KX Riders
Maintenance & Technical => Kx Frankensteins => Topic started by: Polar-Bus on January 27, 2012, 07:08:54 AM
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I've been thinking about attempting this project for years, and seeing as how with my hip arthritis being to the point I can barely swing my leg over the seat of a dirt bike, rather than sell my KX500, why not steal the mint running engine and stuff it into my CRG shifter kart !? Here's a few pics of my CR125 race kart :
(http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5067/kart1t.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/kart1t.png/)
(http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4020/picture080xx4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/507/picture080xx4.jpg/)
The first issue is the drive sprocket. I need a KX500 spline and a 428 pitch sprocket and nobody makes one. So time to get crafty !
I machined an arbor fixture and machined the OD of a standard KX500 sprocket :
(http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/3637/img2032a.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/img2032a.jpg/)
Then I bored the ID of a new CR125 kart sprocket (428 pitch) to mate with the KX500 sprocket. I chose an 18T for now as I generally like a 16T with the 125 engine so I should be in the ballpark.
(http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2540/img2033ja.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/11/img2033ja.jpg/)
And problem solved ! I now have a custom KX500 428 pitch drive sprocket. Here?s a pic of the sprocket all welded.
(http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/1156/img2035e.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/405/img2035e.jpg/)
(http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4997/img2034lf.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/204/img2034lf.jpg/)
So the next phase is the engine mount and exhaust pipe. I currently have some leads on local to me custom exhaust fab shops. I want a clean fitting and functional pipe, and the OEM KX500 pipe simply won't work by design. I'm also going to dig my 500 out of storage this weekend and yank the engine. This project is gonna be INSANE :-o when i'm done ! I need to do some caculations on gearing and does anyone know what the upper rpm range of a KX500 is ? I'm taking a guess that peak around 7500 rpm's ?
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Have you looked into any of the Outlaw Kart exhausts? There are a few that do them for the KX500, but not many. May be what you're looking for as the fit should work for you and I'm sure you already have a silencer.
I believe most bikes peak around 6500 / 7500 max. over-rev (with the exception of a few)
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Having raced karts for some years, This would be insane. Fun, but insane. Finding a sprint track long enough to stretch the legs out would be a problem. Maybe it would be best not too! What kind of top end are you gearing for?
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Having raced karts for some years, This would be insane. Fun, but insane. Finding a sprint track long enough to stretch the legs out would be a problem. Maybe it would be best not too! What kind of top end are you gearing for?
I put all the KX500's gearing ratios into my Excel gearing caculator and looks like I need to gear about 18/24 this will theoretically pull 130 mph @ 7000 rpm. Which in the real world should pull about 115 ? Seriously how fast would you want to push a KX500 kart ? The chassis was specifically engineered for a 125cc engine so all the corner weights will now be way off with the heavy 500 engine. However I plan on adding lead ballast to help bring the chassis back to reasonably balanced. I'm really curious to see how this kart will handle as well as stand your hair on end when whacking the throttle ! LOL
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(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/Motorrad/DSC_6501.jpg)
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Standing up hair should be no problem! What is the weight difference between the 125 engine and the 500? I can't imagine it is all that much? Road race kart would be able to use the power to get more top speed, but it is more about the experiment I guess. I used to do stuff like that. Not quite that extreme though!
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I'll scale both the engines i'm guessing about a 10-15 lb diff ? I also have a Mychron4 data unit which will be a fantastic tuning device for the engine. It tells me rpm's, water temp, lap times, and EGT's . So once I dial in a sweet tune, i'll post all my data. I've always wondered how "good" (or not) my "seat of the pants" jetting combos really are. The EGT will tell me for sure.
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a 500 in a kart????????????? you sir, are insane. I salute you.
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(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/Motorrad/DSC_6501.jpg)
I's that one of your KX500 builds ? If so that crank was screaming "enough !! shut me down !!! " :-D
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a 500 in a kart????????????? you sir, are insane. I salute you.
I know, i'm supposed to be easier on my body from now on per my doctor's request.... don't know what to expect when giving a KX500 shifter kart and aggressive beatdown.. :?
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Rich
You can try out my Legend car if you want? Road course at louden, or a oval?
