

Then the engine must be kept running while the seat and fenders are flipped back down. That means that the rider must dismount and flip the seat and fenders up for every start. With a rear kick the bodywork is in the way, so the Rath crew installed their custom flip-top kit for the rear fender and seat with seat mounts to get the clearance to fire it up. An ATC 250R has a forward kickstart lever, but the dirt bike engine has a rearward kick. The Honda engine must be kick-started to get the engine fired up and ingesting fuel and air. VP Racing fuel mixed with Maxima Castor 927 2-stroke oil is fed to the carburetor. A custom intake system that’s running a K&N air filter let the 500 breathe clean air easier. It was worth the work, since the pipe has the correct dimensions to get the best performance from the engine.
#Atc 250r performance parts pro#
Hitt had dropped off a Pro Circuit CR500R exhaust system, but it had to be cut and modified to fit in the more compact ATC chassis. However, Daryl’s crew found a 39mm PWK Keihin carburetor to help provide a perfect air-to-fuel mixture for the engine. The 500cc powerplant is forceful enough in stock form. The engine was placed snuggly in its new home after the frame was powdercoated. For Black Beauty, Rath came up with an anti-vibration mount for the headstay on top of the cylinder head. On an ATC 250R or a CR500R motocross motorcycle, all the engine mounts are solid. Once there was room for the new engine, everything was welded together. The new engine is larger than the stock 250cc powerplant, so Rath cut the downtube out and dropped the lower frame rails by 1.75 inches. The Rath crew took the 1985 ATC 250R frame and modified it with custom engine mounts and frame modifications. When you get on the throttle the rider needs to hang off, lean forward and fight to keep the front wheel down and the bike under control. Some folks think that the ATC 250R was overpowered as a 250, so a 500cc engine should create a monster. Shane Hitt works with giant machines with blades, so it isn’t too surprising that he felt that his old Honda ATC deserved the extra ponies of a CR500R engine swap. It has a cult following and a nickname of “Quadzilla.” A Quadzilla would be the last word in civility compared to a compact three-wheeler with even more power that is more violent in delivery than the LT500R.ĭepending on how sensible you are, it could be fortunate or unfortunate that Honda never chose to offer an ATC three-wheeler with an open-class two-stroke powerplant.

Suzuki is the only company that injected a 500cc two-stroke production sport ATV into the market. Nevertheless, stories about the sheer power and (compared to modern machinery) its violent delivery are true. Like most stories about the “good old days,” the legends of the CR500R are outsized and some distance from reality. Anyone who has experienced one will doubtless tell glorious riding stories of untameable beasts with massive power output! A CR500R makes more power than a modern 450cc motocrosser, but it isn’t nearly as civil or easy to ride as a modern four-stroke. With two decades since Honda built the last new CR500R, fewer and fewer people are around who experienced riding one. At one point in the rpm range the power jumped up 18 horsepower in 1500 rpm! Starting one takes talent and dedication. The non-power-valve engine was always a brute. Honda built the liquid-cooled CR500R from 1985 to 2001 without many major engine changes. With a Honda CR500R engine in the ATC 250R chassis, owner Shane Hitt more than doubled the power at close to the same weight. This would be a custom build in the truest sense of the word.Įvery photo of this machine shows blinding acceleration.

Even when you have a frame and an engine from the same manufacturer, they never just jump right together. Hitt had sourced a Honda CR500R 500cc two-stroke motocross engine that needed to find its way into the ATC 250R frame cradle. A parts pile like that would be daunting for some, but Rath’s shop is the mechanical equivalent of the Fortress of Solitude for Superman.ĭaryl and his crew were to transform the parts pile into what we call “Black Beauty.” The kicker of the whole build is one of the most powerful production two-strokes available. A frame from a 1985 Honda ATC 250R, an exhaust that matched the engine but didn’t fit the ATC, black plastic bodywork, and a motor were left at Rath Racing. He showed up at Rath’s shop with a pile of parts. Hitt had a long-time dream of owning one of the most powerful and plain nasty ATCs ever created. It has a mean stance, and the frame opening is packed with that giant engine. To be honest, black is not our favorite color choice, but Black Beauty really has put the look together.
