BlackZ's Husqvarna CR 500 Silver Streak 1982.5

[BlackZ]

Hello all! So, I bought this Silver Streak that I asked help before to identify it to genuine Silver Streak. And identification was succesful. Original frame and tank came with it, now it has 125-430 frame and red tank. Frame was swapped because it was little worned and tank was swapped to save it from damages Engine is 4-speed and with 44mm Mikuni.

Yesterday I got this bike and huge amount of spare parts that was acquired 15 years ago. It looks worn, but everything works 100% and shocks are good and so on. Previous owner showed how to start it, it needed only 4-5 very slow "priming" kicks and then find the sweet spot and one very strong kick and that was it, it started and sounds very good and healthy I took a small light test drive and that thing is really a monster I love it.

I'll start to restore this at winter, now during summer I will ride it few times before it. I'll try to keep everything as original as I can. I will fix that original frame and take it to specialist who will make also weldings stronger, then new paint to frame and so on.

Front fender isn't original, I guess it should be similar than it was on my earlier HVAs ('78 390 and '79 250)..? But these ones I'll buy new, like side plastic covers also.

And I have so much parts now, that I will build another 250-500cc HVA also from those parts, all other main parts are, only wheels and engine is missing and of course huge amount of smaller parts. This other one will be builded only for having fun, but this Silver Streak will be build for having fun but also to look as good as it can. So this one won't be neither flawless show bike.

 

[BlackZ]

This was interesting find from pile of spare parts. To me this looks like a new or at least newish 4-speed gears, only mark from usage could be on that axle shaft below on that picture, otherwise flawless.

There was also another set of gears, that one was worned but still maybe usable, on 2 gears there was minor part missing.

But in any case, at least one usable set of gears that looks new. On this "new" gear set there was X stamped after every number of gears, does somebody know what it means? On that other gear set that was worn, there was only numbers, not X after gear number.

Picture is from that gear set that I think might be newish.

 

[DeathFromAbove]

Sweet ride!

 

[silverstreakNZ]

Kick start has been replaced with a 4t one which is better in every way .
Are those works performance shocks ?
Side covers are cut an odd shape
Check the kick start gear on the back of the clutch basket

 

[BlackZ]

Kick start has been replaced with a 4t one which is better in every way .
Are those works performance shocks ?
Side covers are cut an odd shape
Check the kick start gear on the back of the clutch basket

Ok, good to know, I was looking myself also that kick start looks different than what it was on my earlier bikes. They had broken one engine left block (cracked top of block near kick start lever) when bike had kicked back during starting, so everything is almost new behind clutch basket.

I don't remember what shocks those were, but they said that those were some custom made for Silver Streak and very expensive shocks.

Yes, side covers like all plastics are pretty bad on this bike. I just ordered new parts, here are some:
- Front fender
- Rear fender
- Front number plate
- Both side covers
- 500 CR decals for side covers
- Gear lever
- 12/53 gears and chains
- Hand grips

So, it will get some refresh for looks soon

 

[BlackZ]

Yesterday I started looking parts and frames that came with it, and starting soon to restore original frame to Silver Streak. All parts for the looks is ordered, now just need to restore frame.

I have 2 Silver Streak frames, CN-19442 and CN-19374, and this CN-19442 seems to be a bit better so I choose this to be my Silver Streak frame. On the CN-19374 right side rear fork bolt hole is stretched maybe 50% of original size upwards. There are some stretching on rear fork bolt holes also on this other frame. I will sandblast and fix both I think. I was thinking to strengthen this rear fork frame fastening. Now it's only 3mm thick sheet metal on frame where engine rear end and rear fork will be bolted all together. And there is no question that will 500cc engine torgue stretch that hole, yes it will and you can see it from all of these frames. So I was thinking to cut maybe 5mm thick "plugs" from rear fork inside metal bushes (I have several extra of those) that is 100% correct size for that long bolt that goes through frame and weld those plugs both sides on frame, top of rear fork fastening surfaces/holes. Then those frame fastening will be total 8mm thick, not 3mm. Of course I will need after that 10mm longer fastening bolt, but that shouldn't be a problem, because those are metric bolts used on HVA.

