KX Riders

Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Original => Topic started by: mdw471 on April 09, 2008, 06:49:22 AM

Title: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: mdw471 on April 09, 2008, 06:49:22 AM
Hello All

Anybody remember in November of 1991 when Dirt Bike Magazine ran an article on the 99 best and worst used motocross bikes??

Mark

Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: mdw471 on April 09, 2008, 06:54:52 AM
Just Kidding  :-D

The paragraph about the KX500 says,

"......These super-stable units are excellent cross country racers, and Kawasaki has wide ratio transmission kits and lighting kits for them...."

Anybody know anything about the wide ratio trans?

Anybody....Anybody.... :mrgreen:

Thanks
Mark
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: KXcam22 on April 09, 2008, 08:45:31 AM
I think they were writing without thinking.  Lighting is easy (for $$) but the wide ratio kit may be hard to locate if it exists. Cam.
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: The Flyin Hawaiian on April 09, 2008, 11:25:44 AM
Back in 88, I had a 88 500 and had heard about a possible WR trans that was being developed by a California dealership that was heavy into desert racing. The dealership was Kawasaki of Riverside. I called them at the time and spoke to someone there that said they developed a kit and were testing it. I dont think anything came of it. Does anyone know if that dealer still exists? KOR was on their decals. I was at that dealer about a year prior and they were well set up for offroad. On early KX250's, 85-86 maybe other years also, you could put the entire WR trans from the 250 Tecate 3 wheeler into them. Also the ignition, stator etc. for the heavy flywheel and lighting capabilities. I had the WR 4th and 5th gears in my 86 KX250. It would top out in the mid 80s.
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: demographic on April 12, 2008, 07:28:50 AM
Moose racing used to sell wide ration trannys for CR 500sin the late 80s-early 90s, I wonder if it had anything to do with them?
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: Platypus on April 12, 2008, 06:19:24 PM
Back in 88, I had a 88 500 and had heard about a possible WR trans that was being developed by a California dealership that was heavy into desert racing. The dealership was Kawasaki of Riverside. I called them at the time and spoke to someone there that said they developed a kit and were testing it. I dont think anything came of it. Does anyone know if that dealer still exists? KOR was on their decals. I was at that dealer about a year prior and they were well set up for offroad. On early KX250's, 85-86 maybe other years also, you could put the entire WR trans from the 250 Tecate 3 wheeler into them. Also the ignition, stator etc. for the heavy flywheel and lighting capabilities. I had the WR 4th and 5th gears in my 86 KX250. It would top out in the mid 80s.

They still exist but it's called Calloway Motorpsorts now.  I don't know if ownership changed hands or what.  WR tranny that would be insane.  I have an old 2 stroke yamaha WR250 and it hauls ass.
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: Dutch-K5 Fan on April 12, 2008, 11:11:36 PM
Back in 88, I had a 88 500 and had heard about a possible WR trans that was being developed by a California dealership that was heavy into desert racing. The dealership was Kawasaki of Riverside. I called them at the time and spoke to someone there that said they developed a kit and were testing it. I dont think anything came of it. Does anyone know if that dealer still exists? KOR was on their decals. I was at that dealer about a year prior and they were well set up for offroad. On early KX250's, 85-86 maybe other years also, you could put the entire WR trans from the 250 Tecate 3 wheeler into them. Also the ignition, stator etc. for the heavy flywheel and lighting capabilities. I had the WR 4th and 5th gears in my 86 KX250. It would top out in the mid 80s.


I have e-mailed them, and the have NO info about it :x :x

     Dutchie
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: BDI on April 13, 2008, 07:10:18 AM
I know a guy Jeff price of price racing. He used to have a full on factory backed race team.They raced kx500 in the desert and baja. I bet if any one would know he would. I will get in touch with him and ask him what he knows. Talking to jeff is a trip he has all kinds of crazy stories about factory stuff like specal engine cases that the factory would supply that they had to sign in and out and no one was allowed to see and they had to give them back after the race.
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: demographic on April 19, 2008, 06:31:39 AM
I know a guy Jeff price of price racing. He used to have a full on factory backed race team.They raced kx500 in the desert and baja. I bet if any one would know he would. I will get in touch with him and ask him what he knows. Talking to jeff is a trip he has all kinds of crazy stories about factory stuff like specal engine cases that the factory would supply that they had to sign in and out and no one was allowed to see and they had to give them back after the race.

I have a few photos of an 89 factory KX 500 (Well its actually SR 500 as that was what the factory called it) thats been converted to supermoto, its got sand cast engine cases and if what I heard was right used to be ridden by Dave Thorpe.
It used to only have four gears when he was racing it but has five now.
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: stewart on August 13, 2008, 01:35:05 PM
mad man enginering  has the cr 500 wide ratio sets  .. 
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: stewart on August 13, 2008, 01:35:46 PM
any one intrested in them for the kx 5
Title: Re: kawasaki wide ratio transmission and lighting kits
Post by: The Flyin Hawaiian on August 13, 2008, 01:56:43 PM
They still exist but it's called Calloway Motorpsorts now.  I don't know if ownership changed hands or what.  WR tranny that would be insane.  I have an old 2 stroke yamaha WR250 and it hauls ass.


Platypus, what year WR? I had raced a 95 and 97 WR250 in enduros with a custom carbon fiber tank and YZ seat. It is one of my all time favorite bikes! Great motor! Even geared down, it would still top out over 80. Im keeping an eye out for another to add to my growing vintage collection.