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I'm thinking about getting a KDX
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Posted by: XRBiker220---------------------

I want to know all about these bikes. i have a 2000 XR200 now and i am way too advanced for the bike and am pushing the bike to its limits. How much of an improvement would a 1996 KDX200 be.
how do they handle and how powerful are they, and do they have some low end (i'm used to the low end of a 4 stroke). The one im looking at is $2000, is that a decent price? And how does a KDX200 compare to a 125 mx bike in speed and power.

Posted by: ride_red_15---------------------

not made for an MX track, but it woud whoop up on a 125 in the woods. great power, as close to a thumper as a 2 stroke can get. put a fmf rev pipe on it if u get it

Posted by: spanky250---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by ride_red_15
not made for an MX track, but it woud whoop up on a 125 in the woods. great power, as close to a thumper as a 2 stroke can get. put a fmf rev pipe on it if u get it

It certainly won't "whoop up on" a 125 (just ask Shane Watts), but a KDX 200 is much more bike than an XR 200. There isn't a better trail bike made. You won't be dissapointed with the KDX. It doesn't have quite the idle-speed grunt of the XR, but once above walking speed, it will walk away from it. It also has vastly superior suspension and brakes compared to the XR 200.

Posted by: kent---------------------

consider it (buying a kdx) carefully. I bought a 2002 kdx 220 around 2 months ago and have regretted it ever since. I also came from the four stroke world and it was a shock. With my 4stroke all I did was add fuel, clean and routine maint...I have never been able to get this thing(my kdx) to run right. It always produces black carboned plugs even when leaned to the limits of the stock jetting. If you read these forums and all assoc lit. you will notice that 2-stroke people are constantly adjusting trrying to get these things to run. out on the trail they carry extra plugs as fouling is a way of life to 2s people. the carefree days of giving your bike a new plug for its birthday each year will be gone. Be prepared to wrench more and ride less

Posted by: spanky250---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by kent
you will notice that 2-stroke people are constantly adjusting trrying to get these things to run. out on the trail they carry extra plugs as fouling is a way of life to 2s people.

Not true. If you know how to jet properly, and how to choose the proper heat range for your plug, plug-fouling is not a problem. I haven't changed the plug in my bike in at least 7 or 8 rides, and if I pulled it out right now, it would be a nice shade of mocha. All dirt bikes will benefit to some extent from fine tuning the jetting, four-strokes included. It is very rare that a dirt bike comes jetted perfectly right out of the box. The KDX just happens to come jetted from the factory much farther from ideal than most bikes for some reason. All the info you need to jet it properly is right here, at your fingetips. If you take a little time to jet it properly, trash the junk stock exhaust system, and open up the airbox to allow it to breath, you will be rewarded with excellent power and running manners. Any other fiddling you will need to do, such as suspension setup and fine tuning of the ergos, is common to all dirt bikes, regardless of brand or engine type.

The KDX isn't perfect straight out of the box, but with minimal work and expense, it can become the ultimate playbike.

As for carrying spare plugs being a way of life for two-strokers, at least we don't have to carry a spare leg to start our steeds after a simple stall.

Posted by: KelvinKDX---------------------

Kent,

I got to agree w/ Spanky. Once you have your bike set up correctly (jetting especially) you should not have to be constantly wrenching. Some of us do that just because we are never satisifed.

If you want some help with your bike set-up let me know. I am in the Dayton area and have several friends in the Columbus area too w/ KDX220's. We'd be gald to let you learn from all the mistakes that we have made in the past.

One thing - i've got to admit that 90% of what i have learned about the KDX and bikes in general - I have gathered from this forum and the justkdx site.

Posted by: bud---------------------

I owned a kdx for a year and never fouled a plug. I put a new plug in anyway every few months :D. Same story with my husky... Most of the guys I ride with have 2 strokes, many with less than perfect jetting, and I've never seen them foul a plug... Come to think of it, the only fouled plug I've seen was on a 4 stroke, albeit an old four stroke that had the same plug for about 5 years.

