Nice pair! (of '83 CRs)

[Sofiedog 6,232]

I had a fun time on these today...

[S.O.A.N.Z 4,588]

awesome - love the older cr's - 88 & 89 are my faves

will get around to restoring one of those one day

[GreenMT_Rider 2,098]

Nice bikes. Now you just need a 125 to round out the collection.  I would guess there is a noticeable difference between the 83 cr250 and the 78 yz250 you have.

 I wouldn't mind getting my hands on an 83 cr480 or a 250 for that  matter. 

[Sofiedog 6,232]

I just got the 480 on Friday...I started and rode it for the first time on Saturday...as you can imagine, I am really excited to be able to own and ride it.
Let me first say, with the utmost respect, that I understand the difficulty the owner had in parting with this bike. We all get emotionally attached to them. He had won his annual 50+ Novice post-vintage class several years ago on his other CR480 that he sold a few months ago...he has since decided that he won't be doing any more racing...and he still has the most remarkable collection of '70s and early '80s bikes that I have ever seen...but, it was a difficult decision to let these go.
With that said, I'm going to post up some pics of this bike because it is in remarkably original condition and I'd like to share the history of these bikes.

[GreenMT_Rider 2,098]

You can still find some good gems. After doing some work on the IT490 I picked up i could tell it was a low hour well cared for bike. Looks like you have yourself one too. With these big bore 2st you either find them 2 ways. Completely trashed or in really good condition. How hard is it to start with that left side kicker?

[Sofiedog 6,232]

Nice bikes. Now you just need a 125 to round out the collection.  I would guess there is a noticeable difference between the 83 cr250 and the 78 yz250 you have.

 I wouldn't mind getting my hands on an 83 cr480 or a 250 for that  matter. 

Thats funny, I thought the same thing...It would be amazing to find an '83 CR125...

Yeah, after riding the 78 YZ250 for the last month, the 83 CR250R felt great...so much easier to ride at the same speed...it has a great powerband for a 2t without a power valve. Great shifting. The newer 43mm forks are night and day better than the older 38mm forks. The progessive link rear suspension feels very modern. For whatever reason, the front brake is better on the YZ. The rear brake on the YZ doesnt float so it chops a lot under hard braking.

But...there's still something very fun about taking the YZ smoothy around a small track...

 

 

[ASP1227 9,922]

I just got the 480 on Friday...I started and rode it for the first time on Saturday...as you can imagine, I am really excited to be able to own and ride it.
Let me first say, with the utmost respect, that I understand the difficulty the owner had in parting with this bike. We all get emotionally attached to them. He had won his annual 50+ Novice post-vintage class several years ago on his other CR480 that he sold a few months ago...he has since decided that he won't be doing any more racing...and he still has the most remarkable collection of '70s and early '80s bikes that I have ever seen...but, it was a difficult decision to let these go.
With that said, I'm going to post up some pics of this bike because it is in remarkably original condition and I'd like to share the history of these bikes.

Congrats on the 480! Finding one of those is like finding Bigfoot, they are very rare, and expensive. How are you liking it so far? I'm guessing it's a little different from your 250s right? Anything over 400cc will probably get your blood pumping pretty quick lol.

[ASP1227 9,922]

Thats funny, I thought the same thing...It would be amazing to find an '83 CR125...
Yeah, after riding the 78 YZ250 for the last month, the 83 CR250R felt great...so much easier to ride at the same speed...it has a great powerband for a 2t without a power valve. Great shifting. The newer 43mm forks are night and day better than the older 38mm forks. The progessive link rear suspension feels very modern. For whatever reason, the front brake is better on the YZ. The rear brake on the YZ doesnt float so it chops a lot under hard braking.
But...there's still something very fun about taking the YZ smoothy around a small track...
 
 

I've noticed the same thing with my '78 yz and my 'newer' '83 xr200r. The difference, like you said, is night and day. If I where to take the two around a course, I think I'd be faster on the xr just because it wastes a lot less time in the corners. The 400s only advantage is the straightaways. It's suspension just feels very rigid and not so much fluid like the newer pro-link. The older yz likes to be cornered with the throttle I think, which I haven't totally mastered yet.

[Sofiedog 6,232]

Congrats on the 480! Finding one of those is like finding Bigfoot, they are very rare, and expensive. How are you liking it so far? I'm guessing it's a little different from your 250s right? Anything over 400cc will probably get your blood pumping pretty quick lol.

