final RB question before taking the plunge

Questions and Answers about the best carb and Head mods available for the KDX.
midlifemoto
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final RB question before taking the plunge

Post by midlifemoto »

re: my 06 KDX 200...as stated, it has stage 1 perf upgrade, pipe, jetting and air bix lid removed.....it really runs great...and although the RB changes are overwhelming stated as positive, i've concluded that it is more the exception than the rule that it bolts back on turn key. Sounds fairly fickle and tempermental to get right. My thing is, I have no experience knowing what behaviors require jetting needs, air screw, pilot screw, etc. I get aggravated easy with this kind of stuff and don't want to spend 1/2 the riding season fighting this especially since, as stated, I don't know WTF I'm doing. Thoughts? thanks!
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scheckaet
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Post by scheckaet »

You don't know what you're doing? Then you came to the right place!
Lots of info and help to set up you bike.
IMHO, do the RB head and carb, I believe it is easier to "dial in" than before (and I'm not that great at carb setting) but once you understand the basic principle, it become fairly easy to figure things out. Beside if you tell Ron your elevation and temp, he can pretty much tell you what jet to use.
Do a search on jetting and find the one Inda wrote, it is really well written and breaks everything down so that a caveman can do it :mrgreen:
If you think your bike runs great now, you will see the light when you get the RB done with the jetting spot on (even not spot on, it works better than stock) and realise it was just running ok before. :wink:
wilf
midlifemoto
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Post by midlifemoto »

thanks..guess I just needed some inspiration, and I live about 1/2 hour from RB so I can pick his brain in person
I spent most of my money on women and beer, the rest I just wasted

2006 KDX 200
2007 Harley Softail Custom
2004 Harley Heritage Special (was owned by Evel Knievel)
2006 CRF100 (sons)
2006 CRF 150 (girlfriends)
1978 RM250
1979 CR 125 Elsinore
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Indawoods
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Post by Indawoods »

You are lucky! The best mods I have ever done came from that man....
*** Administrator //***
****'95 KDX 200/****

"People ate cows a thousand years ago for the same reason we eat them now. Cause they are easy to catch.We're not savages,we're just lazy. A cheetah could taste like chocolate heroin. But will never know. Those bastards are fast!!! "
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Post by jc7622 »

scheckaet,

I was checking out your bike profile. That is pretty close to what mods I plan for mine. Is your jetting what was recommended by RB or did you tweak it some?
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scheckaet
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Post by scheckaet »

>|<>QBB<
jc7622 wrote:scheckaet,

I was checking out your bike profile. That is pretty close to what mods I plan for mine. Is your jetting what was recommended by RB or did you tweak it some?
My jetting is not spot on, but I think it is close. I need to get a 42 pilot and give it a try. I can't remember what Ron recommended to be honest, I'll check home, I must have noted that somewhere.

BTW, if you're still running stock head carb and needle, the jetting will not be the same as a this
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Post by GS »

If you're only a 1/2 hr away......there is NO RISK to this mod!!

If he is extraordinarily helpful to people that are long-distant, how helpful is he likely to be with you??

Doesn't get any safer than that! :wink:
midlifemoto
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Post by midlifemoto »

i'm convinced, thanks
I spent most of my money on women and beer, the rest I just wasted

2006 KDX 200
2007 Harley Softail Custom
2004 Harley Heritage Special (was owned by Evel Knievel)
2006 CRF100 (sons)
2006 CRF 150 (girlfriends)
1978 RM250
1979 CR 125 Elsinore
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scheckaet
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Post by scheckaet »

hourray! :partyman: another converted! :supz:
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Re: final RB question before taking the plunge

Post by RBD »

>|<>QBB<
midlifemoto wrote:re: my 06 KDX 200...as stated, it has stage 1 perf upgrade, pipe, jetting and air bix lid removed.....it really runs great...and although the RB changes are overwhelming stated as positive, i've concluded that it is more the exception than the rule that it bolts back on turn key. Sounds fairly fickle and tempermental to get right. My thing is, I have no experience knowing what behaviors require jetting needs, air screw, pilot screw, etc. I get aggravated easy with this kind of stuff and don't want to spend 1/2 the riding season fighting this especially since, as stated, I don't know WTF I'm doing. Thoughts? thanks!
Hi Mike,

Well now, this is certainly not the way to start off a project. After reading your e-mails to me and the posts that you have posted on the kdxrider board, I do not think you are a good candidate for these mods.

