Vintage Dirt Bike Q & A

Here is most recent pic of the CR80--

Got the bottom end of motor cleaned up and put back in frame, drive sprocket on--as well as front number plate holed for throttle cable and the number background on. I heated a piece of 3/4" copper pipe with a propane torch and melted a perfect hole in it in OEM position--worked better than drilling the hole for the throttle cable.

Still waiting on the seat cover from my buddy who is fabbing it.

Also got kickstand straightened, rethreaded and reinstalled with new shoulder bolt. Need to find a 4" pull spring for it now and the bike can come off the sling finally.

Also realized I had not painted the rear chain roller assembly when had rest of bike painted--it supposed to be Tahitian Red like rest of bike--it small and inconspicuous enough I may be able to cheat with a spray can of Chrysler Ind. Red and no one but me ever know. Probably going to do that with the springs also as they look bad relative to rest of bike now....they not clean up as well as I though once rest of bike was sprayed....

The head is degreased and cleaned and looks good, and it as well as the cylinder --they are actually in my dishwasher right now!!! gets all the grease and oil out of the hard to reach cracks and crevices....

Here is newest pic--will keep posted on progress--got sidetracked by a 1987 KD80 project that I picked up and got running after sitting 20 yrs and ran Saturday then quit then ran then quit then ran and finally quit again....?!?!?

OH well....still need a pic of air box when the snow melts b-joe....btw it snowed yest and today here in Alabama----highly unusual....DOUG

we got about 15inches new snow this morning.
this is also very unusual for our region.

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80 CR250Ra
80 CR250Ra
78 CR250R
80 CR80
82 Bultaco Sherpa 340
78 Bultaco Pursang 250 MK12
76 Bultaco Frontera 370 MK10
76 Bultaco Alpina 250
73 Bultaco Lobito 125 MK6
76 Suzuki RM125A
90 Kawasaki KX250

Hey! Can't believe I found this! Just bought the exact same bike (1980 Honda CR80R) this morning and plan on doing the same thing. Never worked on a bike before. What is the best manual to get? What is one of these worth restored? The guy I bought it off told me that all I need is to put the crank bearings on and put it back together. Have I tackled to much?

the best manual is the original honda manual, i guess you can´t get any other.
if you have no experience with working at bikes, i guess it won´t be the best object to start with it.
and if the main bearings are worn mutch other parts are also worn and need to replaced. maybe with no experience you are not able to detect them.

after restoration the bike is worth what someone will pay for it. this can be less than you have payed for the bike and the resoration.

_________________
80 CR250Ra
80 CR250Ra
78 CR250R
80 CR80
82 Bultaco Sherpa 340
78 Bultaco Pursang 250 MK12
76 Bultaco Frontera 370 MK10
76 Bultaco Alpina 250
73 Bultaco Lobito 125 MK6
76 Suzuki RM125A
90 Kawasaki KX250

thiele-- you have definitely NOT tackled too much. I took mine completely apart in two hours (except for the bottom end of the motor) without a manual--but need the manual to re-assemble correctly. I bought mine (GET the Honda factory manual..others are useless) for $15 at a swap meet and it covers 80-81-82. The 80 and 81 are VERY similar--only real diff being the rear swingarm and the graphics on tank and seat, I think.

b-joe will probably chime in here--he has done the same thing--do a search for his before/afters pics. His is more dramatic than mine.

I have had very little trouble locating parts-- new or used through ebay-- or even better at the Barber Motorsports Vintage Days swap meet in Leeds, Alabama. Some things on ebay are too high but CR80R Elsie it was made different each model year each time in 80/81/81--like I said 80 and 81 are identical except the 80 has round tubular steel swingarm and 81 is square-tube steel painted silver (looks like fake boxed aluminum) and the tank and seat graphics differ--if you get the factory honda manual for it it will give you detailed pics of each year plus model specs. Its a great resource.

I have had fun re-doing it. waiting on seat cover now to be finished then can put top end back on. The only part I have found impossible to afford when I have found it is the airbox cover--going to probably fab one from some black plastic to resemble factory one.

Keep us posted and throw a pic on here so we can see what you got. Wheere are you located? Thanks DOUG

BTW--got the kick stand spring on tonight (whoopee) so for the first time in 10 or 15 years it is sitting on its own three feet! Also got the seat foam back on the seatpan and set it on the bike--just waiting for the vinyl cover from my friend who is sewing it up for me.

Trying to find a cylinder base gasket and a head gasket now---for cheap!!! SO I can put top end back together...

D

Any chance of getting a pic of that airbox cover yet or you still snowed in? If possible would like a pic from top, side and front of it off of the airbox...thanks

i will do it this weekend.

_________________
80 CR250Ra
80 CR250Ra
78 CR250R
80 CR80
82 Bultaco Sherpa 340
78 Bultaco Pursang 250 MK12
76 Bultaco Frontera 370 MK10
76 Bultaco Alpina 250
73 Bultaco Lobito 125 MK6
76 Suzuki RM125A
90 Kawasaki KX250

cheap enough?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA-CR80R-RC-80-81-TOP-END-GASKET-KIT-P400210600087-/370476481285?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item56421e7b05

_________________
80 CR250Ra
80 CR250Ra
78 CR250R
80 CR80
82 Bultaco Sherpa 340
78 Bultaco Pursang 250 MK12
76 Bultaco Frontera 370 MK10
76 Bultaco Alpina 250
73 Bultaco Lobito 125 MK6
76 Suzuki RM125A
90 Kawasaki KX250

YOU ARE DA' MAN! b-joe.....just "buy'ed it now" everytime I search e-bay for top end gaskets I kept coming up with expensive seperate base and head gaskets...thanks a million.

BTW--I am picking up seat cover tomorrow morning--hope to install tomorrow sometime then will post a pic as soon as done

--after that its just a matter of putting on top end, the throttle side hand grip, fixing choke assembly on carb, and fabricating some new exhaust hanger/mounts (the anti-vibration ones that are rubber/metal plates) that go up front on expansion chamber still not sure how will do that yet--replacements seem to be expensive and/or rare. ANd new throttle cable then se how she runs...!

Will still need an air filter I guess and an airbox cover too. D

OK--seat is on, I think it looks good--big thanks to my buddy Rob for his stich wizardry--

ALso put the throttle cable on and installed throttle assembly and hand-grips.

Gettin' there..... D


PS-added a pic with and without flash--not sure which shows better.

ok?

_________________
80 CR250Ra
80 CR250Ra
78 CR250R
80 CR80
82 Bultaco Sherpa 340
78 Bultaco Pursang 250 MK12
76 Bultaco Frontera 370 MK10
76 Bultaco Alpina 250
73 Bultaco Lobito 125 MK6
76 Suzuki RM125A
90 Kawasaki KX250

Thanks a million b-joe--am going to to try to fab up one of those with some black gutter plastic or something similar.....

What holds it on--a sort of elastic/rubber band type loop? My Honda manual shows only vague illustrations OR distant blurry pics of it installed. D

at my manual it is shown at Fig. III-94 and Fig. III-95.
it is a rubber o-ring and a steelwire hook.

_________________
80 CR250Ra
80 CR250Ra
78 CR250R
80 CR80
82 Bultaco Sherpa 340
78 Bultaco Pursang 250 MK12
76 Bultaco Frontera 370 MK10
76 Bultaco Alpina 250
73 Bultaco Lobito 125 MK6
76 Suzuki RM125A
90 Kawasaki KX250

Thank you--that looks simple enought to make--will get started soon. DOUG