KX Riders

General => Introductions => Topic started by: *King*Kong*K*X* on September 28, 2011, 05:07:06 PM

Title: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: *King*Kong*K*X* on September 28, 2011, 05:07:06 PM
So ive had my 99 kx 5 now for about a week. i have ridden her 3 times so far. She is such a beast to start after ive been riding and stopped for a few minutes. i had to walk her back 2 miles to the truck this weekend. Love the power, but on the trails, it can almost be boring... since there is so much torque i really dont have to shift.  :mrgreen:


heres some pics of her
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: Motorrad on September 29, 2011, 12:16:17 AM
welcome to the site..

she should fire first kick... every time... after she is warm...     


good looking bike..   (adjust your kickstart lever...)  :wink:
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: Friar-Tuck on September 29, 2011, 07:15:04 AM
Welcome to the forum and K-5 Brotherhood. :-D

  You might consider this during winter break :wink:
http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php/topic,6445.75.html

It's next on my list for Larry, and re-cut the squish angle while he has the head .  My bike runs well but I need something a bit softer to kick.     I'm Hooked on the 5oo, so as long as I can still pilot the thing I'm gonna keep ridin' it..
            Most guys say the comp. release mod will bring the effort needed down to about a healthy 250.
   Any way, welcome and thanks for signing up!
  Tuck\o/
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: *King*Kong*K*X* on September 29, 2011, 01:59:43 PM
Thanks for the suggestions guys....

by adjusting my kickstart, do you mean just rotating the lever?
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: Friar-Tuck on September 29, 2011, 07:35:55 PM
  Not wanting to put words in Mo's post,
however I'm Pretty sure you got it,
  By rotating the kick lever forward you should get more spin of the crank for your kick. 
  There is some travel engaing the gears so you will be engaging the system sooner.
  I would venture to guess your foot is at almost 90degrees before the kicker engages the gears and starts to turnover your engine.  You don't want the kick lever rattling against the pipe, but it looks like you can get some more out of her.  Tuck\o/
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: Motorrad on September 30, 2011, 12:22:21 AM
Correct... undo the retaining bolt (6mm alen If I remember correctly??) Pull the lever of (its on splines)..    and relocate to look like this..

You will get much more CYCLE out of one kick...

(http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/8194/rpq712007002se6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/rpq712007002se6.jpg/1/w2288.png) (http://g.imageshack.us/img58/rpq712007002se6.jpg/1/)
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: *King*Kong*K*X* on September 30, 2011, 04:01:33 AM
You would be correct in your assumption that the lever is almost 90 degrees before engaging. i was wondering if there was a solution to that problem.

Thanks again for your help guys. I'll adjust the lever this weekend and see if that helps. Hopefully I'll get some sunshine and be able to ride. Living in a rainforest can put a damper on riding at times.
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: 1989kawasaki on September 30, 2011, 07:09:28 AM
yeah , putting the lever forward will make it much easier to start up.

with my old kicker i knew that it HAD to be set back 1 spline than normal cause the severe wear on the pivot made the lever lean forward rubbing the case  :cry: but one time i had to take off the kicker but i accidentally put it 2 splines back and it made it really difficult to start . now with a brand new kicker set to where its supposed to, the bike starts up 1st kick every time
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: *King*Kong*K*X* on September 30, 2011, 07:23:52 AM
The kicker is new, i guess the previous one had broken. So it makes sense that it may have been set back too far. I thought it was weird that it had such a short travel for actually starting the motor. I am 99 percent sure moving the lever forward will help immensely.
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: weymouth399 on September 30, 2011, 08:34:52 AM
Allways start from top of the stroke on the kick lever too. Kawi's are finicky that way.
Try to put in neutral most are hard to start in gear also.
Every KX I have owned didn't like to start in gear after I stalled it or fell, hot or cold.

Bob W
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: Foxx4Beaver on October 01, 2011, 02:36:20 AM
I can't believe the kicker being positioned where it is did'nt aggravate the hell outa ya while riding.
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: *King*Kong*K*X* on October 01, 2011, 05:36:09 PM
Foxx,Yeah the kicker kept grabbing on my pants, but i was more focused on throttle control while i was getting used to the power of the beast.

Bob, by starting at the "top of the stroke" are you meaning to kick it till it gets to top dead center and then not do the extra little "click" to release some compression before starting?

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm really enjoying poking around the topics during my free time.



King Kong
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: Foxx4Beaver on October 01, 2011, 11:40:26 PM
hey Kong,I'm not trying to answer this for Bob,cause he may know something I don't....but you want to slowly kick it until you find the "top of the stroke"...meaning that the kickstarter will/should be straight UP and DOWN,...then kick it hard,and repeat the same process until it fires up.Being a 99 it should start pretty easily,I have a 95 K5 with a new lower and top end and I start it all the time in sneakers.I would'nt try that on an 85,86,or an 87 K5,those years sucked to start,unless you knew a good procedure.
Good luck,and let us know how you make out!....Foxx
   
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: weymouth399 on October 02, 2011, 05:00:41 AM
Yes all those things that everyone has said.
Also make sure that the kick start ratchet is engaged at the top most part of the stroke, or you will short yourself a little kicker action.(get the kicker engaged as high as you can)
When I can, I use a wooden block/bike stand to stand on gives me better leverage.
Every kx I have ever owned has been that way from 88 to current. (man I'm old)

Bob W
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: *King*Kong*K*X* on October 02, 2011, 06:00:34 AM
Leverage isnt a problem... im 6'3" 280lbs lol....

im just a noob when it comes to dirt bikes and kick starts.

i got spoiled with my street bikes and their electric starts. The K5 is the most fun I've had on a bike so far. Gotta love a bike that lifts the front tire in every gear with 1/4 throttle.
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: *King*Kong*K*X* on October 02, 2011, 07:45:42 AM
just got back from a ride.

i took all of you guys' advice, adjusted the kickstarter and kicked from the top of the stroke, and she fired up no problem.

thanks for all of your help. This is a great and helpful forum. I am a member of another forum and i really like that everyone is here to help and not bash on people.
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: Foxx4Beaver on October 02, 2011, 08:43:24 AM
right on Kong!!!...hopefully you'll be able to return the favor some day!!...I broke my kicker today,apparently it's a common thing on the K5's.
Foxx
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: crazyolbastard on October 02, 2011, 12:04:14 PM
a trick i like ta use to get my bike started is to pop it into second gear and
rock it back-n- forth to get a lil fuel into it.
give it a try
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: iamsofaking on October 02, 2011, 12:48:59 PM
the bastard is right.  Do that.
Title: Re: Just got my 1999 kx 500
Post by: *King*Kong*K*X* on October 02, 2011, 01:05:00 PM
I put it in first and rock it a few times, and now i put it at the top of the stroke and kick.

Thanks for the suggestion though guys. That was the first topic in this forum I read, was the tricks everyone has for starting.

I think where i was going wrong was, i was getting to the top of the stroke, then kicked it until it clicked down once and kicked it from there. I had seen that on youtube, and let me tell you that is WRONG.

So a hearty thanks again to all of you fine kxriders for helping out this noob.