JoeAverage

Member
Jun 22, 2000
18
0
Ok, I want to make the switch from the MX bike to the KDX...Which bike would I be happier on coming down from a RM250, the 220 or the 200? I ride trails only...sometimes they're tight woods, but mostly nice open groomed trails... I know the 220 has more grunt down low and does not rev as fast or high and that the 200 is just the opposite.. My testosterone tells me to get the 220 because its bigger... I'm gonna try to use the other head to make this decision. Whaddya think? maybe the 200 is all I need?
 

Canadian Dave

Super Power AssClown
Apr 28, 1999
1,202
0
Given the difference in price and the fact that the 200 comes with a larger carb I'd be tempted to pick up a 200 and have Eric Gorr open up the cylinder, port it and do the head then install an o-ring chain. You will have spent about the same and end up with the power delivery of your choice and more of it.

JMO

David
 

WR 250

Member
Mar 17, 2000
220
0
Last year I went from a '93 WR 250 to a KDX 200. I have had no regrets. The 200 has good power down low and revs out decently. It is much easier to ride and way more fun on tight trails. I've never ridden the 220 but from what I've read on this site there really isn't much difference. Personally I think Kawasaki would have been better off making the 220 into a full 250. Then there would be a very noticeable difference between the two bikes.
 

MN KDXer

Registered
Jun 7, 1999
194
0
Are you sure you want to do this? I've taken the other route; FROM a KDX200 & 220 to a RM250, and I wish I'd done it YEARS ago. The RM has MUCH more power, better suspension, sharper steering, lighter weight, and far better ergos. (I'm assuming that you owned a fairly modern RM here.)

I do realize that a 250 motobike in the woods is not for everyone, whereas the KDX is an easier riding bike for slower speeds, plus the KDX has all the goodies like lights, wide ratios, & larger tank, etc.

If you want to go the KDX route, I would HIGHLY suggest the 220 over the 200, but with some minor mods. Besides the pipe and silencer (pipe for sure), plan on a bored carb and Boyesen reeds, and you will basically have a 200 with a powerband about twice as wide.
 

JoeAverage

Member
Jun 22, 2000
18
0
Interesting.... My main concern is just maintenance really.. i don't want to sink 250 bucks into a new top end every 2yrs or less... i agree with all the advantages of the RM over the kdx, but for me the RM is a little hyper... i find that it just begs me to rev it when i putt it around and half rev.. i dunno...:silly:
 

Dirteater

Member
Jan 24, 2001
60
0
A few years ago I went from a '88 RM250 to a XR250 after a bad insident trying to go slow through some tight woods. I just wasn't happy till I got my RMX250 a few months ago. I don't have much experiance around KDX's so I don't know how they compare, but if you want RM style handling and woods bike ridability I would consider the RMX. I truely believe that if you are comfortable on a Suzuki than any Suzuki will feel good. The same goes for the other makers each one has thier own feel and that is what you are really choosing with the color choice.
Just my .02
 

MADisher

Grand Data Poohbah
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Apr 30, 2000
377
0
Yep it depends on what you want to do, where you're gonna ride.

I just hopped off my 88 RM 250 for a 98 KDX and for being in the woods, I wouldn't go back.

Now, for wide open, screaming fun. Nothing beats that RM. In fact last weekend there were a couple hills I didn't attempt on the KDX because a) I wasn't yet comfortable enough with it, and b) I wasn't sure I would have the balls to the wall power that I thought it might take to blast up it. I know I could have done it with the RM.

But for the other 95% of the trail riding we did in Livingston, KY I was very, very happy I was on the KDX.

-another opinion.

See if you can borrow/ride one before you jump over.
 

WR 250

Member
Mar 17, 2000
220
0
Going from the RM to a KDX will be a pretty big change. Either KDX will feel tame compared to your RM. From what I've read an aftermarket pipe really wakes up a KDX. If you don't lie the abrupt MX style power of the RM then you will love the KDX. It will allow you to explore trails that would be pure misery of the high strung RM. Plus you will actully have some fuel range to do some epic rides.

When I bought my KDX I was a little concerned since it gets bagged by the mags for being a not so serious trail bike. But I found that is exactly what I wanted for my local riding area. My WR 250 was very fast and powerful but it had the wrong type of power for what I wanted to do. When I bought it (used) it came with a Moose flywheel already installed and a Pro-Circuit pipe. I put the stock pipe and silencer back on to try and smooth out the power but it didn't achieve what I wanted. The bike still didn't like to chug down low when I was slowly making my way through a gnarly trail. My KDX makes things much easier and now I find that I'm trying to take on even tighter & gnarlier trails. That type of riding is what is fun to me and the KDX is perfect.

If I lived somewhere else like the desert and the riding was all wide open sand trails then my WR would have been a lot of fun. In that type of environment my KDX would feel underpowered and probably a little boring. Your conditions of groomed type dirt trails would work well with the KDX. Check out the Just KDX webpage. Canadian Dave put together a pretty good comparison of the 200 versus the 220.
 

