I desert raced 500’s for years, geared and tires to go 110mph. I bought a new 2001 kx500 and two years later realized I was too old to race anymore. In 2008 I bought a brand new kx450 and began racing again and winning races for 10 more years. I finally quit for good after a destroyed wrist on my 2016 ktm450. The KX 500 is a beast of a bike that will wear you to your bones. 450’s are so easy to ride, it makes me have mad respect for all real men who ran open class on the big 2 stokes back in the day. Thanks for the video.
You make a lot of sense. I never owned any 2 stroke 500's but have a 2001 kx 250. Everyone is saying that it's easy to be fast on a new 450. Handling is great, power is smooth and accessible at any rpm.
I bought a kx 500 when I was 16 and rebuilt it with my step dead we finished in the middle of winter so I studded the tires up and rode it on the frozen bay in Keswick Ontario. It would outrun mach 800 triples in a quarter mile just about every time. It was an absolute beast of a bike and I was just small but I got it done . Years later I drove my little brothers yz85 and spun out hit a tree and broke my back 🤣 never wiped out on a big bike . Broke my L1 L2 punched a hole in my kidney and cracked my pelvis. 3 weeks later I tied my crutches to the bars and was back out riding my mum hated me for that .
I had a YZ 490 that was like that. It was a powerhouse adrenaline rush every time. Never lacked the ability to scare the shit outa ya if you cracked the throttle too quickly lol.
HERE is The Savior HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH” YaH is The Heavenly Father YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins ** NO FEMALE INVOLVED WHATSOEVER ** - Hebrew Book of Isaiah Isaiah 42:8 "I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 43:11 I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me. Isaiah 45:5 I am YaH, and there is none else.
Back in the late 90s my father was a mechanic for a couple of the racers in the baja 500, within a couple hours of the race one of them crashed and totaled the bike and the other crashed and broke his leg. My dad ended up racing for the once guy he was riding a kx 500 and said they’d be pinned doing over 100mph for hours on end. He always tells me about how he’ll never forget the sound of a trophy truck coming up behind him and how it completely drowned out the sound of the bike.. scared him to dead
@@stevejames9510 wtf do you mean? Im talking about medical helicopters, and helicopters that save people from waters, mountains and such, this was not a joke.
I used to race in tarmac speed hill climbs on a KX500 and was clocked at 107mph in the Isle of Man between Ramsey and the Bungalow (uphill) with calibrated equipment. It was fun! largest sprocket possible on the gearbox output shaft and smallest sprocket on the rear wheel, bike fitted with 17" wheels.
@@GreenChronicles561pretty sure they top out at 90mph as my kdx tops out stock gearing around 75-80mph in 6th n my modified one I hit 90mph on dirt 105ish on tarmac n also a 87yz250 will do 80 stock aswell
@@patricksheehy1762 What year is your KTM-150? I have a 2011 KTM-300xc and in 5th & 6th gear pegged I get alot of head shake at high speed. It's the XC model so no speedometer.
@@throttlejockey3366 lol been riding bikes since I was 8 on a Honda trail 70. So 50 years now. I've ridden 2 smoke 500's. They pull like mad but you're whole post is about top speed and what I just wrote is not bullshit. Sure with odometer error my 150 was probably doing 68 and my friends 300 probably 86 maybe 87. How long have you been riding. If I just compare my 2000 R1 to my friends 2009 fuel injected ZX10 there is no comparison. His bike walks all over my older carbureted R1. Oh and you're right I probably exaggerated about my friends 300"s cruising speed. When were on dirt roads he cruises at around 75. My 150 has been bro 72 though but it was screaming.
@@jeff40 150 is a 2017 buddies 300 is XCW is 2016. He has steering stabilizer and he balances his front wheel. We have our bikes plated and do some dual purpose. My 150 is screaming at 70 mph so I rarely peg it like that. Maybe 1/4 on highway to next exit. Selling it to get new tpi 300 or might consider xcw350
Had a couple of the green 500's from new, maybe 300 hours seat time now. Vibration never bothered me. Still got my '04 . And both my '97 and my current KX500 both came with full factory spares kits in a factory cardboard box. Thanks for the clip. Short shifting is the key to a good day out on a KX500. Lovely bike to ride , they get along OK.
I had a KX500 for more than a decade. Short shifting is the key to riding this bike in woods and tighter stuff. Even though it's a 2 stroke it still has massive torque down low. Just keep it in 2nd gear, use a little clutch, and keep it moving through the woods and fields and you will seldom have to shift. 2nd - 3rd is all you need.
I used to race moto-X and trail ride and hill climb a 1987 KX500 I loved that bike. I actually dropped a couple teeth off the back sprocket to widen that gear box out and increase top speed a little bit.
Talk about vibration.. I had a 74 kawi H2, set up for road racing.. your arms would go numb after about 45 seconds of riding.. roll on wheelies in basically every gear.
I had a 69 500 3cyl. Kawasaki. Back in the 70's. Bad ass bikes. Specialist 2 chambers on it that were built by Gary Shumach in Hollywood, Ca. Miss that sound.
It still doesn't make sense to me why they don't make these anymore. Or anything two stroke really. It must have something to do with emitions because theres no other reason to get rid of em.
I had a '88 KX500, called it the Mighty Green Dragon. Geared it down for trail riding, that just made it more violent. I think the 125 and the 500 had about 5 pounds in weight difference, big difference in power.
Some genious kid converted a 6.7 cummins into a poppet valved loop charged spark ignited 2 stroke running methanol/ethanol and it make a racket and 1150 hp! i got an 8v92 2 stroke and a small block 4l johnson side oiller 2 stroke and XD-100 BRP is not cheap for the both of them. My OMC wankle rotary burs the same oil at 40:1 thought but brp xd-100 is the best oil for my detroit 2 stroke, 4L small block and rotary though.
I remember in the early 80s George Jobe and a few other pro riders geared the bike to over 120mph on the beach in Southern England, some say one got near 135mph on a ktm500
No, sadly it closed around 2001. Shortly thereafter Mr. Pope passed away and the kids sold off a big chunk for development. Now we have to go to Rocky Ridge North of Decatur to trail ride or enduros or to Twin Hills at Lake Bridgeport. Lots of great memories at the Flyin P !
