This week's Classic Steel is a look back at a real classic, the 1983 Honda CR480R

tblazier
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tblazier
Edited Date/Time 11/29/2012 7:02pm



GP's Classic Steel The 1983 Honda CR480R
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ATKpilot99
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ATKpilot99 11/28/2012 3:01pm
11/28/2012 3:01pm
I love these classic steel articles. I never rode the 83 480 but I rode a friends 84 500 back then...at the time I was riding a 125...everything you said in the article was true. The 84 was a beast.
Utrider
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Utrider 11/28/2012 3:23pm
11/28/2012 3:23pm
Still have fond memories of my 480s. Had an 82 and an 83, the 83 was smooth and effective. Sold it in 2002, still not sure why, and have some regret about it still. The last motocross I raced on it was in 1993, holeshot to fifth place by the third corner but still a blast!

I really liked this bike in the desert, the long sand whoops were its playground.
shmoo
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shmoo 11/28/2012 4:54pm
11/28/2012 4:54pm
I raced a YZ490 in '84 but some weasel stole it the night before a big race... some Autumn series in the mid-east... I showed up at a track (Delta Ohio, I think) with NO BIKE. Some TOTALLY AWESOME dude I never met before lent me his '83 CRF480 to race in the Open A's. I offered a front tire and beer in exchange - it was all I had.

This bike was so VASTLY superior to the YZ, I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. Utrider hit the nail on the head with "smooth and effective" I did alright that day- even threw some "clickers" (did we call them that?) over a little double, straight out of a corner. That CR was awesome and it was the only time I rode a Honda in the '80s.

I swore if I ever got back into MX I'd buy a Honda. I'm now onto my 4th CRF.
Thank you awesome dude, wherever you are!
headache
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headache 11/29/2012 9:32am
11/29/2012 9:32am
awesome bike and article. 30 years later and the cr480 is lighter than all the new 450f's

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Wandell
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Wandell 11/29/2012 9:55am
11/29/2012 9:55am
I had a riding buddy that bought one of those new. I was working part time at the dealership and helped assemble/prep it. Seems like yesterday!
vet323
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vet323 11/29/2012 11:08am
11/29/2012 11:08am
ATKpilot99 wrote:
I love these classic steel articles. I never rode the 83 480 but I rode a friends 84 500 back then...at the time I was riding...
I love these classic steel articles. I never rode the 83 480 but I rode a friends 84 500 back then...at the time I was riding a 125...everything you said in the article was true. The 84 was a beast.
No comparison between the '83 and '84. Those first-year 500's had an erratic powerband caused by weird timing issues. The hit is never in the same place twice (at least on mine). My buddy has a very low-hour '83 and when we swap bikes, he is always happy to get back on his own bike.

You are absolutely correct, the '84 was a beast.
tblazier
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tblazier 11/29/2012 5:08pm
11/29/2012 5:08pm
ATKpilot99 wrote:
I love these classic steel articles. I never rode the 83 480 but I rode a friends 84 500 back then...at the time I was riding...
I love these classic steel articles. I never rode the 83 480 but I rode a friends 84 500 back then...at the time I was riding a 125...everything you said in the article was true. The 84 was a beast.
ATK I just got done writing one I think you will really enjoy, the 1981 Husky 430CR MX'er
ATKpilot99
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ATKpilot99 11/29/2012 5:33pm
11/29/2012 5:33pm
ATKpilot99 wrote:
I love these classic steel articles. I never rode the 83 480 but I rode a friends 84 500 back then...at the time I was riding...
I love these classic steel articles. I never rode the 83 480 but I rode a friends 84 500 back then...at the time I was riding a 125...everything you said in the article was true. The 84 was a beast.
tblazier wrote:
ATK I just got done writing one I think you will really enjoy, the 1981 Husky 430CR MX'er
I definitely will. Looking forward to it.
PRM31
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PRM31 11/29/2012 5:38pm
11/29/2012 5:38pm Edited Date/Time 11/29/2012 5:51pm
Good memories! I raced one of those in '83.

Edit: enjoyed the article. I raced an '81 RM-125 and '82 RM-250 and then an '83 CR-125 and the Full Floater was indeed a better suspension in my opinion. Got the 480 after my CR-125 kept seizing up about every other week. I didn't think the CR-480 was too hard to ride, but certainly a step up from a 250.

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