Sean Colliers KX500 build

[Sandblaster]

What a ham...

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 410.JPG (97.51 KiB) Viewed 6883 times

So... We got the bike assembled by late afternoon...
We needed to break the engine in a bit more, test, and tune..
Off to the desert..

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 411.JPG (165.11 KiB) Viewed 6883 times

[Sandblaster]

It was a fun ride out with 4 KX500 nuts in the truck... but we finally made it..

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 412.JPG (110.33 KiB) Viewed 6882 times

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 413.JPG (124.76 KiB) Viewed 6882 times

[Sandblaster]

I know it does not look like it but the sun was just going down and I didn't take any more pics that evening.
Plus we were at a super secret stealth black ops track and we didn't want to give away it's location
Jason rode the bike around the track easy... Why???
1. It was a brand new engine and we like the easy break in method with head cycles, ect.
2. By the time the bike was unloaded and warmed up it was dark out and Jason was literally riding around with a helmet light on so he could see what he was doing... Sorta...
3. We have never worked with that engine and carb combo so we needed to dial in the jetting.

[Sandblaster]

The track was extremely dry, hard packed, and slick.
It was really hard to tell the power of the bike.
So, we loaded up the truck and headed to the asphalt.
We checked the jetting and jetted it a bit richer then we had it.
Rode the bike around and to be honest it was a bit lack luster.
I mean, it's a KX500, we are all use to hitting the throttle and hanging on for dear life
But this power was a lot different.
The Torque hit much earlier but required some short shifting.
Plus a KX500 on the Asphalt running a brand new knobby does not offer the best traction.
We richened up the jetting a bit more and took it for a few more test spins.
It definitely liked the additional fuel.
The issue was we were up a bit higher in elevation the Glen Helen (Where Sean was racing the next day) and the temps were very chilly..
We did the best we could, loaded the bike up and went to dinner..
On the way back to Oscar's we discussed what we all thought about the bike.
Everyone was concerned that the bike may not be able to keep up with the more modern 4 strokes just because the way the power was coming on.
But it occurred to me that it was a engine configuration that we were not use to riding, the conditions for testing were less the ideal, and the jetting was still off a bit.
After laying out what I was thinking, my guess was that everyone more or less agreed and we would have to wait until the morning to see what we had.
After arriving late back at Oscar's place, we changed the jetting on the carb, stripped off all the old plastics that we used to test the bike with, cleaned it up, made adjustments, flipped the knobby around because we ate it up on the asphalt, installed the new graphics on the new plastics and mounted it all up. Installed the new pipe (We tested with a old pipe in case we had an accident) and I can't remember what all else we did because I went to bed at 1 am knowing that we needed to get up at 5 and I was beat.
Jason and I were operating on about 4-6 hours of sleep for 3 days and I wimped out.
Besides, Jason, Alex, and Oscar had everything well in hand and I knew it would be done.
5 am rolled around and I thought that someone was just getting up.
Nope, Oscar, Alex, and Jason stayed up all night to make sure everything was as good as they could make it...
It made me feel a bit guilty... Or old... But at least they hung tough and got it done.

[Conbread259]

wow what a great build and a great group of guys.... that is deff the bike of my dreams... I'm starting build of my own now and can only hope to get a lil help from you guys.... I'm building mine to race over here in the NC woods and maybe a few Gncc events....

[Sandblaster]

Thanks!
We have several tips to help you regardless of the type of power you want.
Most people think that we built a high HP engine but in fact it probably has about the same or less then a stock KX500. The beauty of this build is the power comes on earlier and stays fat then signs off quick... So, you shift a gear and away you go. The power goes to the ground and isn't wasted on tire spin.
And yet, it still rips up the 450's..
Makes you wonder why Kawi stopped making them... Oh yes... follow the money...

[Sandblaster]

Puppies!!!

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 414.JPG (136.82 KiB) Viewed 6846 times

Ok, let's get serious again...
After the break in and jetting ride, we stripped her down a bit to put on the new plastics and graphics as well as make some adjustments here and there..

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 415.JPG (111.49 KiB) Viewed 6845 times

[Sandblaster]

Jason and Alex working hard..

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 416.JPG (107.67 KiB) Viewed 6844 times

I love that new pipe.
Don't bother asking FMF to make you one... We can't even get one for our bikes...
But you can get the Woods Gnarly which is the plated version of this pipe..

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 417.JPG (131.51 KiB) Viewed 6844 times

[Sandblaster]

With these two guys working all I did was some clean up and polishing.
I would have been in the way.

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 418.JPG (147.07 KiB) Viewed 6843 times

Oscar looks calm and confident but underneath he was freaking out
All of us were a bit nervous.
Building a engine configuration that none of us had tried.
Assembling a chassis with what we had on hand and could steal from my Supermoto.
Not having any real testing on the bike to see if there were things that needed improvement.
Sean having no pilot time at all...
I'll just say that it wasn't the most confidence building situation.

KX GURU RACING SEAN COLLIER KX500 419.JPG (115.91 KiB) Viewed 6843 times

[Brute]

Lookin' good! Ahhh, the getting 'old' thing... It happens...