I don't think Honda's aluminum frame makes anything faster. It's taken them a number of designs now to finally get it working well. I just don't recall Kawasaki's perimeter design in the '90s working well with the 500 is all. I'm sure their current chassis works better.
Yeah my KX is a little dated, even by 500 standards. Still runs like a locamotive though
But no steel framed 500 is really a pleasant ride once it gets serious.
Track conditions can make competing on a 500 difficult. But I'm no Pro rider. In the A / B classes there isn't any downside to riding a 500AF. For those of you who do ride 500 conversions you should have an idea what it's like...my CR just doesn't cause as much gyro effect on the chassis as you're used to.
BDI I meant we could go offroading! I've only recently started racing MX. Trails are my bread and butter. And the AF is quite the trail bike. I guess you ride a Honda on the trails also. I think that's great...I only ride my KX in the desert too.
I'm not sure way the topic has gone so far off base. I've said it once and I'll say it again. The KX is faster then a CR. And is better suited for the dunes than anything else. Maybe folks got confused because I said the Honda has a good motor? I guess I like it because it makes a lot of juice in the mid range where I ride most and builds power as fast as I want it to. The KX feels like an XR in comparison. Just kind of sluggish and non responsive *shrug* And then of course the KX will scream until the cows come home. Something I don't think any CR could ever do. As much fun as it is to do 5th gear wheelies at the dunes on the KX, the motor's combersome heavy gyro feel just doesn't go well with serious track or trail use. And no steel or alloy perimeter frame in the world is going to fix that.
We don't need to get all hot and bothered under the collar over this. We can all agree to disagree I guess. I would much rather see some more brilliant ideas from Stewart on how to make my green bike go faster. That is way I'm here...not to argue over how some guy's didn't have their CR's running for crap.