Atc500af updated 12-10-13

[200x newby]

Well It's time to start a new project. Going with a CR500 AF conversion converted to a trike.

The plan (open to suggestions):
2004 CRF250R frame
2004 TRX450R swinger with rear suspension
1988 CR500 motor
1989-Current CR500 exhaust
2004 CRF250R forks w/ custom trips

Well I have the frame, motor, and rear suspension. THE PROBLEM the crf250 frame is just under 8" where the swinger would bolt and the 450r swinger is just over 9". I have went back and read all the AF threads such as Jason Hall's and can not get the answer im looking for. My question is... He used a CRF450r frame is this frame wider in the swinger area than the crf250r? Anyone who has a CRF450r could get me some measurements that would be great. I need to know what route to go as I'm not into the frame for anything othere than pocket change and I can get a CRF450 frame if need be. Will post pictures soon.

Thanks for the help guys!

P.S. I know where im headed just need some guidance to make this swap as less time consuming as possible.

[fabiodriven]

Using a bike frame is not a good idea.

[atc007]

I have nothing for ya except,,Good luck ! A TON of work and time. Hopefully it's worth it :) Will wait to see what you come up with!

[200x newby]

Fabio: explain if you could? Jason's trike turned out great so did a few others. If I wanted the steel frame I would have kept my converted 250r frame.

[200x newby]

Here are some pics of mock up VERY ROUGH mock up. just to get a feel of where everything might be.

[atc007]

Looks BA just like that !

[Dirtcrasher]

It does look nice. However, I consider Jason to be one of the best out there as a master swapping mechanic.

You may be top notch as well; IDK.

All I know is he did allot of work to make that work......

[200x newby]

Dirtcrasher I'm good but not near as good as Jason. I have been trying to get a hold of him for the last couple days to pick his brain but haven't heard anything yet. I know this is a big project if it were steel I'd have her whipped up but aluminum is not my most experienced field but I plan to learn a lot and take away a lot from this build just need a helping hand along the way and see what others have done and gain some ideas. I appreciate all the info i can get!

[Dirtcrasher]

No worries, most of us are not.

1st thing you'll need is a good TIG welder for the aluminum.

Then you can plat with the ride height, steering rake and all the other crap that won't fit.

I'm sure he would lend an ear, but he is a busy guy.

I may be wrong but I think "audio works" pulled it off and was very pleased with his results.

I know, trying and failing is still better than never trying at all.........

[Xowner]

Dirtcrasher I'm good but not near as good as Jason. I have been trying to get a hold of him for the last couple days to pick his brain but haven't heard anything yet. I know this is a big project if it were steel I'd have her whipped up but aluminum is not my most experienced field but I plan to learn a lot and take away a lot from this build just need a helping hand along the way and see what others have done and gain some ideas. I appreciate all the info i can get!

Jason is in CA at the invasion

[KASEY]

JASON WILL BE AT MY HOUSE IN COUPLE OF HOURS,, he is still on the road and probably won't be home for a few more days... so its going to be a while before he pops in here i would imagine!

[Billy Golightly]

One of the "tricks" I think Jason used as #1: A model year that had the least amount of rake out of all the rest and #2: He redid the rear suspension in such a way as to tilt the frame forward and down, so as to lessen the rake even more, if I remeber correctly.

[200x newby]

As of right now I'm waiting on the conversion kit to mount the cr500 motor in the frame. After that I'll start with playing around with the rear end and front end. My biggest concern is what had to be done to the 450r swinger to fit between the frame rails.

[Dirtcrasher]

Yes, Billy is dead on and it helped me with my rake. If you play with the upper/lower shock mount you can change the rake so it will not over or under steer.

Someday I'll get a 4K tig welder and take some classes on learning to use it.

[fabiodriven]

Fabio: explain if you could?

I am far from an expert on this. I've never ridden or built a trike from a bike, but I've seen others do it on here. I'm just regurgitating information here.

I've seen more than one guy complain of bike to trike conversions feeling too narrow and tall.

The rake is wrong.

I've heard of bike to trike conversions dragging the frame on the ground before the suspension bottoms.

I know where there's a will there's a way, but these are enough reasons for me to steer away from a bike frame, with one exception. I might do a street legal trike at some point and I might start with a street legal bike and go from there. I don't feel like the odd feel of a bike to trike conversion would bother me nearly as much on the street as it would off road. There's been enough conversions done that there's quite a bit of information to reference.

There's no wrong way. If you want to use a bike frame it can be done. It might be more work for an inferior trike in my opinion though. I can see tilting the frame forward to decrease your rake, but now you're riding around on a trike with the frame tilted forward. I have no idea how that makes the machine feel as far as handling, but I'd rather just do what I know works.

