Is the K5 outdated?

[afritts4u]

I have been riding my 99 KX500 for 2 years now, almost entirely in the desert. I have no doubt this is still one of the best bikes ever for desert racing! Thanks to more and more land being shut down however, I find myself on tracks more often lately. Im not giving up my K5 for desert. After all the $1500 - $2500 you can get is not worth taking it out of my garage. I am considering a new purchase for my MX Track riding.

I'm no pro MX'er. A good Novice at best. I was wondering however how much of an improvement a new bike like the KX450 would be on the track. Are we talking 10ths faster or Minutes? My speculation is the K5 is outdated for track situations?

[machine]

I'm sure the KX450 is great for trak, but the 4 speed I think would suck big time if you ever wanted to use it in the deserts!!!

I'm a big Kawi fan, but I think I'd always really like 5 gears, at least if not 6!!!!

[Torch654]

Is the K5 outdated?.......Yes but so am I. I will keep it till they make something with more power thank you very much

[Timbowe]

I rode a mates WR450 at the weekend, and it was just ok... Stiff as a plank, seat like a concrete block. Although the steering is a little sharper, I reckon that the Kx500 would still blow it into the weeds on any track, trail or desert. I did like the traction that it gets on loose rocks. The new bikes these days appear to be only made to be tight for one season then shake to pieces and be biffed out for scrap. Dont know wheather I told you guys about the dude round here who dumped his CRF 450 cause it kept stretching the valve stems. 3 or 4 times! Seems to me that in order of lightness, manufacturers are sacrificing durabilityand building junk. Like the early eighties Japanese cars.

 Just my 02 cents on this subject. But I'm still convinced that the Kx 500 was far ahead of the rest in good design. After all why fix what not broken....? Good design is timeless.

[GDubb]

I personally think that the K5 is only outdated in "style". It looks older because it doesnt have a flat slab for a seat and tank profile.  I mean, what REALLY matters on a dirtbike?  SUSPENSION, and POWER. The K5 is not that far off in suspension... from what I have seen here, a little suspension tuning goes a long way...  and nothing makes more power than a 500cc 2-stroke.  Granted this is no "Supercross" machine... but it is very capable on outdoor tracks where speed is key, and no, you will never see anyone doing "Freestyle" on a K5 as its weight and rotating mass has negative effects on its flickability.  This is still a GREAT bike for the aggressive recreational/ occasional motocross rider. I would love to motocross this bike but there are no local tracks close to where I am now. There was a nice outdoor track back down in Oregon, and although I never got the big 5 on the track, I did get to ride my mid '90s RM 250 there... and I can tell you that I would rather have had this KX at the time.  The only plus to the RM was the ease of clutch-pull.  What I'm getting at with this is that if you are a hardcore serious racer... you could probably get a slightly better bike for the application.... but the K5 on the trail, logging roads, desert, dunes, hill climbs... pretty much anywhere else... Is the more capable bike.  My $.03

[Johnniespeed]

It just doesnt matter if it is outdated. I'm going to keep mine, I know the seat, rear fender and steel frame make it look old school , but those who get roosted by the mighty 500 never mention the old school style.
 If I want a bike with current style, every motorcycle shop around has dozens for sale. But none has any KX500's for sale.

[beastrider500]

If you set up the suspension right you can mx all day with the best of them. With proper gearing and the power available you rarely have to shift. The big bore power is great for tracks with lots of elevation changes. I think there is still a place for the KX5 on the motocross track, and talk about holeshots!

[Spider]

It's only outdated if you think it is.

Believe
Dale

[afritts4u]

This is a fun subject. Yea, the tracks I have ridden on Lake Ellsinore, Glen Helen, Hangtown are all fun on the K5. Their is nothing better than getting a hole shot from a guy that spend $10,000, for his new bike. And all while being green sticker legal! I work for Primedia "Hot Bike Magazine"  but have had the chance to speak to Jimmy Luis Baja 1000 winner, Dakar Rider, and editor of Dirt Rider. He for the most part is in unison with us that the K5 one of the most versatile bikes available.

[Timbowe]

"VERSATILE" is the key word here. The kx5 is the super all rounder. No manufacturers are producing a bike with all the capabilities that the KX500 has had for 20 years!

      My weapon of choice!

[KXcam22]

Sometimes I get to thinking that my faithfull KX may be outdated, but then I shake my head.  A few years ago when I was in the new bike market, I spent a couple of hours in a coffee shop (across the street from a red shop) with $10K in my pocket, sucking back the java and agonizing & analysing (hey I'm an engineer - lots of analysing) whether any bike would give me $10K more fun than the KX. My answer was a resounding NO WAY!!  If I still raced moto I might want something more flickable, but in the off-road single-track world where I ride, the KX reigns suppreme.  As some others have mentioned, I too delight in dusting off the guys on megabuck 4-stroke machines on my trusty 92.  I just tell them it's all the bike (and forget to mention the 35+ years of riding experience).  I also make sure they notice when the KX outstarts the E-start bikes (although they never notice me getting it ready for the 1 kick cold start).

One thing that has made a huge improvement in my KX and got rid of any vestige of "outdatedness" is all the help I have got from this site and all the members.  The tweaks, tuning and advice I have gotten has helped me to finetune the handling and power delivery of my bike a lot closer to my riding style. This has made a unbelievable difference in how fast (and long) I can go on it.  This is the "do-all" bike.  If you look back at the race history of the KX500, it's probably one of the only bikes that has been at the top of every type of race category at some time:
MX
Baja
Hare&hounds
ISDT
Cross Country
Super-moto
Ice racing
Flat track
Drags
Hill-climb
King of the dunes

Three cheers for the KX500 and pitbull racing. Cam.

[Timbowe]

Hip Hip....

 Agreed on that Cam!

[YUNGGUNNAZ]

outdated-NO.outlooked-NO.outran-HELL NO!around here they they hold up protest signs when they see THE MEAN GREEN.

[Spider]

Il stick with mine thanks. I can afford to fix it. Heck for 10K I could buy 2 and have twice as much fun!!!

Dale

[Johnniespeed]

After reading all this, I am feeling so brand loyal, I am thinking about buying a second KX500.  It sure is a powerful, dependable fun fast bike.  AND when others realize it is a 500, they usally pay respect to my courage for riding a 500. I like big ball compliments.