1998 Honda CR500 Roadracer

NAME: Brian Lloyd
AGE: 50
HOME: Mukwonago, Wisconsin
OCCUPATION: Owner, Legacy Motorcycles/Retired Auto Tech

I had a kidney and liver transplant in August 2012. I worked as a master auto tech for 25 years, and exposure to carbon tetrachloride did me in. After my surgery, all I could think about was doing another trackday. Shortly after the operation I took my Buell XB12R to Blackhawk Farms, my local track. After one session a control rider came up and said, “You really gotta work on your style. You look terrible on the bike.” I lifted my shirt, and I wasn’t even healed yet! I was just happy to be on the bike. But his condescension motivated me: Not only am I going to come back and beat you, but I’ll beat you on a bike I built!

I’ve been dreaming about this bike for almost 15 years. I raced motocross as a kid, and I really love the two-stroke powerband. I also have a CR500 motard—fun but limited at high speeds by front-end chatter because the geometry is all wrong.

I had to build this roadrace version because I couldn’t buy what I wanted. The frame is partially a CR250, with some CR125, and the lower cradle is all mine. The front end is from a Suzuki GSX-R (I made my own triple clamps); so is most of the bodywork. The CR500 motor is heavily breathed on, making around 70 hp, and I built my own remote electric starter. You’d be worn out by the time you got it kickstarted! It took a lot of fabrication to get everything right. There are 1/4-inch clearances everywhere. I did all my own machining on a manual Bridgeport mill and gear lathe. It handles just like a 125GP bike. I haven’t weighed it, but I know it’s less than 250 pounds. Every part I put on weighs less than a stock CR part, except the SV650 rear wheel—I wanted more mass there to try to dampen the output of this monster two-stroke! Now I can’t wait to take it back to Blackhawk.