Smoothing out KX65 power

[Seth_88]

My son has just started riding again, on a 2001 KX65. This is his first bike with a clutch/gears, and he seem to be a little intimidated by the way the power hits. Would low tension reeds smooth the power out noticeably? I would like to make the engine more tourquey and easier to ride if that is possible on a 65. Any suggestions?

 

[KTM Shorty]

My little guy is in the same situation on the same bike. We race hare scrambles and do some pretty technical trail riding. I bought a 10 oz. flywheel weight from steahly and it really works well. They sell a 8 oz.,10 oz and 12 oz. I chose the 10 oz because I figured as he gets better and wants some more hit, I can have some weight machined off. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the weight. They even include the 3 flywheel cover gaskets reguired for the weight to clear. Good Luck!

 

[Red Rider 53]

That sounds like a good plan. Trying to get torque out of a KX65 is not going to have the best of results, but the flywheel will smooth out the hit.

 

[Seth_88]

Originally posted by KTM Shorty
My little guy is in the same situation on the same bike. We race hare scrambles and do some pretty technical trail riding. I bought a 10 oz. flywheel weight from steahly and it really works well. They sell a 8 oz.,10 oz and 12 oz. I chose the 10 oz because I figured as he gets better and wants some more hit, I can have some weight machined off. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the weight. They even include the 3 flywheel cover gaskets reguired for the weight to clear. Good Luck!

Where did you order the weight from? What about some low tension reeds, do they really make a difference?

 

[KTM Shorty]

I ordered it directly from Steahly. www.steahlyoffroad.com I don't know about the low tension reeds. If you try them, let me know how you make out.

 

[jsmith811]

Seth_88.. My son is also starting out on the KX65 as his first bike with a clutch.. let me know if you try the flywheel weight. We were actually thinking of going back to a klx110. We are also from Ky... London area.
jsmith809@adelphia.net

 

[Seth_88]

Originally posted by jsmith811
Seth_88.. My son is also starting out on the KX65 as his first bike with a clutch.. let me know if you try the flywheel weight. We were actually thinking of going back to a klx110. We are also from Ky... London area.
jsmith809@adelphia.net

I'm now wondering if I made a mistake by getting the KX instead of the KLX110. I think he would actually enjoy riding the four stroke better than the KX. I'm going to try the reeds probably first, and see how it goes. I may just sell it and find a KLX or TTR90. I live in Edmonton, about 90 minutes west of London. I've been up to Daniel Boone MX a few times.
How do you like the KX250F? I saw your posts on Thumper Talk about the new bike. Is the engine as strong as the YZ250F's? I checked one out at the dealership Saturday- very nice looking bikes.

 

[eswan41]

To all considering a move from a KX65 back to a KLX110.
If your son is going to ride or race on an MX track I would suggest that you stick with the KX65, your son will get used to hit and actually learn to like it.

 

[Jasle]

I agree with eswan. The KLX has crap suspension and is really only good for a pit bike. It will take time but just let your little one get used tot he kx. It took my son the better part of 3 months to get used to our 65 but it has paid dividens...especially with his 50 racing. He is a lot faster on the 50 now.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Just this week I bought my 9-year-old son a KX65 (for his birthday) to replace his XR70. Saturday was his first ride on the bike.

I figured I’d take it out just to warm it up for him. I got the thing on the long straight on our home track, opened the throttle in third gear, and when the bike came on the pipe the front wheel came right off the ground and I rode a nice 200 foot wheelie. Holly crap, this thing makes some nice power!

What’s fun for 180 pound dad can be very bad for a 70 pound boy coming off a 4 HP auto clutch bike, now trying to learn how to use a clutch.

When I got back to the garage, Connor says “nice wheelie Dad”. I say to Connor “we gotta talk”. In short I put the fear of God into Connor; “avoid revving this thing out, don’t even explore the power band just to see what it’s like”.

