KX Riders
Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Aluminum Frame Conversion (AFC) => Topic started by: umberto on June 23, 2017, 04:25:21 AM
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I was working on getting 2017 plastic put on my 2004 KX250, which involved buying the subframe, tank, and plastic from eBay. I recently sold a couple of my bikes, and have been wanting a newer bike for a while. Unfortunately Kawasaki has basically said screw two-strokes, so we are at an impasse. I figured putting new plastic on my old bike would be as close as I would get. In the process of buying the subframe and tank, I noticed that the guy had all the other components of the bike as well. He said to contact him directly if I needed anything else, so I called him and inquired about the frame, swingarm, triples, and linkage. He offered me a deal I had a hard time refusing, so it looks like I am off on an aluminum frame project. I haven't had a new bike in 26 years, so I pretty excited about having the latest and greatest.
I spoke with Fl_sharpshooter about his project, and felt pretty comfortable with the project until I got the frame out of the box yesterday. It looks like Kawasaki changed some of the design of the frame. The y in the frame is now part of a larger piece that extends up to the steering stem. This obviously negates the ability to grind away the weld and remove the y for re-positioning. I guess at this point I am going to have to cut the frame and add something inside (like the old y joints had the solid tab that went inside the frame) and outside the y (plate weled onto the frame?) to reinforce the joint. Anyone have any thoughts on if I'm on the right track? I only get one shot. :-o
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag75/umberto_32/904A842A-B9CC-4201-8FF6-2703A28A1C87_zpsyswvpziq.jpg~original)
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sounds good umberto , you will succeed , but i think you should punch out half a dozen frames and sell the rest , i have a 01 250 engine looking for a home , and the 17 are great platform , and when it completed you could show the out of touch japs this is what you should bring out. :-D
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I was working on getting 2017 plastic put on my 2004 KX250, which involved buying the subframe, tank, and plastic from eBay. I recently sold a couple of my bikes, and have been wanting a newer bike for a while. Unfortunately Kawasaki has basically said screw two-strokes, so we are at an impasse. I figured putting new plastic on my old bike would be as close as I would get. In the process of buying the subframe and tank, I noticed that the guy had all the other components of the bike as well. He said to contact him directly if I needed anything else, so I called him and inquired about the frame, swingarm, triples, and linkage. He offered me a deal I had a hard time refusing, so it looks like I am off on an aluminum frame project. I haven't had a new bike in 26 years, so I pretty excited about having the latest and greatest.
I spoke with Fl_sharpshooter about his project, and felt pretty comfortable with the project until I got the frame out of the box yesterday. It looks like Kawasaki changed some of the design of the frame. The y in the frame is now part of a larger piece that extends up to the steering stem. This obviously negates the ability to grind away the weld and remove the y for re-positioning. I guess at this point I am going to have to cut the frame and add something inside (like the old y joints had the solid tab that went inside the frame) and outside the y (plate weled onto the frame?) to reinforce the joint. Anyone have any thoughts on if I'm on the right track? I only get one shot. :-o
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag75/umberto_32/904A842A-B9CC-4201-8FF6-2703A28A1C87_zpsyswvpziq.jpg~original)
Looks like you've got your hands full. Just try to take it 1 piece at a time, it can definitely get overwhelming. The y-piece looks really low on the newer frame. I would seriously consider looking for or making a total replacement y-piece, I can see the radiators are going to give you a fit too. Not sure how tall the 250 engine is, but looks like you're going to have to extend the cradle too.
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Thank you for the votes of confidence. I have been having multiple "what have I done?" moments the last few days. Earlier I was thinking about Sandblaster's AF project that used the cradle from a 2001 CR 250 two stroke. I think that may make the most sense, as it will give me the higher Y piece with the rails already attached. That way I just have to worry about trimming and adjusting as necessary. I think the picture angle is misleading, as there is more room in the frame than it looks like. I think the 250 should fit just fine. If I was going to do a 500 that would be a deluxe wrestling match.
I'm going to use the two stroke radiators if possible, so the mounts will need to be redone on the bottom anyway. I think that would be easier than trying to put the much larger four stroke radiators back on.
I grew up working on hot rods with my dad, so I'm used to making stuff that isn't supposed to go together work. I guess I need to just remember this advice:
(http://corymiller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/EatanElephantQuoteSM-300x300.jpg)
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I measured the frame from the swingarm bolt straight forward, and it was almost exactly the same measurement as my 04. I think I'll be good on space.
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I made a couple of purchases for the conversion. I bought a 2001 CR 250 frame so I can recreate how Sandlbaster and Jason did their 2007 conversion. I paid $69 plus shipping for it.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/H-8AAOSws5pZL4nf/s-l1600.jpg)
I also found this later model KXF shock for the clevis so I can use my Stillwell re-valved shock. It's pretty blown up, so I only paid $29 plus shipping for it. It's hard to find just the clevis, so I was pleased to find this shock so cheaply.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NXcAAOSwHMJYL2yW/s-l1600.jpg~original)
Everything comes in next week, so I should be able to get started making some progress soon. Just about the time it gets stupid hot in Oklahoma.
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I ran into a little snag with the frames. The KXF frame has a slight taper after the straight section, while the CR frame is straight with no taper. The KXF frame starts at a 4 1/8" gap.
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag75/umberto_32/CE8A8FC4-5428-4A2D-B3FB-389D07FC543B_zpscfrughuv.jpg~original)
And increase to approximately 4 1/2" right before entering under the foot pegs:
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag75/umberto_32/6FFC780C-D8C9-4865-B060-02EFADD0BD12_zpswel16390.jpg~original)
Not too drastic, but still a concern. Luckily I managed to enlist an ally. My son and I took the welding class I took when I built Goliath, and my instructor agreed to help me with it. He's been working with aluminum for years, and didn't seemed fazed by the project at all. I get my frame on Monday, so things should start moving here pretty quickly.
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I ran into a little snag with the frames. The KXF frame has a slight taper after the straight section, while the CR frame is straight with no taper. The KXF frame starts at a 4 1/8" gap.
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag75/umberto_32/CE8A8FC4-5428-4A2D-B3FB-389D07FC543B_zpscfrughuv.jpg~original)
And increase to approximately 4 1/2" right before entering under the foot pegs:
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag75/umberto_32/6FFC780C-D8C9-4865-B060-02EFADD0BD12_zpswel16390.jpg~original)
Not too drastic, but still a concern. Luckily I managed to enlist an ally. My son and I took the welding class I took when I built Goliath, and my instructor agreed to help me with it. He's been working with aluminum for years, and didn't seemed fazed by the project at all. I get my frame on Monday, so things should start moving here pretty quickly.
This should be interesting. I did notice that four stroke engines are usually less wide at the bottom, hence the taper. Almost every 2 stroke has straight rails.
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Looks like Photobucket declared war on me. They will allow me to host pictures for the low, low price of $399 per year. :-o
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You can post pics at KXguru.com and then link them here...
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Or, if your a facebook freak go to KX Guru Racing and post the pics there, and then link them here :-o
https://www.facebook.com/groups/179257569231617/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/179257569231617/)
(https://scontent.fden3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-0/p480x480/16797335_10155663271120021_7249589215522703142_o.jpg?oh=b09ee84aab261b7aeade368e120a3a32&oe=59DCF68D)
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Danger is going to let me park my pictures on his site, I just need to get with him on how to do it. In the meantime, my CR frame came in and it brought some good news. It also has a taper in it, and ends up at almost the same width as the KXF at the back mounts. I'm hoping it will line up without much modification. I'll post some pics when I get that all figured out.
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Ive havent been on in awhile and just saw this! Wow you took a major turn from fitting the newer plastic to this... I look forward to seeing how this thing turns out. Im sure its gonna be one sweet bike when you get done.
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I get this from my dad: I'm a constant tinkerer. I've been thinking about thinning the herd and buying a new bike, but I just can't drink the orange Kool Aide. Doing this conversion gets me a new bike and the green two stroke I want. Of course I wouldn't be doing this if Kawasaki would sell me the bike that I (and most of us) want in the first place.
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I got the cradle section liberated from the CR frame yesterday finally. My son is a competitive swimmer so I've been traveling to swim meets all over the Midwest this summer and haven't had much time for the garage. August is pretty full as well, so it looks like progress will have to wait a bit. On a good note, the cradle lines up almost exactly to the frame and won't require much modification.
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After a long break, I am finally ready to tackle this project again. I have a buddy who is a machinist that is going to help me with getting the frame sections swapped out, and the motor mounts and head stay fabricated. He has a way of simplifying things that makes things go swiftly and easily. In preparation for taking the stuff back to my home town, I worked on getting the swingarm fitted to the engine. The swingarm did need some shaping at the front, but luckily the engine is narrower than the swingarm opening. This allows me to fine tune the chain alignment and fabricate the spacers as needed. There's not much to show, but here is the swingarm after I sanded it to fit.
