KDX220R is just a KDX220?

[internetscooter]

All,

I have a pretty dumb question - is the KDX220R just a KDX220?

I have a mutant Vespa built for salt lake racing with a KDX200 cylinder fused on to a Vespa gearbox. The reason I went for the KDX was that I could go up in CC gradually over time (I am running in the 250cc class).

Here is a video of it being dyno'd early 2013 producing ~32Hp and still having healthy power at 100mph+

[video=youtube;W8zwVshtF04]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8zwVshtF04[/video]

I raced at Lake Gairdner, Australia a few weeks ago and only got a tad under 90mph. The subsequent dyno result showed I'd lost 10Hp somewhere, going from 32Hp to 22Hp... so a rebuild is in order.

While I am doing the rebuild I am thinking about putting in a 220 sleeve and a 70mm piston. I can see sleeves on Amazon "97-05 KAWASAKI KDX220: LA Sleeve Cylinder Sleeve Standard Bore" but Amazon lists it under a 220R. Are they just the same?

PS - You guys might be interested in some of the info I have gathered over the years e.g. I have computer scanned port maps of a KDX head. Just search for KDX on all pages (hopefully this link will work) http://www.vespalabs.org/Special:Search?search=kdx&ns=all&path=&go=Find

Cheers,

Paul

 

[EYY]

As long as it's not the sr model it's the same as any old 220. Then again, you could get a 240 kit for it to stay under the 250 limit. (Don't know if this would work if the stroke is longer than te Kdx.)

Are you using powervalves?

 

[internetscooter]

As long as it's not the sr model it's the same as any old 220. Then again, you could get a 240 kit for it to stay under the 250 limit. (Don't know if this would work if the stroke is longer than te Kdx.)

Are you using powervalves?

Is it possible to just buy the bits for a 240? I'd need to port it as I need as much power as I can get in the high rpm range (I have no gearing to play with).

I do have a power valve on but it doesn't do anything useful at the moment. I can manually switch it between positions but I get no power gain even down low. It would be nice to keep it in case I start having issues switching between 3rd and 4th (top gear) due to mid range power.

Thanks!

 

[internetscooter]

Also on the topic - since it seems that these parts are becoming harder to find, should I be buying them now regardless? It seems that the sleeves are disappearing but the pistons are plentiful.

 

[EYY]

Also on the topic - since it seems that these parts are becoming harder to find, should I be buying them now regardless? It seems that the sleeves are disappearing but the pistons are plentiful.

Most machining guys make their own sleeves anyway, so its not such a big deal if you cant get sleeves anymore. Porting is a lot easier with a sleeved cylinder though as im sure you know. If you're not using the sub valves, then boring out that much shouldn't be a problem. What year is the cylinder on there off anyway?

 

[internetscooter]

Ah - good point. Double checking through my eBay emails, it is a 1996. Is the later model better power wise or is it only mechanically different (i.e. power valve)? I am wondering if it is worth putting a later model head on it.

Thanks for your help!

 

[EYY]

Ah - good point. Double checking through my eBay emails, it is a 1996. Is the later model better power wise or is it only mechanically different (i.e. power valve)? I am wondering if it is worth putting a later model head on it.

Thanks for your help!

Only advantage is a better power valve system, in that you won't ever have snapping sub valves. Sub valve problems were only ever due to poor maintenance anyway. There wouldn't be much noticeable difference either way. Do some reading on this site and you'll be able to see the differences in power etc from the e series to the h series. A lot of people prefer the power delivery of the e series though.