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XR200 vs. KDX 200/220 question
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Posted by: David M
After riding with me the past summer my girlfriend wants to get her own dirt bike. The search has been narrowed down to an XR200 or KDX200/220. She's been riding road bikes for 20 years, but last summer on my bike was the first time for dirt riding. She's 5'8". Her first impression sitting on the KDX was that the seat was too high, but I found the same when I got my bike so we're not sure how much of an issue this would be for her considering her height. She liked the height of the XR200 in the showroom, but after riding road bikes, and having ridden my XR650R, she's concerned she may grow tired of it fast. The trails we ride range quite a bit, but the closest trail is woods. Should she get an older XR 200 to start then switch, or just go for the KDX? Any ideas or suggestions?
Posted by: Michelle
I reckon that after a month or so, your g/f would be bored with the XR. Go straight for the KDX. If you check out the KDX forum, there are numerous threads about lowering the KDX, with an addy for longer links which'll lower the bike a couple of cm's (or more).
A good friend of mine used to ride a Yamaha Blaster, she'd never been on two wheels. Her first ride was on a Hyosung XRX125 (test bike) and then she got the XR200, which she rode for almost a year before getting totally fed up with it. She'd watch me going over whoops and saw how much better my bike would track, handle. She'd drop the bike and we'd sit there for 5 minutes or so while waiting for her to start it (not always, but often enough that it was a PITA). I'd have to ride it up some hills (mainly when she was first learning) and it was yuck.
She's always commenting about how easy the KDX is to start (I drop it a lot or just lie it down while helping the kids with something - which is something we'd never do with the XR just because you then couldn't start it - luckily it had a better sidestand than my bike).
I'm 5'3" and rarely have problems with the height. One thing that is very important though - get the suspension sorted out properly. The forks are sprung for someone about 130 while the back is sprung for someone about 170 (from memory). For me I had to get a new shock spring as the stock fork springs were right.
As her riding improves and she wants more power, she can mod the bike cheaply & easily. A new pipe, reeds, air box lid removal (I'd recommend doing it anyway, due to airflow). For the 220 carb boring is the way to go apparently, as the 220 has a smaller carb (33") than the 200 (35"). Heaps of threads & info in the kdx forum for more details.
I seriously don't think the XR will be the right bike for her, she'll just outgrow it too quickly with her experience (and height).
I hope that helps and let us know how it goes. (I take it you've looked at the RFS's and are just after a mellow bike to start with?)
Michelle
Posted by: firecracker22
Yeah, sounds like the KDX would be great for her; I am 5'7" and comfortable on full sized bikes (now I am anyway). She would definitely outgrow the XR quickly. The KDX sounds like a great bike. She will be able to ride that for a LONG time before she is ready for something else, or she may never be. There is a good reason the KDXs have such a large, loyal following. If she decides to get aggressive or start racing, she might want a KTM or a woods-ified MX two or four stroke down the road.
Get her to post on here and keep us up to date!!
Posted by: Lissa
Get a KDX. The XR is only good for a true absolute beginner.
Posted by: CJ Rider
One thought about street versus dirt (from somebody who rides both): It's WAY more important to be able to touch the ground solidly when you ride street than when ya ride dirt. Street bikes are much heavier and you don't want to drop one in a parking lot due to cost of repairs. Dirt bikes are much lighter and built to take quite a lot of dropping abuse. Yer GONNA drop it. Another difference is that "suspension is good." It helps ya out in so many ways over so many obstacles. Maybe the KDX is taller because it has a more beefy suspension than the XR200. If that's the case, then trading off a little seat height for suspension is a worthy swap. Can she tippy toe when she sits on a KDX and adjusts the rear shock to sag the standard 4"? If she can do that, then she's prolly good to go. My friend who's looking at one of these KDXs is 5'7" tall and fits nicely on it, so I'll bet your g/f would also fit fine and would learn to enjoy it pretty quickly with all of her street experience to draw on.
Posted by: David M
Thanks for those four replies. I printed them off and showed her. One person on a KDX forum on yahoo suggested cutting the seat foam down 1.5" and increasing the sag on the suspension. This allowed her to ride the KDX without a problem - her height is 5'4".
So, Pam (my g/f) decided to go with the KDX, and she's getting one this weekend if all goes well. Thanks again -david
Posted by: Michelle
Thanks for the update David. Hope you find one & all goes well.
On my last ride, I found the KDX a bit too tall twice. Whenever I come across this (not often), I climb off & move it to somewhere I feel more comfortable (usually to restart). If I complain about this, I get told "what do you need to touch the ground for, that's what footpegs is for", which of course is from someone about 6' tall & has no problems 
(the quote originally comes from Stefan Merriman, who's a top enduro rider & not very tall - and whatever you read about him, he's a Kiwi who HAD to become an Australian to race)
For links about lowering the bike, check out:
http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/sh...300d4c490f12b7a
d02f3178fcd2d&threadid=23247&highlight=lowering
http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/sh...00d4c490f12b7ad
02f3178fcd2d&threadid=22002&highlight=lowering
http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/sh...00d4c490f12b7ad
02f3178fcd2d&threadid=32640&highlight=lowering
http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/sh...00d4c490f12b7ad
02f3178fcd2d&threadid=60895&highlight=lowering
There are more threads, but they all start repeating the same info. I don't like the idea of lowering via sag. You'll also want to look at the correct spring rates for Pam (btw, 5'4" & 5'8" way different heights lol).