(https://i.imgur.com/k2RyPed.jpg)
I also had to purchase 2017 radiators to use, as the 2004 models just wouldn't fit the frame at all. I was able to score a set of stock radiator hoses with the y fittings to try to modify the hose routing to fit the KXF radiators. On a positive note, I was amazed at how well the CR cradle lines up with the KXF frame. It will really simplify things.
I think I have all the parts accumulated, now it's time to just do it.
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I had a quick radiator question to make sure I am routing the hoses correctly. It appears the two stroke radiators go in the bottom of the right radiator, cross over at the bottom to left radiator, and flow up to the top where the right radiator crosses over to the left radiator and the coolant flows out the hose to the cylinder head and down to the water pump again. It appears the four stroke is similar, it just splits the hose instead of using radiator cross overs. Is that correct, or does it flow the other direction?
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The waterpump pulls from the right radiator and pushes the coolant up through the engine. It exits the cylinder head and goes to the left radiator.
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Okay, I had it backwards then. Using the KXF radiators, I will plum the bottom tanks of both radiators to the water pump, and the top of both radiators will go from the top of the cylinder head to the top of both radiators. All I need to do now is find some y and t connectors to use to replace the stock ones that actually attach to the head and water pump. Anyone have any suggestions on where to find some? Here is the stock configuration:
(https://i.imgur.com/DoVdp17.jpg)
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Cool... but if there are no pics, you know the rules... It never happened... :lol:
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I'm out of practice on taking pictures. I promise more are on the way.
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I had to order some motor mount bolts for the CR cradle, and just happened to look at the 2001 CR radiator fiche. Low and behold, there was the perfect upper fitting! I then did a little more digging and found a fitting on a RMZ 250 that might work for the water pump. If they both work, that should wrap up my radiator issues.
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I got the frame and stuff down to my buddy today. Thankfully my wife isn’t crazy about Valentines Day, so she let me have the day off. After digesting all the specifics, he said, “I can’t really get started on it for a while.” It has been a while on this project, so I wasn’t too disappointed, but I was hoping for a fairly quick turnaround. Especially since he’s so quick on other things. Then he said, “I can’t really get to it until Monday.” :-o
Now we should start picking up steam.
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I got a little work done today on a few issues that aren't related to the frame. The first is the fuel tank. Because it is fuel injected, there is a large hole in the tank for the fuel pump and no petcock. I am going to fabricate an aluminum plate to cover the hole and mount a remote petcock from a 2008 KX450F.
(https://i.imgur.com/uA59wI0.jpg)
I decided to do it in two pieces that will be welded together after I am done. The reason I did this was to keep the threads that mount the remote petcock from being exposed to gas. That way I don't have to weld over the threads to seal them, possibly damaging them. Anyway, I took measurements and cut out a circle from cardboard, marking the holes for the mounting bolts. I then cut out a piece to mount the petcock.
(https://i.imgur.com/i09sA03.jpg)
Here is the finished petcock mount. I chamfered the edge to the gas will be able to flow a little better. The hole in the larger piece will be sized to match.
(https://i.imgur.com/sXd340S.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/npHKrxK.jpg)
I also got my radiators and hoses in today, and was able to look at hose routing. One issue you run into with the newer radiators is that the hoses are 16 mm instead of 18 mm like the older bikes. Also, the fittings bolt directly in to the head and water pump, unlike the old ones that attach with hose clamps.
(https://i.imgur.com/Yn1Onm1.jpg)
Thankfully some older model bikes came to the rescue. The 2001 CR 250 had a top fitting that is 18 mm at the bottom and 16 mm at the ends. It is shaped exactly like the stock KXF as well. Score!
(https://i.imgur.com/Aplwwdr.jpg)
Here it is in the hoses:
(https://i.imgur.com/S3ldPhN.jpg)
The bottom one is a little bit trickier. It has a pretty funky bend to it. I found this one from a 2012 RM250Z. I think it will work if I flip the left side radiator hose and tweak the bottom hose a bit. I'll have to wait until I get the frame back to be sure.
(https://i.imgur.com/wDWGJZ3.jpg)
That's all for now. Hopefully I will have the frame back in the next couple of weeks and will be able to post more updates.
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I have a couple more areas that I will need to tackle before the frame gets back. One of these is the triple clamps. The bike came with the stock 2017 triple clamps, but they are too large for my 2009 KX250F forks. I could use the existing Ride Engineering clamps that I have, but they are 25 mm offset versus the stock 2017 offset of 22.5 mm. I really want to use the 09 forks, because they were redone by Stillwell Performance and work really well. I checked with Pro Circuit Racing to see what clamps they had, and I noticed they only offered one set of clamps for the 2017 in 22 mm offset. Thankfully, Ride Engineering offers a set for the 2009s that is 22 mm as well. I pressed the 2017 stem into the clamps and the problem was solved. I bought a set in silver finish, as I might be going for a Pro Circuit theme with the Graphics and plastic. I keep going back and forth between that and stock look. Oh well, got to have the bike together before I worry too much about how it looks. :-D
(https://i.imgur.com/6X9G4tn.jpg)
My forks:
(https://i.imgur.com/1LA2riw.jpg)
Next up is rebuilding the back brake master cylinder and getting the 2017 brake line installed. I'll keep you posted.
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Hallelujah, the frame is done! My buddy got it finished last weekend, and I drove back to my home town to pick it up today. I’m very pleased with the results! I’ll try to get some pictures this weekend, before and after I mock it up.
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Looking forward to it...
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The first picture is the frame as I got it. The welds are really nice, and the motor is straight. I'm going to do some reinforcement on the head stay; I just don't think it is nearly stout enough. The frame does not have a clean place to attach anything under the seat, so I am trying to engineer something using the stock head stay location. Thankfully it is uphill from the head and has two attachment points to prevent rotations. I'll post pictures of what I come up with.
I was able to get the swingarm and linkage on, subframe and airbox, tank, and the footpegs on. I will have to reconfigure the radiators a bit, as the KXF radiators are very long and won't work with the higher Y piece. I'm going to try the KX radiators and if those don't work, I may have the KXF ones cut down. The other issue I ran in to was the kickstarter. If you set it in its normal position, it hits the frame. If you put it forward one notch, it hits the clutch cover. I'm going to look at some KXF ones to see if I can engineer something. If not, maybe I can talk my buddy in to making me a billet one. Other than those two things, the rest of the stuff is going on pretty well, and it should be a really straightforward build. The pipe needed a small dent on the back side, but it should fit without much modification of the mounts. The airbox may need a spacer, but it looks pretty straightforward as well.
The second picture is where I got to today. I'm having my suspension redone at N2Dirt and it worn't be in for a few weeks, so the bike won't be moving for a while. My next steps are to get the rear brake rebuilt and set up, the motor spacers fabricated and installed, and the airbox mocked up. Then it's on to the tank cover plate, the radiators, and finally the kickstarter.
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Looking good! You're almost there!
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Looking good! You're almost there!
Thank you sir. I’m excited to finally be moving forward.
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I bought some stuff last year while I was waiting for the frame to be done. Now it's like Christmas as I open the parts closet and remember what I have. :-D
I found these Fasst anti-vibration pegs that were on sale. It's so nice to have a modern frame. People actually make stuff for them. I kept the pegs that came on the bike, and will be trying to modify them for Goliath. Hopefully I can make them work so I can get some more Fasst pegs for Goliath.
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The Yamaha pegs I found were the easiest to mod to fit the KX500...
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The Yamaha pegs I found were the easiest to mod to fit the KX500...
Would that transfer over to the 250 as well?
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Doh.... Don't know :oops:
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Today I got my motor completely squared in the frame and made my motor spacers. It was really close, I just needed a few millimeters to get it right. I used 1 1/2" aluminum rod and drilled a 43/64" hole in the center, and it worked really well. It took a lot of fine tuning with the belt sander to get the size correct, but in the end it's a really nice fit (see picture one).
I also added an Acerbis chain slider and chain guard in lime green, and Tusk wheel adjuster blocks for a little bling (see picture two).
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To button up the back end, I rebuilt the rear caliper and master cylinder and swapped to the correct 2017 brake line. I also added a brake spring delete kit (see picture one) so I don't have to mess with the brake spring hitting the clutch cover. I did run in to one snag, as it looks like the brake pedals are different so I need to order the correct one.
It's nice to be making some progress. I'm really held up by not having the suspension, but I still have plenty to work on.
