I have a 1990 cr500r Honda 2 stroke that can be pull started but won't kick start could you tell me what is wrong with it runs fine when started but can kick start only pull start?

Sorry for the picture-less story , I now have figured out how to do this! So, here is the story. Being here in NorCal, haven't seen much sand expect pismo, most of the riding I am invited to is trails, woods, rocks...clay dirt.

I'm getting adjusted. Meanwhile I have bought myself a full race downhill bike. ( another childhood fantasy ) and up in Northstar, Tahoe, I kinda learn to make friends with rocks under your front wheel.

I mean, I really used to loathe rocks, having spent most of my riding on deep sand in the Netherlands. Anyway, I have decided to park the CR250 because I don't want to make my McGrath replica into a wood/trail enduro machine, neither do I want to do anything playful but potentially damaging to it. And lastly the suspension is not satisfying.

I actually like it as an indoor piece of history, and occasionally have an inspired ride on it. So, I've been looking at getting another machine. Went a dozen times to the KTM dealership.

Then Dungey got the outdoor title, so it inspired me to visit the KTM dealership with a pen, ready to sign myself into another financial restraint. I really dig their fuel tanks back in 2011. I considered the 200 as a playbike to attempt embarrassing my 450 friends... it was so light, I could bounce and lift the front wheel like a bmx!

But the 2011 are gone, now it's the 2012 and the coming 2013. Something was strange. These bikes which I have stared at on pictures for months felt heavy, wide and low when I sat on them.

I could barely lift the front wheel up. The controls felt downsized. Low, wide and heavy.

So here I was, ready to sign up on a 250 XC-W with a very conflicted mind. There at the table, my phone rang. Should have not answered, but I did.

I had been harassing craigslist sellers for a while. I figured I'm going to check his bike, it doesn't imply anything, just gonna check out his CR500... and then move on. See... I have never ridden a 500.

(((A decade ago someone tried to sell me a worn and abused 85 CR500 with a leaking tank and bent bars. My plan was to see that 1997 CR500R and see if I could start it. This one among dozen of other 500s on craigslist was interesting because it had what looked like pristine stock paint and plastics, no crazy mods but bars... even stock exhaust!

..while the other 500 in great shape, restored would go for high prices because the owners want money back from their parts and work. Lots of money for styles I don't like . So I got there, the 500 was inside a garage.

Cold muffler, cold engine. And there was this thing... This thing has a tall tank. I'm a tall guy, 6'4"... but... this bike felt even better than my 93' 250.

I had to maneuver it outside the garage onto a narrow alley between flowers, turn it around ... I .. I could lift both wheels off the ground... LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. This thing... thing thing was LIGHT. Like missing 20 lbs on the front.

Tall and a delight to move around. And that square flat seat. They packed a 500cc two stroke plant into a frame this nimble and light?

In my mind the 500 was heavy. Everybody said that. On paper, the 500 is 20 lbs heavier than the CRF.

This is strange. The 500 actually felt lighter than the new 2012 KTM 2 strokes out there, which on paper are even LIGHTER than the CRF. The owner, a vet, was the second owner.

Nice guy, just hangs out having fun riding around he says. Doesn't ride as much now that he and his wife have a polaris razor. Holds the drinks better.

Bike spent most of its life in the garage with old gas. I Turned on the fuel, choke. Leaned it, slowly moved the kickstarter to prime the cylinder.

Gave it a manly kick, another...another... she coughed at the muffler... I repositioned my thin $20 thin sole casual shoes and gave two medium kicks in a quick succession... AND SHE FIRED UP! And that sound! Did not bother to even ride it.

I want this thing. Linkage has some slack and will need to be replaced, which is typical. I wasn't prepared.

I had no ramp and no straps. I grabbed the swingarm and lifted the back tire onto my van. Then the front wheel.

I leaned the left side grip against the interior wall. Back tire was against the driver seat. She wasn't moving.

Like a kid who was offered an entire candy store. That's how I felt. A grin on my face at the thought that I now have a CR500!

Starred at this thing longer than I watch tv! And now the plan. Bought a used white airbox off ebay.

No damage, just scratches everywhere. I got lucky. It will just take some plastic polish to get it shiny again.

Fancy stickers off ebay. I know..they are incorrect. Started dismantling the thing.

Looks like our vet owner didn't change oil often. Air filter was packed with sand. A sandskin was fitted on it and the bottom 1/4 was a pool of compacted fine sand.

Pic after I had removed the rotten filter. Removed the boot. Only excess air filter oil dripped down the air boot.

I suspect the sand partially blocking the air intake affected how the bike ran. Yet it did ran, the owner could ride around. Not good enough for me.

She will get TLC and breathe right. Dipped the entire airbox in a tub with degreasing solution. Air filter oil is nasty.

Reed valve petal do not close correctly. Previous owner was riding around with a wrench and spare spark plugs. The plug does not look good.

Looks like jetting is off and I will need to experiment until I get it to run fine. Was there sand on the spark plug? She'll get a new top end after a couple hours of ride, promised.

Removed the rear shock. Swingarm moves freely. Stock honda paint on linkage bolts.

Swingarm interior is like visiting the 1997 honda factory. Stock exhaust pipe has cracks. Will upgrade to Gnarly.

Reed valve will be replaced with Moto Tassinari V force 3. Front Sprocket has worn grooves. Front tire, ( probably stock) has deep cracks on the side wall.

Again, somehow following the footsteps of the Dogger. How different is the clutch from the 91-01 500s vs the 94 250s? Is the stock ignition ok or is the upgrade to the service honda really worth it?

Also looking to get the best suspension on this baby. Ohlins sadly discontinued forks and shock for it. Gearbox... haven't ridden the thing yet.

Dogger said the 92 was the last close ratio. I hope the current ratio I have is not tooo wide. Dogger, I called the cryo freeze guys you mentioned a while on treating your gears... some company in arizona if I recall... they mentioned treating the entire engine..all parts... I thought just the gears?

What's your take on this? Anyone in Norcal got some advice as to where to get the best suspension service... if I can't get new susp, am thinking of getting race tech gold valve for front and rear... but by who? Banana_oil and FRODAD393 like this.