Give Me A Sanity Check -- KDX200

[NewHampWoodsRider]

Enjoy the Kool-Aid

You will not regret the acquisition, I owned one for 15 years
and loved the bike dearly. If you are buying it from who I think you are ive seen that bike personally and its in great shape!

Its a tame yet snappy and fun engine.
The woods pipe will really help the low end.
its 220lbs dry, it will feel like a mountain bike compared to your KLR.

Check Fredette Racing for setup guides.

I use to mix in the tank on long rides, I remember riding about 50miles on a tank and never ran empty. I was just too exhaust to ride further.
I think 100 miles might be pusing it however that all depends on how much go juice you apply and what type of riding you are doing.

Upgrade the suspension and ride the bajesus out of it!
and then someday they will write a book about how good you can ride!

[Canuman]

I stopped over at Jackpiner57's place yesterday, and loaded up my DRZ400 "E" with some sweet rack mods, and then slapped Tom's KDX on the trailer. First, we mixed up some fresh pre-mix. The KDX sat for over two years in Tom's shop. With a fresh charge of gas, it all of three kicks to bring it back to life.

There can be no more mosquitoes within a five-mile radius of Tom's shop. The KDX smoked a bit until warmed up, then settled into a nice "Maytag full of Crescent Wrenches" idle.

Tom was obviously hurting letting this trail monster go. He took it for a few spins up and down his road, spraying gravel and grinning like hell.

I forgot to throw a helmet in the van, and I sure as hell wasn't going to ride that beast without one.

However, I got it off the trailer, and today thought I'd take it out for a pop. Haven't ridden a two-stroke in about fifteen years. The KDX is supposed to be pretty mellow. Got it out on the gravel drive, all nicely warmed up. First, no problem. Front is light, but planted. I'm being conservative. Second, same. In third, I threw on the slightest bit of stick, and the front just rose and kept coming up until I chopped. I'm not a wheelie guy. As a matter of fact, I've never wheelied intentionally, unless I needed to hop over a log or something.

Seems I've entered into a whole different ball game.

I kinda like it.

[Foot dragger]

37 HP is about 12 high for a really good running KDX,even with a pipe/porting/head mods 25hp would be pushing it.
Im pretty sure 18/20 hp is what they have stock. They arent fast but make great little woods bikes,just gotta buzz em and row the gears to make em move well.
A KTM200 might approach 35 hp at max buzz and weighs less and less the newer it is.

Google KDX info and some kind of power output will pop up somewhere.

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

37 HP is about 12 high for a really good running KDX,even with a pipe/porting/head mods 25hp would be pushing it.
Im pretty sure 18/20 hp is what they have stock. They arent fast but make great little woods bikes,just gotta buzz em and row the gears to make em move well.
A KTM200 might approach 35 hp at max buzz and weighs less and less the newer it is.

Google KDX info and some kind of power output will pop up somewhere.

I have no idea how much power this little pig will produce. It's got all the good stuff, and is light and kind of high strung. All I know is that I twisted it the smallest bit on in third. and up she came. That's plenty good for me. I don't need no dyno.

37 is claimed here:http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mod...dx200%2005.htm

[kbob999]

Originally Posted by NewHampWoodsRider

Enjoy the Kool-Aid

I think 100 miles might be pusing it however that all depends on how much go juice you apply and what type of riding you are doing.

I measured my mileage on a correctly jetted 200 trail ride, 3-4th gear average, on/off throttle, and get 35 MPG. For the stock 3.2 gallon tank that gives you 100 +/- to empty. 2S do not get as good gas mileage as 4S.

[AtomicXRer]

Here's my modded (RB designs - carb and head, and with KX forks) KDX220. Also with Gnarly woods expansion chamber and stock silencer. I get 95 miles before switching to reserve on stock tank. My thinking is that it'll get about 115 miles to empty.

[AtomicXRer]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

37 HP is about 12 high for a really good running KDX,even with a pipe/porting/head mods 25hp would be pushing it.
Im pretty sure 18/20 hp is what they have stock. They arent fast but make great little woods bikes,just gotta buzz em and row the gears to make em move well.
A KTM200 might approach 35 hp at max buzz and weighs less and less the newer it is.

Google KDX info and some kind of power output will pop up somewhere.

Here are some old dyno (2000 vintage) curves comparing the two; but probably no longer true today with the newer KTM engines. Both show HP in the 35 range.

http://www.dirtrider.net/justkdx/dynotesting.html

[buls4evr]

There is no reason to carry a quart bottle of oil with you for gas refills. You only need about 2.5 to 3ozs of oil per gallon of gas. MSR makes a nice little bottle and container that fits on a belt or pack that would take you out to 200 miles range pretty easily. The carrier is made to hold like a 12 oz bottle of pre-mix oil (concentrate). Several companies also make these.

