My KX500 really let me down... literally.

[GDubb]

I went to Winchester Bay, Oregon sand dunes and this happened...



The swingarm is actually STUCK like that.  I even tried putting the bike on a stand and using a block of wood and the biggest ball peen hammer I could find and beat down on the swingarm but it wont budge. Havent taken any more time to inspect it but it looks like something in the linkage broke and the shock spring is stuck in the swingarm.

[John]

Cool, the first KX500 low rider!

I hope it's not too expesive to fix...

//John

[GDubb]

I'm not too worried about it. The friend I went riding with said that he wouldve been pissed about it, especially since this was only the second ride after paying for a shock rebuild.  Its only the second time I've gotten to ride it too, but I was smiling about it the whole time.  I love this bike. Its so comfortable for me to ride, the power and control are awesome. Even in the sand. I was just happy I got to get another couple hours in riding it. Now I have another excuse to buy more parts.  I'll look at it more tomorrow after work and see what actually broke.  I'm not doing anything but being lazy today.

[mikesmith]

Cool, the first KX500 low rider!

I hope it's not too expesive to fix...

//John

No,thats a hard tail chopper.KX style!A freind of mine lost the top shock bolt (no locktight),but I dont think it dropped that low.

[alan]

Yep! Looks like mine when I lost the top shock bolt!

LocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktiteLocktite!

[GDubb]

Nope..... it was the bottom shock bolt.
do bike shops keep those in stock?  I also busted two of those small steel/rubber exhaust mounts so hopefully thats a common part too.
The swingarm was jammed up there like that with the shock fully compressed.  To get it out I had to pull the subframe and take out the top shock bolt, then, since there was so much pressure on the shock that I had to use a 2X4 to pry the top of the shock out of the mount. When it released, the shock caught the pipe on the way up and busted the pipe mounts. Nothin bad though. Gotta get it back together for another dune trip this weekend!

[NastyNick]

Yeah, your local kawi shop should stock both the bolt and exhaust mounts.   Not cheap tho.  I hate paying 6 bucks for a bolt!

[GDubb]

I had a friend call the bike shop for me while I was at work... $43 for the bottom shock bolt and the two pipe-to-frame mounts and they couldnt get them til tues or wed next week! And this is a big Kawi/Yami dealer.  I just drilled through the broken pipe mounts and drilled the stud all the way out of the rubber grommet and ran a bolt all the way through all the peices.  I'll post pics later if thats confusing. Tomorrow hopefully I'll get off work early enough to take the shock down to the local fastener shop and get a new bolt that will probably only cost me $2.

[awak100]

gdubb when you drill a hole through the plate and rubber, your making the mount solid, no rubber isolater then.  its metal to metal then.  the bike will vibrate more.  I'm makeing a new style mount thats twice as strong costs is going to be around 16.00 but it will last, probably forever.  replacement parts for it are going to be really cheap for you guys.

[sandblaster]

I wish I had seen your posting earlier.
I have seen the same problem on another KX.
I had disassembled the seat, pipe and subframe.
When I released the shock using the 2x4 method the shock literally flew about 20 feet into the air and nearly took out the customer who's bike it was.
Lesson learned on that.
Winchester bay is a great place to ride.
When I don't have time for Christmas Valley, that's where I head.