Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Steel Frame Conversion (SFC)

Looking for input on stuffing a 500 into a 95 kx250 frame

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Goat:
I stumbled on a 1995 kx250 frame and some engine parts. Selling the engine parts and keeping the frame. I paid $100 for everything. No suspension, tank, seat, plastics, sub frame, or swing arm. Just a bare frame with the right radiator.

Before I get into it too far I would like every ones input that has done one of these builds. What I should and shouldn't do. Never done an engine swap like this on a bike before. A couple quads but those have more room for error. Still debating whether or not I'm using my engine or getting another one. I have extra cases and cylinder to use as the template. It's mainly going to be the winter project but I am going to tinker on it when I have time. Should be starting work in the next couple weeks so that doesn't leave much time for sleep let alone anything else. I'll get some pics of the frame in the next couple days.

So lets have it guys. What should you have done different or What did you try that worked out nice? Open for any ideas.

ZETTNORCAL:
Goat,
               Just start putting the pieces together and it will all just come easy.  It sounds like you know how to use a wrench so it will be a breeze for you!

  I would have spent more time and I still will someday to build a better pipe for my conversion. I just put a KX500 pipe inlet welded to a CR500 pipe and then put a BIG dent in it where the water port is on the K5 cylinder. :roll: Lazy :roll:

  I just got excited and wanted to finish it so I could ride it. :evil:  So if you can try not to do that :wink: (yah right) and just take your time and build it to the best of your abilities. It will come out sweet and you  will love it and be proud to know that YOU built that SICK bike! :mrgreen:

Goat:
As long as I have something to ride while I'm building it I wont rush through. The excitement will still be there but I can always jump on the k5 and slow myself down and stay focused.

I do have a massively dented PC pipe to cut up and weld to whichever pipe I end up with. I don't remember where but I read that someone used the back half of the 250 pipe with the front half of the 500 pipe and it just kind of bolted on.

I'm not a great welder. Haven't had any welds break on me but they aren't pretty. When I get laid off in the fall I'm probably going to take a welding class at the local trade school. I used to stick weld like a pro but that was 12 years ago. Just got a Lincoln heavy equipment welder 2 summers ago but don't have 220 in the garage so I only played with it a couple times. It does 300 or 350 amp and weighs like 400 pounds. Hopefully moving into a house with a polebarn this summer so I can do some serious work on my truck and bikes this winter.

junk man:
hey goat looks like its time to go shopping eBay would be a good start.
your going to need 1994-1998 250 tank,seat,plastic, triple clamps & bearings,foot pegs,shock & link,sub frame,air box & boot,cab holder,rear brake master cyl. and pedal 

I think the 500 swingarm is about 1 inch longer then a 250 so you can use a 250 sw-arm  and drill out the engine cases or use a 500 sw-arm and weld a bushing in to make the frame holes 15mm i used the bushing out of an old sw-arm strut i opened up frame holes to fit the bushings grind the with and chamfer them and install sw-arm bolt and engine without the sw-arm and tack them and get them tig welded  then you will have to make a spacer between the engine and sw-arm i used two grade 8 washers on each side this is to fill the gap from the k5 link mount

use the 250 radiators its work to make the 500 ones fit and you already have one also all new plastic UFO for about $100.00 motosports.com

good luck JM

Goat:
Thanks for the info junk man. I wasn't sure what years were the same. Have a friends 92 K2.5 in my garage for complete rebuild and noticed the radiators mounted different but that's all I could tell from looking. I was going to use the 500 swing arm but I'm not sure now. I know a couple people that could make me some nice bushings and do whatever machining I need. Don't exactly want to bore the cases either. I'll take a look at everything and figure out what I'm doin. I have an extra k5 swing arm so that's probably what I'll use. I have 98 k2.5 forks on my k5 now so I could just swap those over if I decide to use my engine. I would like to get another engine. Can never have too many lol.

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