I also chose best rear fork that I found from spare parts that came with Silver Streak, it looked very good. And if it's better than rear fork that is in the Silver Streak right now, I will use it in final assembly. I doubt that rear fork that is in it right now is better, because this one almost is flawless.

And then, I just installed all good parts together what I found from spare parts. Just for fun and to see what else do I need, if I build another 250-500cc HVA "stress toy" from parts that will be left after my Silver Streak is restored There was also 2 full front shock assemblys, but I will use that one on final assembly that is assembled to my Silver Streak right now. So on that picture you can see the frame and the tank, and propably also rear fork, that will be restored and what will be swapped to my Silver Streak to be once again "full" Silver Streak by numbers also. Frame and fork will get sandblasting, very careful check for any stress fractures, some TIG strenghtening weldings and light modifications to make it even better/stronger than it ever was, and then probably powder coating. For Silver Streak tank, I take it only for removing dents that are in it. I think this is the original part where I don't care if the age and character will show. It's original only once, and can be painted million times so I'll keep it original, only those restorations that can be done without painting will be done to SS tank.

So this other HVA, "stress toy", will be builded of that frame (CR 125-430) that will be released from my Silver Streak. There will be also lots of other parts soon that will be released from my Silver Streak because SS gets all new parts, this stress toy will get "race history" parts in it and hopefully also big engine somewhere 430-500, air cooled of course.

I've been building american cars last 20 years, so this is fun to build something smaller between bigger projects

 

[BlackZ]

Here are few old pics of this Silver Streak. This one is from 1999 when it still had original tank in it.

 

[BlackZ]

This other picture is from 2006 and red tank is already swapped to it. I have lot of these old photos of this bike

 

[ruwfo]

it needed only 4-5 very slow "priming" kicks and then find the sweet spot and one very strong kick and that was it.


Remember to NOT get lazy & kick it over with riding boots on, you may get lucky a few times, but it will catch up with you.


Are those works performance shocks ? sure looks like it

And don't get me wrong, they are really great shocks, there just NOT stock, if that's what your look for, Ohlins should be on it.

Every thing else is typical race mod's/improvements which is really cool, especially since
you have old pictures

 

[BlackZ]

it needed only 4-5 very slow "priming" kicks and then find the sweet spot and one very strong kick and that was it.


Remember to NOT get lazy & kick it over with riding boots on, you may get lucky a few times, but it will catch up with you.


Are those works performance shocks ? sure looks like it

And don't get me wrong, they are really great shocks, there just NOT stock, if that's what your look for, Ohlins should be on it.

Every thing else is typical race mod's/improvements which is really cool, especially since
you have old pictures

No, I'm not that much looking for factory stock condition. But it feels better that it has stock frame and tank so those I will swap back. Especially because stock tank in this case is completely different color and only model where that silver tank is

What do you mean by "Remember to NOT get lazy & kick it over with riding boots on"..? I don't quite understand, my first language is Finnish so not all terms are familiar to me, sorry about that EDIT: aaaaa, did you mean that I should always keep riding boots on when kick starting..? If you meant that, then I understand I thought somehow on my mind that why I would be lazy if I use riding boots during startup

 

[ruwfo]

What do you mean by "Remember to NOT get lazy & kick it over with riding boots on"..?

