kinda slow on here?

[sr5bidder]

was wondering why everthing slowed down ...is everyone out riding? i know june and july are good for some of you but where I am is been crazy hot and prime riding for us is spring and fall

Saturday I'm going to durhamtown and test my back and see if I can ride all day without pain also going to see what the 607's do (if they come in this week)

I also have a 14t front and a 48t rear sprocket and new chain... talk about extreme changes!!! But my 13t is in good shape so I can play around..

my aim is to stay more in second gear in the tight stuff that turns uphill real quick instead of third dying out half way up.

 

[IndyMX]

It's always slower in the summer here.. Good weather for riding, cleaning the garage, cutting grass.. Plus those with families get stuck doing crap with them...

Only the broke or cripple seem to find time to hang out on the internet..

 

[Mully]

Or those of us who are in charge of the network and can get away with surfing if need be................ :p

 

[reepicheep]

I'm doing my part in my, regardless if I want too or not. :(

Yesterdays observation? $54 for 5 spokes and nipples, and a new (aftermarket) rim lock. :coocoo:

(The factory rim lock is $60... apparently, the Japanese have good crack).

 

[julien_d]

Or those of us who are in charge of the network and can get away with surfing if need be................ :p

DING DING DING

work at mickey d's, get free milkshakes. Work in IT, surf the forums all day :D.

J.

 

[sr5bidder]

reep funny you mention crack ..julien just mentioned that the other day

Indymx Nice.... I'm a little bit of both

Julien are you going to bushy mt this next week I was thinking..... my wifes sister lives in Nc and she wants to go see her 27th 28th 29th???

 

[sr5bidder]

or is brushy mt.

 

[IndyMX]

reep funny you mention crack ..julien just mentioned that the other day

Indymx Nice.... I'm a little bit of both

Julien are you going to bushy mt this next week I was thinking..... my wifes sister lives in Nc and she wants to go see her 27th 28th 29th???

I am both broke, crippled, and I run the network.. ;)

I've been sitting at my desk today, working on a website for a new local bike shop..

It's coming along nicely. If I could just stay off of here and facebook, it'd be done already.

It's Brushy Mountain.. I lived in NC for a few years.. ;)

 

[julien_d]

Was down at Brushy this past saturday. Really a perfect day for riding. I let a buddy ride my KDX and i was "stuck" on my other buddies 200 EXC. Man, that EXC is pretty sweet. Kinda like my KDX on steroids. Probably be the following weekend when we get back down there. 1st weekend in August? I never really know, but I try not to go two weekends in a row to save the wife from being too pissed at me...

What did I mention about crack? Other than that I seem to be surrounded by crackheads all day long......

J.

 

[reepicheep]

If you are in IT, it's not surfing the internet, its "end to end layer 7 dynamic cloud compute health checks".

Yup. The internet is still up. Good work! :)

 

[IndyMX]

If you are in IT, it's not surfing the internet, its "end to end layer 7 dynamic cloud compute health checks".

Yup. The internet is still up. Good work! :)

You either are or should be a politician. Or lawyer.

 

[samiam]

I let a buddy ride my KDX and i was "stuck" on my other buddies 200 EXC. Man, that EXC is pretty sweet. Kinda like my KDX on steroids.
J.

Really? Can you give us a better heads up description? Does your KDX feel better in *any* way?
Just curious.

 

[sr5bidder]

Really? Can you give us a better heads up description? Does your KDX feel better in *any* way?
Just curious.

O God a can of worms!!!

 

[julien_d]

lol.

No way in hell I'd trade my KDX for it. The tractability and smooth power delivery, as well as the reliability of the KDX have made me a KDX'r for life.

The KTM was a lot more snappy on the throttle. Similar sort of power delivery to the KDX engine with regards to low end torque, but a lot more touchy. I had to be very careful not to get myself into trouble, but the added throttle response and overrev was quite fun! The handling was very precise, turns quick and stable. The suspension was harsh over the small bumps, although it took the big hits very well. I was VERY tired at the end of the day, much more so than I would have been If I had been on the KDX. Basically I got bounced and thrown around a lot more by the KTM. Of course, this bike was not set up for my weight, so I refrained from judging the suspension, but I can't say I liked that aspect of the bike as it sits, and I hear it can be a real pain to get that PDS in the rear to work as an "all around" setup. I would need to soften the suspension up considerably before i'd really feel comfortable on it in the woods.

Anyway, I will continue tweaking on the KDX, but also will be happy to ride my buddies KTM when the occasion calls for it. As far as the KDX "feeling better in any way", to me, my KDX feels better in just about EVERY way :D. For the type of billy goat trail riding that I like to do, it's darn near the perfect machine.

J.

 

[samiam]

Thank you. That was a very interesting comparison. It is particularly interesting that you did not mention that the KTM felt any lighter, smaller, or bigger than your KDX.

 

[julien_d]

Thank you. That was a very interesting comparison. It is particularly interesting that you did not mention that the KTM felt any lighter, smaller, or bigger than your KDX.

It's actually a bit heavier than my KDX, and I could tell it. Taller too, and I could tell that as well when I was dropping it on hill climbs, lol.

