Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Discussion specific to the various air-cooled KDX models sold in the USA
BIGWP
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by BIGWP »

Congrats! Looks like a great start. Excellent to see an air cooled bike getting some attention, and in good hands by the looks of things. Keep it up. :prayer:
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by dfeckel »

I dorked around with the plastics a little bit, just to get the feel for whether they can be rehabbed. The headlight was probably the worst part, so I started there. I used a straight box cutter razor at about a 90 degree angle to the surface of the plastic and just started scraping.

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You can see it's almost like scraping your windshield on a frosty morning. The green is in there, but it's pretty far down.

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The green is also darker than it ought to be, but it's so much better than the chalky mint Tums tablet color, I'm willing to live with it.

After I scraped all of the headlight, I still had some areas where the plastic had deteriorated with white "graining" too deep to scrape. I used a heat gun to lightly melt the surface of the plastic, and that got rid of most of that.

What else? I bought a cheapo Vee rubber tire for the rear, so I spooned off the old. Whilst doing so, I found this:

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One of the rear spokes was broken. Well, no time like the present to get that squared away. I just happened to have a box of spokes that I removed from the rear wheel of my hybrid 125 donor bike.

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I had laced up an 18" rear wheel when doing the build, and I was able to save about 2/3 of the 19" spokes and nipples. obviously, it wouldn't be a direct swap, but I was able to make it work. The KDX spokes had a near 90 degree bend at the hub, so I put the KX spoke in my vice and wailed on it with a hammer until it looked about right. Then I tried to slide it into place, but I couldn't sneak it past the other spokes. Hmm. Luckily, I was able to remove the blocking spokes (I can't believe the nipples weren't siezed) and slip it in.

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The next problem was that the KDX nipples are steel, and thus smaller than the KX nipples. I had to use a KX nipple because it's spoke threads were too large for the KDX nipple. But of course, the KX nipple won't go through the KDX rim! Drill Bit Taylor to the rescue!

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I pseudo-trued the wheel and checked the other spokes for tightness and/or imminent failure. Hopefully this was an isolated problem. Now time for the new tire!

Surprisingly, the old tube seemed in great shape, so I reused it.

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Ahh, much better!

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Last edited by dfeckel on 02:33 pm May 01 2018, edited 1 time in total.
David Eckel
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by dfeckel »

Does anyone else find it funny/a little spooky that my PB blaster can behind my box of incorrect spokes says, "FIX IT RIGHT"?

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I can see it now--I'll be running this bastardized contraption in a hare scramble for laughs when the rear wheel explodes and sends me skidding off a cliff. Aaaaaaaaaaa!....I should have listened to you, PB Blaster!
Last edited by dfeckel on 02:34 pm May 01 2018, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by KDXGarage »

WOW! Thanks for sharing the pictures and info on the plastic scraping. I want to try that in the future on some old plastics I have.

I saw some new KDX250 spokes on ebay last night. You may want to check on there.
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by GKBO »

Yeah that plastic scraping works.
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My 86 200 tank was the worst bit.
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After scraping it off .
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I sanded it off then,
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Took it to my new power buffer,mostly because I could :wink: Used the heat gun trick on my street bikes airboxs,it works pretty good to.
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by dfeckel »

You got a really good result with that tank!

I finally sold my Ninja that you've periodically seen in the background of this thread, and my new kick is to have an old three wheeler. My very first motorized anything was a 1983 KLT 200 three wheeler. I was too small for the thing and only had it a year before we got smart and put me on a KLF 185 four wheeler. But I've always had my eyes out for an old KLT to snag. Well, as CL would have it, I grabbed a 1981 KLT 200 A1 for probably too much money last weekend. I'm sorry I don't have any pics to show, but I can promise you I'll have plenty of plastic to restore on that old thing. Once I get the motor unlocked. And rehab the carb--it was full of deteriorated gas that looked like white pencil shavings! And helicoil the stripped spark plug threads. And do a new top end (rusted rings and bore). And sort the electrics. But other than that, it's in great shape! Not really. But I'm only $250 into it so far. :shock: :? :grin:

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Last edited by dfeckel on 02:34 pm May 01 2018, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by factoryX »

Awesome build, the only thing left to do is usd's haha
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by dfeckel »

I'll probably have the whole thing USD when all the rusty spokes in that rear wheel let go.
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by dfeckel »

Is it done? Pretty much!

