Another Hybrid In The Works

Discussion for swapping a KDX motor in a MX frame...
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jc7622
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Post by jc7622 »

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Indawoods wrote:All I need is a roller! :grin:
A roller is definately the way to go. I bought parts. I got a jump start by buying a semi-roller from eback, but I still started with a box of parts and had to determine what went where and what I did and didn't have. With a roller you have it all.
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jc7622
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Post by jc7622 »

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scheckaet wrote:would a 95 frame make a good hybrid?

We will get together and ride sometime. Unfortunately my kids are into racing and the last part of the season is about to start up after the summer break so we will be at those event about every other weekend. Personally I would rather just trail ride, but I guess I do get to ride at different places across the state that I wouldn't ride at otherwise.

What days do you usually ride? Didn't you tell me you like to ride on Saturday mornings?

I don't know anything about the '95 KX. I don't know of anyone who has built one of those either. Most people either do the 99-02 or the 03-06. I did the latter and would recommend that one. It's a better bike and I think the build is easier. The tank fit with no problem, the KDX/PC pipe fit perfect, a KX250 silencer matches perfectly. I was pretty amazed at how well everything fit together.

I didn't keep very good records of my cost. If you bought a roller for a good price and sold everything off your KDX it would come pretty close to being paying for it.
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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

Probably not worth the time/effort. 2000+ is recommended from what I've seen on here, and reportedely the '03 is the best.

Think this might be my next bike too. Can run the 125 motor on my kart!
'91 KDX 200 Project $300 KDX
'95 KDX 200 Project $600 KDX
'94 WR 250 Always a project
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jc7622
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Post by jc7622 »

Kart? I would love to try one of those. Are they fun? Do they haul @$$? They look like they would be a blast.
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Post by KDX Butterfly »

I would have loved to see first-hand, in person, that ride coming together. The pics are great, but I'll bet it was a bigger rush to actually WATCH it come to life.

Good luck on your cross-country race! Let us know how it goes!


:supz: :partyman:
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Post by SVandal »

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jc7622 wrote:>|<>QBB<
Indawoods wrote:All I need is a roller! :grin:
A roller is definately the way to go. I bought parts. I got a jump start by buying a semi-roller from eback, but I still started with a box of parts and had to determine what went where and what I did and didn't have. With a roller you have it all.
I'll second that! I bought mine in pieces, which did allow me to pick some items, but a roller would have been from 3-600.00 less. Like KDX's, some of the cr parts were pretty spendy, even used.
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Indawoods
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Post by Indawoods »

Got me lookin' now.... Bastages....
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Post by SVandal »

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Indawoods wrote:Got me lookin' now.... Bastages....
give in now. The hybrids are the new wave of KDX's. Just open your wallet and start spending. :grin:
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Post by Rick »

Me too Vince, me too......... :? $$$$$$$$$
Yes, they really do let me drive the Train!
1991 KDX 250 $Sold but not forgotten....
1996 Suzuki DR 350 $Sold!
2002 Honda CR 250 worth more than my house at this point........ :-)
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Post by Indawoods »

Only a matter of time now... the last build did it I think. I am using the 18" rear wheel though....
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"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 SVandal »

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Indawoods wrote:Only a matter of time now... the last build did it I think. I am using the 18" rear wheel though....
Good choice! I have a 110/90-19 on mine and it just doesn't look right. I miss the 5.1-18 that I had. It seemed to have a whole lot more knob to it than the 19" tire does.
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Post by jc7622 »

RIDE REPORT


Image


RIDE REPORT

I have a good ride report after getting to take the KX200 XC-w out for a real ride, and boy was this a ride. This weekend was the first time I got to really ride it and it was at the first race of the OCCRA series after the summer break. The race took place at Camp Gruber, which most people consider to be the most difficult and technical of all the races in the series. Camp Gruber is in eastern OK where the terrain starts to become very hilly and rocky, and this place has a LOT of rocks.

To add another layer of complexity, it raind for two days before the start of the race. Then, if that wasn't enough, Hurricane Ike passed overhead Saturday night before the race and dumped an additional 6" of water on the area, turning it into a muddy, slippery, rocky mess. This would be an excellent test of the new bike.

Overall I give the hybrid an A. It would have gotten an A+, except for an issue with the airbox, which I will get into in a minute. The first ride came on Saturday in practice. I went out onto the 10 miles course with my usual riding partners. I told them that I would probably be getting used to the new bike so not to wait for me, to just go ahead. Well, I took off dirts and the bike got the better of me. My plan to feel the bike out and get used to it gradually went out the window and I just let her rip. The next thing I knew I was flying through the woods faster than I ever did on my KDX. I looked back at one point and my riding buddies were no where to be seen, so I stopped and waited. Once they caught up we took off again. Once again I pulled away from them. We are all pretty evenly matched, so I think I was hauling ass. Of course, I do really good on the hard, rocky terrain so that may have had something to do with it.

