KDXRIDER.NET

Has anyone here ridden a KX500 much? I was wondering how they compared to the modded KDX200. Are they too much to handle in the woods or are they nice and smooth? I've been eyeballing all those KX500/KX450F hybrids and they sure look sweet.

I've heard they can be a handful, but I sure like to ride one

I've ridden one, but not nearly as much as I would like. I think people exaggerate how hard they are to ride. They make a ton of power of course, but that power is spread over a wide range so it's not so bad. It's a different kind of ride though. Kinda like riding a jet ski on dirt, cuz it just rips a roost of rocks and dirt out behind it. If you ride with people that like to follow , they might not enjoy it so much. I've only ridden it at very high altitude, so I'm sure the power would be a good bit more at sea level.

I wouldn't ditch my KDX for one unless I rode open areas more, but I would love to have one as a second bike. They handle better than a stock KDX at moderate to higher speed. They feel lighter to me than a KDX too.

I rode a 2000 CR500 in the woods

It was a lot of fun. Never have to shift. Wheely anytime anywhere

But man that thing would where you out, and it sucked trying to start it even on flat level ground

The KX I rode must have been jetted well because it was easy to start. I think it was fitted with an aftermarket auto compression release too.

this is a nice one..

I had a CR500 for a couple of years, off-road suspension, flywheel weight, etc. It was great for power-sucking terrain with big hills, or big straights, everywhere else it was slower than any other kind of bike. If you use the power on typical trails you blow the trails away and don't go any faster, if you rev them, the engine rotating mass's gyro effect makes them hard to turn, so you end up short shifting them and not using the power. A kdx is faster in any kind of tight terrain, no sweat.
And yes, they wear you out. Nobody but legendary heroes in the desert ever did well on a KX500. Fun to watch videos of guys like Roeseler or Hamel do long wheelies on them at speed.

I currently have both, a 2001 KDX220R & a 2001 KX500.
My son took over the 220 from me when I got the 500.
Both are plated in Calif and we ride trails, tracks, fire roads, OHV parks and everything else. No dunes/paddle stuff, though.
The 500 is a great bike that is super versitile. But as Kawagumby says, it will wear you out.
The 500 is MUCH taller geared (stock) for the tight stuff. At idle in 1st, I'm doing about 5-10 mph. The KDX tops out at about 10 mph in first. LOL. The 500 geometry is stable at speed, but doesn't turn like the KDX. They are pretty close in weight and height.
The KDX is much easier to ride in technical stuff.
I have a lot of fun riding the 500.
Here they are together:

kawagumby wrote:Fun to watch videos of guys like Roeseler or Hamel do long wheelies on them at speed.

I grew up in the same town at the same time as Danny Hamel and it's fun watching him in person!

He passed me like I was standing still in the dirt while I was on the highway in my car. When I saw him later I asked him how fast he was going. He said around 118 because if you go any faster in the dirt you lose traction!

[url=http://www.kdxrider.net/forums/viewtopi ... #64977Here they are together:



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I appreciate the pics as well as the info comparing the two.I have been salivating for a KX 500 for more than a while. One day I'll have the ability to make a side by side picture and declare that i own one of each. The second pic is absolutely the type that makes a day riding worth that much more. What a beautiful place to take a break.
Oh yeah- many a day my KDX 200 wears me out.I keep going back for more though.

Where were those pictures taken.

jc7622 wrote:Where were those pictures taken.

The first picture is in the San Bernadino National Forest between Pioneertown & Big Bear (So. Calif). Brent had just ridden to the top of Heartbreak Ridge on the KDX; I pooped out just before the "squeeze".
http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1759

The second picture is another ride in the SBNF, on the Cleghorn Ridge overlooking Silverwood Lake. It's a typical fire road or ridge trail that we have a lot of here in S. Calif. You can see them all over the ridges in the background. Here are some pics of the same area showing some of the more challenging trails.
http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showth ... crab+flats

For those who wonder about the KX500 vs the KDX, these trails shown on this TT link (page 2) are the kind that are a bit tougher for the 500 and are more of the KDX specialty. Some of the other ride areas we have here locally, include a lot more of these type of challenging sections and I get a real work out on the 500. Or maybe it's because my son on the KDX is 32 years younger than me?!?!?!

I've Jeeped all over that area but I really want to ride my bike there. My best friends dad lives in 29, so I'm gonna have to make that happen!