Elsinore – Carpy’s Cafe Racers

I have always loved Dirt bikes as a kid, my brother mick still races when he can on his machine and I saw these photos today and had to blog about it as this is one of the Old School “Power houses ” of Muscle from back in the day.

The 1985 CR500 you see here has taken on a New guise and better for it too, as I have loved the Flat Track style of Motorcycle and it took a cool Kiwi ” Adam Hedges & Earnest Co. to come out with this Killer Diller of a machine. New Zealand builds Great cars and bikes and here is proof of Just that.

Adam hedges used to be a pro Drift racer and it seemed only natural to incorporate something into a Drifting motorcycle, so with some loot in his Hand, Adam tracked down a 1985 CR500 right from here in Southern California and shipped it back to the other side of the globe.

With his C’s Garage drift shop, he’s teamed up with his brother at Earnest Co. to try his hand at a custom tracker build. And what a build it is, it just screams Speed right from the gate.

I can so relate to these bikes as this was Me and my brothers era when it came to ultimate Moto X machines and I was in awe of this beast when my Eyes came across these photos via Pipe Burn.

Most people in Moto X reconize the 85-87 bikes as the fastest
open class bikes ever produced and with good reason. The power
will, pull your arms off, a works 250 is slow when compaired to these bikes.

Jetting is normally way too rich from the factory in both the pilot and the main jet. A flywheel weight (14oz) greatly enhances the
rideability of the bike especially in technical areas or woods.

When you get it jetted correctly the bike is very crisp off of idle and has incredible low to mid-range power and then flattens out on top.
However there is an enough top end to satisfy if not scare most
riders.

So to see this machine now transformed into a Flat tracker is mind boggling, putting all that grunt into the back wheel is something only a rider who has sampled its brutal power.

I am testament to this, riding my brothers and, in front of him and our mates, they all watched that CR500 spit me off like I was a Tick on a Bull and then to rub the proverbial Dirt in my face, the CR500 has the audacity to land on me and pummel my body a wee bit more.

So I literally have no idea how this 2 stroke Behemoth will react when you hit the loud button on a bend, all i can say is grit your teeth and hold the hell on as this will be a ride you will never forget.

Adam has already built a couple of CR250’s as well, being that he was a fabricator of Drift race cars for a decade, seems a natural cross over to incorporate his skill into Two wheeled machines and if I had a hat on, I would tip it your way Adam.

Adam wanted to build this CR500 with a style that Honda would of maybe would of produced at that time if they had known the following it would produce and this is such a great job and it does look like a Factory HONDA Race machine.

Adam fabricated a shorter swing arm made from chromoly and fitted a Ducati rear shock to keep your Arse from being beaten up as its a softer compression, the only stock parts from this machine really, is the frame and the Engine.

This has an XR750 Glass fibre tail section to give that Yester Year look and to add to that a Champion gas tank was purchased, these were all the rage and made back home in The UK and flat tracker love them.

Adam kept most of the FMF Expansion chamber but added a mid piece and then rejoined to FMF rear and cleverly exits under the rear seat cowl.

The front end is handled by a set of 2004 R6 Yamaha Forks, coupled up with a nice brembo that was removed from a KTM, the Rear caliper is off a Ducati Monster, so no problem on braking power now.

The Original CR500 was a drum rear, so a master cylinder from a later CRF was located and then Adam fabricated all the mounts to make sure that this set up function was right on the money.

The bike’s front CRF450 hub is laced to a 19 x 2.15 Excel rim, and the rear YZF250 hub has a slightly wider 2.5″ rim, also from Excel. This was Adam’s first time lacing wheels, so undoubtedly it was a bit of an experience for him. The tyres are Maxxis DTR-1s in a 27 x 7 x 19 up front and a 27.5 x 7.5 x 19 out the back. “Then for cooling I cut up two CR250 radiators, welded them together, and made up some new tanks to suit.”

With its RED ROCKET color schem this bike is a Home run for me, Id love to build one but CR500 machines are now highly sought after and I only have to think about 1986 when I got a severe thrashing from such a machine, maybe its best I do not attempt it on such a power house platform, albeit still build one but with a controllable engine that I can handle.

Well, it’s that time of year and even though Dakota has not finished built his TT 500, Meatball was kind enough to loan Kota an old 250 Honda to bimble about for the Hell On Wheels Races that were held at Glen Helen on the Lucas truck race track.

The weather was ominous but no matter what, this event will go on, Rain or Shine.

We got there around 10am and people were already set up, we put the easy up together and unloaded the bike etc, and Kota got to do some practicing, and had fun as the bike was just a little 250 and would give him some good practice for when he gets into the Flat track season later on.

To be honest, the weather could not be better as we had a little light rain and that took care of the dust, as out here in the desert, it sure does get dusty, so it was great to have intermittent weather and everybody was thankful for that. Taking off on jumps with a lose foot peg was hilarious for me to watch and Dakota was having fun.

After practice, Dakota got a late start, as the bloody foot peg fell off, so he was half a lap down at the start of the Race, but still managed to get onto the track and have fun on that 250 with no working front brake and leaking front forks.

