1985 HONDA CR500R, THE FASTEST HARDEST HITTING PRODUCTION CR500 EVER MADE

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[@sonnygee2634]

I bought a new '85 CR500 in February of "85. Got it for $2195. It had so much power to be so light (to me) that I figured it would be pretty fragile. Nope; it was one of the most reliable bikes I've ever owned. I did at least 50 races before having to bore it, plus countless hours of hill climbing and practicing. Just like he said, 3rd gear starts, then I'd shift to 4th a short ways out and slide back on the seat. Hole shot almost every time. Ran into one of my racing buddies from back then who rode a YZ490. We got to talking about our racing days and he said "remember how you'd line up on the start to the left of everyone else and get the hole shot into the right hand corner after the start straight?" "Yep, I remember getting quite a few." Loved to hill climb on it. I could take off in 3rd at the bottom of steep hill climbs that everyone else had to get a run at and gain speed all the way up then fly over the top. When hill climbing, I learned to give only as much throttle as the rear tire could take. 1st was just for idling around 2nd was good for slow riding, 3rd was where you could get into the throttle. "Power band was from Idle to about 6500 rpm. On the later models they moved the power further up the rpm scale. My friends late 90's was actually harder to ride for me. It had a less down low and then would violently hit the power band around 3500 rpm. He said either ride it below that or keep it above that. To me, mine was easier, since the hit was always there. In a drag race they were equal. It's a bike you have to ride 2 or 3 times a week to stay in "tune" with it. Kept mine for 20 years before selling. Kind of wish I still had it, to get the "rush" it gave me every time I rode it, but at 68, I'd probably really hurt myself.

[@jc7654]

yep

[@eamh2002]

What a cool story it would be though to hurt yourself on a cr500 being almost 70years old. Kids would be in awe :)

[@jeffkeni]

I've always said I don't want to get just hurt. I want to die. Could there be a better way to die than with a smile on your face and sh*t in your pants? I think not :)

[@CarsandCats]

@@jeffkeni See my post above! LOL.

[@michaelmills5157]

The mid 80’s CR’s were simply best in class! I was A KX guy and the CR’s would give me fits!

[@jojodirtbike]

am 64 and still riding a around on a 1985 cr500 .... fast as fuck.... and still king of 2 strokes

[@borreltjuh83]

You rock sir

[@darrenrachel7386]

I purchased my 85 Cr500 in 1994, sold it to a work mate around 2010. He had it for 3 years and only rode it 5 times up until it threw him off the back and I bought it back. I could not live with out her. 2 years she was raced motorcross and also did some flat track work/races. I'm now crying as I let her go again a couple of months ago due to her upsetting me through just sitting around for the past years calling for me to ride her. She did go to a really good home and will be raced again in the classics down here in Aus. Very happy she lives on. Thanks Kaplan America for this and love your work brother.

[@Sooper_B]

20 years ago I bought 1985 CR500 and had sold it. Ever since I sold that bike I had craved another bigbore two stroke. A few short years later i bough a 1981 Maico 490 Mega 2. Still have it 15 years later. Plus other bigbore bikes. Moral of the story don’t ever sell a bigbore. You will regret it.

[@ronkay1573]

Definitely one of the best looking years of the CR 500’s. It’s a Beauty and a Beast!

[@moto3463]

Sad that our generation missed growing up on beasts of machines like this. The older I get the more I appreciate the older bikes more than modern you just can’t replicate the enjoyment riding such a beautiful work of man made machine long live the two strokes 🙌🏼

[@dwayneeaton8873]

Easy to see why you love the CR500

[@Turd97]

Everyone like 500s

[@rmfun-qo3ge]

The new 450's are great bikes but,none of them hold a candle to the big bore two strokes...The 80's were truly an awesome time for motocross!! Hats off to ya Kap!!

[@EarthSurferUSA]

The 450 4-strokes will beat this bike today. I build 2-stroke engines for a living, and it was a shock to me to see the 4-strokes making the same or more power than the 2-stroke of the same displacement, but I think I figured out why the 4-strokes are equal or better today. Because of "4-strokes" (opposed to 2-strokes), they can actually make more power and still have a ride-able MX bike. I know the CR500 2-stroke can make a lot more power than it does/did, but it would be a suicide ride on a MX track, but great for drag racing. Since the 4-stroke does hook up better to the ground, that allows it to be able to make more HP, (and the tracks became faster as a result.)