It's what I had to do when I couldn't ride in the dirt anymore.
Well ride the way I know how/want to, but the body won't let me anymore.
(I am glad I can still ride though)
Bob W
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Hey weymouth399! I had a Chappy! Pretty fun little bike. I quit riding it on the street when I almost got run over by a Hearse of all things. Sure was a cute little bike though.
The old body looses more each year, and lets me know I should change priorities. It sucks. Can't EVEN think about doing the stuff I used to do. The choices get narrowed down the older I get. Glad I am still able to do quite a bit. Not quite as busted up as some. My brother in law just had a neck surgery that will change what he does and can do by a huge amount. My family had me pegged as not making it out of my 20's, and I doubled that plus. Now I actually thiink about 'what could happen' and am much more careful. Sigh...
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(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/Motorrad/DSC_6501.jpg)
I's that one of your KX500 builds ? If so that crank was screaming "enough !! shut me down !!! " :-D
Yes thats me checking Max RPM after one ride... Not stock port timing If as if you couldnt figure that for yourself with that number..
Wasnt trying to twist its nuts off either.. Only time It would have hit that I can think of on that ride... was rolling up to a big sand hill... I nailed it in 3rd... and all it did was Blow the back tire away so hard to the point of kind of hydroplaining it.. and I grabbed 4th quickly..
Now you know why I am perinoid about piston weight...
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a 500 in a kart????????????? you sir, are insane. I salute you.
I know, i'm supposed to be easier on my body from now on per my doctor's request.... don't know what to expect when giving a KX500 shifter kart and aggressive beatdown.. :?
you should expect a physical bashing interspersed with maniacal laughter, followed by a long lay down in a darkened room. :-D
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Got the engine out. Not bad for an old fart. Took me about 2-1/2 hrs. Shame on me, my swingarm pivot bolt was getting rusty and was a bit stubborn getting out. I though I antisiezed that bolt yeas ago when I checked all my s/a bearings..guess not. Got the head off and going to send it to Larry Wiechman for the decompressor mod to help "bump start" the kart easier. I also plan on using the stock std. .4mm head gasket (normally I run the .2mm ) . This project will be all about smooth power delivery. Piston and cyl look mint, so don't need a top end. Next step is designing an engine mount.
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Got the engine out. Not bad for an old fart. Took me about 2-1/2 hrs. Shame on me, my swingarm pivot bolt was getting rusty and was a bit stubborn getting out. I though I antisiezed that bolt yeas ago when I checked all my s/a bearings..guess not. Got the head off and going to send it to Larry Wiechman for the decompressor mod to help "bump start" the kart easier. I also plan on using the stock std. .4mm head gasket (normally I run the .2mm ) . This project will be all about smooth power delivery. Piston and cyl look mint, so don't need a top end. Next step is designing an engine mount.
Did you tell larry you were going to use that headgasket?
he recuts them to use the .010" cometic gasket.. "squish band" wise...
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Did you tell larry you were going to use that headgasket?
he recuts them to use the .010" cometic gasket.. "squish band" wise...
Thanks for the heads up, i've just got some basic info from Larry via email. I will get Larry on the phone and detail exactly what i'm looking for and ask the question.
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how close will the chain be to the cases with that 18t sprocket ?
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I know nothing about shifter carts. Would a rev loc clutch work in this application?
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I know nothing about shifter carts. Would a rev loc clutch work in this application?
now there is an idea.
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Well, the easy part is done (yanking both engines). Now for the most challenging part which is engine mock up. It's a VERY tight fit with respect to the stator flywheel hitting the RH side of the seat. I don't have a lot of wiggle room as I need to factor in sprocket alignment. Kart guys discard the stator covers as they are not necessary in "road" applications. So this actually gained me about 3/8" of much needed clearence for the seat. The KX500 engine crankcase is actually not really that much larger than the CR125 cases, but the cyl is !! (duh). Here's a few early mock up pics. I sketched up the engine mount, and have some ideas as to what will work. I have a lot of scrap steel at my work, so I will be able to fab a sweet functional and rigid engine mount.