Oh yeah, we used to go out there a lot, back in the '90's before it closed down. Man I was so sad to see it go! Seems like they had at least two practice tracks, and of course tons of trails and a few good steep hills too. I had a '91 DR350 back then. After that, for years we didn't have a good place to ride around here, so we would just go to Colorado and Utah to ride on vacation (which is awesome by the way). I rode at Bridgeport once a few years ago. Then discovered Central Texas Off-Road down near Salido, Tx, near Temple. It's a members only thing, but visitors can ride three times a year or you can join. They have 3500 acres with several very good trail loops of various difficulty. Also some extremely tough single track hill climbs on the black diamond loops.
I had 2 KX 500s. A 2004 and a 1985 model. They would both top out about 80. My 1985 Husky XC500 would run 97 in 5th gear, and it had one more gear to go. I ran out of smooth dirt road before I ran out of gears.
I miss my old 2stroke. I ride my 2006 crf450r. Its still fresh as hell. Makes me giggle still. At least this video ain't SENSORED. 😆 Love the sound of that 500. Ripper for sure. Stay safe
If your thinking of videos I’m pretty sure all of us wouldn’t mind a couple more track days on the beast. I got a 88 cr500 and now I’m looking for a kx500.
Hell yea boy!!!!!! I dont care what anyone says. 2 strokes are the best things ever and a 500cc 2 stroke of any brand is badass. Ive only been on a few and they omly had 4 gears and the seat was like a couch. But yea you cannot have any more fun on earth than on a dirtbike. I like quads too , dont get me wrong, a banshee is a dream too. Ride em boys and wring em out!!!!
A buddy back in the day had an 86ish cr 500 and one thing I remember aside from it being a beast to kick was the crazy vibrations! That bike scared the living shit out of me. But I don't regret hopping on it and taking it for a spin! The sound, speed and fear.. holy cow them bikes were monsters! Ty for the video, brings back lots of good memories
30 years ago I had a 1988 YZ490 Boysen reeds TTS oil hot plug sports air filter a I think 48 tooth rear sprocket and a 15 tooth on front, in Oz a friend had a radar gun and clocked the bike at 111 mph which is 180 kph...
Guys, HERE is Our Savior HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH” YaH is The Heavenly Father YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins ** NO FEMALE INVOLVED WHATSOEVER ** - Hebrew Book of Isaiah Isaiah 42:8 "I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 43:11 I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me. Isaiah 45:5 I am YaH, and there is none else.
My best friends dad growing up had an I.T 490 He would let us ride when we were like 14-15 years old. Looking back at it as an adult im thinkin " I can't believe he let us on that fucker " never crashed it tho that thing was honestly scary.
I also had an 85 kx500 at 14. The bike was literally too scary to disrespect! You knew not to mess with it....that bike was riding you not you riding it lol. Disrespect the bike and it will let you know very quickly who's in charge. They are real monsters!
I'm happy with a 125. Never had a chance to run a 500. Don't think I want to. They are absolute animals. But to watch someone that's got the cajones, it's awesome.
Great video dude, I have a KXF250 2018 model, love the Kawasaki’s, but England at the moment is in lockdown near enough everywhere so can’t get out on it. Watching your videos makes me jealous that you can still ride ha. Keep up the great videos 💪
Drop a few teeth from the rear sprocket or ad a couple to the countershaft sprocket and see how fast you can get it. It will continue to pull no matter how big of a change you make to the ratio and that means a very fast top speed potential. We used the old 2 stroke 500's for drag racing a while back and had a lot of fun with 'em.
You know Larry Roesler is watching this chuckling to himself right now........80 wholeeeeeeee miles per hour eh? Pffffffffffttttttt!!!! Nothing better than the two stroke big bores, well done!
The KX500s vibrate WAY more than the CR500s. The Honda handles way better too, more like a 250. The KX handles like a tugboat. As a desert rider/racer my 2000 CR500 I machined the case saver and did two up on the front and three down on the back gear. You don't even want to know what MPH it did if you think that was fast LOL. Heavily modified motor as well.
If you don't own a 500. "It's a 500 thing you wouldn't understand" The easiest wat to explain it is this. Most guys that ride 500's need that extra power to carry there huge balls.
That's a fast bike be careful don't be afraid of it but respect it and be loose on it if you stay all tense and nervous it's gonna get you , I know ! My Suzuki TS 250 J Savage would pull all the way to 70 mph and top out at 90 mph hella bike and comfortable feeling too
There has to be more. My 80 KTM 420MC (actually a Penton) has been clocked at 95 with a quarter throttle left. Scary no matter what you ride, to be sure. Love the big 2 strokes!
The kx500 is a weapon in the baja desert race and for good reason 👍. Nice and stable frames at high speed and can easily push 80mph. What gearing sprocket sizes are you running? A 45-47 tooth rear would give you more top speed at the sacrifice of torque (compared to a 50-51 rear sprocket). I prefer torque and rocket speed acceleration on my kx500 set up compared to top speed, normal situations you never would be on 5th gear on the pipe, as that requires a good stretch of area to run those speeds. I use a gnarly fmf exhaust header, boyesen rad valve, and pro circuit 304 rear silencer, I also run a stealy flywheel weight to get a little better traction. Every gear pulls wheelies from just twisting the throttle, no clutching or pulling on the bars. My cr500 with a lot of engine work done to it, should pull a lot more horsepower over the stock kx500 with the powervalve. Both excellent bikes, the cr500r I prefer for tighter cornering and track, the kx500 for desert riding and hill climbs.
