KDX200 Triple Clamp

Chiefneckofred · Nov 29, 2008

I have a 1996 KDX200. I put my buddy on it yesterday and he had a big crash, the right side stop on the lower clamp is busted and i wanted some opinions from people who know or maybe went through this. I have been looking for aftermarket triple clamps and can't find one. Do they make them for other models that are interchangable? Is there any mods i can do? Or should just take it in to my shop and weld a new stop on it? Does anbody put different clamps and forks on them, because I am all for putting better forks and clamps on it. Please if you can help it would be much appreciated.
Tim

longtime coming · Nov 29, 2008

looks like an opportunity to look for used moto-cross clamps and forks (eg kx125). I have not gone thru this, but surely that would be a great improvement. good luck. There are lots of threads on this conversion here.

arjay · Nov 30, 2008

By far the cheapest thing to do would be weld on a blob of ally and file it back to the right shape. It's not a high stress part, just a guide.

If you wanted to get new triples, KDX of any year (86 on) would fit, as would KX125/250/500 85-87.

Basically you could use any aftermarket mx triple clamp that takes a 43mm fork (you'd have to stay roughly in the offset range) It would more than likely involve a bit of machining - fitting your KDX steering stem into the lower clamp and matching the top. This could potentially open the search to period aftermarket triples for mid to late 80's CR and RM.

If you want new triples AND forks, then there are heaps of options with later KX upside downers. Like longtime says, there are plenty of threads on this.

mudpack · Dec 1, 2008

It amazes me how we are so quick to spend money and effort adapting parts from a different bike to our KDX's, fully confident that they will be, somehow, "better".
Are the original pieces on the Kawasaki KDX200 really so bad that, literally, anything else will be an improvement??? I have to wonder....

Why don't you just buy a set of replacement parts...read "genuine OEM KDX replacement clamps"....for your bike?
Guess what; they will fit perfectly and work very well! :rotfl:

MY second choice, if it were my bike, would be to weld build-up the stop, then shape to fit......

glad2ride · Dec 1, 2008

The low-budget, low-fuss solution is to just buy a used lower clamp with stem already in it and replace the one you broke. $30 - $40 shipped off e-Bay and you are done.

Look for a 1995+ KDX version.

arjay, some KDX's came with USD forks. Besides that, offest issues and HUGE issues on the stem diameter and clamp inner diameters being different is a nightmare waiting to happen.

arjay · Dec 3, 2008

glad2ride said:
arjay, some KDX's came with USD forks. Besides that, offest issues and HUGE issues on the stem diameter and clamp inner diameters being different is a nightmare waiting to happen.

I was talking about 200's only. I thought that they use the same steering bearings 86-present.

glad2ride · Dec 3, 2008

"Basically you could use any aftermarket mx triple clamp that takes a 43mm fork (you'd have to stay roughly in the offset range) It would more than likely involve a bit of machining - fitting your KDX steering stem into the lower clamp and matching the top. This could potentially open the search to period aftermarket triples for mid to late 80's CR and RM."

I was referring to the non-KDX clamp related part.

KDX USD triple clamps won't hold 43mm conventional inner tubes.

arjay · Dec 4, 2008

glad2ride said:
KDX USD triple clamps won't hold 43mm conventional inner tubes.

Really? ;)

Out of interest, which KDX200's came with USD forks? SR's with the metal tanks?

BTW re-reading my original post, what I meant was 'you could get a new stem machined to fit most 43mm lower triples to the bike', rather than using the standard KDX stem with any 43 triples. I did this to fit 49mm Applied Racing triples to a KX/KDX frame. Sorry for any confusion - it must have been late :whoa:

glad2ride · Dec 4, 2008

In the USA, the 1993 - 1994 KDX200 and 1991 - 1994 KDX250 came with USD forks. The original poster is listed as being in the USA, so I responded as such. The SR models weren't released in the USA.

arjay · Dec 7, 2008

glad2ride said:
In the USA, the 1993 - 1994 KDX200 and 1991 - 1994 KDX250 came with USD forks. The original poster is listed as being in the USA, so I responded as such. The SR models weren't released in the USA.

Thanks, good to know.

mudpack · Dec 16, 2008

Anyone have any inside information on just why Kawasaki went back to conventional forks in 1995???

dp396 · Dec 18, 2008

triple clamp

I have a triple clamp off an 1999 for sale. $80
polstond@bartonccc.edu

Chiefneckofred said:
I have a 1996 KDX200. I put my buddy on it yesterday and he had a big crash, the right side stop on the lower clamp is busted and i wanted some opinions from people who know or maybe went through this. I have been looking for aftermarket triple clamps and can't find one. Do they make them for other models that are interchangable? Is there any mods i can do? Or should just take it in to my shop and weld a new stop on it? Does anbody put different clamps and forks on them, because I am all for putting better forks and clamps on it. Please if you can help it would be much appreciated.
Tim

glad2ride · Dec 18, 2008

mudpack, may have been money (designed to meet a certain price point)

SVandal · Dec 18, 2008

The real question is why didn't they use the same bearings and stem as the KX models. Then the forks would be an easy swap for KX forks as a racing upgrade and they could still keep the old school forks for those who just wanted a trail bike.

KDX200 Triple Clamp

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