POWER DELIVERY KDX 200 and 220

Here is my experience; I had a 2001 KDX 220 for the last 3 years. The power band responds very well when you hit it, of course not as hard as a KX would but close. I also live in Washington State, but on the West side so I ride in Tahuya forest all the time, and it is very wet here. So the tree roots do wonders to you if you don't slide across them just right. I ride with a guy that has a 2001 KDX 200; I preferred that bikes power delivery when he had a stock pipe on it. For me it seamed a little bit more predictable. I could never quite get into the grove when riding my 220 because I felt like the power delivery was not as smooth, kind of punchy, but it came with a FMF pipe on it too so maybe that did it. So I thought I would sell it and try a 4 stroke. I bought a 2000 YZ426F and put a monster rear sprocket on it for tight woods riding (53 toof) and I am much faster on this bike than I have been the last 3 years on the 220, because for me the power deliver is so smooth and very easy for me to handle. I looked at the DRZ 400 as well but didn't like how heavy it seamed. I think I would have been just as happy with a KDX 200 with everything stock too, but maybe I'm just getting older and to cautious hehehehe. For the money you can not go wrong with the KDX 200. Any way that’s my opinion.

I used to ride a 96 KDX 200, stock, and then with a pipe/silencer, reeds, no airbox lid, and jetting.
Stock it is very smooth. Predictable power from idle to wide open.
After the mods it does have a bit of a "hit", but nothing like a 125 or 250 motocrosser. If I had to describe the power I'd say the low end of a 250 and the topend power of a 125, with an almost seemless blend between the two. Very fourstroke like, very mild compared to a two stroke motocrosser.

Now my 220 is so smooth and hitless that it's boring. It doesn't rev, at all. When it seems like the hit should be just about to come the bike falls on it's face, zero topend. It's like a 4 stroke playbike, only it takes premix. Now, with the right mods they are supposably much more snappy and more motocross-like. I'm still waiting for a few more minor parts (and the snow and ice to go away) and I'll know this spring how well it really opens up. I've treated it to Fredette porting, headmod, and bored carb, as well as an FMF rev pipe, Turbinecore II silencer, Boyseen reeds, and a hacked up airbox lid during the cold and snowy season.

I'd have to say stock-vs-stock I liked the 200 much better. It was great in the nastiest rocks and mud, and more fun on wider trails than the 220. I've riden a DRZ and felt like it was big, way big compared to the KDX. And the KDX doesn't feel all that light and nimble compared to a motocrosser, although it's easier to ride in about any condition.

I think the 220 is very easy to ride. Mine has the FMF torque pipe on it. It certainly doesn't explode when I hit high rpm like my old MX bikes did, it's just pretty torquey for a 2 stroke. I've never ridden a big 4 stroke, but some of the guys I ride with are on them. In tight woods I pretty much smoke them. On the 220 I found that shifting early keeps you in the torque band, it's very forgiving and tends to keep chugging if you end up in too high a gear on a hill for example. I like the handling at low speeds, to me it seems pretty agile and I can pick my way through boulder fields pretty easily. At high speed it's a little nervous though, and makes me think a steering damper would be nice. I'm not saying it's scary or anything, just a little twitchy. I'm 47 though, and maybe my reaction times are the problem.

Mike.

The KDX200 stock has a mild hit and it really moves once you get in the power band. However the torque is really impressive down low in the rpm range. If you add a FMF woods pipe, boyesen reed, and do the RB carb mod the KDX 200 power really increases. It will have the smoothness of a four stroke and the snap of a two stroke. Best of both worlds without the weight.

whats a wheeler? The DRZ is more of a dual sport bike really. if you plan to ride it for long distances on a mixture of dirt roads and trails then it will work nice. It is very heavy compared to a 2T. 4T's can be hard starting too. A KDX is a good bargain even new and makes a nice trail bike.

I switched from a DRZ400E to a KDX220 last year. Added an FMF Desert/Rev pipe, PCII silencer and Boysen reeds with stock carb. Really woke it up without losing much down low. I also have an FMF Woods/Torque pipe, but only put that on if I need to pull stumps.

Reason I switched was DRZ's top-heavy weight (I ride in tight, hilly KY woods) and the fact that I just simply like the feel of 2-strokes. If I rode in the wide open spaces, I probably would have stuck with the DRZ - it is more stable at speed than the KDX and has gobs of smooth power. Still, although a reliable performer with a huge following, the DRZ is getting long in the tooth - there really are better thumpers to choose from these days - even the new 250's are very capable performers, especially in the tight stuff.