New bike in the garage...

[eprovenzano]

Coop did you find the additional low end torque of the 200 more user friendly especially coming of the 125?  From my (limited) experience the 200 is a begging to be ridden on the pipe like a 125, but with a little more low end lorque to help over come mistakes.  For those that like the smaller bores, the 200 is a win / win...  I guess that's why KTM sells a bunch of 200's...   

[SachsGS]

On the subject of more "grunt" it always puzzled me why Kawasaki brought out the KDX220?

[HS125]

Coop,

Have you checked out Jeff Fredette's web site for modifications you may want to do in the future to the KDX?

Jeff Fredette is the authority on KDX's.

Just a thought.

Lyle

[Coop]

Coop did you find the additional low end torque of the 200 more user friendly especially coming of the 125?  From my (limited) experience the 200 is a begging to be ridden on the pipe like a 125, but with a little more low end lorque to help over come mistakes.  For those that like the smaller bores, the 200 is a win / win...  I guess that's why KTM sells a bunch of 200's...   

Yes it was very easy to use. Those guys used to leave me behind and have to wait up. Saturday they kept looking back and shaking their heads because I was right there. They are fast guys too both either still race (YZ250) or have raced (Husky 360) MX and off-road for a long time. It doesn't as feel as fast as my 125 but that is because it is so smooth, it doesn't have a real hard hit like an MX two stroke does. But I am going easily twice as fast on it as I was through the technical sections and difficult climbs that my 125 really struggled on.

Everybody I talk to that has owned or ridden both tell me they prefer the 200, so I am not sure what void the 220 really filled?

I have checked out Fredette's site and kdxrider.net. Both have given me more ideas than I have money 

[burn1986]

Yeah, its nice. I actually wouldn't mind have one. I've ridden a KDX 200 before and liked it a bunch. My ultimate bike would be to have that motor in a KX125 frame. Heck, I would have that motor in any 125 frame if I could wedge it in.

[Coop]

Yeah, its nice. I actually wouldn't mind have one. I've ridden a KDX 200 before and liked it a bunch. My ultimate bike would be to have that motor in a KX125 frame. Heck, I would have that motor in any 125 frame if I could wedge it in.

Trust me, last winter I saw two different KX125 rollers on our local c'list cheap. I have already been searching in case one comes up again  . That would make a nice winter project.

[2stroke250]

Really nice score Coop. You should have a lot of fun on it. BTW, I hate bent levers too. It always amazes me how they can bend to the point of looking like ram horns, but you can't bend them back even a hair without heat. Go figure.

[jtomasik]

That's one versatile bike...probably one of the most versatile bikes out there.  You can stick a newbie on it, and it'll be fun from the start.  Put an advanced rider on it, and it'll give them a smile from ear to ear.

I'd love to pick up one.  I gotta get rid of my kid's YZ85 first, though.  That baby's collecting dust, and it is definitely NOT the bike you want to put your new girlfriend on.  I let two of my girlfriends ride it, and it threw both of them to the ground!  I almost felt sorry for them, but I was too busy checking to see if the bike was damaged....lol

[Coop]

Thanks you two.

I have F/R wheel bearings and fork seals coming. Plus I plan to check and grease all the external bearings the day I do the seals. I also already have a nice list of mods I'd like to do over winter if I get the extra cash.

I did change the bars and grips, plus added the MSR D-flector aluminum bark busters with shields that were on my 125. The bars are just cheapos, but I had to change them because they ones on it were welded shut on the ends so I couldn't use my hand guards.

[SachsGS]

I wonder if anyone has combined a grenaded KX250f and a KDX200 ala Service Honda? I've ridden stock KDXs and really enjoy them but if a guy wanted to get fancy....

[Coop]

I don't know about the KXF but I know a lot of guys buy 125's and do what's called a hybrid by KDX owners/fans. Last year I saw two rollers for around $200 and I hope to find one this winter. It would be a fun project.

[ford832]

On the subject of more "grunt" it always puzzled me why Kawasaki brought out the KDX220?

The 220 has more bottom end but less on top.Both good,able woods bikes nonetheless-once you open them up.Bone stock they run like there's a rag in the airbox.

[Coop]

Mine is pretty much stock (has an aluminum throttle tube, only "mod" that I know of haha) and though it doesn't "feel" fast because it doesn't have that big hit MX bikes have, I have no trouble keeping up with faster bikes in the woods. If we hit open ground the YZ250 and Husky 360 would easily leave me. But is the super tight PA woods it makes about perfect power for going fast and aggravating those guys because every time they look back and I am right there still LOL.

I have a few mods in mind, but replacing the stock silencer is not one of them. I love how quiet this bike is. I plan to start with the suspension.

[ford832]

Suspension is always an excellent idea.Th stock silencer is quiet but terribly restrictive.I'd buy a quiet aftermarket(but keep the stock pipe),throw the airbox lid,install a set of boyesen reeds,jet down a couple sizes and away you go.My bro in law bought one new and I found that stock,it would just barely start to climb in to the power and it would fall flat.Once I did the above,the power was very good and clean and ran like it should.Moreover,it didn't make it at all like an mx bike,very manageable,better in the slow stuff but the power was there when you wanted it.Whatever you decide,they are a great woods bike and very raceable as well.

[Coop]

It's funny you say that about the silencer. On the one popular kdx site they suggest the opposite. That is they say replace the pipe but keep the stock silencer LOL.

If my back is up to it I have considered racing some woods next season with my friend (YZ250 I normally ride with) and his grandson.