Is it worth it?

Fresh
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Fresh
Edited Date/Time 6/4/2015 1:06am
Getting an old (not sure of year, but it's been sitting for a while) kx500 and doing it up?
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Cygnus
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Cygnus 6/2/2015 9:13pm
6/2/2015 9:13pm
Price? Hard to say without that and a picture really.
ChrisB10
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ChrisB10 6/2/2015 9:35pm
6/2/2015 9:35pm
You're not going to be to use it as an everyday bike. Just too hard to ride but if you have the extra $ fixing it up and taking it out for the occasional rip would be a blast.
cwtoyota
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cwtoyota 6/2/2015 9:41pm
6/2/2015 9:41pm
I think it takes a special kind of rider to enjoy an open class two stroke and go fast on one.
If you're that kind of guy and you like building project bikes, go for it!


I'm somewhere on that two-stroke spectrum, I race a YZ125 most of the time and sometimes a YZ300.

My experience on the 500cc machines has been that they vibrate like hell and the power delivery limits your line choices. I really enjoy them and have thought about building one just for fun, but the 300 Yamaha is so good I haven't bothered.

Fresh
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Fresh 6/2/2015 9:53pm
6/2/2015 9:53pm
The guy already got rid of it Sad
Would have been awesome if you ask me
I would have tried for $250, last time I saw it the tires where just about falling apart but there was limited rust and a few broken plastics, but looked like a worthwile investment
I have been looking into a yz250t with a big bore kit, how does it rate?

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beavermuncher 6/2/2015 9:55pm
6/2/2015 9:55pm
What kind of question is that? That is like asking if it's worth exploring a hidden glory hole! Hell yes go for it!
JM485
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JM485 6/2/2015 10:02pm
6/2/2015 10:02pm
I think you guys tend to overestimate the power of a 500. Yes they are fast, and admittedly the kx is a lot quicker than my cr, but to me they are really not all that hard to ride. I really only use my 500 for hillclimbing, but last summer I decided to take it to the track a few times and was really surprised how easy it was to ride. Granted, mine had a flywheel weight on it, but I still did not feel like the bike would get away from me or be too much to handle. I'm generally a smooth rider and have never been one to hang it out on the edge much, so maybe these bikes just play into my style since I tend to like the lower rpms for larger bore bikes, but I think they get a worse rap than they deserve. The only thing I really didn't like was how the shock bottomed out pretty easily while still not being super soft, but you can expect all that much from 14 year old suspension. (bike is an 01)
Fresh
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Fresh 6/2/2015 10:06pm
6/2/2015 10:06pm Edited Date/Time 6/2/2015 10:08pm
JM485 wrote:
I think you guys tend to overestimate the power of a 500. Yes they are fast, and admittedly the kx is a lot quicker than my...
I think you guys tend to overestimate the power of a 500. Yes they are fast, and admittedly the kx is a lot quicker than my cr, but to me they are really not all that hard to ride. I really only use my 500 for hillclimbing, but last summer I decided to take it to the track a few times and was really surprised how easy it was to ride. Granted, mine had a flywheel weight on it, but I still did not feel like the bike would get away from me or be too much to handle. I'm generally a smooth rider and have never been one to hang it out on the edge much, so maybe these bikes just play into my style since I tend to like the lower rpms for larger bore bikes, but I think they get a worse rap than they deserve. The only thing I really didn't like was how the shock bottomed out pretty easily while still not being super soft, but you can expect all that much from 14 year old suspension. (bike is an 01)
In one vid about Sean's about his 500 he says you can't just lug them around, you actually have to ride out gears and be in the right gear and (I hope I don't start a shit storm because of this) actually ride the powerband
ledger
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ledger 6/2/2015 10:26pm
6/2/2015 10:26pm Edited Date/Time 6/2/2015 10:37pm
Fresh wrote:
The guy already got rid of it :( Would have been awesome if you ask me I would have tried for $250, last time I saw...
The guy already got rid of it Sad
Would have been awesome if you ask me
I would have tried for $250, last time I saw it the tires where just about falling apart but there was limited rust and a few broken plastics, but looked like a worthwile investment
I have been looking into a yz250t with a big bore kit, how does it rate?
I'd take the big bore YZ over the gonad clank'n, ripped my arms out of socket, bust my knee kick starting a 500. The YZ bbk is a kind beast that handles well and gets the job done, 06 and up for SSS and you can't go wrong. The 500 was fun for a few laps but way too much for this wuss. That bike was F'n mean. JM485 makes a good point, depends on what you want to use it for, hill climbs ? Yes Siree !!
JM485
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JM485 6/2/2015 10:40pm
6/2/2015 10:40pm
Fresh wrote:
In one vid about Sean's about his 500 he says you can't just lug them around, you actually have to ride out gears and be in...
In one vid about Sean's about his 500 he says you can't just lug them around, you actually have to ride out gears and be in the right gear and (I hope I don't start a shit storm because of this) actually ride the powerband
He's definitely right, while I don't shift it nearly as much as my 125, I did use all the gears on the track aside from first obviously. The main thing I noticed was being able to carry a taller gear out of corners, rather than having to shift up directly out of a rut, I could go into the corner a gear higher and just modulate the power that way. To be fair though, I can get around a track pretty decently but I wouldn't even try to hang with Sean, so he probably has a little different experience than I do about riding out gears!Laughing

