My Kawasaki EX-500 Build

With my self-imposed $1000 budget I started looking for a sport bike older than a 1991. This would allow me to register it as an antique in PA. I had looked at a GSXR and a Interceptor, but neither were close to ridable. It was then that I stumbled on a poorly written Craigslist ad for a 1989 EX500. The pictures made it look horrible and all the ad said was that it ran well. It was well under my budget.... What could possibly go wrong? So I called and set up a time to go look at it. What I found was actually a 1990 with 5600 original miles on it. It had been dropped a few times, but had no major damage. It ran well, and was all original.. right down to its tires. I paid the man and loaded it onto the trailer.

Here she is the day I picked her up.

Right away I knew where I wanted to go with the build. I ordered a lower fairing and mounts, mirrors, tires, battery, front and rear brakes, air filter, a gen2 CCT and hand levers.

With my new Concept Sketch in hand, I got to work...

First I took the front apart to change the tire, replace the brakes and the CCT. While I had it apart I started paint work.

When I got her all back together I had this...

The next weekend/week I pulled the side and rear plastics for paint and reworked the rear fender area. I trimmed away everything I didn't want on the fender and simply turned the license plate bracket upside down to tuck it in close to the cowl. I think for $0 it tuned out very nice!

I had two good mornings in the shop over the weekend. Saturday I took all of the plastics and tank back off as well as the rear wheel. I masked and painted the rear wheel purple and painted the green on the tank before I had to go to work.. Yuck!

Sunday, I got the rear tire mounted, painted the purple on the tank, and cleared it with a 2 stage spray to protect it from fuel spills. Its almost done and I am so excited!!

Those are such fun little bikes, loved how mine handled.

Grtechguy wrote: Those are such fun little bikes, loved how mine handled.

I agree, this is my second one. I owned one back in 2012, I loved that thing! Had to sell it (and all most everything else) when I found myself out of work.

Nice job. For $8 think about replacing the red pinstriping with red reflective pinstriping if you're riding at night.

Reflective Tape

914Driver wrote: Nice job. For $8 think about replacing the red pinstriping with red reflective pinstriping if you're riding at night. Reflective Tape

Thanks Dan, That's a nice touch I may have to look into it!

I've always been fond of the EX500's, they were a contemporary to my 88 Hawk GT. Glad to see you giving the bike a new life.... nice job on the paint!

That's awesome. Love the concept sketch, too.

Looks great! I used to have one way back when, loved the sound with an exhaust on it. What are you using for paint? It's so smooth, not spray can I'm assuming.

Thank you all for the compliments! David, sometimes you just need to break out the crayons... LOL

4Msfam, actually, its not as smooth as it looks. The whole bike was painted with Rust-Oleum Painters Touch Spray Can Key Lime and Dark Purple. The lower fairing, side and rear plastics are top coated with Painters Touch Gloss Clear. The Tank and Front fairing are top coated with Spray Max 2K High Gloss Clear for durability. It is a 2 part spray paint. (includes a hardener) It looks great from about 10 feet and pictures, which is great for what the bike is.

Awesome...I really love most bikes from the '88-'93 era of Japanese bikes. Great work so far; looks like one of those gratifying projects where a few parts, a little aesthetic revitalization, and a good helping of elbow grease go a long way!

I stopped in the shop long enough to pin stripe the tank last night, also picked up the upper fairing and brought it home with me so I could Clear Coat it.

I woke up early for work this morning and decided to stop by the shop on the way in and put everything back together!! I was so excited to see it all assembled!

Its not perfect by any stretch off the imagination, but it looks great I think!

But what is it...

Picked up a set of vinyl stickers from eBay. I give you... The ZX-5R.

You sir have inspired me to tear into my own EX500

Paint scheme reminds me a lot of Unit-01 (or Unit-13) from Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Was that intentional?

At first i wasnt sure about the colour scheme but it seems to have grown on me and i really dig it ! Really have that 90's vibe quite like a cbr600 smokin joe edition, ine of the first crotch rocket i liked ;)

Nice job

Thank you again everyone for the kind words! I'm very happy with the way it turned out, but I am not sure that the red graphics will be staying. They just look "off" to me. They should work, but I am just not sure that they do.

So, this happened yesterday. Huge Thank you to Jim Thwaite for the custom vinyl work. Its been about 10 years since I flew the Sanyarco Motorsports name on anything. I think its about time to change that. :-)

Any Bike that has sat for a while (like 7 years) is going to have teething pains when its put back into service. A couple weeks ago the EX got parked because of a rideability issue. I knew the carbs needed rebuilt, so I sent them out for a rebuild by one of the EX500 communities best. I think they look better than new! Hope to get them on this weekend, I miss the old girl already!