Maintaining the KX500

[tharden]

I have not posted much, but enjoy reading what is going on in the forum.  I have not been able to ride much lately either. I did get the chance to rebuild the front shocks, and it was much easer than I thought it would be.  I must say that the rebuilt shocks have really improved the handling of the bike.  I then replaced the stock chain and sprockets, and I feel much more comfortable with on the trails.  After riding the 500 I must say I will never go to another bike, as this bike has my utmost respect.

[Uzi9mm]

    yea, mine too

[dans89kx500]

Yes, they're great bikes. I've thought many times of buying something newer and so on...but...this weekend like many others, I will be on my 89k5

Daniel in Vacaville

[stock500]

I ride mine like a 4-stroke.  I can lug that thing to the very bottom, and blip the throttle and just hop over most things.  There is nothing like a big 2-stroke, if you don't mind getting a little vibration.

[ttoks]

and half the fuel range of a 450 enduro bike..

[maddoggy]

There is nothing like a big 2-stroke, if you don't mind getting a little vibration.

and half the fuel range of a 450 enduro bike..

well, lets face it, we're not riding honda trail 90's here. it takes fuel to power these big monster 500's. you can keep on top of jetting and air filters and a few other things to help the fuel consumption a little but they are always going to be hard on the fuel mileage. it's just the price we have to pay for the honor of riding the k5.      MADDOGGY

[KX500freak]

well spoken maddoggy ,

mine,s a big drinker too ,when all my buddy,s on 4 stroke get 130 km or more 
i have to fill up at 90 km or so

but its a thrill to ride and i even go as far as draggin an 1,5 gallon in a can on my back
then a small container with castrol R2mix prepared in my pocket,
together with a new plug and homemade plugtool

[ttoks]

i get about 75 k's to the tank, on a 100 k ride i took 4 liters on my back plus the 8 liter tank and got home with 1.5 liters left in total, my dads  KTM 450 EXC-R gets about 130k's from the 9 liter tank on the same trails, my Rm 250 gets about 90-95 k's on 8 liters, she's a thirsty girl alright, could be leaned out a tad though.

[stock500]

I guess with gas prices the way they are people are getting more concerned with gas mileage.  It hurts when I go to the pump, but that feeling is long gone when my riding buddies won't stop whining about the marble sized rocks that I sprayed them with when I went by then on one wheel.

[ttoks]

i hear ya about fuel prices, over here in aus, for one weekend away we spent $150 on fuel alone, $100 for the bikes, $50 for the car, we were running 6 bikes though, KX 500, RM 250, KTM 450F, KTM 250F, TM 250 and a YZ 125, half of the fuel went in the KX, i rode it most of the weekend though.

[serafin]

I get about 42 miles to the tank (IMS oversize) running 14/49 gearing.  Yea she's heavy on gas but when you twist that throttle oh what a feeling.

Serafin

[KX500freak]

  :


yeeeeeeeeeiiiiHaaaaaaaaaaaaa 

that kind of feeling
o man i adore its power

its magic!!!!

[TheGDog]

It truly is a mystical experience... I absolutely love knowing that I can hunt-down and over-take basically anyone on the desert floor.

Man... I'll tell ya... a KX500 has to be THEE best motivator to eat right, cut down on drinking and hit the Gym more regularly... 'cause I mean WOW... the reward... the payoff... is a rush that's just outta this world!

It let's you know you're a man... and it let's others know you're a REAL man!

I'm sitting at home right now, in pain, from a surgery to put a plate on my collar bone which I broke on my KX500... and all I can think about is when can I ride again!