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I got the rear wheel buttoned up today. I had to bend the brake lever out to clear the clutch cover, but I got it to fit and was able to bleed the rear brake. I added a Works Connection master cylinder guard just to be safe.
I got a new chain as well, and as I was installing it I realized this was the first new bike I've had since 1991. Every bike I own has issues with the chain adjusters, but this bike is a clean slate. I added anti-seize to the adjuster bolts so maybe I won't have to deal with a frozen bolt on this bike. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :-D
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:-o
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I had quite a time getting triple clamps for the forks I am using (more on that later). Everything I could find was a huge decrease in offset, or was super expensive. I tried Topar Racing, but they don't do clamps for newer bikes. Finally I found a set of stock offset Ride Engineering clamps on eBay. Unfortunately the seller made a mistake in the warehouse and sent me a set for another bike. Finally I found a guy with a set of brand new, in the box Xtrig ROCS clamps. I got them in today, and got them installed. I can't wait to see them with the forks installed.
I got in touch with Brett at ICW radiators https://icwradiators.com/ (https://icwradiators.com/), and we discussed a plan of attack for the radiators. I am going to use the two stroke radiators, with some tank and hose modifications. I'll post more on that as I get them mocked up.
I also talked to the guy on eBay who has the kits to put 2017 KX250F plastic on your 2003-2007, and he agreed to sell me a spacer to fit my airbox. The airboot comes up about 3/4" short of connecting to the airbox front, and one of his spacers from the kit will be perfect. Plus it already has the mounting holes to the stock airbox and two stroke airboot.
That just leaves me with the kickstarter to figure out. I'm actually feeling cautiously optimistic at this point.
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I got another hurdle out of the way today. I was able to fit the airbox spacer and get the filter cage mounted. Having this spacer was perfect, but it did require some re-engineering as it was designed to mount from the other way. It's a well made piece though, and really saved my bacon. I think I am going to paint it black so it doesn't stand out so much.
I'm still working on my radiators. I got the left side radiator mounted, and it will only require a bit of work on the tank. The right side is too long to fit in the KXF mounting location, so the radiator guy is working on a solution. He seems very knowledgeable and is really helpful.
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I finally got my radiators figured out. I used the two stroke radiators, but I had to raise them one inch to get them to fit. I'm going to use the two stroke hose routing with some different fittings. I attached a picture with the mocked up lower tanks. I had to re-do the pipe side tank, so I'm going to have ICW redo the other side tank as well. I used 2" packing foam that I cut to a set size and then custom fit with a belt sander. I then covered that with gorilla tape for durability. I think it's going to work out pretty well once he has them modified. Maybe now I can stop having nightmares about not getting the radiators to fit. :-D
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After the radiators got fitted, I went ahead and tidied some other stuff up. I've never actually seen the bike together, so I went ahead and slapped the plastic on to see what it looks like. I'm pretty excited to see it done.
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Looks great... 8-)
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Looks great... 8-)
Thank you! It’s been a fun project so far.
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yeah looks great!
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Get a water temp gauge on it for insurance.
I'd also do a head temp gauge but I like lots of things to look at while I'm riding.. :-o
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That’s good advice. I’m probably going to do a Trail Tech Vapor like on Goliath. I like having the engine vitals handy.
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Have you seen the new trail tech Voyager Pro? A little pricey but awesome. I just put one on my 500. I need to get a tap so that I can install the coolant temp sensor into the head though.
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I actually have an original Voyager that was on my KX/KDX hybrid. I like the Vapor's tach read out, but the Voyager is way cheaper. I really need to catalog my parts bin. :-D
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Brett at ICW got my radiators turned around in a hurry. I should have them tomorrow, and will post pictures of what we came up with. After the radiators, I just need to finalize the headstay and I'm ready to ride. I can't believe I nearing the end of this project. :-o
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That's cool... very exciting..
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I forgot to mention that the suspension is finally done. Sandblaster referred me to Oscar Cota (USMC 500), who referred me to N2Dirt Suspension and Brian Bolding. I was originally going to do Ohlins TTX suspension, but Brian has had some bad luck with them and is having a hard time getting parts to fix the issues. He suggested a different solution, which involves a conversion to the front forks and extensive work to the rear shock. I'm going to leave you with a bit of cliff hanger because I don't have pictures of the forks, and everything comes in on Monday. For now, here is the shock. It's a heavily modified 2017 KX250F shock with Kashima coating on the body and DLC on the shock shaft. I can't wait to see it in person.
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Ok,,, I tried to get the Kashima coating and it was absurdly expensive..
They wanted me to send it to Japan.... NO....
How did you get it done and what does it cost?
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Ok,,, I tried to get the Kashima coating and it was absurdly expensive..
They wanted me to send it to Japan.... NO....
How did you get it done and what does it cost?
I sent you a PM with the details.
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As you know I am highly jealous :-D
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As you know I am highly jealous :-D
I’m pretty jealous of your KTM build. I’m just trying to keep up. :-D
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Lol.... Won't be hard... my engine won't be a monster but it should put a look of concern on the MXA test riders faces :lol:
We'll see....
I can't wait to see your's done...
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Lol.... Won't be hard... my engine won't be a monster but it should put a look of concern on the MXA test riders faces :lol:
We'll see....
I can't wait to see your's done...
Dear MXA test riders used to riding stupid, boring four strokes,
A bit of advice before riding Sandblaster's bike...
(http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/001/463/535.gif)
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:lol:
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I had one of those really great days in the shop today. I tackled a number of nagging issues, and was able to solve them all. It felt a little like a blind squirrel finding a nut, but I'll take it.
I got my radiators in from ICW on Friday. Brett turned them around in less than a week, and the work is really nice. If you need some radiator work, he is very easy to work with. I attached a picture of them both.
I was able to make the two stroke radiators work by raising the tanks 1" and having Brett modify the tanks. The second picture is the brackets I made out of 1/8" x 1" aluminum strap. I used thread inserts and rivnuts to attach the radiators to the brackets.
I have never seen my bike together as a four stroke, so I don't know how the four stroke radiator braces work, but the tab on the frame is at a seriously weird angle. I was able to make a series of bends in some aluminum strap to tie the two stroke radiators to the frame. They feel very secure. All I need to do now is to get the transfer hoses cut and installed, and lengthen the top hose and I should be done with radiators.
I got a really good start on my head stay. It has been a nagging concern of mine, because there is no where to tie on the the frame like the two strokes are done. I came up with a 3/16" steel, very stout bridge that uses the stock two stroke head stays to the cylinder head, and ties in to the frame where the four stroke head stays mount. Most importantly it is above the level of the cylinder head so that it can control forward motion. It's still very ugly, so I didn't get a picture yet. I'll be finishing up some reinforcements and cleaning it up next weekend, so I'll get some pictures then.
The suspension comes in tomorrow, so I should have some rolling pictures for you guys very soon. I should have it done about the time it gets stupid hot around here. :-D
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Here are the braces and the radiators mounted up.
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That triple is mmmmmmm..... 8-)
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That triple is mmmmmmm..... 8-)
I found them used on eBay. I had the hardest time finding a set, including having to send a set back to that other OEM Cycle (posers). I snatched these up as soon as I saw them. I didn't realize how cool they were until I got them on the bike. I was just so relieved to have a set. :-D
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Yesterday I got the silencer mount done. There is a comical amount of room for a two stroke exhaust on a four stroke. I actually had to space the mount out from the frame to center it in the space.
I also got the suspension in today. The front forks are the KX450F air forks with Dal Saggio Sphere inserts and coil springs. Brian at N2Dirt Suspension has had really good luck with them, and calls them the most plush stuff you can get. The second picture is after I got them.
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I was able to get them installed and it finally looks like a motorcycle. I have a few more items to button up, and I still need to fix the kickstarter, but I'm getting closer.
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I am weeping for your suspension :lol:
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Looking good!
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Thank you pegger! I’m excited to try it out.
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I got a lot of stuff buttoned up this weekend. All I lack at this point is to finish weld and reinforce the head stay, and fix a couple of nagging problems and I should be able to ride it. It was nice to finally get to sit on the bike and see what it felt like. I can't wait to ride it!
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It should be an amazing ride...
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It should be an amazing ride...
The ergonomics are really different from the 03-07 bikes; it's really narrow through the midsection. It should be a really interesting experience after so many years on the other bikes.
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Okay! You've had a day since your last post? How did it ride?
