Author Topic: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?  (Read 7775 times)

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Offline treeeman00

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Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« on: February 02, 2016, 09:53:19 AM »
Hey guys I am new to this site.  I am looking at a 1998 KX 500.  The bike has about 5 hours on a rebuilt top end.  The bike looks good and runs good.  Here are the bad things. I can pick the bike up for $1500.00.  What do you think?

Rear shock leaking
Front forks are soft
Needs rear tire.

Here are the upgrades.

Oversize aluminum radiators
Devol radiator guards
Pro Taper Fat bars
Stealthy Flywheel
Full FMF exhaust
Weisco Pro lite piston top end rebuild
Hinson clutch basket
New chain
New sprockets
All new chassis bearings/ bushings
Desert tank and comes with stock tank
Barnett Clutches






« Last Edit: February 02, 2016, 10:27:23 AM by treeeman00 »

Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2016, 09:55:25 AM »
welcome to the site...
$1500 sounds like a pretty fair price...providing everything works as it should.

here's a "how-to" for posting pics...this can help us get a better idea of it's condition too...
http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php/topic,10040.0.html
« Last Edit: February 02, 2016, 09:59:41 AM by Foxx4Beaver »
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2016, 10:20:53 AM »
check your Personal Messages.
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline treeeman00

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2016, 10:40:02 AM »
I thought it sounded like a pretty good deal considering the list of mods.

Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2016, 10:47:52 AM »
I've seen this one on craigslist....I think $1500 is fair, but I'd still offer him $1200 or $1300 to start, and see what he says.
You'd be looking at roughly $600 to get the suspension done if you sent it out to be done...or you could cut that cost in half if you can do it yourself...and roughly $90 for a rear tire.
I'd buy it...but again...make sure everything works as it should first.











Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline treeeman00

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2016, 10:54:53 AM »
Thanks for posting the pics foxx.  I don't think he will go lower.  He was aking 2000 but got him down to 1500, but that's before I knew the rear shock was leaking

Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2016, 11:11:15 AM »
no problem.
I'd buy it....but I'd also be prepared to spend that $500 you got him to drop, on "here and there" items, like worn out levers/perches, and footpegs/springs/pins...and don't be surprised if you spend several hundred more than that, on things to "personalize" it to your liking.
Either way, good luck....and keep us posted. :mrgreen:
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline tkeen511

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2016, 03:09:21 PM »
Lets put it this way, if you don't buy it, let me know so I can  :mrgreen:
14 250 sx, 98/14 kx 300 afc, 91 kx 500, 72 s2 350, 11 ktm 250xcw, 10 crf 250x, 97 Montesa 315r, couple other bikes

Offline treeeman00

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2016, 06:19:43 AM »
I plan on going this weekend to look at it

Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2016, 06:33:23 AM »
Cool...good luck!
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline manco

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2016, 06:40:02 AM »
...be prepared to spend ... on "here and there" items, like worn out levers/perches, and footpegs/springs/pins...and don't be surprised if you spend several hundred more than that, on things to "personalize" it to your liking...

Gold star used KX500 purchase advice if there ever was any.

Proof: In the past year and a half I picked up a "great condition, fresh top end, good suspension, blah blah blah" KX500 for $1700, rode it for around 8 hours, came to find out it had not only flaws but fatal flaws. Long story short I am finally getting to the point of ready to receive the bottom end back from a local builder in the coming weeks and am now starting to deal with the trivial stuff. My $1700 "great condition" bike is gonna cost me close to $4000 by the time it is track ready.

Some off the top of my head used KX500 advice is this: Inspect the frame with due diligence not only for structural issues but also bent/broken mounts, stripped threads and previous repairs, check the steering stops on fork & frame, check the radiators for warpage, damage or repairs, look for burn marks on the underside of the gas tank over the muffler, check rear suspension play, check for wheel axle play, pull the muffler & inspect cylinder/piston, pull the oil drain plug & check the case threads, pull the rotor & inspect the crank keyway just to be safe.

Here is why "pull the rotor" before purchasing "great condition" KX500: http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php/topic,15209.0.html

Even if the bike turns into a nightmare, $1500 is still a good place to start for a KX500 that starts, runs & isn't a total pile o crap. Consider that a excellent KX500 is probably worth $4-5000, good condition KX500 around $3-4000, mechanically good needs minor here & there around $2-3000 leaves running fixxer uppers between $1-2000 with major projects, parts bikes and basket cases under $1000. So at $1500 the bike you are looking at considering its condition is priced in the right ballpark at least.


Good luck with your purchase. Keep us posted.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2016, 08:26:34 AM by manco »
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Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2016, 11:18:19 AM »
all good added info.
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline treeeman00

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2016, 12:44:06 PM »
Well I ended up not going to look at it.  Tranny took a crap in my truck so that's where my money is going.  It never fails.

Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2016, 12:51:05 PM »
eh...never know...it could be a "sign"....that it wasn't worth going to look at it anyways. :-)
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline treeeman00

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Re: Newbie here..Looking at KX 500, whats it worth?
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2016, 12:57:41 PM »
that's a very good way of looking at it and is very true!  I do appreciate everyones help however!