig with surging and fouling plugs. The detonation fix I have read about but I didnt do it to my bike. I went through the entire motor from carb to pipe and port matched everything, gaskets included. The worst thing I noticed about the engine was the castings in the transfer ports, so I smoothed them and light bead blasted. Also the crankcase needed to be matched to the barrel plus gaskets. Checked the heights of the ports from top of barrel matched carby mounts and exhaust mounts. Put the jetting at stock. I pulled this bike out after sitting at tdc with plugged exhaust nearly 12 months and after priming with about 7 slow kicks it starts first real kick. And instead of blubbering with small throttle twists for what seemed like forever it now takes about 3 or 4 twists to get to a wide open throttle twist. Good mod is a 98 i think cr250 kicker, the stock one may as well be a chicken wing. The engine is now an absolute beast. Probably the most powerful CR500 engine because it shares the short rod bottom end which the 85 and 86 had (more power orientated than torque like the later models)but has no water pump to turn over. A small thing I know. I have a 2002 KX500 and a mint RM500 1984 and the Cr is my favourite to ride. Im in Australia so maybe our premium pump gas is a different rating but ive had no pinging since these mods. My guess for this bikes un honda like internal finish is the huge demand they were under to bring out a full 500 and the water cooled bikes were still a bit away. The 1984 actually has crankcases which were getting ready for the water pump accomodation. The other thing is the rear shock, I'm only 77kg and I'm on the too heavy side for it. Made to suit the Japanese test riders I assume. I've ended up putting 86 250 front forks on and it is as near perfect as I can get it. I think the combustion chamber mod is possibly an easy fix/bandaid solution for the real problems this engine had. If anyone owns one try doing what I've expained here first before machining a head. It really works and this engine is amazing once it can breath properly.

My first time on a CR500 was on an 87, model with no brakes! I was 90lbs soaking wet at 14yrs old. Coming from an 1980 XR80. Boy did I luv that powerband👀❗❗Until the road came to a curve with a House dead insight. So asphalt ass it was. That summer I talked mom into a 1989 Cr80. So to my surprise she bought an 89, Cr250 to ride with me. But I don't think she ever left the yard on it. So it became mine around 91,. My family has always been a Ride Red family! Go Honda!

I had 87 500. in my opinion it was a great bike. loved riding the sexy beast

Thanks for the video, I've still got my cr 500 I shoehorned into a 1997 1st gen AL frame, with the help of Mickey Kessler. 19 years later, it's still a blast to roll up to the gate and have the 450 4s riders snicker and guffaw at my "antique". It's funny to them right up until I fire that engine up and the exhaust sings that beautiful and ominous note. If I'm on, That engine will easily holeshot their arses but , as I'm sixty- some now I have to cede to the young'uns. It's all good, though, cause as they come around to lap me I just line my rear wheel up with an approaching young gun and twistrightwrist an over/under load of roost at em, just for kix. hee hee, I see them shaking the pain out of their knuckles in the pits. BTW The bike handles well, is stone solid reliable, there is hardly any parts on the engine or rolling chassis you cannot buy new from Honda, it used to crack expansion chamber headers until I bought a BILLS' pipe. Soooo much fun... again, thx for the video. God bless.