@@TopRevs I prefer the cr500 as well, but the kx500 feels like a real two stroke, with the power valve. Once it hits you better hold on because it's an arm stretcher. The cr500 feels like a four stroke almost, you can lug it, or turn your hand and it's trying to kill you. The kx500 has a little lag before it kicks in and starts ripping, thats why I prefer the cr500, more predictable power and it feels a lot lighter and nimble compared to the kx500. Check out my current uploaded video of my cr500 build, you will appreciate it if your a Honda fan. The kx500 has a nikasil coating on the cylinder where as the cr500 doesn't. And less moving parts to deal with on the cr500 that's another advantage in my eyes. The 91 cr500 I'm building up had a flywheel weight on it, I told Eric Gorr to take it off and throw it in the trash 😂. I told him I didn't want to tame the bike at all, in fact I wanted the bike to be as fierce as we could build it, while keeping the reliability. I was going to put a stroker crank in the cr500 but eric suggested to keep the engine reliable not to, instead its been ported and polished, squish band adjusted, set up for high compression for higher altitude, and the head milled.
I bought a brand new KX500 back in '04, the last year of them. That bike was a blast to ride, but you had to be very careful with it. If the dirt was dry, it would get a lot of wheel spin, but then if you hit a spot that was moist and tacky, it would suddenly get traction and the front end would come up without warning. And you're right, it pulls just as hard in 5th gear as it does in 2nd, it's crazy. I mostly rode it in wide open fields because you run out of room really quick doing 70+ mph so small areas were no good for riding it, needed a lot of space. The vibration was horrible, but the bike was so much fun I didn't care about that too much. I sold it in '08 to get a dual sport bike and regret selling it to this day!
Sweet! I remember my 1st Motocross bike A 1983 KX80 for my 10th birthday.. Then at 13 I got a 1985 KX125 then when I was 16 I worked all summer to get IMO the best bike ever a 1987 KX500 I called it the "Green monster"🤯 If you've never been on one then I recommend if you're experienced..I could do wheelies at 60+ in 4th gear.. That bike with the right sprocket would go over 100+mph🤯
Stock motors are pretty tame, bump the compression and do a little port work. Then it will really feel like it's trying to kill you. My race bike with Baja gearing was clocked at 113 on a highway section. Balance the tires and run a 606 on the rear so it doesn't blister or throw knobbies.
I miss my KX500. Power valve makes the power so much more manageable than my CR500's. Far less vibration as well. I managed to get my KX500 up to 86mph in my top speed video.
That's so true. I rode a CR500 years ago and the power curve was a bit scary. But I had an '04 KX500 that was very manageable because of the power valve. It felt like just tons of power throughout the rev range without any crazy hit, but still, as light as it was with all that power, it still pulled extremely hard. Every dirt bike I've ridden since then feels very tame and smooth in comparison. Lol
My 89 kx500 factory sprockets right off the show room floor ran 105 mph. It's had a history of being stolen but 2 yrs later recoverd it, in the process of restoring it as of today. Hard to find parts for it in some circumstances.
I used to have a 1975 250 Can Am and it topped out at 85. It beat a 1970 440 challenger in the 1/8 mile. It would pull a wheelie in all 5 gears. One day I popped the gas to it at 50 mph in 3rd gear and the front wheel shot up and I almost went all the way over at 50 mph. It was a street legal bike. I'm a transplanted Texan in the Pacific Northwest.
My name is Dave Harryman , I used to own a biz named MRD Injection , I had a customer that brought me a Pepps full mod KX 500 to build a MFI system on Methanol for , it went 100 mph on a radar gun up Comp hill at Glamis
I think it’s harder taking a dry deep sandy berm at speed. No matter how sketchy you get you can’t let off the power or the front wheel dives in and turns and you’re off.
We used to have an old railroad bed ,it went about as far as you could see. Best time was the kz650 I had stripped for off road ,it did bout 115 or so before I lifted.
Guys, HERE is Our Savior HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH” YaH is The Heavenly Father YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins ** NO FEMALE INVOLVED WHATSOEVER ** - Hebrew Book of Isaiah Isaiah 42:8 "I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 43:11 I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me. Isaiah 45:5 I am YaH, and there is none else.
I had a 2001 KX500 i bought to ride in the desert...I live in AZ .....I got mine up 83 mph once .....the thing scared the shit out of me and i sold it 8 months later knowing if i kept it i would get dead or hurt bad. I only used 3 gears 2nd 3rd and 4th ....
zach, dont be afraid to rev the two stroke. during your test, you were shifting it like a four stroke and it was definitely not giving its best. would be interesting to redo the test, but this time wringing its neck ! a great video.
I had the luxury to ride a '04 450exr for a few days at Glamis one year, and another trip got to ride the badass kx500 for a few days aswell both with paddle tire of course. If you want to go fast ride a KTM 4 stroke, the KX500 is fun but I kept on trying to hit that phantom next gear that just wasn't there ' great moto-x bike though.
Vibrates so much that inevitably one of the pipe tabs cracks and breaks, only a matter of time. Top speed is only limited by the gearing, and physics. Baja 500 & 1000 guys would gear them to over 100mph easily, with something like a 16 tooth front and 42 rear.
Try riding a dirt bike at anything above 60mph. It’s terrifying, they aren’t made for super high speeds like street bikes. Maybe if you put slick road tires on a dirt bike it would be a little less bad to go that fast.
Look I am fully aware of how fast dirt bikes r because I have rode them for years and currently own a couple dirtbikes now so I know y’all wanna be the know it alls but I do understand dirtbikes and top speeds and racing a dirtbike...I have personally rode one at 95 they will do it with just a lil different gearing I know they ain’t made to do that fast but it is humanly possible to do it
You need to try a sportbike! Makes my banshee, cr250, Thundercat 1000 feel like toys. I live my CBR 600f4i. To give you an idea top speed on your bike is only first gear on a rocket.. Nice bike!
