G'day guys,
I'm new on here, and to Kawasaki, and live in Perth, Western Australia.
I have recently acquired a 2014 KX250F roller, with a terminally popped engine. I also have a 2004 KX500 . . . They need to be introduced to each other . . . . .
I have a lot of experience building CR500AF's, having done 5 to date, from Gen 2 to Gen 5. My own regular trail and race bike is a Gen 4 CR500AF. I have never used a 'kit' on any of my builds, and don't really want to on the KX.
Is there anything I need to be aware of, or watch out for on the KX/KXF conversion ? What is the usual source/procedure for swing arm/engine spacers ( With the CRs there's a range of factory spacers from various different models that are utilized to align the chain run. Is this the same with Kawasaki ?)
I plan on doing away with the Y piece altogether, and bending the new 6061T6 lower frame rails (one piece from the foot peg pockets, of course) straight into the shortened and capped down tube, clearance for rads permitting. What's your thoughts on this ? I have always built the most extreme, over-engineered head stays for the CR500AFs, and have been rewarded with very low vibes, and faultless reliability as a result. I built my 2008 CRF based 500 in 2010, and have been abusing the crap out of it ever since without an issue, so the green beast will get the same principal applied to it, reducing the load transfer onto the Y connection.
On a very cursory initial look, it seems I may be able to utilize the Gen 2 CR250 airboot to a custom aluminum air box front, same as all my Honda conversions. What is everyone else doing ?
What radiators, exhausts, kickstarts etc are most people using ?
In light of the piddling little fuel tank on this thing, I guess she's getting a custom aluminum fuel tank too (I would like to retain the rad shrouds. I went with a 15 litre IMS tank on my own CR. Practical but pretty ugly . . . . )
Is there anything else I need to look at, be aware of, or known pitfalls to avoid ?
Thanks in advance.
