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46mm conventional forks
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Posted by: arjay---------------------
Has anyone had any experience with the 46mm conventional Kayabas from the 89 KX125? I'm thinking about using a set in preference to the 43's or USD'ers. Ant thoughts on the action, tunability, adjustability etc? Thanks.
Posted by: kmccune---------------------
I've been thinking of the same thing, I want better fork action but I just don't want to mess with the USD swap and Gold Valve mode..... I just am not sure it would be a very big step up from stock.
I think that the KDX fork is a mid 80s design so the 89s might be better, anyone?
Posted by: glad2ride---------------------
The following information applies to USA releases.
The 1995 - 2006 KDX200/KDX220 forks are VERY similar to 1988 KX125/KX250/KX500 forks. For any 1995 and newer KDX owner, 1989 is the next step up compared to the stock KDX forks.
1989 KX125/KX250/KX500 forks are 46mm conventional forks, with compression adjustability in the bottom of the forks, but no rebound adjustability. 1990 was the first year for rebound adjustability. The 1989 forks moved from the 20mm cartridge to the 25mmcartridge ( an associated valving). This allows different tuning options.
If you get ANY MX forks, then they will have come stock with MX valving. Unless you are going to be using a KDX just for MX (nerd), then the forks could benefit from a revalve.
One thing some people fail to notice on the stock KDX compression valving parts vs. aftermarket compression valving is the huge leap in technology. There is probably a good reason why no KX in the last 15 years has had that style of valving system. There may be SOME adjustability in revalving using the stock components, but aftermarket offers a lot more.
If I had to choose, I would go for 43mm USD forks before 46mm conventional forks, as Kawasaki did as the KX develped onward.
Posted by: arjay---------------------
Thanks for the detailed info, just what I was after. Do you know whether rebound adjustment could be retro fitted to the 89 fork? Are gold valve options and spring choices available for this fork? Could the internals be brought right up to date? Thanks.
Posted by: glad2ride---------------------
Hey, no problem.
I do not know if rebound adjustment could be retro fitted on the 1989 forks or not. With enough cash, all things are possible though. :-) But seriously, I don't know if it would be a bolt-on operation or require a lot of machining. I think it would take a LOT of time, effort and money to install externally mounted rebound adjustment. I think it would be more than it would be to just get a set of USD, newer model forks.
Here's a link to the 1989 KX250 information on the Race Tech site. Good luck with whatever method you choose.
http://www.racetech.com/evalving/en...angname=english
Posted by: arjay---------------------
Thanks for the link. I'm going to look into the 43mm USD, like you say you 've got to trust progress. What years did the KX125 have the USD 43's? What did they go to after that - 46 or more?
Posted by: m0rie---------------------
90 is 41mm USD's. 91 thru 95 were 43mm USD's. 95 had a midvalve as well. 96 thru 02 I believe were 46mm. 03+ are 48mm.
Posted by: glad2ride---------------------
slight correction - 2002 was the first year for 48mm internal tubes.
arjay - Generally, try to go for more modern and pay attention to condition.
Posted by: COMBEN---------------------
Hi guys, I keep reading about KX USD fork swaps, but would just like to know just how much better is the ride with these and why...I know that's gonna be quite hard to quantify but say, if you scored 10 laps on a hare and hounds would they be so much better to gain another lap.......then I could keep up with the other KDX's 
?
.....I feel the that my KDX is poor when braking real hard with the rear end locked up into a bumpy 'stuttery' tight corner...sometimes it's all I can do to hold on and she also struggles on the faster 3rd gear tightish flatish but 'cutting up' grassy terrain with mid corner bumps where she can wash out real quickly and I have to panic prod with my boot to keep from eating dirt...it's almost as if the forks are being overwelmed and can't react quickly enough?
I remember that my '99 CR-125 would have shrug these corners off, or is this my memory playing with me, or is this the practical gain in 'real' and 'sound' technology that you can actually 'feel' when racing....I'm old enough to remember when every roadbike had to have an 'air pressurised front end' ............or so everyone thought?
cheers and hope this makes some sense 
Richard
Posted by: kmccune---------------------
No your memory is not playing with you, there is a big difference between your CR forks and the KDX forks. I also think that there is a big difference between the last model year of KX conventional forks and the KDX. Maybe not a much, but the conventional ones are not in such demand ( I've bid on 5 sets on eb** and never got close to winning) and would be more straight forward a swap (guessing here). The other option is gold valves.
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