riding kdx on back roads..

[Nevada Sixx]

hi, i saw a very cool street legal kit for kdx at www.bajadesigns.com.. it would be awsome to ride a 4 mile back road to work.. but will the higher steady rpm's (30-40mph) hurt the engine? i would ride it to work about twice a week... any thoughts or experiance to share on this?

 

[David M]

Because it's a modern water cooled 2 stroke, there would be no problem. An example is outboard boat motors - water cooled 2 strokes that get run full out for extended periods. The KDX 2 stroke is not designed for this like an outboard or a big thumper, but for what you described - no problem. Older air-heads would sieze if ridden at high, steady RPM's because the motor couldn't get rid of the heat fast enough. BTW, the '98 220 that my girlfriend bought recently had been plated and road ridden for 3 years for 2 lane highway trips to the trails and back, and it runs really nice. If you do get the BajaDesigns kit, would you please post a report on what your impressions are. One more thing, you can make your own - I did it for my Honda XR650R, and 8000km later it still works great.-david

 

[Nevada Sixx]

if i got the kit, i would have extra tall gearing for the road, and switch to low gearing on weekend trail rides...i assume a new kdx will actually go 50 mph?

 

[fast 200]

mine is a 2002 kdx with the stock gear it will do 64 mph

 

[jpm200]

My 89 KDX200SR sits on 50mph in top gear and 14/45 just below where the power valve opens. I have run it for an hour over 60mph no worries.

 

[atc3434`]

The stock 220 I used to ride would do about 75mph topped out in 6th. It went on several extended rides at about 65mph with no trouble. Just make sure your not too lean on the main jet, and you should be fine. Taller gearing can always help too.

 

[JasonWho]

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[Johnnyboy]

My 83 KDX200 will do about 80mph but when I ride it on the roads it starts to knock when ridden at a very constant throttle. I assume it is because it is a hare lean but I dont care to change it because I rarely ride on the highways and when I do I'm going to higher elevations where the leanness is evened out. It much prefers to be gassed hard then let off. And it will cool itself just fine at WOT on highways, no overheating.

 

[Nevada Sixx]

im sure lean on the main jet would be bad,, but what about if its too rich? can that overheat engine also?

 

[canyncarvr]

No

 

[jc]

I have ridden many miles on road w/my 96. Just one thing- Don't bang through the gears like you were on dirt! Factory road legal bikes come with a rubber cushioned rear hub to lesson the impact of shift on a solid surface like pavement. Kdx s do not and all the power transfer and jarring is going right to the trans., shift forks and so on w/no cushion from a loose surface like dirt or mud. I have had no touble w/ my kdx but I know a few xr's 600 and 250 that have had trouble w/extended road use/fun. By the way I also went one up on the counter shaft and it made a world of difference in comfort and speed.

 

[Jackpiner57]

My 2002 KDX200 hates paved roads. It pings at higher rpm and knocks. My bike likes trails, and so do I.

 

[G. Gearloose]

setup is important.
A -7 series plug is intolerable on the road.
I concur with JC;
a spare 14-tooth front sprocket turns it into a smoothie. (I keep it screwed to the seat bottom)
Jetting is critical also, main and needle.
Use the clutch when you shift.
It will never like to just cruise like a 4-stroke, it happiest decelerating or accelerating, but the above takes the edge off.

 

[B]

On 14/ 50 Im getting about 85mph on an 200SR with the tiny 28mm carby, pipe mod, porting and reeds.

 

[craig]

Originally posted by jc
I have ridden many miles on road w/my 96. Just one thing- Don't bang through the gears like you were on dirt! Factory road legal bikes come with a rubber cushioned rear hub to lesson the impact of shift on a solid surface like pavement. Kdx s do not and all the power transfer and jarring is going right to the trans., shift forks and so on w/no cushion from a loose surface like dirt or mud. I have had no touble w/ my kdx but I know a few xr's 600 and 250 that have had trouble w/extended road use/fun.

FWIW, the XR650L has no "cush drive" or any driveline damping.

I would think (and I'm certainly no engineer) that a knobbie tire and it's inherent flex will damp just as well as the cush drive does on a street bike. I haven't tagged my KDX yet, but my XRL gets flogged on the road regularly, and I haven't had (or heard of any) tranny problems as a result.

I _think_ I recall hearing about an XR400 issue or two, but it's hard to say if they're really related to the lack of a cush drive or not.

My KDX ('97 220) which has never been ridden on the road needed a couple of gears in the tranny last winter. The bearing/bushing where the gears rode on the shaft were coming apart, and Kawasaki (or my local bearing shop) wouldn't sell just the bearing, so I had to buy the two gears.

Craig

 

[keith500r]

i would think there is more stress on the trans of any motorcycle ridden on street compared to dirt, like it was said above the shock is being transferred more directly thru pavement cause the dirt can give.

 

[jc]

No cush on a xr650l? I am surprised, my old xl600 had it in the hub just like my cbr600. Learn something every day. Anyway I will still make slow, clean shifts when I am running pavement. Cheaper than a gear replaement. Hell it saves the knobs too!

 

[craig]

No kidding about wearing out knobs, my XRL can go through them pretty quickly when I'm riding in a 'spirited' manner. ;-)

Yep, no cush drive.

I don't disagree that the street is harsher than the dirt, but I think that a knobbie probably offers about as much damping as the cush drive setup does.

I've seen a home made cush drive setup where the owner enlarged the holes in the rear sprocket, then added bushings (polysomethingortheother) between the sprocket bolts and sprocket. Don't know if I'd be comfortable with that or not, but it seemed to work for him.

Craig

 

[88KDX]

WOW, I had no idea you could make a KDX street legal. I don't think I can in New York but I'm going to check into it. THANKS!