Author Topic: Just got a 2004 KX500, it needs work/help...  (Read 3475 times)

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Offline Karl

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Just got a 2004 KX500, it needs work/help...
« on: June 16, 2014, 01:40:04 PM »
I am pretty excited about the new bike.  The motor is very strong but the previous owners just let everything go, I mean everything, poor bike.  I have ordered new everything and I need some input on where to find the rubberized brackets for the exhaust, all of them are broken.  It has a FMF Gnarley Gold Series pipe if that matters.  If you have some good sources for parts for these bikes please let me know.

I could completely bore you with all the parts I am replacing but will save you the time, but basically everything but the wheels, frame and engine.

I did ride a KX 500 for the first time Saturday and I felt like a virgin!  I have owned tons of dirt bikes and street bikes including a CBR 1000, ZX11 and my latest is a souped-up Hayabusa but this KX scared the crap out of me.  I am a new proud owner and just want to get this poor bike back to its original glory.

Thank you, Karl

Offline sandblaster

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Re: Just got a 2004 KX500, it needs work/help...
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2014, 02:14:11 PM »
Welcome to the forum Karl.
I use these guys a lot.. http://www.partzilla.com/
There are many other vendors out there so hopefully others will chime in.
Post pics and feel free to bore us with the tedious details  :-)
The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline Karl

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Re: Just got a 2004 KX500, it needs work/help...
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2014, 02:45:44 PM »
Thanks, I found the parts diagrams and was able to order the brackets. The new:  Most bolts and spacers, SS rotors, Kevlar/carbon pads, both tires and tubes, spark arrestor, all plastics and graphics, clutch lever, exhaust gaskets and brackets, Belray all the way around, air filter, kill switch and spark plug.  The air filter was deteriorate and mud caked, the rotors were metal to metal on the pads and the front wheel would barely turn, the kill switch was just hanging broken, the tires were flat and destroyed from riding on the street, the exhaust was just kinda dangling, the clutch lever was broken at the pivot but you could get enough purchase to get it to engage, half the plastic was missing or broken...but even with all this going on it ran like a beast unleashed!  I think the fact it was barely hanging together made it even more intense, how does the saying go "like riding an insane horse towards a burning barn".  Before I road it I actually told the guy I was buying it from that if I died he could have my car, seriously.

 Paid $1600 for the bike and have ordered $1000 worth of parts the past two days.  It sure is going to be fun seeing it all come together.  I will post some pics over the next few weeks.

Thanks for the support, Karl

Offline Karl

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Re: Just got a 2004 KX500, it needs work/help...
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2014, 03:05:23 PM »
Just one more note.  I have taken all the plastic, tank, and exhaust off the bike.  I found a lot of bolts just missing. The tank had just one bolt as did the exhaust.  I am going to take the rest of the bike down and pressure wash it after using some sudsing cleaner and a brush.  I will be sure to plug the exhaust port and intake before going too crazy with the pressure cleaning.  My girl went out and took a look at the bike right after I got it home and said "really?"  I can't wait to see her face in about week after I am through.  All it takes is time, effort and a bunch of money :-)

Karl

Offline jcm3

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Re: Just got a 2004 KX500, it needs work/help...
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2014, 03:24:32 AM »
Wow, congrats.  It's fun nursing stuff back to health, but that's really sad how some people let things go like that. 

I just picked up one myself, and fortunately it had been very well cared for.  But, it also cost me almost double what you paid.   :-)  Even so, there are always a bunch of little things that need attention.  I tend to use Thumpertalk's store to check out all of the parts diagrams, and have had good luck getting stuff.  Partzilla seems a little bit cheaper, but both tend to be pretty slow to get parts to me.

Good luck with the bike.  Post up some pics as you start replacing the parts.
2000 KX500 - Tom Morgan motor, RG3 suspension, EBC oversized front brake rotor - lots-o-fun

Offline Sideplater

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Re: Just got a 2004 KX500, it needs work/help...
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2014, 06:26:18 PM »
Good luck with the restoration Karl and looking fwd to seeing the pics man.

Shame it's been neglected so much what a f**king shame,  I'm on an '04 as well, bought it new and running a Gnarly pipe and silencer , V-force reed kit and coming up 50 hours, mint .

Don't hear about the 04's too much, to be honest I've never seen another one ...

« Last Edit: July 02, 2014, 08:06:45 PM by Sideplater »