Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original
Power delivery of KX verses CR
Mick:
This is what Dirt Rider had to say about the '92 CR500. (Nov 91, pg. 35)
"No one ever accused the CR500R of having a meek motor, but the new version is very easy to control. Now it's even smoother than the KX500."
They didn't say "about" or "nearly as smooth". They said "SMOOTHER" than the KX. And the CR got wider gears in the year to follow.
All I'm saying is the 500 motors havn't changed much since '92. And a properly running CR isn't pipey or hard to ride. I have to say something because my primary ride is a CR500AF. And it's no slouch in the power department, in fact it doesn't give up much to my ported '89 KX500.
I like both motors. If my KX motor was dressed in aluminum I might ride it more *shrug* But as it sits the KX has a paddle tire that hasn't come off in 4-5 years. But the CR gets ridden weekly on track and trail.
gowen:
--- Quote from: don46 on December 20, 2007, 09:07:40 AM ---The Honda has a shorter stroke, smaller flywheel, and smaller crank webs, all this equals lighter quicker revving. So, In my opinion the Honda will rev quicker, but doesn't have the Torque of the heavier flywheeled, longer stroke K5 and thats power valve aside. I don't think the CR has any more top end than a KX, IMO on a stock bike it gets ther quicker. I have a modified 250 ignition that I would guarantee you will rev quicker than the Honda, I've had it on twice, now I'm trying to figure out how to tame it a bit right off the bottom, it way to viscious, way more so than the PVL. I'm thinking a programable ignition that I can retard the timing a bit right off the bottom, then advance it through the mid and retard again on top for the over rev.
Honda makes a good bike, they just aren't for me. This is one of things that will never be agreed upon, Honda riders will swear by it and kawi riders will swear at it. :-D
--- End quote ---
Do share? I don't see how you can get quicker than a PVL, when the flywheel basicly weighs less than my old '98 kx125s flywheel..
CR480R:
--- Quote from: BDI on December 20, 2007, 04:49:18 PM ---This Is a good example of what Im talking about this is a cr500 under heavy load listen to the engine and how it labors when Its not on the pipe. watch the vid a couple of times and pay attention to how the engine goes on and off the pipe and how abruptly the power comes on. Now imagine ridding that bike with a stock wheel base on steep mountain trails with rocks and shale Like where I live and you may understand why I do not miss that bike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHmBMSMXbUM
--- End quote ---
This video is a horrible example... Just because the guy fanned the clutch and got bucked off doesnt mean the bike is too pipey... I have seen many hillclimb vids of KX riders getting tossed like that too... To me it looks like the guy was either in the wrong gear or had too much tire... not to mention his riding sucks... And its hard telling what has been done to the bike...
--- Quote from: BDI on December 20, 2007, 02:50:03 PM ---What Dirt rider failed to mention was they detuned the cr500 because a lot of people got hurt on the earlier bikes and people were scared to ride or buy it and sales of the bike were dismal to the point they almost quit procucing the bike. Magazines will seldom strait up bash a manufacturers bike do to the fact companies like honda give them a lot of money to push their products. Smooth power delivery is a nice way of saying they took a bunch of compession out of the bike to soften the hit but that was a trade off that made the bike hard to start but I'm sure yours starts first kick every time though right.
--- End quote ---
From my experience the "Detuned" bikes start even better than the older ones... a stock '01 CR is a proven one kick wonder... My '90 had the compression bumped(190psi vs. 150psi) and it still didnt have any kind of rider ejecting "hit"... I dont doubt that the KX has a nicer powerband, but I think you are foolish to assume all CR's have the same problems yours did...
Mick:
BDI I'm not arguing that the KX doesn't run stronger. I'm just saying you obviously had a bad experience that anybody else would be hard pressed to share. Your CR sounds like it needed a fresh piston...
Roger Decoster on the '95 CR500R (Dirt Bike '95 pg. 60)
"Right up front, I have to say this is my favorite motor...you can put it in a tall gear and let the revs drop to a point you can hear each power pulse...CR has gotten mellow over the years...on top the revs are choked off by chicanes in the silencer...most appealing aspect of the Honda motor is how civil it is...Honda was able to make the power delivery smooth without using excessive flywheel weight, which makes the bike feel surprisingly nimble."
Decoster on the KX, "comes on more aggressively than the Honda at first...in stock form, the KX should be able to outpull the CR on top...clumsy feel and slow throttle response...jetting the Kawasaki is a little rough...engine runs raspy off the bottom...shifting and clutch pull are good on the KX, but not as smooth as the Honda's."
I'm not biased towards one bike or the other. I own and ride both. But everybody should know the CR has got a darn good motor.
And yes my CR starts one kick :wink: Doesn't your KX?
don46:
--- Quote from: gowen on December 20, 2007, 11:36:43 PM ---
--- Quote from: don46 on December 20, 2007, 09:07:40 AM ---The Honda has a shorter stroke, smaller flywheel, and smaller crank webs, all this equals lighter quicker revving. So, In my opinion the Honda will rev quicker, but doesn't have the Torque of the heavier flywheeled, longer stroke K5 and thats power valve aside. I don't think the CR has any more top end than a KX, IMO on a stock bike it gets ther quicker. I have a modified 250 ignition that I would guarantee you will rev quicker than the Honda, I've had it on twice, now I'm trying to figure out how to tame it a bit right off the bottom, it way to viscious, way more so than the PVL. I'm thinking a programable ignition that I can retard the timing a bit right off the bottom, then advance it through the mid and retard again on top for the over rev.
Honda makes a good bike, they just aren't for me. This is one of things that will never be agreed upon, Honda riders will swear by it and kawi riders will swear at it. :-D
--- End quote ---
Do share? I don't see how you can get quicker than a PVL, when the flywheel basicly weighs less than my old '98 kx125s flywheel..
--- End quote ---
The PVL rotor is lighter than the 250 flywheel, but the 250 ignition is way quicker than the PVL, the only thing that makes sense to me, the 250 is digital and changes based on rpm and throttle position ( I use the 250 carb) the PVL is analog. I use the PVL on a nitrous bike, the compression is closer to stock, when I tried it on a bike with High compression I couldn't get it started, don't think I could spin it fast enough to generate the juice needed. Any way this is a work in progress because its way to nasty in it's current state.
Since this is the KX forum maybe we should just ignore the KX vs. CR thing while everybody is still happy :-D
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