1995 KDX 200 back from the grave


reepicheep

Member
Apr 3, 2009
670
2
So if you remember the story, this is a $1000 craigslist special. I talk to the sellers before buying, they assure me that it runs great, and is ready to ride. I ask about things (specifically) like missing spokes, broken frame, or other major issues. They assure me it's fine. It was, except for the missing spokes, broken frame, and other major issues. :whoa:

So I throw my 9 year old in the car with me, and drive two hours to look at the thing. It's dark, and its a long drive, and I have the cash in hand.

jackincar.jpg


The bike does run, but is really really rough. Really rough. But it runs, so how bad can it be, right?

So I tell them I am not trying to jerk them around, but that the bike is much rougher then they described, and offer them $750 for it. They said Dad would kill them if they took less then $800, so I peel off the hundreds, load it in the trailer and Jack and I are off.

For background, I bought, blew up, and rebuilt a KLR-250 two years ago. A very cool dual sport, but last Jan I tore an ACL wrestling that stupid thing to point back downhill to make another run. Off the bike, just pushing it. Pop. Ow. :yikes:

So I knew I wasn't riding until the surgery, and after the surgery rehab, so I knew I had the summer to restore a bike. So I was actually looking for a dirt cheap beat to heck bike. I found it, but in hindsight, even $800 was too much. $400 would have been more like it, though in fairness, it would probably part out for $700 or so.

Anyway, I spent this summer rebuilding it. The piston was cracked, one kips chamber cover bolt was sheared, two spokes were missing, another three loose and rusted solid, the rear brake pin was frozen in the caliper, the frame was missing several important bits, the seat cover was trashed, the side panels were trashed, the rear fender was from a different bike and attached to the airbox with woodscrews, the air filter was chunks of rotten foam, the carb was thick with 10 years of goo, the cylinder was ruined from the cracked piston, the kickstand was from the wrong bike and several inches too short, the kick starter assembly was burr'd and missing some washers, the kick starter lever is the wrong part (though actually kind of nice, I kept that), the rear shock was completely empty and the shaft scored, the front fork gaitors were gone, the levers were broken, several radiator mounts were gone, the exhaust mounts were gone, the exhaust had about 1/2 of carbon all through it (literally), the suspension linkage bearings were rusted messes (though somehow the swingarm bearings were good), the bars were bent, many many bolts were wrong or missing, the rear sprocket was missing 10 to 15 teeth (not worn, gone), the output shaft from the transmission had the splines nearly stripped (thats a split the cases problem, right there), the original frame powdercoat was gone in many places, and green spray paint had been applied randomly in others with no masking, etc.

You get the idea. The most remarkable thing about this bike in this condition it *did* run. These KDX's are like the terminator... they just won't stop.

So anyway, after a lot of hunting on ebay, a lot of money to Dennis Kirk, a chunk of change to Eric Gorr for the 220 kit, and countless hours in the garage, it's running, and seems to be running great.

About all that is left now is to put a new clutch in it (the new power just spins the old clutch when it gets in the powerband) and hook up an old GPS somebody gave me for a odometer / tripmeter / speedometer. And then wait for Nov 10th, which is the first day the surgeon has cleared me for athletic activity again. Then it's off to the woods. Though I may sneak out to some nearby open fields with one of my sons on the neighbors honda 50 and break the motor in...

Thanks for all the help here! I couldn't have done it without you...

I'd guess my total investment was pushing $2500... but that inclues the 220 big bore kit and piston, new tires, new bearings, new seals (inside and outside the motor), etc. So not cheap, but not unreasonable either. Just don't factor in my labor :coocoo:
 

fusion

Member
Jan 25, 2009
53
0
WOW!!! Dude you did a great job! it looks like a new bike!
 

jonooffler

Member
Jun 10, 2009
77
0
Hi don't worry we have done that at some time and even when you have done it you will go back and do it again. I have a guy who has offered me a Husky TE250 for a very good price but it has a motor fault I keep thinking about it to replace the KDX220.
Hope you knee works out ok all the best for running in don't forget the oil :laugh:
Jono
 

reepicheep

Member
Apr 3, 2009
670
2
Funny you should mention oil... I greased all the parts that I was supposed to pre-grease putting it back together... but as noted in another thread, I kept screwing up the kick start assembly. Between all those little washers, and that plastic collar, I kept getting some part in the wrong place or aligned wrong. So I took it apart and reassembled it a couple times, cleaning the goo off as I did it just so I could hold parts.