Connor takes to the clutch real well and is (short) shifting in no time, but riding much slower than he ever did on his XR70. So what do I do now? Do I let him explore the power band and learn all about a 2-strokes hit, or do I try to tame this beast? On one hand I’d hate for him to have a bad experience and not ride the bike to its (or his) full potential; but on the other hand I don’t want to water-down the bike if I don’t have to (it will cost $500 to do all of the recommended mods – low-tension reeds, FMF Fatty/Turbine Core II, flywheel weight, intake spacer…).

Thoughts or suggestions please.

 

[Rcannon]

I had a friend that bought the TTr 90 and a PW 80 for his boys. The engines on the bikes are fine, but as others have said, the suspension was awful. Until the factories believe that beginners can benefit from shocks and forks that actually work, I would stay with the 65.

 

[drk98]

My first clutch bike was an RM80. I was challenged because my old bike was a PW80. I got pretty mad at myself after a days ride but I figured I had to learn sometime. Either now on a 130lbs bike or on a 220lbs bike(KDX). If they learn on a small bike its easier than getting a KX85 or 100.

 

[jboomer]

I say let him do it! Give him the spill about sitting up high on the gas tank and leaning over the bars....he'll figure it out. You can spend a lot of money putting all of these aftermarket parts on to protect him, then spend all your time taking them off in order to allom him to transition slowely. Or, you can teach him the proper body positioning and allow him to decide how fast he wants to go.

 

[gwcrim]

Gary, I'd let him learn to ride it as is. He'll adapt pretty quickly. You've obviously gotten him to respect it already. He'll be just fine.

 

[CaptainObvious]

I asked him last night what he wanted me to do. He said to leave it alone and he'd learn how to ride it. Damn, he's one smart kid!

 

[fastwes]

Hey RV6junkie,
I believe you should still do something to help Conner, though he has a good attitude. Put a washer between his pipe and cylinder with a hole through it about 50% of the port diameter. This will take a good part of the hit away, enough to let anyone ride it. It won't change the jetting much and is cheap. Then after every few rides as he gets used to it you can grind,file, or with any method make the hole a little bigger. Go up about 1/16 inch at a time and it will start making more and more power as soon as you want it to. Don't bother with pipes, heads or any other stuff until he can use what is there.
I had my son learn (1st ride... what does a throttle really do? )on a KTM pro 50 with a slighty too big of hole in the washer. At least we got it on video, then sat in the shop discussing how we shared the "fault" of his dumping the bike when it went zinggggg and spit him off. It was kind of fun later, grinding out the washer a little at a time, seeing if he noticed it. Try it.
Wes Gilbert
Boyesen Precision Porting

 

[Bill Wright]

I just recently move my 6 year old to an 01 KX65. He has a full year of racing on a 2 stroke KTM jr 50 under his belt. He had never been on a clutched bike by himself but rides with me alot. To learn the clutching I put him on my bike with me and I let him put his hands on the control with mine to give him a feel of how much throttle and how fast he should let the clutch out. Once he had a feel for it we went over the procedure in the laneway several times with the bike off. Once I felt he had it we went to a very bike wide open field at my farm and I let him try it. He stalled it 2 or 3 times and then he was off. He almost never stalls it now and is getting good at switching gears. I did nothing to take power away from the bike but he has good body positioning and has taken several MX Couses on his 50. He now gets into 4 or 5th gear pinned and drops 2 or 3 gears into the corner. Once in a while he gets on it a little hard in the corner and slides the bike out. It is all about taking the time with the little guys and stepping them through it. Make sure you are in a good mood because you will need to excercise patients throughout the routine. He now rides it around the entire MX track and likes it much better than his 50. Next year he will race 50's and 65's. Also, I find it really helps to have him riding with other kids. It is amazing how much good information my young lad has picked up from some of the older kids. They remember being there.

They will fall. My little guy looped it out once and quickly learned why he needed to stay up front.