(http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/7228/img2036s.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/img2036s.jpg/)
(http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/7878/img2038ku.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/809/img2038ku.jpg/)
(http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/4645/img2037h.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/696/img2037h.jpg/)
Guess it would be smart to stuff a rag is the ex port as well huh ? Just saw this in my pics DOH stupid :? !!
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I know nothing about shifter carts. Would a rev loc clutch work in this application?
I've always wanted to try a Revloc, but in this peticular application I will need to "bump start" my kart, so would a Revloc clutch work ?
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Nope.
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I think you may have a hard time bump starting with those little wheels. The compression release is a must. Have you considered a manual type release as opposed to the button?
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I've always wanted one of these "INSANE" toys. Only problem is there isn't anywhere near me I could ride it. Legally anyway.
Will those tires be able to handle that kind of power without ripping off the wheel?
As far as decomp I would personally go with the manual lever instead of the button. Mount it within easy reach and you wont have to reach over to pull the button. I think you would even be able to use it for a braking aid as well. Like a jake brake on a semi. Had the manual decomp on my K5 and it worked great even for braking. Fortunately I'm still young enough to kick that big bastard over without it so I don't have it installed at the moment.
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on the brighter side, if you dont enter the pearly gates in a cartwheeling fireball, you'll never have to listen to her indoors.matter of fact, you'll never listen to anything again!!!
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That thing is looking great! I would be suprised if you don't get a little "pucker" the first time you feel that bomb pounding away next to you though.
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Did a lot of research this past weekend, and asked some questions over at EkartingNews.com and got some leads on some parts that will make the swap a bit easier. There is what's called "Outlaw karts" and they are dirt and asphault oval karts that are similar to a shifter, just a bit larger. Outlaws have an "open" class that is powered by either a CR500 or KX500 engine. So looks like their pipes will work for me. I also got an email from PBI sprockets and they found a 428 pitch sprocket that matches the KX500's output shaft spline. The sprockets are actuall for an 85-00 Yamaha XT350 ! That's sweet I was worried about my custom, welded sprocket stress cracking and granading ! :-o
Here's a link to a great selection of Outlaw kart parts :
http://www.qrckarts.com/
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I think this is the right track, as mentioned earlier. There are a couple companies that make these pipes for the KX, but you will find that the Outlaw guys really prefer the CR's. :?
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Well, made some good progress over the past few weeks. I got the engine mount fabricated, and it fits awesome. It's a bit heavy as I fabbed it from steel, but it won't break ! The welds are just single pass, after i'm sure everything fits there will be more welds done .
(http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2636/007lje.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/27/007lje.jpg/)
(http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6310/009bm.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/009bm.jpg/)
(http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/4845/013mir.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/109/013mir.jpg/)
The KX500 engine fits really nice. I even have about 1-1/4" of front to rear adjustment before the magneto hits the seat.
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sweet!
didnt we used to have a member that had a kx500 outlaw kart? I remember stewart building a motor for him?
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I also fabricated a new J-arm. The CR arm is almost identical to the KX, but the CR has a finer spline count than the KX. So I bought a Moose steel KX500 shifter and cut off the shaft mount, then fabbed everything else. KX's are notorious for hard shifting so I added about 5/16" of length to the KX arm to get more leverage on the shift shaft. The shifting feels excellent. Here's a few pics. The std CR arm is on the right, and the KX500 extended arm is on the left
(http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/9003/014ovt.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/860/014ovt.jpg/)
(http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8936/008lc.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/85/008lc.jpg/)
(http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/4318/017ex.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/818/017ex.jpg/)
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I was able to get a few more accesories fitted up. I have the lower rad hose routed, I also fabbed a new hanger strut for the air filter. I'm now working on getting the clutch cable to work. I need to machine a special bushing to adapt the shifter kart clutch cable to the KX500's mount at the base of the cyl. Once I gave the parts machined i'll add more pics.
(http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/6417/015hdm.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/406/015hdm.jpg/)
Here's a pic with the nerf pod installed :
(http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5626/004apw.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/171/004apw.jpg/)
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sweet!
didnt we used to have a member that had a kx500 outlaw kart? I remember stewart building a motor for him?
I think it was Flyin9
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is he still alive or was it a fireball/pearly gates interface type thing? :-D
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I certainly don't need extra hp, if anything i'm focused on delivering smooth power. I wish I had the clearance to run the FWW, but a FWW will rub against the seat. I might be able to get a smaller seat to gain some clearance. First we will see how the power is .
