CR500 wide ratio

[Swiss]

What year did the CR500 go to the wide ratio tranny?

Swiss

[090]

I've never heard of that one. Why would they have done that? They were always a purpose built mxer. They ADR'ed them in '02 as they were the left overs from '01 but I don't think they changed the gearbox then either. Happy learn otherwise though.

[JohnnyO]

They did change the ratios at some stage cos i've heard of guys building CR500's for Finke going for the gearset with the taller ratios. I have a feeling earlier models had the wider ratio setup.

[090]

Well there you go. I wonder if a micro fiche would sort that as they sometimes have the number of teeth on the description.

[Hoony]

years ago Moose racing in the USA offered a taller top gear set of an extra 8% for the 250, i bought one for desert racing and installed it. i am sure the same was available for the 500 as well at the time ( early 90's).

i am not sure but i think you could also get a lower first gear set as well.

[Mick22]

They went to the WR box in 1993 as they were no longer being bought as MX bikes but as desert/trail bikes.

Here's some CR500 trivia for you...the last production run of CR500's was in 1998. Honda built a double run of bikes for 99-00, 2000 was meant to be the last year of the CR500 but it took them another 2 years and some sticker changes / CRE model to finally get rid of them all. Some of the guys that were buying "new" CR500E's were actually getting a 5 year old bike!!

[Swiss]

Thanks, my son has an earlier bike and has mentioned that it would really be nice if he could get the WR gearbox.  He is stationed in England with his wife and I am caretaking the bike.  I would like to swap the tranny over for him while he is gone.

Swiss

[Mick22]

Another thing I forgot to mention is that there were a couple of aftermarket companies selling an even wider ratio 4th & 5 th gearsets in the states. I'm sure with a bit of googling you could find them on the net.

[Gravel Scratcher]

Pretty sure they were wide ratio in 93'-01' and those aftermarket wider ratio gear sets from the states are as rare as hens teeth as they are no longer made as far as i know. The serious Finke boys actually run the close ratio 5 gear from an 89'-92' because the jump from 4 to 5th was to big on the wide ratio box for the deep sand at the Finke this let them keep the motor on the pipe. I've been prepping my bike for Finke this year and the guys at Desert Edge motorcycle have been a great help as back in the day they had all the fast 2 smokers.
If your running a wide ratio box use 15/40 if its close ratio go 15/37 
See you guys out there

Paul

[Hoony]

.....................................
If your running a wide ratio box use 15/40 if its close ratio go 15/37 
See you guys out there

Paul

that's some tall gearing, what sort of top speed do you reckon that would pull on the hard packed flats?

[Gravel Scratcher]

Sorry about the hi jack Swiss  but i just love 500's to death
No idea to be honest Hooney you could plug those figures into one of those gearing calculators to get a ball park figure i guess.
180 ?? I'm not doing Finke to win it but i do want to make sure i'm set up properly for the race. Are you going out for a run ?

[Mick22]

These are the guys that make the CR wide ratio kits http://www.madmanengineering.com/wideratio.htm