Author Topic: FL250 Mods, Suspension and CR500 Motor  (Read 10999 times)

Tex

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FL250 Mods, Suspension and CR500 Motor
« on: January 04, 2013, 03:15:31 PM »
I have an 83 FL250 that I bought for my company, WindEnergy7 entertainment purposes. :)  I have a friend with a very perfect 83' CR500r water cooled.  I have some ideas about buying his CR500r to use on my 83' Odyssey FL250.  I am also considering chopping the frame to put all the engine on a firm swing arm like some i have seen online, but pretty firm.

I have read that the heads are interchangeable?  Should I even be thinking that?  Or should I be looking at changing the whole thing out?  Or how would that engine upgrade look to someone who knows?  Please advise, TIA.

TEX

LiveWire

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Re: FL250 Mods, Suspension and CR500 Motor
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2013, 03:25:17 PM »
The CR500 was first water cooled in '85. I think you are confusing that a CR500 cylinder can be put on a FL400R engine, not the FL250. I would not bother with a swing arm suspension, especially if you intend on mounting the engine to the swing arm. It has high unsprung weight. You need to suspension to suspend as much of the weight of the machine, not just the rider's weight. Look at flipping the chain case around backwards and putting in the center of the machine with half shafts going each way to make independent suspension.

Tex

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Re: FL250 Mods, Suspension and CR500 Motor
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2013, 03:44:26 PM »
Hmm, suspension maybe too involved to go through all that, maybe if I saw an example.  Not sure how much I want to do either.  Yes if that first was an 85' then that's what it is, I know its water cooled.  I was thinking that its hard as hell to kick, maybe make it more trouble than fun. My other thought was if I put in that whole engine its a 6 speed I think, not sure how much trouble would be.   But upgrading (JUST) the head may be easier.  If not CR500r, then what else might be an easier power upgrade?

I want to upgrade it but am kind of on the fence about just restoring it stock and enjoying it as designed, or getting into modding it?  Its fun as hell like it is now and it does run really well, starts first pull, peels out and such pretty good.  It flipped over and the muffler pipe broke, that got me started looking at fixing it up.  Got the brain going, googling, hmmmm.

By time I mod the hell out of it I could buy a pilot with better suspension and more power.  That's a thought as well.  Just run it and have a blast, sell it and upgrade to a Pilot later??  Not a bad idea.  I saw a guy in a video completely mod the hell out of an odyssey FL250, the time and materials he could have got a pilot?  Maybe not as fun that way?

LiveWire

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Re: FL250 Mods, Suspension and CR500 Motor
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2013, 06:04:05 PM »
The CR250 Elsinore cylinder is the easiest bolt on for more power. The stock cylinder can be ported as well. I have ported the stock cylinder to where it should flow as well as the CR250, but since the CR250 has an exhaust bridge, it can be safely opened up even more.

A Polaris Sport 400 engine would probably be a good one for a swap since it is CVT. You would need the Comet driven clutch on the FL250 gear case to match up to the belt width of the Polaris clutch. You could also use the Polaris gear box with reverse.

An FL350R is a lot cheaper than a Pilot. A Pilot is nice if you are the type of person who wants it all OEM and also wants the best available. Since you are already talking about mods though, the FL350R is a good machine. You can enjoy stock and continue over the years to do mods to surpass a Pilot in performance and still have less money in it.

Tex

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Re: Honda FL250 Mods for WindEnergy7 Fun Ride
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2013, 02:00:54 PM »
Yes my thoughts are maybe to stay close to stock on my FL250, there's plenty of attention it needs even though it runs very well.  I have made a block to put between the throttle and steering wheel, attaches with zip ties and makes it go very slowly for my nephew.  Can barely go a touch over idle, he's only 9 or so.  Needless to say he loves the odyssey fl250 and its enough for him for many years. I still remember how bad I wanted one when I was a kid, real bad, but damn they were way out of price range.

I can do all these mods sure enough and have all the tools and skills, but I build green energy systems for WindEnergy7 LLC and have a hard time doing all the fabrication and work that I already have on my plate.  Hell that's how I afforded to have the toy in the first place was designing and fabricating inventions and I need to stick to that.  I bought the Odyssey for me and the WindEnergy7 staff to play with and have fun on.  Its been a blast.

I may start looking for an FL350R to drive myself.  Question: Did the FL350 have a reverse?  I was watching a Pilot video and the guy reversed out and I was like "Damn the Odyssey sure could use a reverse..."  These are pretty hard to find.  Thanks for your time man, much appreciated.

LiveWire

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Re: FL250 Mods, Suspension and CR500 Motor
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2013, 05:14:24 PM »
Yes, the FL350R has reverse.