What's a Better Sand Bike--CR500 or KX500

I had a '91 KX500 and my brother had a '91 CR500. We are both well over 6' and 200 pounds. Both our bikes had paddle tires only (we live within 5 miles of the dunes). We both loved our bikes and wouldn't trade for anything, so I don't think you can go wrong with either machine.

Sadly, my KX was stolen and my brother sold his CR and got a CRF450 (which he regrets ).

CR 500's are the best IMHO. Cheap, durable, boreable, and is without extra power valve maintenance. CR 500's have so much power throughout the range that a PV is extra hassle for no reason.

For all that say a smaller bike is better, read this:

http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/fe...t-a-smaller-bike-why-500s-are-best-11104.html

^^^^^^^
I can vouch for this man not being a troll. He was very helpful over on TT in letting me know the nuances of the '84 CR500 I used to have.

Thanks again for the information Andrew.

dynodave- that's a sweet CR500! Love the gold wheels.

Thanks brucifier. Titled/tagged for the street too. CR 500's are legendary!

As the Maico 490 before it.

My license goes missing just thinking about that

The rmx250 I'm working on street legalizing right now needs , KPRFG8 on the license plate cause I know the pigs'll be all up in my stink, even with a lil ol 2fiddy. A 500 on the road would be cuff's & appearing before the the judge

Back in my adult beverage consumption days, I used to frequent a certain lodge and a fairly well known rider, Darrel Shultz, and his brother were often times there. This was the late '90s---anyhow his bro had a street plated CR500 and used to ride it to the lodge.
It was a trip hearing a CR500 fire up about 1 am and braaaap down the road---legally.

Darrel Shultz is a name I haven't heard in a long time. He was a Maico rider back in the day.

And BTW, dynodave has some cool stuff lurking in that garage. I recognize most of them.

He was the 1982 500cc motocross champ riding for Honda.

Funny thing is, I was unaware of him at the time (motocross wasn't really my thing) and he only lived about 25 miles from me.

<!--mstheme-->AMA Motocross 500 Champions (USA) / MX (2-stroke)<!--mstheme-->

<!--mstheme--><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 vAlign=top width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->

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</TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=25 vAlign=top width=225 colSpan=2 align=left><!--mstheme-->Rider<!--mstheme-->

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</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1993

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#00cc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->K<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Mike LaROCCO (USA), Kawasaki KX500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1992

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#00cc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->K<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Mike KIEDROWSKI (USA), Kawasaki KX500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1991

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Jean-Michel BAYLE (FRA), Honda CR500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1990

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#00cc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->K<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Jeff WARD (USA), Kawasaki KX500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1989

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#00cc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->K<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Jeff WARD (USA), Kawasaki KX500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1988

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Rick JOHNSON (USA), Honda CR500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1987

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Rick JOHNSON (USA), Honda CR500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1986

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->David BAILEY (USA), Honda CR500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1985

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->Y<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Broc GLOVER (USA), Yamaha YZ490<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1984

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->David BAILEY (USA), Honda CR500<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1983

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffcc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->Y<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Broc GLOVER (USA), Yamaha<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1982

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Darrell SHULTZ (USA), Honda<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1981

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffcc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->Y<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Broc GLOVER (USA), Yamaha<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1980

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Chuck SUN (USA), Honda<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1979

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffff00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->S<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Danny LaPORTE (USA), Suzuki<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1978

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffcc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->Y<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Rick BURGETT (USA), Yamaha<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1977

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ff0000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Marty SMITH (USA), Honda<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1976

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#000000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Kent HOWERTON (USA), Husqvarna<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1975

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffcc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->Y<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Jim WEINERT (USA), Yamaha<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1974

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#00cc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->K<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Jim WEINERT (USA), Kawasaki<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1973

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffcc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->Y<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Pierre KARSMAKERS (HOL), Yamaha<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1972

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#00cc00 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->K<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Brad LACKEY (USA), Kawasaki<!--mstheme--></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=50 align=left><!--mstheme-->1971*

<!--mstheme-->​

</TD><TD bgColor=#000000 height=18 width=25 align=center><!--mstheme-->H<!--mstheme--></TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6 height=18 width=230><!--mstheme-->Mark BLACKWELL (USA), Husqvarna<!--mstheme--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--mstheme-->​

* Trans-AMA championship

Well gentleman,.....after all that,........it looks like I may be getting my '84 CR500 back.
I'll post up some pics when I get it home.

Well, here's the pile. This is by far the crappiest looking bike I have at the moment. It needs a complete resto.
The number plates and rear fender are off of another bike I dismantled. Someone really spent some time installing the numbers, huh? lol.
I have my work cut out for me............again.

Cool!

If that carb has the stock needle in it throw it away before you do anything else lol. Sudco can hook you up with a DGL or better yet find a PWK Keihin.

Keeps us posted can't wait to see it come together.

Get a KTM 550MXC(Ripped the dyno in an issue of Dirt Bike, at 61 Horsepower) and show those guys how it's done, assuming you can find one.

I haven't ridden one of those since '84. My knee still hurts...

That bike is very cool. I love those big bore air-cooled Honda's

I predict you will be just like these guys in the not too distant future...

YES!

That's a good one.