What is the little metal tube on the KDX frame for?

[Joburble]

Hi, I am new to this forum. I have just sold my KLX450R 2008 and bought a KDX200 2006 with twenty hours on it. Well actually I am recovering from a knee reconstruction (destroyed coming off my KLX in first gear) and I haven't ridden my new bike yet, am really looking forward to it. My question is, on the KDX what is the little metal tube welded to the frame just below the right side cover (number board) for? Would love to know. Cheers.

 

[Sandman 2.0]

I've often wondered about that thing myself......Welcome back to the wonderfully simple world of 2 strokes!

 

[julien_d]

To hang your helmet on?

 

[samiam]

Over the years, there has been much speculation about what this little piece is there for. The most plausable explanation to date has been that, since the KDX was designed to be an Enduro bike, this little frame extension may have been designed for pulling the bike out of the mud. It is in a pretty good spot for that. Some other Enduro specific bikes have been designed with either hand holds under the seat, or a strap over or behind the seat.
It could also just be a pipe guard. As many of us know, KTM RFS bikes will burn your boot quite severely right there, but it is not quite such an issue on two strokes.
AFAIK, there has been no explanation or use that may have been affiliated with the European DS version of the bike.
I could be wrong on this whole thing, though...

 

[sr5bidder]

I think its supposed to keep your boot from getting cought under the plastic side cover,leg burns and Limit the arrestor/pipe side travel, but the boot stuck is the best I can figuer ...mine has worn through the paint so I know "me parts" have been rubbing.

 

[reepicheep]

Just got my ACL reconstructed two fridays ago. Ouch.

 

[sr5bidder]

:whoa: reep did that tube we are talking about mess your acl up :whoa:

 

[Bezoar]

I think it is a Japanese conversation piece.

 

[reepicheep]

No, the KDX was a response to tearing my ACL, not the cause of it.

A KLR-250 was the cause of the tear. Not as bad a woods bike as you would expect for a street legal 250, but still about 60 pounds too heavy, and about 25 HP too weak...

Actually, I think it was the neighbors old MX boots he gave me that really caused it. He got a new set, and gave me his old set. I was wrestling said KLR-250 back down a slimy Ohio hill on new years day after a failed attempt at climbing it, and felt a little "pop". It didn't hurt that bad, but felt really wrong.

Research later showed me that the rate of ACL tears when through the roof when ski makers switched to rigid boots instead of flexible boots. The ankle is protected and can't turn, but then all that force is focused on the knee. Instead of the ankle and the knee being able to both flex together, the knee has to do it all, and pop goes the tendon. :(

About 4 hours later on that same day of riding, I was in a muddy rut and the back end kicked out and I dabbed that foot down to stand the bike back up... nothing unusual, but when it touched the fireworks went off in my head. I had successfully straightened the bike back up, but it hurt so bad I just let the bike and myself fall over and tried to remember how to breathe.

Once you tear the ACL, the whole joint is destabilized, and that was no doubt the moment I ripped a pinkie sized chunk of my meniscus out of my knee :(

My solution was:

A) Sell the KLR and buy a KDX as cheap and in as bad a shape as possible.
B) Restore the KDX while I am waiting for and recovering from surgery.
C) Give the MX boots back and go back to my over the calf but completely flexible street boots.

So 7 weeks from now, I will be cleared to ride again, and should have finished the total restore and have an effectively almost new KDX-200 with the Eric Gorr 225 "mo better everwhere" kit. It'll be a great jump forward from that 17 RWHP 280 pound small rear wheel KLR-250... that's for sure.

Doing a bike restore while recovering from surgery has been a nice way to keep from going crazy about not being able to ride in the dirt (I kept riding street the whole time).

Sorry for the tangent... Ummm, you could probably use that tube to tie down a crutch if you are riding after an ACL repair? :yikes:

 

[domino dave]

Thankyou Mr. Kawasaki for adding a grab bar to my KDX! Comes in handy when I get off the trail.(Better than ripping my plastic loose.) ... Dave

 

[julien_d]

Thankyou Mr. Kawasaki for adding a grab bar to my KDX! Comes in handy when I get off the trail.(Better than ripping my plastic loose.) ... Dave

I usually grab it where the subframe goes under the rear fender. Makes a nice handhold. I can't get a grip on that stupid little "hanger" bar thingie. Yes, my 89 has one of those too...

 

[domino dave]

My 92 "E" model has "handles" on both sides. One of them was removed on later models to save weight..... or was it to save money? D.D.

 

[Joburble]

Hmmm.....so no one knows for sure why it is there then. Very strange, it obviously took time and money to manufacture it and put it there. If anyone still has a difinitive answer I feel sure we would all love to know. I have a friend of mine with a 93 KDX and he has started cutting redundant pieces off of his bike (the big heavy frame under the rear guard) and wants to cut the little tube off too. Does anyone use it for anything?

 

[Joburble]

Hi Reepicheep, Interesting how you said you tried to remember how to breathe, mine ACL tear hurt so bad I thought I was going to pass out and even thinking about the pain makes me feel nauseous. The only thing that hurt more was when I broke my back (L1 vertebrae) landing heavy off a jump 18 years ago. Have you bought knee braces yet?

 

[domino dave]

Joburble - Read my post ... I really do use it as a grab bar ... all the time ... to lift up, over, or back onto the trail. Dave

 

[Joburble]

Cheers

 

[mudpack]

Great question.
I guess no one actually knows the original reason?

 

[sr5bidder]

I got it!!

the piece is for the Romanian/ Russian Market this is where they mount thier optional factory Kawasaki sidecars!! complete with UNI-TRAK linkage system and Showa shock Kit # 32160a

+ optional #21163 electric start

perfect for a lovely day of single track with the wife :laugh:

 

[Bezoar]

A Japanese Do-nothin'

 

[NCFRC]

Not sure if it is a hand hold but I use it to lift the bike off a work stand ,, works good for that . The picking out of the mud theory makes sense also . Some engineer convinced Kawasaki it should be there.

 

[sr5bidder]

never tryed using it as a grab handle seems way low..I use the hand hole on the seat or the bar that goes under the rear fender

 

[KDXDen]

Back in the day (when guys with names like Smith, Hannah and DeStefano ruled the tracks) we used to have bike stands that hooked onto parts of the frames because kickstands were nonexistent on race bikes. I always assumed that there was a bike stand out there made to fit that part of the frame.

 

[phonedudekdx]

I read somewhere that it is indeed a pipe guard.

 

[julien_d]

dunno how it is on the newer bikes, but it's nowhere near the pipe at all on mine. Heck, the one on the left side isn't even on the same side of the bike as the pipe! Yup, one on each side. They sort of line up with the leading edge of the side number plates though. Wonder if they are to keep them from getting busted if you catch on something? Makes a decent grab bar too, actually....

J.

 

[jonooffler]

I hada look at mine the other day and tried it as a lifting handle, it works great the only problem is it's right next to the hot pipe so you have to be very careful you don't grab that.
Jono