Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

Project KDX500 has begun !

(1/7) > >>

Polar-Bus:
Well, been thinking of this mod for a while, and thanks to Ebay, and a few new 1999 KDX200 components, it's ready for the assembly transformation. My goal was to have a NH DOT legal KX500. I like the aftermarket kits, but they are $440+ . I purchased all the Ebay KDX lighting components and wiring harness for under  $140.  I had to purchase a new KDX headlamp/numberplate assembly, and this was the most expensive part at a whopping $75 ! I also purchased a new Moose KX500 lighting coil which was $69. So I came in at $284, and the best part is with KDX components, there is no need for splicing and hacking. The KX500's ignition wiring will perfectly merge with the KDX lighting harness and components. Lastly the OEM KDX headlight looks perfect on the KX500 ! I'll update this thread as progress advances.

So phase 1: Is retro'ing the KDX headlamp assembly to the KX500's triple tree. The upper brackets were a simple bolt on mod ! SWEET ! They are installed as pictured, and will work perfect for the upper mount of the headlight assembly:



Now things got more challenging. The lower bracket on the KDX's bolts to two casted standoffs on the lower triple tree. The KDX's standoffs are about 5-1/2" apart. The good news is there is two standoffs on the KX500's as well, BUT they are only 5" apart. I tried for hours to simply bend the lower bracket, but just could not make it work right. So a buddy of mine cut notches in the bracket tabs, bent them inward to 5", then tig weld filled the notches. I also had to machine flat the KX500 standoffs and tap two M6 holes to mount the lower bracket.

Here's a pic stock KX500, you can see the misalignment issue :




Here's a pic of the finished mounting. The lower triple tree is machined flat, tapped, and the bracket ears are cut, and re-welded :




So thats it for phase one. Here's a pic of the final mod. Looks OEM SWEET !! :






Next I move on to modifying the stator plate, stay tuned for phase 2.

Polar-Bus:
This mod is not going to be as bad as I thought. The great news is that the KX500 already has the necessary two M5 tapped standoffs ( I'm guessing KX500's use the older , early 90's KDX250's stator plate), and to my delight the Moose lighting coil will bolt right on. The bad news is in stock form, the inside of the flywheel hits the coil when installed. Moose does comment in the instructions that "some" KX500 stator plates will have this occurance. Moose further instructs you to remove 2mm of the surface of the standoffs to gain the necessary flywheel clearence. Other than that, all's that's needed is to carefully route the new additional yellow lighting through the stator, through the rubber grommet, and inside the wire shield. I melted an additional hole in the grommet with a hot thin steel wire, and then sprayed WD40 on the wire and slowly fed the wire up through the existing KX500's stator outer plastic shielding. It's a tight fit, and takes patients, but looks OEM, and won't be affected by the elements. Here's a pic of the stock stator with the flywheel removed:




Here's a pic of the lighting coil kit:



You will need two M5X30 mm bolts to install the coil to the stator plate. And a pic of the lighting coil installed:





Well, that's it for now. Next I move on to the tail light, and finding a home to mount the KDX voltage regulator. Stay tuned for more pics!

drewh14:
very nice! I'm looking to do a similar conversion this winter. The only worry i've had was the lighting coil. How did you take off the required 2mm on the flywheel?

dubious01:
haha
Thats awesome.
get rid of the 500 stickers and go sport bike hunting.
Hammer on a few hardleys too.... they like that! Haha
 :mrgreen:

Polar-Bus:

--- Quote from: drewh14 on November 12, 2009, 02:05:17 PM ---very nice! I'm looking to do a similar conversion this winter. The only worry i've had was the lighting coil. How did you take off the required 2mm on the flywheel?

--- End quote ---

You don't machine the flywheel, you machine 2 mm off the face of the lighting coil mounts on the stator plate. This moves the coil away from hitting the inside of the flywheel.  Thank god for a Bridgeport milling machine and a great welder, otherwise this KDX conversion would have been a lot more challenging. 

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page