Any KX500 Hare Scramblers out there

[c-152]

  I have a 92 kx500 and plan on racing hare scrambles in a couple of months (after my back heals from a major get-off last season  ).  I have never raced before so my goal at first is just to finish and hopefully find someone I am at the same level with to race.  Has anyone raced the big 500 in hare scrambles, if so what would you have done to make it a better ride if anything.  Also, I have a stock tank and believe I will need to refuel during the race but I am not sure.  I have gone riding and the bike has ran for over 2 hours with the need for gas however I wasnt always runing hard like I will be in a scramble.  I pretty much have a stock bike with a flywheel weight and an overflow bottle (thanks for the advice KXcam).  I love the way it runs in the woods but was just wondering If anyone made any simple mods that they found effective for the woods.  I live/ride in southeast ohio with tight woods and big climbs.

[gwcrim]

I did a hare scramble and an enduro on my 500.  It's a handful.  But what do you expect?

Where abouts are you?  I'm in Steubenville.

[c-152]

I am from Newcomerstown (20 miles South of New Philadelphia).  Lightning raceway is close but I heard that is a tough one to be your first so I think I am going to run one in march near Hocking.  Like I said, I just want to finish. If I accomplish that, then I want to work on being more competitive each race.  I am in pretty good physical shape but it has been almost a year since I have been on a dirt bike due to injury.  My goal is to start riding hard in February every other day.  I have found it doesn't matter what physical shape you are in, there is no substitute for seat time.

[Danger4u2]

You got the seat time right, that and riding with someone who is a better rider than you.  I have learned alot just trying to keep up with a friend that's a way better rider than I am.

[kx_rider53]

Race at Dutchman near Pine Grove, its a great first timer track.

[KXcam22]

c-152,
 I also have a 92 that is setup for hare scrambles.   My setup is:
spot on jetting
terrain specific tires (kenda millvilles F & R for my area)
forks 1/2" up in clamps & .46kg/mm srpings (I'm 200lbs +gear)
14/48 gearing (14/47 is stock but I haven't found I needed lower than 14/48 yet although I may try 14/49 when I need a new sprocket)
8mm extended clutch arm with rerouted cable to make clutching much easier(this is a valuable mod).
overflow bottle
boysen dual-stage reeds and reed spacer.
Gnarly pipe with a mega-guard
raised the bars about 3/8" with washers under the stock clamps.
guards on everything, skidplate & barkbusters.
So far I have made do with the stock tank since most loops are designed with a fuel stop part way. A modified 1" 90 deg pipe fitting in the end of your plastic gas can spout lets you do a fast fill without spilling (everywhere...)
Seal all the fender to airbox gaps with duct tape to keep mud out (this is a lost art from the 70's)

3 tips: 
1. What I find about the big KX is that it likes it when you stand up and steer with the pegs.  This is really good for hare scrambles.  You can make time on the others in the medium corners and twisties.

2. Learn how to go down hills really really fast. Practise this until you look forward to the downhills. The KX is just as good at downhills as uphills (where it rules)

3. Don't follow behind others, stay to one side or the other. Then when they screw up you blow by them instead of hitting them or having to slow down.  Also the smooth lines are on the sides of the trails anyway and not in the middle where the groove is.

There is a thread in the riding tips section about this.  Good Luck and have fun. Cam.

[c-152]

Thanks KXcam22 as usual your tips are well articulated and wel thought out.  I am printing all this information and taking it ot the garage.  I will search again for the other thread, I must have missed it.  I love trail riding and have found the kx500 to easily be the best woods bike I have ever been on. 

Was the clutch arm mod somthing I need to buy, or is it something I can make?

I used duck tape extensively on my first motorcycle when I was a kid - 1975 kd125 - though it was to hold it together   - I will definatly do that to my bike

[Brad]