 

[samiam]

Thank You, Julien. After I sold my last KDX, I was considering getting a KTM 200, but I purchased a 300 instead. That was a big mistake. The trails that I ride are very gnarly and the 300 was just too much. As I have mentioned in another thread, the 300 also had some unpleasant qualities, like rear brake pads that would only last 100 miles, an unpleasant powerband, and no where near the reliability that I had experienced with the KDX. Oh, and the seat! Ugh!
I have spend a considerable amount of time on many bikes since (many KTM's, 2 strokes and RFS bikes) and none of them seem to suite me as well as the KDX, so, I got another one. I will probably hold on to this one (a low mileage '04 with a dual sport kit) for a while. I hate to get rid of my DRZ, which has been amazingly reliable, but does not offer the maneuverablity and performance of the KDX.
I am saddened that Kawasaki has stopped manufacturing the KDX line.

 

[sr5bidder]

samiam

what kawasaki aim to do was replace it with the klx 300 4 stroke.. read canadian dave review of it

 

[samiam]

I had one of those as well. Well, actually a '94 KLX250 with a Thumper Racing big bore kit, a TM33 pumper carb, an oversized head pipe, and full Race-Tech suspension. Yes, it was a great woods bike, but I still liked the KDX better because it was lighter and had more snap. I could maintain a fast pace for a long time on the KLX, but I guess that I am just a 2 stroke guy at heart. The KLX and the DRZ seem to make better "Dual Sport" bikes just because the 4 stroke motors seem to tolerate sustained road speeds better. Maintenence wise, the KLX was great. I did have to replace the cam chain, but that was the only thing that wore out on that bike.
The DRZ could really use a 6th gear, and lose 50 lbs. Other than those two items, it has served me well. I can not have nearly as much fun in the woods on the DRZ as I could on either Kawasaki. Oh, and the seat on the DRZ is terrible! I have a gel seat as well, but it is no better.

 

[reepicheep]

Huh. Didn't know about the KLX-300. That thing looks like it borrows *heavily* from the KDX-200 parts bin. The frame, swingarm, cowling, and lots of the plastics look identical.

I wonder if suspension parts can swap over? Like forks and rear shock...

 

[samiam]

There is a KDX200 on Craigslist (ME?) right now with a KLX inverted fork front end on it. The ad states that the calipers are different so the KLX caliper is still on the forks.

 

[mudpack]

samiam

what kawasaki aim to do was replace it with the klx 300 4 stroke.. read canadian dave review of it

I would like to, but can't find it....link?

 

[sr5bidder]

actually I read about someone doing just that but only the forks. the seat is more narrow on the klx300. if they where street legal I would for shure get one...

the klx-250 looks like a great bike but the front spenders, 43mm Inverted Cartridge Fork with 16-Way Compression Damping Adjustment ONLY and 262 lb dry is still a little heavy...I wonder how far off the engine is from a kxf250r?

the klx is far better than yahama offerings

I just don't think the big 4 are very serious about thier dualsports and if they would just put some serious power, aluminum frame, get the wieght down to 250lbs wet and stowable signals (kinda of like what the truck mirrors do when you hit them) I think they'd sell the piss out of em.. or at the very least sell a dualsport that comes with options for after purchase cause I know they have restictions but as far as I know none concerning wieght

 

[reepicheep]

The KLX-250 sounds like the KLR-250, but with electric start.

I had one, and it was a lot of fun, but sold it for a KDX. Ultimately, day in and day out, that kind of bike is too slow and small for the street, and too heavy and weak for the dirt.

Riding dirt bikes on the street just seems to ruin dirt bikes. It eats knobbies fast, uses up motors, and the brakes *suck*. And riding streetbikes on the dirt is just as expensive... mirrors and turnsignals get peeled and lost, stuff gets dented and scratched, etc.

Add to that $50 or so a year to keep plates on it, and $15 or so a month for *just* liability insurance, and the fact that you are chewing those sharp edges off your $40 knobbies with just 5 commutes back and forth to work, and it makes less and less sense.

It was fun once in a while on both though... for easy single track, or a once a week commute, it was a hoot, and dirt cheap.

I could live with one as my only bike if I had too, but a *real* streetbike (currently a Buell XB9SX) and a *real* dirt bike (when I finish restoring the KDX-200) does everything SO much better, and is probably ultimately cheaper in the long run on a "mile per mile" basis...

 

[Joburble]

Huh. Didn't know about the KLX-300. That thing looks like it borrows *heavily* from the KDX-200 parts bin. The frame, swingarm, cowling, and lots of the plastics look identical.

I wonder if suspension parts can swap over? Like forks and rear shock...

Hi Reepicheep,
I have both the KDX200 2006 and the KLX300 2007 sitting in my garage. Yes some parts are the same like the rear hub, but not the rim, swing arm is different, front guard and headlight are the same, but not the mounts. However they are very different bikes. I absolutely love the KLX300, it has great tractor factor, great geometry and ergo's if you are under 6'1" and can be ridden in your sleep, it does not buck around like some 2 strokes can and is very predictable. I bought it for my son as his very first bike to learn to ride on. I bought a KLX450 2008 for myself and to be honest I wish I had bought a KDX200 or another KLX300 for myself. The 450 was just too much of a handfull with the type of riding I do, it would make a great desert bike though. I have now sold it and bought the KDX200 although I haven't ridden it yet (waitng to recover from injury). Maybe one day I will swipe the front end off my boys bike and see if it will fit on mine. The only thing about the KLX300 is that I would not want to jump it too high, not sure how it would handle the impact, but hey it's a woods bike not a SX bike.