The races were fun, the track was bumpy but not technical enough to be dangerous as to crash all the time.

He did well and managed to get a lot of experience on that track, on a bigger machine he would of really placed well for sure, but this was a fun event and the commeraderie is unsurpassed at any event that I have attended and loved all the different styles and era’s of machines that were there for people to get close to.

My old room mate Granter Peterson of now Born Free fame, has recently acquired this unreal 1929 Harley tank shifter and so original its stunning to see and hear.

I have known Grants for over 16 years and was so glad that he got into Motorcycles, I thought I was the only nutter in that town we lived in.

Plenty to see and do and to watch these old boners bang and shake their way around the track at speed was immense, and this is how the Pioneers did it back then, showing the owners of these prestigious two wheeled contraptions, how hard it was- and still is to run an machine over hard dirt.

I was in for a treat of Vintage Motorcycles and some wearing vintage style clothing just added that proverbial Cherry to the top of the cake.

You should try and make it out to these events as Meatball has run these types of events for a long time.

This is a event for every type of classic machine and so many different people and we all had a unique bond with motorcycles and the like, something that is missing from many events these days.

The track was perfect for racing and lots of room to pass and do your thing as you fight your way around this infamous race track.

There were plenty of Machines I liked and I was stoked to see an Elsinore to be amongst the machines for this race event.

I loved this Trumpy and boy did it sound smooth.

This Bultaco bought back awesome memories of me and my brothers era of Dirt bikes and riding when we were teenagers back in the UK.

Another sweet Trumpy that was fun to watch out on the track all day at Glen Helen. Be sure to spread to word and bring a bike to race for the next one.

Here he is having a go and made me very envious in a good way, so cool to see these ridden on the dirt.

People were doing their own wrenching, and helping out with others, a really cool atmosphere that was rare to see these days.

Another Triumph taking a corner as he enters the whoops and then the table top here at Hell on Wheels in Glen Helen.

How about the Girls then? They too were racing and I loved that, so much fun to watch and these Girls were into it too.

Classic shot of this Tall Girly on a Trumpy and having fun yet still being really competitive too.

We need more ladies doing this, so pass the word.

This girl was a blast on a Motorcycle and in Trumpy attire too!

I was so glad that I captured this shot, just so Nostalgic and goes back to the day of rigid rides and back ache!!!

How about this, Suzuki, Yamaha and Husky in the bend with this slick Hipster smoking like a Reefer.

Such a Classic start line and was glad to be part of it, the weather was bang on for this race.

Committed to the corner, this looked like a blast.

Three deep and such a fun wide turn and made for a cool shot of these Classics battling it out for the lead.

Grant Peterson Hauling more Arse than a truck load of Colostmy bags as he hits the corner on this Dirt track on his 29 Harley.

Great racing and all mates afterwards, we need more of this going on thats for sure.

Epic shot of the table top and these guys were on it for sure.

Airborne and having fun, sure looked like he was having a blast .

These bikes are super hard to find and to race them is even rarer, I loved watching all the Boner shaker Tank Shifter machines giving it all they had.

I love this shot, I took it just as he got to the top and am so glad I captured just a little of the intensity but fun they were having at the track.

Big Fella, Big Bike, bring your vintage bike out next time, you will love it.

Flying like a bird as he gets to enjoy the view of coming back down to earth with a shuddering Rattle.

This Bloke was having a blast, he fell off on the corner but was still smiling, right on mate.

Giving it all as he hits the corner and his mates not far behind him, and he knows it.

The chase is on and the determination shows too.

Great photo as they are pushing each other to their max with old Jacket, jeans. Boots and Helmet, love this stuff.

Grant, gritting his teeth as he fights his 1929 Bone Shaker around the track.

Taking his Harley to the limit as the final lap approaches here at Glen Helen.

Now on the the straight and hold on .!!!!

Determination with a capital D as he enters the final lap of this race.

Giving it all he has got as the Checkered flag is not too far away.

This is hard to get around on the bend.

It goes down but softly and people quick to get the fella back up and in the race once more.

Back up and ready to continue, all fun and games and the soft dirt made it a little more forgiving if you fell.

Hitting the corner and ready for the straight away, such a Classic Harley to watch as it speeds by me.

Head down and wind it all the way open, hoping to keep his lead as the guy behind is trying hard to catch up.

I took this shot for the last Race and it sure looks like they are all set for the flag start from the cool Girl in the Red Jump Suit.

Everything was fun and the Flag girl was into it for sure.

On the start line once more, fun to watch them Roar off at once, backfiring and smoke too.

I took this shot from the pits of the start from behind, looked great.

Even with Mud all over his Glasses, he gritted his teeth and had such a blast on the track.

Grant seemed to have a blast on that 1929 Harley, a very Rare machine none the less but- so good to see it used like it was many moons ago.

Grant is all focused as this is the last lap for him and a fun one at that, good job mate.

On the last bit of the straight just before the finish, the old 29 held up well and it was brilliant to watch that’s for certain.

Grant finishes and everything is still in one piece, not sure the rider is though!

What a blast it was to see these Vintage Motorcycles rip along this dirt track, I sure hope that they continue to hold these races and if so, please try and attend, you will love it.