[@rmfun-qo3ge]

Yeah? Tell that to David Bailey. Keep building those 2 strokes.

[@RosErik47]

​@@EarthSurferUSAyou must be complete shit at building 2 strokes because they will easily dominate any 4 stroke of the same displacement on dyno runs with high compression and race fuel. Fact.

[@dandennis7649]

All damn day.....real talk.

[@dandennis7649]

We will keep rebuilding. No worries .

[@alfialho7722]

I bought two of these in November 1985. One for me and one for my best friend. I absolutely loved mine. At 6’2 235 lbs I could hold on to her pretty good. I rode it for 12 years.

[@hankschrader149]

I can vouch how fast these bikes are 😮. I owned an 85' Cr500 bored Wiseco, ported/polished, shaved head, FMF nickel pipe, Ohlins suspension, original Honda factory bike and that thing ripped

[@keithpeterson6108]

What a sweet example of that era bike! That's the first cr500 I ever rode. I was just a little guy on an 80 & a friend of the family had one of those. I couldn't start it, so he fired it up for me. I got going about 20 feet & shifted to 2nd gear, barely touched the throttle & the bike was straight up & down with my feet hanging off the back!! Luckily it came back down & it stalled. I never wanted to ride one of those things again...until I got older. Killer cool bike! That thing is dialed mint!

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Boy, I would have been questioning how much a "friend of the family" he was. About one horsepower to one pound of body weight? My YZ250 2-stroke would have about 215 hp!!!!!! :)

[@keithpeterson6108]

@EarthSurferUSA Lol no doubt!

[@tomburns890]

Sounds really good! Brings back memories. I had several Honda’s then switched to a ‘88 Kx250 I sold everything I had in ‘89 at 19 and quit riding from 10. 9 years of awesome memories. The CR 500 is the best ever!

[@Sierra101-p1p]

This guy is a total badass. 85 was a great year for Honda.

[@stuartcampbell8010]

Had one new out the box, everyone says they are a beast etc, etc but back in the day as an 18 yr old it was the next progression from a 250 and rode it as hard as you could. Defiantly beat the 93 YZ-490 ( twin Fox Shock conversion) I rode the day I turned 16 straight off a 125, that beast was scary. Great channel, brings back a lot of good memories.

[@vinto34]

Iconic machine...you never have to replace they front tyre as it's always off the ground.

[@felixdahousecat5331]

She sounds so crisp and clean

[@more.power.]

Great exhaust tone from a beast of a motorcycle. Thanks Ken

[@brianknittle6642]

Back in HS, 1989, buddy raced an 88 KX 500. Those vet class riders with guts hanging out would pull away on their mid 80's CR's. Absolutely fire breathing beasts.

[@raymondg6424]

Absolutely stunning piece Kap and the team are no joke when it comes to this bike resto game 🤙🤙

[@Danielscott383]

What a beast, gonna get one some day!

[@guyc66]

My friend bought a new '85 CR500 and wanted me to ride it to see what I thought. D@mn that thing was a fire-breathing beast! It scared the crap out of me the first time I took off on it and I never really rode it long enough to learn how to handle it well. The power that engine had was mind blowing for a 19-year-old who didn't grow up riding anything bigger than a KX80 when I was 14. This video brought back memories of good times in the '80s.

[@JamesJohnson-ny3xz]

Just wanted to say GOOD MORNING. And say I didn’t fall down the stair’s yesterday. I Appreciate the help with the motorcycle. Thankyou, James.

[@gareththomas9005]

Absolutely gorgeous bike fare play I love watching your videos but I love the cr480 my self and you have had some cracking 1s iv seen on your KZbin channel brilliant work to you and your team

[@telboy1965]

Absolutely gorgeous machines I owned an 86 500 many falls many bruises but a hell of a lot of fun wish I still owned it today the guy who brought it from me in 1990 still owns it today

[@509Glock22]

Such a beautiful bike! Love that old school big bore! Had a 82 cr480 for a few years and that bike was a beast!

[@jesseison-bowman3964]

Just had to watch it again. It just doesn't get any better than this bike. So damn sweet amd yes senior it looks fast as all hell. I had an 86 CR80 with the exact same colors. Your 500's Great grand son lol.

[@madplanet3351]

Great video dude. Had the 250 full pro circuit. Epic.

