I have for many years now, been grafting parts into my FJ60 that came from some other vehicle. For example it has a roller lifter 350 with Vortec heads, a highly modified TBI system, an NV4500 from a Chevy truck, an NP241 from a Dodge truck, a rear axle form a Chevy with disk brakes from another Chevy. Anyway it works well and I love it. Then there is the motorcycle.
I have a 1995 CR500. It is the fith open class, two-cycle, stupid-fast Honda that I have owned. When I was young and sturdy, I desert raced them in the Open Expert class. Of all the bikes I had, the 1990 CR500 was by far the best handling of them all; it had different frame geometery than most other CR500s and both of the newer 500s I have had were just not as good. So, enter the Frankenbike. I bought a 1990 frame on Flea Bay for next to nothing and swapped all the parts over. The shock linkage brackets had to be cut and welded closer to the frame and the frame just above the lower chain roller had to be modified to allow passage of the shock linkage bolt, but those things aside, it all went together easily. The difference is simply amazing, The stability, the way it will tuck in the front end and start oversteering with minimal input is so predictable and so easy, it makes using all 70 horsepower not only possible, but a rear rush. I should clarify; I don't trail ride, I trail race. I like to ride as fast as I can no matter where I am, it's my favorite drug. Next up is a set of WR450 forks that I obtained and rebuilt. The forks on the CR500s in the '94, '95 years were horrible. Some serious valving mods has made them much better, but still not what I would call great forks. So Stage Two of the Frankenbike project (the making of a CR-WR) is coming up, hopefully this weekend.
I have a 1995 CR500. It is the fith open class, two-cycle, stupid-fast Honda that I have owned. When I was young and sturdy, I desert raced them in the Open Expert class. Of all the bikes I had, the 1990 CR500 was by far the best handling of them all; it had different frame geometery than most other CR500s and both of the newer 500s I have had were just not as good. So, enter the Frankenbike. I bought a 1990 frame on Flea Bay for next to nothing and swapped all the parts over. The shock linkage brackets had to be cut and welded closer to the frame and the frame just above the lower chain roller had to be modified to allow passage of the shock linkage bolt, but those things aside, it all went together easily. The difference is simply amazing, The stability, the way it will tuck in the front end and start oversteering with minimal input is so predictable and so easy, it makes using all 70 horsepower not only possible, but a rear rush. I should clarify; I don't trail ride, I trail race. I like to ride as fast as I can no matter where I am, it's my favorite drug. Next up is a set of WR450 forks that I obtained and rebuilt. The forks on the CR500s in the '94, '95 years were horrible. Some serious valving mods has made them much better, but still not what I would call great forks. So Stage Two of the Frankenbike project (the making of a CR-WR) is coming up, hopefully this weekend.