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See how the power is??? You're kidding, right?
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More progress on component bolt ups. Got the engine mount alll finalized and in place. It fits perfect ! I have to fit one more brace at the rear of the mount. There is a "jack" bolt that runs from the axle block and fits against the back of the engine mount. The jack bolt keeps the engine mount from possibly sliding rearward from chain drive torque.
(http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/2802/img2049u.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/843/img2049u.jpg/)
(http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/5882/img2038r.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/img2038r.jpg/)
(http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4589/img2051nn.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/18/img2051nn.jpg/)
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Here's a pic of the carb, and air filter bolted on. Everything is fitting pretty smooth, it's just that space is now very tight !
(http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/5482/img2055c.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/193/img2055c.jpg/)
Here's a pic of the fuel pump pulse line installed:
(http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6186/img2057cu.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/268/img2057cu.jpg/)
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I really want to take this thing for a ride!!
Rent it by the hour?
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I really want to take this thing for a ride!!
Rent it by the hour?
Ill let you borrow it all you want if you "Motorrad" my engine to pull 10K ! :evil:
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I really want to take this thing for a ride!!
Rent it by the hour?
Ill let you borrow it all you want if you "Motorrad" my engine to pull 10K ! :evil:
I think that's a challenge Motorrad! Or maybe it's a dare :P
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I really want to take this thing for a ride!!
Rent it by the hour?
Ill let you borrow it all you want if you "Motorrad" my engine to pull 10K ! :evil:
I think that's a challenge Motorrad! Or maybe it's a dare :P
How friggin' radical would that be pulling out on to the local kart track with a mega-tweaked KX500 shifter that pulls 10K down the front straight ? That engine sound would be NASTY !!! I surely think the 125 guys would be drooling. (and I would end up putting the kart in the safety barrier at the end of the front straight... i'm not the best driver.... yet LOL
I do have a local outdoor road course F1 outdoors http://www.f1outdoors.com/ , i'm not sure if they would let me take my kart out on the track for a "fun" beat down...
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That track looks sweet. I want to try it out now too. If 10K could be done I think everyone would be drooling. It would make 1400cc crotch rockets sound like mosquitoes lol.
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Well coming down the home stretch ! I have all the coolant lines routed, and Got both the throttle cable , and clutch cable all done as well. Seem everything functions as it should. Got the engine electronics all routed (hell I even have spark ! :-D)
Here's a few pics of the final assembly. The pipe in the pic is not the correct pipe. The pipe is actually the CR125 pipe, but just gives you a rough idea. The KX500 pipe i'm sure will be much larger. I'm just waiting on the pipe fabricator, They are booked solid with drag race pipe builds for the next month.. :-(
(http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/7632/img2068ar.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/196/img2068ar.jpg/)
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1593/img2067g.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/210/img2067g.jpg/)
(http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/3930/img2066b.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/850/img2066b.jpg/)
(http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/7866/img2065pp.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/690/img2065pp.jpg/)
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Looks excellent. What is that little tank next to the clutch cover with the blue elbow and filter for?
That cr pipe looks pretty big for a little 125. Are you going to have to put little wheels on the 500 pipe so it doesn't drag on the ground? lol
Great job! Looks like it's factory.
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Looks excellent. What is that little tank next to the clutch cover with the blue elbow and filter for?
That's just a simple "catch can/breather" for the crankcase vent hose. Per the rules you need catch cans for your fuel tank, coolant system, and your crankcase.
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Nice build, looking forward to the video(s) of it running........(hint, hint...)
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nice build! :mrgreen:
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Holy cow looks like a toy from hell! I've drove a 250 shifter cart and thought that was fast! looks great
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Well, the last phase is in the works ! I dropped the kart off at RPM Manufacturing sat to have the pipe fabricated. I had an awesome conversation with owner/legend Joe Pinsonnault what an interesting and extremly talented guy ! We talked for almost an hour about 2 strokes and racing both now, and back in the day. Showed me some of his custom KX/CR 500 open mod pipes, He showed me a raw Liger 600-somethingcc non p/v KX cylinder, holy shizz that bore was friggin' ginormous !!! really cool stuff !! Joe LOVED my "kartzilla" project. He calmly joked "ya better add some lead weight to them rear tires". So Joe said about 2-3 weeks and he should have it finished.
http://www.rpmmfg.com/
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when is the kx liger cylinder going to be available for purchase I need one right now!
