Buying The World's Most Expensive Dirt Bike!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ค. 2023
- We found the world's most expensive 2 Stroke Motocross bike! We take an in depth look at this unique piece dirt bike history and tell the story of how Andre Malherbe's 1985 Factory Honda RC500 ended up here in England...this is a true MX unicorn, the holy grail of two strokes, and you won't believe how much it would cost to own it!
A big thanks goes to Dave King for all his help in arranging this video and sharing his wealth of knowledge with us. Dave's event VMXdN Foxhill truly is the best vintage motocross event of the season, so don't miss it and i'll hopefully see you there! :-) Tickets and info can be found here: www.vmxdnfoxhill.com/
A huge thanks goes to our sponsors for supporting what we do!
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The twin rad caps is because the extended rads go further up than the balance tube so you can't fill them without an airlock unless you fill each side seperately.
Only very serious race bikes go to those extremes.
Surprising that Andre is rarely mentioned among the best ever. He is certainly worthy.
I remember the Farleigh castle race. Dave Thorpe was fantastic to come from the back. It was such an exciting race
I had an 86 CR500 . That alone was amazing. I can't imagine this beast.
I have ridden am 86 CR 500! They were beasts, and I rode that old turd 84 CR 250!!!
This is a special bike, but all cr 500s are monsters. Same with the kx 500s. Now there's a 700 maico.. I can't even fathom the power.
Back in the early to mid 80's those works bikes were so advanced. It seemed like anyone could win races if they had one. Now, looking at these bikes 40 years later, they look absolutely terrifying to ride.
Forget about displaying it, this bike needs to be RACED!!
It would be interesting to see what it can do against modern bikes.
@@chox2001 a good YZ 250 two stroke would embarrass this dinosaur, it’s best left as a display.
Just one time by a fast guy. Gotta be the right event too
@@iluvmx1977 depends who’s riding it.
@@iluvmx1977no it wouldnt 80s 500s stay with 450s still to this day , This factory bike is also mega light, And with the right pilot this thing would uncatchable, The engineerig away ahead of everyone
I had a 1984 CR 500 full on race bike" air cooled beast with drum brakes! I went from riding a 1984 CR80 to riding a CR500 I was 15yrs.old summer of 1986 best year of my life! Great video man!
Thanks buddy. Must have been awesome riding a 500 at 15 years old:)
You will have another!
It had a front disk
@@moneyontrees6 Yep. The 83 had a double leading shoe drum brake, like my 82 YZ250.
I think the brakes on my more modern 2019 YZ250 are insanely strong for what I am doing, (anything but trying to keep up with 4-stroke on a modern freeway MX track.). I think I will put an air bubble in the lines. :)
What an amazing piece of MX history!! Thanks so much for sharing this. I remember being 10 years old and watching this bike being raced by Andre who will always be a legend!!
Stood right beside thic fecker and shook hands with Andre. On the start straight as he waited to see where Thorpey was in that second moto at Wohlen in ‘85. Hands like shovels. Such a fierce competitor. Great interview Max. I don’t know how you do it Kinger. But great work mush
That must of been awesome Paddy. Thanks for watching
@@999lazer you don’t realise at the time. Echo what Kinger said about Farleigh. The thing with those guys. Especially Andre and Carla. You could see them settling in a 45 moto. And then they would up the pace. Dictating the race pace. It was awesome to watch. I’ve some pictures somewhere from that season and Thorpey just looked right on the bike, especially in his title defence year. The lad I was with had a Union Jack with Dave Thorpe World Champion on it. Every time he came round Malherbe tried to kick it out of his hands. The Belgian fans opposite us on the track we’re loving it. I couldn’t help but admire that fire in him. Such a proud man. Xx
Kaplan America is drooling at the sight of this foundation RRRRRIPPER 🇺🇸🤘🇬🇧🔥
Running is one thing... I want to see that puppy ridden!
Absolute BANGER!
Thanks for sharing,my first ever bike was CR80 rc.
Last air cooled 80 in Honda,and last of the flat seat.
I remember a couple older lads had a 500, and a YZ 490, and you could literally feel the vibrations in the ground.
I had a respect for them back when I was 12yo,and continued that into my 40’s.
Hope you in good health and spirits 👊
Awesome! I had an 86' and have the 2001 CR500 and love it! I've been riding CR500s since 94'! That's One hell of a Rockin OG CR500! 🤠👊🏁☠️💨
One of the coolest bikes ever thanks a bunch for letting us all have a piece of that of which we dreams!!
An awesome piece of history. David Bailey said that he preferred the 84 RC 500 to the 85. David lost the 85 US 500 National Championship to Broc Glover on his production air cooled YZ 490. David got redemption in 86, the first year of the production rule, by beating Broc and Ricky Johnson for the 500 title. David capped off the year by crushing all of the Euro's at the 86 Des Nations in Italy, smoking them all on a production bike. David Thorpe was beaten by the O'Show on a 125, but I think Thorpe was having rear brake issues.