It sounds like you already have the bike running just the way you want it, so why would you want to change it?

Thank you,
Ron
midlifemoto
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Post by midlifemoto »

I definately got off to a rocky start here, sorry if I offended anyone and certainly don't want to alienate myself here.....I'll regroup and recover!

Ron, it's quite obvious from reading this board that your handy work is unanimously Two Thumbs Way UP! I'm the doughball here....
I spent most of my money on women and beer, the rest I just wasted

2006 KDX 200
2007 Harley Softail Custom
2004 Harley Heritage Special (was owned by Evel Knievel)
2006 CRF100 (sons)
2006 CRF 150 (girlfriends)
1978 RM250
1979 CR 125 Elsinore
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skipro3
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Post by skipro3 »

No one is dissing you midlife. To the contrary, we are interested in making sure you enjoy your bike, not curse it. Afterall riding is supposed to be fun. If wrenching on your machine is not your idea of fun, then it would be best to hold off on RB products for now. The only way it might be o.k. would be if you have complete set of spares; carb and head. Then you can swap back if you don't like the work it will take to dial in.
Rons stuff will work as-is, just bolt it up. But that doesn't mean it's at the top performance the parts are capable of. A desire to met out the optimum performance from your bike is required to begin with. Ron provides the parts, but you need to provide the set-up. If you don't want to bother with all the wrenching and comprehension / understanding of how things work and what can affect what, then I'd say to just stick with the turn-key systems to upgrade and if that doesn't provide the performance you want, then start looking at other bikes that will do the job in the manner you are comfortable interfacing with.

I hope I'm clear on this. Not everyone wants to wrench on bikes, but everyone wants to ride them. I will wrench on my bike but it's not what I would call enjoyable. I will do it for two reasons; it saves me money from hiring someone else to do it and I need better performance from my bike to enhance my riding enjoyment. I now have a KX250 for just that reason; It performs at a level I enjoy and I don't have to deal with testing, modifying, sending parts in for tweaking, etc. I just ride it and go. Any mods are for personal preference; things like bar bend, tire performance, etc. In fact, I e-mailed Ron several times discussing head and carb mods for my KX250. His recommendation was same as he just told you: Bike rides the way I like it, then why change it? I guess I was thinking that IF the bike was capable of more performance, then I wanted it. Now Ron has made me realize that if I'm not going to need more performance, then save the money for something else. So I got the auto-clutch. A much better value for my dollar in my own personal situation.

Be honest with yourself. Evaluate what you need to enjoy riding and if it's going to be worth your effort. Try not to let costs dictate that for you either. A lower cost bike that is hopped up to a level of performance at the expence of your time and agravation is not a value at all. Your free time is worth something and wasting it on a chore you don't like to do, or frustrates you is no way to spend it.

BTW I'm glad you asked for my thoughts since I was going to give them to you anyway. Ha!!
Jerry

I'd rather be a smartass like carvr, than a dumbass like.... well, you fill in the blank!
midlifemoto
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Post by midlifemoto »

thanks...it'll all work out...in the meantime between my Harleys and KDX I've been havin' about as much fun as one can have with their pants on
I spent most of my money on women and beer, the rest I just wasted

2006 KDX 200
2007 Harley Softail Custom
2004 Harley Heritage Special (was owned by Evel Knievel)
2006 CRF100 (sons)
2006 CRF 150 (girlfriends)
1978 RM250
1979 CR 125 Elsinore
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Post by Jeb »

I've always worked on my bikes with my pants on, less potential for highly-undesirable injury . . .
"No farmer ever plowed a field by turning it over in his mind" -George E. Woodbury

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Post by kdxquebec »