Don't forget the first ride report (and any others she or you feel happy with sharing) 
Michelle
Posted by: David M
We went and looked at the bike on Sunday (8 hours of driving total) and it turned out to be a nice bike, so she bought it. It came with some nice extras like Renthal bars, rad guards, an FMF Gnarly pipe AND an extra FMF Fatty pipe. Also came with an FMF turbine core spark arrestor AND an FMF power core muffler. Also came with a digital Panaram computer and a bunch of synthetic oil. No ride reports yet, but I'll let Pam do that. Won't be for a while though, as we're up to our knees in snow and its freezing cold here. Thanks again for the help. -david
Posted by: Michelle
Glad you found a bike you're both happy with (sounds good)
Is it a 220? I just remember reading ages ago that you can only get the 220's over in Canada.
While you're waiting for the snow to clear, check out what to do with a new bike - http://justkdx.dirtrider.net/
Looking forward to hearing how Pam likes her bike
Posted by: AnneBrooks
David----one thing you might consider is to put the stock silencer back on instead of those fancy pipes---they definitely make the bike more pipey. For someone who is used to the smooth power of a 4 stroke street bike, it may scare her. After she gets used to is she may want more, but not for starting out. Just my .02
Posted by: focused
David, with your girlfriend riding street bikes for 20+ years, it can be difficult transistioning to dirt skills early on. One tends to fall back on street skills and they just DON'T work in the woods. If she has the opportunity to attend a MSF Dirt Bike School somewhere (I don't know where in Canada you are, but we offer them in Minnesota), it can jump start her learning curve of riding off road. Otherwise, it can be a long adjustment time (and frustrating) to get tuned in to lower body control and standing. These are way different from the handlebar pressure and countersteering that she does on the street. A day at the DBS is well spent on body position (seated and standing), clutch control (seated and standing), lower body control (seated and standing), u-turning on hills. These are just some of the exercises done through out the day.. She can ride her own bike or rent one (we have XR 70's/80's/100's/200's).
From having a XR400, teaching with the XR's, and now owning (and loving) my KDX220, I think she made the wise choice for a new ride.
Have fun in the woods and hope to see you on a trail.
Sherry
DBS Coach
(and street bike instructor)
Posted by: firecracker22
Wow, I wish they would have had dirt bike schools when I started riding. I had to learn the hard way, and picked up bad habits along the way. Plus I got yelled at by jackass ex boyfriends . . . 
Posted by: focused
Me too. I didn't really get it until I took the course to become a Dirt Bike School Coach, and then it all fit together, because we put things in a logical learning sequence. I finally got off of the "I'm not getting any better Plateau"
Sherry
Posted by: 70 marlin
xr200 little bike! kdx Big bike go for the big bikes. also that ktm250rfs would be a sweet bike for her!
Posted by: John Harris
How do you get to be a DBS coach? I would like to start a school at our riding area. My email is jtharrislv@aol.com Thanks
Posted by: KeltWolf
I am glad she got the KDX. My hubby bought me a KLX 300 and it took 2 rides on that and one on the KDX to sell me.
FYI, I am 5'7" and we lowered the forks all the way. That was really all I needed. Yeah, it gets over balanced at times when I am stopeed (and the motor is off) and I have dropped it then, but I have no problems riding it. :thumb:
BTW, do they have those schools here in the DFW area? and where would you find out about that? 
Thx and good luck to the new rider. get her to log on here!
Kim
Posted by: David M
Sherry, I thought the same thing (road skills vs. dirt skills), but Pam has a good plan I believe. She wants to start slowly and just get to know the bike riding in an area that has wide, flat trails. Then she wants me to teach her some basic dirt riding skills, let her practice and so on. I've been dirt riding for 27 years and have taught a few people. What I learned is never push someone beyond what they are 100% comfortable with, make sure its all about having fun, and the person learning will come back for more skills when they want to try something more challenging. Pam and I get along great in these situations, and both of us just want to have fun with it. That being said, if you have any pointers for us, please let us know. Pam has limited computer time, but I'll convince her to sign up here so she doesn't have to go through me for this info. She already joined the KDX Yahoo group, and this one is even better IMO.
AnneBrooks mentioned putting the stock silencer back on - I wish we could - it's long gone. Mind you, Pam has ridden my XR650R, and was fine with it (and its a modified XR650R for more power), so I think she'll be OK. When I test rode the KDX I loved it, and found the power really gentle, but not lacking. That being said - if anyone is near London, Canada and wants to sell a stock KDX 220 silencer - we'll take it!
Michelle, it is a 220, and they do sell 200's here. Thanks for the JustKDX site, that's a great resource. We learned from "Canadian Dave" (not me - I just happen to be David from Canada) who runs the site what we should do to the bike. When the weather breaks (its -20 celcius or -4 F here in the land of ice) we are going to go over the bike completely including replacing the piston with a Wiseco, changing the fork oil and lubing everything that moves and putting a dual sport kit on. We were told that some of the 220's have defective pistons, so for insurance we're going to change it. Pam wants to learn how to do this, so we'll do this together. -david
Posted by: Fred T
David
Good choice to change that piston. Read up on all the stuff in "Tech Tips" about cleaning the power valves too. As far as changing the silencer -don't bother-the silencer won't make much of a difference. Mostly it helps make the bike lighter but not a real significant power change really. Leave it on. Chances are that either the fork spring or shock spring may need to be changed too to match her weight -for some reason a bone stock KDX has unbalanced suspension springs with the forks being too soft for most people, but the lighter weight of females sometimes work well with stock forks but the rear spring will be too stiff. (I had a KDX 220 for 1 1/2 seasons) I think after a little time on the bike the power will be easy to get used to, it's strong but not pipey at all. Have fun!
Posted by: insainjay
anyone know how to adjust the power valve/put in time for a kdx 200 1997
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