Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

need to beat a crf450

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delusionised:
i just bought a brand new 2003 KX500, broke it in correctly, i have about 2 1/2 tanks through it and its bone stock. Why in the world would i get beat on a road race with a crf450? you guys had any expierence with crf450's? are they just plane faster or am i just stupid. I've been riding for a long time, I know how to ride the bike well but whats the deal?, I'm supposed to have 55 rear wheel horse where the 450 has 48 and i have a load more torqe... please help me!

ShanMan:

--- Quote from: delusionised ---Why in the world would i get beat on a road race with a crf450? you guys had any expierence with crf450's? are they just plane faster or am i just stupid?
--- End quote ---


Hmmmm.....I suspect your not stupid...you can't be, you just bought a KX5!  :D  Anyway, I have to say that my experience is that a CRF450 is NOT faster than the big, mean greenie. Hell, mine is old as the hills, but has motor mods, and I have smoked many a 450 (Honda or Yami) at the drags and up Olds Hill out at Glamis. For reference: I fugure that with my bike setup the way it is, it probably makes about 55-60 hp. (which isn't too shabby for an '87)

Maybe you need some more miles for the thing to free up a bit? Maybe you have a faulty power valve? Don't know, just thinking aloud.

Paul:
I would suspect that the short ratio CRF is running a 44 or 45 tooth rear sprocket. Pick up a 15 tooth front and a 42 tooth rear and watch him disapper as you pull away at over 110MPH. Being box stock though you may only be able to pull a 45 rear but will still be over the century mark and disappering fast.

When I'm running the desert series here in Arizona I use a 15/45 combo and walk most anything on a straight. I have reeled in many a CRF450. Not bad for reeds and a pipe only  :wink:

An HRC Stage 2 or up XR650 with enough real estate will catch the big 5 but it takes a while and there is usually not enough real state before a turn. Those 650's can move in a straight line but they don't turn worth a flip.

mikesmith:
You say its bone stock,does that mean the jetting to?The KX is a little picky but it pays off when its jetted right.If not that check the timeing isnt off.Theres no reason not to beat a 450 if your KX is running right.And glad to hear you didnt jump on the four stroke wagon,your going to love that 500!

woodsy:
ALL OF THE FOLLOWING WAS DONE ON PAVEMENT!  PUT THEM IN THE DUNES AND EVERYTHING CHANGES!!:
I have a new 2000 K5 (left over) and have run MANY times against my buddies 03 CRF.  With me running my 13/47 trail gearing and him running his stock gearing we run dead even thru the gears - I kill him when he runs out of gears though!  I have never tried the 15 up front. My bike is bone stock  as is his!
Another friend has a 02 CR250, PC pipe, rad valve, trimed head.  The 5 cleans him up - not twice as fast but a good steady pull away. Funny about the 450 - it was made to run against the 250's - its WAY more powerful!!
Now heres the way I look at the whole situation.  Like it or not the 5 is old tech.  The CRF is as up to date as POSSIBLE!  The CRF (great bike) is at its limit and ANY mod work will show up in reliability - it is at the top of its latter for most "normal" folk.  The 5 on the other hand is, well to say the least, at the bottom of its latter and can be improved MAJORly with fairly inexpensive mods - with little to nothing in reliabilty issues!
Here are some other issues comparing the bikes:
The CRF gets AWESOME gas mileage - 2x that of the 5!
The 5 can run for WEEKS without worrying about oil loss, the CRF is limited to miles (my buddy has to carry crankcase oill when we go trailriding and his is BRAND NEW!)
The 5 BY FAR out torques the CRF. Run the race in the sand and you will see!
The CRF is easier to control a wheelie on - I DIDNT SAY TO GET IT TO WHEELIE!  That thing could make a wheelie king out of a child!  The 5 will kill you if you dont respect it!
I like the 5 better in the woods but the 02 CRF's cornered better then anything I have ridden in a LONG time!
Parts costs - well, lets just say the CRF is for the wealthy and the K5 for EVERYONE/ANYONE who wants one of the most AWESOME bikes ever built!
I ride my k5 everywhere (it is street legal) and have NO problem drawing in anything I have run across from corner to corner in the woods!  It ROCKS!!  Sand - it rules!  Hills - HAHAHAHAHA!  HUGE SAND HILLS HAHAHAHA!  Trials type riding - 1st gear just above idle and it is unstopable (trials riding is the CRF's downfall unless they are revloc equipped!). Log jumping/stump pulling done with respect (throttle control) - NOTHING LIKE IT!
WHEELIE ANYTIME ANYWHERE - MAN I LOVE POWER!!
I rode CR500's for years and got BONE tired of their starting issues - changed to green and GLAD I DID!
Just my 2 cents!
Woodsy

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