[@vithakatsa5451]

Every time Kaplan rips that st up my heart goes boom boom ❤❤ ❤❤ ❤❤ ❤❤ 😊

[@jeffsadowski7759]

Man. What a nice bike! Nobody does it like you. God Bless.❤😊

[@gskelton2937]

Man you are cool. Loves these flash back bikes..... I grew up at that time (the 80's) and my brothers had these bikes and I was a trophy girl for several years and when any of my brothers won...I would not let them kiss me! We stood strangely apart during the champion pic....LOL

[@aarmancuda3570]

The CR Red Rocket machines was the winning ticket back in the 80's.. You knew when you saw one, it was the bike to have.They really were in a class by themselves..

[@buddy7332]

You'd love to have and hold a red rocket?

[@smileychavez8093]

Beautiful bike I should have never sold the one I owned. Great stuff Ken!!badass!!

[@c130comm]

awesome bike had a 86 and loved it. what a machine

[@jimski1]

Nothing like tuning in and see kaplan braaaaaping on a cr500 yeahhhh baby.

[@tobiasztorzeski9063]

Just sitting here laughing my ass of watching senior just breathe on the throttle, flying around. What an amazingly powerful bike just tamed and tapped into by senior and his experience. What a sight. God bless.

[@gearedupkim9516]

AGAIN…another beautiful bike Kap!Always LOVE your CR500’s… 2 stroke’s all the way..💨 ONLY way to go.👍💪👍

[@KaplanCycles]

Glad you like them!

[@bouldernelsonbigfoot]

Love the Honda CR500. I never owned one. I did own a KX500 1986.

[@nathanlane4433]

Rrrrr... rrrrrrr....It never gets old, Ken.

[@Von_Len]

Ken, Your humbleness to credit bike over your skills is admirable. “Keep‘n it real Ken”

[@dirtcurt1]

I bought one in 85 and paid 1895.00 plus tax and license. I bought it for hill climbing at Jawbone Canyon. I was coming off an 84 XR500. The XR would barely get out of the loose stuff at the mid point on the hills with death defying speed runs at the bottom. The CR could idle up to the bottom and accelerate though the loose dirt up the hill. Mark Meadows was the mechanic at Clovis Honda and I'll never forget him telling me to shift UP and hold the throttle wide open while climbing! Yes, they were fast, but the low end power was off the charts. That motor would grunt what seemed like 1000 rpms and just keep pulling and wouldn't die. In third or 4th gear sawing your way to the top maybe 10mph with the back tire spinning occasionally made the most distinct sound on the hill. Weight shifting was the actual throttle, start spinning too much slide back, need more tire spin get forward. They had more useable low end than any other bike. And they only needed new rear fenders once a month.

[@chrism2042]

In my 50's, I was riding a CR500 and KX500 back in the 80's. Have never been on a newer 4-stroke dirt bike, but watch videos of those guys talking about the power of the 4-stroke. May be, but they sure don't look like they can compete with the 2-stroke bikes.

[@stevesmith756]

They smoke the 2 strokes. So much easier to ride than the 500. I had one

[@2-strokeracer531]

@@stevesmith756 How about in a drag race..?

[@stevesmith756]

@@2-strokeracer531 any day. 4 stroke traction. Can’t beat it. Sorry and I love 2 strokes

[@2-strokeracer531]

@@stevesmith756 I get it...

[@Pdeloosha]

Listen to that thing snap. What a dream machine !

[@cyclerider5652]

Great racing story. That's a lot of hole shots! I never owned a CR500 but got to ride one. I liked the CR500 because you didn't have to run it as hard as a smaller bike. I have good throttle control and could even start it. Lol. I really liked riding it and felt good on it. There were a couple of riding buddies that day who couldn't even start my friends mighty CR500. 😀🤣

[@falconx5744]

Truly a beautiful machine 👌

[@seangriffith4314]

I could listen to old moto racin stories all day! Awesome bike!

[@TNTMOTO]

Restored one for my channel from a Craigslist nightmare a few years back. The scariest bike i have ever ridden. An absolute animal.

[@ShootAUT]

My dad had one of those in the 90s. He was a small man who always needed a ladder or something to help him just to get on that thing. And even if he would've wanted to, he couldn't have brought that front wheel to touch the ground while blasting up and down the road. Never saw him happier than during his futile attempts to tame that bike.

[@davebrunette6394]

I had a 85 KX 500 I bought new and you couldn't shift it fast enough to stay in the power band! The most powerful production KX 500 motor ever! Fortunately my best friend at the time was a pro motocross racer and he ported the cylinder of my Big KX to perfection! What a beast of a motorcycle!

