Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

MONUMENT TO THE 2-STROKE 2000 KX500

<< < (3/18) > >>

doctord:
Consider installing the reed spacer.
I installed it with a rad valve and it really smoothed out the power delivery.
Great for trail riding.
I modified my kips stop bolt myself by drilling the back side and JB welding a 1/8" nut with the hex rounded off. Length at .52 inches (13.2mm).

delphipro5:
Still, to this day no one has filled me in on what this KIPS Bolt mod is or the reasoning behind it! I know the mod has something to do with altering the way the valves turn by machining the operating rod in some way but that is all I have been able to decipher from it. Everyone just says you need to do it.  :roll:

doctord:
There is a long thread on the subject and it can be accomplished in several ways, but basically there is a cover bolt (black allen head) on the left side of the head that can be lengthened to stop the kips shaft from fully closing and in turn keep the kips sub-valves from over-closing and reducing compression at low rpms. It is theorized that this over-closing was purposely designed by Kawasaki as a compression release for easier kick-starting.

delphipro5:
I found this while reading thru threads all over and it is about DETUNING a 500.. NOW I know what you are thinking, who would want to detune!! BUT, I can glean a little knowledege I think from some of this!-- I post it here so hopefully you guys will pick it apart a little with me. so here goes, and i quote

 "There are a few things you can do to make the bike more enjoyable and work better for you. I have riden, tuned, and modified KX500's for years, if you look at my avatar you will see a KX500 in what seems to be a 250 chasis (it's actually a custom frame) so I know a little about the bike. First the bike isn't jetted properly from the factory and has the wrong needle . Let me know your elevation and outside air temp and I can get you really close on jetting which will actually give you more power but will smooth the rough transition from low to the midrange. Next, I would retard the timing. There are 3 marks inside your mag cover on the stator. Loosen the three phillip screws and turn the stator counter clockwise to the last mark on the right. The 89 has a really small flywheel, so I would send it off to moose or get a add on one from stealthy off road products. This will also smooth the power and add much needed lugability for trail riding. Then I would change out the stock aluminum clutch plates to moose racing steel plates. This will do two things...it will add fly wheel effect, do to the heavier rotating mass on the clutch and it will add to the clutch life itself. Again this will smooth out the power. I would then go to the optional thick head gasket. This will reduce the compression and again reduce the hit in the powerband. You could take it a step further and put in an extra base gasket, this will again reduce compression slightly and raise the port timing, it will again slow or smooth the transition of power and give you some top end over rev. Next, I would chuck the stock pipe and buy a FMF Gnarly pipe. Before installing the pipe there is a crush ring that goes up into the cylinder...buy four of them and install them with the pipe. This is one of the best mods you can make to the bike. You'll have stronger power but it will be smoother and more controllable than you would ever believe! If your still not where you want to be...then cylinder porting is next. Through porting an experienced engine tuner can create just about any type of power delivery you would like. MY motor on my KX500 is fully built and tuned. It puts out over 70 h.p. on the dyno at the rear wheel at fairly high elevation and is the best trail bike I have ever rid'in. The power delivery is much smoother than even my CRF450 I just sold....and way way way more power! The KX500 when properly set up tuned is just about the best all around do it all bike there ever was!"-end quote..

SO What do ya' think any sense here?

don46:
In all your posts you never mention doing anything to the bottom end, you do mention serious vibration, and while they do vibrate, they will vibrate much more with a crank that is not true. If your going to stick all this money into it the first place I'd start is the motor. Pull it down, install new bearings and seals, install the wiesco windowed piston, the comp release with the head cut, V force reeds, and if you want bottome end then install the reed spacer. I like the 38mm air striker carb bored to 40mm or maybe the 44 Lectron, the Lectron I've not used as a trail bike so I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it, its awesome on a competition bike. Like said earlier stay away from the Magura Hydraulic, I've seen bad things happen when you least suspect it. Suspension mods would be good, but remember even though your bike is a 2000 it has 1995 technology, you might be better off updating to something newer.

OK reread, you did mention complete engine treatment, make sure that includes a crank alignment and that it is installed by somebody that knows what they are doing, i've seen many a true crank become un-trued by somebody that didn't know what they are doing.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page