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I’m at my parents house in SE Oklahoma for a meeting. My little 110v welder won’t weld the material I made my head stay from very well. My dad has a 220v MIG I’m going to borrow. I’m hoping to get the head stay welded up Tuesday. I thought that was all I lacked, but I discovered the right side radiator transfer hose is hitting the tank and causing the radiator to stick out way too far forward. I’m going to send it back and have the radiator guy flip the tank and move the fitting out to the edge. I think that will get me enough room so I can move the radiator back where it doesn’t block the triple clamp. Two steps forward, and one back. :-D
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That's what happens on these custom builds but you'll get it sorted out... You are sooooo close...
I want your suspension.... :evil:
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How much does it weight? What are the front and rear wheel percentages?
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That would be interesting to know; I will get that information for you. I just got it on two wheels last weekend, so I really haven’t had a chance to even set on it yet.
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I was able to move my right side radiator back after removing a bracket off the frame. Even at perfectly perpendicular to the frame, the triplets get into the radiators. I can’t move the radiators back anymore because they hit the Acerbis oversized tank. I’m ether going to have go back to the stock tank and move the radiators straight back, or I can try to keep the oversized tank and figure out a way to move the radiators down and back. I’ve got a whole day off tomorrow and will be trying some different things. Stay tuned.
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How much do the rads hit on the tank?
If it is only a little you can boil the area of the tank you need to be remolded...
I've done it on a stock tank but never a after market tank..
I've also done it with a heat gun but look out... It's r.e.a.l. easy to melt through..
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It’s hitting right on the seam. It’s so thick, I don’t think I could heat it and move it back.
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How much does it need to move?
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How much does it need to move?
I’m not sure yet. I’m going to try holding them up in the space and see what I can do to get the triple clamps to turn like they should. If I can still use the Acerbis oversized tank in that equation, I will be pretty pumped. If not, then I guess it’s on to the IMS or Clarke tank.
Like I take long enough rides anymore to need an oversized tank. :-D
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Hey, it will be there if you need it :-)
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It looks like the stock tank is going to be the only way to go for now. Everything else is either not that much bigger (IMS), not being made (Clarke), or goes outside the frame rails and gets in to the radiators (IMS and Acerbis). The stock tank lists capacity of 1.7 gallons, but that includes the fuel pump. I think it will be closer to 2 gallons once you factor in the fuel pump being gone. I'm going to do a capacity check before my first ride just to be sure. I attached a couple of shots of the new look. I really like how sleek it looks with the stock tank. I just hope I don't have to push it home some day. :-D
While I was visiting my parents, I was able to get my head stay completed; it only took me four attempts. Not my best day in the garage, but I was finally able to make a really stout 3/16" bridge that goes above the head and holds it just like the stock two stroke head stay. I'm going to paint it this weekend, and I'll post a picture when it's done.
The radiators are going back to ICW for some more modifications so they will clear the frame and allow me to move them back to clear the triples. Two steps forward, one back. I'll get there soon...
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and while you at it send khi a photo of this bike and tell them make this you dummies i dare ya :-D
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and while you at it send khi a photo of this bike and tell them make this you dummies i dare ya :-D
If you can find me an e-mail or physical address, I’ll do it. Although it sounds like their response to the two stroke revolution is to just bury their head deeper in the sand with the Honda and Suzuki morons. “We’re dropping the ‘F’ because we don’t make two stroke anymore.”, said the Kawasaki rep to Dirt Bike Magazine.
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that kawasaki rep has he eyes painted on. does anyone know japanese?
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Those that ignore the 2T commit seppuku..
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Those that ignore the 2T commit seppuku..
Agreed. It reminds me of the fable of the Sun and the Wind having an argument about who can get a man to remove his coat. The Wind blows as hard as it can, but the man just keeps grasping his coat tighter. The Sun comes out and gently warms him until he is hot and wants to remove his coat. In this case, the Japanese represent the man, but they are ignoring the Wind (two stroke fans), and the Sun (two stroke sales), and choosing a third option: that taking off their coat would mean admitting they were wrong when they wore it on such a hot day in the first place, and it's easier to stink and have a heat stroke that lose face.
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:-D
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Bike looks great! The ding in the pipe hurts my feelings though.
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Bike looks great! The ding in the pipe hurts my feelings though.
I grew up playing and working in my father's garage. He built hot rods and street rods (still does) for a hobby, and taught me a lot of what I know about cars and motorcycles. Unfortunately, he did infect me with his perfectionism. That old tatty pipe has been driving me nuts, but I needed it for mock up and "hammer adjustments". The new pipe will be ordered as soon as everything is in its place. Maybe then I can stop seeing the big dents and cruddy finish in my nightmares. :-D
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This is one of his more recent cars. It's a 1932 two door sedan with a Buick Nailhead, Turbo 350 transmission, and nine inch Ford rear end. It's been channeled and chopped slightly, and has a 50 Oldsmobile dash. The car fought him like crazy, so he nicknamed it, "The Witch".
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Working on a "71" Camaro restomod right now. Installed a 12 bolt Moser and Wilwood disc conversion. I ordered the brake kit about 8 years ago and explained to Wilwood at the time that 2nd Generation Camaros' never came with a 12 bolt rear end and that 2nd Generation had staggered shocks. One shock in front of the axle and one shock mounted to the rear. They assured me at the time that they would send the correct brake kit...not! 2nd Generation Camaro the brake caliper has to face rearward on the passenger side and forward on the driver side to avoid interference between the rear shock and caliper. The correct mounting brackets are on the way to the tune of an additional $90.00. I can only imagine what your father went through on his car build as I have only mentioned this one issue of mine!
Just kidding about your pipe ding. Can't remember where I read the article but they did testing on a pristine pipe and a smashed pipe. The smashed pipe made more horsepower over a broader range of RPM. I'm thinking it may have been MXA magazine quite a few years ago?
Found the article:
https://motocrossactionmag.com/this-much-we-know-the-truth-about-speed-dents-rock-dings-and-pipe-catastrophies/
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Working on a "71" Camaro restomod right now. Installed a 12 bolt Moser and Wilwood disc conversion. I ordered the brake kit about 8 years ago and explained to Wilwood at the time that 2nd Generation Camaros' never came with a 12 bolt rear end and that 2nd Generation had staggered shocks. One shock in front of the axle and one shock mounted to the rear. They assured me at the time that they would send the correct brake kit...not! 2nd Generation Camaro the brake caliper has to face rearward on the passenger side and forward on the driver side to avoid interference between the rear shock and caliper. The correct mounting brackets are on the way to the tune of an additional $90.00. I can only imagine what your father went through on his car build as I have only mentioned this one issue of mine!
Just kidding about your pipe ding. Can't remember where I read the article but they did testing on a pristine pipe and a smashed pipe. The smashed pipe made more horsepower over a broader range of RPM. I'm thinking it may have been MXA magazine quite a few years ago?
Found the article:
https://motocrossactionmag.com/this-much-we-know-the-truth-about-speed-dents-rock-dings-and-pipe-catastrophies/
On this car it was a lot of electrical, and strange mechanical gremlins that were hard to get to. I think the car must be haunted. :-D I'd love to see some pictures of your Camaro if you get a chance. I sometimes miss working on cars, so it would be nice to see someone else's project.
I figured you were kidding on the pipe, but it is pretty nasty. The guy that had the bike before me evidently was not aware that you could wash a pipe. :-) I may try a Pro Circuit combo or switch to the Fatty to try to change things up a bit. I'm just trying to make mine as pretty as Sandblaster's KTM/KX combo, but he keeps adding bling. :-o
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I'm just trying to make mine as pretty as Sandblaster's KTM/KX combo, but he keeps adding bling. :-o
All show... no go.. Seriously... I have no engine for it :lol:
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I'm just trying to make mine as pretty as Sandblaster's KTM/KX combo, but he keeps adding bling. :-o
All show... no go.. Seriously... I have no engine for it :lol:
You want me to call MXA for you? They'll probably just hang up on me, but I'll totally do it... :-D
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No, I'm good lol...
I still have some engine mods to test first so this is giving me the time I need.
One of the mods we know does not work (KX500 turbo crank)... But I am still working on that one.
I think I know what's wrong but it will take some effort to fix it.
Time will tell on that one.
It sure works good on the 250..
https://www.facebook.com/oemcycle.quality/videos/1839938506052587/ (https://www.facebook.com/oemcycle.quality/videos/1839938506052587/)
This thing has over rev for days..
Not bad for a worn out top end on a otherwise stock bike...
Another mod is the Guru valves.
Mechanically they are ready to try... I need to get a cylinder bored and a head made to try them...
I finished the porting so I'm sending it off along with the crank to get some work done..
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I was able to get my headstay painted and mounted today. It is definitely stout; I stood on it with my 215 pounds, and it didn't flex a bit. When I have it tightened up, I can remove the bolt that goes through the cylinder head without threading it out, so it has a bit of tension on it which is what I wanted. All in all, I'm pleased with it.
