KX Riders
Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Original => Topic started by: ilovemybike on January 14, 2009, 02:54:51 AM
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has anyone done this or heard of this being done???? im pretty interested about it, ive been loookin for a good rolling chassisto start a project... i think a kx500 motor would make a quad pretty fast!!!
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Here is Toby's well documented build up...
http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php/topic,4893.0.html (http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php/topic,4893.0.html)
-G
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search the internet for kx500 tecates. I know there used to be people putting k5 motors in these frames.
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I love my KX500 as much as anyone, but wouldnt it just be easier to paint a Quadzilla green ? You would have a two stroke 500cc factory built quad, Paint it Green throw some Kawasaki stickers on it and spend your time riding.
I am sure that I stepped on someones toes here, but no need to reinvent the wheel,because the end result already exists.
John
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i have a 1987 quadzilla that stewart and me are planing to put a full mod. k5 motor in . not sure what color i will end up painting but a big frame like the zilla would look godie lime grenn . sorry but i am thinking black with lime green saran wrap and then clear coat . but when we get started we will keep everyone up to date .
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Sooo many have tried this, its always a better idea than it turns out to be. Without a counterbalancer the quad frame will not let the KX500 do its thing harmonicaly. People seem to keep trying regardless though
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I really like mine . I havent had it in the sand yet but I am sure it will do great When sitting and reving it it has a lot of vibes but they are not noticable when ridding it. eventually I will have Steward built me a crank and piston which should make it perfect.
Nothing else runs like a K5 they will eat a LT500 as far as putting one in a Lt500 they are so big and heavy its become a popular conversion to put the LT 500 engine into the Lt250 frame.
So in my opinion The Tecate is the perfect home for the K5.
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It may seem like that for now, but go on just an average dune ride which will include a few passes up the hill and you will break/lose components. The balancing of the motor trick has been tried by many also in the past with poor results. I would only build one if it was for a dragstrip.
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I want one in a new kx 450 quad. Now that would be one bad bike!
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thanks for the info
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I have a k5 in an old lt250r. Im sending my motor to stewart, im confidant all the vibrations will be gone after that fixing this argument once and for all. I will keep you guys posted when i get it back.
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My Dad put an 86 KX500 in a Tecate frame. It only lasted one trip to the dunes before it was dismantled and put back on the bike. One problem was he modded a factory kx pipe with pieces of a factory LT500 pipe and it didn't really work right. You had to rev it too much for power. Then, on the first ride, we lost at least three bolts in motor mounts. I also don't think a Tecate is a good platform anyway. The speed and power of the K5 easily exceeds the suspension capability of the Tecate. That's my .02 on that subject. As for the LT500, my Dad has one of those, and it is a sweet ride. FMF Gnarly, VForce reeds and Trinity porting = big grins. :-D
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Ive had mine running for a full season now. I havent lost a single nut or bolt. the lt500 is a heavy pig in my opinion, you have to sink way to much money into it and it still dont have the power the kx puts out stock.Not to mention that its always breaking down too. Dont want to bash on anyone here but do the research and time and it turns out good.
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I am positive this is in the wrong forum, but what is the difference between the LT500 frame and the LT250 frame? And what is the balance problem that has not been solved with the conversion with 500 engine ?
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The lt500 is very heavy, Its just a big wide bike. The k5 doesnt have a counter balance in it. They do vibrate, but stewart has the cure. The lt500 you have to sink ungodly amounts of money into to make that same power the k5 makes stock. It was i dog and was troublesome, blowing head gaskets and what not. Not trying to bash anyones bike, but its just something that didnt make sence for me to do anything with the suzuki motor.
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the 87 lt 500 had a lot or problem areas . i had trinty do mine in 1997 . the over heating was cured with a big bore sleeve and a cool head . mains redone . crank trued and welded . weld the base of the cyclinder.stage 4 port work . it was fast very fast . made 100 horse at the crank. i could launch it in 5th gear ( stock gears ) on pupm gas .. with a 41.5 carb also wiseco of course. the last time i had built it i put over 500 hours with out working on it . back to stock carb ,reed block cyclinder with low compression dome in cool head. the quads wiegh 397 lbs stock . . with bills pipe ( mid -high) paddle tires it was 370 lbs . it is the widest and longest of all the racing atvs out there and handels great . the tecate is fun but short and narrow . the k5 power is too much for it . but know i want to try the k5 and see how the quad reacts to it . but yes it has cost a lot to figure out what had to be done to make it hold up . now i take to the dam and rock crawl with it and putt though the woods all day and never over heats now. 91 octane because i quit racing it . the new motor has 4 to 5 hours on it and maybe up for sale soon . by the wayi have owned for all but 6 months of its life.
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Well, I hope this doesn't end up being a double post, but I wrote a dang novel, and it doesn't seem to have posted, though the forum says it did.
Anyway, even though dnmac has unkind words for the zook, they are good quads. My dad has owned two, and they need some love, but run and ride good overall. They are a tad hefty, but no more so than a Raptor. They have a low COG, and good suspension. He has never blown a head gasket, since they cured that problem in 87, and the aftermarket has a cure for the 87's too. IMO, the LT500 is a much better machine than a cobbled together Tecate frame with a K5. Now, a highly modded Tecate with aftermarket suspension would be different, but why would you do that when a zook comes stock with very good suspension? If you didn't feel bad about mixing brands, a K5 engine in a yfz, or ltr 450 chassis would be sweet!
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Ive got my k5 in a lt250 chassis. Its not that i am completely down on the lt500, just costs way to much to get them to where the k5 is stock. I agree the lcog, with good suspension. And comparing to a raptor in weight is great. Im going off of all my buddies lt's even mine with the 250. I dont know what it is about them but we couldnt get a head gasket to last more then a couple of months.
K5abuser, sounds like your was pretty sick, but llike you said it cost alot of money. Thats exactly what i was trying to stay away from. Do you have any pics of it? Would love to see them.
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I see where you are coming from, but horsepower isn't everything. I would take my old man's LT500 over a motor swapped Tecate in anything but a drag race. Suspension work cost a lot of money too. Different strokes for different folks. How much does it cost to have Stewart take the vibes out of your K5? A pipe and reeds is pretty cheap for the LT, and it will bolt right on, vibration free.
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Ya i see your point too. I just wanted a dependable bike that had a decent amount of hp, that was fun to ride. Ive got it with what i have. I havent seen much out of the lt motors when it came to dependability, now that just with my personal ex. Not to mention that i got a k5 way cheaper then i could find any lt500. Im sure it wont be more then pipes and reeds after buying all the parts, now if he starts grinding im sure it will be more. But worth it in the long term. when its all done i would love to find a good running lt500 and run the two just to see.
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The problem is there is very few good examples of LT500's running around. Most have been hammer'd on and worn out and with the factory flaws its a bad combo. On the LT5's especially the 87 you have to fix the factory flaws before any performance work is done which includes o-ringing the head, brass or steel inserts for the crank bearings, billet thrust washers for the piston, getting a 88-on flywheel, and if serious porting is done welding up the rear cylinder ear mounts. If you do those things the LT5 is stone ax reliable.
Both the LT and KX motors are similiar in that they have the same bore/stroke. The KX has a better port layout but the LT can lay down some serious hp too when done right.