newer 500 vs. older 500

[bleeding green]

i currently have a nice strong running 1987 kx 500. i have recently toyed around with idea of selling it to get a newer kx 500. outside of getting inverted front forks, what would i really be gaining if anything? any and all thoughts or comments please. thanks!

[kxpegger]

Some of the "87" stuff is obsolete and no longer supported by the factory. Exhaust valves for example. You can still find the obsoleted parts but it's getting harder!

[Polar-Bus]

i currently have a nice strong running 1987 kx 500. i have recently toyed around with idea of selling it to get a newer kx 500. outside of getting inverted front forks, what would i really be gaining if anything? any and all thoughts or comments please. thanks!

The '87 "C" model was only made for one year, thus finding parts is extremly difficult. In '88 Kawi made major changes to the chassis and body design. In 89' they added a 19" rear wheel. From '89 to '04 there isn't much difference but suspension upgrades. At minimum try to find and '89 or newer, and better yet go for a '94 and up to get the better 2nd gen USD forks.

[kwakman]

dont expect the newer bike to be any quicker.the suspension will be improved but you could retrofit later suspenders to yours as long as you get the clamps with the forks, and maybe a later 39mm pwk carb, as 86 k5 was 40mm but 87 got a 38mm carb.87 k5's seem to be the rarest.I even see more 85 and 86 k5's than i do the 87 model.be sure before you get rid....

[Friar-Tuck]

 Hey Green,
  I sold an '85 CR5 I had refreshed, the cool factor in my case outweighed all the negatives. 
  I was riding singletrack,fireroads and basically plunking around with the kids or whomever I could scare up to go riding.

    You never get out what you have in a bike like that, the parts were hard to find and expensive.  Retro fitting newer parts was a challenge.   It was paid for and only took up space in the garage.   
   I probably would have never sold the bike except the previous owner, (#2 in the bikes history),  caught up with me and saw the progress on the bike.  I fired it up and he took it for a spin.   Needless to say he just had to have it back, and I had already put together my KX.  So I sold it back to him for a song and figured it was where it belonged..

   Moral of the story,
         the newer KX is alot nicer to ride,(altough) I certainly wasn't any faster and I miss the old CR.
 The guy I sold it back too swore he would never sell it (since he had it from age sixteen) traded it off for a '03 YZ 250 three months after he took it back home.   
   So, Are you the Sentimental type who gets attached to the stuff he works on ? or is it just a piece of equipment.
   Tuck\o/

[kwakman]

thats a good point tuck. i have so much more than (a lot) of money tied up in mine.its kind of a physical testament to beating a certain addiction, only to replace it with a greener, faster addiction.jobs a fish

[bleeding green]

thanks for the replies guys! I actually love the bike and its in good condition. For the first time a couple weeks back i was riding with a large group and when we passed some riders stopped for a break they all pointed at my bike and nodded as i went by. It made me feel great. The main reason for my question is because i want to tear the bike down this winter and really make it look nice and wasnt sure if i would better off doing that to a newer model 500. But if the 87 is that rare i may just hang on to it. I am attached to it but thought it might be easier to part with if i replaced it with another kx 500.

[Polar-Bus]

thanks for the replies guys! I actually love the bike and its in good condition. For the first time a couple weeks back i was riding with a large group and when we passed some riders stopped for a break they all pointed at my bike and nodded as i went by. It made me feel great. The main reason for my question is because i want to tear the bike down this winter and really make it look nice and wasnt sure if i would better off doing that to a newer model 500. But if the 87 is that rare i may just hang on to it. I am attached to it but thought it might be easier to part with if i replaced it with another kx 500.

