I just installed new OEM Honda 88-89 250R 8 Ball bearings (aka CR500 bearings) this spring and noticed right out of the bag the inner races could be tilted slightly by hand with respect to the outer race. I knew this would translate to some side to side play in the crank once assembled, which it has. But I think it is ok to have a little bit of end to end free play in the crank, it is the up and down movement you want to be tight, like the rod bearing. The slight end to end movement will allow the crank to find its neutral center position to the bore when running. If the crank were tight it could be in a bind and this is when things could break. Don't forget Neil's trick of relieving the preload on the crank after you install it by giving it a whop with a mallet on the clutch side, it should spin a little more freely then too. Also I used a hot rod stroker crank and sanded down the right bearing journal with emory paper carefully until it measured the same OD as an old Honda crank I had laying around. This allowed a slip fit with the bearing since I don't have a press.
