Kx500 vs cr500 for snowbike?
- Thread starter needpowder
- Start date
Pulled the trigger on the CR!
98 CR 500. FMF Fatty, recent top end and a bunch of extras.
98 CR 500. FMF Fatty, recent top end and a bunch of extras.
That looks like a great starting point, being a 98 you will be able to use the 46mm front end with a re-spring which will save time and money.
M5
M5
I'm stoked. Just finalized my order for a LT w/TSS. Gonna add handguards, adventure pegs ( or similar), desert tank, and temperature guage. I'm planning on leaving the stock carb for now but adding some kind of heating system to it. Will probably wrap the pipe. Do u guys find you need engine shrouds on these bikes to keep it warm? Also not sure on the tstat as responses are mixed. Port grinder doesn't run one but that's on a KX right? Did thermo bob ever make a lower temp one for the 2 strokes? As far as cooling i think i'll just keep an eye on the temp guage at first. If it wants to get hot i'll look into the tunnel cooler option probably. Thanks for everybody's input.
Forks
M5, what do u recommend for the forks?
M5, what do u recommend for the forks?
I have a KTM WP front end on my bike but I know Summitboy is using re-sprung 46mm CR500 forks. He can tell you what is working for him. I was riding yesterday and my bike was running hot, this summer I'm doing the tunnel cooler for sure so in answer to the shrouds question no the bikes run hot not cold. I think Thermobob has a 120 setup which I may use. Just waiting for it to warm up a bit and soften up the snow then we are heading out today.
Add a decomp valve into your head makes starts a breeze. I ran a stock PWK 38mm Air striker all season with carb heat with no issues. Jetted it once, done. Starts great always runs the same.
M5
Add a decomp valve into your head makes starts a breeze. I ran a stock PWK 38mm Air striker all season with carb heat with no issues. Jetted it once, done. Starts great always runs the same.
M5
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Depends on the snow as far as cooling. I find that off-trail in deep, cold snow, it can't keep the temps up to anywhere near operating temp without engine shrouds, unless you're climbing and on the pipe for a while. Snow just packs in around the cylinder when going downhill and you'll see 75 degree coolant temp coming out of the head in no time.
Spring conditions, yea, it will get warm when you're riding it hard and not moving fast enough for radiators.
Carb heat is definitely needed for the cold, deep days. I actually had my carb ice up once this winter after blasting full throttle across a big open area for a while when it was 0 degrees and deep snow. After letting it idle for a bit, the carb warmed back up with my carb heater and it was fine, but scary when it happened at full throttle.
Spring conditions, yea, it will get warm when you're riding it hard and not moving fast enough for radiators.
Carb heat is definitely needed for the cold, deep days. I actually had my carb ice up once this winter after blasting full throttle across a big open area for a while when it was 0 degrees and deep snow. After letting it idle for a bit, the carb warmed back up with my carb heater and it was fine, but scary when it happened at full throttle.
Stock PWK with a machined coolant heater. I've ran it all season like that, so I don't have any non-heated experience with it. I've had no issues other than that really cold, snowy day, and it was only once on that ride. When it happened, I looked down and saw that the whole carb was packed with snow and the heater was ice cold to the touch. After idling for a couple minutes, it warmed back up nicely and melted the snow out.
Shrouds sound like a must in deep powder. I figured i would need them. I plan on riding lots of deep dry snow with this bike (hopfully!). I'll just have to see what the bike does in warmer temps or low snow conditions also. Tunnel cooler and scratchers seems like it will work the best for that. What are you guys using for the intake on this bike?
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Summitboy, do u like what you've done to your forks?
I've never had an issue with snow clogging anything with this setup. It works well enough that a friend did the same thing on his after he had some intake clogging issues:
That was made from a 45 degree 2.5" Al intake tube and a 30 degree silicone elbow. The intake screen I made myself from some scrap and threw on an Outerwears pre-filter.
Another thing I found in deep snow is that your carb vent lines can pack with snow and freeze if you have them routed out the bottom like they are for dirt season. I removed my vent lines completely and haven't had a problem since. You will at least want to shorten them or route them to a warm place.
The same goes for the crank breather, especially on a 4-stroke. A friend had his ktm start puking oil out of every gasket and seal on a ride and it turned out to be a frozen crankcase breather.
That was made from a 45 degree 2.5" Al intake tube and a 30 degree silicone elbow. The intake screen I made myself from some scrap and threw on an Outerwears pre-filter.
Another thing I found in deep snow is that your carb vent lines can pack with snow and freeze if you have them routed out the bottom like they are for dirt season. I removed my vent lines completely and haven't had a problem since. You will at least want to shorten them or route them to a warm place.
The same goes for the crank breather, especially on a 4-stroke. A friend had his ktm start puking oil out of every gasket and seal on a ride and it turned out to be a frozen crankcase breather.
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Carb
So here's my carb. It's the stock PJ not the PWK. I'll just have to see how it works.
So here's my carb. It's the stock PJ not the PWK. I'll just have to see how it works.
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Thermo bob
Anyone know if thermo bob is building a lower temperature stat yet? It doesn't show one on his website.
Anyone know if thermo bob is building a lower temperature stat yet? It doesn't show one on his website.
I use the KTM 55C thermostat and it works fine for me. Its cheap and easy to find new or used. The bypass is perfect for a carb heater circuit.
Thermo bob
So i just recieved an email from thermo bob. He informed me that he is making a TB3 kit with a 130 degree stat and 5/8" hoses for the CR500.
Egesledder-did you connect the two coolant lines with a Y? Bill told me alot of guys are running two TB3's. One in each line coming out of the head.
So i just recieved an email from thermo bob. He informed me that he is making a TB3 kit with a 130 degree stat and 5/8" hoses for the CR500.
Egesledder-did you connect the two coolant lines with a Y? Bill told me alot of guys are running two TB3's. One in each line coming out of the head.
The KX only has one coolant line coming out of the head. The KTM thermostat has one 3/4" line going in, and two 3/4" lines going out, I blocked one of those off. It also has the small ~3/8" bypass port, which is running to my carb heater, so it always gets warm coolant.
Oh ya, forgot you were on the kx. Duh.
