I have been passionate about engines, and motorcycles in particular, since a young age. At 14, my parents gave me a new moped for my birthday – a 50cc Allegro Puch, thanks mom and dad! – and this pretty much changed my life. The little two wheeler was only a few weeks old when I took its engine apart for the first time and scratched my head to put everything back together. Loved it. Entering now the second half of my century and this passion is still present while my specific interest has gravitated towards older bikes and their restoration.
The motivation behind this blog is to share my findings with people of similar interest, with the hope that the information is helpful. Feel free to contact me — my email is mike at kronen.net.
Have fun!
-Mike Kronenberg
Mike's Basket Case 
HELLO mike.
I am a fan of high-powered motorcycles. I need to get the engine of honda xr 500r prolink.
valledupar live in Colombia. if you know of any please inform me. Thanks
You can try eBay — there are always a few XR500 engines for sale:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0&_nkw=xr500+engine&_sacat=0&_from=R40
Hi mike I have just purchased a 83 xr 500 r and find your build very interesting.
I haven’t taken delivery of the bike yet and im still unsure what kind of modification or type build I wish to do yet.
Refresh the engine with a bit of extra hp would be nice.
I’m in Australia so aftermarket goodies would have to be sourced from overseas I would expect.
Im very interested in those motard wheels you had made, does the rear still run a drum brake?.
Regards Yancy.
I kept the entire hub of the original XR500 rear wheel and had it relaced using a new and wider rim.
Have fun with your new project!
Thank you Mike.
I am actually reading yourbuild blog now and i must admit you have inspired me to look down the same type of build as you in the wheels and fork dept.
I will do some home work and see if I can be lucky with the Cr Showa setup.
Looks great and you have supplied plenty of info.
Have you finished the build? I bet the bike looks amazing.
The bike is completed and a lot of fun to ride. I need to create a final post on this blog to share the result and impressions. Maybe even a little video.
That would be awesome Mike.
Small Question. Did you have any offset in your rear hub for the new rear wheel?
I was concerned that the chain wouldn’t clear the wider tire (left side) and so I asked Woody Wheel Works (http://www.woodyswheelworks.com/) to put a 1/8″ offset to the right. Looking now at the chain/tire space I think that I was over cautious – depending on the width of the rims you pick you can probably make things work without any offset. Make some measurements though beforehand…
Thanks again mike I will measure just to be in the safe side.
Mike, I have a 1984 XR500. I recently retrofitted the rear drum brake to a disc. Send me your e-mail and I will send you pictures. Dave dvrosenstein@gmail.com
Hi Mike. Luv your bike. 1 question what Front light did you fit? Cause most xr 500 of that time worked only on 6 volts. Tks Anton from south africa email antonkyla@gmail.com
The headlight is a Polisport MMX – http://www.polisport.com/en/off-road/products/headlights/?id=84&pid=188
The XR is indeed 6V. You can either install 6V lightbulbs, or you can play with a 12 volt negative ground Tympanium regulator/rectifier – for the latter though you should go with the more powerful XL stator (5 wires).
Mike!
Who knows if you’ll ever get this as your last response was a year and a half ago.
A few months ago, I purchased a 1982 xr500r for $600. stripped it down and rebuilt it. I’ve got it back to the point of firing, but can’t get it to stay on. I live in Boulder too! Are you still around here?
I’m mainly in FL these days but back in our home in CO from time to time. Would be nice to connect.
Hello Mike,
Greetings from Marana, AZ. I was wondering if you could help me. I decided to rebuild my 83 xr500r carbs because I had some issues with idling so I felt it was time to clean it. Unfortunately, I managed to misplace and lost the cover plate for the primary air cut-off valve. Do you have one that I can buy?
Thank you,
Bob Motz
520-235-3738
Hello Bob. I have a 1984 Honda XR 500. I believe the 1983 is a different animal. I could be mistaken but I think I am correct. I do not have what you are looking for BUT… a couple good places to look would be motorcyclesuperstore.com and bikebandidt.com if you haven’t already looked there. I have purchased lots of parts for 84 from these two.
Good luck, Dave Rosenstein, 801-686-2334 cell.
Hello Mike,
I have a Hagon custom track bike. After 30 years of it being in my dads garage I have got it and I am looking to restore.
First I need advice on Silencers (currently it has none! no noise limits back in the day!). The engine fitted is a Honda XR500 RFVC. The downpipes are approx. 38mm – 300mm length would be ideal, but up to 375mm would be OK. I would like to be able to take this back on track; most have limits of 101-105db….Just not sure who would supply them?
Secondly do you know a good place to get a top end service kit? the engine has actually not even been run in! but I think a top end / new gaskets / rings and a light hone would be a good idea 🙂
Here is a URL to my facebook page (hopefully FB allows this! if not I can email) the bike is currently the first post 🙂 cheers
https://www.facebook.com/tim.erskine1
Many thanks in advance,
Tim
Hi Mike, I read your blog back when you fist posted it and enjoyed what you did with your XR 500. I note you mentioned you were going to post a finished product. Here we are some years later and the XR 500 resurgence is alive and strong with a number of Face Book groups around XR and XL. I’m a member of a group called XR500 only https://www.facebook.com/groups/207461083953032
The group was started by Eric Feron and originally focused to XR500 but has grown to take in other models and some exotic after market frames and boutique brands etc of that period. I took the liberty of posting a photo of your bike on the group today which created some interest and conversation so I thought I would try and contact you in the hope you might share a bit about your bike and maybe a photo or two of the finished product : )
For your consideration and regards.
Jason
Hi Mike,
I am the owner of a 1984 XR500S. I have known this bike since it was brand new as it belonged to one of my good friends.
I bought it from him about 8 years ago. About 12 years ago my friend rebuilt the entire bike. He sent the engine to Al Baker’s XR’s Only I think in Hesperia Cal. They bored the engine to 550, ported and polished the valves, 1/2 race cam and Supertrap exhaust. Stock I think it made about 42 HP. It now makes almost 60 hp. It is a monster alothught with nice manors. It starts every time in 2 kicks and 1st kick once warmed up. It came to me here in Utah with a Daha Design dual purpose kit with all the fixings. I decided to turn it into a Super Motard type bike as I have other dirt bikes already. I got street tires and increased the front sprocket 1 tooth and 4 in the rear. It now cruises comfortably at 65 to 70 MPH. It gets there pretty fast too. I found a new/old Shoie 3/4 fairing that breaks the air really nicely on the highways.
One thing I did that was really valuable was to retrofit the bike with a rear disk brake. I had a friend with a machine shop and we milled asn aluminum billet to slip into the rear drum brake and attached a sprocket to it. Also bought a rear master cylinder and did a few welding mods and Wah Lah it was done/ Really makes a big difference on the road with the higher speeds and higher traction aspects. The old drum brake sucked anyway.
Attached is a write up of one of my rides.
Feel free to write.
Dave
On Thu, Feb 25, 2021 at 2:36 AM Mike’s Basket Case wrote:
> Jason Tait commented: “Hi Mike, I read your blog back when you fist posted > it and enjoyed what you did with your XR 500. I note you mentioned you were > going to post a finished product. Here we are some years later and the XR > 500 resurgence is alive and strong with a number of F” >
Looking for some info on the xr500 build. I’m just wondering what the front fender is. I like the 90’s style cr fender that you’ve got on there could you let me know what the part #, model or year that’s it’s from. This website made me want to convert my 84 xr500r into a motard! Killer build
Charlie