MN KDXer

Registered
Jun 7, 1999
194
0
Some very good points raised for either side of the discussion. One thing to keep in mind, is that with some suspender and exhaust mods, the KDX will feel like a COMPLETELY different brand of bike. The bike can be impressive compared to the stocker. That's the good news. :)

Now t je bad: there is a danger in making all these improvements- it costs a good pile of money and the KDX will still be a lesser machine for the go-fast applications. Been there & done that. Be warned that you may end up with a quite large credit card statement if you get carried away with improvements

Myself, I had a good headstart (dollar-wise) on my 220. I had bought it loaded with goodies with less than 5 hrs runtime from Okie for about a thou dollar discount. Plus, I grabbed a lot of the stuff off my previous 200 before it hit the road, and I did my own shock + fork work. If I had started from regular prices, the total would have been ridiculous.

Happy riding; I'm going racing this weekend! :)
 

Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
0
Off topic a bit

Sorry to barge into your thread here Joe, but thought some of you guys might be interested/humoured to hear this.

New Zealand hosted the Australian four day enduro earlier this year (don't ask, long story). Anyway, we've got a young guy in our club who rode a KDX and was the New Zealand under 200cc enduro champ (he's now on a KX250). He turned up at the enduro with his trusty KDX and the Australians looked at him & laughed & asked if he'd ever competed in an enduro before - they were riding KTM, Husabergs, Huskys, TMs, Gas Gas, basically everything European - maybe one Japanese bike in sight for them.

The first day Chris won the class, but the next day he was coming second. He finished 2nd in his class against whatever bikes and shocked the heck out of the Aussies. In a review of the whole event, they commented that Chris had shown them that the KDX shouldn't be totally written off as a crap bike, it still could move with the right person onboard and they can't wait to see what he's going to be like on a "real" bike. (some of the competitors commented they "were glad he wasn't on a real bike, because imagine what he could do then").

As for Chris' KDX, stock engine, removed snorkel, after market pipe, sorted out suspension (the lad can ride), but that's it.
 

heymike

Member
Mar 21, 2000
23
0
I agree with the person that sugested the RMX 250 .... I have a '99 KDX 220 (with most of the normal mods pipe, reeds, etc.) and I just love it in the tight woods. This year I bought a RMX 250. I bought it for days when I want to go a little faster. It is great in the woods but, not quite as good KDX in the tight technical stuff. I would not get rid of the KDX for anything but, I find myself riding the RMX most of the time due to the fact it is a lot more fun when it comes to riding fast in the more open trails. So, I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that the RMX is a better bike (in my opinion) for more open fast woods trails but, if you ride more tight technical trails go with the 220 (and mods) ..... as for the KDX 200 ... I have never ridden one.
 

JoeAverage

Member
Jun 22, 2000
18
0
ok well, suzuki needs to bring back the RMX, yamaha needs to bring back the old two stroke WR's and honda should bring back the CRE.... then I'd have some choices for a great non-MX bike...
 

Dirteater

Member
Jan 24, 2001
60
0
I recently read in another post that Suzuki has tons of leftover RMX's that they sell dirt cheap. I bought mine in Jan of this year brand new as a leftover for $4500 including taxes and all the other dealer junk. I bet if you talk to your dealer one might make it here instead of to Au like they are all going. We need to make it clear to the manufacturers that not everyone needs a MX bike.
Then again the dealer might tell you your crazy. For which I take no blame.
 

JoeAverage

Member
Jun 22, 2000
18
0
I agree... i have a feeling the major brands out there are focusing on their sportbikes and MX bikes only... if i had the balls to race then all would be fine, but I like to enjoy the scenery more.... anyone know if Kawi plans to change the KDX dramatically soon? i mean they have a winning formula already, but something new would be nice...
 

heymike

Member
Mar 21, 2000
23
0
I agree it is really too bad that the manufactures have dropped the good 2 stroke enduro bikes. I think that the move right now is to the four-stroke enduro bikes ... which is sad :(
 

JoeAverage

Member
Jun 22, 2000
18
0
fourstrokes are neat, i mean yamaha has a good thing going on, but still that two stroke snap is what's really needed out there... thats why i bought an MX bike.. it was all or nothing...
 

heymike

Member
Mar 21, 2000
23
0
You do have a point there .... My brother had a 2000 WR400 and I took it for a few rides .... It hits hard and just keeps pulling but, I'm still a 2 stroke fan at heart. As, for the guys into 4 strokes they've got the WR400/426, WR250 and the DRZ400 and DRZ250 ... I'm sure it won't be long before Honda and Kawasaki have equvilent class bikes (the XR and KLX are just not there yet). But, the sad part is that these bikes replace the RMX, etc. I would love to see suzuki bring the RMX back and Honda the CRE .... Oh well ... keep dreaming I guess :confused:
 
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agitt73

~SPONSOR~
May 11, 2000
1,078
0
2-strokes truck and 4-strokes suck

i went from a wr250 (91) to a kdx 200 and i love it
;)
 

TGR

Member
Apr 1, 2001
49
0
My 2 cents:

I rode a friend's 200 with FMF, reeds, etc. Kept saying to myself, where's the beef? I bought a 220 a month ago, and put an FMF torque on it. I love the way is runs and handles in the tight woods, and it still rips fairly well in the open. My previous 2 bikes where a KTM 250 EXC and I still have my Husaberg FE 501. I'll stick with the 220.

Tom
 

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