Totally correct with your history but don't forget Dave Thorpe smoked everybody at the 85 MXDN. He was very underrated by the American press but certainly shut them up that year. As a British person I always appreciated just how good the Americans were but in my opinion the American press [ not riders ] were hugely disrespectful in some articles relating to our 3 time world champion. He was a gentleman of the sport and a legend , as were most of the great American riders of that era. In my opinion these were the golden years of motocross.
@@davebarlow6457 Thorpe definitely was a class act, but when the Americans crushed everyone in the 1986 Des Nations and Omara caught and passed Thorpe on the 125, that was definitely a high point for the USA. Almost as big as the USA beating Russia in hockey at the 1980 Olympics. To be fair to Thorpe, he had lost his rear brake, and he acted like a true sportsman.
Can't argue with your opinion and observations. Spot on.
I saw this bike back un 1985 at the Italians GP. I always liked Malherbe very much, more than Thorpe but that 's my opinion..
Thank you very much for this piece of Joy and beautiful memory you gave me
Italian motocross junky
Such amazing memories of watching Andre on this bike at Farliegh.
I met David Bailey at a local promotional event. Got some photos of his 250 works bike. Awesome rider and awesome machine!
I didn't even know Andre' passed. What a great guy... these were the same as the top American honda riders had and cost like 100,000 back then and David Bailey stating the 85 RC250 as being the best bike he ever rode. Awesome you guys did this video
I remember watching that race and fans been do close to riders it was just amazing. Also remember thorpey on breakfast tv i think with his 85 bike after winning the world title. An absolutely golden era for motocross and works bikes. Great to keep these bikes alive . 👍
I could listen to Dave all day long. What a font of knowledge 👍
You've been popping up in my recommended the last days and I've watched every video youtube told me to watch. It has been well worth my time, as has this video. Can't wait for more from you!
Thanks for such a great comment. I really appreciate it. Cheers Max
That is actually a bit scary IMO, watching everything YT puts in front of you. Be careful. We are programmable IMO, and they may not be very nice people.
Another excellent video Max. You are an asset to the sport of motocross
Love that two stroke sound and smell
David Bailey and his dad Skip put on a free motocross school at Burnt Hickory MX ,Georgia back in 1974. David Bailey was riding a Bultaco 250 Pursang and was very Coached very well. His dad believed in working on the basic skills and then building up upon the basics. The basic skills i learned from them are applied every ride . After practicing with David Bailey it was no surprise to see him become a Champion. Thanks for the lessons!!!
Super cool vid man.loved this
In '85, each bike from the world championschip haved to return to Japan to be completely broken...so i don't understand how you find an each one in USA. I knows Andre Malherbe, his father has a bike garage in Huy Belgium and i know that at the end of the season, they were dismantling the bikes in the night, to recuperate factory frames, engines, suspensions, ... they brebuild the bikes whith stock pieces to send it all to Japan to be broken...:). Good point for the emplacement of the exhaust, at the left side like factory bikes, bcz the stock bikes has it at the right side. Whithout it, this is an amazing bike !!!! Very cool to see that one more time. THX
Nice video Max, you can certainly keep finding these unicorn bikes, unbelievable what is about there, that's serious money I wouldn't let it see any track.
Another banger max , thanks for sharing this with us
No probs Docs, thanks for tuning in :)
Awesome bike and and a great piece of motocross history.
Excellent video Max!!!!! Thanks
Great to vist '85 works technology! We can imagine this work of art 🎨 may well be competitive, in the hands of a top pilot! Thanks for another one of it's kind video 📸 😊
A very special bike. Thanks for showing us.
This was a really cool video! Thanks for all you do!
Very interesting. Brings back memories. Would love to hear it run.
a special machine form a special time in moto history the industrial revaluation era of motox
Unreal! Love those bikes. My first was an 86 cr80
Great bike, luvd the video Max👏👏👍👊
Thanks
Amazing loved every minute of this video 🫡
I miss the works bike days in the USA.
love your channel!! great video!!
Thanks Robert
Too good, i remember as a young teenager in Australia seeing these bikes in magazines got to be the best factory bikes of all time. 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Agreed 100%, nothing comes close to the exotica of those 80's HRC machines. Thanks for watching as always dude!
Wow awesome video the 80’s were my time👍🏻although I still give er the beans ✌️
i fucking love this bike when i was young i probably saw this in real life in GP in Holland for sure mid eighties fucking love this
Awesome😊. What a work of art. If I remember correctly the magazines were stating they cost around 80k to build back then. I didn’t realize that they ever could be purchased😳.