Btw, the "ultimate" trail bike or play bike would also be the ultimate enduro bike...and that is not a kdx. It is probably the ultimate budget bike though. Jmo :D.

Posted by: freydog---------------------

Kent,
Not sure what you mean by "even when leaned to the limits of stock jetting". Are you varying the gas/oil ratio, instead of changing jet sizes?

I rode my 00 kdx 200 hard and put it away wet for the first year and a half running 50:1 synthetic oil with stock jetting. The original plug never did foul, and I still have it as a spare. The only maintenance was cleaning the air filter, changing the oil, and installing a new o-ring chain.

Riders constantly tinker with KDX's because there is so much potential, they are easy to tinker with, and the snap of a 2 stroke is like a drug. It's not that they never run right. People get caught up in always trying to get that last 10% of the horsepower. That's half the fun for some of us.

Stock KDX200's are quiet, have plenty of low end grunt, rev out decent on top, and have way more power than an xr200. Put on a rev pipe and remove the airbox lid and it becomes a screamer that would be right there with most 125mxer's in a drag race. But then it might suck in the woods. KDX's handle incredibly well in tight trails, wheelie over things easily, and at high speeds (60mph) they are fairly stable with very little head shake.

Posted by: teton---------------------

My YZ250F was a different animal compared to your XR, the maintance issue is a must to the high output 4 stroke motor. It is much more finicky to jetting than any of my 2 strokes. Kent must of had a different problem like maybe burning 30 wt motor oil instead of a quality 2 stroke oil, I have seen this happen. Coming off a 4 stroke bike to a 2 stroker is tough at first, different powerbands, no engine braking, center of gravity and weight is different just to name a few. You do have to learn to not lug it as low as a XR, off idle stuff can load up an engine on a 2 stroke, is this hard? not at all, I load up my bike all the time, you just need to learn how the motor sounds before plug fouling starts. I cant remember the last time that I have fouled a plug, and maintance, Im lazy and dont like it! Changing the gear box oil is no harder than a 4 stroke, same as a air filter, my YZF on the other hand had, you had to drain the case, then the oil filter, and change or clean, then the frame res. and frame screen, dont forget about the hose's (a real pain), this is much more than any of my 2 stroke bikes. Some of the jetting issue's that you see here on this board are guy's looking for the optimal jetting settings on bikes that they are always changing, not some unheard or unforeseen problem lerking in there motors. these are jetting and fiddler finattics at there best !!
And guy's like you and me will benefit from there testing.
I think that you would love a 96 KDX 200, night and day from your XR 200, not even close, and will be much more forgiving like a XR over a 125.

Posted by: ziggypop---------------------

Get it!! Unless you are ready to step up to a true racing bike "ktm , gasgas or modified Jap MX'r"etc..
You will never get more bang for your buck. I've had mine 2 years and have ridden it a lot, it is by far the most trouble free and fun bike I have ever owned. You will love the power and suspension. I am just now considering upgrading but I don't know if I will get rid of old green or keep her in the barn for friends and fun rides.
By the way mine is a '96 and I paid 2000 when I got it 2 years ago and haven't spent 200 dollars on it since then other than gas and oil and tires. I would say that a very clean '96 is still worth that, it might be a bit high but if it's nice go for it.

Posted by: DJM67---------------------

.....the 2 are chalk and cheese.

One is a good learners bike. The other is a KDX.

More everything, power, brakes, suspension, fun. And yes slightly more TLC.

But in reality if you get it set up properly (pipe, silencer, sprockets, reeds, revalve/spring the forks, jetting and if you want to go all the way an RB carb) then you have a pretty good bike for not a lot of $$$$$$.

Good enough to take you to the next level of ability and on to some serious money type of enduro racing bike bike, maybe enough for ever.........

