by JohnNicholas on 08/20/2009
In the September 2009 issue of Motocross Action, Chuck Sun writes about his experience racing the Service Kawasaki 500AF.
After the magazine had tested the bike for a few months, their impression was that it was a machine that did not turn well, had unmanagable power and unbalanced suspension.
Chuck Sun at the Glen Helen Two Stroke Challenge. Photo by Paul Letourneur
After speaking with AJ Waggoner over at Service Kawaski, Chuck Sun obtained permission to modify the setup and race the machine. With a one lap ride on the track he had a list of 12 changes to improve the bike.
To read about the changes Chuck Sun made to the bike, please pick up the latest issue of MXA.
The most interesting part of the article were his closing comments…
The million dollar question: Can I go as fast on the Service Kawasaki KX500AF as I can on a modern 450 four-stroke? Yes-at least for a few laps. Could I win on one? I did win my class at the amateur portion of the Glen Helen National and made the top five in the younger age groups. And if you put a 21-year-old Chuck Sun on the Service Honda KX500AF (which is how old I was when I won the 1980 AMA 500 National Championship), I think I could have won the 2009 Glen Helen National-and I’m not talking about the Two-Stroke Challenge.