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Fs:1997 Kawasaki Ninja 500r (ex500)


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Time has come for the Ninja to go, I have ridden it less and less each summer since I've gotten it from Redkow97 3 winters ago.

 

Its a 97, with a hair over 15k miles..Chris took very good care of it in the time he had it, so I've tried keeping on his mark with that..New tires were put on last summer, as well as the fogbones, the fog rear sets, and generic clip ons..The fogbones raised the rear a little over an inch, and I've slid the forks through the trees about an inch..I had plans to eventually make this a track day bike, which never really panned out.

 

This spring I did a new chain, fresh oil change (has 35 miles on the oil change). I blacked out the windshield (I also have a second, clear one), replaced all the bulbs in the gauge cluster, got rid of the whole undertail license plate mounting crap,and the turn signals have been off for over a year now..Still have the wiring tucked in, and all 4 turn signals..could be back on in less than an hour. The bike also recieved a new sealed battery this past spring.

 

To fit the clip ons, I did have to trim into the upper fairing a bit. The Photo in the garage is the most recent, I took it last week..The other photos are from last summer, and the year before.

 

I've never dropped it or wrecked it, it does have a minor scratch on the lower chin fairing, I believe Chris said it fell over in his garage when he owned it.

 

I also believe he had put stiffer springs in the forks to stop the front end of diving so much on heavy braking, but I forget the details.

 

I have most of the original parts (original windshield,bars, rearsets, as well as the clymer manual Chris gave me when I bought the bike. The bike runs great, and has never left me stranded, or missed a beat..I've went on 400+ mile rides over weekends with no issue whatsoever.

 

Clean Ohio title in my name

 

Asking $1200 OBO to OR memebers, If interested, please give me a call or email, and mention you're from OR

330 720 3969 or shaun.jordan@gmail.com .. Text IS PREFERRED due to the nature of my job, but I usually check my phone every hour or two and at lunchtime.

 

Any questions, feel free to ask...I'd be willing to trade, but thats really limited to a 4 stroke dual-sport street legal bike, or really any 2 or 4 stroke off road dirtbike...

 

Thanks!

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To round out the history a bit:

 

- The bike was set down on its left side in my garage when my wife was moving it.  The only damage was a broken clutch lever, which I replaced.  I was actually completely amazed that nothing else was scratched or dented.

 

- the owner prior to me laid the bike down on its right side, apparently in a similar fashion to my wife's incident, because there are some light scratches on the water pump (no indication that it ever slid), and the brake lever was bent when I bought it.  That was also replaced while I owned the bike.

 

There are heavier fork springs installed.  I used the racetech fork spring rate calculator, and installed what they recommended for racing for my weight.  I believe that was .90 or .95, but I can't remember.  I was ~185 at the time I did the calculations, and it was mildly harsh for me on the street.  Would be good for track for someone of similar size, or great for street if you're 200+.   And it's not like you can't take out some preload by trimming the spacers that are installed.

 

If memory serves, the lower fairings have scuffs from dragging while cornering.

 

It was always a strong runner for me.  I'd consider buying it back, but it's still too nice for my current budget!

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Shaun - what's the deal with the "fog rearsets?"  I see in the last picture that there appears to be a bracket that relocates the rearset. Is that what you're talking about?

 

I assume that moves them up and back an inch or so? 

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Chris, the fog rear sets are from a guy named FOG on ex500.com.. He's a older guy who used to exclusively track Ex's.

All they are is plates, that move you an inch back, and an inch up.. The stock pegs, brake pedal and shifter mount to these plates, and then in turn all remount to the stock location..

I was really looking at the woodcrafts, but the price tag was a major turnoff.. FOG makes these out of a chunk of aluminum in his garage and drills and taps everything, I think I bought them for $65 shipped.. Makes a hell of a difference in feel, opposed to the stock "mid" foot position.

He also makes the dog bones that raise the rear 1.5" I believe and supposedly makes the bike more responsive for turning in, and makes better use of the front braking power.. I think the bones were $50 or so.. I primarily wanted them to raise the rear since I'm taller..

Thanks for the compliments, and other info, Chris.. I remembered bits and pieces of everything you told me but couldn't piece it together fully

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It was always a strong runner for me.  I'd consider buying it back, but it's still too nice for my current budget!

How far off is your budget? If you're serious we can work something out.. $1200 isn't my bottom dollar only because I'm trying to feed the mx/dual sport budget.. I sold my YZ250 last week and I'm already itching to get back in the woods..let me know..

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Chris, the fog rear sets are from a guy named FOG on ex500.com.. He's a older guy who used to exclusively track Ex's.

All they are is plates, that move you an inch back, and an inch up.. The stock pegs, brake pedal and shifter mount to these plates, and then in turn all remount to the stock location..

I was really looking at the woodcrafts, but the price tag was a major turnoff.. FOG makes these out of a chunk of aluminum in his garage and drills and taps everything, I think I bought them for $65 shipped.. Makes a hell of a difference in feel, opposed to the stock "mid" foot position.

He also makes the dog bones that raise the rear 1.5" I believe and supposedly makes the bike more responsive for turning in, and makes better use of the front braking power.. I think the bones were $50 or so.. I primarily wanted them to raise the rear since I'm taller..

 

I know Bill "FOG" Martovich :-)  At least I know who he is and have conversed with him on ex-500.com for the last 7 years or so.  I had Fogbones installed before I sold it to you, but I didn't consider it a "selling point" and sold them off to someone else before you contacted me.  I didn't know he made rearset relocation plates.    Most of what Bill innovated had to conform to the rules of the stock 500 class at Loudon Raceway.  I wasn't aware that relocating the rearsets was within the rules.

 

I know he never ran true clip-ons, because the rules said that you had to use the stock factory mounting point.  The Woodcraft "clip-ons" for the EX500 are designed to conform to that rule, because I'm pretty sure Eric Wood was racing the same series.  They're just lowered versions of the stock setup, with replaceable bars, like you'd see on a traditional clip-on setup.

 

My price range is compromised by the fact that my wife and I are expecting a baby in January, so definitely don't hold onto it for my sake.  Our first date did involve me picking her up on the bike though, so maybe she'll get nostalgic and let me spend some money :-P   Regardless, she got a kick out of seeing pics of the bike, and it's nice to know that it's been taken care of and ridden. 

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  • 1 month later...

Offer sent to email.

 

 

Would like to get rid of this still before it gets cold.. Reasonable offer takes it, or trade for a dirtbike (2 or 4 stroke) or a quad of equal or lesser value.

 your offer must have been invalid Chris...LOL

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