I checked the capacity of the stock tank, and it checks in at 1.875 gallons without the fuel pump in the tank, which is pretty slim. Once I get the radiators mounted, I am going to check in to the IMS tank. I don't feel like pushing if I don't have to. My cousin that I ride with had to push his KTM once, and I gave him way too much crap to have to push my bike. :-D
I got a petcock mounting bracket done, but it didn't work out like I wanted so I'll be on to version 2.0. Let's just hope I don't have to go all the way to 4.0 like the head stay. Once that is done, I just need to do the new coil mount, make new radiator mounts and shroud mounts, get two little brackets welded on the frame, and I should be able to ride this dude.
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Sweet... Keep it up...
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Sweet... Keep it up...
Thank you sir. I came to the realization yesterday that I should have it done about the time it gets surface of the sun hot in Oklahoma. :-D
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Brett at ICW got my radiators modified, tested, and shipped back to me in a matter of hours. I can't say enough good things about his service. The radiators should be here Friday, along with some new Devol radiator guards. I am hoping the new guards are going to be about an inch to an inch and a half shorter than the stock ones, which should help with triple clamp clearance.
(http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=17252.0;attach=13517;image)
I should have all the missing parts by Friday, and hope to have this dude running this weekend.
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I got my radiators back Friday, after UPS missed a scan and gave me heart failure for a few days. :-D I made some new brackets that moved them up 1/2" (instead of the previous 1"), and back 1/2" (instead of the previous mounts which were straight up on the stock mounts). I had to make a hammer adjustment to the pipe, but it's pretty minor. The best news of the day is that I was able to use my Acerbis three gallon tank (well 3.2 once you've removed the fuel pump).
(https://media.giphy.com/media/vRsa3fLg96Qve/giphy.gif)
All I had to do was make a 1/4" spacer at the front, and all the hoses and fittings suddenly got happy. I used the Devol guards, and now I have plenty of room to swing my triple clamps around. I got my braces made, and called it a day. I'll be back at it tomorrow, and hopefully I can post some video of it running. Here are a few pictures of the radiators mounted up.
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Sweet!
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I'm getting pretty close with this dude. Today I finished the crossover hoses and wrapped the bottom radiator tanks in heat shield. The radiators are done and ready for fluid. I got the throttle housing replaced (it had some mysterious orange paint on it :?), and the new rubber cover installed. I also added the handguards, frame tape, and the graphics. All in all, I am very pleased with the look and feel of the bike. I added a couple of pictures below.
I did hit one snag. The remote petcock I am using is just not going to work. It has a weird mounting angle that kinks the fuel hose at the angle it comes out of the tank. I am looking for another one that I can use. Anyone have any suggestions on what to use? The one I currently have is a KX450F from 2008.
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Check out a shutoff valve off a CRF450. They are usually an easy mount.
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Check out a shutoff valve off a CRF450. They are usually an easy mount.
I'll take a look at that one. Thank you!
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Outstanding! 8-)
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Outstanding! 8-)
Thank you Pegger! I was pushing like heck today to try to start her, but I just couldn’t get the fuel line figured out. I’ll have video soon I hope.
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Calling you out umberto! Pictures, videos ... or else! Lol!
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Dang it, I’ve been called out! :-D. My schedule is nuts until the 20th or so, but I promise video after everything calms down.
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Outstanding! 8-)
Thank you Pegger! I was pushing like heck today to try to start her, but I just couldn’t get the fuel line figured out. I’ll have video soon I hope.
He's saying fuel line......Tell us the truth....is it a kicking issue??
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It sure looks cool.
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My k5's hate me, I haven't ridden one in months.
Getting old and soft, this is my go to bike now.
Radio, cruse control, it's like riding a sofa.
It's still a Kawasaki.
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Outstanding! 8-)
Thank you Pegger! I was pushing like heck today to try to start her, but I just couldn’t get the fuel line figured out. I’ll have video soon I hope.
He's saying fuel line......Tell us the truth....is it a kicking issue??
I will have pictures and signed official documents detailing why I was delayed. :-D
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My k5's hate me, I haven't ridden one in months.
Getting old and soft, this is my go to bike now.
Radio, cruse control, it's like riding a sofa.
It's still a Kawasaki.
Iron butt rides? More like couch butt rides... :-D
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It's so comfy I'm worried about falling asleep at the bars.
I bought a five gallon fuel cell, fabricating receiving hitch mount.
I need at least a 350 mile range between fill ups.
I'm ready to see the roost from your new bike.
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My k5's hate me, I haven't ridden one in months.
Getting old and soft, this is my go to bike now.
Radio, cruse control, it's like riding a sofa.
It's still a Kawasaki.
That bike hurts my feelings!
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It sure looks cool.
Thank you, I’m really happy with how it turned out. I can’t wait to ride it.
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I got the petcock worked out today, and also was able to add some protection for the radiator hoses in a couple of areas. With that I put fuel in the tank, and gave her a few kicks. On the third kick she busted right off and started idling. I was very excited until I realized I had not put coolant in it, so I shut her down. I put some coolant in it, and I now waiting for it to cool off so I can get some video. Stay tuned...
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I rolled her outside to take some video, and ran into some issues. The kickstarter was slipping on the ratchet, and the float bowl was stuck and fuel was running out. I'm going to bite the bullet and buy a 2017 kickstarter and see if that will work. The 2004 is right between two notches; one is too far back and hits the frame, and the other is too far forward and hits the clutch cover. I had hoped to set it too far forward and just slip it back a little bit, but it causes the ratchet to not fully release. Oh well, it was free to try it that way. Hopefully I can get the new kickstarter installed, clean the carb, adjust the rekluse clutch, and have some video next weekend.
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If your not in the A.C. your a bad ass, 109 yesterday and 101 today. Let us know how it works out.
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If your not in the A.C. your a bad ass, 109 yesterday and 101 today. Let us know how it works out.
I'm no bad ass, I've got a little mini-split in the garage.
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If your not in the A.C. your a bad ass, 109 yesterday and 101 today. Let us know how it works out.
I'm no bad ass, I've got a little mini-split in the garage.
I did work with a pretty bad hang nail, so maybe I spoke too soon... :-D
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Attempt 2 at a riding video. I pulled the carb off and cleaned it today, which is a lot more involved than it probably should be. You have to take the tank off, the subframe loose, and the head stay off to get the carb out. While I had everything off, I went ahead and redid the petcock and mount as I just didn't like the one I had on it. I ended up using a 2008 KX450F upper hose, CR450F petcock (thank you cmotodad!), and CR450F upper hose to get to the carb. I made a simple bracket to tie it to the head stay mount and it was done. I think it turned out pretty well. I attached a picture of it.
Once I got everything back together, I went ahead and pushed her back out to try again. It fired up on the first kick with no excess fuel on the ground, so I adjusted the clutch and took off for a quick ride. Man, this thing is nice! It is so narrow, I wasn't lining my foot up with the shifter. I had to shift my knees in just to get in line with it, and I was almost gripping the bike by default. Anyway, I made a quick video to tide you over until I can get some dirt footage. My daughter crashed the video in her car, and my wife forgot to turn the camera the right direction but at least the bike is moving. :-D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNSazlHlw9k&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNSazlHlw9k&feature=youtu.be)
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Excellent! You have redeemed yourself!
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Excellent! You have redeemed yourself!
Thank you sir. I am really happy with how it turned out, and can't wait to get it dirty.
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Tennis shoes... Shorts... T-shirt????
You might as well be drinking a beer and saying "Watch this!!!" Lol
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Tennis shoes... Shorts... T-shirt????
You might as well be drinking a beer and saying "Watch this!!!" Lol
My neighbors love me. :-D
I loved your comment on YouTube by the way.
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:-D
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I got over a big hurdle (and one of the last) on the project today. I have been having a hard time getting the kickstarter to fit, and I wasn't sure how to fix it. The 2004 model hit the frame on one notch, and hit the clutch cover on the other. I tried a 2009 KXF kickstarter, but it was not the right shape. I finally broke down and ordered a 2017 250F kickstarter to try. It came in today, and the shape looked very promising. Unfortunately (and unlike the earlier model kickstarter), it was not the same size shaft as the motor. I was able to take the two kickstarters apart and make the 2017 kicker work on the 2004 pivot. Anyway, here is a picture of how it turned out. It rattles on the pipe a little bit, but so does my 500 and I'm already used to that.
I'm now just down to having two mounts welded on the frame, and replacing the carb hoses (purely aesthetic). When fall hits, I will definitely get some dirt on this dude.
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Looks great! 8-)
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Looks great! 8-)
Thank you Pegger! It feels good to be almost done.