Should have been WITH OUT BOOTS on bad typo

 

[BlackZ]

I have a huge car build ongoing right now, many months already. But I've been refreshing this Silver Streak on my "free time" So now it looks once again Silver Streak. Something I have done so far:
- Basic maintenance done
- Started and idle adjusted
- Test driven, man I love this monster
- New front fender
- New number plate to front
- Silver Streak tank minor restoration and installation
- New side plastics
- New CR 500 stickers
- New rear fender
- New gear lever
- New handlebar grips
- Fixed lot of all kinds of small things
- Cleaned/washed

I still have new 12/53 gears and chain (right now worn 13/55). Right now I'm restoring this original Silver Streak frame and rear swing, it will be fixed, strenghtened and blasted and powder painted. I'm fixing at the same time also other Silver Streak frame and rear swing, this one I can sell if somebody needs original Silver Streak frame. But I'm already happy now, it now looks once again original Silver Streak. Lot of small things to do, but this is motivating to see getting some things done

 

[BlackZ]

How strong oil/fuel mixture are you using with these old big bores? Previous owner said, that they have been running 20:1 mixture always with this and also with other classic big bores, so it's 5%. I have used to somewhere 3% mixture on my earlier bikes, but should I continue running this 20:1 (5%) mixture with this, because it seems to work very well with that and doesn't smoke much even it is so rich mixture? I haven't changed mixture because propably this is also jetted so that this mixture works best, not much at all smoke or spooge coming out, seems to be very good for this right now.

 

[2premo]

How strong oil/fuel mixture are you using with these old big bores? Previous owner said, that they have been running 20:1 mixture always with this and also with other classic big bores, so it's 5%. I have used to somewhere 3% mixture on my earlier bikes, but should I continue running this 20:1 (5%) mixture with this, because it seems to work very well with that and doesn't smoke much even it is so rich mixture? I haven't changed mixture because propably this is also jetted so that this mixture works best, not much at all smoke or spooge coming out, seems to be very good for this right now.

if it aint broke,,,,,

 

[BlackZ]

if it aint broke,,,,,

Yes, I was thinking that same....

 

[silverstreakNZ]

I run 2% . They had synthetic oil then and ran 40:1 . The more oil you put in it the better it will go . If it smokes or leaks goop use a lower grade oil that will actually flash off at the exhaust temps you are producing .

Depends how finely he jetted it and your difference in elevation

 

[BlackZ]

First real test ride for Silver Streak done yesterday. Well what can I say Everything worked 100% well and this thing feels very "peppy". I was hoping that it will soften down when you take it to loose ground, but that thing didn't seem to happen. I tried my best to take it to the limits, and I can say that I lost that game This is so strong, that I need many hours to learn how to really handle all this power. Maybe hardest thing that I experienced, was this throttle opening. Somehow this turns to wild beast immediately when you open throttle even a small amount. I mean power comes out so fast that it's challenging to handle. It's easier after you have already some throttle/speed in the game, but transition from zero throttle to some throttle, rips like hell. Is it this 44mm Mikuni that creates this effect, or is this engine's nature like that in any case? I mean I have several experiences also from modern KTM 380cc 2-stroke, it's also very strong but it will give you much more reaction time when you start open throttle.

It's an awesome bike and keeps me humble propaply rest of my life. That thing is 100% clear that handling this will take huge amount of riding hours to learn how push it to the limits. And in most situations, there is no any reason try to push it to the limits, at least not for me Also first time it kicked back yesterday, I can confirm what also ruwfo said, that it will eventually get you and always keep driving boots on when kick starting this, and of course I had my boots on, but still it was a moment that I can remember at least few days more from now

But yes we had a nice yesterday evening, Silver Streak is one piece of art in classic dirt bike history

 

[yota]

I have a Honda CR500 so know what you mean about the rush of power. I'd probably be mangled by now but all I ride in is sand and it somewhat helps calm it down thru wheelspin. when it hooks up though...

 

[yota]

what bike did the kicker come off of?

 

[BlackZ]

I have a Honda CR500 so know what you mean about the rush of power. I'd probably be mangled by now but all I ride in is sand and it somewhat helps calm it down thru wheelspin. when it hooks up though...

Yep, I guess it's always a "big bore challenge", there is much more power than you will ever need in most cases. That power itself is awesome and could be somehow managed if it wasn't so responsive that immediately when you open throttle even a little power "explodes" out of it Same time it's fascinating, but also scary and reminds you that remember to be prepared and precise all the time It would be nice to test Silver Streak where is smaller 38-40mm carb installed, that does it decrease/stabilize this "low end rage".