I can't believe it I finally got a Christini

[ID KX500]

More snow riding in Idaho's back country. I rode from Challis, ID to Custer City on the Yankee Fork of the Salmon. Some of the scenes from Pale Rider (Clint Eastwood) were shot in the area. It is old mining country and there are still modern mines running.

[maddoggy]

ID, what kind of mining was going on there? are the newer mines still mining the same stuff? awesome stuff in those pics. looks like a fun ride. i'm tempted to drive over to idaho and ride up there with you sometime. maybe we could do that when i'm driving back home from st. A next year. i could just take the route thru driggs and over to jackson hole up through yellowstone and over to home. hmmm, i'll have to think on it.

[ID KX500]

ID, what kind of mining was going on there? are the newer mines still mining the same stuff? awesome stuff in those pics. looks like a fun ride. i'm tempted to drive over to idaho and ride up there with you sometime. maybe we could do that when i'm driving back home from st. A next year. i could just take the route thru driggs and over to jackson hole up through yellowstone and over to home. hmmm, i'll have to think on it.

Maddoggy, There is mostly gold and silver still comming out of the mine. I'm glad you mentioned a trail ride there are a few options of great trail systems not too far from St.Tony's. South of Rexburg is a good place. If anyone wants to do that I will host. If you get over here this year let me know.

[ID KX500]

The climbing was a kick in the pants.

[Friar-Tuck]

 Hey ID,
  Looks like a great time,  Wish'in I was there!  I hope more folks could actually get out and enjoy more of those kind of adventures.   Take Care & Keep us updated!
 
  Tuck\o/   
  P.S.   Live Free Or Die!! 

[ID KX500]

That middle pic looking over the tank,,,it is hard to see how steep and high the climb is,,,but the all wheel drive didn't slip hardly at all. I like climbing it on the KX500 too,,,about three years ago,,, as I was going up on the K5,,, a Mountain Goat ran in front of me,,,I had to go around it,,,they don't see well,,,don't know how they don't fall off the rocks.

This hard climbing reminds me of how nice the K5 power is,,,but the EFI on the KX450F is the bomb moving from about 6500 to 10,500 elevation not a sputter, choke, or cough.

[ID KX500]

Riding on Scout MT on the Christini  by Pocatello, ID.

[ID KX500]

I've been thinking about changing some of the gears in my 09' KX450F. With the all-wheel-drive traction is rarely an issue, but being a motocrosser 1rst gear is off to the races so to speak,, in the trails with steep grades or technical riding I'd like to be slowed down a little in 1rst,,,about walking speed. I want to still have a top speed that is around 80-90 mph which is what it is right now. So I'm wanting to come up with wide ratio tranny.

I'm thinking maybe like KLX450R,,, or if the gears work maybe a KDX200/220 tranny might be sweet,,,but do the gears fit? Anyway if anyone has a stewart 5th gear they'd part with I might only need to change it and drop down on my drive sprockets.

Suggestions welcome,, I know there is some Kawi expertise on here. Thanks

[demographic]

Now that's a point, I assume you mean changing the internal casing (before the output shaft) gearing?  Just as a matter of interest, is there any options for changing the gearing after the output shaft?
There's obviously sprockets under the cover that runs from the output shaft but are there any gearing options?
I can see that the front and rear wheel gearing would both need to be the same as well so it would take a bit more working out.

[ID KX500]

Yes internal gear change. It looks like most Kawasaki transmissions are running on the same shaft size with variations in gear teeth numbers. I'm looking to go lower on first and taller fifth so wheel and engine sprockets can't get me there. A real pain to go to this much trouble, but will also change piston in the process. I've found some good used tranny parts on eBay.

I plan to report here when complete. 

[jswatland]

lets have a climb off!

[ID KX500]

lets have a climb off!

Sounds like fun ,,, I'm down for it.

[jswatland]

Haha, my relic couldn't compare to your ride. Thats a really nice machine, i can only imagine the stuff that would go up and through.

[ID KX500]

Haha, my relic couldn't compare to your ride. Thats a really nice machine, i can only imagine the stuff that would go up and through.

Thanks for letting me off the hook ( I'd have more to lose). I figured you probably have a sleeper there with a turbo and some shots of NOS as needed.