I finally got up the nerve to dig into the forks. These ratty old things had so much crud pasted on the lowers that half the time it took to do the job was just scrubbing off the mung. They separated easily from the triples, and I got the oil drained and caps removed easily enough. My manual was telling me I needed a special fork holder tool to get the lower allen bolt loosened. However, I'd heard of lots of folks having good luck using an impact wrench, so I gave that a shot. No luck. The damper rod was just spinning around in there. I took a close look at the pictures of the special tool in the manual and thought it looked like a really big allen-type socket with only four sides. So I tried all manner of things on 3-foot daisy chain of extensions to try to engage the top of the rod. Nothing worked. I couldn't see well enough into the fork to guess how to grab onto the rod. I ended up using the tapered rubber tip of a compression tester and the impact wrench to get the first rod out.

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Once it was out, I could see that I needed a really big allen or similar to engage the next one. To the hardware store!

$5 of bolt and nut.

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This rig worked well enough to get the damper rod back into the first fork leg, but the 15/16 socket was too large to slide into the second upper tube. So I did this.

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I used the old drill press and tap set to screw a smaller bolt into the top. Now I could use a smaller socket on my super long extension train to engage the damper rod in the second leg.



The next hurdle I had to overcome was my lack of seal driving tool. I looked up the part number for the special kawi tool, and it came back as a very reasonable $281. :shock: But seeing as I didn't want to wait for it to be delivered, I improvised.

The old seal came out easily with some upward yanks on the upper tube. I took one of the old seals and used a hack saw to cut a little out of it. It made the perfect sized seal driving platform.

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I just used a small extension and wailed away around the seal to drive the new seal down. Because the old seal is notched, it doesn't get stuck down in the fork and is easy to remove. I also had to use the old seal to pound the dust seals down far enough for their spring clips to fit. Worked like a charm!

I also spooned off the old crusty tire and replaced it with a used but good condition Pirelli I had in the garage.

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I replaced the float bowl gasket and drain plug gasket, so now it won't leak gas all over the place. I also had to devise a spring for the kick lever hinge, as the lever would keep flopping out when I rode it around my yard. Two nested ball point pen springs did the trick.

So what's left? I still haven't fixed the engine mount rod, but I almost think it's a non issue. I had to pound that rod into place when putting the engine back in the frame, so I very much doubt that it will vibrate out. I will get around to it at some point. I could probably stand to rejet it, but it starts easily, and after I unclogged the pilot jet, I was actually able to make it idle.

I plan to run it in the vintage class at the Stump Jumper Hare Scrambles in two weeks! :blink: :blink: Stay tuned!
Last edited by dfeckel on 02:35 pm May 01 2018, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by Dekon »

That looks like it is an absolute blast to ride. If you get out front at the Stump Jumper, I don't think anyone will try and pass you. That silencer looks like a 105 howitzer aimming straight out the back. :grin:
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Re: Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by KDXGarage »

Cooool!

Congrats on the continued rebuild and preparation for the enduro.

Is the distance of the flats inside the damper rod 15/16 inch??

Would you say 24mm? I know the 43mm tubed 1986 - 1992 KDX200 forks are 30mm.
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by dfeckel »

I'm not sure on the distance between the flats on the damper rod. I do know that the 15/16" bolt was a nearly perfect fit in the rod.
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by dfeckel »

I threatened to do it, and I did it! I raced Old Rusty in the Stump Jumper hare scramble in Manahawkin, NJ yesterday. What a hoot!

Now don't get mad, but I didn't take a single picture. However, I know for a fact that folks will be posting some pics from the HS soon, and I will link them as soon as they're up.

First, you need to know it was an utter mud fest. Sooo muddy. Heavy rain Saturday afternoon and night and Sunday morning made the course a sodden mess. The poor club was working all day to reroute us around the worst sections, and as the course deteriorated, they had to continually reroute. But it was fun!

I had been meaning the whole week prior to take the bike and my box of keihin jets out for a shakedown run, but it never happened. The bike always seemed to run okay putt-putting around my house, so I hoped for the best. Well, hoping wasn't exactly good enough! Once the bike got up to temperature, which happened about 75 yards into the mud bog/starting straight, the idle started to hang pretty high. And any use of the mid to top power for more than a second or two resulted in some nasty lean knock sounds. So I just putted around on the pilot jet for half a lap before I stopped to turn in the air screw. Much better, but still lean on the needle. Unfortunately, the engine bay was just too muddy to consider opening up the carb and raising the needle, so we soldiered on.

And let me say, this thing is a tractor. Mega flywheel effect let me just chug through anything that appeared in front of the bike. Foot-deep peanut butter mud mire? Child's play. Two-foot deep ruts? Brrrrraap! The super soft suspension was the hot setup for the day, as it kept the front planted even when everything was slick as grease. The front didn't deflect once. And I'm in love with the seat. So wide! So soft! I wonder how my Husky WR 125 would look with that seat. I'm confident that with some jetting I'll be in love with this bike.