🌟Extremely awesome bike my friend & definitely demands respect. Never had a chance get one ! Torque monster , had a CR 500 many moons ago & was in a near fatal car crash, had to sell during 3 year recovery, wasn't fair to the bike . When't to quads ,350 banshee & 500 Quadzilla . Them KX & CR's goes for a small fortune now days $$$$ in poor shape. Amazing bike & my favorite color out of the too. safe travels dude🏍😎
Badass big bore 2 stroke motocross bikes are er...untameable. I know as I owned one; a 1981 Suzuki RM 465X back in '84 when I was 21 over here in New Zealand. I swapped my 1979 Honda XR500 for it with a mate - straight swap. My mate blew the '79 Honda XR500 engine going to work not long after the swap while I tall geared the RM 465X for maximum off-road speed runs. I fitted a Boysen reed to smooth out the insane powerband and used BelRay 2 stroke oil [damn expensive even back then in '84]. I wondered about using alcohol however chose not to as if I mis-calculated the fuel to oil premix ratio and ran it excessively lean - that would have simply melted the top of the piston and I couldn't afford the repairs. Although I had no speedo I believeI got 100mph+ easily. To see pics of my 1981 Suzuki RM 465X and read about my10 motorcycles I owned from 1981 to 1990 - my final 10th bike has a surprising end click here: www.flickr.com/photos/35707376@N00/50855348636/in/album-72157713681398176/
Biggest difference is rpm. My built wr 500 Eric gore head, and porting was 504 actual cc.40 mm kx carb 16x44 gearing teraflex rear 5 psi . Bike ran out of rpm at 7k. Good for 105 on gps.my wr 250f with all yz tricks and jetting pipe and 1tooth bigger front. Is good for 97 12k rpm. I weigh 220 lbs.
I had an '04 that I bought new back then. It's really not that hard to kick, you just can't fool around, you have to really kick it through hard, sort of like trying to kick start the old early '80's big bore four-strokes, like a DR500 or XR600. Those are actually a little harder to kick really.
I desert raced 500’s for years, geared and tires to go 110mph.
I bought a new 2001 kx500 and two years later realized I was too old to race anymore.
In 2008 I bought a brand new kx450 and began racing again and winning races for 10 more years. I finally quit for good after a destroyed wrist on my 2016 ktm450.
The KX 500 is a beast of a bike that will wear you to your bones.
450’s are so easy to ride, it makes me have mad respect for all real men who ran open class on the big 2 stokes back in the day.
Thanks for the video.
Cool Story..I enjoyed it....Your a Beast Mode Rider for sure..👍🇺🇸
You make a lot of sense. I never owned any 2 stroke 500's but have a 2001 kx 250. Everyone is saying that it's easy to be fast on a new 450. Handling is great, power is smooth and accessible at any rpm.
You still have the KX500? Lol
Good stuff man
I bought a kx 500 when I was 16 and rebuilt it with my step dead we finished in the middle of winter so I studded the tires up and rode it on the frozen bay in Keswick Ontario. It would outrun mach 800 triples in a quarter mile just about every time. It was an absolute beast of a bike and I was just small but I got it done . Years later I drove my little brothers yz85 and spun out hit a tree and broke my back 🤣 never wiped out on a big bike . Broke my L1 L2 punched a hole in my kidney and cracked my pelvis. 3 weeks later I tied my crutches to the bars and was back out riding my mum hated me for that .
Knew it had to be a fellow Texan....btw the 4 dislikes ....your neighbors. 😂
lmao 66 now.. alot of Haters bro.
😂😂😎
@@nojabjonny 103 now
@@thesonofthegrimreaper1992 He must be ripping it up now ! 🙂
@@nojabjonny That KX is sweet ,yeah lots of haters lol .
what a beast of a dirtbike, it still had some speed left in it
@@zach5994 qwerty removed all hes comments
These things sound so ridiculous for a two stroke
Yeah bro nobody ever wanted to take them to their limit 😂
I've been riding for 15 years and my KX500 never fails to scare the shit out of me every time I throw a leg over it.
So long as it stay's that way you have a chance to live!
I had a YZ 490 that was like that. It was a powerhouse adrenaline rush every time.
Never lacked the ability to scare the shit outa ya if you cracked the throttle too quickly lol.
Thats how i feel about a kx250 i dont even know why they thought a 500 was needed beyond just straight why not
I can relate....scares you shitless EVERYTIME...😂
Top speed????....how Big is your balls boy.....that's the question.....sprockets....jetting....race fuel.....
Had a 400 2stroke Husqvarna back in the day, 39yrs ago. Same crazy pull all threw the gears. I loved it.
HERE is The Savior
HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH”
YaH is The Heavenly Father
YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING
YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins
** NO FEMALE INVOLVED WHATSOEVER **
- Hebrew Book of Isaiah
Isaiah 42:8
"I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
Isaiah 43:11
I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me.
Isaiah 45:5
I am YaH, and there is none else.
Only dirt bike that ever scared the bejesus out of me.
Why
Cr500 is way faster :)
@@aanemahboles1859 oh no its not!!
@@victoroneill4381 bro i’ve literally rode both bikes
@@aanemahboles1859 ive owned both still got the kx the kx is definitely faster...easy
Back in the late 90s my father was a mechanic for a couple of the racers in the baja 500, within a couple hours of the race one of them crashed and totaled the bike and the other crashed and broke his leg. My dad ended up racing for the once guy he was riding a kx 500 and said they’d be pinned doing over 100mph for hours on end. He always tells me about how he’ll never forget the sound of a trophy truck coming up behind him and how it completely drowned out the sound of the bike.. scared him to dead
When the KX500 left the factory they want to kill humans, they are like helicopters..... BORN to kill.
Lmao. The banshee wishes it could compare
Helicopters has saved alot of people aswell
@@kaldstart Never post again, you have no sense of humor.
@@stevejames9510 wtf do you mean? Im talking about medical helicopters, and helicopters that save people from waters, mountains and such, this was not a joke.
Weird how planes were popular after ww1 and helis became popular after vietnam lol. War changes world
20% of throotle on this thing, and you will go: FIIIIIIIIAAAAUMMM
You know it’s fast when your own bike you’ve owned for X amount of time is still leaving you speachless
I used to race in tarmac speed hill climbs on a KX500 and was clocked at 107mph in the Isle of Man between Ramsey and the Bungalow (uphill) with calibrated equipment. It was fun! largest sprocket possible on the gearbox output shaft and smallest sprocket on the rear wheel, bike fitted with 17" wheels.
Sounds like fun. This bike still had plenty of gear. You could actually hear it. There’s no way it topped out at 80mph
What gearing did u have on it?
