kx500 revisited

[sintax]

I'm looking for some solid baselines to help set my new to me bike up. Its a 99 KX500 and from what I can tell the suspension is factory.

I'm 6'1 and a little over 200 lbs. I mainly ride desert with people ranging from novice to some fairly fast riders who dont mind 5th gear blasts for quite a few miles.

The front seems pretty together and not so bad, the rear on the other hand feels like mush. In the fast stuff its not too bad, but in the woops things start to fall apart. It appears to have the factory rear spring. I'm thinking step one is to step that spring up some. Anyone?

Also would like to be able to attack some solid hits, and not have to worry about self destruction on landing. This bike will never see a MX track, but if we happen across a cool jump or bomb crater in the desert id like to play some.

This bike will also start to get some Glamis / Pismo time this season too. I may make some light adjustments there but not going to set it up specifically for dune riding.

Just looking for some good starting points.

I would be interested in hearing others results with this bike.

 

[Big Bore Stroker]

I'm looking for some solid baselines to help set my new to me bike up. Its a 99 KX500 and from what I can tell the suspension is factory.

I'm 6'1 and a little over 200 lbs. I mainly ride desert with people ranging from novice to some fairly fast riders who dont mind 5th gear blasts for quite a few miles.

The front seems pretty together and not so bad, the rear on the other hand feels like mush. In the fast stuff its not too bad, but in the woops things start to fall apart. It appears to have the factory rear spring. I'm thinking step one is to step that spring up some. Anyone?

Also would like to be able to attack some solid hits, and not have to worry about self destruction on landing. This bike will never see a MX track, but if we happen across a cool jump or bomb crater in the desert id like to play some.

This bike will also start to get some Glamis / Pismo time this season too. I may make some light adjustments there but not going to set it up specifically for dune riding.

Just looking for some good starting points.

I would be interested in hearing others results with this bike.

A good place to start would be correct springs front and rear for your weight. Next would be clean and fresh fluid for the forks and shock. Try kxriders.com for more info on this big bore.

 

[sintax]

Sorry to bum any of the purists out, but looks like the engine is getting swapped into a 04 KX frame... See you guys on the dark side.