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Hell on wheels is what that is. Got into the shifter cart stuff a while ago but never anything like that. Looks like fun
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WAY past time for an update!
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WAY past time for an update!
HAHA....I was just thinkin the same thing today!!!
I think we're all ready to see some sick crazy video of this thing at 100+mph,or just melting some tires :evil:
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+1 :-D
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Me and usmc500 were shooting the s**t today, and that same thing came up..
WAY PAST TIME
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hmmmm....still waiting for an update,and a psycho video of this thing terrorizing a quiet family oriented neighborhood :evil: :-D
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hmmmm....still waiting for an update,and a psycho video of this thing terrorizing a quiet family oriented neighborhood :evil: :-D
I literally just got an update from Joe this weekend ! Should be finished in about another week. Here's the pipe thus far : Sorry this is taking so long, but the speed (or slowness) of the build is at this time in Joe's hands, so good things come to those who wait...
(http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/5348/201207086.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/560/201207086.jpg/)
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Oh man...that pipe makes this thing look like it's fresh outa Mad Max!! :evil:.I think everyone should have one of these in their garage. :-D
Looking good Polar!!
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Oh man...that pipe makes this thing look like it's fresh outa Mad Max!! :evil:.I think everyone should have one of these in their garage. :-D
Looking good Polar!!
Ya, I know the pipe is a odd looking far cry from a typical KX500 "low" pipe. I have the utmost trust in Joe, the guy is a big bore guru with pipes ! I was very clear explaining to Joe that I needed the ability to kick start my kart as a secondary means of starting if we can't sucessfully "bump" start the beast. I just don't want to have come so far in this build, then not be able to start the dam engine ! :x
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Oh man...that pipe makes this thing look like it's fresh outa Mad Max!! :evil:.I think everyone should have one of these in their garage. :-D
Looking good Polar!!
Ya, I know the pipe is a odd looking far cry from a typical KX500 "low" pipe. I have the utmost trust in Joe, the guy is a big bore guru with pipes ! I was very clear explaining to Joe that I needed the ability to kick start my kart as a secondary means of starting if we can't sucessfully "bump" start the beast. I just don't want to have come so far in this build, then not be able to start the dam engine ! :x
Haha...something tells me,at this point the "excitement/anticipation/adrenalin" levels will be so high,that I don't think anything is gonna keep you from getting it started :-D
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Hi Rich
What about a remote starter like a real flat track bike would have. Think that would work fine, Larry's decomp helps too. :wink:
PS Need any tickets to louden this weekend, I get 2 free when I race there. We are the pre show at 9am sunday.
Bob W
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Joe has my pipe finished. He did a awesome job considering the space limitations, and the fact i needed to be able to use the kickstart if necessary. Here's some more pics :
(http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/8922/img1778qe.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/35/img1778qe.jpg/)
(http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/1917/img1782gl.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/411/img1782gl.jpg/)
(http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/760/img1783f.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/9/img1783f.jpg/)
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That's just pure Beautiful Insanity!!!.
That pipe MAKES the "look" of this thing..lol.....can't wait to see a video!!
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That's just pure Beautiful Insanity!!!.
That pipe MAKES the "look" of this thing..lol.....can't wait to see a video!!
The pipe looks so "old skool cool" like the old FMF, PSI, and Krause pipes back in the late 70's and early 80's
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That's just pure Beautiful Insanity!!!.
That pipe MAKES the "look" of this thing..lol.....can't wait to see a video!!
The pipe looks so "old skool cool" like the old FMF, PSI, and Krause pipes back in the late 70's and early 80's
LOL...yup,Krause was exactly what came to mind at 1st glance...it really does have an awesome MEAN look.I can't even imagine how wild and gnarly it's gonna sound. :evil:
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Looks like i'm picking it up later this week ! Now i'm getting jacked to beat this 60hp death kart ! :-o
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Wicked. Very, very nice. I am drooling. Seriously. I also have wood. Probably too much information...