*172,199808km/h
@@GreenChronicles561pretty sure they top out at 90mph as my kdx tops out stock gearing around 75-80mph in 6th n my modified one I hit 90mph on dirt 105ish on tarmac n also a 87yz250 will do 80 stock aswell
YEEESSS full props Bro thanks for bringing us more 500 vids.
I miss my kx500, that thing was absolutely insane. Might as well be marketed as a unicycle because you can't keep the front wheel on the ground
Lol
True that
Had a kx500 in my 20s and just bought another one at 50 years old to ride with my son. Those bikes are beasts.
They all do around 80 top end that’s just the way they are geared
Lol my ktm 150 I've had to 72 on the highway. My buddies ktm 300 cruises at 90. Old technology I guess. New 300s will blow that away
@@patricksheehy1762 you have no idea about technology i guess,orherwise you wouldn’t write bullshits around
@@patricksheehy1762 What year is your KTM-150? I have a 2011 KTM-300xc and in 5th & 6th gear pegged I get alot of head shake at high speed. It's the XC model so no speedometer.
@@throttlejockey3366 lol been riding bikes since I was 8 on a Honda trail 70. So 50 years now. I've ridden 2 smoke 500's. They pull like mad but you're whole post is about top speed and what I just wrote is not bullshit. Sure with odometer error my 150 was probably doing 68 and my friends 300 probably 86 maybe 87. How long have you been riding. If I just compare my 2000 R1 to my friends 2009 fuel injected ZX10 there is no comparison. His bike walks all over my older carbureted R1. Oh and you're right I probably exaggerated about my friends 300"s cruising speed. When were on dirt roads he cruises at around 75. My 150 has been bro 72 though but it was screaming.
@@jeff40 150 is a 2017 buddies 300 is XCW is 2016. He has steering stabilizer and he balances his front wheel. We have our bikes plated and do some dual purpose. My 150 is screaming at 70 mph so I rarely peg it like that. Maybe 1/4 on highway to next exit. Selling it to get new tpi 300 or might consider xcw350
Back in 79 i had my Yamaha XT500 up to 85+ on a beach in North Carolina
the sound of two strokes always remind me of playing Vice City as a kid, the two stroke dual sport on that game was my favorite bike
Had a couple of the green 500's from new, maybe 300 hours seat time now. Vibration never bothered me. Still got my '04 . And both my '97 and my current KX500 both came with full factory spares kits in a factory cardboard box. Thanks for the clip. Short shifting is the key to a good day out on a KX500. Lovely bike to ride , they get along OK.
I had a KX500 for more than a decade. Short shifting is the key to riding this bike in woods and tighter stuff. Even though it's a 2 stroke it still has massive torque down low. Just keep it in 2nd gear, use a little clutch, and keep it moving through the woods and fields and you will seldom have to shift. 2nd - 3rd is all you need.
My dad bought a cr500 when he was 16(1983) when he rode it home, it wheelied in 4th gear
I used to race moto-X and trail ride and hill climb a 1987 KX500 I loved that bike. I actually dropped a couple teeth off the back sprocket to widen that gear box out and increase top speed a little bit.
Talk about vibration.. I had a 74 kawi H2, set up for road racing.. your arms would go numb after about 45 seconds of riding.. roll on wheelies in basically every gear.
I had a 69 500 3cyl. Kawasaki. Back in the 70's. Bad ass bikes. Specialist 2 chambers on it that were built by Gary Shumach in Hollywood, Ca. Miss that sound.
this looks like heaven the atmosphere and where u rode was amazing
Sure wish they'd bring back the large displacement 2 strokes, I sure do miss them.
Who doesn’t?
@@zmoney881 Apparently you and I and many, many others.
It still doesn't make sense to me why they don't make these anymore. Or anything two stroke really. It must have something to do with emitions because theres no other reason to get rid of em.
@@Nate-ev6sg money. Look at the price of bikes in the 80-90s everybody had bikes.
I had a '88 KX500, called it the Mighty Green Dragon. Geared it down for trail riding, that just made it more violent. I think the 125 and the 500 had about 5 pounds in weight difference, big difference in power.
Some genious kid converted a 6.7 cummins into a poppet valved loop charged spark ignited 2 stroke running methanol/ethanol and it make a racket and 1150 hp! i got an 8v92 2 stroke and a small block 4l johnson side oiller 2 stroke and XD-100 BRP is not cheap for the both of them. My OMC wankle rotary burs the same oil at 40:1 thought but brp xd-100 is the best oil for my detroit 2 stroke, 4L small block and rotary though.
@@jlo13800 my bike has 21 gears and a bell,it's crazy
I remember in the early 80s George Jobe and a few other pro riders geared the bike to over 120mph on the beach in Southern England, some say one got near 135mph on a ktm500
Absolutely my favorite dirt bike I ever owned. It never ran out of power. My other favorite was my KH 750.
I had a 94. The vibrations get old fast especially when you try a bike that doesn't vibrate. You can balance the crank and tighten the mounts though.
would a heavier flywheel help at all? Or rubber washers all around the bike?
@@ncopp4358 No rubber. the mounts need to be solid and tight. If you’re working on a 500 do your research. Lots of things can be done to improve them.
@@generalsixty2133 Yeah even a cz250 vibrates like all hell. I had to weld every single bolt because no matter what I did they'd slowly vibrate loose.
@@satanlucifer1003 red thread locker.....
@@satanlucifer1003 guess there’s no rebuild in the future since you welded the bolts on?
I miss my 1986 KX500 ! Had lots of fun at Ross Downs and running cross country at the Flying "P" Ranch here in Weatherford, Texas !
Is the flyin P still open ? Went there when I was a kid
No, sadly it closed around 2001. Shortly thereafter Mr. Pope passed away and the kids sold off a big chunk for development. Now we have to go to Rocky Ridge North of Decatur to trail ride or enduros or to Twin Hills at Lake Bridgeport. Lots of great memories at the Flyin P !
