Buying KDX 220, shifting issue/complaint

[mattzuki8]

I am looking at buying a 2003 KDX 220.
Bike looks great. Has no mods all original.

The owner describes the shifting as:
"My one complaint is it has a sensitive clutch for a 2-stoke that requires you to slip it to get RPMs in low range. It takes some skill and some getting used to and could probably use an adjustment."

Anyone have any explanations/advice? I am not really sure what to make of it.

This is a non local listing and I have not had a chance to ride it yet myself.

 

[KDXROCKET14]

Not sure what to make out of that either, slipping the clutch to get it into the lower rpm's makes no sense..why would you have to slip the clutch to get it into the lower rpms..i could see slipping it to get it into the high rpms..honestly i have never had an issue with my 02 220, nor my 97 200..i havent heard of any major clutch issues with these bikes ever. i would go look at it and at least ride it, sounds like a clean bike, who knows maybe the clutch cable is adjusted wrong at the perch..haha, people do that all the time, they'll adjust the cable at the perch way out of whack and think the have a clutch plate issuse cause it'll jump out of gear..go look at the bike and ride it, the kdx's do have a bit of noise coming from the clutch side, that's why most reccomend running a little more gear oil to quite it down. These bikes are the best ever made, you gotta get one and experience it!!! sorry i couldnt be more help, the best thing in my opinion is just go look at it and see for your self.
Ryan

 

[EYY]

Sounds like clutch drag. Notched/worn baskets make the kdx's difficult to select gears from a standstill and the motor will try to drive the bike forward even when the clutch is pulled in fully.. This may be exaggerated with poor cable adjustment. Other than that, I can't really imagine what they could possibly mean...

 

[ridejunky]

If the RPMs are too high. it is a carb or throttle adjustment, not a clutch. If there is clutch drag, then adjust that. These bikes are about as easy to ride as your going to get for a 2 stroke, there is no clutch prob if properly maintained. You don't need to feather the clutch on a 220 to get in the meat of the power band as it is crazy low to begin with(that is the whole point of the 220) None of what the seller is describing makes sense