KX500 Wish List... Parts.... Mods.... ect

[sandblaster]

KX500 Wish List.
What do you want someone to start making next?
I want something simple and mundane..
Billet rear brake lever should be doable with a bearing instead of a bushing like this


I want a shift star like this, but coated in some super slick whatever.

And a bearing like this,


A modded piston would be nice... slightly longer skirt and better reinforcement where we need it so we can trim some more in other places.

What do you guys want?

[Motorrad]

Some one else's gas card

[kxpegger]

All the failures I've had on my 500AF have been on the clutch side. Kick starter large spring (dog tensioner), shift star wheel tensioner spring that broke and the pressed in crankshaft spur gear water pump drive gear that snapped off! That one cost me split cases and electro-discharge machining to remove the Rockwell bazillion hardness broken shaft out of the crankshaft! Ended up putting in a new crankshaft anyway.

I know those here may not want to hear it but my 500 has been less than reliable compared to my other bikes!

[sandblaster]

You have had a bad time of it.
On the brite side you still have your bike 

[kxpegger]

You have had a bad time of it.
On the brite side you still have your bike 

When she does run nobody can catch me!

[sandblaster]

Do you have the decomp head?

[kxpegger]

Do you have the decomp head?

No, but my right leg is still strong.

[sandblaster]

My leg is strong as well but, there is a lot less stress on the whole right side of your engine by using a decomp head.
I think everything on that side will last a lot longer.
I've had my decomp head for two years or so and just put it on today.
For some reason I resisted putting it on.
Now I won't run mine without it.
It makes me look forward to starting my bike tomorrow 

[kxpegger]

My leg is strong as well but, there is a lot less stress on the whole right side of your engine by using a decomp head.
I think everything on that side will last a lot longer.
I've had my decomp head for two years or so and just put it on today.
For some reason I resisted putting it on.
Now I won't run mine without it.
It makes me look forward to starting my bike tomorrow 

Can't disagree with most of what you have said other than most of the failures I have experienced have nothing to do with starting compression. Broken springs and water pump shafts on the clutch side?

[sandblaster]

Yeah... Sometimes bad stuff just happens

[Motorrad]

My leg is strong as well but, there is a lot less stress on the whole right side of your engine by using a decomp head.
I think everything on that side will last a lot longer.
I've had my decomp head for two years or so and just put it on today.
For some reason I resisted putting it on.
Now I won't run mine without it.
It makes me look forward to starting my bike tomorrow 

Can't disagree with most of what you have said other than most of the failures I have experienced have nothing to do with starting compression. Broken springs and water pump shafts on the clutch side?

I've always scratched my head over your failures.  They are all very abnormal.  I even asked Dave Pyle about them. He never experienced those parts failing either.    But I do agree the k5 isn't as reliable as some other bikes I own

[ToomanyKaws]

Definitely some bad luck.   You can see a single parts failure with anything thats mechanical.   Wonder if the Kaw K5 engine parts are still made in Japan by the same machines, tools and processes or todays " replacement" parts we all use and need are done in another country....

[kxpegger]

Definitely some bad luck.   You can see a single parts failure with anything thats mechanical.   Wonder if the Kaw K5 engine parts are still made in Japan by the same machines, tools and processes or todays " replacement" parts we all use and need are done in another country....

I know they moved some of their assembly plants to Indonesia, Thailand and the Phillipines. My understanding from a few years ago was that they still made the parts in Japan unless they recently outsourced some of that too?

[Craptabulous]

Im personally a fan of the two piece clutch cover and the billet brake lever .

[dirk_411]

Whats the idea behind the modified star gear?

KX500 Wish List.
What do you want someone to start making next?
I want something simple and mundane..
Billet rear brake lever should be doable with a bearing instead of a bushing like this


I want a shift star like this, but coated in some super slick whatever.

And a bearing like this,


A modded piston would be nice... slightly longer skirt and better reinforcement where we need it so we can trim some more in other places.

What do you guys want?