Something other than my beer can......

[Wheelie-Gene]

This isn't the proper place to discuss this.......but this seems to be the most viewed place on the site.
I have a beer can, but I don't want to talk about that right now.
I do need advice from the experts that we have here, in a way it's a no-brainer. Here goes.

I have been offered the chance to purchase a really clean 480 (I know it's not a 500 and this is a 500 site). I had an 83 CR250 in high school and I looked up to the 480 as Superman's bike. I now have a chance to own one and I can't pass up the deal.

Here's a few pics, please tell me what you think:











It has a desert tank and a different pipe, a new Wiseco and Boysen's have been added as well.

[Exnav]

Buy it. The 480's were great bikes. I've ridden lots of them back in the day. Love the tractable power. The hit is nowhere near the hit of the 85-86. Neat old bike.

The left hand kicker takes some getting used to.


The bike in the pic has the wrong front fender. Looks better with the newer style though.

[sabreguy]

I say pull the trigger and get the biotch!!!!

[redrocket190]

Had one. Sold it. Regret it. Buy it.

Check immediately for a cracked piston. If it has OEM plastic replace it. The tank looks a little higher at the gas cap than I remember and maybe after-market. The PFR pipe and silencer combo is very good for making a broad range of power. The stock jetting is way off, I'll send you what works if you ask.

[Exnav]

Oh yea, that's a comfy seat!

[CRMOE500]

Nice find! I would not hesitate and buy that bike for sheer nostalgic reasons.
You just don't see them in that kind of shape anymore.

[britincali]

I had an 83 and like rerocket said check the piston, mine fragged and runied the bottom end.

[Balaclava]

when i was a youngen, my old man had an 83 480 that was bored way over, and like you said i looked up to that bike like it was the biggest baddest scariest superman dirt bike ever. i used to sit on it and imagine the day i would be able to ride something like that. its so weird with the left kicker and the right sprocket. that's a clean bike...btw i've seen alot of aircooled 480 and 500 engines for sale lately. going very cheap, like 100-300$ for running with electronics...would be cool to see an aircooler AF someday soon on this sie.

[jbird_710]

If the inside was taken care of any where near as well as the outside, I don't see where you could go wrong. That's a good looking bike.

[davo77]

..would be cool to see an aircooler AF someday soon on this sie.[/quote]

fuk yeah.... how cool would an air cooled 480 or early 500 engine in a gen3 or gen4 frame be??? Add the one industries bailey kit for the full retro look..

[87CR500Rider]

That's a sweet ride.

[Wheelie-Gene]

I didn't expect so much feedback in a short time.
Yeah, I told him I'd take it.

The guy that has the bike said it ran crappy. A Honda dealer checked it out and it had a bad reed, so Boysens were installed. The jug was pulled and a Wiseco was installed. He basically took it home and parked it. He put about 1/2 hour on the thing after the refresh, but it has spent many years under a bike cover.

I still have my old red/white/blue Honda shirt like 190s (are those available somewhere??), but it's too small now.

My 83 250 was left kick, right drive. People gave me strange looks when I'd kick it left footed.

Thnaks all,
Gene.

[Roostius_Maximus]

nice machine!

[sabreguy]

I still have my old red/white/blue Honda shirt like 190s (are those available somewhere??), but it's too small now.

http://www.btosports.com/thumb/phpThumb ... 9HONDA.jpg

[Wheelie-Gene]

Wow, thanks for the link.
The shirt looks old-school, but too much on the modern side. Though I do like the pants.
I'll post a vid clip of the test ride.

I'd like the jet specs when you get time, Rocket.

[redrocket190]

http://www.metroracing.com/
http://www.vintageiron.com/
http://www.destroyclothing.co.uk/

[TYSTYX]

Nice 480.....good find !!!

[redrocket190]

Pilot 70
Main 152
50/50 Pump/VP C-12

[Wheelie-Gene]

Thanks Michael, I owe you one.
I'll have to pull the bowl and see what it has.

I pumped the old gas out of it yesterday, I unscrewed the access cap on the carb and pulled the main jet. Luckily the carb was run dry before the engine was shut off, so it didn't goop up.
I don't remember the jet size, but I recall a 162 main.
The needle is at the lowest setting (highest groove).

I fired it up and rode it during lunch today. She pulls nice and strong. I made a u-turn at the end of a long straight. Gave it a little "BRRRRAAAAPPPP" in 1st gear to get it up on the back wheel. Well.... it easily kept the front wheel aloft (the sweetest power wheelie I've done in 20 years) in all 5 gears. I finally set it down after 200 yards or so, but that really didn't surprise me...though it did impress me. The jetting is on the fat side, low revs/part throttle is really responsive. Higher revs and more twist of the grip tends to get blubbery.

I had an 81 CR450 at one time. It had a brutal hit that would sneak up and all of a sudden explode. Being away from these monsters for such a long time, I was overly cautious and waiting for the grand slam that never came. Looks like the power is smooth (Doug....you were right).

It makes good torque...can't wait to have the 500 complete and running. This'll be good practice 'till I get-er-done.
What a strange sinsation of having all thet metallic ringing coming from underneath.

Too bad I didn't have someone shooting a vid.
Looks like a helmet cam could be useful.

[Balaclava]

awesome man...i've never tried a 480, sounds like some fun shit...

[Wheelie-Gene]

Purest form of sheer joy I've had in a long time. Just hope it doesn't put me on my ass one day.

The dude I got it from said his friend's 500 was easier to start than the 480.

Maybe I'm used to smaller bikes, but I've been kicking 500/600 thumpers since I was 15, this thing has some serious compression. Maybe it's the new top end....so far I can get it lit in 3 kicks. So far it's been cold start-ups, I'll have to kill it when it's hot to see what I can do.

Anyone have and comment on kicking a 480 vs a 500.

[Exnav]

The cooling fins have the little rubber vibration isolators between them. Couple of my buddies 480's had lost most of these and I remember thinking how funny they sounded with detectable ringing of the fins at idle.

[redrocket190]

Look on eBay for an after-market kick starter made by a guy in San Diego. It's quite a lot better than stock. Cold, I always kicked it on the left-hand side standing on a crate and it was a 2-3 kick proposition with the jetting and fuel I suggested. Hot, you could in a pinch kick it while on the bike.

[Wheelie-Gene]

Yep...I've seen the rubber fin inserts on older (new to me back then) bikes. This one doesn't have any.

I ran my finger nails over the edges of the fins and noticed the different pitces in sound.
I could really make music if I had a pair of xylophone mallets.

The noise doesn't bother me, I just find it odd.

Thanks for the tip on the extended kicker. I'll check into it if it gives me any issues.

[south central hoon]

I loved the 480 for a play bike, the power is very trail friendly. congrats on the find, very clean ride. post some pics of her dirty!!!!