New mods = new bike!

[1tontj]

So I just took my 04 KDX220R that only had hand gaurds, fork springs, shock spring, and race tech gold valves, and added:

Michelin S12 tires front and rear
Scotts Steering stabilizer
EFM Auto-clutch

and the difference is WOW!!!

It's like having a new bike. The POS dunlops that came on the bike were crap. These michelin S12's are amazing.

Steering stabilizer is sooooooo cool, talk about a step up in stability in the woods. One time I even hit the hand gaurd on a tree at a good fast speed and it just bounced off and didn't even throw me off course really. Without the stabilizer I am sure I would have gonee down hard.

And finally the auto clutch from EFM - this thing is amazing. What an improvement it makes in the tight woods. I can brake slide everywhere now. Bikes should come with these from the factory. This is the most amazing mod!
Also a word of thanks to EFM - for answering my questions about the rear hand brake on the weekend. Gary seems like a great guy.

So put all three of these mods together and what do you have - me making much faster time in the woods with no additional practice ;)


Phil

 

[johnkdx220]

I agree with you 100% about the dunlops and the S12! The dunlop are :moon: and the S12 are :yeehaw:

I also live in the Ottawa region... Where did you buy the EFM autoclutch? The EFM web site lists it at $499 US and doesn't list it for the KDX? Which model did you buy? How much did you pay in CDN $. Was it easy to install?.

I'm seriously considering the autoclutch mod since I'm getting old and the arm pump proble is only getting worst. Can you say this will "significantly" reduce armpumps?

Tkx for the advice.

 

[1tontj]

Bought it direct from EFM for $450 each (when we bought two at once).

Can't say about the arm pump. Didn't have it before, don't have it now.
Grip with your knees man, let go the death grip on the bars ;)

Phil

 

[1tontj]

Oh, and my advice is - just get the efm clutch it is incredible. Bikes should come with them from the factory.

Same with the steering stabilizer, and the S12's they are both must have items.

Phil

 

[johnkdx220]

$450 Can?

Death grip... partly true, I have to admit....

 

[1tontj]

Nope $450 US. About CDN$590

Phil

 

[1tontj]

Hey John - come out to Limerick sometime and you can try my bike and see for yourself. One ride in the tight limerick forest trails and you are sold I am sure of it ;)

Phil

 

[crazymike]

Oh, and my advice is - just get the efm clutch it is incredible. Bikes should come with them from the factory.

Same with the steering stabilizer, and the S12's they are both must have items.

Phil

sorry, but if a bike came with an autoclutch from the factory I wouldn't buy it.

To me, it's almost like cheating.

I don't have a problem with people using it, but I will keep my clutch as it adds to the challenge and fun.

 

[1tontj]

Why don't you get a nice KE100 instead of a KDX then. That also "adds to the challenge and fun".

Why not run old worn out tires? That adds to the challenge and fun.

etc. etc.

Right parts for the right job. The auto clutch is amazing, and makes riding way faster and more fun IMHO ;)

Phil

 

[crazymike]

Why don't you get a nice KE100 instead of a KDX then. That also "adds to the challenge and fun".

Why not run old worn out tires? That adds to the challenge and fun.

etc. etc.

Right parts for the right job. The auto clutch is amazing, and makes riding way faster and more fun IMHO ;)

Phil

Those are different than challenge. Why don't you ride beginner rail line, crush and run lined trails?

I'm not stopping you from using it. But if the KDX came stock with an auto clutch, I wouldn't buy it. And so would a lot of people. This is why the hondamatic failed.

 

[KAY DEE EXER]

Not to turn this into a p!ss!ng match but it wouldnt stop me from buying another one. All the more reason IMO. Now 'Fight', 'Fight', 'Fight'..... LOL

 

[skipro3]

Remember, it is an auto clutch, not an auto transmission. It's still up to the rider to select the gearing. The clutch still does it's thing, just that now it is always doing the correct thing. I too thought that the auto clutch was for wusses and would not get one. Then I injured myself so much now that it starts to become a choice between riding safely or not riding all. My rides were starting to become limited to only about 25 or 30 miles before my body cried uncle and I would start to crash. With the auto clutch, I can now ride a full day's worth of trail and not have to deal with the trama to my body. If I were a more talented rider, or 20 years younger, then maybe I would be indifferent to the auto clutch, but I'm not and it's only going to go down hill from here without "cheating".
So, next time a super senior is on your minute in an enduro and he spanks your butt, check to see if he has a clutch lever.
Thanks for the writeup 1tontj. How difficult did you find it to install the clutch?

 

[1tontj]

Knowing nothing about motorcycle clutches in advance it was a little tricky. After a bit of fiddling with the FSM, and taking it apart and back together a few times (especially on the YZ250 my friend has) we learned a lot. Next auto clutch will be a 20 minute install.

Phil

 

[KelvinKDX]

You mentioned a rear brake lever - i assume this is in place of the clutch lever. How difficult was that to accomplish?

 

[1tontj]

We are still working on it. In theory very easy. In practice it is leaking, and hard to bleed with all the fittings and hoses strung together.

But we are working with Gary to get it figured out. Garry certainly goes out of his way to help out too. Great guy.

Phil

 

[JasonWho]

---

 

[1tontj]

Not sure - the stock ones that came on my 04.

Phil

 

[sorny]

Pardon my ignorance, but what's a steering stabilizer? I mean, obviously it stabilizes steering ;) But how? I ride woods mostly and was interested when you was talking about hitting stuff and keep going when it should've thrown you off.

 

[aintskeerd]

Could you explain how the new tires are better than the stock tires?

 

[1tontj]

Pardon my ignorance, but what's a steering stabilizer? I mean, obviously it stabilizes steering ;) But how? I ride woods mostly and was interested when you was talking about hitting stuff and keep going when it should've thrown you off.

http://www.scottsperformance.com/scotts.htm

HTH,
Phil

 

[1tontj]

Could you explain how the new tires are better than the stock tires?

The stock dunlops were very poor, especially in sandy trails (lots of that here). They did not hook up much in acceleration. The breaking was very poor, and the front end tended to wash out, and if it did manage to track then the slip angle was very high.

The S12's hook up excellent, even in sand. Braking is top notch (almost don't need the front brake since now the rear stops so fast with the better tires). Front tire is very hard to wash out with no noticeable slip angle.

A quick poll of guys I ride with says that these tires also last quite a while (I can report back on that in a few months).

In short - the S12's are absolutely great in all respects.

Phil

 

[Detonator]

I like the S-12's, the one downfall being power slides in tight woods races where there's a narrow entrance into a 90 degree or sharper corner. There's so much hookup they don't want to break loose. They brake slide predictably, but those of us without an auto-clutch risk stalling. The nice thing about them is that they still feel "fresh" when they've got some time on them. New knobbies usually feel great, but give them a month and they start to exhibit a lack of "edge." The S-12's feel good until extreme wear is evident.
My rear tire is due for a change, but despite the nasty variety of conditions around here, there's no chunking on the knobs, just a uniform rounding of the edges. If I were more ambitious I could take a razor and square them up again, but that requires effort...

Enjoy your "new" bike!

 

[1tontj]

Yep brake sliding is one of the places the auto clutch really shines.

Phil

 

[sorny]

That looks like it's pretty cool and worth it, but $400+... can't afford that right now.