The hybrid was so easy to turn. I think I read somewhere that the 2003 KX125 "carves" through the turns and that is exactly how it felt. I was able to lean way and carve through the turns through no skill of my own. The bike just turned effortlessly. I could also tell it was very light. I found myself, on several occasions, switching which side of a rut I wanted to be on by just lofting the front end and pulling the front tire fron one side of the rut to the other in mid air. The first time I did this is was just by accident in a moment of desperation. After I did it I wondered if it was just a fluke or if it was something I could pull off again. So, I did it again. Beautiful.

I am fully comfortable with it now. I guess that makes sense since it is my KDX motor and I hav been riding on KX forks for the past few months. One thing I will have to still get used to is the ergonomics in the standing position. It is a little different somehow and I am still feeling a little off balance sometimes when standing. I may have to adjust my handle bar height and location to feel right.

Overall I would say that the hybrid is very easy to ride fast. It is very light and nimble and easy to manhandle. It also likes to turn. For riding fast through the woods it is much better than the KDX. For really tought 1st gear kind of stuff it is just as good as the KDX. After I try it out on one of my familiar trails I will know more how it compares in the slow, technical stuff. I give it an A.

The reason it didn't get an A+ is because the MX-style airbox leaks water really bad. Every time I blitzed through a deep puddle or creek it would take in eater and start to sputter. Eventually I had to slow down at the water crossings and creep across. I will definately have to modify the airbox somhow if I am going to be splashing through water at high speeds. I should have known the airbox was vulnerable because of the sound coming from it. It creates a loud, rumbling sound from under the seat as it sucks in massive amounts of air. It sounds like a monster under there growling for air. It definately gave it another level of stimuli.

Another thing I tested was the V-Force reeds and Pro Circuit Platinum II pipe. I used to have an FMF Rev pipe (I'm on a 200). with the new reeds and PC pipe the power delivery changed. It caught me off guard a few times because with the rev pipe (on my 200) the power off the bottom wasn't as...instant. It had good power on the bottom, but just not as much. with the rev pipe it would slowly build until it would really ramp up in the higher rpm's. With the V-force and PCII pipe it was on like Donkey Kong right when I gave it the gas. A couple times it surprised me and I almost lost my grip on the bars, but I eventually got used to it and think it works very well.

Another thing I noticed about the hybrid is that it sits a little lower. I can straddle it and just barely stand flat footed. If I put my weight on the seat it sink enough that my knees start to bend. The KDX was a little taller than this. I'm arounf 5'-10" or 5'-11" and would have never really considered a taller seat with the KDX. I am thinking about it with the hybrid, or I may just enjoy the ease of touching the ground.

18" or 19" wheel? I would like to have an 18" so I can play around with a trials tire sometimes. I may eventually come op with a second wheel that I can mount a trials tire on. Does the 19" turn better than an 18"? I don't think I'm really a good enough rider to tell the difference. If I rode on one than then immediately switched to another an dhead back on the trail I may be able to tell, but I think either one will work, whatever your personaly preference is.

I will also eventually look into a larger tank. This one is only about 2 gallons. That should get me about 40 miles. I don;t know, I rarely ride more that 40 miles without a break and a return to the truck for a re-fill, except in a race. And I only race for fun, so a pitstop wouldn't kill me. The pitstop in this race gave my kids something fun to do. The small tank may also help it handle better.

:grin:
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Post by scheckaet »

:drool:
Great ride report jc.
I hope I get the chance sometimes to try it out. (well I'm already sold on the hybrid anyway (damn you JC :lol: ), just waiting for a good kx to show up...)
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scheckaet
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Post by scheckaet »

BTW, have you done anything to the suspensions to make them more "wood friendly"? or do they work good enough stock?
Anybody else with hybrids, please feel free to butt in
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Post by THill »

JC, good report,
glad the hybrid turned out so well..
See, wasn't nothing to building it and IMHO they are one heck of a woods machine compaired to whats out there today and what prices they are asking for them...... :supz:
#2 , 03 220 HYBRID..
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Post by jc7622 »

Yep, should be one heck of a woods machine. It is in the same class as a KTM200 (maybe better) for less than half the price. It's probably more trouble free also. Plus, in a woods full of orange I am the oddity, which I like.

The suspension right now is stock. I may get it worked on later if i think I need it.
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Post by Indawoods »

Very cool JC!

Thanks for the detailed report.... I needed that.... like a hole in the head. :mrgreen:

Damn it.... where are all the rollers? :evil:
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"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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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motorcyc ... 06.c0.m245

Shouldn't have sold my '93! Went to a good person who loves it though...I think that's the gen I would source my motor from though...
'91 KDX 200 Project $300 KDX
'95 KDX 200 Project $600 KDX
'94 WR 250 Always a project
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Indawoods
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Post by Indawoods »

Really looking for an 03...
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"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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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

I hear ya...
'91 KDX 200 Project $300 KDX
'95 KDX 200 Project $600 KDX
'94 WR 250 Always a project
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