Posted by: XRBiker220---------------------

thanx alot. i plan on getting a kdx now. even if i cant get this one. i am going to try to look at it on wendsday. but my dad is being an ******* and doesnt want to take me to see it cuz he has "work to do". Also the guy says it has fmf pipe and silencer, how much power will this be over stock. and do these bikes have any powerband, will the front wheel rise when i get on the gas since it has a fmf pipe/silencer. or do these bikes not have that kind of power?
Plese tell me this stuff. im very interested in learning more about this bike!
So reply now
thanx

Posted by: freydog---------------------

kdx's have a shorter wheelbase than an mx bike, therefore they wheelie pretty easily. my kdx200 is stock and wheelies in 1st thru 3rd are not a problem with a teenie tug on the bars required in 3rd.

A friend of mine has a 95 kdx200 and for some reason his bike did not wheelie like mine. He has an FMF pipe, and maybe it's a rev pipe instead of a torque pipe, and I didn't get the bike into the power band. we were riding tight trails that day. His bike felt pretty flat on the bottom.

Posted by: Perk---------------------

I made just about the exact same tranisition you are about to make. I have six words to say. Get it, get it, get it.

I had and loved my old 88 XR200 and was a little worried about making the step to a two stroke, with all of the fouling plug horror stories, and the pre mix and jetting nightmares. I can think of no legitimate reason in the world that I would not recommend a KDX to somebody looking to have a lot of fun and at the same time have a potential woods weapon.

Posted by: craig_enid---------------------

Another convert, here. I was on several suzuki 4stks, the last being a '90 DR 250. Got a '95 KDX with all the usual stuff already on it, o-ring, FMF pipe and silencer, handguards....
Once again, I have a bike that can do more than I can ask it to. Liked it so much I got another '95 as a back-up/spare bike.
I've had no problems with jetting or maintainence. I ride the BJEC and High Plains Division of TSCEC, run same jetting at all races. (Although I haven't made the Mile High, or Kachina races....)
The best way I can describe the KDX, is nimble, as compared to other bikes I've owned. (DR,RMX,RM,KX) Also, it pulls as well as my DR did, AND has a sweet kick at the top.
Get it and enjoy!

Posted by: XRBiker220---------------------

I looked at the bike. its fast pulled up the front wheel in 1st 2nd and 3rd without me trying to do it at all. nice power! I love it, but my dad is skeptical about leting me get it becuase it needs tires and wheel berings. and is kinda scratched up and alittle beat looking. but it has some goodies like the fmf gnarly pipe and silencer and bark busters and renthal bars, other stuff. but the guy is firm at $2000 for a kinda beat 1996? Tight engine but thats still expensive. but there is few kdx's in my area. this is the first one ive found in 2 years of looking.

Posted by: teton---------------------

2 bones is not really that high for a 96, figure it has about $500. worth of goodies on it. The parts that you have mentioned are not to expensive to replace including plastic.

Posted by: kent---------------------

Spanky, I figured I'd hear from you at the very least and expected others to reply as they did. My four strokes were not hi-performance and started easily. I was searching for a new bike to explore the national forest that we ride and wasn't even considering any two stroke as I'd stood around many a time watching my yz,rm ect. buddies wrenching and changing plugs mid ride. Then one of them said I might want to consider a kdx. He claimed it wasn't like his high strung mx and offered a four stroke like dependability from what he heard.....I came to this site and gathered as much info as I could and it seemed like I had found the best of both worlds. I couldn't find any complaints! I really wish I had found some one that gave a contrary opinion, all sunshine makes for an uninformed decision. People comming from low performance 4-s may find,(as I do), buying parts for a brand new bike in order that it might run right, strange at the very least...we may want to drop the talaban attitude and consider where a xr rider is comming from(gas&ride) and going to...Just so it has been said, I have read and copied all the info on the justkdx site, my flote bowl was wrong(too high/rich) from the factory and I corrected that. I had spent several rides with a brand new bike that was too rich too idle and none of the 2-s people on the rides could get it lean..thanks to this very good site and Canadian dave I was able to discover how to fix it. The next step was removal of my air box lid, also Dave and many others on this site. It ran better but still turned out black plugs good for only one ride..I am told by some local kdx riders that they used jets 1 to 2 sizes smaller than stock with the stock needle and got perfect plugs with stock carb and pipe.I will try that next.............make no mistake the kdx community is excellant and helpfull but a new xr owner doesn't even have to read the owners manual..pump gas, wash and lube...my kdx was a shock.....kent

