Should everyone own a 500 at some point?

byke

byke

Well-known member
I guess there's no right answer as a generalization. Turning laps on an mx track, no question, the 450 will be faster. Climbing a giant sandy hill, no question, the 500 will be faster. And 250 2T's are only comparable to a 450 as far as racing classification is concerned, otherwise they are no longer comparable (more comparable back in '98, not so much in '13).
 
budman

budman

General Menace
Staff member
Tharkûn said:
No no, a CR500. I'm keeping my 300 until I get a 200 next season
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I have a CR 500 on reserve.. meaning.. when my friend finally says I cannot rebuild it.. I will buy it.

Indeed they were a beast.. as was the YZ 490 and the various 400cc 2 smokes from back in the day.. something about twisting the throttle and the front end rising without a tug.. in fact with a reverse don't tug. :laughing

Or the coveted chest over the front wheel oh shit please don't wheelie position.

.. SO YES!!
 
angelsndevils

angelsndevils

gas burning o-zone killer
Went back and reread the entire thread. Didn't mean to turn it into a "which one is better" thread. Sorry everybody. The answer to the original question is...Yes, which ever flavor you prefer, everyone should own a open class two stroke at least once in their lives.:thumbup
 
brichter

brichter

Spun out freakshow
Agreed.

I loved my YZ490 back in the day, and it was the memory of how fun that bike was that prompted me to get the CR (that, and it sat here on BARF while the price just kept getting lower and lower and the owner said he wasn't going to ride it).

I almost bought a YZ a year ago from Santa Clara Cycle, but talked myself out of it.

If you like to ride like a hooligan in the dirt, there's nothing better than an uncivilized, over powered, wheelieing roost machine with a power band like a light switch for causing all kinds of shenanigans! :party
 
angelsndevils

angelsndevils

gas burning o-zone killer
brichter said:
If you like to ride like a hooligan in the dirt, there's nothing better than an uncivilized, over powered, wheelieing roost machine with a power band like a light switch for causing all kinds of shenanigans! :party
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That sir, should be engraved on a plaque and hung on the wall of every mancave and garage! :thumbup
 
KTMJACK

KTMJACK

Cheese cutter
Tharkûn said:
That's sweet! I just looked at bike-finds and saw an immaculate 2004 KX500 on eBay

Btw how would you compare your 300 to your 350?
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I like the 350 better than the 300
The 350 is a 390 with a Crower cam and i plated it too :thumbup
The 300 has a SXS head Dick's Racing carb
There close to the same HP
 
joespeedfast

joespeedfast

WTF LOL
byke said:
I don't know about owning one, but definitely in regards to riding one. Or, maybe own one just to remind yourself once in a while why you mostly ride the other bike/s in your garage. They may have about the same power as a new 450, but the delivery is terrifying.
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+1
I was gonna say the same... ownership overated unless you're a glutton for punishment, or exercises in futility... :laughing
Good experience to spend a day or two riding one(or two) tho...
Ive ridden Yamaha SC-500s, BSA B50MXs, YZ465/490s, CR500s and KX500s, Husaberg 501/600s just to mention a few starting from way back in the day and they are always a thrill. :ride
Not so sure any of them have anything over a well prepped modern day 450 tho...
I still remember the first KX500 ride and, that Klem Research CR500... :wow
 
Tharkûn

Tharkûn

Freeway Moderator
KTMJACK said:
I like the 350 better than the 300
The 350 is a 390 with a Crower cam and i plated it too :thumbup
The 300 has a SXS head Dick's Racing carb
There close to the same HP
Click to expand...

Is the 350 easier to ride? How about weight? I'm kicking around a 350 or a 200, just trying to decide if its worth the extra ~2k
 
EastBayDave

EastBayDave

- Kawasaki Fanatic -
I had great fun on my 250's back in the day (YAM DT1 250's.)

When I sold that & bought a YZ426 the damn thing spit me off so many times I lost count. Seemed like every time I took it out, I'd perform a "Flying-W" at some point.

W/today's bikes, I'd guess a 4-stoke would be ok? Those older massive lightswitch powerband 400-500cc two strokes....pass...
 
Beauregard

Beauregard

Aut Agere Aut Mori
The only 500 I have ever owned was a 2000 CR500R.... and no, not everyone should own one of those.

2182663-cr500r1.jpg
 
EastBayDave

EastBayDave

- Kawasaki Fanatic -
Forgot to mention riding partner had a Maco 500 2-stroker; every time I rode that damn thing it spit me off. Sometimes with surprising hilarity,...
 
KCCO

KCCO

RAK it up
My buddy just picked up a running, good condition CR500 for $400... needless to say I was a tad bit jealous when I heard that.
 
T

tankerman

Well-known member
Big CR's had a reputation for beating up their riders hence most of them are pretty much intact. The riders..Well that's another story.
 
kxmike

kxmike

Well-known member
I raced big bores for years...Maico's and Honda's. My favorite was the 86 cr500, awesome motor and great handling...when Honda went to inverted forks the handling went to shit...it was hard to hang on to any Honda 2 stroke in the 90's let alone a 500!
The modern 450's aren't as brutal as the 500's and because of the power characteristics they are easier to go fast on, that's why they replaced the 500's. I was racing a 250 2 stroke when the modern 450's came about. Up till 2004 I was still winning expert races against the 450's but it was hard. On the 2stroke you have to be perfect...throttle control, clutch slippage body english and gear shifts had to be spot on...with the 450 it was so much easier...I'm exaggerating here..but it's almost like "just twist the throttle to go faster"...didn't even matter what gear you were in :rolleyes.
I love the new 4 strokes now, but will always have an appreciation for the brutality of the old 500's... and the men who raced them!:teeth:cool
 
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