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I got my new carb hoses in the other day, and I never realized that they were pink from the factory. I thought they were all a brown/orange color, and I also thought they were molded, not flexible. It's amazing the effect gas has on the hoses over time.
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Some outside photos.
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Very nice.... Now we want mass video....
That's right... We are never satisfied :-P
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Once it cools off, I promise. 100 degrees can almost melts your tires, and you. :-D
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The ratty old pipe on my bike was really bothering me (and hurting kxpegger's feelings :-D), but the dents were not the worst issue I had. The pipe was a 2004, and the second mount was on the top under the tank. This was going to require me to weld another mount on the frame, which meant more exposure to heat for the frame. Thankfully the 2003 had a different mounting method, which involved a mount near the silencer junction. The 2017 subframe has a mounting hole very close to that area, so I will be able to use it to make my second mount without any welding. Hopefully I will get the new pipe on, carb hoses on, and the last of the little stuff fixed this weekend. It's still pretty hot here, but hopefully I can get some video over Labor Day weekend.
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Ha! Ha! Feeling better now about your pipe! :-D Good catch on the different model year mounting location so you don't have to weld! Talking about the heat ... I live in North Las Vegas! My daughter moved to Phoenix after her husband retired from the "Chair Force"! That's what us career sailors called the Air Force. Phoenix usually beats us temp wise a few more degrees but they seem to get a lot more rain during the monsoon season.
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I took my son off to college this week. He was accepted to the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, and their move in day was Thursday (that first picture is the view from his room). His twin sister went off to Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania this morning. I'm very proud of them, but danngggg this house is too quiet. I'm trying to keep myself busy, so I don't focus on how fast those eighteen years went by. I know this is for the best, but it's still hard to think I won't see them every day.
Anyway, I got the new pipe installed today and man I wish I would have figured this out a lot sooner. No hammer adjustments necessary, and it really fits solid and clears the radiators so well. I'm really pleased with the results. I attached a picture of the pipe side.
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Here is a picture of the back mount. I used a radiator rubber mount to attach it to the frame. The mount itself has a rivnut to make getting it installed easier. It's still flexible, but very solid.
In addition to the pipe, I put the new carb hoses on and added some billet carb adjusters from Tusk. With that, I am done and ready to ride. Now I just have to talk myself in to getting this dude dirty. :-D
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Oh yeah, my son's school is four blocks from the Coors beer factory in a state with legal marijuana. Not sure what I was thinking there. :-D
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Ha! Ha! Feeling better now about your pipe! :-D Good catch on the different model year mounting location so you don't have to weld! Talking about the heat ... I live in North Las Vegas! My daughter moved to Phoenix after her husband retired from the "Chair Force"! That's what us career sailors called the Air Force. Phoenix usually beats us temp wise a few more degrees but they seem to get a lot more rain during the monsoon season.
The non-summer months are pretty nice though. We have a ton of customers who winter in the Phoenix area. Of course you know the heat is bad if they return here to escape it. :-D
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Your bike turned out great! 8-)
Your kids off to college... I have a bunch of grand kids now! I don't feel or act my age and still require adult supervision which is usually my wife! The only time it's real is when I look in the mirror! Lol! I use to be 220 lbs of twisted steel and sex appeal ... just twisted these days!
Going to need a ride report soon!
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Thank you sir. I think I may get some pictures taken of it, then get it dirty. That way I can remember what it looked like all new. :-D
My wife is a saint. I know she would say she’s still got one kid at home. My toys are just a lot bigger. :-D
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I finally was able to arrange to get some photos taken of the bike. I'm not much of a photographer, so it was fascinating to watch a professional do the lighting and setup. The photos he took looked so much better than anything I could take, and that was on the small camera screen before he even had a chance to clean them up in Photoshop. He is going to even out all the light and shadows and really make sure everything stands out from the background. As soon as I get them back, I'll post a couple, but for now here are a few I took of the process.
(https://i.imgur.com/8YqFOvV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VZjHaVa.jpg)
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And now I don't have any more excuses. It's time to get it dirty. :-D
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I technically hired some professionals when I was a sailor in the Navy but none of them were photographers. Lol! :-D
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I technically hired some professionals when I was a sailor in the Navy but none of them were photographers. Lol! :-D
In faraway lands I'm sure. :-D Where all did you get to go, and what kind of ship were you on?
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I technically hired some professionals when I was a sailor in the Navy but none of them were photographers. Lol! :-D
In faraway lands I'm sure. :-D Where all did you get to go, and what kind of ship were you on?
Joined the Navy the first time in October 1974 until October 1979 and was assigned to VS-21 and VS-41 as an Aviation Machinist's Mate. When I first joined there were two rating designations. An ADR which meant you were trained to work on radial/reciprocating piston engines and were not allowed to work on jet engines. The ADJ was trained to work on jet engines and were not allowed to work on radial/reciprocating. I think it was 1978 that they dropped the two separate rating designations by dropping the "R" and the "J" and it just became AD because just about everything in the Navy's inventory had become turbine powered. The left over ADR's were given the opportunity to retrain as jet engine mechanics if they had enough time left on their enlistments, change their rating all together or get reassigned until their enlistment ended. VS-21 and VS-41 flew the Lockheed S-3A and S3-B Viking air antisubmarine aircraft that used twin General Electric TF-34 turbofan engines.
VS-21 was a west coast squadron based out of San Diego but we were assigned to the USS John F. Kennedy CV-67 which was an east coast carrier based out of Norfolk. The S-3A was just being introduced to the fleet and we made the mistake of being commissioned and operational long before any of the east coast squadrons were ready. The Admirals wanted to showboat the new Grumman F-14 Tomcats and our Lockheed S-3A aircraft on the same ship. Ended up doing a Mediterranean cruise on the Kennedy. Visited multiple ports of different countries so Ill just list the countries.
Spain, Palma, Italy, Sicily, Greece and Turkey. Could have went on a tour to France while in Spain but decided to stay in a bar and get drunk instead.
The next ship VS-21 was assigned to was the USS Constellation CV-64. Did a Western Pacific cruise on her and went to the following countries and also included a couple of stops in Hawaii.
Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong
After my sea duty was up with VS-21 I got transferred to VS-41 (training squadron) for one year of shore duty. Right! "shore duty"! When I got to VS-41 I was the only jet engine mechanic that was both "high power" turn-up qualified and had the flight deck experience needed to train newbies. Spent a lot of time on board the USS Nimitz CVN-68 preventing the newbies from killing themselves while working the flight deck! Spent some time in Jacksonville, Florida because of this.
I got out of the Navy in October 1979 as an AD2 (jet engine mechanic) which is a Aviation Machinist's Mate, 2nd Class Petty Officer which is the same as an E-5 in the other military branches.
From October 1979 to November 1981 I worked mostly oil field construction when I decided to go back into the Navy. I will explain why I made that decision as I was making very good money in the oil field as a roughneck and a roustabout.
I spent a total of 21 years and some change in the Navy but I've only walked you thru the first 5 years. The next 16 years will be part two.
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I finally got the pictures back from the photographer. I think they really turned out nice.
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Other side shot.
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Very nice! 8-)
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Thank you! I can't wait to ride it.
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Looks like Umberto caught the attention of Motocross Action Magazine :mrgreen:
(http://www.oem-cycle.com/forum/download/file.php?id=7222)
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Sweet! Is that Instagram or Facebook?
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That was Instagram..
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Almost 3,000 likes is cool. I’m just honored they would feature it.
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Boyesen picked my bike up on their Instagram as well. It's pretty cool to see your bike on Instagram on other people's feeds. :-o
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Definitely worthy... Nice job...
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Definitely worthy... Nice job...
Thank you!
