G'day,
In Jan this year I bought a 2001 model KX500 here in Perth West Australia. Now I love the KX 500 and wouldn't ride anything else. Sure, it had a split fuel tank, slightly buckled but not leaking radiator, broken exhaust mounts, no o-rings in the header, dodgy footpegs, an air filter that had never been oiled, AND the seriously dodgy thread on the bottom of crank-case (for the drain plug) - previous owner had carefully metal-puttied the thread back together. It is absolutely cactus, but still holds even now after several oil-changes using a HD teflon sealant.
I fixed all that (except for welding the crank-case drain thread, still to do...) and it has been running very sweet !!
For the last few months that I have ridden this bike, it remains unbeaten in the mud near Kalgoorlie, the Salt flats and rocky enduro trails of Widgiemooltha, the patchy sandy tracks through 'The Pines', the soft sandy dunes and beaches in Yanchep, and the tight trails around North Bannister. This bike is flippin' amazing !!
I am not an experienced rider but the guys that I ride with (on '08KTM 450EXC, '03 CFR450, '08 KX250F, '03 XR650, YZ125) can't can catch me or keep up.
But since this morning it has all of a sudden decided to jump out of ALL gears when under load and high RPM. It has never done this before. Check the photos to see what happens on the beach when....it jumped out of 4th and the momentum sent me hurtling forward...the front wheel dug in, and I went over !
I love the KX500 and will have it running soon !!
Cheers,
KXTC.
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2001 KX500 - My favourite !
1999 YZ400F - Backup ride
2007 Hayabusa - For the road
1986 Sahara - Getting there & back
1986 Sahara - For spares
