KDXRIDER.NET

I received my2000KX500 forks today via usps. The box was tore up and there was one small scuff area on the lower left chrome tube from the clamp shifting around in transit. I think I can smooth it out with some 600-1000grit paper. I was curious about the stem and bearing fit so I mocked then onto a spare frame with a gas tank on it. To my surprise, it seems like the bearings and stem from the KX500 fit perfectly. I have not actually precisely measured the bearing and compared but they seem like an exact fit. along with the clearance above the top race to the stem nut and the top clamp to the top stem nut. am I missing something here? Or did I just get lucky with the year and model fit? I have only talked to one other person on her that has used KX500 forks and they used a yamaha triple tree. It does look like it will be necessary to build the stop up with a weld a mm or two. just barely contacting the mocked in tank. any opinions on who does the best work for your money on USD forks? would like to get gold valves installed, oil changed. If anyone would like to encourage me to do it myself, please do. I have never broke into a set of forks and it seems a little intimidating at the least. All kinds of certain ways to do things and special tools to use and all those parts to keep track of. YIKES!

I'll find the exact info later but 89kdxrdr used KX500 forks on his 89 KDX and it was a drop in replacement.

My 1990 200sr had the USD no compression adjustment forks and when I replaced the headstock bearings on the under side of the top clamp it had KX500 cast into it.So I hope youve got a drop in job lot

With regard to your setup, why not go simple at first?

Instead of spending well over 150 bucks for gold valves, why not just reduce the number of shims in the stock stack setup first? To do that you don't need to break down the forks, you can easily remove the compression stack from the forks - hold them upside down and use a air wrench, they will spin right out. Do the mods and replace. You are probably going to rearrange them more than once anyway. Do a search here on what guys have done with KX stacks. Critical to not overtighten the aluminum stack threads and to clean threads and use blue locktite afterwards.

After a check-out ride, if it needs more valve fiddling, I duct tape a 2X4 to the handelbars to protect the controls, etc., pinch off the tranny breather hose with vise-grips, drain the gas tank, and flip the bike on it's lid, then pull the compression stacks out to revalve them as needed.

With my KX500 forks (2003) I ended up using reducing the fork oil by increments until I got the travel I wanted for the kind of riding I do. This also affects "plushness" in the later stages of travel.

Make sure the same amount of oil is in both forks. Once you get a feel for what needs to be done and get a better understanding of what you have performance-wise, then you can go berserk and tear them down for more mods if you want...anyhow, that's how a lazy guy like me does it.

Another thing I've noticed with used forks, if there is too much stiction, try rotating the upper tubes in the clamps, sometimes they seem get a little out of round, and rotating can find the best position in the clamp to correct that. Be sure and not overtighten the lower clamp, I know some guys torque them, but I just use feel: if they start to act like they're binding, back off a little - then you'll know how much force to use from then on.

I am very happy with my KX500 USD's. I don't even notice the front end in really rough slow stuff - now I have to concentrate on dialing in the rear to suit.