KX500B1 Rebuild Project

[Larry Wiechman]

 Jason, how about a BEFORE & AFTER photo?

[motojason]

Head back from getting a new compression release and thread insert. Great work by Larry Wiechman!  

[motojason]

Hey moto, that guy you bought the bike from, did he live at lake holiday? Farm land behind his house?

Yup, that is correct as I recall. It was an ebay purchase, but I picked it up myself. Why?

Bought my 93 k5 from the same guy in December. Had a freaking hovercraft in his driveway and tons more goodies in his garage.

Too funny, guy was a character.

[motojason]

Final engine assembly, May 2015:

New clutch plates: 


This Yam part fits perfect. Couldn't get the Kawi washer, PN listed as discontinued.


Piston mods:


Engine Complete:


Frame prepped for assembly:




PSI pipe, DG Muffler, 89 Forks and brake caliper, New B-Stone X30 tires:


Case saver made from some 1/8" aluminum flat stock with a hand drill and 4" grinder:


Nightmare Racing plastic, Hi-Flite seat, done!




Unadilla MX Rewind 2015. Raced in the Heroes and Legends Team Cup Challenge with former Kawasaki factory MX riders Ron Lechien and John Dowd!




Finally made it! Started this rebuild in hope of riding this bike at last year's Unadilla MX Rewind event. Took more work and had more set backs than I had anticipated, but it all worked out great in the end. Had an awesome time and have a really cool bike now!

 

[Foxx4Beaver]

that's beautiful!

now I think a lot of us would like to see a video, so we can hear that baby runnin!!...nice job!

[motojason]

that's beautiful!

now I think a lot of us would like to see a video, so we can hear that baby runnin!!...nice job!

Thanks! I have helmet cam footage from the Team Cup. I'll work on getting it up on YouTube.

This is the first and only 500 I have ridden and it is way different than my 125/250s! The compression release on the head sure helps getting it started, that kick start lever has a looooong stroke...

[umberto]

Great job, the bike looks fantastic!  How did you guys do at Unadilla?

[Foxx4Beaver]

Thanks! I have helmet cam footage from the Team Cup. I'll work on getting it up on YouTube.

cool, let us know when it's up.

I got to ride with Dowd once, right on the tracks behind my house. He's good friends with Keith Johnson from Pembroke, MA...which is about 15mins away from me. Keith was a 9 time NESC Champion throughout the 90's who I regularly raced with.
One day in '98, there was a bunch of us practicing on the tracks that're about 400 yards behind my house in the powerlines...and all of sudden the two of them showed up, and just put everyone to shame. Dowd was on factory Yamamaha back then...and won Southwick that year too.
Keith and his cousin Dana Johnson are working vigorously with the new Southwick owners, to get it back on the Nationals schedule.

[umberto]

That's awesome!  Did you get to talk to him, or just ride with him?  Either way that's a memory to cherish.

[Foxx4Beaver]

oh yeah...we all talked to him and had some laughs for about an hour.
my 1st impression was how easy he was to talk to, always smiling, and you could see it in his face and personality, that he was a truly happy person.

[motojason]

That's awesome!  Did you get to talk to him, or just ride with him?  Either way that's a memory to cherish.

Got to talk to John Dowd for awhile. Super nice guy, seemed  a genuine enthusiast, and really down to earth. He actually came over to me to ask about my bike and talk about the 250 project he was working on. Out of all of the Legends in attendance I enjoyed talking to him the most. It was great all around, the Rewind is a must do event, and definitely attend the Thor dinner and bench racing session on Saturday night.