Thank you...you know I've been looking for one for a while.
I first rode the CR250...it felt quick...snappy...powerful...I was riding around thinking this 250 has more power than I need...I was getting nervous about riding the 480...I took it out to an open flat dirt area and accelerated in a straight line, giving it a bit of throttle...it felt very powerful, but predictable...I took it out for some tentative laps and it rode well with me taking it easy...the power rolls on nicely...you can ride as aggressively as you want on it and it will respond...guess that's what makes it a great bike.
I'm really happy with it...it will be my back up bike this year.

[ASP1227 9,922]

That's good to hear. I can't imagine how hard it is to start, it's probably got tons of compression! I remember when I first kicked my 400, it was definitely a work out. I put a hole in my work boots trying to get it start for the first time in 20 plus years. That's a bike you want tuned so it'll start in a few kicks! So do you think it would be a bike worth fixing up? There's one drifting around in my area that I may get my hands on eventually. It needs work, of course, and I haven't really been sure if it's worth going after. I'm assuming parts are hard to find since it was only made for 2 years.

[S.O.A.N.Z 4,588]

quite a few parts still floating around on ebay

[Sofiedog 6,232]

Absolutely...grab what you can...then make an assessment on the cost to complete...actually, its kinda a 1 year bike...shares the most parts with 83 250, I think. Lots of stuff on ebay and elsinore forums.

I had to change my kicking style...this bike has a fresh top end with a couple hours of break-in and riding.

I first tried to start it like a 250 with the kick start lever under the ball of my right boot. I stand on something about 6 in tall on the left side of the bike to get a good kick with my right leg. With it on the ball of your foot, you can use your ankle to add a bit of snap...That was a mistake...my ankle started hurting...a couple of times, I kicked the bike and the lever didnt go down!

So...I changed out of concern for my ankle.

I put the kick start lever against the heel of my boot, jumped up a bit, and used my weight a little more slowly than a 250...seemed to work.

 

 

 

[ASP1227 9,922]

Yeah with my 400 I don't even sit on it trying to start. I just stand next to it and kick. I have to make sure I'm wearing my heaviest work boots, and once it starts, DO NOT turn it off! Good thing is with that 480 you won't have to worry about stalling! I've actually stalled my 400, it surprisingly doesn't have a lot of torque at the very low end of the throttle. I have to feather the clutch and keep the throttle just higher than idle. Too much and it tries to lift the front tire. It takes a bit of finess. Does that 480 feel very top heavy at all? I've experienced that with my 400, I think it's just that big air-cooled engine.

Also isn't that 480 a left side kick bike?

[Sofiedog 6,232]

I got her home and cleaned up...I haven't had much time to check her out.
Pulled the chain to clean and lube it...looks like a standard DID520 in pretty good shape...54 tooth rear sprocket looks good...14 tooth primary drive sprocket looks a bit worn...but ok, for now...I think 14/54 gearing is stock...

[Sofiedog 6,232]

So...I really don't like the red fork boots. I had a set of black ones in my cabinet...put them on the bike...forks look identical to the CR250...PO said he rebuilt them with 10 wt oil...the clickers were 10 out, (of 14).

One of the rubber clicker covers is missing.

 

[Sofiedog 6,232]

I made a fork clicker cover with a piece of heavy duty tube. Cleaned things up...It slips into an undercut in the fork....might work!

[GreenMT_Rider 2,098]

Definitely going to look better with the black fork boots. I do believe black was stock. Did the po put heavier springs in? I know most of the bikes of the day were under sprung. I know my 85 cr250 is going to need stiffer Springs. 

[Sofiedog 6,232]

I have just ridden it, briefly...felt plenty stiff, relative to where my CR250 was set up. PO said he rebuilt them with 10wt oil...I just increased fork oil to 10wt on my 250 from 5wt...so both should feel pretty good for my speed, but I need to ride them more.

I havent taken the fork caps off to look for spring markings...thx for reminding me.

[Sofiedog 6,232]

The bike had sat for a number of years after being rebuilt and ridden. The PO drained the gas but left the foam air filter oiled...it was deteriorating...he had given me a new UNI filter with the bike. Uses same filter as CR250

As I look at this bike, I am realizing it is a CR250R chassis with an aircooled 480 engine, pipe, and silencer in it...amazing...it really is a big bore engine in a CR250 chassis...it has very little in common with the '82 480 and '84 CR500

[ASP1227 9,922]

That's probably a very light bike. Does it feel very top heavy with that large engine in it compared to the 250?