When I finally put it together and got it right, I must have removed too much of that lube. Because the first time the bike fired up, it ran for about 3/4 of a second then stopped, with a whack from the kickstarter. It had friction welded that shaft (which had threads already stripped from a previous owner, and that I welded up and re-tapped) to the idler wheel. :(

So I did what any of you would do, I pounded the shaft out (it was only lightly friction welded ;) ) and got out the valve grinding compound, chucked that shaft in the drill press, and re-machined the shaft and the idler wheel back into a plane bearing again. :) It's holding up so far... but I'm keeping my eyes open on ebay for a deal if it seizes up again.

Oh, and I forgot on the previous list of "issues" that the crank seal had been leaking for quite a while, and the stator had dissolved as well (the secondary lighting coil, the coil to run the motor was still fine)...
 

sr5bidder

Member
Oct 27, 2008
1,463
0
good job
watch out for that gripper seat I "had" one and found when you are without a doubt gonna loose it the seat makes it hard to swing off the bike and catch it. Also pulls the riding pants up and with the pants inside the boots I found that soon I could not extend my leg straight.

when you had it apart is there a reason you did not reconditon the swing arm and fork legs? I used duplicolor wheel paint on some other bikes I've had and it works really good
 

mudpack

Member
Nov 13, 2008
637
0
Great job, reepi. This bike should bring you much satisfaction as you ride your handywork. I want you to help me should I ever need to overhaul my bikes. :cool:

PS is there any way to pause the slideshow?? I want to take a closer/longer look at some of those shots....
 

porterdog

Member
Aug 22, 2005
71
0
Holy crap that's a labor of love.

Well, that or madness.

Very nice work, and I'm sure I speak for some others when I say I hope it runs hard and long for you.




If it doesn't, set it on fire.
 

reepicheep

Member
Apr 3, 2009
670
2
I'll post individual pictures tonight... they are on the home computer...

Thanks for the warning on the seat... nothing a spray with silicone lube or armor all won't take care of... You are right it would be good to be able to slide around...

I probably should have done the swingarm while I had it off. Much of the powdercoat is worn off, and it's now bare aluminum, so I would have had to strip the whole thing, or paint over both, and when that started scratching up it would have looked ugly... so at the end of the day I just cleaned it up and left it in it's natural patina :) Sounds like those bearings will be off once a year at least for repacking, so I'll have plenty of chances to redo it... does the wheel paint hold up?

+1 on the "if it blows up, set it on fire". :)

I really did enjoy all the work... though it certainly had it's moments. Splitting the engine was the one remaining "sacred ground" that I had never dared to touch... In hindsight, I probably spent as much time putzing with the kickstarter assembly as I did splitting and reassembling the engine cases and transmission. It takes some thought and planning, but there isn't anything magic about it, and the tools were not hard to find. And you gotta love a job that includes "grill, gas" and "freezer" on the "tools I need" list :)
 

glad2ride

Member
Jul 4, 2005
1,071
1
WOW!!!!!!!!

That bike was in horrible shape! It never ceases to amaze me at what sellers think they have is perfect.

TERRIFIC job at getting it all back together.
 

reepicheep

Member
Apr 3, 2009
670
2
During: Sidestand, with 1" of black gas pipe welded in, and the foot angle corrected:

sidestand.jpg


"Frames fine #1"... new frame brace fabricated from scratch and welded in

framebrace.jpg


"Frames fine #2"... right side engine / water pump guard fabricated from scratch and welded in

engineguard.jpg
 

reepicheep

Member
Apr 3, 2009
670
2
I didn't wash it... the frame looks better then that... but it's engine paint, so it won't look very good for long anyway. I also didn't grind down the welds much, I kinda like the "natural" look on a dirt bike, and my welds were cleaner then the factory welds anyway :nener:

The rear frame brace of course landed that square tube *right* where I didn't want it, interfering with the fender screw points, and on the edge of the square tubing. So I had to hack them up a bit.... I was going to cut them out and start over, but they ended up "good enough" and completely covered, so I just left it for now.

God bless steel frame bikes... a hack like me with an Oxy Actylene rig can unbend and reweld just about anything I could do to the bike.

I have no idea what the stand came off of, but it was about 1.5 inches too short, and bent at the wrong angle.

All in all a very fun project... though more expensive then I hoped, but then again the bike turned out better then I imagined. I just wanted a lighter bike then my KLR-250 was, and I ended up with a ported 220 light little two stroke screamer.
 

reepicheep

Member
Apr 3, 2009
670
2
Oh, and the seat foam was rotted and trashed, so I put on a "Guts" pad, a slightly high version. It's a tall bike now, but that suits me at 6'2" (and fat ;) ). The seat foam was nice.
 

julien_d

Member
Oct 28, 2008
1,788
0
You did a really great job. I must say, if I was going to look at a $1000 bike and found what you found, I would have shaken my head and walked sadly away. But it's great that you revived it and gave it a 2nd chance at life, you should be very proud. It really looks good, and I think it'll make a great bike for you for a long time to come.

Great work!
 

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