KX 500 i think

[badly]

Hello all i am quite shure i will be buying a 500 Kx this week i just moved out to the country and have a lot of atv trails in the back yard. I have a 2002 cr 250 now i like it but i find it to peaky for these trails i think the KX  should have a we bit more tourqe,

I used to ride a yz 465 years ago, the main things i remember about that machine were 5 gear weelies and enough vibrations to give a guy white hand. Do the KX's vibrate like this?

my other choices were xr 400 , and kdx220 i think the kx will supply the adrenalin where the other two a bit lacking,

Will the kx do the slow firs gear stuff ok without overheating and numbing the hands?

[alan]

Welcome to Pitbull!  I think that you will find there are lots very knowledgeable guys on the is board. Certainly much more than I when comes to the KX500! I can speak to your question concerning the old Yamaha big bore 2 strokes!

Over the years I have owned 5 or 6  two stroke big bores, and they all vibrate! There are some modifications that will help out which you can find by searching this forum. Yamaha had a Omni Phase Balancer back in the 70's that really smoothed out the vibrations, however I think it went by the way side due to weight. I just sold my 1987 YZ490 and I can tell you it vibrated far more than the KX500!

I have never had an over heating problem with my 01 KX500 even in the El Paso desert in the 100 + summers.
 Certainly a refreshing change from my YZ's. First  of course being water cooled and secondly the YZ's had a real bad detonation problem which could only be overcome by running race gas, octane boost or lowering the compression ratio.

The power band is vastly better on the KX due largely to power valve technology, and liquid cooling. There are a few relatively in expensive mods that can greatly improve the performance. There are lots of posts on this site dealing with everyone's favorite mods. One thing everyone agrees on is the "Reed Spacer" and probably next a performance pipe.
I use the FMF Gnarly pipe and the reed spacer and realized a dramatic increase in low end, easer to start and basically I ride one gear higher without fouling plugs or bogging down in the tight slow stuff in the desert.

Handling the KX is miles ahead of the older Yamaha big bores. the only thing I have done is ad a Scotts Steering Stabilizer, pretty pricey but will worth it! Again there is lots of great Info on this forum to improve the handling of the KX!

Lets face it you can buy a new KX500 for under $5,000 so a few extras are worth the expense!

So I say " Go for It", I have never had a bike that would out climb or out wheelie the KX500, Its a Beast!

Good Luck!

Alan

[mikesmith]

Youll like the 500 if you get it,just need to set it up for your needs(one of the good things about this bike is the versatility it has).I have overheated my bike but it was 1st gear up the side of a logging skid path (veary steep and nasty with tree limbs all over the ground)I also had aluminum radiator guards(restrictive,but keeps the trees from poking holes in the radiator)and it was around 108 degrees plus out,so not an average ride.As far as vibration some new bikes vibrate more than others(depends how far the cranks out of true)but you can true/balance the crank if its real bad.But I dont notice much vibration with Pro-Taper bars filled with expanding foam,there are also bar inserts that work and keep the rubber bar mounts,.Dont buy a solid mount top tripple clamp.Try a medium or soft grip compound.So yes a KX500 will do what you want with some set-up,I ride the nastiest single track to wide open fire roads.Have fun!

[badly]

thanks for the responses guys i went in today to the local kawi dealer i we are working on a deal i will be trading in my 2002 vtx 1800 pretty much even for a prairie 700 with winch snowplow ,ect (for the wife) and i will be trading my cr for the k5, the dealer today tried to sell me on a wr 450, but i just cannot acept the light weight and high power output somthing has to break, i dont picture these new four strokes running like the older kx 's in this forum in 10 years time, one can only hope that when all 2 strokes are banned (precivably with the 2008 epa regs) that we will still be able to purchase reasonably priced premix and not have to hunt the black market for it,maybe i am getting to paranoid.

This is a great site and verry informative i will have to download a spell checker tho, me bad spell

[alan]

thanks for the responses guys i went in today to the local kawi dealer i we are working on a deal i will be trading in my 2002 vtx 1800 pretty much even for a prairie 700 with winch snowplow ,ect (for the wife) and i will be trading my cr for the k5, the dealer today tried to sell me on a wr 450, but i just cannot acept the light weight and high power output somthing has to break, i dont picture these new four strokes running like the older kx 's in this forum in 10 years time, one can only hope that when all 2 strokes are banned (precivably with the 2008 epa regs) that we will still be able to purchase reasonably priced premix and not have to hunt the black market for it,maybe i am getting to paranoid.

This is a great site and verry informative i will have to download a spell checker tho, me bad spell

You are talking to the worlds worst speller here!   My trick is I compose in Outlook Express and run spell check then cut and paste into the post!

Don't sweat the small stuff!

Alan

[mikesmith]

The WR450 is a great bike but I think youll get more for your money with the KX(about $1500.00 cheaper)and the KX does it all.I run in the tightest trails with just a pipe, V-Force reeds,and a home made "power now".But Id recomend a fly wheel weight and reed spacer for nasty trails, try it stock before you spend the money,I do fine with out it ( but I plan on trying them out some day).

[teamgreen500]

Halifax? As in Nova Scotia? d**n, this is a Global community!

WELCOME!

The KX500 can be "Smoothed" out quite a bit. Balanacing the crank is my absolute FAVORITE MOD! Ask "Rick". He seems VERY knowledgable on the particulars of KX5 engine building.

Best of luck.

When are we gonna have a forum trail ride "Up There"?

Manny

[rhinogrrrl]

Hi there! Welcome to the site!

The important thing is to HAVE FUN! on the trail and off! no matter the color! (green, green, green)

[Biggreenmonster]

Welcome bud!I would have to say your choice on a KX500 is right...it will serve you well!Enjoy...