New to the site

[blueoval]

Hello.  I live in central California.  I have been riding for about 10 pretty frequently.  I started on a xr80 back many years ago.  Next bike was a 1982 YZ250.  Next bike was a KX250, CRF230, TTR 125, and TTR230.  I have sold all of those bikes and took some time to figure out what I like to ride.  Spent couple seasons on a friends KTM525 and Husaberg 490 (I think that's what it was - was not impressed at all with the Husaberg).  I have recently bought a 2004 kdx200 and a 2000 kx500.  I love 2 strokes.  I ride the 200 in tight single track and technical "jeep" roads.  The 500 I will use in the mojave desert.  I am 40 yrs old and am 5'7". 

[DoldGuy]

Welcome aboard you young pup! Sounds like you have some nice rides in the KDX & K5. Lots of good info & people here to share knowledge with.

DoldGuy

[Johnniespeed]

Welcome blueoval, are you related to orange bowtie ?  Hope your enjoy your "new " bikes. John

[blueoval]

Thanks for the welcome!  Of course there is a loose relation with the bow tie.  Anything that goes fast I feel a relation.  Trying to prep 2 bikes for this weekend in addition to a busy work week and family life.  Will go on some single track on Friday on the kdx, which only requires cleaning the filter and an oil change, as the bike has been meticulously maintaned.  However, the k5 is a different matter all together.  I just bought it recently and the previous owner didn't do much maintenance.  He did have a top end put on 3 rides ago.  Then he crashed and said it "drug him 100 feet" and he got pretty tore up.  It's been sitting for a year.  After going over the bike past several days I is clear that he hasn't done any maintenance.  I think he crashed because the throttle stuck because it is frayed and in horrible condition, will not return easily.  So, tomorrow the cable will be here and it will get replaced and will make sure it is functioning perfectly before I even consider a ride.  Other than the air filter, which was dirty when I got it and an oil change I should be ready for a desert ride on Sunday.  Oh, it has the stock tank until I get a larger one.  What would you estimate the fuel range to be?  I want to do a 70 mile loop and not sure if I will have enough fuel with the stock tank.

[blueoval]

Went on the first ride with the "new" 2000 K5.  Have had the bike for 7 days now.  More learning about the bike.  Thanks to cam and others I got the stripped drain plug fixed.  Didn't leak at all once repaired.  The threads were completely gone in the case when I went to change the oil for the first time.  While cleaning the air filter yesterday I noticed a huge rip in it (have no idea how long it was ridden that way).  Replaced it.  Checked the compression and it was 150 psi, which is what stock should be according to Clymer manual.  Put on new handlebars, but the Acerbis guard clamps were too small, but have found a solution.  Safety wired the grips in place, nice and soft ones.  After about ten minutes into the ride started smelling fuel and noticed a crack with some kind of "glue" around the area where the filler neck meets the main part of the tank (stock tank).  The leak was minimal, but before next ride will have the tank replaced because of the crack and it's just too small.  Got about fifty miles on it.  The rear tire was far from new, so it spun it like it was on ice.  New tires before next ride.  Need to go through the carburator, clean it and determine the jetting.  It was doing well when the speeds were fairly slow, but right after several miles of higher speed and some WOT the bike would not come down to a normal idle.  It has a new throttle cable and it returned quickly and all the way closed, and it wasn't binding up at all - that wasn't the problem.  It was not a real high rev.  It felt like it was running out of gas, but it had plenty of gas and I replaced the petcock with a new one yesterday with new fuel lines.  I could get the idle down if I slowed down and put it in a 3rd or 4th and let the clutch out.  Then the idle would stay down.  Then when I rode away and made a stop it would be up again.  It was at about 3,000 ft and the temperature was in the mid-40's.  I don't know what jetting is in the carb, but will take it off tomorrow and find out.  That is probably the problem.  There are just so many things that need to be gone over and/or replaced with a used bike.  If I had more knowledge before the purchase I would have probably found a few of these things.  But, again, for $1,500 you can't expect something new.  Anyway, just looking forward to getting the jetting down and making it look and function like new again.  It sure was a blast to ride.    ted

[Friar-Tuck]

 Hmmm...
 

I could get the idle down if I slowed down and put it in a 3rd or 4th and let the clutch out.  Then the idle would stay down.  Then when I rode away...

   I am by no means an expert T,  It sounds to me you may be drawing air through the ignition side crank seal.  When you accel the vac is increased causing a lean condition, when you bog the engine, reducing the draw on the seal its able to hold at Idle.
   I guess by comparison it's like having bad valve guides/seals and upon decel you draw oil in the cyl. and get smoke in your SB/BB Ford 
   If the tranny side seal was bad you would be drawing trans fluid in the cyl and fowling plugs/going way rich, and losing tranny fluid. 

   I know probably the last thing you want to hear is to pull the engine and re-fresh it, however I think by the time you go through everything you will have done so anyway.
   
  You verified your compression is good, and the Prev. Own. told you the top end was done.
     If the rest of the maintenance on the bike has left you to evidence of neglect, it would be a pretty sure bet those are the Original crank seals and reeds etc.
    When you go through the carb to check the jetting, have a look at the slide and check for scoring and places the chrome may have peeled or worn off, if the bad air filter had been run too long there may also be excess air "leaking past" the sides of the slide.
   You may also consider pulling the intake/reed block and have a look.  "While you're at it"  (You can save a few bucks and make a new gasket)   
       
   These old girls are quite reliable when the maint. is kept up, and alot less than a high output 4 stroke, but most guys run the poor things into the ground and then get ticked off when the top end needs service.  Unfortunately you have gotten stuck due to the lack of maintenance by the Prev. owner. 
   I'm not saying he's a bad dude...he just didn't like to work on his bike 
      I apologize for the brief novel.  Once you go through the bike and know it's done right she'll "Love You Long Time"   
  Tuck\o/

[blueoval]

Thanks Tuck, no that is not what I want to hear.  I want the bike to look and run excellent.  I knew it needed a lot of maintenance before I took it for the ride yesterday, but just needed to "test" it out - maybe not the best move, but I and the 500 survived.  I don't have a lot of tolerance for poor running and poor looking machinery.  I will take your advice and tear it down.  Then when it goes back together I will know it has been done right.  It's not all bad as I have a pretty nice, well-maintained 2004 kdx200 that I can ride through the winter until the KX500 gets done.  It's just hard to be patient........again, thanks for the feedback and the wonderful site.  ted

[Just an old rider]

Hello Blueoval  welcome to the site also and sorry to hear about the k5 prob ... I also purchased a k5 bout 6 mo ago and love every minute of it ,  but like your k5 the owner was a little lack in the up keep and I have had some issues with breaking and changing the oil,,, (drain plug striped also )    but that is behind us now    ...  I recently bought a ktm 125 for my son and It did a little of what you are describing and I pulled the top of the carb out and found out the previous owner had been there and installed the (don't know the proper term ) throttle body?  in backwards..  and it acted like it would run wide open ... just something to look at ... .. also this site is an awsome resource for rebuilding it too  I love this place ...  Ron