Posted by: jo8243---------------------

My '01 KDX was jetted almost perfectly from the factory. Only thing that needed doing was raising the idle just a little bit w/ the air screw. It's a tad rich now and I'll get around to changing that eventually, but I've never fouled plug one. Plus it starts easy...... betcha can't say that about a XR after it's been on its side for a minute or two.

Posted by: XRBiker220---------------------

IM GETTIN THE BIKE!!!!!!!!!!! YYYYYYAAAAAYYYY
my dad is takin me to pick it up tommaro. yes

I rode it last night it was so sweet. i cant wait!!!! BTW dont diss my XR, that think started first kick hot or cold. i could lay it on its side and still it starts first kick. but i cant wait for my KDX

Posted by: XRBiker220---------------------

IM GETTIN THE BIKE!!!!!!!!!!! YYYYYYAAAAAYYYY
my dad is takin me to pick it up tommaro. yes

Posted by: Bryan Kimsey---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by XRBiker220
I want to know all about these bikes. i have a 2000 XR200 now and i am way too advanced for the bike and am pushing the bike to its limits. How much of an improvement would a 1996 KDX200 be.

I came to my '96 KDX200 (used) from a '96 XR250 and then a Yamaha WR/YZ250. As far as I'm concerned, the KDX combines the best of both of those bikes. Properly jetted (I'm running a 155 main/42 pilot and need to drop the pilot 1 more, but I'm at 6000', too), with an FMF Torque pipe and ISDE silencer, I honestly feel like the KDX has as much bottom end as my XR did. I've practiced riding as slow as I can up hills and the KDX will just lug its way up as well as the XR. Then, on the top end, it'll rip. The handling is better than either the XR or WR were- there's been MANY situations when I know I would the front wheel would've plowed under on the XR or pushed on the WR, and the KDX recovers. So, for my kind of riding which includes everything from desert-like conditions to full-blown woods, from 4000' to 9000', the KDX is the best bike I've ever had.

Maintenance-wise, I suspect this KDX is on the original piston, but I'm going to find out in about a month when I tear it down. Otherwise, all I do is Maxima chain wax the chain, change the transmission oil every month, keep the air filter clean, and check for loose bolts. My WR was incredibly reliable, too. My XR (bought new) lost about 1/2 of it's bolts, including the downtube oil bolt :scream: and several other small problems. I did as much or more maint. on it as I've done to my new 2-strokes (my '78 RM125 excepted!).

Search the archives for XR250 and you'll find some more details on the differences that I noted between the bikes. Experience-wise, I'm 39 and have been riding since I was 13. I raced 125's in high school, but am now "just" a play/trail rider.

That's my experience- take it or leave it.

Posted by: alpine26---------------------

I have an XR 250 that I upgraded to a 280 put progressive suspension on it (SRC)Summers Racing Components on it,not to mention other goodies on it.It handles better and runs awesome.I also have a 2001 kdx 220,and you can't go wrong with a kdx.This bike tracks better through rough stuff and is a terriffic ride.I guess the weight difference is a big factor,but the bike is great right out dealership.I've always been a honda man ,but am open to changes.And I'am glad i rode the kdx.Don't get me wrong an XR is a good reliable ride,and I still have mine for now,but as easy as the kdx is to ride ,I think you made a great decision,and its easy to work on to!

Posted by: KDX200Biker---------------------

Thanx for all the info guys. i just changed my name to KDX200Biker as u can see from XRBiker220

Posted by: DJM67---------------------

.........have fun

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I'm thinking about getting a KDX

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