JMHO

billy

 

[Eiswald]

I would agree that kids learn so fast that next year you will be rebuilding the thing because he rides it hard. My son has spent a full year on the KX 65 and just loves it, They have more bottom end then you think because kids don't weigh anything so it don't take much to move them. I had more of an issue with getting the bike set up with the right spring rates. The KX 65 is over sprung in the back, I went down from a stock spring (about 4.9) to a 4.0 spring and it now uses all the travel.

 

[eswan41]

Rev6
My son also moved from an XR70 to a KX65. Upon my first ride on the KX65 I felt the same way .. this bike has too much power for my son. However, there is a big difference between our weight and our kids weight. This kids won't be sitting at the rear of the bike so their weight will naturally be over closer to the tank. My son did not have a problem keeping the front wheel down unless he reved it real high and popped the clutch. It took him about 3 rides to get used to the bike .... he really likes the power and suspension as compared to the XR70.

I see nearly 30 kids every weeked riding KX/RM65's, most of them have been tuned for more power not less.

Hang in there, he will get used to it as is.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Well we went riding this evening after work. Conner started to explore the power. He did well. The bike does react a lot different with a rider of the correct weight!

Anyway, I guess that I was concerned for no reason. Looks like he'll handle it just fine. Thanks for the thoughts guys.

 

[dog2]

All I did to my sons '02 KX 65 was ad the FMF Fatty/Turbine Core II combo. This provided a spark arrestor, which I needed, but more importantly gave it a smoother, broader, power band, with better low end. Don't get me wrong, the change in power was not huge. But it was enough to make it a better all around bike. We race hare scrambles and it is fast enough to holeshot or win national level B class. Smoother power isn't needed when traction is good. But it really helps in the mud, off-road, technical, or wet conditions.

 

[dirtbikingdad]

This is a old thread, but full of good info. Therefore, I'm reviving it and adding to it. ;) My son is coming off a TTR90, is a small 9 year old and a good rider... one year on a bike, one year on a hopped up LT80 prior. Anyway, he did awesome on a recent ride and I can tell he is ready to move up. So, for Christmas, I have picked up a '05 RM65. It's a bad little bike. Anyway, we ride in the woods and no mx for us... so I do plan to tame the beast. If a flywheel weight is good for my CR250, it has got to be good for the RM.. right?

Anybody out there ride their 65 in the woods? Does anyone feel that I am making to much out of the hit? I hate to spend the $$ on mods to tame the bike, but it wasn't until recently that I liked my CR... being a 4 stroke sport quad guy, the hit drove me nuts! Any input is appreciated.

 

[Yamajeb]

Hey Dirtbikingdad -

Did you end up getting the FWW? 'Just wondering . . .

you and I are in the same boat - 'gonna be riding more in the woods than anywhere else. I believe we're gonna spring for a FWW and some Boyesen reeds. The combo oughta smooth/shift the powerband appropriately and make it easier to ride

 

[highmileage]

Actually the PC pipe is the broader smoother pipe on this bike. A little less peak power, but more rideable.

Check this out: (look at the bottom of the pages for FMF vs PC dyno)


http://www.mmracing.biz/kx65%20build.htm

Hope this helps with the power management issues.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Wow, it's fun to re-read these posts from 3 years ago. Conner has since moved on to a KX85. Looking back, there was never a problem for him handling the power of the KX65.

Funny how things go around. I sold the KX65 to a friend for his son to ride about a year ago. We talked about it for some time and he called me at work one day and says "if it's OK, I'm gonna go over your house and pick it up for him". Sure, leave the money on my work-bench. He calls me about 1/2 an hour later saying:

"Dude, I can't put my kid on that thing, he'll kill himself" Seems as though he took it for a ride before loading it into his truck. I told him the same things that were said above; the bike isn't designed for a 200 pound adult with his weight over the rear tire. I had to talk him into taking it from me. I told him, put your son on it, if he has any trouble with it, or simply doesn't like it, I'll give your money back.

He never asked for his money, and his kid has never complained about the power.