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I found another thread with my bike on it. Everyone keeps commenting on the tank, like it's going to be attacking my doo-dads when I ride or something. :-o
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That's for doodad grippage :lol:
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If you have an Instagram, can I get your vote? Those d**n Yamaha guys are winning. :-D
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My bike being on Instagram elicited a lot of comments on the Acerbis gas tank. A lot of people didn't like the way it looked and a lot were convinced that my groin was in serious jeopardy. Honestly I didn't completely disagree. I really wanted to try another option. The only other oversize tank is the IMS tank, which at only 2.3 gallons is the same size as the KX tank. Removing the fuel pump gets you an extra .2 gallons, so the tank would be 2.5 gallons as mounted. That was the main reason I never considered it before as it represented a step back from my 2004's 3.0 gallon tank. I had a moment of honesty with myself, and realized that I don't ride as long as I used to, and I can always add the larger tank if I go on a long ride. I got the IMS tank, and installed it today. The first thing I noticed is that the midsection is much narrower than with the Acerbis tank. I think it looks a lot better as well, and the threat to my family bits is lower. :-D
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My bike being on Instagram elicited a lot of comments on the Acerbis gas tank. A lot of people didn't like the way it looked and a lot were convinced that my groin was in serious jeopardy. Honestly I didn't completely disagree. I really wanted to try another option. The only other oversize tank is the IMS tank, which at only 2.3 gallons is the same size as the KX tank. Removing the fuel pump gets you an extra .2 gallons, so the tank would be 2.5 gallons as mounted. That was the main reason I never considered it before as it represented a step back from my 2004's 3.0 gallon tank. I had a moment of honesty with myself, and realized that I don't ride as long as I used to, and I can always add the larger tank if I go on a long ride. I got the IMS tank, and installed it today. The first thing I noticed is that the midsection is much narrower than with the Acerbis tank. I think it looks a lot better as well, and the threat to my family bits is lower. :-D
much better umberto!!!! love the bike build! hope to see some action shots of you railing turns on that bad boy :mrgreen:
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My bike being on Instagram elicited a lot of comments on the Acerbis gas tank. A lot of people didn't like the way it looked and a lot were convinced that my groin was in serious jeopardy. Honestly I didn't completely disagree. I really wanted to try another option. The only other oversize tank is the IMS tank, which at only 2.3 gallons is the same size as the KX tank. Removing the fuel pump gets you an extra .2 gallons, so the tank would be 2.5 gallons as mounted. That was the main reason I never considered it before as it represented a step back from my 2004's 3.0 gallon tank. I had a moment of honesty with myself, and realized that I don't ride as long as I used to, and I can always add the larger tank if I go on a long ride. I got the IMS tank, and installed it today. The first thing I noticed is that the midsection is much narrower than with the Acerbis tank. I think it looks a lot better as well, and the threat to my family bits is lower. :-D
much better umberto!!!! love the bike build! hope to see some action shots of you railing turns on that bad boy :mrgreen:
Thank you Heniz! I've got about 7 more weeks until the actual doctor cleared me to get back on the bike. No telling how long until Dr. Mrs. Umberto clears me. :-D My New Year's resolution is to get some video of this dude in action.
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I completely missed this post on MXA. I actually got my name with my bike. :-D
https://motocrossactionmag.com/motocross-action-mid-week-report-30/ (https://motocrossactionmag.com/motocross-action-mid-week-report-30/)
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Your famous now... what about fortune?
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It makes me think of Forrest Gump when he got shot in the butt, “It was a million dollar wound. Bit me directly in the buttocks. They said it was a million dollar wound, but the Army must keep that money, 'cause I still ain't seen a nickel of that million dollars.” :-D
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Ha! Ha!
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Umberto,
Anxiously awaiting the ride report, specifically the Dal Soggio Spheres....
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Umberto,
Anxiously awaiting the ride report, specifically the Dal Soggio Spheres....
I'm really excited to try them as well. Brian at N2Dirt Suspension says they are the most plush stuff he's tried. Unfortunately I am recovering from back surgery, and don't get cleared to ride until 4 more weeks. Dr. Mrs. Umberto might take even a little longer than that. Something about having to work for me for the past eight weeks. :-D
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FWIW, I got a set of 2017 kx450 forks and sent them off to Brian at N2D for the dal soggio conversion for my KX500 and they are amazingly compliant and adjustable! I wished I could get the rear shock to be as good. I had race tech do their gold valve which is good but not nearly as nice as the forks.
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FWIW, I got a set of 2017 kx450 forks and sent them off to Brian at N2D for the dal soggio conversion for my KX500 and they are amazingly compliant and adjustable! I wished I could get the rear shock to be as good. I had race tech do their gold valve which is good but not nearly as nice as the forks.
I also worried about the shock being able to keep up with the forks. Hopefully the goodies Brian added will make it work a little better. How about some pictures of your forks?
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Here's a few. The bike is packed away with several others at the moment and tough to get a good shot
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Well, the time has finally arrived. After enduring construction delays, picture delays, back pain, back surgery, peak season at work, and finally winter weather, a nice day and an open schedule for both Danger and me has arrived and I am going to take this dude out for a spin. I spent today going back over the bike to check every bolt, and to fix a few things. One of the things that bothers me is the huge hole in the side of the airbox (see picture one and look for the red Uni air filter). We ride in sandy and muddy conditions, and I just don't trust the open hole right by the air filter. Sandblaster suggested that I try some mesh over the opening, so I picked up some screen material at Lowe's and Gorilla Taped it to the back side of the hole (see picture two). I think it will work well, and it was cheap and came in a large roll if I need to replace it.
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The other modification I made today was to replace the kickstand with one of Trail Tech's new units. The Pro Moto Billet model that was on the bike acted as a spacer between the footpeg bracket and the frame, which wasn't as big an issue as the overly powerful return spring that nearly took your leg off. The Trail Tech comes built in to a new footpeg bracket, and just looks cleaner in my opinion.
I post an update with some pictures (and maybe a video if I can bribe Danger) tomorrow. Enjoy the weekend everyone!
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I'm all in. See you at 9:30. It will start warming by then. I guess I should call the hot line and make sure their open.
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I called them. They are open for business.
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See what happens when you pick up your friend to go riding?
I'll just post a picture and let him tell the story.
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That's a lovely looking bike! Hope you've got over your back operation. Age or misspent youth, bad backs seem to plague us all!
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That's a lovely looking bike! Hope you've got over your back operation. Age or misspent youth, bad backs seem to plague us all!
Thank you streetsleeper! The back surgery was a small miracle. I did the laser type, and my back felt better immediately after surgery. Unfortunately I had to wait for the repaired disc to develop scar tissue so it wouldn't re-herniate. That is why I had such a long layoff.
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Danger and I had a big day at Lake Stanley Draper today. To say I was nervous to ride this bike would be a huge understatement. I just kept expecting something to fall off, but fortunately nothing did. The weather was in the high 50s and low 60s, with a strong south wind and overcast skies. The trails were a soupy mess, and the place was pretty full. We got there around 9:45, and made a quick lap around the dual track trail, just to make sure everything was working on my bike. Danger brought his "parts bike", a KX500 that looks like it's got ten hours on it tops. We made the lap around the trail (about eight miles), and I could instantly tell that the suspension and handling are like nothing I have ever ridden. This dude can turn, and the suspension is fantastic. I took it fairly easy at the beginning, but as we got farther along I started to ride it harder. Everything worked really well, and the bike felt narrow and comfortable. We came back to the truck to eat lunch and check bolts and fluids, and I was really relieved to see that the radiators were still full and the tank was not too low. In fact, the only issue I found the whole day was the front wheel hits the pipe. I think I can make a couple of artistic dents and be fine. We finished the day up with the much harder red trail, and the bike really did well. The suspension got worked a lot harder, and really shined. All in all I was very pleased with the results. I attached a picture of the bikes after we got back.
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Got a new phone, and the pictures are too large to do more than one, so here they come one at a time.
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Here is my bike after I got it home.
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I washed my bike Danger, how about you? :-D
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Nice!
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I didn't wash yet, I'm riding my trail today. Going to do a controlled burn of all the downed limbs on the trail.
I make a burn pile every 20 feet. That way I only drag the limbs no more than 10 to 12 feet.
I had a great time yesterday. You left out the three big holes we hit. I got to watch you hit them so I adjusted
acordingly. We stopped to take a break and check over the bikes when we heard a group of bikes coming.
I moved my bike out of the trail and we waited for the show. It was a good one. The 2 KTM riders, oviously
the better riders of the group because they were in the lead and going fast, faired very well with the holes.
Then came the Honda rider. The big hole deflected the front wheel to the right pitching him to the left.
He did a head stand in the last hole, flopping on his back. Like any MX, GNC, Woods rider my first concern was
"I hope the bikes OK". We ran over to make sure he was all right. He was, just a little embarrassed.
Up with the bike and away he went. We were still on the trail as the Honda guy took off as the last rider came around the corner. He slowed, killed his KTM and took a short breather. An older, tuff looking dude. Had the look
of being around a track or two. He checked out umberto's bike, really liked it, gave us a thumbs up as he hit
the magic button and off he went.
It was a fun day @ Crosstimbers.
https://www.riderplanet-usa.com/atv/trails/info/oklahoma_13165/ride_9ba6.htm
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Nice!
Thank you. Your mesh idea worked perfectly. There were three or four little clods on the mesh, but the filter was still like new. Plus I felt a lot better about it.
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Nice!
Thank you. Your mesh idea worked perfectly. There were three or four little clods on the mesh, but the filter was still like new. Plus I felt a lot better about it.
Cool... Glad it worked...
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I didn't wash yet, I'm riding my trail today. Going to do a controlled burn of all the downed limbs on the trail.
