New K5 racer, know any Team Green Race mods?

[RIDEitINTOtheGROUND]

Hi guys! I'm a recent proud new owner of an 02 kx 500 that I will soon be racing in District 38 (socal) desert races, and hopefully some d73 and baja soon as well.  I spent many hours browsing your k5 forum, and i must say i was glad to finally find somewhere that had lots of k5 riders with so many mods to talk about!

right now non-stock stuff is:
zip ty tank, pipe
gpr v1.0
fasstco flexxbars with the squishy polymer
15/45 DID sprockets and o-ring
evol skid
178 main for wide open
twin air
home brew chain guide to keep it off the sub-frame

I need recommendations/would like help on:
1) muffler/spark arrestor to go with the zip ty? turbinecore vs 296 vs sparky on a regular muffler?
2) where to gusset the frame, buddy broke the upper subframe mounts, pipe mounts, anything else?
3) does adding a small-ish flywheel weight make a big gyro difference? I dont really need more bottom end because a lot of my racing will be top-end riding, but stability could be worth the rev sacrifice...
4) what pegs do you run?
5) from the reed spacer posts it seems to be a mid-range booster, has anyone tried it out in open dez?

does anyone know if there are team green specs out there available? they were soo baddass for so long, its a shame they got d/c'd and the pros dont race them anymore.

thank you for any advice you can offer!!!

billy from rideclubsd.com

[RIDEitINTOtheGROUND]

will always be a w.i.p.
...

[gowen]

If you are going to be out in the dez, stay away from:

A) Flywheel Weights <-- 4 stroke part 1
B) Spacers <-- 4 stroke part 2
C) Cactus

I did open drag racing for a while and both did a pretty d**n good job slowing me down greatly in the sand.

What I'd suggest for open racing:

A) Balance the crank is a MUST.
B) Clean up the ports, move them for more top-end.
C) Thick head gasket (Moose makes them)
D) Boyesen Rad Valve.
E) PVL Ignition ($$$) (God of Desert for the KX)

As for the sparky, I'd get a sparky for the stock or powercore muffler.

Ok there is more, but I have to get back to work... I'll come back and post why I say about the weights and spacer too.

[RIDEitINTOtheGROUND]

cool.  good to hear from someone who's already tried it!

 i've heard of thinner for more compression, but what does the thicker head gasket do (i'm assuming it betters the top end somehow)?

[gowen]

Running a thicker head gasket reduces detonation (runs cooler, lasts longer), has more top-end, and starts easier. Of course, you will want to retard the timing VERY slightly or run a PVL ignition.

[KXcam22]

Don't forget to balance your wheels. With 15/45 your bike will have a significant top speed.  The front especially will need some balancing attention.  The inertia from a flywheel weight does little for overall stability.  The steering damper (& you have one) does it all (that and your 110mph scared s**tless legs clamped tightly to the tank). Welcome to the site. Cam.

[gowen]

oh yeah, I forgot to mention the stabilizer. That is a must for the KX. I've had a few VERY close calls..

[RIDEitINTOtheGROUND]

cool, so it sounds like at this point i should get a rad valve and wheels balanced.. and crank whenever i get that far into the bike.

have you guys ever lost the swingarm pivot nut?  my buddy has found that even a properly torqued and lightly lock-titened one will still work its way loose from all the vibes.  i picked up some nylocks to try out and will probably seal up with some locktite inside and silicone outside.  i bet that crank balance would help with that.

[gowen]

cool, so it sounds like at this point i should get a rad valve and wheels balanced.. and crank whenever i get that far into the bike.

have you guys ever lost the swingarm pivot nut?  my buddy has found that even a properly torqued and lightly lock-titened one will still work its way loose from all the vibes.  i picked up some nylocks to try out and will probably seal up with some locktite inside and silicone outside.  i bet that crank balance would help with that.

If blue loctite fails, use red. I mainly had issues with the motor mounts and bolts. Even after the balanced crank, I still would lose them... and often.

[Polar-Bus]

oh yeah, I forgot to mention the stabilizer. That is a must for the KX. I've had a few VERY close calls..

Now that I have my Scott's stabilizer, I can actually hold my 5 WO without fear of the imfamous "handelbar swapping death". Truly amazing difference in the 500's behavior!

[apple]

I talked to a guy a while ago that told me his son (a socal expert dezert racer) had a 04 KX500 coming up for sale that was done over with the same mods as the factory guys had, said the same people that do the factory bikes did the mods. I didn`t get to see the bike since it is 6 hrs drive away, but gave me some info on it. They did lots of frame bracing, welded on a skid plate, lots of gussetts on the main parts of the frame. I`ve heard the frames around strong and if you ride hard and long like in a dezert race on a regular schedule you`ll have breakage. Also said they split the cases and epoxied certain weak spots inside, don`t know where. Also had the cylinder ported, didn`t seem to want to say too much about that. I passed the bike up cause price was 5K.  I just wish he had told me more about the motor mods. I think I`ll get back in touch with him to see if he`ll give up more on the motor stuff. I just might have to post it.

Jack

[KXcam22]

apple,
  The crank balance seems to vary by production tollerance and year.  My 92 barely vibrates (maybe I'm just used to it or lucky) and nothing has ever fallen off.  That could change if I did nothing but high speed dez riding. My philosophy is blue loctite on every bolt that goes into steel, red loctite on the motor mounts and pivot bolts, and antiseize on all the bolts that thread into aluminum.  Has worked well for me.  For dez racing I think team green also plays with the head by changing the squish band shape for more efficient comubstion and less detonation.  If you are welding on the frame, some steel guards over the waterpump and ignition (a la KDX200) would be sweet.  Cam.

[demographic]

Lockwiring might be a better answer than Loctite, I have not tried it but its not rocket science.
http://www.lrrsracing.com/RuleBook/lockwire.htm
http://www.rc51.org/wire1.htm

I will get round to it but as with many things I don't seem to have the time.

[kx666]

i have found that on the K5's i have to tear it down after each ride and re-locktight EVERYTHING. I have even spot welded my shock mount bolts to keep them in. I also buy bolts in bulk

[KXcam22]

Wow.  With red loctite I can barely get the motor mount bolts off.  I agree lockwiring is best (my roadracer was fully lockwired) but I'm too lazy so the only thing that I lockwire is the drainplug, which is a must.  Previously I was tightening too much to ensure it sayed in, until (of course) the threads came out. Cam.