Oh yeah, we used to go out there a lot, back in the '90's before it closed down. Man I was so sad to see it go! Seems like they had at least two practice tracks, and of course tons of trails and a few good steep hills too. I had a '91 DR350 back then. After that, for years we didn't have a good place to ride around here, so we would just go to Colorado and Utah to ride on vacation (which is awesome by the way). I rode at Bridgeport once a few years ago. Then discovered Central Texas Off-Road down near Salido, Tx, near Temple. It's a members only thing, but visitors can ride three times a year or you can join. They have 3500 acres with several very good trail loops of various difficulty. Also some extremely tough single track hill climbs on the black diamond loops.
I had 2 KX 500s. A 2004 and a 1985 model. They would both top out about 80. My 1985 Husky XC500 would run 97 in 5th gear, and it had one more gear to go. I ran out of smooth dirt road before I ran out of gears.
Still waiting for him to drive like he has a pair….
Bro like u can😂
I miss my old 2stroke. I ride my 2006 crf450r. Its still fresh as hell. Makes me giggle still. At least this video ain't SENSORED. 😆 Love the sound of that 500. Ripper for sure. Stay safe
If your thinking of videos I’m pretty sure all of us wouldn’t mind a couple more track days on the beast. I got a 88 cr500 and now I’m looking for a kx500.
I’m looking for a yz490, all of these bikes are just amazing
Cant stop watching this since it’s been posted! It’s that bike is amazing and such a beast! I miss riding in the winter
Hell yea boy!!!!!! I dont care what anyone says. 2 strokes are the best things ever and a 500cc 2 stroke of any brand is badass. Ive only been on a few and they omly had 4 gears and the seat was like a couch. But yea you cannot have any more fun on earth than on a dirtbike. I like quads too , dont get me wrong, a banshee is a dream too. Ride em boys and wring em out!!!!
A buddy back in the day had an 86ish cr 500 and one thing I remember aside from it being a beast to kick was the crazy vibrations! That bike scared the living shit out of me. But I don't regret hopping on it and taking it for a spin! The sound, speed and fear.. holy cow them bikes were monsters! Ty for the video, brings back lots of good memories
30 years ago I had a 1988 YZ490 Boysen reeds TTS oil hot plug sports air filter a I think 48 tooth rear sprocket and a 15 tooth on front, in Oz a friend had a radar gun and clocked the bike at 111 mph which is 180 kph...
Gotta love a 2 stroke. When I ride my rn 250 I wind the gears out all the way but I’ve never had enough room to go into 5th
Do it on longass road
Guys, HERE is Our Savior
HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH”
YaH is The Heavenly Father
YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING
YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins
** NO FEMALE INVOLVED WHATSOEVER **
- Hebrew Book of Isaiah
Isaiah 42:8
"I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
Isaiah 43:11
I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me.
Isaiah 45:5
I am YaH, and there is none else.
My best friends dad growing up had an I.T 490 He would let us ride when we were like 14-15 years old. Looking back at it as an adult im thinkin " I can't believe he let us on that fucker " never crashed it tho that thing was honestly scary.
😂😂. my dad had a predator 500 and my first time on it i popped the clutch and did a wheelie on accident
He let you ride it because it was not the era of the pussies
I also had an 85 kx500 at 14. The bike was literally too scary to disrespect! You knew not to mess with it....that bike was riding you not you riding it lol.
Disrespect the bike and it will let you know very quickly who's in charge. They are real monsters!
I'm happy with a 125. Never had a chance to run a 500. Don't think I want to. They are absolute animals. But to watch someone that's got the cajones, it's awesome.
Great video dude, I have a KXF250 2018 model, love the Kawasaki’s, but England at the moment is in lockdown near enough everywhere so can’t get out on it. Watching your videos makes me jealous that you can still ride ha. Keep up the great videos 💪
Drop a few teeth from the rear sprocket or ad a couple to the countershaft sprocket and see how fast you can get it. It will continue to pull no matter how big of a change you make to the ratio and that means a very fast top speed potential. We used the old 2 stroke 500's for drag racing a while back and had a lot of fun with 'em.
They will run flat 12's with a little bit of setting up...
@@Alan-Godden what does a flat 12 mean?
@@shuenshuen
YZ 490 or CR 500 will run 12 second 1/4 mile.
I dont see an issue with this EASILY breaking 100, I could even see 110+ and not be shocked.
Many years ago I had a KX500 and a CR500.
I miss them both very much.
LOVED my 94 KX5 I wish I never sold it
Yeeeeeeah man! Been subbed since the YZ125 vids. Keep it up!
Thanks!
@@zachdavis3974 me too! i love them keep up the good work!
You know Larry Roesler is watching this chuckling to himself right now........80 wholeeeeeeee miles per hour eh? Pffffffffffttttttt!!!! Nothing better than the two stroke big bores, well done!
The KX500s vibrate WAY more than the CR500s. The Honda handles way better too, more like a 250. The KX handles like a tugboat. As a desert rider/racer my 2000 CR500 I machined the case saver and did two up on the front and three down on the back gear. You don't even want to know what MPH it did if you think that was fast LOL. Heavily modified motor as well.
I have an 8v92 2 stroke detroit and run 6 gallons of BRP-XD-100 2 stroke oil and my neighbore about call the cops
i through in about 3 gallons of amsoil dominator 2t in here and it works great!
500cc 2-stroke dirtbikes are machines with homicidal intent. Respect to anyone who still rides them.
If you don't own a 500. "It's a 500 thing you wouldn't understand"
The easiest wat to explain it is this. Most guys that ride 500's need that extra power to carry there huge balls.
😆
That's a fast bike be careful don't be afraid of it but respect it and be loose on it if you stay all tense and nervous it's gonna get you , I know ! My Suzuki TS 250 J Savage would pull all the way to 70 mph and top out at 90 mph hella bike and comfortable feeling too
There has to be more. My 80 KTM 420MC (actually a Penton) has been clocked at 95 with a quarter throttle left. Scary no matter what you ride, to be sure. Love the big 2 strokes!
I tried to find a KTM 420 ! 😊
Just got a rm 250 and I’m 13 everyone said I was too little so now the next bike I get will be a big bore. Ride safe man!
