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Author Topic: Buying KX500.... Best years  (Read 12129 times)

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Offline KsM

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Buying KX500.... Best years
« on: August 15, 2010, 12:09:50 PM »
I've been contemplating buying a K5, and am wondering what years are best?
Any input would be Helpfull.
Thanx Mike
KsM
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Offline greencannon

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2010, 01:11:03 PM »
get the latest model you can find, maybe 2000 and up
I'm sure a K5 guru can tell you the exact years for the latest suspension upgrades. They basicaly have been unchanged since 88 or 89. I hear people talking about upgraded connecting rods and kick levers too, i assume those are on the newest models. I think 03 and up came with black fuel tank - looks cool.
Regardless of the year they are all bad a$$....
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Offline Friar-Tuck

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2010, 06:48:29 PM »
 I would have to agree with Green Cannon,  '89 and up are pretty much all interchangeable...
all you got were Bold new graphics  :|   The parts for the older girls are getting harder to find and are more expensive.
   But just like any other vehicles in their twenties I guess. 
  The suspensions can all be made to work well, It's just how far you would like to go.
These old motocross bikes are about as good as it gets if you can only have one bike to do it all.
  With very few modifications you can ride pretty much anything except trials. 
There is plenty here to peruse, and most anything you can think of has probably been tried. 
  Tuck\o/

 

 

 
 
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Offline sandblaster

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2010, 02:10:50 PM »
I'd go 97 and newer as there have been slight subtle changes over the years and 97 was the last change on suspension that I am aware of.
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Offline hughes

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2010, 02:43:03 AM »
Get the cleanest / lowest hr bike your money can buy and enjoy.
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Open Class 2-Stroke Kawasaki KX500
Yamaha 2005 YZ250
Richard Hughes
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Offline cyclepsych0

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2010, 02:46:32 PM »
Quote from: sandblaster on September 13, 2010, 02:10:50 PM
I'd go 97 and newer as there have been slight subtle changes over the years and 97 was the last change on suspension that I am aware of.

Exactly. They went to 46mm forks in '97 (up from 43mm). They stayed 46mm all the way 'til the end in '04. Besides frame and plastics color, the only other upgrade that I'm aware of was the beefier kicker in '03... 8-)
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Offline sandblaster

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2010, 06:06:21 PM »
94 had a minor hub and axle change.
97 also had a rear hub change.
It was nothing special.
Likewise the brakes received some changes is 94 and I believe again in 96.
There is probably a few more changes but I wouldn't imagine much.

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The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline cyclepsych0

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2010, 09:50:28 AM »
Right, I forgot about the rear hub upgrade. :-D They added an additional bearing on the sprocket side. Not exactly sure what year though, I want to say that was the '97 change.. :?
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Offline sandblaster

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2010, 04:18:18 PM »
Yeah, I have some of this info recorded here:
http://oem-cycle.com/KAWASAKIKX500BIKEID.aspx
It's a work in progress  :-D
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The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline ShadeTreeFab

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2010, 04:32:50 PM »
sand- I've been using that site, i really like it.
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Offline sandblaster

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2010, 12:12:45 PM »
Thanks.
Some day I might get it finished.
I want to eventually make click-able links to all the pictures for all the hundreds of thousands of parts I have had over the years.
It's nice to have a visual reference when trying to ID parts. :lol:
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The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline bmulanax30

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2010, 02:30:11 PM »
go to craiglook and see all the 500s you want     all years  all types from everywhere  good stuff

http://craiglook.com/all.html?q=kx+500
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kx 500 the beast

Offline Goat

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2010, 06:50:09 PM »
From what I have found in my research in 99 the forks changed slightly. Different valving and the axle pinch bolts went from a plate and 4 nuts to a single bolt. Most everything else has been covered somewhere in the thread.

I've got a frankenstein of a K5 with parts from different years. Haven't had any major issues since complete rebuild. I will say this though. The 97-98 forks are quite nice but do weigh down the front a noticeable amount compared to the earlier models. The front wants to dive on me when I jump and didn't do that before. Still wouldn't trade or sell it for anything.
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Quote from: Danger4u2 on June 17, 2010, 01:36:16 AM
It's hard to keep a drivers license riding a 2 stroke dirt bike on the street.  If you drive within the law they are VERY boring.

Offline sandblaster

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #13 on: October 21, 2010, 09:49:33 AM »
Quote from: bmulanax30 on October 03, 2010, 02:30:11 PM
go to craiglook and see all the 500s you want     all years  all types from everywhere  good stuff

http://craiglook.com/all.html?q=kx+500

Yep, nice pics, but how would you like to go to a site and see actual pics of all the parts to that bike as well as pics of the bike along with interchangeability and specs?
That is what we are attempting to do.
I just need to change hosts to someone that gives us a bit more freedom and then the real fun will begin  :-o
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The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline Albertan

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Re: Buying KX500.... Best years
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2010, 01:41:05 PM »
As far as I know, after 97 all that changed was Bold New Graphics and some seat colors.  I'd get the newest model you can find, provided it is in reasonable shape.
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