[200x newby]

Small update. I'm still waiting on my brackets from conversion parts to show up so I can get the engine set in the frame. Jason Hall is working on my inverted fork triple trees and is going to be modding my swinger and frame to mate up to each other. In the mean time I have been gather some parts here and there. Nothing major though until I get my frame modded and back and trips made.

[200x newby]

Been awhile but its not dead! got my frame conversion parts to fit the cr500 in the crf250r frame about mid summer, and about a month ago dropped the frame off at Jason Halls (mad props to him!!!) to fit my swinger to my frame and have the triples made for my inverts. Got it back this past Sunday and started throwing it together to get the final welding done. I have to make an upper shock mount and linkage mount and also mount my sub-frame and build an aluminum tank. In the mean time here is some TRIKE PORN for you guys.

[HondaRidr]

That is sick!

[JasonB]

nice! very good looking so far, is Jason welding in the new 'Y' for the front on the frame? i have seen alot of the AFC bikes over on the cr500 forums, very neat stuff. is he making the "Y" or did you buy one from one of the builders? I really want to eventually swap out to an aluminum frame on my 500R, but that will be sometime next year. What shock is that, im not real familiar with the stock 450R rear ends yet. Stock shock? stock link? looking awesome man, great work so far!

[200x newby]

All of the cr500 frame parts are from CONVERSION PARTS CR500. I had the welding done locally (my TIG took a trailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro). I'm using a yfz450r rear shock (longer than 450r) as it will work better for me. Other wise the rest is stock 450r rear suspension. cr250 forks up front. The main reason for building this is that I can get all my parts from Honda if need be and I wont pass myself on the trail.

[JasonB]

thats awesome, and i just went back and looked at the pics and realized half my questions were already answered lol. looks amazing man, im super jealous! anything done to your motor, has it been worked on at all? Did you upgrade the right side case from the stock 88? my cases/top end are off with Adam Millar right now for a TWIRP job, excited for some 500 action. If your on facebook feel free to post up some of these pictures of your build on the "ATC500R" page I made, trying to push 500 info out to people interested in building them

[TatTooL23]

Without knowing a lot about it.... I have to agree with Fabio. Tilting the whole frame/trike forward does not seem like the correct way to fix something. Def looks cool but that just seems wrong to me.

[200x newby]

I cleaned up the porting a little bit and removed the exhaust bridge. The clutch cover has been upgraded as I went with the 90-01 clutch lifter and basket. I also used a 2007 cr250 Barnett clutch basket since it had the stainless fingers on the basket. I have a PWK 38mm AS carb with the Pulse induction intake from Ron Mccord and a decompression for the head. Other than that the engine has been rebuilt with OEM Honda Bearings and will have zero hours on it. Every bearing on the bike is new.

[200x newby]

Your only tilting it a degree or two is is not even noticeable and looks stock. Ask Jason about it, he prefers is.

[JasonB]

he was kind enough to let me ride his 450R conversion bike at Glamis in 2009 back out of the dunes to camp, thing handled like a freaking dream. i like that bike alot

[200x newby]

It is closely modeled after his except for he used a 450 frame and I'm using a 250 frame.

[TatTooL23]

thing should be a monster. what color scheme??

[atc007]

Great work. Beautiful bike! It's gonna be one angry trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotr ailpro :)

[ColtonGG33]

That looks awesome!!!! Can't wait to see it all done. What tires r u using on it? I see them a lot just don't know what their called lol

[200x newby]

That looks awesome!!!! Can't wait to see it all done. What tires r u using on it? I see them a lot just don't know what their called lol

titan fast trekkers on the rear.

[TatTooL23]

i love the fast trekker rears. i just got two sets for my tecate projects. and that front is a maxxis. same tire i run on my red TPC

[Dave8338]

You're going to be fine with the rake. ;)
Any guess what it is going to weight in at, when all buttoned up ?

FANTASTIC project, keep at it.

Dave

[Jason Hall]

Tilting the frame is not any way to fix something, it is the Correct way to build Something and make it handle Sweet!! The frame does not care one bit if it's tilted!! Lol. I know the frame doesn't care because I have done it quite a few times and I even asked the frame and it told me point blank,, it does not care!! Lol.. Once you set the rear suspension up, and put the subframe on, it will be just what the doctor ordered. So, IMO welding up a bunch of steel to put one front wheel on a quad is not the right way to fix something lol.. Jk.. It's what we do to build what we want!!

Looking great so far!!