The brakes, however, need some work. Mainly the fronts. They just don't do much of anything! There was one steep downhill, maybe 25 feet of vertical at a 40 degree slope that made me pucker pretty hard. Not so much on the second lap, when the roll out at the bottom was clear, but on the first lap the guy in front of me fell at the bottom just as I rolled off the top. I managed to slow enough to get the bike turned in time, but I'm not sure how.

So I was on track to complete three laps. At the end of the second lap, I was in first place! (in the vintage class. Out of two entrants. The other was my buddy on my 1987 KDX 200 with a bald tire. Some might say I stacked the deck in my favor, and they would be right!) About midway through the third lap, I powered through some standing water and the motor just died. Not a coughing, sputtering, protracted death, just like I'd hit the kill switch. A few dozen kicks were fruitless, and after being roosted by several bikes, I moved off to the side to diagnose the problem. Plenty of gas? Check. Drain the float bowl in case I sucked some water in there? Check. No dice. Fouled plug? Not likely, but I checked anyway. Nice dark electrode, dry as a bone. It was at this point the course worker offered me a tow back to the pits, and I took him up on it. AFter all, I was also going to run the afternoon main event which was only an hour from then. So back to the pits to get ready for the next race. I think something electrical got wet in the water crossing, because up to that point, the bike was running very consistently. I'll report back on my findings when I can.

Besides the power outage, the other victims were my side panels, which both cracked. I'm glad I didn't spend a bunch of time trying to get them pretty!

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And I love this. I call it, "The Course Cutter's Curse."

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All in all, it was a blast, and I'll probably run the vintage class again some time.
Last edited by dfeckel on 02:37 pm May 01 2018, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by KDXGarage »

Hell YEAH!!

THANK YOU for racing and reporting it back to the forum.

That is AWESOME.

Thank you!
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by rbates9 »

Awesome! :supz:
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Re: Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by Roadhazardguy »

Sweet, I cant wait till I have mine going!
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by HondaGuru »

I'm very curious and I know your trying not to think about it but how much did the bike cost you in the end purchase cost parts and shipping. Includeing all extra non useable parts?
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by dfeckel »

Probably the smartest thing I did in the planning of this build up was to carelessly place/misplace/discard/destroy any hard evidence of money spent. And I'm much happier for it!

But seriously, I don't have the receipts any more. For you, however, I'll try to reconstruct the expenses from memory. Nice round numbers. (disclaimer--I have Teflon-enhanced memory. Nothing sticks!)

$80 Original purchase
$35 Air filter
$15 Air box (to get filter frame)
$90 Rear tire
$60 Bolt kit
$25 Fork Seals
$5 Fork tool
$45 Main bearings with seals
$250 Top end
$50 Gaskets
$45 Wheel bearings
$75 Cables
$15 Fuel cap
$20 Petcock
$25 Carb gasket and float valve
$25 Throttle

$835 Total

Oof!

Well, I kind of blew the $500 challenge, but I like the peace of mind of having new main bearings and a fresh top end.

I also have to note that I am not including the cost of parts I already had on hand from other bikes/projects.

Front tire
Front fender
36mm PWK carb
1 quart of 5W fork oil (not really enough, but it's all I had)
Trans oil

Those parts would have put the total up towards $1000 if I'd bought new. And I'm probably not done buying stuff for this bike. The condition of the side panels really has me bummed, and I'm probably going to spring for the new set of plastic for $250 or however much it is. I need to buy a new head light bulb, because I DROPPED THE WORKING ORIGINAL!!I'MSOMADABOUTTHAT!!!! There is leakage on the shock shaft, so I'll need to rebuild that. $100 if I teach myself how, more if I have someone do it. And the handle bars are tweaked mightily. Add another $50 there. And let's also mention the semi-slower-uppers, aka brakes. $50 for new brake shoes. So jeeze, that's another $450 I plan to spend. When it's all spent, I'm probably looking at $1300 in. Buh. $1600 if I powdercoat the frame and make everything purdy.

Project Budget Creep is a success!

The moral of the thread should be this: There is no such thing as a cheap dirt bike. :mrgreen:
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by ICRage42 »

Thank god Im not the only one :lol:
If you cant fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.
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Too Stupid to Stop: 1983 KDX 250 Resurrection

Post by scheckaet »

dfeckel wrote:The moral of the thread should be this: There is no such thing as a cheap dirt bike. :mrgreen:
I respectfully disagree, their is such a thing as a "cheap dirt bike"... when you sell it after spending wayyyy too much money on it.
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