Two rad caps: I can't say for sure on that bike, but for a time, HRC ran 2 separate cooling loops. One for the head, the other for the cylinder.
Very interesting indeed, thanks for the insight dude :-)
Nope. It flows through the cylinder and head like always. I think it was just to assure that both radiators are filled. I remember Hannah in the states on the bikes, playing with a water cooled shock, so I thought one may be for the shock, but I am sure not. They must be to insure they are filled. The works bikes were experimental bikes, and they strive for controlling all the factors the best they could. I could see that extra tid bit on just to make sure both are filled, (no air trapped).
@@EarthSurferUSA Like I said, I wasn't claiming his bike had separate cooling loops. But I'm certain that HRC did that on some bikes. It was because they determined the head and cylinder liked running at different termperatures.
I think the two loop thing was a little earlier like 81. Maybe. But I do remember something about it
Those works Honda's were stunning , nothing else came close.
Beautiful bike. Look what we have made! The 500 did not have an exhaust power valve, but Honda was developing them with their 250cc works machines. They were electronically controlled and programmable at the track. That was a tool they figured out how they wanted it to open mechanically for the production bikes.
Beautiful machine. Thanks for showing it with some history.
That was a tool they used to figure out how they wanted it to open mechanically for the production bikes.
Love it Love the 500s awesome
Is rite max! Loving the content lad keep it comin!!!❤
Thanks Andy
Unleash The BEAST UTMOST RESPECT Max lad 👍😎💥
Awesome!!
Thank you
The Works bikes from the 1970’s and 1980’s were very exciting times indeed. This was the pinnacle of Works bike technology.
Awesome channel and awesome bikes
Thanks (again) :)
One of my favourite bike's
Wow. Incredible. What a peice of kit . Love all the fine details. Classic motocross history their. Live the radiator and cylinder head . Very special. Grant video max. See you at the vets 🤟🏻🤟🏻
what a crazy but splendid bike to own wow ! Little john from chichester
2 rad caps,empty the water quicker,release the other cap for atmospheric pressure to push 😮"I'm making it up as I go" 😅, totally UNOBTANIUM 🤘🇬🇧
Holy Grail 😍😍😍
What a gem I would love to have a ago of the beast
You'll have to join the queue behind me Derry :)
great vid lazer.. such a masterpiece... greetings from honda australia melbourne
Thanks Shane
Those works bikes were amazing before 87 was the wild west growing up david bailey was my hero
Exotic Dirt Wheels don’t come much better than this 👌🏻😎
If you were riding in the 70's to 1986, (the production rule), the pace of the bike development, the competition of the manufactures,--------------------------was a wonderfully grand race itself, and in a very bright light. It was like the early muscle car days, or early Mt. Bike days, just full of excitement if you were involved.
In March of 1980, I was at the Pre Grande Prix in Belgium to see Roger, Brad and Heikki race. None of them were there, but Andre and Harry were. Harry won and Andre got the black flag. Sorry to hear that Andre has past away, he was definitely very fast.
Possibly the best MX bike ever built 👏🇺🇸
I rode an 84 CR500 back in the day. 250cc riders that rode the bike couldn't believe how much more power they had over the 250's, while riding the 500 allowed me to fling their 250's around like a toy.
That kind of money ide be riding it a couple times a year 🤗
I have ridden quite a few bikes during my non illustrious racing/riding.
I can say one thing, my son dialed in a 85 that I was afraid to look at sideways.
Guess I’m a gigantic sissy but after a lap or two on open circuit I returned it to it’s proper owner.
There aren’t many people that are capable of riding one of those to full potential.
Weren't you a bit big for the CR85cc bike?
I was watching on Tv, Moto World 1980's/ABC wide world of Sports, David Bailey and Johnny O'mara ride that exact bike, 250 cc two-stroke and the 500cc version outdoors.
Idk if i would risk it. Those were pure performance, everything was as thin and light and powerful as possible. After 30 plus years it might just split in half
I remember reading a out this bike years ago. The tank extension wasn't about lowering the center of gravity. It was for a little extra capacity because someone ran dry during a moto previously, and Honda didn't want that happening.
Do you think OEM's are doing things like that nowadays? Thanks for watching as always Doc
@@999lazer Nobody is running a thirsty 500 at race pace for 45 minutes plus 2 laps in a GP anymore!
They could have had enough fuel up high like everybody else. It was about lowering and centralizing the center of gravity. They even had a electric fuel pump for it because it was below the carb. You may be talking about Johnny O'Mara running out of gas for the 1987 world GP at Unadilla New York, handing Bob Hannah his first win at Unadilla. If so, that was 1986, and USA was stuck, (because of the production rule), with stock gas tanks.
@@EarthSurferUSA
Don’t think the production rule applied to the GP races. Hannah’s bike had the Boysen link so was certainly “works” despite having a stock engine. O’mara’s bike was not production based either.
