Posts
38
Joined
2/12/2016
Location
Pompey, NY
US
Edited Date/Time
12/29/2018 3:24pm
A friend of mine just picked up an 83 kx500. Kinda rough, will definitely need some work and $$ to get it rideable. Doesn't look like parts are very common, nor did they get decent reviews when they were new. Heck I can't even find a recent one for sale in any condition.
Are they worth investing some money in, or dump it and stick with water-cooled ones?
Are they worth investing some money in, or dump it and stick with water-cooled ones?
Be different, every man and his dog runs a Honda or Maico with the odd RM500 or YZ490 thrown in.
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4. The 1983 Kawasaki KX500
"This brings us to the subject at hand. Kawasaki’s all-new and fully two years in the making, 1983 KX500. You would perhaps be right in thinking that if a company takes a year off to regroup and comes out with an all new model, it should be better than the one that had caused them to quit in the first place. Well, in this case you would be wrong. In almost every way the ‘83 KX500 was actually worse than the much-maligned 420 had been. Kawasaki had taken a sow’s ear and instead of turning it into a silk purse, came back with a whole pig.
This bike was bad, so bad in fact none of the magazines could even test it in stock form. The 83 KX500 had a motor so poorly designed that it would blow itself to pieces in the matter of a few laps. The big 500 Kawasaki was saddled with a terminal case of the knocks and if left unchecked, it would literally beat itself to death in short order. Once the motor got a little hot it would start rattling like it had a box of marbles loose inside it. If you ignored the death rattle, the next sound you would hear was a very expensive bang, as big pieces of aluminum became little pieces of aluminum. This baby was a grenade with the pin pulled."
"This thing knocked worse than a diesel Chevette with water in the tank."
"If you revved out the big KX all you were greeted with was more death rattle and worse vibration than a Harley with loose motor mounts."
"As is fitting with any truly terrible bike the chassis was only mildly better than the motor."
"The ‘83 KX was a very tall bike. With a seat height of 39 inches it would be a sky scraper even today. This meant anyone fewer than six feet tall would find it virtually impossible to start the unruly beast without the help of a hill or milk crate."
"So you ask, was there anything actually good about the 1983 KX500? Oh yes, all was not lost. Here is a list of the excellent features of the 1983 Kawasaki KX500.
– Disk Brake"
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The Shop
nowadays I still race and I like to find and restore bikes that have a special place in my heart
I will NEVER look for an 83 kx500
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We were more so wondering if there was any market for them. It's probably $150 away from being a running bike. I doubt he would restore it to a showroom piece. Catch is, he doesn't want to get too upside down in it with money.
There's no sentimental value to either of us. I can't find evidence of any 83 or 84's for sale online.
Basically trying to avoid putting $1000 into a $1000 bike.
I do love my 01 kx500 though.
Yes, there is. I think the scrap yard will pay around $1.50 a ton.
"I doubt he would restore it to a showroom piece."
A museum would actually be the best and safest place for it.
"It's probably $150 away from being a running bike. Catch is, he doesn't want to get too upside down in it with money.
If he paid $150.00 for it and it was running he still might be upside down. I can buy a decent 82 yz490 that is close to me for $1000.00 and I'm not going to because it is not a great bike either but it is better than an 83 kx500.
"I can't find evidence of any 83 or 84's for sale online."
You probably can't find any online cuz they all (except for apparently one) got tossed into the trash bin back in 83 after the piston broke and destroyed the cases.
oh wait...here's one for only $4000.00 that still has the original tires, probably cuz it is such a pos that he couldn't stand to ride it long enough to wear them out.
https://www.smartcycleguide.com/L47288403.
"Original, low hour first year KX500. This bike is a low hour bike with all the original running gear right down to the tires when I purchased it."
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In the case of the 83 KX500, it was already in existence when I first started at Kawasaki, so I certainly can't get any credit or blame for that gem, however, I was still at Kawasaki when the 85 and 86 KX500's were released, so I can get at least a small amount of the credit for those, and the 85 model was voted best bike in its class that year.
Here's a link to the article. The 1980 Honda CR450 was 3rd on the list, lol.
3. 1981 CR450
http://pulpmx.com/2012/03/28/worst-bikes-ever/
"The mighty 450 awaits another victim."
"The heart of any race machine is its motor and that is really where Honda shot itself in the foot. The CR450R’s motor was in a word, terrible. The powerband was razor thin and when combined with the hopelessly spaced four speed gearbox the bike was virtually impossible to ride."
The bike would headshake at speed like a wet dog getting out of a bath.
The Showa shock was too soft initially, and then it would hammer your spine when the rising rate linkage kicked in. The mismatched Kayaba forks would bottom out over anything bigger than a candy bar."
https://dirtbikemagazine.com/kx500-the-one-bike-to-ride-before-you-die/
1985: This is the first of the great KX500s. It got a new motor with liquid-cooling and it was, for the first time in Kawasaki’s history, the best bike in its class. The Honda CR500R of the time was faster, but had terrible power delivery and wicked handling. The next year, Kawasaki gave the KX a feature that no other 500cc two-stroke had ever seen: a KIPS power valve.
Yeah the cr 450 is bad too but if I saw one for the right price I'd probably pick one up. I'm weird that way. The kx I'd stay away from though.
yeah, the cr is bad but i too would still probably get one of those over an 83 kx, and at least, it turns.
Happy Hollidays!
Pit Row
Detonation and crank out of balance?
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Sometimes 'being different' requires Effort, Expense, and twisted thoughts to ignore sane sheep in the herd mantality..........but the humiliation you can do to the Hondas, Maicos, YZs you do beat maybe worth it!
OMG...I think I just peed my pants!
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This is definitely true, but unfortunately, even if one did spend a boatload of money to make the engine and suspension at least usable, there is still going to be a turn at the end of every straight in motocross.
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Post a reply to: Air cooled kx500's worth messing with?