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by buls4evr

There is no reason to carry a quart bottle of oil with you for gas refills. You only need about 2.5 to 3ozs of oil per gallon of gas. MSR makes a nice little bottle and container that fits on a belt or pack that would take you out to 200 miles range pretty easily. The carrier is made to hold like a 12 oz bottle of pre-mix oil (concentrate). Several companies also make these.

I'm seriously thinking of taking it to finish off the bottom half of the UPAT next summer. I'd need to pack at least a quart of oil for that.

Jackpiner57 has built a one-off rack for another inmate's KDX that worked pretty well. He's going to borrow the bike so he can build jigs in case any other KDX owners want one. A decent top rack and/or a Giant Loop bag would make it overnight capable.

[judobiker]

I got my 2001 KDX 200 a year ago. I put a Tubliss rear with Pirelli trials tire on the back, woods pipe, and race tech fork springs.

I absolutely love the bike and don't see me ever getting rid of it. It's competitive in harescrambles but just as happy to plod along behind the kids on a trail. And it's very cheap to operate and maintain.

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by judobiker

I got my 2001 KDX 200 a year ago. I put a Tubliss rear with Pirelli trials tire on the back, woods pipe, and race tech fork springs.

I absolutely love the bike and don't see me ever getting rid of it. It's competitive in harescrambles but just as happy to plod along behind the kids on a trail. And it's very cheap to operate and maintain.

I haven't put much time in on the bike yet, but from the little I've done, I love it also. This winter, I'm getting some wide pegs, installing stiffer springs (which I already have) and a mild street-legal kit. (Headlight, horn, brake light, and high beam.) Plating it is no problem here. The tire it came with was a little dry, and shucked some knobs on a local ledge section. I have a good Dunlop from my DRZ that'll swap on. I'd like to try the trials tire, but I'm going to put one on the DRZ first to run in Newfoundland. There's plenty of meat on my current DRZ rear, and it will spoon right on to the KDX.

Inmate Jackpiner7 has done a rack for these, and has offered to fab one up for mine. In my opinion, a rack is an absolute necessity here. It can be 80 during the day and drop to near freezing in the evening. Having a little warm gear is a must.

I'm also contemplating adding the Steahy (sp?) flywheel weight. I am not a roost monster. I like things to hook up and I like strong low-end plonk.

[AtomicXRer]

You may have trouble lighting up the high beam with the stock stator.

I am surprised you want a flywheel on a KDX. The KDX was geared, carb'd and ported to have a mild hit and good grunt.

Originally Posted by Canuman

I haven't put much time in on the bike yet, but from the little I've done, I love it also. This winter, I'm getting some wide pegs, installing stiffer springs (which I already have) and a mild street-legal kit. (Headlight, horn, brake light, and high beam.) Plating it is no problem here. The tire it came with was a little dry, and shucked some knobs on a local ledge section. I have a good Dunlop from my DRZ that'll swap on. I'd like to try the trials tire, but I'm going to put one on the DRZ first to run in Newfoundland. There's plenty of meat on my current DRZ rear, and it will spoon right on to the KDX.

Inmate Jackpiner7 has done a rack for these, and has offered to fab one up for mine. In my opinion, a rack is an absolute necessity here. It can be 80 during the day and drop to near freezing in the evening. Having a little warm gear is a must.

I'm also contemplating adding the Steahy (sp?) flywheel weight. I am not a roost monster. I like things to hook up and I like strong low-end plonk.

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by AtomicXRer

You may have trouble lighting up the high beam with the stock stator.

I am surprised you want a flywheel on a KDX. The KDX was geared, carb'd and ported to have a mild hit and good grunt.

When I do the flywheel, I'll slap on the Steahy stator. It seems to be the best bang for the buck. I can always take the flywheel weight off. What I'm looking for is good low-end grunt for rock-hopping. I have other bikes with good top and mid-range. If I had an unlimited budget, I'd be all over Ossa's new Explorer. http://www.motoconnectionvt.com/?page_id=514, but it's four times what I paid for the KDX.

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by dpforth

Are you sure about that weight, seems awful heavy? I looked and found 222lbs dry, which seems close, maybe a bit low.

222 is lighter then a KTM200 dry. KDX's tend to weight 20 lbs more at least over a KTM. The older KDX's were REALLY heavy,like back in the 80's/90's.
They make a great bike for someone getting into the 2 stroke game in the woods,easy to ride,last a long time.
Ride one for a while then try a KTM200,any year will do. So much skinnier lighter faster torquier it will knock your socks off.
I know us KTM loons come off as loons,its just how it is.
They are THAT good!

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by AtomicXRer

Here are some old dyno (2000 vintage) curves comparing the two; but probably no longer true today with the newer KTM engines. Both show HP in the 35 range.

http://www.dirtrider.net/justkdx/dynotesting.html

I see 22 hp for a stock KDX,and about 35 for a stock KTM200.That sounds about right.
Fully modified KDX makes good power though,its a lot of mods . KTM's new 150 is making almost 35hp,trick little bike.