Converted to dual-sport? POST PICS!!

[NordieBoy]

Originally Posted by kawasakifreak77

LOVE the Shinko 705's, they stick to anything!

They're a very surprising tyre aren't they

[4dirt2]

This is my EX-500 Dual Sport. KL600 front, KLR650 rear, remote reservoir rear shock off XR250R, spring off CFR150, Kendas front and rear.

[4dirt2]

Front view

[Howlinsage]

Originally Posted by 4dirt2

This is my EX-500 Dual Sport. KL600 front, KLR650 rear, remote reservoir rear shock off XR250R, spring off CFR150, Kendas front and rear.

4dirt2 Nice looking rig.
I am gathering parts for my ex500
conversion. I have a cr125 front end that I hope to stem swap.Have a klr back end on the way. No shock yet,have a few laying around but they are probably to short. Are you happy with the xr250r shock travel? Do you know the extended length and stroke of that shock.
Like the red trim.

[4dirt2]

Originally Posted by Howlinsage

4dirt2 Nice looking rig.
I am gathering parts for my ex500
conversion. I have a cr125 front end that I hope to stem swap.Have a klr back end on the way. No shock yet,have a few laying around but they are probably to short. Are you happy with the xr250r shock travel? Do you know the extended length and stroke of that shock.
Like the red trim.

The longest shock I could fit was 13.5" due to clearance problems with the mounting points on the Ninja frame. The XR shock says it provides 9 or 10" inches in the XR (if I remember), but I am guessing at my travel since I don't want to take it apart and remove the spring to measure the rear wheel travel (might do that next winter when I tear it down for maintenance). I used the KL600 front end because the stem fit the Ninja steering head and all I had to do was build a flange for the top of the head to accept the taper bearings (don't use the stock Ninja ball bearing, they won't hold up off road). Also, the KLR swing arm fits with spacers but the linkage ended up part KLR and part Ninja. Good luck on your build, I don't have alot of off-road miles on mine yet but it has been a blast around town.

[Howlinsage]

Originally Posted by 4dirt2

The longest shock I could fit was 13.5" due to clearance problems with the mounting points on the Ninja frame. The XR shock says it provides 9 or 10" inches in the XR (if I remember), but I am guessing at my travel since I don't want to take it apart and remove the spring to measure the rear wheel travel (might do that next winter when I tear it down for maintenance). I used the KL600 front end because the stem fit the Ninja steering head and all I had to do was build a flange for the top of the head to accept the taper bearings (don't use the stock Ninja ball bearing, they won't hold up off road). Also, the KLR swing arm fits with spacers but the linkage ended up part KLR and part Ninja. Good luck on your build, I don't have a lot of off-road miles on mine yet but it has been a blast around town.

Thanks for the info on the shock and the heads up on the stem bearings. I have a gsxr600 shock that is 13.5" and has a long stroke [for a sportbike] but it has an attached reservoir,it may interfere. A question about the shock linkage, did you use klr dog bones or the arm? I don't have any klr linkage at the moment.
Thanks for posting, this is very helpful.

[4dirt2]

Originally Posted by Howlinsage

Thanks for the info on the shock and the heads up on the stem bearings. I have a gsxr600 shock that is 13.5" and has a long stroke [for a sportbike] but it has an attached reservoir,it may interfere. A question about the shock linkage, did you use klr dog bones or the arm? I don't have any klr linkage at the moment.
Thanks for posting, this is very helpful.

The KLR linkage was too big to fit in the ninja frame at the mount point so I used the Ninja linkage and made my own dog bones as the KLR was just a bit short and made the bike too tall for me (6'3"). The Ninja 'bones are too long and wimpy so I made mine out of plate...heavy but solid. My shock has a remote res. on a short hose and I found room for it.
FYI...if you need EX-500 specific info (tune and engine mod tips) check EX-500.com. I got alot of good info from there and that is why I kept the stock exhaust (well almost stock...the cans are off a 2010 Harley).

[Howlinsage]

Originally Posted by 4dirt2

The KLR linkage was too big to fit in the ninja frame at the mount point so I used the Ninja linkage and made my own dog bones as the KLR was just a bit short and made the bike too tall for me (6'3"). The Ninja 'bones are too long and wimpy so I made mine out of plate...heavy but solid. My shock has a remote res. on a short hose and I found room for it.
FYI...if you need EX-500 specific info (tune and engine mod tips) check EX-500.com. I got alot of good info from there and that is why I kept the stock exhaust (well almost stock...the cans are off a 2010 Harley).

Thanks again.

[4dirt2]

Decided I needed some more under seat storage, so I spent $3.49 at Target, made a rock guard out of an old license plate and fitted everything into the inner fender. Sealed the box to the fender with silicone and the seat keeps the lid on TIGHT!

[4dirt2]

with the lid off.

[4dirt2]

Only sticks down past the body work an inch or so and still leaves plenty of room for wheel travel.

[Ken in Regina]

@4dirt2,

Nice mod. Did you remove the inner fender or cut it?

What year/model bike is that?

And what are the tires? Look like Kenda K761? Do they work as good as they look?

...ken...

[4dirt2]

Originally Posted by Ken in Regina

@4dirt2,

Nice mod. Did you remove the inner fender or cut it?

What year/model bike is that?

And what are the tires? Look like Kenda K761? Do they work as good as they look?

...ken...

I just cut out enough to slip the box in. It is a '96 Ninja EX-500 and those are Kendas...they work very well on the street, particularly on our city streets which never seem to get all the winter sand swept up before it snows again. I have had them in sticky mud and they fill right up but clean out well with a little spin.

[El Birdo]

Rad !

[Ken in Regina]

Originally Posted by 4dirt2

I just cut out enough to slip the box in. It is a '96 Ninja EX-500 and those are Kendas...they work very well on the street, particularly on our city streets which never seem to get all the winter sand swept up before it snows again. I have had them in sticky mud and they fill right up but clean out well with a little spin.

I have a set of K761s that I had on my DRZ400SM. They worked well on the street but were disappointing on mild offroad. In particular, that style of tire didn't work very well in sticky wet clay, which is the only kind of mud we have around here. After two low speed spills due to the clay jamming the front wheel and turning it into a ski, I switched the Kendas for IRC GP-1 trials tires. A bit more bite for that sort of thing and still okay on the street.

I bought a '94 Suzuki GS500E just before xmas and I want to be able to take it off the pavement a bit. Just gravel roads, no offroading .... got the DRZ for that. It's good to hear that the K761s are working well on your Ninja. I'll see if I can mount the Kendas up to my GS500 and try them out this spring before I spend more money on tires.

...ken...