Vintage KDX modified, look

[Matt90GT]

This is my friends bike:

http://mlbobbitt.home.attbi.com/1983_200.jpg

1983 bike with a stock pipe and for what we know a stock top end/carb on the bike. Forks were a direct swap from a 86 kdx with a mid 80s CR master cylinder. He really needs to install the black boots! Went from a 38mm to a 43mm front fork. Installed Xr400 front springs. Out back we installed a lift also! Used some 1/4" plate steel and make an extension on the dog bone side. Drilled new holes and that ended up lifting the bike about 2-4". Then dropped the forks level with the top clamps. Works out really well. He is 6' + and me at 5'8" I can barely touch the ground. We are going to cut and weld the pegs down about 1-2". Cr high bars, mid something KX seat cover and 87 KDX sparky on that. Took one piece of metal to make an extension bracket for the back bolt.

The bike is not pampered, but runs like a top! The maxxis CT6001 tires hook up on anything out here on the oregon trails!

Enjoy

 

[Matt90GT]

Forgot to mention, black front fender with UFO or Maier rear black universal mx fender. And that is my number plate! get your own Twinns light!

 

[Speedy]

Nice!! But you need to take that bag off, throw on a mx style kx fender on it. Get rid of the dorky boots(like mentioned) and put some seal savers on it(not boots). Ive got seal savers on both of my bikes now. WAYYYY BETTER and did i mention cooler looking. The pipe looks to be in decent shape but so is mine,,,, in my garage on my wall. Dump that thing and get a DG atleast. Ive got a P.S.I. on mine(cant get them anymore). Also pick up a silerncer from DG. Good lord that silencer you have now is way tooo lonngg.My 85' is on page 10 of the readers rides, check it out! Im 5'10 and i dont know about rasing mine up that much. I think it would be to much for my 85'. My 85' runs wicked fast and wont keep the front wheel down with the short wheel base I think raising it would make it more top heavy and bring the front end up more but to each his own. I know my 85' sits lower then my 96'. I know my 85' out runs my 96' and my buddies 97' 220 across a field(drag race). hehe. i like the older Kawasaki's. the mid 80's were good for Kawasaki and speed. Your buddie has a very nice bike, tell him to never get rid of it, even if he gets a new one. They dont make them like the use to. I bet Fredette goes home and swings a leg over his old 85' all the time.

 

[ZKDX]

hey speedy what are seal savers...i need to knock them boots off my 87'

 

[Speedy]

The commercial keeps popping up when you go to JustKDX at the top. They work perfect And just slip on. Cheap too, like 15 bucks. I believe there made of some type of wet suit type material and they work excellent. I got my bike super muddy and washed, I peaked behind one of the seal savers and it was perfectly clean and dry.. WOW!!! AWESOME!!! And did i mention they loook really cool tooo!!!! ;) You can get them anywhere. SealSavers.com is where i got mine

 

[Matt90GT]

Nothing like a critical reply.

The fender bag is one of the best things on the trail! If you only ride around the house, yeah you dont need one. But 50 miles from the truck and toolbox when you need a clutch lever, cable stop or plug it is a life saver. I would not ride enduro/xcountry without one.

Then the rear fender is a MX style. The rack on the back of the bike is another awesome feature! Grab either side and lift. no screwing with bending plastic fenders and looking for a grab handle!

For the seal savers, they do work. I have them on the 250 with inverteds, but never needed them on conventionals. Jamie has the black boots, he is just lazy!

For the silencer, $15 new unit ebay special. It is silencer/SA which is required to ride. No issues with the length at all there.

The pipe was repaired to get about 75% of the dents out. DG will be next if/when needed. Not a lot of options beyond that anymore.

Personally, I do not like the power on the bike. No low end, all mid and top. The 6sp is very nice and air cooling is nice for maintenance. I will stay with the torque of my 250+ sized bikes personally. But that vintage bike moves butt on the trails without issue. And now it has some forks and stopping power. Not bad for $100 upgrade!!1

 

[Johnnyboy]

Wow I like that a lot! I also have an 83, dont know what you are talking about having no low end torque, compared to my Dad's 90 yz250 my 83 KDX has ALL the low end torque in the world. Just curious about the replacing the forks ... did you take the fork clamps too? Is that how it bolted right up? (38mm vs 43mm) And why the MC from a CR?
I personally wouldn't want my bike any higher, keeping it low lets me do a little paddling on tight steep trails. And I definetly agree on the grab handles, they're awesome.

 

[MX175]

I just got an '85 running and the top end was rebuilt. It seems a little anemic right now, but I need to do some serious jetting. Can you give me a place to start? I'm currently at 40pilot/127.5main/clip at the top. (surburban Chicago at 650' msl) It goes OK, but smokes a bit and I know there is more in there. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[rethnal]

WOW...you guys have really been busy and it looks really nice man! How does it ride? Does the suspension feel balanced?????

 

[Matt90GT]

Originally posted by Johnnyboy
Wow I like that a lot! I also have an 83, dont know what you are talking about having no low end torque, compared to my Dad's 90 yz250 my 83 KDX has ALL the low end torque in the world. Just curious about the replacing the forks ... did you take the fork clamps too? Is that how it bolted right up? (38mm vs 43mm) And why the MC from a CR?
I personally wouldn't want my bike any higher, keeping it low lets me do a little paddling on tight steep trails. And I definetly agree on the grab handles, they're awesome.

Compare it to my 250 and my 250 feel like a 4stroke 400cc bike. It has a lot of low end grunt.

For the forks, we did some research on this for a while. The bearings and stem is the same length between the 83-85 and the 86-88 (before water cooling). So we bought the whole frame and complete forks with the clamps. Just moved the clamps with the forks over to the 83. Direct swap there! Takes about 30 minutes. We got really lucky on the forks as there were very straight and clean. The fluid was still clean in them!!! the front wheel was cracked, so we laced a used one I had. Installed new fork fluid then also. Then when we got the XR400 springs swap those in before the first ride. The stock springs were really soft and caused the forks to almost bottom during braking.

For the brake, the screws for the cap were seized. So we grabbed an extra MC I had off a CR and used that. The bore is a bit different sized (larger) than the KDX unit so the feel is much firmer! We eventually got the screw out later on that original unit. But the clutch lever on the bike is also CR (better leverage) so now if we need levers we go to the local honda dealer (only MX dealer in town).

 

[mcoker]

Where did you get that seat/seat cover? the bike looks nice bro!!