And to anyone saying they are deadly to start, I'm probably around 155 lbs and can start mine with regular shoes on, though it can be a risk to your shin.Smile
Fresh
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Fresh 6/2/2015 11:29pm
6/2/2015 11:29pm
What about a TC250?

The 500 sounds like I bike you'd own just to say "I own a 500cc two stroke" Woohoo
cwtoyota
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cwtoyota 6/3/2015 1:04am
6/3/2015 1:04am
Fresh wrote:
The guy already got rid of it :( Would have been awesome if you ask me I would have tried for $250, last time I saw...
The guy already got rid of it Sad
Would have been awesome if you ask me
I would have tried for $250, last time I saw it the tires where just about falling apart but there was limited rust and a few broken plastics, but looked like a worthwile investment
I have been looking into a yz250t with a big bore kit, how does it rate?
My big bore is based on a 2010 YZ250. I bought a spare top end assembly, then sent it to Eric Gorr for his 295cc big bore work. I have the mid/top MX porting and the higher compression head mod specifically for race fuel. I bolted on a VF3 reed, PC Pipe/slencer and jetted it for the engine mods with Trick 114 fuel.

I've been racing the bike with the big bore kit since 2012 with about 50 hours on it. Most of that time is racing laps, not practice days.

With 14:48 gearing (Stock was 14:49) this thing will pull a 3rd gear start and run with anyone on a 450F. I weigh in at 160 lbs. I've had top 3 starts in combined A/B gates at Washougal and at Horn Rapids. Horn is a concrete pad to a long sandy start straight. Up the hill at Washougal, I have never felt that the bike needed more power and it doesn't give anything up to a 450F when it's on song.

These YZ's handle great as far as I'm concerned and the suspension is good, especially with stiffer fork springs. I went up from .44 stock to a .47 and it helps a ton.

I have won many races on this thing but it's not a better race bike than a 450F. The 450 is dramatically easier to ride. You really have to be on top of your game and in shape to keep this big YZ under control at race pace. I think a flywheel weight helps and most guys use them. I've never tried one on my bike.

With the power this big bore YZ makes and the handling, the 500cc two stroke is just a novelty.
On any two stroke though, you will make more mistakes per moto than a four stroke, they are harder to ride.