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Wicked. Very, very nice. I am drooling. Seriously. I also have wood. Probably too much information...
HAHAHA....thanks for making me spit my beer all over my laptop!!...that was F'n funny!!
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It only needs all wheel drive :lol:
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Looks like i'm picking it up later this week ! Now i'm getting jacked to beat this 60hp death kart ! :-o
Polar,I know you were going to pick this thing up today,wish I did'nt have to work or I would've met you.I think we'll all be impatiantly waiting for that crazy video of you doing 100mph with your smiling lips fluttering in the wind,by this weekend. :-D
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Looks like i'm picking it up later this week ! Now i'm getting jacked to beat this 60hp death kart ! :-o
Polar,I know you were going to pick this thing up today,wish I did'nt have to work or I would've met you.I think we'll all be impatiantly waiting for that crazy video of you doing 100mph with your smiling lips fluttering in the wind,by this weekend. :-D
No worries, I still have not got the kart from Joe. I unfortunately have some frustrating lingering medical issues i'm trying to clean up and it looks like i might be back in the hospital very soon for an operation on my Diviticulitis.
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Ahhh...I know all about that!!.Fortunately,I have'nt had an episode since the Spring of 09.I had to totally change my eating habits and cut certain things out....it's a pain in the ass..almost literally :x.
On the positive side of things...this will just make the day of pick-up that much sweeter! :-D
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Good news all I got the kart back from Joe ! Spent Sunday accesing the final details to finish the build. I had to purchase a 2' length of 1-3/8 thinwall tubing to connect Joe's pipe to my silencer. Wrapped up a few odds and ends last night such as coolant, trans oil, and the clutch cable. It was a real chore trying to get all the coolant into the system, gravity is not the greatest with a kart cooling system. I hope I didn't get the system airbound, we will see I have a coolant temp sensor so i'll know right away.
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Well failure #1 is the option of kickstart method. There simply isn't enough arc stroke of the kick lever to adequately turn the engine over. Even with the kick lever re-positioned as far forward as I can attach it, the lever contacts the rear drive axle prematurely. DAMMIT !! :x
Now I have to explore push starting. "Human" push starting a 125cc kart is a breeze, but i am realizing now there is a TON of compression resistance factored in to the overall 500cc kart chassis (thank GOD I had Larry W do the comp release mod) . I might have to fabricate a custom rear "push bar" and use my truck to push start the kart.
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I have push started our outlaw kart once before, but it has a cage to push on, i don't think it would be an easy feat to accomplish pushing a flat kart. Would be extremely hard on the drivers shoulders and hard to stay in the seat, at the track everyone uses a 4 wheeler, i think using a truck would be a little dangerous if the kart got crossed up it does happen every once in awhile. any how good luck :-D
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i think using a truck would be a little dangerous if the kart got crossed up it does happen every once in awhile. any how good luck :-D
Yea, i though long and hard of the danger of vehicle pushing. The driver of the push vehicle won't be able to see the kart. I was thinking of a tall ATV orange whip flag bolted to the kart as a guide, but still a dangerous scenario. I might have to call in some favors and borrow a buddies' utility ATV if I can't "human" push start my kart.
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Well failure #1 is the option of kickstart method. There simply isn't enough arc stroke of the kick lever to adequately turn the engine over. Even with the kick lever re-positioned as far forward as I can attach it, the lever contacts the rear drive axle prematurely. DAMMIT !! :x
How about making an extension for the kick shaft and a bracket with a bearing so you could have the kick start on the side of the kart?
Really cool kart btw, looks like the engine just grew a little bit :-D
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Well failure #1 is the option of kickstart method. There simply isn't enough arc stroke of the kick lever to adequately turn the engine over. Even with the kick lever re-positioned as far forward as I can attach it, the lever contacts the rear drive axle prematurely. DAMMIT !! :x
How about making an extension for the kick shaft and a bracket with a bearing so you could have the kick start on the side of the kart?
Really cool kart btw, looks like the engine just grew a little bit :-D
Yea, I kinda thought of this modification too, I need about another 1.5" of shaft length to effectlively clear the kick lever from hitting the end of the rear axle. My issue is how do I find a "female" type spline extension that matches the KX500's kick shaft spline ?
