Well, the time is getting close (21AUG11) for my R&R to start and getting to see the 92 K5 I am hoping to soon be the new owner of.
Getting more stoked as each day passes before I get on that big bird for Texas and finally get to see my family as well as the bike.
But, I don't want my excitment to over ride reality so I am asking for some last minute advise on if there is anything in particular to look for on a former race (Motocross) bike.
I know I posted some of the things I have been told about the the bike, but I will go over them again so as to get the help I might need when looking at the bike.
The original owner raced the bike in Motocross. He (and most of the guys in the club) have raced since the 70s, so the crew has a racing back ground.
The engine was ported by PSI as well as having a PSI Pipe installed.
The engine was rebuilt with a Weisco piston, then set as the original owner got into Vintage racing.
The suspension is stock as far as he knows.
I have read most of the posts I could find on the subject, but mainly was wondering if there was any additonal wisdom you would like to impart when dealing with a former (future!) Race bike.
Thank you.
I can tell you are too excited. This is not good for your best interest when purchasing a used 2 stroke (or anything) bike. Try to keep your emotions OUT of the sale. When a seller knows you are stoked and excited about said purchase they will absolutely lie and BS you to complete the sale. If you have a friend who knows MX bike please bring him along for a second set of eyes ! He will most likely spot potential issues that you the excited buyer might miss. I've bought and sold clean MX bikes frequently over the past 30 years. Here's my buyer tips;
1) have a close look at the rear hub and spokes. Big bore bikes HAMMER the rear hubs if the spoke torque was not maintained the spokes destroy the hub. Look closely for black color near where the spoke enters through the hub.If you see black this means the spokes are or were loose. Have the owner pop off the seat and look at the filter, if it's all dirty, then now you have a clue the owner is lazy with critical maintenence. This is a big strike. Grab the rear wheel and try to move it side to side. If you feel slop this is bad, and you need to closely investigate where the slop is coming from. It might be trashed spokes, bad rear wheel bearings, swingarm linkage bearings or all of the above.
2) look for leaking fork seals. The tubes should be dry. KX's are notorious for blown fork seals.
3) top end. This is where 99% of buyers get screwed. If the seller claims "fresh top end, now even run yet". This is BAD. Reason being is the only reason a seller would spend $200 on a top end and then immediately sell the bike is because the previous top end and cylinder was junk. So you most likely are looking at a bike that yes, does have a fresh piston, but the cylinder is most likely junk.
So PLEASE stay calm, look for clues, ask lots of questions about the history of the bike, and keep your eyes open ! Good luck !