I'm typically a 125 rider these days, but I'm considering a 450F as my next race bike to replace the YZ300. It would be my first four stroke motorcycle.
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Fresh 6/3/2015 1:09am
6/3/2015 1:09am
Most of my riding is sand, so that 300 mod sounds like it would haul ass!!!!
cwtoyota
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cwtoyota 6/3/2015 2:08am
6/3/2015 2:08am
Here's a 25+ Expert moto from our "sand" track in Washington. It's sandy, but it's the type that packs into a hard base underneath. This is a 3rd gear start against guys who are a lot faster than I am:

http://youtu.be/0xB6Yo7tdl8

(The vid is uploading... It may take an hour or so before it shows up).
scott_nz
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scott_nz 6/3/2015 2:12am
6/3/2015 2:12am
Fresh wrote:
Getting an old (not sure of year, but it's been sitting for a while) kx500 and doing it up?
in a word yes,

will you go faster than on a modern four stroke, no, but you will be way cooler,

but you learn things about 500 two strokes, like never start them with out a boot on, vibration is a something to deal with,

but nothing, and i mean nothing, feels and sounds like a 500 hooked up and power sliding though sand or fresh loam,
Fresh
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Fresh 6/3/2015 5:13am
6/3/2015 5:13am
cwtoyota wrote:
Here's a 25+ Expert moto from our "sand" track in Washington. It's sandy, but it's the type that packs into a hard base underneath. This is...
Here's a 25+ Expert moto from our "sand" track in Washington. It's sandy, but it's the type that packs into a hard base underneath. This is a 3rd gear start against guys who are a lot faster than I am:

http://youtu.be/0xB6Yo7tdl8

(The vid is uploading... It may take an hour or so before it shows up).
Holy shit! Looks like it has some power!!
Fresh
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Fresh 6/3/2015 5:14am
6/3/2015 5:14am
Fresh wrote:
Getting an old (not sure of year, but it's been sitting for a while) kx500 and doing it up?
scott_nz wrote:
in a word yes, will you go faster than on a modern four stroke, no, but you will be way cooler, but you learn things about...
in a word yes,

will you go faster than on a modern four stroke, no, but you will be way cooler,

but you learn things about 500 two strokes, like never start them with out a boot on, vibration is a something to deal with,

but nothing, and i mean nothing, feels and sounds like a 500 hooked up and power sliding though sand or fresh loam,
So in reality there's really no point, If I want to keep improving my riding?
burn1986
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burn1986 6/3/2015 5:54am
6/3/2015 5:54am Edited Date/Time 6/3/2015 5:58am
I'd say its worth it. Just find a track and ride about 40 laps two times per week and you'll get the groove down. It will build you up. I'm guessing gas mileage would be close to the same as a 4-stroke, although it will suck the gas. If you're worried about aesthetics, you could get an '89 KX250 tank to put on it and look around for a good rear and front fender to put on it that wouldn't look too fabricated (photoshop would give you an idea). Would be kind of fun.
scott_nz
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scott_nz 6/3/2015 2:08pm
6/3/2015 2:08pm
Fresh wrote:
Getting an old (not sure of year, but it's been sitting for a while) kx500 and doing it up?
scott_nz wrote:
in a word yes, will you go faster than on a modern four stroke, no, but you will be way cooler, but you learn things about...
in a word yes,

will you go faster than on a modern four stroke, no, but you will be way cooler,

but you learn things about 500 two strokes, like never start them with out a boot on, vibration is a something to deal with,

but nothing, and i mean nothing, feels and sounds like a 500 hooked up and power sliding though sand or fresh loam,
Fresh wrote:
So in reality there's really no point, If I want to keep improving my riding?
riding a 500 fast is not the same as riding a 450 fast, it takes a different skill, i think the skill set learnt is worth it to some degree, but its more a fun and nostalgia thing,