Funny story when I first got m6 KX500 about 5 years ago was the first time I took it to my local MX practice track. The is NO equivilant sound than one of a crisp jetted 500cc two stroke. I always fire up my 500 while it's still strapped in the bed of my truck (it's so much easier to get on top of the kick lever standing on the pegs). As soon as I started my 5 everyones head snapped around as everyone was looking at me. There simply isn't many open class bikes around. I highly doubt if anyone younger than 20 years old has even heard a 500cc 2 stroke. So I get all geared up and head through the pits. I see a group of older 40+ vet riders pointing at me , so of course I roll a nice short power wheelie, they all give me the doube thumbs up and one guy runs over to me and yells in a funny voice "GO GET EM' WARDY" . OMG too funny, I was chuckling all the way around the track.... if you are over 40 and you remember the 80's open class you will understand..   

[don46]

thanks for the replies guys! I actually love the bike and its in good condition. For the first time a couple weeks back i was riding with a large group and when we passed some riders stopped for a break they all pointed at my bike and nodded as i went by. It made me feel great. The main reason for my question is because i want to tear the bike down this winter and really make it look nice and wasnt sure if i would better off doing that to a newer model 500. But if the 87 is that rare i may just hang on to it. I am attached to it but thought it might be easier to part with if i replaced it with another kx 500.

The 87 is not  rare, in my area there are alot of them ( lot of hillclimbers) 87 was not as good as the 86 or the 88, both were more powerful. The topic is older versus newer, there may not be significant compelling reasons to update, 88 frame was basically the same as 89, motor was old style cylinder. if there would be one it would be as stated before parts are getting difficult to get. You may think the motor internals are the same, they aren't. 89 and up are pretty much the same or could be retrofitted with newer parts. The cylinder and head from an 88 are very desireable, but, they have to have good powervalves otherwise they are useless. So at the end of the day, if it were me, I would go for the newer unit, but then thats me.

[bleeding green]

thanks for the reply don. i certainly see both sides of the issue and it is definitely going to have to be a clean unit for me to even think about updating. I guess it comes down to having something that not alot of other people have. I have always marched to an old school more power is better drummer. In my neck of the woods i have not even seen another kx500 or cr500 but i spend most of my time trail riding with my family or friends that look at my bike and just shake their head until we see a small straightaway or they get caught in my roost. Its funny how that old bike still has my buddies new 450's running for cover! 

[don46]

At this point in my life it's not about power, at least for me, my ride of choice is a 2011 kx250f, easy to ride and makes good power, the trails I ride are tight and narrow. right now I only have one KX 500, thats the steel framed 250f. I've sold my al framed bike, and in turn built a al framed 250 2t, which I'm going to sell as well. I still have 3 extra 500 motors that I will probably build another al framed bike. I do like the 11 450 as well it is very forgiving and has a good ride. honestly I don't like the stock 500 chassis, I've gotten quite picky, for me if I was going to make a kx500 my primary rider it would be in a newer chassis. I'm 54 and have riden RM 500's ( yeah I'm sure most of you have never heard of them) YZ490 and kx500's and at the end of the day I love the motor and hate the chassis, of course there will be many that will say get the suspension set up and it will be totally different, remember I'm 54, I've already done that and can tell you there is no comparsion. If you have a cherry 500, maybe you should restore it and hang on to it, then make your daily driver a newer framed 500. motorcycles are an addiction, you can't have enough, ever.

[kwakman]

Too much is never enough.oh yes indeedy.

[bleeding green]

well i ended up finding a nice 96 k5 and bought it. i still have my 87 and unless i cant get the 96 to run as good as my 87 i will probably sell it. any tips or advice on getting the 96 to run strong? going to start playing with it this weekend!

[greenstreak]

I have a 1987 and a 2003 KX500 and they are pretty different machines.  The old one is lighter, shorter and seems to be gear shorter.  I like the old one better for riding in rocks and technical terrain.  The newer one is much better at fast stuff.  I love the sidestand on the old bike.  I have had close to 100 bikes already and the 2003 KX500 is the only one I couldn't touch both feet on the ground.

[bleeding green]

well that idea didnt last very long. already sold the 96. the newer 500's are not for me. i really tried to like it but the older bike fits me better and certainly is more responsive and faster. i guess i will try and keep the 87 running as long as i can manage to find parts as needed.