The "runs... can use a little TLC... tires have plenty of tread left..." Thread

[SVsick50]

I thought I was getting a good deal. Heck $700 for a 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 to put a little effort into, rat it out and rip it around town. I mean... I got two other bikes, but a little ripper would be fun...

Went out to meet the seller in a dead field here in Texas, and after looking it over and doing my best to speak Spanish, thought "Yeah, just some tires and a few fixes I can get this thing going killer". Four Mexicans helped me get it into my truck and off I went. The smile was soon to turn into a frown (which eventually has turned back to a smile, but geesh...)



After looking it over, I realized that this was going to be a much bigger and expensive'er project than I thought. First rule of "runs" is looking at the oil. This is what came out - a fine mix of gas, oil and water. Perfect for the refined and distinguished palate... "runs" yeah, what came out looked like the "runs" from Chipotle. Disclaimer: the seller did send me a video of it running. With this in the crankcase, boy, they sure did build them great back then...



Also, check out this full, custom exhaust system...







New paint/who dis. The dents stay.





Everything had to be rebuilt: carbs, forks, intake... everything. Luckily, the headgasket wasn't blown. I bought a bunch of stuff I'm gonna have to resell on eBay. I bought tools I thought I'd never need, even one to remove the frozen oil filter. It's about 80% there, and actually really stoked the way it's coming out.

Here's how the little ripper sounds so far without the carb sync.

View attachment vid480.mov

I guess, in the end, I'll have one unique EN500 that's loud and kinda fast for what it is.

 

[KrustyKruser]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. Glad your able to save it amd turn it into a fun project

 

[budman]

That oil.

Sounds good. Look forward to seeing it progress.

 

[greenmonster]

Hope it was worth it in the end. If it isn't, well just keep it and enjoy.

 

[bikewanker]

More photos of the VFR please.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Cool project, gonna be a sweet bike when all is said and done.

 

[Erbuck]

I had an '80s version of that moto that I got as a box of parts. When I got it running, I was surprised how smooth the motor was, especially at wide open throttle.
Good luck with your project!

 

[SVsick50]

Havent chimed into my little thread in awhile, but slowly but surely the EN500 is coming along. I'm down to two issues: Air/Fuel mix and clutch.

I believe the clutch is frozen because of the gas that was in the crankcase - my guess is that whatever fiberglass is on the clutch plates probably got all gunky from the gas and fused it altogether. I tried allowing the engine to warm with hopes of freeing it up, but no go.

Now its carb headache time. Trying to get the air/fuel mix correct with the pod filters. I may need to raise the needle another shim for more fuel because it is popping on idle pretty bad.

I had non-baffled pipes on there and it was obnoxious. Never knew an EX500 motor could sound so beastly. So I had to get different pipes with baffles.

Cosmetically, she ain't bad!

 

[SVsick50]

I had an '80s version of that moto that I got as a box of parts. When I got it running, I was surprised how smooth the motor was, especially at wide open throttle.
Good luck with your project!

It is the tried and true EX500 motor which is on the Ninja 500. I love cruisers with sportbike motors. Like the Yamaha Maxim... cruiser with an inline 4!

 

[gixxerjeff]

This is gonna be a fun thread to follow.
I'm with you all the way, dude!
I'm glad your sticking it out.
As far as the EX500 engine goes....what an amazing little power plant.
Anytime I see that motor, it brings me back to my late friend, Julian. (Frame Maker)
He understood that platform better than most.

 

[SVsick50]

The bike runs, but I was getting serious pop at idle. Felt where the “universal” mufflers connect with the Emgo exhaust reducer and there was a serious exhaust leak. I pulled the mufflers and decorated the area with hi-temp silicone and waiting for it to cure.

While it was running (crappy) I thought I’d put it into gear and it stalled. Clutch was adjusted perfectly at the cables, but since there was so much gas in the crankcase from before, I was guessing that the plates were probably glued together that no finesse could make it work. Welp, pulled off the cover and YUP! This is how toasted the clutch was.

And the band plays on…

 

[augustiron]

Keep going D!!!

Don't ever think about the fact that if you paid yourself $0.50 an hour for the time spent resurrecting a beater you could have spent that $ on a fine turnkey runner.

I know I try not to.

My current $700 beater dr650 experiment reminded me again of this paradox.

As I head out to the garage to eff with the carb again, (after swearing off carbs years ago)

 

[SVsick50]

(after swearing off carbs years ago)

Keto diet.

 

[Rtmac]

Don't ever think about the fact that if you paid yourself $0.50 an hour for the time spent resurrecting a beater you could have spent that $ on a fine turnkey runner.

Reminds me of...
“If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong”
- J Leno

 

[SVsick50]

Does she run?
Yes.
Does she run well?
Kinda…

…after shimming the shit out of the needles, I am very close to getting rid of the bog at 1/2 throttle. It is very slight. Also, I’m getting pops on decel and off throttle, so still pretty lean. I’m going to mess with blocking off some air with some makeshift pod filter plates and see if that makes a difference. I remember I experienced this before and a very slight air block made a huge world of difference.

Now that she’s on the road, surprise surprise! Steering head bearings are shot. Speedo cable is broke. Ordered both. Speedo cable is a 10min. job, but the bearings? Yuck. Oh well.

But! She is on the road and rips for a 500. I’m so used to the torque on my big V-twin, and this doesn’t do much at low RPM’s. The baffled exhaust is obnoxiously loud; glad I got rid of the straight pipes. The little fly screen actually does something which I thought was funny. Anyway, here she is in Central Texas sunset glory with my home that I still owe $300k on in the backdrop.

 

[gixxerjeff]

Fuck yeah!

 

[Rtmac]

I would ride the shit outta that bike... nice job!

 

[augustiron]

Your perseverance is...... Something.



Hope it keeps working and brings smiles.

Also, putting pod filters where there used to be an air box can cause all kinds of hell with carburetors, I know on the old SOHC4 hondas, we could never jet them right with pods. Always a flat spot.

 

[bobl]

If it has the smog device that injects air into the exhaust port, blocking that off may help with the popping on deceleration. Plus one for jetting with pod filters being a problem.

 

[SFMCjohn]

that engine is one of my all time favorite motorcycle engines. I probably owned at least ten of them over the years—so cool to see this one rehabilitated and on the road again.

(I did run one without an air box, but it was fitted with connected-directly-to-the-throttle-cable, non-CV, round-slide aftermarket carbs and velocity stacks with no air filters at all. )