Kx500 rear shock alternatives

[Captainc]

Does anybody know if any modern shocks fit the 500? I'm sorry if this has been covered before

[sandblaster]

Yep.
Forks, run anything from a KX450F up to 2015 if you have a 89 or newer.
Use 97-04 KX500 triples.

[alward25]

for front forks only, rear shock, the 500 has a really good rear shock if you valve and spring it for you.  I just set a 500 shock next to a 450 shock to refresh my memory and the 450 would hit the exhaust and is also longer.

[sandblaster]

Hey Alex.
What year of rear shock did you try?
I think Motorrad is running a 07 or 08 KX450F rear shock on his early 90's blue fork..

[sandblaster]

I just confirmed that Motorrad is running his 91 rear shock that has been gone through...
Bummer....
He says you could make it work but it sounds like it would be more work then it is worth.

[alward25]

2000 kx 500 shock and the 07-08 kx 450 shock that Motorrad was going to use.

[81cr450]

The innerards of forks have definetly progressed , has the shock been re-invented? same basic guts clear back to the mid-80s right?

[alward25]

the one thing is high speed and low speed rebound, only the newer stuff has it.  The strut rod diameter are bigger the newer you go.  If you buy an aftermarket valve and rebuild your shock it will suite most people very well.  Forks, twin chamber vs. open chamber and there is most certainly a lot in the newer forks.

[dave916]

2000 kx 500 shock and the 07-08 kx 450 shock that Motorrad was going to use.

stock exhaust is going to be issue with 450 shock?

[sandblaster]

According to Motorrad and Alex, yes, the exhaust will hit.

[alexander-vmann]

think the older kx250f have a more straigth out resivouar that migth just clear the exhaust

[Anchefonk]

After reading this topic I purchased a 2007 Kxf 450 shock.

I thought that swapping the Clevis will make the Kxf shock the same length of the original kx500 shock.... No luck.

The Kxf shock its 1 cm longer, so what shoul I do?

1) ride with a 1cm longer shock?
2) dissemble both shocks, reuse the kx500 shaft and Clevis into the kxf450 shock using the piston and valving from the kxf450?

Any ideas?
Thx!

[Anchefonk]

[sandblaster]

I put a 08 KX450F shock on my 88 KX500



But I haven't gone any further yet... The pipe hits the shock which is the big issue to solve.

https://youtu.be/IKh9uMr2l8Y

And... I don't like running the pipe over the reservoir.
It would work but it's not the best...

[umberto]

What about switching to a CR 500 pipe?  It would be a bit of fabrication to combine with the KX pipe and you would need to use a CR silencer, but it would give you clearance for the shock.