[@ctait831]

I've owned and ridden an 85 and 86 and agree that the motor was a monster but I've honestly been faster on a mid to late 90's 500. Definitely a gem you have there and bike of that generation in that condition are almost impossible to find 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻 you guys rock!!! I hope to come visit your shop and museum the next time I come home to New England...

[@jamescameron7633]

What a legend good stuff bro nice wisdom

[@TriAngles3D]

This was sound of that time. Heard it all the time. All through my teens. Just open the throttle and that is what came out... Yesterday, was 40 years ago.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

I like that last saying. I was 19 years old 40 years ago. But I like to say I have been 19 years old for 40 years now. :)

[@yzmoto80]

I was trying to find the stats on the year you’re talking about, maybe the AMA district it was in ? Or maybe the class it it was it in for the year of your sponsorship. I thought that would be so cool to download some pics and stuff to make a collage for the NEMM ! 😎 Sweet bike Ken ! I can’t get enough of those 500’s my friend !

[@danstevens2204]

Love the sound of the air cooled smokers 👍🏻

[@TopRevs]

This bike is watercooled

[@michaelnapoleoni6355]

For anyone that was alive in the 80s and 90s that thing is the king of dirt bikes. The graphics and seat bring back so much nostalgia.

[@michaelbridges1300]

I ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOVE THAT SOUND!! SOOO CRISPY!

[@franciscolopez3229]

Great resto sir, but if you won't mind me saying so, I would've used the blue PRO-LINK logo on the swingarm for a more authentic 1985 look. Great videos.

[@bobbymaiu745]

I watch your show everyday in my job I put your channel all day love it pizza place by the way often customers ask me what channel is that KAPLAN NEW ENGLAND museum I am spreading the word keep the videos coming and thanks brother

[@KaplanCycles]

I appreciate that!!

[@johna6968]

Absolutely stunning 👌

[@kevculmstock1]

Thats a beautiful bike sir.

[@sonnyseabury4051]

Very nice bike, Brother. I would buy it if I were 20 to 25 years younger. Gorgeous!

[@EarthSurferUSA]

"We don't stop playing because we get old. We get old because we stop playing." Saw that on a T-shirt once, so I am at the trails again at 59. :)

[@sonnyseabury4051]

@EarthSurferUSA Amen Brother. I'm about to make 50 years old, and I still love fast bikes as much as I did, when I was a teenager and in my 20's. Getting older is not a death sentence, unless you choose to make it into one, and stop doing things that you like.

[@perryanderson5642]

@@EarthSurferUSA I Agree Earth SurferUSA! You got 7 on me, we're still Young and Riding Does Keep You Young.

[@geoffluck]

Oh my, I would love that bike, looks fresh as a daisy😊

[@joshuadowling8778]

Wow. I'm a bike guy, but I've made mention of the battle of the 3 wheeler wars. This monster kills it.

[@mariomessinese5287]

The first Big bore I ever rode was a 86 CR500 and that thing was an absolute rocket ship. I think I was around 15 years old. All I can say is ragdoll 😂. Grip it and rip it haha.

[@BobbyBoca]

I know this is a older video but I can sit in front of that beast and just look at it for hours it’s a beauty!

[@flame-on-3]

What a unique experience it was to watch at Conindale raceway Queensland Australia around that era, a grass track only open a few times of year, open class Steven Gall, Anthony Gunter, Beatly Baily, Jeff Leask, Trevor Williams etc, Come off the last slower but get a lot of height jump before the long straight and hear those big bore 2 strokes fully tapped out in mid air, ready for the gun shot blast on landing, and then the sound of being held flat out all the way up the curved long hill straight. It was musical, I don't know what the G loading would of been on touch down from flat out mid air before the straight, to take off on touchdown, But it looked and sounded batshit crasy, truly a memorable experience.

[@kasticmillett3247]

Love the 85s

[@Twobarpsi]

I rode an 80s era CR125. Definitely was fun!

