The 10+ year KX500 rebuild thread

[derek badger]

[weeksy]

That looks a hoot. Even if it rides shit i bet it'll be fun doing it.

[derek badger]

That looks a hoot. Even if it rides shit i bet it'll be fun doing it.

It'll be fun for a 45min blat on back roads I reckon. After that it'll rattle apart, run out of premix or I'll have to come home and change my pants...

[demographic]

That looks a hoot. Even if it rides shit i bet it'll be fun doing it.

It'll be fun for a 45min blat on back roads I reckon. After that it'll rattle apart, run out of premix or I'll have to come home and change my pants...

Those^.

Quite honestly the best thing to have which would enhance enjoyment of it would be a van to carry it over the boring roads, park up somewhere quiet (well quiet for a while anyway) warm the bike up while someone else comes along on a bike.

You might not beat em but trying will be highly entertaining.

[derek badger]

That looks a hoot. Even if it rides shit i bet it'll be fun doing it.

It'll be fun for a 45min blat on back roads I reckon. After that it'll rattle apart, run out of premix or I'll have to come home and change my pants...

Those^.

Quite honestly the best thing to have which would enhance enjoyment of it would be a van to carry it over the boring roads, park up somewhere quiet (well quiet for a while anyway) warm the bike up while someone else comes along on a bike.

You might not beat em but trying will be highly entertaining.

I'm lucky to have some nice B roads in my doorstep, not quite as nice as up your way though.

[demographic]

Problem is they're not quite on my doorstep.
If I lived where I was when I was a kid it would be bloody tops.

[derek badger]

Problem is they're not quite on my doorstep.
If I lived where I was when I was a kid it would be bloody tops.

For some reason I thought you were out Aspatria/Cockermouth way.

[demographic]

Problem is they're not quite on my doorstep.
If I lived where I was when I was a kid it would be bloody tops.

For some reason I thought you were out Aspatria/Cockermouth way.

Naah, Carlisle.
I'm often working out that way, or anywhere else in the county for that matter and a bit of Southwest Scotland as well.


Cockermouth would be ideal for it, quickly into the twisties.

[derek badger]

That's proper!
It's got late 80's Performance Bikes hooligan written all over it.

Post the pictures from A&E after your first ride

Funnily enough the late John Robinson's CR500 is the main inspiration behind the look I'm after.

[demographic]

I remember that, sculpted seat so it had a slightly lower centre of gravity, Dymag wheels and it might even have had one rad removed.
It was basically setup for hillclimb sprints.
I'll fire up a few of my Barbon CR and KX 500 pics when I get the time.

One other thing to watch out for is the kicksaltart lever wearing, then it over rotates and yer foot slips off while yer trying to start it. Most unpleasant.

I put the choke on, ease it just past compression, then let the kickstart go back to the top and then kick with gusto.
Also I don't touch the throttle til it starts or I'm just letting more air in to compress whilst slowing its flow through the carb.

[Taipan]

Doesn't pump the same volume when kicking over and opening the throttle just changes the a/f ratio?

[derek badger]

I remember that, sculpted seat so it had a slightly lower centre of gravity, Dymag wheels and it might even have had one rad removed.
It was basically setup for hillclimb sprints.
I'll fire up a few of my Barbon CR and KX 500 pics when I get the time.

One other thing to watch out for is the kicksaltart lever wearing, then it over rotates and yer foot slips off while yer trying to start it. Most unpleasant.

I put the choke on, ease it just past compression, then let the kickstart go back to the top and then kick with gusto.
Also I don't touch the throttle til it starts or I'm just letting more air in to compress whilst slowing its flow through the carb.

Cheers mate!

[derek badger]

Found some old photos I downloaded about 15 years ago. It's an '85 conversion and this is kinda what I'm going for, I want it to look quite period rather than a full-on modern conversion.

[derek badger]

New SBK bearings fitted to both wheels, just need the top hats for the rear to sort the alignment out but the chain run doesn't look to bad.

Found an old jack up stand in the shed. I'll replace the top with some MDF and see what I can do about attempting to start it.

[derek badger]

New top fitted to old stand. Stainless countersink bolts and a bit of carpet tile to finish it off.

[derek badger]

Went and got 10l of fuel and knocked up some 32:1 premix. Well, it wasn't first kick but it fired up on about the 3rd or 4th once I'd remembered the knack. The carb needs to come off for a clean/rebuild but fuck my old boots...IT LIVES!!!!

[Skub]

Fireworks!

[derek badger]

Fireworks!

Ring a fucking ding ding!

[Taipan]

Went and got 10l of fuel and knocked up some 32:1 premix. Well, it wasn't first kick but it fired up on about the 3rd or 4th once I'd remembered the knack. The carb needs to come off for a clean/rebuild but fuck my old boots...IT LIVES!!!!

Fooking aces! Well done!

[demographic]

I can't remember what carb the older KXs have, mines got the standard Keihin PWK39 D shaped slide but does yours have a PJ carb?

On about bits that break theres stuff on Youtube about the gusset kit that adresses some of the parts of the frame that break. It's aimed at the 88-2004 frames but still gives a good insight into what issues they have.
Realistically the main issue for mere mortals is the the expansion chamber bracket behind the coil.

Also Sandblaster and KX Guru have done some good Youtube vids.
They all break eventually.