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You don't
You buy another shaft. And weld them together
Well failure #1 is the option of kickstart method. There simply isn't enough arc stroke of the kick lever to adequately turn the engine over. Even with the kick lever re-positioned as far forward as I can attach it, the lever contacts the rear drive axle prematurely. DAMMIT !! :x
How about making an extension for the kick shaft and a bracket with a bearing so you could have the kick start on the side of the kart?
Really cool kart btw, looks like the engine just grew a little bit :-D
Yea, I kinda thought of this modification too, I need about another 1.5" of shaft length to effectlively clear the kick lever from hitting the end of the rear axle. My issue is how do I find a "female" type spline extension that matches the KX500's kick shaft spline ?
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if you scroll down you can see how I made my extended kicker I have ran it for 3 or 4 years with no problem and its got to be in the neigbor hood of 15 to 1 copression I cant kick it with out the compression release.
http://www.kawieriders.com/forum/kawasaki-tecate/80294-tobys-kfx500-making.html
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if you scroll down you can see how I made my extended kicker I have ran it for 3 or 4 years with no problem and its got to be in the neigbor hood of 15 to 1 copression I cant kick it with out the compression release.
http://www.kawieriders.com/forum/kawasaki-tecate/80294-tobys-kfx500-making.html
Nice job ! Now I have some fresh ideas, love the mental talent on this site !
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Well, i'm back at the Kartzilla project, and i've all but scrapped the manual kick start method. My next attempt is a 12V remote start system that runs off the flywheel. This method is used to start drag bikes, and hillclimber alcohol bikes. I think I can make this work, as long as the starter I chose has enough torque to spin the beast over. I got a lightweight gear reduction Toyota starter. I modified the gear bendix to be fully extended all the time, and welded a 7/8 deep socket on the end of the starter gear. The next step is to fabricate a mount plate with a couple of handles.
(http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/6051/img2224u.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/img2224u.jpg/)
(http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9862/img2226vh.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/820/img2226vh.jpg/)
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Well, after continuous and aggravating setbacks with the electric outboard starter I just went back to basics, and fabricated an extended kick shaft, and cut come length off the rear axle. And FINALLY :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKt-EWiK7aY
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Awesome!
Now lets see some 100+ mph track runs on it 8-)
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I wanna see a video of that thing in action.....too cool!! :-o
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The kart is a BITCH to get started, thank the lord for Larry W's comp release mod, there is no way I would be able to get enough leverage on the kick lever stock. You can see I kinda have to kick rearward and down so you can't use your body weight like on a bike. It will just take some time to learn the new precise method of starting. On a side note this kart is gonna VaVaVaVaVibrate pretty badly I can tell !
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Oh crap. How did I miss the post that it was DONE.
sweet!
when Can I take it for a spin?
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When I rev the engine i see fuel dribbling out the overflow hose. The only thing I can think of is my float height is a bit too high. I am going to try and lower it a bit. I hope the engine vibration is not causing the needle to bounce and flood the carb.
Here's a walk around vid :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=7c0CdkzvcVg&NR=1
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when Can I take it for a spin?
When you pack your bags and move to New England ? :D
See all the wicked stupid fun you are missing being a West Coast native ? LOL
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When I rev the engine i see fuel dribbling out the overflow hose. The only thing I can think of is my float height is a bit too high. I am going to try and lower it a bit. I hope the engine vibration is not causing the needle to bounce and flood the carb.
Here's a walk around vid :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=7c0CdkzvcVg&NR=1
haha...that pipe is just F'n obnoxious!!!....I'm liking that silencer too..looks like a GSXR type of slip on?
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When I rev the engine i see fuel dribbling out the overflow hose. The only thing I can think of is my float height is a bit too high. I am going to try and lower it a bit. I hope the engine vibration is not causing the needle to bounce and flood the carb.
Here's a walk around vid :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=7c0CdkzvcVg&NR=1
haha...that pipe is just F'n obnoxious!!!....I'm liking that silencer too..looks like a GSXR type of slip on?