Hello everyone -
I'm going to ride hare scrambles for the first time this Spring/Summer.  My bike is set up with the following mods:  Delta V force reed cage; Steahly 14oz. flywheel weight; Power Now carb divider; 2 teeth up over factory rear sprocket; FMF Gnarly pipe.  The bike's power comes on strong at low RPMs and I can climb up almost anything without racing the engine, slipping the clutch, or bogging down.  I still feel I have plenty topend punch.  I rode with my cousin on his 250 yesterday and he was doing a lot of spinning or killing the motor coming out of ditches and going up pretty steep hills in wet conditions-- he had a fine line between not enough power (before powerband) and too much power (during powerband) for the conditions.  He tended to bog down, or spin excessively.  I had a lot more "choices" in my approach speed, gear selection, and rate of climb.  I felt my power delivery was much more tractable than his.  I'm hoping with the set-up on my bike that it will be well suited to hare scrambles.  Time will tell.  An acquaintance who rides competitively told me he liked to "see a man who is up for real punishment" and that "it takes a real man to ride open class two-strokes". Thus far I'm enjoying the advantages my bike's power compared to the power of my cousins 250.  It was clear to me that he was experiencing much more difficulty (punishment) than I.  I'm sure there may be some performance trade-offs compared to other bikes in some form or fashion.  In a hare scrambles, what advantages/disadvantages do you all see riding the 500?  Any other set-up recommendations/riding techniques out there?  Does it take a "real man" to ride an open-class 2 stroke, or is it actually easier because you have more options on power delivery?

THANKS!

[KXcam22]

Brad,
  It depends on the conditions and how much you have to lift it.  The secret is the balance between throttle control and clutch usage.  Most assume a 500 take more since they let the power get the best of them, using too much going slow then not enough when going fast.  Where I ride, my 500 takes less effort than most other bikes.  When racing the trick is to ride smart.  In a typical hare scramble there is a variety of obstacles.  The 500 is suited more to some than other so it makes sense to take it easy and rest in some and then giver s**t in the terrain that the 500 shines in.  For example: In a long race when I am chasing a nimble 250MXer throught slow tight trees and corners I try to relax and rest.  By trying really hard I could force the 500 through the corners and keep on his rear tire but instead I relax and rest - he still only gains 5 or 10 feet.  Then when we hit a fast section or some hills I am rested  and ready to blow by the 250 in an area where the 500 shines. Also don't forget to use the rear tire as a weapon. This is especially effective on gravelly straights where you can use the 500's machine gun roost to keep everyone behind - a little purposful revving and fishtailing doesn't hurt (don't laugh - it's won me a few races).

c-152.  The clutch arm mod take some minor welding.  I found a steel scrap that was the same thickness as the clutch arm and cut an 8mm slice.  Then you weld it in. The clutch arm can be pulled out of the case with no tools, rotate backwards and pull up.

Hope this helps. Cam.

[ebers17]

Cam, that comment about giving a handful of gas to roost someone is so very true, its helped me too!!

As far as hare scramble racing, I raced the 500 for the 2005 season, and did well for the first year.  I moved to a 250 last season, and refused to ride the 500 because I hated the handling compared to the 250.  After a wet season and alot of struggling on the 250, I'm commiting to getting the 500 back in shape to race this coming 2007 season.  I rode one hare scramble and one enduro this season on it, and the handling just doesn't compare to the 250, so I'm going to work on that department, as I never messed with it the few times I rode it this year.  I'm a fairly big guy, at 6'2" 270lbs, I'm sending the suspension at the end of the month for revalving and re-springing.  The rest of the list for me is to get an 18" rear wheel on there to get more meat to the ground, get my steering damper on, and get new triple clamps to adjust the offset, and get some higher bars.  The clutche mod Cam mentioned is a good one, and also, a little tip to help is to keep on top of lubing the cable, also the T2 cables helped me out a little with a smoother pull.  Make sure to get the hand guards, pipe guards, skid plate with wings to protect the water pump cover (5 minute lead went to hell because I went with out one with the wings!).  I'm still deciding what I'm going to do with the fuel, I rode a whole season on the stock tank (I have a fast fuel can set-up, dumps 1.5 gallons in about 2 seconds litterally) but I might try a bigger tank, although I think I'll hate the bulkiness as I didn't even like using the big tank on my 250.  But it sounds like you've already got a good start, so all I can do is wish you the best of luck, have a blast, and enjoy the looks everyone gives you when they see you with the beast!!

By the way, what series are you running?  I live in the wester NY area, I'm doing the WNYOA series and a few AGP series races.

[c-152]

Thanks for all the help guys - I have my bike partially tore down and plan on installing many of the mods you guys talked about. 
As far as handling is conserned, I feel that my bike is setup pretty well for the woods.  It handles bumps extremely well but I am curious to see how it will hands race conditions.  I like my suspension a little soft but I may have to stiffen it up for racing.  I am playing the, if it aint broke, dont fix it approach for now.  Ebers I am sure you are right about the 250s handling better, however I had a 92rmx 250 and I actually think that my KX outhandles it.  I am sure the more modern bikes can ride circles around my bike handleing wise but I do not actually believe that my talent level is high enough yet to recognize much of the difference.