loco4ridin

[streetsweeper]

Hi everybody, specially all of my kx500 bros, My Handle is streetsweeper and my name is Ruben. I bought my kx5 from kawasaki of riverside in 2001. Im from santa barbara and just relocated to lompoc ca.  Ilove to trail ride single trac,desert and ohv parks and where ever i wont get busted. I would like to eventually hook up with other kx5 riders.  I really benefit reading posts about kx5s im trying to learn as much as i can about my bike.   

[blueoval]

Welcome, Ruben.  This is a great site with a lot of great folks!  Look me up if you ever get to Central California for some great riding or Mojave.   

[streetsweeper]

Hi Blueoval, My parents live in Terra Bella thirtten miles from Deer creek dirt road, south of the rez, love the trails north south and east of lake isabella, kennedy meadows, troy, green horn and piutes/jawbone. rode Randsburg few weeks ago some sections extreme.  Parents eventually relocating to Bakersfield. Have had the honors to ride trails on dual sport ride around Bass lake. Thanks for responding. look foward to eventully hooking up for a good trail ride:)

Thanks Ruben C.

[blueoval]

That's awesome, Ruben.  I live in Visalia.  Just got back about an hour ago from a ride starting at Freeway Ridge off the 178 and rode to near Keysville.  Was a great ride today.  I usually hit Cal City to Randsburg every other sunday for the fast open stuff and East of Bakersfield for the tight single track stuff.  I usually ride at least one day a week, so let me know.   ted

[streetsweeper]

is freeway ridge down where rancharia dirt road starts. do you have an oversize fuel cell? also what front and rear sprockets do you use curious about # of teeth? thats so cool to have done that today, iam sure the weather was fantastic out there, specially after the recent rains:) how did your kx perform?  lately my kx has been making some weird noise when accelerating. got a copper gasket for head to pipe connection, also been readin some posts about atf typef for tranny, few months ago noticed difficult shifting from third to fourth only, not sure whats the problem? just dont feel comfortable over reving when trying to grab another gear, so i slow down a bit try up shifting again with out using clutch lever then i works just makes me not feel that confident when i cant grab gears at will,specially in deep sand washes.  thanks for sharing about your ride today.   i will check my calender and get back to you on possible future rides. also did you solo today?

p.s. wish i was pre running the san felipe 250 course before this weekends race.  nice talking with you, thanks for your help.

Ruben C.

[blueoval]

Ruben, I rode my kdx200 yesterday as my k5 is awaiting me to put on the new silencer.  Freeway ridge is NOT the Rancheria Road turn off.  Freeway is much further up the canyon toward Isabella.  The Rancheria Road to Badger Gap trail is one of my favorite riding spots of all time.  It is tight single track.  I have been riding that trail for 7 years now.  It is just such a great ride.  We park where the asphalt ends and the dirt road starts on Rancheria Road and ride up 11 miles on the dirt road to the trail head.  Usually do a 50 mile loop.  My stocker tank on the 200 gets approximately 90 miles, so not an issue. 

I have paid for a used oversized tank for my k5, but it hasn't arrived yet and that is a sore subject for another time.  I rob gas out of the 200 or out of my buddies ktm when I do that ride on the k5.  My sprockets now are a 14 front and a 48 on the rear.  Seems to be a pretty good combination for the terrain I ride.  I have spent a fair amount of time with the jetting on the k5, so I usually get it pretty close when I start the ride and only have to play with the air screw ever so slightly as the conditions change.  That seems to be the best time and energy spent to get the most out of the 500. 

I havn't tried using ATF as tranny fluid, but there is a lot of discussion on this board regarding that topic. 

It's very rare that I will solo any of my rides as the terrain is not too friendly if something should happen.  Historically, nothing usually happens.  I have been up there alone a couple of times and it was to check for snow and trail conditions for an upcoming ride, but I didn't venture off of Rancheria Road very far.  I can't relax and enjoy myself because it's always in the back of my mind that if something happens out there alone I may not make it back.  True, you could be out with a buddy and have something go wrong, but I feel the chances of making it out when there is someone with you is greatly increased.  That was long winded and probably preachy.

[streetsweeper]

Hi Ted, using the buddy system is smart. I solo on occasions and realize the consequences can be horrible wether a breakdown or crash. i will have to check that trail out on some of my maps sounds good. also good to know somebody that goes out to cal city/rands and east bakersfield. i work at the sewer department in goleta and am assigned to operate and maintain the street sweeper, the bad part is i have to carry the so called duty or stanby cell incase a sewer spill. this weekend i got stuck with the stanby phone and im scheduled next weekend with the duty phone. so im bummed . i really look foward to hooking up.  specially for that loop and some cal city   i have a natural color clarke oversize tank on my k5, like it exept if plug trouble on ride cant be reached. have to pull tank off. good thing about stocker tank is easy acces to plug.    by the way i like riding year round.  Ruben C.

[Friar-Tuck]

Welcome SS Ruben,
 Glad to have you with us.  As you can see there is lot's of info avail, and this is a good group of guys to learn from.
   It would be great if more members were able to get together and kick up some dirt. 
You would be surprised how much faster a guys learning curve advances when there is someone who has "Been there,Done That, Got the T-shirt" and willing to help.  I know it has been a great help for me.
   Tuck\o/

[streetsweeper]

Thanks Tuck, sure is nice to beale to hob nob with other kx5 enthusiasts. Well not just hob nob but actually have importanat stuff in comon like preventitive maintenance, checks and services.  Sure does make a huge difference when you have some bugs to work out of the bike and can ask other experienced kx5 owners about stuff and things to look for. makes for good direction time and money and best of all personal satisfaction about having more knowledge about that special bike.

Like that saying goes" there are many like it but this one is mine" I affiliate with the santa barbara motorcycle club and have made plenty of good riding buddies, unfortunatley i am the only one with a kx5.  One freind of mine and i have hooked up quite a few times and he always tells me to get rid of my kx5 and it sort of irritates me hes so freakin over oppinionated about which sled i love.  Hes always trying to find the slowest nastiest little buger single trac which is fine with me luv that stuff too but all around like a cornucopia of riding in my so called basket.

after finishing some tight stuff luv the feeling of the grt8 wide open stuff specially knarly sand washes the kx5 is the ultimate dez bike. can be set up for anything depending on fancie but stock the bike just halls the mail. theres always plenty of power on tap, and i love it.  i will definately do some reserch on issues i might have before outright questions, i know other guys might have just asked the same thing and stuff.   i have done stoneyford/ft bragg area and verdi/reno oh thats right you mentioned mt shasta area well have been by there on way to trail oregon,parents used to have a cabin along the rogue river. have been by there, will put that on my wish list of places to ride. always love new places. will keep in touch and thanks again for the positive confirmation:) R.C.