That's actually a correct WKA legal C/F 125cc kart silencer. Don't know the brand, I got it used
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no kiddin?...looks pretty trick all carbon fiber finished :-D
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Any way to redesign the engine mount so it can be soft mounted to reduce vibration?
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I have given the 'soft' mount idea some thought as I have 3 250 Ninja's plus have another frame on it's way. A KX5 engine would be fun, but I think it would beat the little Ninja frame to death with a solid mount. Looking at the current bikes that use it and the way they do it I think it would be possible to make a soft set up.
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Well guys, FINALLY had an opportunity to get the beast out for some testing !!!! And here's what I now know about piloting a 60 hp shifter kart.
1) It VVVVVIIIIIIBBBBBRRRAAATEEESSS ! Vibrates to the point where bolts loosening up and falling out will be a constant battle (read further into todays maiden test session)
2) The G force acceleration thrust is almost enough to make you pass out... well not quite like that, but none the less all I can say is WOW.
3) just a slightly too aggressive blip on the throttle exiting a corner causes a violent loop out. This kart will take skilled finesse to go fast and precise.
My son helped me with the starting and he did shoot a short vid but the quality absolutely sucks after we sent the phone vid to my computer.
So once I knew we could consistently get the kart started and running good in my yard, now it was time to get it to my work where I have a nice empty parking lot to see what we got. First issue is leaking gas out the carb overflow when the engine is running. I'm pretty sure this is simply too high a float height so I dropped the fuel height so hopefully that's the end of the fuel leaking. I was able to start hammering the throttle harder and harder as I go some laps and let me tell ya' this kart is really tough to keep straight ! The violent KX500 powerband hits early and hard and this with the fact i'm putting 100% traction into asphault (not dirt) makes for some sick and squirrely acceleration ! The day unfortunately ended early as the abundant hp actually bent the engine mount stop which allowed the engine to move and then lost my chain tension, and caused the chain to have excessive slop which cause the master link clip to pop off and I threw the chain. So back at the shop for corrective actions and i'll report back as soon as I get more testing in.
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oh man....we need video of this activity! :-D
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Alright, but remember, I was actually scared to go WOT so the vid is only about 3/4 throttle ! You can hear the chain snap at the end of the vid too. :x
Here it is :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEmzx9_dQe4&feature=youtu.be
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Nice!!....I could never get in the seat of that thing....I WOULD die..period.
Actually surprised to see it hook up as good as it was with those small wheels....I can only imagine the rush.
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Well, I did a bit more testing today with my son, and to my delight we actually found an easy way to start the kart with simply using a tow strap and pulling the kart with my truck. It's a little tricky especially when the tires are cold. Here's how I finally figured out how to do it. The only gear that allows the engine to bump over is 5th. I also need to use LW's compression release, and we need to get to a speed of about 15-20 mph, and I need to keep using the clutch as the rear tires tend to skip bounce and loose traction. Cold starting is the hardest, once the engine is hot it's way easier.
I also fixed the engine stop by adding a second stop bolt, loctited the engine mount bolts and I also cured the fuel leaking out the overflow hose by dropping the float height. So at this time the kart runs excellent. So now it's time to practice get used to the horrific power and shoot a good vid !
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Looking forward to that :-D
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:-o that thing must be scary to pilot,holy acceleration,you need a bigger parking lot
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:-o that thing must be scary to pilot,holy acceleration,you need a bigger parking lot
Ya your right, I can barely hit 3rd gear, and I already have to be hitting the brakes hard cause i'm running out of parking lot !
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I'm dying to see an on board go pro type shot during wot.
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Some more testing and tuning. Actually fattened up the main jetting a bit to a 170 main, the prior #168 seemed a bit lean running higher rpm's, and the plug was a little too light brownish for my liking. It might have something to do with the addition of the free flowing K&N filter. I also fabricated an additional engine bracket at the front that bolts to the frame, seemed to lessen the vibes somewhat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpH0b3Wy8GY&feature=youtu.be
Here's an underside pic of the simple mount bracket:
(http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/439/qu2c.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/585/qu2c.jpg/)
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Wow, scary fast. Nice work.
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holy crap. I want one.
d**n thing never gets off idle. (I dont think the kips oepened in that entire video).