Suspected Bias for KDX disproven :)

[Feanor]

Everyone knows that no matter what bike you own, it becomes what you're "familiar" with or even what you'll defend against the competitors despite even heavy evidence to the contrary...

While I was at Carnegie, CA this weekend, I was parked next to a Dad and his 16 yo son... We got to talking and the Dad asked if it would be ok if his son tried my KDX-220 just to tool around in the flat dirt parking area because he was looking at a first bike to get his son... To reciprocate, he offered me a chance to ride the bike his son was on, a Suzuki RMX250...

I rode the Suzuki around for a bit, and really didn't like it at all... It felt heavy and "twitchy" granted the suspension might not have been set up correctly for me, but it still felt unsure in turns (compared to the KDX) and it had far less power (though the power that was there was smoothly delivered)

After I got back I just made a generic comment like "Pretty cool!" not wanting to be impolite and saying that I thought the KDX was far better, and furthermore I attributed it to the fact that the KDX was "my" bike so of course I would find it better because I was biased...

However, when the son returned he had this HUGE smile on his face and said my bike "rocked!" and that he liked it much MUCH better than the Suzuki... That made me feel a bit more confident in the overall competence of the KDX as an off-road bike, and seemed to pretty much seal the deal on the fact that the Dad would get a KDX for his son...

It looks like my months of research before buying a first bike paid off :)

Have a good one!


Feanor

 

[1tontj]

I have a story like that!
My buddies ride MX and ride YZ250's and talk smack about my little kdx220 "beginer bike".
Well one of the YZ250 riders and I entered a team hare scramble. It was all rough single track woods trails, with no MX. When the YZ began to act up, he rode my bike instead.

He came back amazed. Said my suspension (race tech gold with springs) was way better than the stock YZ suspension he was running (said it is way too stiff compared to mine). Said the power was way better for the woods compared to the all top end YZ. And loved the steering stabilizer.

So, where I used to get teased for driving a "beginner bike" from my MX buddies, now the KDX gets respect for the TRAIL - where it was meant to be.

Plus I still take the KDX to the MX tracks once in a while too ;-)

Long live the KDX!

Phil

 

[Rcannon]

I dont think they have ever made an all around bike better than the KDX's. There are bikes that do specific things better, but for all around riding, nothing compares.

 

[kx200]

Here’s how my story goes. I have been racing hare scrambles for a long time, most of the time by myself. In the last few years we have had some new members join the club. The cool part is that seven of them are on KDXs. That makes 12 KDXs in the club. I didn’t say anything or do any kind of high pressure sell on any of them. I think they just knew that my old Fredette replica (1989kdx 200/1994KX125) had a ton of races on it, and it’s still fast.

 

[DirtRoller]

Well, I've been keeping this to myself for the last three days, and this post just makes me want to tell my MX track story.
Went to El Cajon track Monday night with a buddy for vet night. He has a CR 250 and in the desert he has left me so far behind, I was in a different time zone. So on the way to the track I was razing him about how I was going to leave him in the dust. Of course when we get to the track the excuses start flying. I start by saying my ankle is killing me (old climbing injury) and him by saying he had a hard day at work (he sits at a desk). My strategy was to let him wear himself out on his beast of a bike, then get him later in the night. So we did our warm-up lap, and then another, then two more. Then he pulls into the pits and stops. So I ask what's up and he says the lens on his goggles is too dark, and he wanted to change to a lighter one. So I waited for him.
Then we're back on the track and without a doubt we are going to get something out of this first real lap. First turn, first jump, me in front. Then the woooops (several) he catches back up. Then tight turn, then big step-up, then long transiton down, then nice bank turn, then staight-away, then tight turn.
I'm out in front and not by a bike lenght either.
We came in for a break after a few laps. I ask if I could try his bike and offered mine up for trade. So we swapped and out we went (not to race). His bike landed like a small planet (hard) and had crap for rear brakes. The seat is hard as rock also. But, when you open that thing up it's scary.
I told him with some brake work (stop faster, go faster) and some fork work (compression settings) it would be different story.