Great video. Wanna feel vibrations. 1981 YZ 490 THATS A BALL BREAKER😂😂😂😂😂😂
The kx500 is a weapon in the baja desert race and for good reason 👍. Nice and stable frames at high speed and can easily push 80mph. What gearing sprocket sizes are you running? A 45-47 tooth rear would give you more top speed at the sacrifice of torque (compared to a 50-51 rear sprocket). I prefer torque and rocket speed acceleration on my kx500 set up compared to top speed, normal situations you never would be on 5th gear on the pipe, as that requires a good stretch of area to run those speeds. I use a gnarly fmf exhaust header, boyesen rad valve, and pro circuit 304 rear silencer, I also run a stealy flywheel weight to get a little better traction. Every gear pulls wheelies from just twisting the throttle, no clutching or pulling on the bars. My cr500 with a lot of engine work done to it, should pull a lot more horsepower over the stock kx500 with the powervalve. Both excellent bikes, the cr500r I prefer for tighter cornering and track, the kx500 for desert riding and hill climbs.
The cr 500 sounds and feels more brutal, witch I prefer
@@TopRevs I prefer the cr500 as well, but the kx500 feels like a real two stroke, with the power valve. Once it hits you better hold on because it's an arm stretcher. The cr500 feels like a four stroke almost, you can lug it, or turn your hand and it's trying to kill you. The kx500 has a little lag before it kicks in and starts ripping, thats why I prefer the cr500, more predictable power and it feels a lot lighter and nimble compared to the kx500. Check out my current uploaded video of my cr500 build, you will appreciate it if your a Honda fan. The kx500 has a nikasil coating on the cylinder where as the cr500 doesn't. And less moving parts to deal with on the cr500 that's another advantage in my eyes. The 91 cr500 I'm building up had a flywheel weight on it, I told Eric Gorr to take it off and throw it in the trash 😂. I told him I didn't want to tame the bike at all, in fact I wanted the bike to be as fierce as we could build it, while keeping the reliability. I was going to put a stroker crank in the cr500 but eric suggested to keep the engine reliable not to, instead its been ported and polished, squish band adjusted, set up for high compression for higher altitude, and the head milled.
the old 2 strokes are the best ngl
I bought a brand new KX500 back in '04, the last year of them. That bike was a blast to ride, but you had to be very careful with it. If the dirt was dry, it would get a lot of wheel spin, but then if you hit a spot that was moist and tacky, it would suddenly get traction and the front end would come up without warning. And you're right, it pulls just as hard in 5th gear as it does in 2nd, it's crazy. I mostly rode it in wide open fields because you run out of room really quick doing 70+ mph so small areas were no good for riding it, needed a lot of space. The vibration was horrible, but the bike was so much fun I didn't care about that too much. I sold it in '08 to get a dual sport bike and regret selling it to this day!
For us European people, that’s around 130 km/h :)
Sweet! I remember my 1st Motocross bike A 1983 KX80 for my 10th birthday.. Then at 13 I got a 1985 KX125 then when I was 16 I worked all summer to get IMO the best bike ever a 1987 KX500 I called it the "Green monster"🤯 If you've never been on one then I recommend if you're experienced..I could do wheelies at 60+ in 4th gear.. That bike with the right sprocket would go over 100+mph🤯
Rod Bush did 123. something on a 1981 KTM-495 dual shock & air-cooled. Way back in 81-82.
Stock motors are pretty tame, bump the compression and do a little port work. Then it will really feel like it's trying to kill you. My race bike with Baja gearing was clocked at 113 on a highway section. Balance the tires and run a 606 on the rear so it doesn't blister or throw knobbies.
you know ur shit, what you been riding now? im cant decide bewtween a 450 fourwheeler or 250 450 dirtbike
@@user-sb3nm7xe6t KTM EXC300TPI It's the ultimate old man bike.
I miss my KX500. Power valve makes the power so much more manageable than my CR500's. Far less vibration as well. I managed to get my KX500 up to 86mph in my top speed video.
That's so true. I rode a CR500 years ago and the power curve was a bit scary. But I had an '04 KX500 that was very manageable because of the power valve. It felt like just tons of power throughout the rev range without any crazy hit, but still, as light as it was with all that power, it still pulled extremely hard. Every dirt bike I've ridden since then feels very tame and smooth in comparison. Lol
been watching since the early yz vids! i love your content and dirt bikes keep up the good work!
My 89 kx500 factory sprockets right off the show room floor ran 105 mph. It's had a history of being stolen but 2 yrs later recoverd it, in the process of restoring it as of today. Hard to find parts for it in some circumstances.
best sounding 2 stroke i have heard so far
Need more 500 2 stroke vids! Make it street legal next =)
And I just subscribed =) worthy channel!
when you get off a 2 stroke 500, you're gonna vibrate and buzz for a while...the adrenaline is intense! miss it.
Owed kx420 in 1982 and a kx 500 in 1998 both mega beasts
Def needs a little fine tuning on the carb. Things an absolute monster.
I love Kawasaki 2 stroke
I used to have a 1975 250 Can Am and it topped out at 85. It beat a 1970 440 challenger in the 1/8 mile. It would pull a wheelie in all 5 gears. One day I popped the gas to it at 50 mph in 3rd gear and the front wheel shot up and I almost went all the way over at 50 mph. It was a street legal bike. I'm a transplanted Texan in the Pacific Northwest.
The title of the video has all the correct words, so I'm here.
I'm going to do a top speed run on my KX500, stay tuned folks.... Nice video 📹 👍
My name is Dave Harryman , I used to own a biz named MRD Injection , I had a customer that brought me a Pepps full mod KX 500 to build a MFI system on Methanol for , it went 100 mph on a radar gun up Comp hill at Glamis
Damn for a small youtuber you have some good quality videos! Keep it up man
Riding in sand starts getting really sketchy around 75. You need a really smooth, straight stretch to go much faster.
I think it’s harder taking a dry deep sandy berm at speed. No matter how sketchy you get you can’t let off the power or the front wheel dives in and turns and you’re off.
We used to have an old railroad bed ,it went about as far as you could see.
Best time was the kz650 I had stripped for off road ,it did bout 115 or so before I lifted.