If there was ever the coolest and most insane two stroke to get on your channel would be teh 1980 honda RC125m. Twin cylinder 125 can anyone imagine how awesome that would sound. I've looked everywhere for video and have never found it. Wonder if you can pull some strings and get to get it on your channel.
I'm really surprised the Honda factory let it go
All you have to do is squirt in some 20:1 fuel mix into the bottom end while the carb is off, remove the plug and kick it all thru, fit the carb and it will start up on the first kick and the main bearings & seals will have some lube on/in them as well. This is called ""WETTING"" the block & it works with 2 or 4 strokes that have been sitting or stored for any period time. I first came across this lil ditty while working as a boat tech & that made the spring run in of a properly winterized motor unit a breeze.
The reason this works is that it seals the rings & makes the unit pull in the new fuel mixture & it seals the crank on multi-cylinder 2 strokes so the fuel stays in the cylinder that it was drawn into on the compression stroke, as well as the afore mentioned per-lubing of everything!
The thing to watch out for is the spark plugs and/or wires on the motors when the atomized fuel is pumping out of the spark plug holes and things go poof, as fuel & spark WILL DO, so remove the coil wires and make sure the kill button is pushed if you are doing an M/C.
Thanks for a great tip
Second only to a YZM 500 surely, a real unicorn bike for sure❤
We've been on the hunt for a YZM for years... maybe one day we'll find one! Thanks for watching lee
2 radiator caps because I can remember reading about it if 1 radiator got damaged it would still have a separate water supply to keep the bike cool to finish the race
I hope it never got antifreeze in it. My buddies magnesium engine cases deteriorated that way, to the point they are scrap. I have heard that this bit of metallurgy was not well known and many owners didn't know that they even had magnesium cases on production bikes.
Sick
Ok. Here in the States, The production rule kicked fully in in 1986. But Yamaha raced production bikes in 1985!
Love ago on one of these beasts fastest dirt bike ive been on is a ktm300tpi last year an i reckon that went 80mph on the feild felt like 90mph
I Have a MDS André Malherbe 1984 helmet 🙂
Ken kaplin would love this
The Mona Lisa of MX
Although, there is 1 bike that, without having the wins the Honda has, would be equaly special to me: the YZM 500
Amazing! Not even restored and it still looks new. Those flat-head screws are even undamaged!
I remember hearing David Thorpe sold his RC500 for cheap soon after the championship. Then bought it back years later for a LOT more.
I feel very privileged to have been able to feature the bike on our channel! Dave King actually owned one of DT's RC500's...that's how the VMXdN initially got started. He wanted to reunite Thorpe with his old bike. Thanks for watching dude
@@999lazer Awesome! These guys are heroes for creating VMXdN. And the bikes are absolute treasures!
I wonder if Brad's Suzuki is still around
@@64maxpower Yes. Brad himself tracked it down and he now owns it
@@scottfreeman2551 I'm glad to hear that. I was a big fan of Brad throughout his career and even more after when he was humbly racing vintage mx
Dyno run would be very interesting..
it sure would, but the owner would have to be a brave man to do it :)
If I had the money, I would buy one of the 1985 Suzuki works bikes, withbthe fuel tank where the airbox is!!! Super rare
I would put this in the million dollar range
Max get them to let you race it at the Vmxdn
It’s so flat across the seat / tank just like they are in 2023 .. amazing
Ride it ride it ride it!
Seen this bike the other day
I recall a great man saying this bike cost 50k back when she was BUILT "Murray Walker" 🤠🤘🇬🇧
Amazing bike iv had a go on a cr500 and had a wr500 2 stroke and a ktm500 im looking for a ktm550 2 stroke now iv sold my other s
Thanks for watching dude!
The original CR500 Holy Grail
World champs, after the Americans.
Would love to see Honda reproduce the 83-85 (Take their pick) 250cc works bike for sale. I bet they can produce a sell-able batch for 15 grand or lower retail.
How many people would love one of those? :)
Whats the sheet metal piece that attaches to the front fender*?
i rode a 500 for a couple seasons in the early 2000's. i think it's kind of funny how this first generation of 4 stroke kids looks at the 500 2 stroke as this big scary monster. Once you get some seat time you'd be shocked how easy a 500 makes riding (for enduro atleast). they can be absolutely savages if you don't show them respect but once you learn the honda gear box 2nd gear on a 500 will solve almost every problem you have on a trail. HOWEVER - a works 500 on GD DRUM BRAKES!?!? that's balls. if you're young enough to have never ridden with drum breaks in the rain lol god bless you
Was there ever a RC500 automatic transmission made?
No
Amazing bike! I thought a lot of factory bikes were destroyed after their use or parts were scavenged. Is that truem
It was up to the manufacture. I am sure some went down that path. I would not know what percentage of them.