Author Topic: Customised 1985 KX500 street motocrosser with colour TV Will it run after 23 yrs  (Read 1772 times)

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Offline waigy

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I'm restoring my customised 1985 Kawasaki KX500 street bike after it being in storage for 23 years.
(not sure what forum category to post it in)
This will be a very long video series probably lasting a lot of months.

This is the playlist which will be updated as I add more videos.
It's currently up to video part 4 but I'm almost finished part 7.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt5ZJLAxuUPiWBmwBC8cYDkqjXnjGn3TS
« Last Edit: April 17, 2020, 08:03:23 AM by waigy »

Offline sandblaster

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Very cool bike.
Watch it all from the beginning...
The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline waigy

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This is what I've done since dismantling the bike in January.


The frame, rear spring and side stand have been powder coated, but I polished, cleaned or painted the rest myself in my kitchen.

I've just started editing video number 12.

Polishing the front brake caliper that is in two halves, polishing the swingarm, polishing the wheels, and painting whitewalls on the tyres have their own 30 minute or longer videos as they were masses of work.

I've started dismantling the engine which needs a piston ring, but because it's a vintage bike now, I can't find one in the UK so I've ordered one from USA.

The engine will have to stay dismantled for about a month till that comes, then I can rebuild and paint it.

Still to do:

I've to decide on colours/graphics and paint the petrol tank, side panels and fairing, but I'm probably going to ditch the old fairing and do something different maybe with stainless steel.

The exhaust needs dents filled then painted, the seat will need re-covered, the electrics are a mess so need done again from scratch.

I can start building up everything in the image onto the frame so it will start to look more complete soon.