Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

Cracked sub frame?

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Ramski:
I had the same thing. I bought my bike used and did not discover it broke until after my first ride. It's a pretty comon break on the KX500 frame. I had my brothers help me weld it back together and also weld a gussett to prevent the same thing from happening again. Here are some before and after pics. (thank god I've gotten rid of that ugly Flo Green paint now)





Here is another week point of the frame. I've since welded this back and when the frame gets back from the powdercoat I will install a wood block the fits nice and tight inside that tank sadle. If the fuel tank takes a hit to the side, it'll push that sadle and break it. Once the fuel tank sits cockeyed the pipe will melt it. *Hopefully this will help prevent that.



I don't have a picture yet of my upper pipe mount fix. I'll post as soon as I get a picture of it.

Hope the info helps.

mikesmith:
Thanks for the pictures,I already gusseted the subframe mount like you did,but I hadnt heard of the tank saddle breaking.Thanks for the tip!

Rick:
Wow, nice job on the gussets!!  I usually don't keep my bikes long enough to worry about this type of break, but since I'm going to hang on to the 2002 for some time, think I'll go through this summer and gusset all the weak points.

Paul, we might want to add a how to post on gussets, focusing on where gussets need to be installed.  Someone else will have to write the post, as I have never made any of these changes.  I will therefore be a consumer of that post.

Ramski, how much did it cost to get the frame powder coated?

Rick

kawdude:
I just got done gusseting the linkage mounts, riser and lower frame.  I had no idea that this area was a problem.  I do the gusset but I have already painted the frame...

Ramski:
Well, I'm lucky enough to have two brothers that are expert welders and have all the equipment. I just stand there and watch. :) My brother just got my frame back from the powder coating and I'm going over this weekend to start putting the bike back together. I'll make sure I take pictures of all the extra welds we made. I'm not sure how much the powder coating cost, I'll find out this weekend. About the only thing I didn't do that the factory bike have is the welded case guards (I'd rather trust a good skid plate).

I'd be more than happy to try and put together a how to for gussets and so forth.

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