New KDX Owner

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HankXR250
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New KDX Owner

Post by HankXR250 »

As of last Saturday, I am the hesitantly proud owner of a 2004 200. I am sure you all will forgive my screenname - I'll come up with a more fitting one for this forum.

I have basically ridden dirtbikes all my life (off and on), starting with that first ride on a somewhat quirky Hodaka Combat Wombat. That hooked me, and at the end of the next summer I had enough money to buy a Yamaha CT2 (a 175cc "enduro" with reed valves (what a great invention!)). I made it dirt ridable by stripping off all the metal fenders and the street accoutrements, adding a 21" front wheel, adding an ill-fitting expansion chamber, plastic fenders, lengthened swingarm, different shock, knobbies, etc.

Moved on to real bikes with a 76-ish Penton 250 MC model, then a KTM420 around 1980. Finally ended up with the 86 Honda XR250 - and that one has server me well, with zero big ticket maintenance for over 20 years now.

As I slip ever quicker toward my "golden years", I became aware of a yearning to return to the days and smells of premix and the sound of a 2stroke - hence the KDX.

I am at the point where I am cautiously hoping that, as the layers of surface neglect are peeled away, I end up with a solid bike and that large helpings of elbow grease and TLC will bring the bike back to the point where I can glowingly talk about my ride as you all do on this forum.

I am sure you'll be seeing posts from me asking for guidance as I delve into the semi-project.

PS - how long does it take to get used to the kips rattle?
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SS109
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Post by SS109 »

Welcome! I don't think you will be disappointed with a KDX!
Youtube Channel: WildAzzRacing
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
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rbates9
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Post by rbates9 »

Welcome! Did your Hodaka Combat Wombat have all the chrome on it? I used to ride with a guy with a mint chromed out Wombat. It wasn't much of a bike compared to the modern bikes but it was something to behold.
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frankenschwinn
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Post by frankenschwinn »

Welcome aboard. Careful, the KDX is an addiction/co-dependence all its own. Great bike. Easy and relatively cheap to work on. Fun to mod, fun to ride.
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KDX Butterfly
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Post by KDX Butterfly »

>|<>QBB<
frankenschwinn wrote:Welcome aboard. Careful, the KDX is an addiction/co-dependence all its own. Great bike. Easy and relatively cheap to work on. Fun to mod, fun to ride.
And even fun to work on! :supz:
"If I were just two inches taller, I wouldn't be me." ~KDX Butterfly
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Velocity_Stack
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Post by Velocity_Stack »

I got use to the Kips rattle the day I discovered this forum and read "the louder it is, the better".

I almost didn't by my KDX because of it, but I soon found out it was totally normal and no rattle would be bad.

Welcome!
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Julien D
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Post by Julien D »

Welcome!!
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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

Welcome. Your screen name is fine.
'91 KDX 200 Project $300 KDX
'95 KDX 200 Project $600 KDX
'94 WR 250 Always a project
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KDX Butterfly
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Post by KDX Butterfly »

>|<>QBB<
fuzzy wrote:Welcome. Your screen name is fine.
yep!
"If I were just two inches taller, I wouldn't be me." ~KDX Butterfly
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sped66
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Post by sped66 »

Great minds think alike. I also have XR's & a KDX. :cool:
In the stable: '00 KDX220R, '02 XR250R
Gone but not forgotten: '80 XR80, '87 XR200R, '94 KDX250, '01 YZ426F, '86 XR220R
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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

You'll get over your 'hesitation!' You'll get used to the KIPS rattle when this 'high maintenance 2-cycle' goes longer than the XR without troubles like throwing a timing chain. :partyman:
'91 KDX 200 Project $300 KDX
'95 KDX 200 Project $600 KDX
'94 WR 250 Always a project
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