Yes, I smoked him the first lap and all but one lap for the rest of the night. But for the most part I think everyone else smoked us. :laugh:
All I can say is; I love my bike, "The Turtle".

 

[WildBill]

Here’s my little, “The Little Old KDX that Could” story. My best friend picked up a brand new YZ450F this past spring and he worked with a guy that rode a CR450F and mostly MX with some trail riding as a kid. So, we plan a trail ride up north for the coming weekend and all week this guy keeps telling my buddy that he isn’t going to stop and wait for a guy on a 14yo KDX200 and he hopes that I can at least keep up with them. My buddy’s response was, “You’d better hope that you don’t get your butt handed to you by a guy 10 years older than you and his 14yo bike.” Fortunately, I was able to live up to that statement and every time he looked back I was right there giving him just enough breathing room for the current conditions. The next week he admitted that he was wrong about my “little” KDX. My only reply was that the bike was tuned to fit me and that the trails were where the bike excelled. To that, he agreed. He wasn’t going to trade in his CR anytime soon, but if nothing else, he gained an appreciation for what the KDX could do!
:ride:

 

[Rcannon]

You guys, knock off the stories. I have a neighbor sellng a 98 KDX 200. I cannot be spendign this much before x-mas!

Seriously, I dont own one at the moment.

 

[G. Gearloose]

Anyone who's ridden my bike sez its its like 'going home', or like 'warm apple pie'... :rotfl:
even if its their 'first time' on a kdx. Its the Mrs Robinson of bikes. ;)

if you don't mind my saying so, this conversation is getting a little strange.

 

[1tontj]

You guys, knock off the stories. I have a neighbor sellng a 98 KDX 200. I cannot be spendign this much before x-mas!

Seriously, I dont own one at the moment.

If you trail ride and it is a good deal - buy it. Way nicer on the trail than a YZ.


Phil

 

[Wolf]

:coocoo:

 

[Rcannon]

I believe the perfect bike for me will end up being a KDX. I want to put the 200 engine in a 2003 or 2004 frame.

The KDX engine is just about perfect for anything. I am no pro motocrosser and the excellent low end makes the bike perfect for the track. The weight of a 125 with 250 like power.

I am hoping to find a frame and get startyed on this asap.

 

[LukeRips]

I've made many a fool out of "euro" bikes in the snow with my little KDX and a set of Trelleborg's. They always wonder why I'd leave my KX's at home until about an hour into the ride it becomes apparent. The only bike I'd rather have in the snow is a Gas Gas EC. If you've never ridden one, let me tell you "It don't git no better 'n that".

 

[LukeRips]

By the way, anyone lookin' for a KDX? I'm probably gonna sell mine. I need a new MX'r for next year.

 

[libskater]

everyone i know used to raz me for riding a bike about 13 years old. i bought the bike after 2 years of not even being on one and within the month i was back up to my old riding pace and picking up more speed fast. its a lot easier to ride in the woods than a motocrosser and sometimes i have to kick it up and extra gear to make things a bit more interesting where i was always afraid before on my old dirtbikes and my friend's bikes. pretty soon the people that were downing my bike started wanting to ride it to see what was so great about it. they even admitted that it was easier to ride than their mxers anywhere. i could still put em in the dust no matter what i was on though. lately ive upped my speed enough to outrun a b class racer ive known for years. he used to palce first in his class all the time until he slowed down on racing for his family. hes back into riding more and back up to his pace so i know ive picked up a lot of speed thanks to the kdx. my bike is also his old bike, he has an '03 220 which i admit is very torquey but somewhat harder to control for me. waht im trying to say is that kdx's are great bikes to improve anyones riding skills, no matter what you ride. they can be competitive anywhere when set up correctly. but then again it is 2% bike 98% rider. i just love my bike. its the best machine ive ever owned and i dont care how old she gets. i can still outrun lots of people with her.