1991 Honda CR500R Resto/Mod Custom
After building my first custom bike at age 14, a 1972 Yamaha GT80 with 1979 Kawasaki KX80 front forks and shocks which turned out remarkably well, I had the itch to build motorcycles.
After many years rebuilding/modifying motorcycles for fun, I attended Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, graduating in 2005 and became a full-time motorcycle mechanic.
Having always wanted to build a real custom motorcycle and hopefully do it for a living, I was finally able to fulfill my bike building dream.
First, I joined the International Master Bike Builders Association. The IMBBA helps legitimize bike builders in the field, and most of the big-name custom builders belong to this organization.
At first glance this dirt bike may look like any other dirt bike that has been painted up and has new plastics. Take a much closer look and read on.
Honda CR500’s are my favorite dirt bike and I have owned four so far. I decided I would build a custom one from the ground up and wanted to build a dirt bike like no one else has done. The build is based on a 1991 Honda CR500R.
Anyone can paint a dirt bike, put on new plastic, and throw a bunch of aftermarket parts on it and call it custom. I wanted to build a truly custom dirt bike — a one-of-a-kind.
The bike took me roughly 14 months to build. My vision was a high power, low noise, “wolf in sheep’s clothing” that would run on pump fuel and rock the custom bike industry with a fresh idea that is a true show-and-go piece.
The bike would mainly be designed to easily switch from torquey off-road/single track riding to hill shooting dune predator in about an hour. A true “Jekyll and Hyde” transformation. I feel I accomplished this idea to a “T.”
When I started building this bike there were some parts I knew I wanted to incorporate into my build — Kawasaki KX450F Kayaba DLC coated forks, Vortex adjustable CDI, and a Honda HPSD steering damper to name few.
I knew the color scheme I wanted. The blue color I wanted to use is from a piece of bar pad plastic that I had from about 10 years ago. I had the color analyzed and was able to have it custom mixed for painting.
I also knew the amount of horsepower I wanted because of another CR500 I had, a Service Honda CR500AF with a nitrous system putting out 74hp.
I found my cylinder porting guru through the CR500 Forum, Glen Howell of GSS Race porting. He massaged the top-end from carb, intake, reed cage, piston, cylinder, head, to exhaust manifold. This work allowed the engine to be spec’d at 73 horsepower on pump fuel.
This bike ended up having multiple makes and years of motorcycle parts added to the project as well as aftermarket pieces, including 1989-91 Honda CR500, 2001 Kawasaki KX500, 2009 Honda CRF450R, 2007 Kawasaki KX450F, 2010 Kawasaki KX250F, 2002 KTM 250SX, and 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250.
The bike has been completely reworked in a resto/mod fashion. All parts are restored, customized, or new. This bike is custom from front to back.
About three-quarters of the way through the build I realized this was really going to be something special. I decided to enter this bike in a bike show.
Since I live in Central Point, Oregon the biggest and closest bike show that was happening around the time I would be finished was the Good Vibrations Bike Show in Salem.
It was fantastic to win first place in the off-road category with my first attempt at a custom motorcycle. I hope to have future opportunities to restore and modify motorcycles of all types and of any year.
1991 HONDA CR500R RESTORATON / MOD SPECS
ENGINE
- Complete lower-end rebuild with Hinson Racing clutch basket and cases port matched to cylinder.