>|<>QBB<
skipro3 wrote:No one is dissing you midlife. To the contrary, we are interested in making sure you enjoy your bike, not curse it. Afterall riding is supposed to be fun. If wrenching on your machine is not your idea of fun, then it would be best to hold off on RB products for now. The only way it might be o.k. would be if you have complete set of spares; carb and head. Then you can swap back if you don't like the work it will take to dial in.
Rons stuff will work as-is, just bolt it up. But that doesn't mean it's at the top performance the parts are capable of. A desire to met out the optimum performance from your bike is required to begin with. Ron provides the parts, but you need to provide the set-up. If you don't want to bother with all the wrenching and comprehension / understanding of how things work and what can affect what, then I'd say to just stick with the turn-key systems to upgrade and if that doesn't provide the performance you want, then start looking at other bikes that will do the job in the manner you are comfortable interfacing with.

I hope I'm clear on this. Not everyone wants to wrench on bikes, but everyone wants to ride them. I will wrench on my bike but it's not what I would call enjoyable. I will do it for two reasons; it saves me money from hiring someone else to do it and I need better performance from my bike to enhance my riding enjoyment. I now have a KX250 for just that reason; It performs at a level I enjoy and I don't have to deal with testing, modifying, sending parts in for tweaking, etc. I just ride it and go. Any mods are for personal preference; things like bar bend, tire performance, etc. In fact, I e-mailed Ron several times discussing head and carb mods for my KX250. His recommendation was same as he just told you: Bike rides the way I like it, then why change it? I guess I was thinking that IF the bike was capable of more performance, then I wanted it. Now Ron has made me realize that if I'm not going to need more performance, then save the money for something else. So I got the auto-clutch. A much better value for my dollar in my own personal situation.

Be honest with yourself. Evaluate what you need to enjoy riding and if it's going to be worth your effort. Try not to let costs dictate that for you either. A lower cost bike that is hopped up to a level of performance at the expence of your time and agravation is not a value at all. Your free time is worth something and wasting it on a chore you don't like to do, or frustrates you is no way to spend it.

BTW I'm glad you asked for my thoughts since I was going to give them to you anyway. Ha!!
I need a print machine. In the meantime, this reply will be my internet explorer ''homepage''.
'89 KDX 198cc '03 Gasgas Ec250 '13 Husaberg Te300
*CANADA* LEADING THE WORLD IN BEING JUST NORTH OF THE UNITED STATES.
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Post by skipro3 »

>|<>QBB<
midlifemoto wrote:thanks...it'll all work out...in the meantime between my Harleys and KDX I've been havin' about as much fun as one can have with their pants on
You are missing out on a whole new experiance if you haven't tried either bike without pants!

And KDXQubec, you are a hoot! I can never tell if you are serious or not.
Jerry

I'd rather be a smartass like carvr, than a dumbass like.... well, you fill in the blank!
midlifemoto
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Post by midlifemoto »

"You are missing out on a whole new experiance if you haven't tried either bike without pants! "

Do a$$less chaps count?
I spent most of my money on women and beer, the rest I just wasted

2006 KDX 200
2007 Harley Softail Custom
2004 Harley Heritage Special (was owned by Evel Knievel)
2006 CRF100 (sons)
2006 CRF 150 (girlfriends)
1978 RM250
1979 CR 125 Elsinore
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scheckaet
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Post by scheckaet »

Do a$$less chaps count?
ouh, monkey butt! :mrgreen: :lol:
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Post by wanaride »

Ski, great reply there! :supz:
I love someone with autism!

2006 KTM 250XCW
2003 KDX200
2006 CRF70
2006 KTM 50 Mini Adventure
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kdxquebec
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Post by kdxquebec »

>|<>QBB<
skipro3 wrote:
And KDXQubec, you are a hoot! I can never tell if you are serious or not.
Have fun is great! But I am serious on this one...Your reply is more than a reply. For me ,this is a lesson.

Thats why I want to keep this reply for a future reference.
'89 KDX 198cc '03 Gasgas Ec250 '13 Husaberg Te300
*CANADA* LEADING THE WORLD IN BEING JUST NORTH OF THE UNITED STATES.
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