Loose Front End

kingsxjt

Member
Dec 7, 2003
116
0
Got an 01 KDX 200 that I have been riding for about a year now. I'm needing some advice on my suspension. I rode my buddies KTM 400 MXC at 143offroad a couple of weekends ago and really noticed how the front end felt much more solid than my KDX. I shrugged it off in that his bike has 43mm forks and well.. it costs twice what my bike did. Anyway, Monday me and a buddy went to Westpoint and swapped bikes half way through our ride because he wanted to check out my new mods. He's got a stock 02 XR 400 that I have to harp on him about just keeping his chain lubed. I immediately noticed the same stabilty that the KTM had. Incidentilly I had to walk back down the first hill we came to and ride my back up because he just couldn't hack it. While riding his bike for the short time that I did I thought man this is too easy. It's as if it effortlessly tracked over the terrain. I'm not talking about the differences between two strokes and four strokes here either. It was gravy on both of my buds bikes, but mine is much more work. The KDX feels skaty in comparison. I currently have .382 XR 400 fork springs with approx. 10mm of preload with oil level at 100mm. clickers are at 18 clicks from the fully turned in position. I'm thinking of Gold Valves by a guy named Terry that is a Racetech suspension rep in our area. Don't really know how to get my back handling like my buds, but when I do look out! Oh BTW I have a brand spankin new Maxxis IT front tire. Thoughts, Comments, Derragatory remarks?
 

Feanor

Member
Aug 10, 2004
144
0
KDX's have a short wheelbase that makes them great on the slower twisty single track when you're dodgiing trees and rocks, but they do seem to be kind of "skatey" like you say when it gets more wide open and fast and bumpy...

I notice on mine (with stock suspension) that when climbing a bumpy rutted hill the back end tends to wander quite a bit under power in comparison to my brothers YZ250 and my friends WR250...This makes the front end feel like its wandering as well... Both of those bikes I think have wheelbases longer than the KDX...

I'm certain that tuning the suspension correctly for you riding style and weight will help quite a bit, but I'm going to try an experiment by getting a chain that is long enough to have the correct tension when the rear axle is all the way to the hardstop on the rear swingarm... As it stands now, that will give me a good 1 1/2" on the wheelbase which i think is not an insignificant amount...

I'm looking forward to checking out the results especially with how the bike tracks in sugar sand...

Regardless, the KDX is still a great ride and I LOVE mine!

Have a good one...

Feanor
 

nectar

Member
Sep 11, 2002
175
0
frp installed gold valves on mine and it was like a night and day difference...front end was much more stable...go with the gold valves.
 
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