GasGas250Pampera vs. KDX200/220

[drk98]

Hi. I was just wondering wether I should have looked for a GasGas 250Pampera instead of my '96 KDX200. I am 5'6", 145lbs., and 13 years old. I ride trails in the woods and the MX track for fun. How does the 250 handle and whats the suspension like? Is it street legal in the U.S.? How hard are they to find and whats the price range?

 

[Instaurare]

The Pamperas sell new for about $4800, and there are few dealers, at least compared to the number of Kawasaki dealers. I doubt that the resale would be as high as a KDX, since they are nowhere near as well known. I think that there are a number of things that can be done to a KDX to make it more friendly, such as changing seat foam from the stock high density to low density and using less of it, adjusting the front forks, using koubalinks in the rear, adding an extra crepe sole to the bottom of your boot, all of which will modify the KDX quite a bit. And later, they are easily reversed if you want the bike to be taller. If you look for a used bike you will find many KDX out there, but probably very few pamperas to choose from. The Pampera, from everything I have read, is a very fine machine, but considering that it retails for almost $1000 more than a KDX 200, and also the scarcity of dealers, you might be better off with a modified KDX which is capable of becomming taller as you need it.