KDX and a heavy rider question

[Domenic]

Thinking about buying a new kdx220. I had a 86 kdx for 15 years, and was the best bike I ever owned. I now ride a WR400 highly modified and race CC. I hate the maintenance on the four stroke and seem to remember the 200 having enough power to pull my fat rear (240) up the hills. Do you think with proper gearing the kdx220 would be fine in the steep stuff? I'm only going to race a couple times a year now, and top end speed no-longer matters to me. Anyway thanks and I hope to visit this forum more

 

[wibby]

I out-weigh you by about 20lbs and my old worn out '92 200 pulls me around just fine!

 

[1tontj]

I weigh 230lbs and ride an 04 220R - works great.
Just re-did the fork springs, shock spring, and fork valves for my weight though.
But power is NOT a problem.

Phil

 

[razrbakcrzy]

Big Guy Little Bike

I own a 92' 200 and it will pull the front wheel off the ground 1st thru 3rd and I weigh 355. The bike is really for my son but i love to ride it. We are now running a 14/46 sprocket set up and a baja designs street legal kit with kenda dot tires. the bike is a wheelie machine and it will run 65 at an easy rpm. :eek:

 

[Domenic]

What's the stock gearing on a kdx200 ?. I pleasure ride single track trails rated black diamond (expert or advanced) I'm not that good of a rider, but do need some low speed gearing for the tight stuff. :think:

 

[KAY DEE EXER]

A 98 200 stock gearing is 13/47.

 

[JasonWho]

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[wanaride]

WOW, a 200 with 14/46 gearing will wheelie with a 355lb pilot aboard? I can't get mine to wheelie without dumping the clutch and I only weigh 215, guess I'm doing something wrong...

The power is great once the revs get up though ...wait, I'm starting a jetting thread, a thousand pardons! :)

 

[LukeRips]

I did a quick test with my cousin's 2004 KDX200. With the stock pipe, silencer, gearing we could barely get it to pull the front wheel. We used an FMF Fatty with the silencer from my 2004 KX250 and put a 48 tooth rear sprocket and it will pull in all gears. I actually won a HS with it that weekend in the 200A class. I weigh 188 but my cousin weighs 220+ and he loves it now. I definitely suggest a pipe, suspension, gearing change for the heavier person.

 

[gwhII]

Domenic,

Can't comment on the 220 but the 200 works fine for me and I'm ~240# . Different fork springs and a shock spring did wonders in the suspension department. Pipe, carb and airbox mods should take care of power.

Best,
Greg

 

[bronco95tgp]

Speaking for my dad who is 52 years old and weighs in at a couple of pounds under the 200 mark, the '04 kdx220 (with stock gearing and the only mod being removing the lit to the air box) would pull up the front wheel in 1st and 2nd. After replacing the front 13 tooth sprocket with a 12 tooth sprocket, the bike pulls up in 3rd too. I weigh around 150 and my kdx with the 12 tooth sprocket will pull up in 4th gear if I lean back a little bit and really feed it the gas! So with that, you may want to add the smaller front, and larger rear sprocket, that requires a new chain I believe but you would have a hell of a tractor on your hands if you made that swap! :cool:

 

[Domenic]

I want to keep a soft suspension for the rocks and desert. Whats the stock spring rates? No more jumping for me, member of the collar bone club :ugg: Add a few teeth to the rear sproket, exhaust and jetting, should be good to go. :cool:
Thanks for suggestions, I'll start shopping for 220..

 

[gwhII]

Spring rates will need to be changed. Front springs are for about a 130# rider and rear is for about a 180# rider. You'll at least want the front springs replaced. I'm no jumper either.

Best,
Greg

 

[JasonWho]

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[Deputy25]

I am 6-3 and 215, and my KDX250 will wheelie in the first three gears at will. Only mod is an FMF Fatty and new jets.

 

[Domenic]

My WR has 4.8 fronts and a 5.6 rear, little stiff for the rocks. I'll do a racetech check before deciding. I just remember riding hard in the woods with the old kdx and never fighting the weight and high center of gravity. But I was younger and lighter also. :( Anyway I'm glad this forum exists for my future mods research. :cool:

 

[matt-itude]

ya know on the wheelie comments Im a new rider and a few months ago bought a new 03 kdx 200 ive only changed the front sprocket down to a 12 and am doing good to get a good wheelie in sencond at best.(i weigh 225) however i just went riding wendesday and when we got back to the truck a friend of a friend all i know was his name was brad and he has a room full of trophies wanted to take my bike for a spin. so I let him. he came by us and pulled a huge wheelie in third gear like he didnt even have to think about it and he looks to be about my weight. so if I ever get good and figure out the trick ill let everybody know how. now my real question on the heavier rider thing is this. I know ive seen people talking about what front springs to use (i am a novice) Im thinking 2kg stiffer than stock any input guys?

 

[Rhodester]

I'm around 230 lbs and run .43 Eibach XR400 fork springs and the stock rear spring. I tried an Eibach 5.2 rear spring and it was just too stiff for my riding style. At 225 lbs I wouldn't even consider anything under .40 for the forks. It'll just be ridiculously soft.

 

[matt-itude]

I dont jump high or too often so that might be just right! how do you have the comp and rebound on you forks and shock set and what oil? also isnt there something you have to do with the spacers in the forks to run the xr springs? you guys are awesome thanks!

 

[gwhII]

I've got .46 front springs and a 5.2 spring in the back. Stock spring rates are reportedly .35 and 5.0. It's a little on the stiff side but where I ride it works and is much better than stock.

Best,
Greg

 

[Kwakasaki]

My 2004 220R Pulls my wide azz just fine. I did have to go to Race Tech springs though. The stock springs are not near enough. I am 250 lbs, and as far as hills, the bike screams. I am still using the 13/47 factory sprockets and it is yanking me up some pretty serious stuff. The 250,s I ride with seem to have to stay on the pipe alot harder to get up the hills. Yea, they can pull me top end but in the trails and big hills It is like driving a Cadillac. Hope this helps.

 

[Rhodester]

matt-itude, It's been awhile so I don't exactly remember the length of spacers I cut, but they were probably under an inch. I used 3/4" schedule 40 PVC and a tubing cutter to give it an absolutely straight and even cut. I'm running 5mm of preload. I've had my suspension revalved so my clicker positions wouldn't do you any good. I like a very light high speed compression damping so stock just wasn't gonna do it for me. 7 1/2 weight suspension oil is what's in my forks.

 

[razrbakcrzy]

I guess I should clarify my above statement. The bike is highly modifyied. FMF fatty with a turbine core II, 36 mm carb, planed head, Boysen reeds, newly rebuilt bottom end. Probably closer to a 225c.c. than 200c.c. Many of Fredettes Modification have been done to the bike. It really has a lot of power. My Uncle is a way more experienced rider than I am and a lot smaller 180 lbs. or so. He recently wheelied the bike down a 1 mile stretch of county road all 5 gears like it was nothing. When he returned he couldn't ask fast enough what we had done to it. He absolutely loves this little pocket rocket.

Jim