I make a burn pile every 20 feet. That way I only drag the limbs no more than 10 to 12 feet.
I had a great time yesterday. You left out the three big holes we hit. I got to watch you hit them so I adjusted
acordingly. We stopped to take a break and check over the bikes when we heard a group of bikes coming.
I moved my bike out of the trail and we waited for the show. It was a good one. The 2 KTM riders, oviously
the better riders of the group because they were in the lead and going fast, faired very well with the holes.
Then came the Honda rider. The big hole deflected the front wheel to the right pitching him to the left.
He did a head stand in the last hole, flopping on his back. Like any MX, GNC, Woods rider my first concern was
"I hope the bikes OK". We ran over to make sure he was all right. He was, just a little embarrassed.
Up with the bike and away he went. We were still on the trail as the Honda guy took off as the last rider came around the corner. He slowed, killed his KTM and took a short breather. An older, tuff looking dude. Had the look
of being around a track or two. He checked out umberto's bike, really liked it, gave us a thumbs up as he hit
the magic button and off he went.
It was a fun day @ Crosstimbers.
https://www.riderplanet-usa.com/atv/trails/info/oklahoma_13165/ride_9ba6.htm
That one hole that ate the Honda nearly ate my KX. I was glad to be upright and in one piece after hitting it.
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umberto - dunno if you have, but if not you should write mate, coz you can evoke the situation and emotion really well. gave me a good mental picture anyway
EDIT. This was a quote from Danger4u2. Just noticed.
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Thank you! I've tried, but the way my brain works I zip from A to Z, and don't always think about B to Y, so I have trouble fleshing out ideas with enough detail to keep them interesting. I guess dirt bikes are my creative outlet. :-D
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After last weekend's ride, I discovered a few areas that I wanted to revise before my next ride. I ordered some parts from Rocky Mountain and was able to add them on today. I decided to add a Trail Tech Vapor Speedometer, Tachometer, and Temperature gauge, some Acerbis fork lug guards, and a new factory Kawasaki radiator cap. The reason for the new cap is a bit of a cautionary tale. I found a cap on Rocky Mountain that was made by Tusk, and had a handy temperature gauge built right in. I figured this would be easier than putting in a real temperature gauge, so I bought one. After a quick ride around the block last Friday, the motor had made it to 100 degrees. When I parked the bike, it puked a few drops of coolant. I texted Brett at ICW Radiators, and he immediately told me to try a factory cap. Even the lighter 125 cap (1.1 versus 1.6 for the 250) made a difference, and the bike held its coolant all day. Lesson learned: never trust a non-factory cap.
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The Vapor is a little involved to get installed, but it's also pretty straightforward to install. There is a red wire to wrap around the plug lead for the tachometer, a speed sensor to mount on your caliper bracket that uses a special magnet rotor bolt, and a sensor that goes in your coolant line. It took me about an hour to get it on, including the fluid draining and hose cutting. You might get yours installed quicker, as I'm a little anal about wire routing. Here are pictures of the speed sensor and the temperature sensor.
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And lastly, here is the unit itself. Evidently I like my bars too far forward to mount it in front, so I mounted it behind the bars. I actually like it there, because it is protected from flying debris (looking right at you Danger :-D). One of the great improvements over the last generation (besides the cool new black instead of silver body) is the new screen that allows you to see coolant temperature and the tach bar. Before you could get the tach bar and the air temperature, or the speed as a bar and the coolant temperature. Definitely more useful in this generation.
Tomorrow I am going to try to do some artful denting of the pipe to clear the tire, and setting official sag. Then it's hurry up and wait on decent weather and Danger to be available.
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A really cool thing happened on Tuesday on Instagram. I post a few pictures of my bikes on the site for Two Stroke Tuesday, and this week I posted some pictures of Al (new nickname Al, short for Aluminum) from this weekend, including the muddy picture. The pictures got picked up by Boyesen Factory Racing, and three other Instagram only accounts. The four listing have over 18,000 likes, and one of them was trending as a top result for KX250 and KX250F searches. I was honored to see my bike on other feeds, and it's was very cool to see so many people liked it. Anyway, here are the searches with my bike in the top results (near the top).
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I forget to post this, but this is a picture of the guy who modified my frame’s other job. He takes military surplus trucks and makes them into off road pumper trucks. :-o. He fabs all the tanks and side pieces from sheet aluminum, and makes all the mounts for the pumps and winches. It’s hard to represent the scale of these dudes. The headlights hit me in the chest, and I’m 6’1”. He does all of this in a home two car garage and an awning where the trucks sit while he builds all the tanks and bits. He even paints and stripes them.
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Ride report number two. I was able to ride the bike again today in some pretty challenging conditions, and it really shined. The suspension is getting more loosened up, and I actually went in on the clickers a little bit to stiffen it up. It is still the best stuff I have ever ridden. The bike is very precise handling wise, and never seems to get upset by changing terrain or soil conditions. The temperature never got over 180 today, despite some tight stuff, so I think the radiators are going to be sufficient for summer. I still have some light pipe rubbing on the expansion chamber, but a few more “artistic” dents should do the trick. All in all, I am extremely pleased with the results.
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I wanted the bike to look OEM when I built it, but I also like the full graphics package on a bike. I decided to get a second set of plastics so i could do both. I ended up going with Decal Works for the graphics, and I’m pretty pleased with the results. 49 was my Ozark region number in 1984, so I even squeezed in some nostalgia. :-D
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Nice!
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Nice!
Thank you sir. It's a big change, but I'm starting to really like it.
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I’m at my parents’ house this weekend for Easter, and I brought a couple of bikes to ride. There is a section on their pasture that is really rough, and I’ve always used it to judge how well suspension works on my bike. This was my first time to ride this bike there, and it was amazing. They have had tons of rain, and most of the pasture was a rice paddy. It didn’t faze the bike at all, and it just handled and rode like a dream. I just need some clear spots on my schedule and some clear weather, and I’ll be riding this dude more. I love it.
One interesting bit on modern ergonomics: they make older bikes feel really weird. I was breaking in my Frankenbike 2004 project, and switching between it and this bike was like switching between a chopper and a sport bike. You sit in the older bike, you sit on the newer bikes. It’s so much easier to move around and the bikes are a lot narrower.
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Sometimes the littlest things can cause issues that just drive you nuts. This bike has fouled two plugs lately, and it was never a plug fouler before. It’s carbureted really well, and normally runs great. When I was building it, I replaced the coil because I thought I had an issue with the lead. The one I bought off eBay had a weird cap on it, but the bike fired right up so I didn’t think about it. When I was changing the last plug, I decided to look at it to see if there was anything loose or weird about it. Not sure why anyone thought this was a good idea, but it has a hole in the top of the cap. The bike always fouled the plug after I washed it, which made sense with the hole. Needless to say, that cap went in the trash and a new NGK cap went on.
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I was riding this bike on the 4th of July, when it just ground to a halt and wouldn't start. I've been having issues with spark, so I assumed that was going on. I replaced a faulty coil, and it still wouldn't run. I got some good advice to check the reeds, and I think I may have found at least part of the problem:
(https://i.imgur.com/WzAi0tz.jpg)
I don't think I've ever had a set of reeds explode like that. I was afraid a bolt came out and destroyed the piston as well, but the top end checked out okay.
(https://i.imgur.com/wNrhOME.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0DjxKVW.jpg)
I was able to score a VForce 3 for pretty cheap on eBay, although the shipping was ridiculously slow (don't buy from Parts Giant, they ship via a DHL/USPS combo and you could send a sloth to get it quicker).
(https://i.imgur.com/HlECFrJ.jpg)
The bike started, but it's backfiring which makes me think that I still have electrical problems. I have a complete spare ignition, so I'm going to swap it all over and see it that helps. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
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Curious as to what you find?
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wow, reeds blew up! theres no way to replace the petals on the v force type?
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wow, reeds blew up! theres no way to replace the petals on the v force type?
You can replace them, I just got a really good deal on the new ones. Plus the gray looked really old and worn out on the VForce 2.
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Looks like I got everything fixed today. I bought a backup electrical system a while back, so I swapped that over completely. I also added a ground strap from the motor to the coil, and grounded the main harness to the motor. The spark quality is much, much better now. It’s a big relief to have it running again.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=KnKvjbJE3QU (https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=KnKvjbJE3QU)
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sounds excellent!
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sounds excellent!
Thank you! I think that problem had been going on for quite a while, maybe even before the AL conversion. My son has an 04, and his pulled harder than mine, even though they were close in spec. It could be the PC pipe and shorty silencer, but I suspect it has something to do with the electrical issue I fixed. Can't wait to get it back out on the trails.