For some time now I've had a closet yearning for a 2-smoker. I'll not be selling my XR, nor will I ever quit thumping, but I would like to have a nice big bore 2 stroke again before they go extinct entirely.
Does anyone know how good an off-roader/trail bike a KX 500 makes? Do you need to swap the 19" rear wheel for an 18"? Does it carry enough gas stock to make a 40 or 50 mile loop? Can you gear it down enough to make it manageable in eastern woods?
Anybody have one or know all about them? Is there a KX 500 owners group on the net where I could go and pester them?
Or is a KX 500 as a trail bike a big mistake that I should just forget about?

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A mistake?...Naaah. As long as the trails you ride are several miles wide and hundreds of miles long; say, Barstow to Vegas; you'll be fine.

My riding buddy had a '95 that he trail-rode with...once.

I hope you like vibrators, the kx500 is a good one. Carpal tunnel here we come. I am personally not that impressed with its power for a 500 either. The cr500 feels much stronger and vibrates alot less. I know several guys that ride cr500 in the woods, works pretty good, you just have to give it a good bagging when you are back out to clean out the carbon. Oh yeah, i forgot, you might want to turn corners on that kx too........ LOL. I would get like an 01cr500 if open class 2-smokes are your thing.

Well, well, well...we got a real man in the loop!

A KX500 makes an excellent trail bike. 14/50 gearing, O-ring chain, Big Dunlop...Kenda...whatever(120/100-19)...Off-Road style skid plate, Pro-tapers w/ bark busters (<32" wide back east), A good "Sparky" or the like(these things are actually pretty quiet stock nowadays) , IMS 3.4 gallon (If you're into long rides), IMS Pro-pegs, FMF Gnarly if you feel the need, and pants with plenty of "lining" for your bum and knees.

Setting up the suspension correctly yields a bike that handles plenty "light" and "quick"...as you'd want in the woods. I've got one that's Identical to above and I love it. Especially when it's "Mountain-time"....we've got plenty of wooded trails up here and by the coast. My KX does just fine, thank you!

I've trophied on these things for 15 years...everything from eastern hare-scrambles to "Vegas-Reno" to Moto-X. They never have to appologize and they're great fun when the local 4-stroke "know-it-alls" want to go get a lesson...lot's of fun with the "Gorman" crowd, too. Dunes, too, for that matter.

As for the CR500...great track bike; but, a head shaking P.O.S. off-road and can't touch the KX when it comes to off-road-ability and accessorizing. And Honda hasn't seen fit to keeping it alive.

My 4-strokes are fun; but, they ain't better. And I'm not giving into Diane Fienstien...I'm keeping my "Smoker"!

p.m. me if you've got any Q's.

Good choice,

Manny

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I currently have both and would have to disagree ... Haven't had any issues with CR headshake, even at 100+MPH speeds. Accessories, Hondas are second to none when it comes to aftermarket parts availability and factory parts availablity. Honda may have stopped general production but new engines are still available and Service Honda offers a very mean CR500 in the Aluminum Frame that offers the most advanced geometry of anything in the big bore class. The KX on the other hand is nearly unchanged for a decade and a half. In the tight nasty rough, the KX wouldn't come close to the CR given equal riders. The original post was along the lines of a trail bike not an open class desert racer.

I like them both very much but overall, the CR is the cats meow in my book for the majority of my trail riding and single track riding needs.

A KTM300EXC might be a better choice.

I understand that a lot of people think the KX is old and cumbersome. It's wider at the knees, yes. And, it is cumbersome with the Mushy stock suspension set-up.

However, It's still avail. for $4999...thank you Kawasaki! and!!!! With the suspension and "Dog-Bones" from Pro-Circuit, Thanks Bones!, I'll put the whole handling argument on it's ear.

Yes, the Honda's nice; however, I disagree on the accessory statement. Maybe it's because I'm too familiar with the KX...but, I've never seen it(the CR) win many off-road events of any kind. I know of a guy who's had great success in the Iron-man class at the BITDs, though, to be fair.

Steering dampers, as used by both woods and desert folk, are readily avail. and on the shelf for the KX. Same with gas-tanks.

I've always been amazed at the power claims of the Hondas. Kawi has always won the power argument on all grounds. MX holeshots, Desert drags and Dune races. Torque, too, for that matter (Kinda nice on the trails...). In the 80s it was Honda's game to loose. And they did, in my book. Up until '87...it was all Honda. And, for MX, they built a hellova bike in the early '90s that was pretty much unchanged until '01.

When the MX Nat's became production based, what happened to Honda?

Now, for a real brain-teaser for you Honda guys:

www.honda.com.au Now, find the CR500E...Go figure!!!!Street legal, too!

Manny

I love my 2-smokes, but i dont have any right now i am actually looking for a big bore for jumping, mx(open at my local track) and general bagging, a 250 isnt fast enough. Pretty much if i dont want something from the 80's then im stuck with the kx or the cr or a new cars worth on an ATK. I dont give a flying %^&* if the enviromentalists have an issue with my bike, now or ever, the only way i will ever be banned from riding is if i get jailed for it. anyways, enough ranting. Nice to see that there is still some interest in the big bore 2-strokes. BTW, anyone know the dry weight on a 2000 CR500? ive been looking but cant find it, 220 sound about right? mind you, anything is light compared to my Big Red Pig, light on ground, tank in air.

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Might have something to do with the fact that Hondog WON'T support anything but XRs in offroad racing....something to the effect that "CRs are for moto-x", according to Bruce Ogilvy......

It really depends on you I have ridden a CR500 for all offroad stuff since the early 80,s. I think any open class 2 stroke is better suited for the open spaces, I.E. desert, BUT!!, they sure are a blast to ride and gnarley hillclimbs are nothing, (as long as you have the skill to handle the beast!). Bottem line is I LOVE!! a open class 2 stroke for trailriding and having fun, is it the best choice????, . Well maybe not but I would not be without one anyway, the fun factor is just to high.