New from upstate ny

[6bt]

Hi all,

New to the forum, but not to bikes. Owner of a 01 kx500, cr500, xr650r...also smaller bikes, street bikes, 3 wheelers and quads. What brings me here is an 84' kx500 basket case I bought for some reason. Trying to figure out what to do with it.

[Foxx4Beaver]

welcome aboard  6bt....
I myself would start investigating how difficult it's gunna be to locate parts, and just how far you're willing to go with it, and what you're willing to spend. Finding certain parts is gunna be troublesome, especially motor/tranny parts.

Post up a couple pics of it, so we can all get a look see!

how-to post pics...
http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php/topic,17107.0.html

[6bt]

Here's one. Bike has spark and compression. I might try and do a budget resto, and trade it off for another bike. My understanding is they werent the best bikes.

[6bt]

Here's my 01.

[Foxx4Beaver]

Here's one. Bike has spark and compression. I might try and do a budget resto, and trade it off for another bike. My understanding is they werent the best bikes.

No, you're right, they weren't the best...some would say that they downright suck....but, they do look pretty cool...I think I'd have fun on one. I don't think I'd ride one too far from home though!    

That thing doesn't look too bad at all...that '01 is pretty clean too.

[6bt]

Basically it popped up on Craigslist, I ran out and bought it without having a plan for it. There's worse ways to spend $500 right?

Anyway I listed it on eBay, no takers. Lots of interest from Craigslist, but after 2 nights of no show's, I pulled the ad. Plan now is to make it run and functional, then go from there I guess.

I've poked around on Rocky mountain atv's oen parts catalog. It seems like there a fair amount of stuff still available.

[sandblaster]

I would buy it in a heart beat.
I have two 83's and a 84.
All need a restore.
I'm thinking about doing one of the 83's completely stock and see just how much I can improve the other..
Can you imagine showing up at the dunes on a air cooler and spanking all the 450's  

[Abbott]

where about in upstate NY? I am in the finger lakes region...

[6bt]

where about in upstate NY? I am in the finger lakes region...

About 20 mins south of Syracuse. Near Lafayette.

[umberto]

My dad had an 84 when I was a kid.  The power band was like a light switch, and the thing wheelied with any movement of your wrist.  I was only about 165 pounds at that time, but my dad was big into weight lifting and strength training at that time and it did the same to him at 230 lbs.  That being said, I would love to ride one now to see how bad it really was.   

[Abbott]

where about in upstate NY? I am in the finger lakes region...

About 20 mins south of Syracuse. Near Lafayette.

oh cool! not too far. I'm hoping to get mine out that way this year actually. Want to take it to Pineview run. 1.1 mile road course. would be perfect for my converted KX500. they are supposed to be letting motorcycles on the track for the first time ever this year

[streetsleeper]

Hiya fella from upstate NY.
I'm having trouble posting, or may have posted two or three times (think I can remove them if that's the case).
What I wanted to say was please keep the KX and restore it to original trim. There won't be many of these old motocrossers around in the future.
I'm new to the site too. Bought an'87 which is impossible to find parts for here in Mexico and people (understandably) aren't prepared to send stuff from the States. But when I get back to the UK I'm going to restore it back to original using as many OEM parts as possible. I'll probably sumo it to actually use it, but keep everything to convert it back in the blink of an eye. If I could buy a basket case (please note anyone in the UK), then I'd have a supply of mechanical parts and consumables for it for whenever I need parts. My thinking goes like this. In ten years time I might be too old to ride it, by my son will be 17 then and he'll be the proud new owner of a 40 year old, original spec Kawasaki KX500 motocrosser!
Try to restore yours. Please don't break it up (think you call it "parting out" in the US?). I'd love to follow your progress here on KXRiders.com. If not, Sandblaster would buy it. I know he'll get round to restoring it eventually. And the prices you pay in the US are ridiculously cheap compared to the UK.
Good luck mate!

[6bt]

Hiya fella from upstate NY.
I'm having trouble posting, or may have posted two or three times (think I can remove them if that's the case).
What I wanted to say was please keep the KX and restore it to original trim. There won't be many of these old motocrossers around in the future.
I'm new to the site too. Bought an'87 which is impossible to find parts for here in Mexico and people (understandably) aren't prepared to send stuff from the States. But when I get back to the UK I'm going to restore it back to original using as many OEM parts as possible. I'll probably sumo it to actually use it, but keep everything to convert it back in the blink of an eye. If I could buy a basket case (please note anyone in the UK), then I'd have a supply of mechanical parts and consumables for it for whenever I need parts. My thinking goes like this. In ten years time I might be too old to ride it, by my son will be 17 then and he'll be the proud new owner of a 40 year old, original spec Kawasaki KX500 motocrosser!
Try to restore yours. Please don't break it up (think you call it "parting out" in the US?). I'd love to follow your progress here on KXRiders.com. If not, Sandblaster would buy it. I know he'll get round to restoring it eventually. And the prices you pay in the US are ridiculously cheap compared to the UK.
Good luck mate!

Yeah it's not in terrible shape. I'm not in love with that era of kx's but maybe it will grow on me lol. It is close to being running, has spark and compression. I'm tempted to pull the jug and have a peek at the bottom end. Otherwise I'd would just do an elbow grease restoration...try to save everything possible and work with what I have. New carb boot is ordered, has a round slide carb instead of the flat slide.