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New Member & KX500 Owner

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dmazz71:
Hi All,

I'm new to the site and just wanted to say hi.  I'm up in the cold snow covered northeast and can't wait for the warm weather to come back.  I recently purchased a 2003 KX 500 and have found a ton of useful information on this site.  Everyone seems really cool and willing to share their knowledge to help out a fellow KX rider.

I started riding about 17 years ago and have had 2 dirt bikes (86 RM 125 & 03 CR250) before I bought the monster.  I really can't believe how fast this thing is.  I bought the bike really late in the season and was only able to putt around in my backyard before putting it away. 

I plan to head up to the fairly new MX track that was carved out at New England Dragway (in NH).  They also sell VP racing fuels (C12) which I plan on running.

The spring can't come fast enough! 

meangreen:
Welcome - great to have another member!  This place is a wealth of knowledge, especially for the KX5 owner. 

Sounds like you are chomping at the bit to get that new monster out, on a track no less.  Just click her into third and hold on tight, you may need some new undies when you get to the pits! :-D

MG

dmazz71:
I was actually considering getting an old snowmobile or ATV, just so I would have a winter toy. ha ha

She's almost done as I only have a few little things left to do.  So far, I've done the following:

Welded the upper mount exhaust bracket back on
Exhaust o rings
Carb o rings
Air filter
Renthal front (14T) sprocket
Renthal rear (47T) sprockets
A stock chain because I got it brand new really cheap
New grips
New radiator hoses (they were all cracked from sitting)

Just have a few more odds and ends and the riding gear I have to buy.   

Thanks
DM


 

meangreen:
That is a beauty! 

Word to the wise about stock chains - they put just enough chain on there to get by.  The 500 is very hard on chains and you will be playing with your adjusters constantly to try and keep up with chain stretch.  That is fine, but when your chain wears, it in turn wears your sprockets - it all wears as a set and should be replaced as a set.  Enter the thought of a good chain saving your having to buy the whole setup again as soon.

Back when I worked for the dealership, we had a stack of stock chains that we would take off of the 500's in favor of quality, hi-tensile strength rated chains.  We usually ran O-ring/Xring because most of our customers were desert racers and trail riders.  The occasional motocrosser would want a good standard chain to keep rotational weight and rolling resistance down on their 125/250.  On a 500, you have so much power that those are hardly a problem.

MG

dmazz71:
Thanks

I originally wanted to run an o-ring chain, but I was afraid that it would rub against the case and sub-frame. 

Are all o-ring chains the same width or do they vary?  Which one is the best to run on the 500?

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