The 10+ year KX500 rebuild thread

[Tricky]

Great thread, look forward to seeing it finished, and I'd love a go on it (although probably just one go )- maybe when it's done, and my 350 is, I'll ride over your way and we can stink up some Hants/Surrey roads with the lovely smell of 2 strokes

[Potter]

You've got a better memory than me, I haven't started my LC for a couple of years and I know I had a couple of jobs to do but I can't remember what they are now.

[Nidge]

Is it finished yet?

[demographic]

Just bad a phonecall offering to buy my "spare" KX500 today.
It's one I bought quite some time ago just for the spares and haven't ever ridden, its been flipped so the rear subframe is knackered and is in a condition best described as tatty.
I got it then thought it was so close to being a full bike that I'd get the rest but have never quite had the time and money to do it.

I've still got my main one and a fair selection of spares so I'm not short of gear and at the moment the money is more important.
Ive ratched out a load of parts and think the price is fair to both ends of the deal, to me and the buyer.

[A_morti]

I've now got a set of 17" wheels and some part worn tyres so the bike is at least manoeuvrable around the garage. I can't for the life of me remember what they're off, (the front it a Honda but running reverse so the brake disc is on the correct side).

Front is off a CB-1!

You've unfortunately picked a kinda heavy wheel with a disc that's unique to the model, and not easy to find.

If you are willing to drill their bolt holes out to 8mm, a carby Blackbird disc will fit but it's thinner material. You can also go down to 296mm and use all sorts of Honda discs (600f3 for example).

[derek badger]

I've now got a set of 17" wheels and some part worn tyres so the bike is at least manoeuvrable around the garage. I can't for the life of me remember what they're off, (the front it a Honda but running reverse so the brake disc is on the correct side).

Front is off a CB-1!

You've unfortunately picked a kinda heavy wheel with a disc that's unique to the model, and not easy to find.

If you are willing to drill their bolt holes out to 8mm, a carby Blackbird disc will fit but it's thinner material. You can also go down to 296mm and use all sorts of Honda discs (600f3 for example).

Probably easier to swap both wheels out for something more suitable. They were slung on there as they were cheap and I got the tyres free.

[Taipan]

Is it finished yet?

If I was a betting man, my money would be on the Segrada Familia being finished first...

[KungFooBob]

Is it finished yet?

If I was a betting man, my money would be on the Segrada Familia being finished first...

They reckon it'll be finished in 2026, so it's probably a sound bet.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

He's been building it for as long as I've known him online, which is approaching 20 years.

[derek badger]

[Skub]

Are we there yet?

[Taipan]

Is it finished yet?

If I was a betting man, my money would be on the Segrada Familia being finished first...

They reckon it'll be finished in 2026, so it's probably a sound bet.

That's the Spanish estimating a finishing date, so no one actually believes it. We have decadas de mananas left yet!

[derek badger]

So...

I'm kind of stuck having dropped the clutch basket and broken a pawl off...which I have subsequently lost/thrown away. It's a discontinued part and I've not seen one pop up on eBay in the last 6 months.

The 1985 clutch basket shares the same steel and friction plates as the 1986 and others but it has a 16T crank gear and the later ones have a 17T so I bought one thinking I could press them out and swap. Unfortunately they have a different number of splines. The large gears are the same in both.

So, it's an engineering shop job. My thoughts are either cut a pawl off the 86 basket and get it TIG welded on to the 85 basket and machined up, or press out both gears and build up the 86 basket with weld and rebroach it for the splines of the 85 crank gear.

Anyone have any other thoughts?

[Mr. Dazzle]

I'd probably make a new middle bit with the gear off one and the spline off the other, IYSWIM

Cutting gears and splines is a bit spendy though if you're not in the habit of doing it.

Why is it a spline? Does it have to be?

Edit: Ah right, it's an aluminium basket and a steel gear innit...makes sense. That's why it's splined. If you did it another way you'd chew through the basket.

So yeah. Make a new 'hybrid' centre bit or build up and remachine as you say. If it were me I'd have more faith in the former than the latter.

[derek badger]

Well fuck my hat. Just found a KX500 specialist on Facebook, pinged him a message thinking he'd get back to me next week. Replied straight away...turns out not only is he 20 miles down the road from me, but he's located a NOS basket in Holland for £250.

[derek badger]

[Potter]

You should have it MOT'd by the end of the week then?

[weeksy]

Great news Badger

Get it done ASAP and get it shipped over...

I forget now, where else are you up to with the bike ?

[derek badger]

Great news Badger

Get it done ASAP and get it shipped over...

I forget now, where else are you up to with the bike ?

Engine fully rebuilt, then the kickstart spring went while trying to start it (no spark). Broke the clutch replacing that. Once it's bolted back up I've got a new coil and CDI unit, check the points/condenser and get it running. It's then brakes, chain alignment, wheel spacers etc. which I'm more than happy with doing. If I can find a cheap set of spoked 17" wheels and better forks I would like to swap them.

I'll crack on with the paperwork to get it registered next week.

[derek badger]

Oh, and torque up, thread lock and lock wire everything. It's amazing how much a big bore 2stroke vibrates.