- Wiseco Pro-Lite Piston, cylinder, head, intake boot, reed cage, and Atomic 22 exhaust manifold all custom race ported by GSS Race Porting for pump fuel
- Custom reed cage is a very short-run series designed for hill climbing
- Decompression valve in cylinder head
- Keihin PWK carburetor, 39.5mm, bored to 41.5mm and two-way adjustable throttle
- Cylinder and head exteriors smoothed
- Cylinder and head thermal dispersant coated by NIC Industries
- Piston crown and head dome thermal barrier coated by NIC Industries
- Piston skirt dry film lubricant coated by NIC Industries
- Magura hydraulic clutch with custom handle and custom HEL stainless clutch line
FRONT SUSPENSION
- 2007 Kawasaki KX450F 48mm inverted, Kayaba AOS with DLC coated fork sliders, 12.4″ travel, valved and sprung by Pro Action, .42kg spring, adjusted for 180-190lb rider
- Lower fork tubes smoothed and armor coated
- 2007 KX450F Kawasaki triple clamps smoothed and armor coated
- Custom steering stem
REAR SUSPENSION
- 1991 Honda CR500R Showa with updated shock seal head, bottoming bumper, spring adjuster
- Smoothed and armor coated
- One-off custom titanium painted spring
SWING ARM & LINKAGE
- Fully welded and smoothed, armor coated
- 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250 swing arm linkage bolt hole covers
- DRIVE
- Renthal front and rear sprockets
- D.I.D ERV3 chain
- 2010 Kawasaki KX250F chain rollers
FRAME
- 1991 Honda CR500R race gusseting, fully welded and smoothed
- Custom brackets
- One-off custom blue paint
SUB-FRAME
- Custom AC aluminum, 5-lbs lighter than stock
FRONT WHEELS
- 2007 Kawasaki KX450F hub, smoothed and drilled for over-sized 6 gauge spokes
- 21 X 1.60″ front rim
- One-off custom blue paint
REAR WHEELS
- 1989 Honda CR500R hub smoothed and drilled for over-sized 5 gauge spokes
- 18 X 2.5″ over -sized rear rim
- One-off custom blue paint
TIRES
- Front-Pirelli Scorpion XC 80/100/21 (3.25 X 21)
- Rear massive Cheng Shin 145/80/18 (5.60 X 18) (dirt)
- Rear Skat-Trak Viper 10 paddle (sand)
FRONT BRAKES
- 250mm (9.8″) Tusk wave rotor
- 2007 Kawasaki KX450F Nissin dual piston caliper and master cylinder with custom handle
- Custom Hel stainless brake line
- Tusk pads
REAR BRAKES
- 222mm (8.75″) Tusk wave rotor
- 1991 Honda CR500R Nissin single piston caliper and master cylinder with custom pedal
- Custom Hel stainless brake line
- 2010 Kawasaki KX250F brake line bracket
- Tusk pads
COOLING
- 1991 Honda CR500R radiators with thermal dispersant coating by NIC Industries
- One-off white Samco Sport silicone radiator hoses
- Water pump cover thermal dispersant coated by NIC Industries
- Redline SuperCool coolant
- Euro-style silicone hose clamps
- 2001 Kawasaki KX500 1.6 (23.5-pound) radiator cap
STEERING DAMPER
- 09 Honda CRF450R HPSD
- Revalved for increased damping
EXHAUST
- Pro Circuit “works” expansion chamber ceramic coated by JetHot and port matched to exhaust manifold
- Custom FMF Stealth Q series muffler/spark arrestor
- Custom Atomic 22 O-ringed exhaust manifold port matched to cylinder
ELECTRONICS
- Trail Tech data center – speed, tachometer, temperature, distance, shift light
- Vortex CDI with 10-way adjustable mapping. Switch between max HP and broadest TQ
- AM Racing Monster ignition coil, 34 percent more energy than stock
- Custom stator with dual source coils in series for more kicking speed voltage
- Custom wiring on all of the above
- Stock and 12oz weighted flywheel (off-road)
HANDLE BARS
- Pro Taper Evo
PLASTICS
- 2002 KTM 250 SX front fender and front number plate
- 2007 KX450F Kawasaki fork guards
- 1991 Honda CR500R Fuel tank, radiator grilles, shrouds, air box, rear fender, and side number plates
- All plastic modified for tighter fitment
- Custom modified hand guards
- Custom graphics
- One-off Two Brothers gas cap specially made for CR500R gas tank
PROTECTION
- Custom modified Works Connection lower glide plate
- Custom modified Moose rear brake rotor guard
- Custom modified Primary Drive rear chain guide and sprocket protector
- Custom modified Works Connection frame guards and case guard
- Custom modified Maier pipe guard
- Custom modified rear caliper guard
SEAT
- Custom pan and seat cover
FASTENERS
• 98 percent stainless steel Allen fasteners
1991 Honda CR500R Custom Off-Road Motorcycle Gallery