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scott_nz
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scott_nz 6/3/2015 2:09pm
6/3/2015 2:09pm
burn1986 wrote:
I'd say its worth it. Just find a track and ride about 40 laps two times per week and you'll get the groove down. It will...
I'd say its worth it. Just find a track and ride about 40 laps two times per week and you'll get the groove down. It will build you up. I'm guessing gas mileage would be close to the same as a 4-stroke, although it will suck the gas. If you're worried about aesthetics, you could get an '89 KX250 tank to put on it and look around for a good rear and front fender to put on it that wouldn't look too fabricated (photoshop would give you an idea). Would be kind of fun.
500's use way more gas than modern 450's, but the price of gas is not a big thing with riding dirt bikes
Cancerman
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Cancerman 6/3/2015 3:01pm
6/3/2015 3:01pm
You should have bought it, even if just for the engine. They are great for a conversion bike. I have an 87 CR500, thinking about dropping it into a late model RM chassis. The 500's are a blast.
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mark_swart 6/3/2015 4:17pm
6/3/2015 4:17pm
I think it's worth it as a second bike, winter project, or just for playriding. I'd hate to commit to that brute for a full time race bike! I've done a few builds over the years but a 500 is one that has eluded me so far. Maybe next winter haha...
davistld01
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davistld01 6/3/2015 6:14pm
6/3/2015 6:14pm Edited Date/Time 6/3/2015 6:15pm
When I saw the Sean Collier video of him flat hauling ass on that KX500 at DITD, for a second I thought "I could do that!". Then within another second it came to me...

"Bullshit."
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BobbyM 6/3/2015 11:32pm
6/3/2015 11:32pm
JM485 wrote:
I think you guys tend to overestimate the power of a 500. Yes they are fast, and admittedly the kx is a lot quicker than my...
I think you guys tend to overestimate the power of a 500. Yes they are fast, and admittedly the kx is a lot quicker than my cr, but to me they are really not all that hard to ride. I really only use my 500 for hillclimbing, but last summer I decided to take it to the track a few times and was really surprised how easy it was to ride. Granted, mine had a flywheel weight on it, but I still did not feel like the bike would get away from me or be too much to handle. I'm generally a smooth rider and have never been one to hang it out on the edge much, so maybe these bikes just play into my style since I tend to like the lower rpms for larger bore bikes, but I think they get a worse rap than they deserve. The only thing I really didn't like was how the shock bottomed out pretty easily while still not being super soft, but you can expect all that much from 14 year old suspension. (bike is an 01)
Fresh wrote:
In one vid about Sean's about his 500 he says you can't just lug them around, you actually have to ride out gears and be in...
In one vid about Sean's about his 500 he says you can't just lug them around, you actually have to ride out gears and be in the right gear and (I hope I don't start a shit storm because of this) actually ride the powerband
Bullshit
Fresh
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Fresh 6/4/2015 12:12am
6/4/2015 12:12am
JM485 wrote:
I think you guys tend to overestimate the power of a 500. Yes they are fast, and admittedly the kx is a lot quicker than my...
I think you guys tend to overestimate the power of a 500. Yes they are fast, and admittedly the kx is a lot quicker than my cr, but to me they are really not all that hard to ride. I really only use my 500 for hillclimbing, but last summer I decided to take it to the track a few times and was really surprised how easy it was to ride. Granted, mine had a flywheel weight on it, but I still did not feel like the bike would get away from me or be too much to handle. I'm generally a smooth rider and have never been one to hang it out on the edge much, so maybe these bikes just play into my style since I tend to like the lower rpms for larger bore bikes, but I think they get a worse rap than they deserve. The only thing I really didn't like was how the shock bottomed out pretty easily while still not being super soft, but you can expect all that much from 14 year old suspension. (bike is an 01)
Fresh wrote:
In one vid about Sean's about his 500 he says you can't just lug them around, you actually have to ride out gears and be in...
In one vid about Sean's about his 500 he says you can't just lug them around, you actually have to ride out gears and be in the right gear and (I hope I don't start a shit storm because of this) actually ride the powerband
BobbyM wrote:
Bullshit
Haha, not sure if that's sarcasm but...

http://motocross.transworld.net/videos/sean-collier-and-the-beast/#xwC8…

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