Guys, HERE is Our Savior
HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH”
YaH is The Heavenly Father
YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING
YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins
** NO FEMALE INVOLVED WHATSOEVER **
- Hebrew Book of Isaiah
Isaiah 42:8
"I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
Isaiah 43:11
I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me.
Isaiah 45:5
I am YaH, and there is none else.
I had a 2001 KX500 i bought to ride in the desert...I live in AZ .....I got mine up 83 mph once .....the thing scared the shit out of me and i sold it 8 months later knowing if i kept it i would get dead or hurt bad. I only used 3 gears 2nd 3rd and 4th ....
Dirt bike mag many years ago did speed tests with 500s and the kx 5oo with street gears went 132 mph with radar.
Had KZ 1000 1979 shaft drive .that 2 struck got to be sick
zach, dont be afraid to rev the two stroke. during your test, you were shifting it like a four stroke and it was definitely not giving its best. would be interesting to redo the test, but this time wringing its neck ! a great video.
Gives new respect to the Gladiators that raced those monsters.
Have fun and stay alive to remember it!
2 Strokes can be pretty hairy.
Thanks for the footage. 👍
That's a good bike don't ever get rid of it
I had the luxury to ride a '04 450exr for a few days at Glamis one year, and another trip got to ride the badass kx500 for a few days aswell both with paddle tire of course. If you want to go fast ride a KTM 4 stroke, the KX500 is fun but I kept on trying to hit that phantom next gear that just wasn't there ' great moto-x bike though.
Vibrates so much that inevitably one of the pipe tabs cracks and breaks, only a matter of time.
Top speed is only limited by the gearing, and physics. Baja 500 & 1000 guys would gear them to over 100mph easily, with something like a 16 tooth front and 42 rear.
16-38 for Baja, leave the bolt out of that pipe mount, not needed. What really sucks is when you loose a footing cause the bolts vibrated out.
I had an air cooled KX500 I geared up and drag raced and it used top out through the 1/4 mile speed trap at 95mph on the limiter
I was surprised it was 80 I just knew u was bout to pump out 95 or more...I sure like that bike tho man keep it up bud
It is a dirtbike. It's not meant or geared to go 100 mph
Wow thank u very much for that info I did not kno this at all
Try riding a dirt bike at anything above 60mph. It’s terrifying, they aren’t made for super high speeds like street bikes. Maybe if you put slick road tires on a dirt bike it would be a little less bad to go that fast.
Look I am fully aware of how fast dirt bikes r because I have rode them for years and currently own a couple dirtbikes now so I know y’all wanna be the know it alls but I do understand dirtbikes and top speeds and racing a dirtbike...I have personally rode one at 95 they will do it with just a lil different gearing I know they ain’t made to do that fast but it is humanly possible to do it
Nothing nothing nothing like the great five-hundo!!!!👍✌
You need to try a sportbike! Makes my banshee, cr250, Thundercat 1000 feel like toys. I live my CBR 600f4i. To give you an idea top speed on your bike is only first gear on a rocket..
Nice bike!
Yup, I had a 03 and 06 F4i, quick and comfortable! I know my 03 Rm 250 ripped, can only imagine any of these 500's!!
I had a '91 CR500 and the thing was a missile out in Ocotillo Wells and Glamis, CA.
Love these bikes
Man, I remember being 13 and trying to rip that thing through the woods. Almost always on the brakes.
Nice property , lucky.
🌟Extremely awesome bike my friend & definitely demands respect. Never had a chance get one ! Torque monster , had a CR 500 many moons ago & was in a near fatal car crash, had to sell during 3 year recovery, wasn't fair to the bike . When't to quads ,350 banshee & 500 Quadzilla . Them KX & CR's goes for a small fortune now days $$$$ in poor shape. Amazing bike & my favorite color out of the too. safe travels dude🏍😎
Badass big bore 2 stroke motocross bikes are er...untameable. I know as I owned one; a 1981 Suzuki RM 465X back in '84 when I was 21 over here in New Zealand. I swapped my 1979 Honda XR500 for it with a mate - straight swap. My mate blew the '79 Honda XR500 engine going to work not long after the swap while I tall geared the RM 465X for maximum off-road speed runs. I fitted a Boysen reed to smooth out the insane powerband and used BelRay 2 stroke oil [damn expensive even back then in '84]. I wondered about using alcohol however chose not to as if I mis-calculated the fuel to oil premix ratio and ran it excessively lean - that would have simply melted the top of the piston and I couldn't afford the repairs. Although I had no speedo I believeI got 100mph+ easily. To see pics of my 1981 Suzuki RM 465X and read about my10 motorcycles I owned from 1981 to 1990 - my final 10th bike has a surprising end click here: www.flickr.com/photos/35707376@N00/50855348636/in/album-72157713681398176/
My mate still has his 1989 KX 500...it feels like it's doing a million miles an hour and it's LOUD when you are riding it.
Its scary to hear people say "top speed" and "500" at the same time, what a beast!
Biggest difference is rpm. My built wr 500 Eric gore head, and porting was 504 actual cc.40 mm kx carb 16x44 gearing teraflex rear 5 psi . Bike ran out of rpm at 7k. Good for 105 on gps.my wr 250f with all yz tricks and jetting pipe and 1tooth bigger front. Is good for 97 12k rpm. I weigh 220 lbs.
Rode one in 82. Basically, idled around the track
My bike heat seized on Saturday so that's fucked 😂lean mix
seized like the bank took your property?
@@kollak01 I think he means it locked up
Danker J1ster like it went to jail?
@@kollak01 yes
Always run a 2 smoker at 32:1
Man I love that sound
I'm just amazed he could kick it! What a beast!
I had an '04 that I bought new back then. It's really not that hard to kick, you just can't fool around, you have to really kick it through hard, sort of like trying to kick start the old early '80's big bore four-strokes, like a DR500 or XR600. Those are actually a little harder to kick really.
I’ve never rode a 500 personally but my 15crf450r Keeps up with them all day and pulls way harder. Efi is a beautiful thing.
efi has nothing to do with it.