[@cupwalker24.7]

My 1985 cr500 Kart from Kaplan Cycles is a Beast💪 with the wizard tune ;) Has the Meanest hardest Hitting Power Band of all !!! on the Track .. Real Handful !!! you can feel alllllll of the power Because it's in Kart sitting two inches off the Ground . My little Rocket Ship 🚀🚀🚀💪🤠

[@mikefarrell7985]

I bought a 85 CR500 in 85 and raced NESC and raced the open Novice. My first race was a Waterboro. Was pulling the hole shot by 3 bike lengths until I had to make the off camber first turn. Let’s say I got intimate with the snow fence. Dowd won that day and made Amateur. My only regret is that I rode it like a 250. It was a beast.

[@gregbishop3167]

Raced NESC then too 125 and open novice and made amateur around September. Great times.

[@1973406]

Killa!!! Blue coolant hoses and the white letters tires gotta go for me lol!!

[@gabrielnelzn8554]

Interesting how you describe that they "detuned" the bike after 85, 86... Didn't know that. Must be a beast of a machine...

[@ronaldbaucom6297]

It was the Beast. Honda started calming it down in the following years !

[@derrickmacdonald3541]

Nice bike. I had this bike back in 91. Sent 2 people to the ER

[@ryans2118]

Love u brothers, wish i was closer than az. Would love to stop by ur shop! That bike is the fastest especially when u speed up the v.i.d. shaft?! ❤

[@damnimsowasted]

The group B of Motorcross! What an epic sound!

[@keeptwowheelsdown]

What a great bike. Looks like it rolled off the showroom floor! Your crew does nice work. Ken, I have a bike question for you about the 1500 valkyrie. I bought a 89 goldwing that had tons of work done to it. I got it back up and running. I fell in love with that bike. Took it on a 3500 mile road trip. It developed the 4th gear shift fork problem. So I bought a 95 cheap. Started switching parts. The bike is a turd. I've had the plastic off too many times. I'm going to sell the wing. I'm thinking of grabbing a 1500 valkyrie for highway rides. What is your opinion on the 1500 valkyrie? I value your opinion because you have probably had many of them. Signed sick of taking off goldwing plastics! Any advice would be appreciated sir. Peace

[@roebria1]

Bought a 82 480 new out of the crate from a guy that was too scared of it. Man what a great bike. Left kick and a little hard to start. You did not want me to pass you as it threw boulders. 1295.00 from Portland Honda. Wow.

[@genreaper]

Sick bike. Beast !

[@endurox1481]

love these videos.

[@KaplanCycles]

Glad you like them!

[@endurox1481]

@@KaplanCycles Oh heck yeah. My 13 year old son also watches your channel. We are both Enduro riders. The way you speak, and the advice you give is sage advice for people of all ages. That said young people today can greatly benefit from your wisdom.

[@paulpence8895]

Perfect!

[@jamescameron7633]

One of the best bikes ever make I learnt to ride on the cr 80 same model

[@695look]

That bike is awesome!

[@barthnortheast]

My fav bike my friend used to take us out on his back in the day

[@markjjensen3806]

I had a cr500 1985 it was kick ass!

[@RbSc75]

Fantastic bike !

[@garethjohnstone9282]

Thats a good looking bike. The definition of motocross.

[@jcrosslin8]

I know this is weird to say, but dude, you have fantastic posture!

[@thomasrobers7004]

Nice bike man.

[@michaeltucker1520]

I rode my first time 1985 CR500R I will never forget that my handlebars bent twice & I went to Honda Parts Dept to bought brand new handlebars twice in one day, somehow 1985 CR500R, too rocket & not very smooth though so two weeks later, my first time Moto-X Racer in 1986 I won 1st place twice in one night !! No need 1st gear before race because of the front wheel went up every time so I always using 2nd gear before race lol Thumbs up 👍😎🇺🇲

[@7viewerlogic670]

Awesome!

[@herbertbryant5203]

I had the same one for years ! Las vegas desert rider!!

[@Fenmore50]

Pure art

[@dean4817]

1985 I was 15...6'4... weight about 69kg with all my gear..raced one of these against the adults ..2nd gear full noise start.. flogged em hole shit💪ahh to be a boy again

[@DTM45]

One of the best machines .

[@210078]

Gorgeous!!😍😍😍

[@CJRSBK]

This engine in a 2024 crf450 rolling chassis....would be the ultimate motocross bike.

[@markhooper5824]

Ace bike. Love it.

[@Op1zilla]

Beautiful MAchine, God Bless America an Honda 👽👍🏻✨🚲💥💨💨💨

[@harrypalmer291]

The best looking year for Honda mx bikes ever imo 😊

[@suzukiman650]

That bike is a beauty.