Frame Maker from NorCal

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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

Hello everyone,

That was odd... I just submitted an intro, then it vanished... so here is my second intro...

As my screen name would suggest, I do build frames. Motorcycle frames that is. I've had street and dirt bikes for many many years. For dirt I've always had the "blue products" except for a vintage KT250. I am (soon to be) the owner of a '97 KDX220 thanks to a good friend who decided his bike is in need of a new home.

My first question for the forum is where to find plastic for a KDX in other color options? My wife has already dubbed the bike "Buzz Light Year" because of the fuggly green and purple color scheme. Searching on-line I have only found green body work. Does anyone have a source for black or white panels? What about fitting KX bodywork... is that possible? I don't mind doing some simple fab work (since I do build frames).... or am I the only one that doesn't appreciate the Buzz Light Year look?

cheers,
Julian

PS- sorry for the redundancy if my original intro post shows up someplace.
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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by KDXGarage »

frame maker wrote:Hello everyone,

That was odd... I just submitted an intro, then it vanished... so here is my second intro...

As my screen name would suggest, I do build frames. Motorcycle frames that is. I've had street and dirt bikes for many many years. For dirt I've always had the "blue products" except for a vintage KT250. I am (soon to be) the owner of a '97 KDX220 thanks to a good friend who decided his bike is in need of a new home.

My first question for the forum is where to find plastic for a KDX in other color options? My wife has already dubbed the bike "Buzz Light Year" because of the fuggly green and purple color scheme. Searching on-line I have only found green body work. Does anyone have a source for black or white panels? What about fitting KX bodywork... is that possible? I don't mind doing some simple fab work (since I do build frames).... or am I the only one that doesn't appreciate the Buzz Light Year look?

cheers,
Julian

PS- sorry for the redundancy if my original intro post shows up someplace.
Hi. Welcome to the forum.

You may want to check www.frpoffroad.com for some UFO (Italian, pronounced OO-fo) plastic. Maeir makes a non-taillight rear fender, that used to come in black or lime green. You can get a KX front fender. Side panels are white or lime green. Black might be an option. I am not sure.

There is not much of a market for trail bike plastics, so there aren't any full kits like on a motocross bike.

Later models had a lime green fuel tank, then 2003 - 2006 was black.

There is a lot of good information and helpful people here. Read away. :grin:
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net. :bravo:
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by diymirage »

welcome aboard

please advise your wife that this buzzlightyear bike is affectionately referred to as a barney bike :boogie:

you can bolt on just about any front fender with minimal effort
tanks CAN be had in any colour if ordered in the oversized version from Clarke, just check out ebay or your favorite retailer

I think those are about the only options you have...short of painting


just to give you an idea, here are my 2 96's one in 99 plastics

before
Image

after
Image
newbbewb wrote:DIYmirage has it right.


-1996 KDX 200 woods weapon (converted to 99 green body)
-1996 KDX 200 plated street toy (barney edition)
-2003 Yamaha TTR125-L (wifeys bike)
-1997 KDX 220 project bike
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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

Thanks for the replies, and I have now corrected my wife to use the correct name for the bike... although I am now even more repulsed by the color while thinking of a fat purple dinosaur.... uhhhh :vom:

I like what diymirage did with his bike(s). Just swapping out the purple makes a big difference/improvement. That gives me a few ideas.... but I need to exercise some self discipline and stay off the complete bike conversion threads as I'd be tempted to do something like that. Sure, put the engine into a completely different chassis just to have a different color... yep, I could see myself doing that :lol:

Seriously though, I'll probably just swap out a few pieces and get a new black seat cover (if I can decide between smooth or gripper style). I do have another question. When looking for a tank and side panels, are the 220s and 200s interchangeable (same bodywork)? or should I be looking for 220 specific bodywork?

Thanks again,
Julian
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by KDXGarage »

A few of us do like the purple look. :boogie:

1995 and newer KDX200 and KDX220R are almost identical. There are just a few parts that are different.

cylinder
head
piston
rings
carburetor
chain
rear, lower chain guide
decals that have 200/220R or KDX200/KDX220R

That is all I can think of.
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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by bcdonyo »

Badmouthing green and purple isn't real popular around here, but I'm with you, it's fugly. Not as bad as the tennis ball yellow/baby blue Huskys I rode in the '90s.

As mentioned '95 and up plastics interchange, 200 and 220. What you want to do is use an '03 and up black tank (they also had silver frames) 1999 white shrouds and a black Maier rear fender, and newer KX black front fender. I added checker graphics.

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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

wow... that black/white bike looks awesome! Thanks for the tip with the black fenders from Maier. Looks like finding a pair of '99 white side shrouds just might be next to impossible. I've searched high and low and can find anything... appears to be no longer available from Kawasaki, and nothing available aftermarket. I may have to settle on a green/black/white color scheme... which I like much better than green and purple (sorry to those who like green/purple).

Julian
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by royadams »

You could by the big sheets of white background vinyl decal material and wrap your rad shrouds. I did my gas tank on my hybrid, it was not that hard.
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by diymirage »

if your not too picky there are some white "tank shrouds" here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1997-KAWASAKI-K ... c5&vxp=mtr
newbbewb wrote:DIYmirage has it right.


-1996 KDX 200 woods weapon (converted to 99 green body)
-1996 KDX 200 plated street toy (barney edition)
-2003 Yamaha TTR125-L (wifeys bike)
-1997 KDX 220 project bike
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by KDXGarage »

$40!!
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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

diymirage wrote:if your not too picky there are some white "tank shrouds" here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1997-KAWASAKI-K ... c5&vxp=mtr

Ya, I saw those... but look like they might not fit to the "tank" very well :rolleyes:
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by KDXGarage »

It is $36.xx, plus shipping for a new pair of 2003?? and newer side panels on www.ronayers.com.

I don't know why they are different than the earlier ones.
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

Jason wrote:It is $36.xx, plus shipping for a new pair of 2003?? and newer side panels on http://www.ronayers.com.

I don't know why they are different than the earlier ones.
Jason, do you happen to have a direct link to the sidecovers on ronayers.com? I can't seam to find anything when trying to navigate on that site.... might just be me, but seams like it has a horrible search feature.

Thanks,
J.
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by KDXGarage »

http://www.ronayers.com/Side-CoversChai ... 72554.aspx

1995-whenever are $128 per pair. Earlier are polar white. Later ones are "a hell of a lot cheaper" white at $36.23 per pair. (S. WHITE)
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Post by tirebiter »

Hey J,
I'm in Crockett, where ya at?
I used Allsport non- slip 4way stretch vinyl to cover my seat, still have enough left over for a couple more seats if your interested. I also have a roll of the regular (Not non-slip) too.
I've got the time & tools if you wanna give it a go..

Image

Image
If I can't do it, I'm sure someone else can!
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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

tirebiter wrote:Hey J,
I'm in Crockett, where ya at?
I used Allsport non- slip 4way stretch vinyl to cover my seat, still have enough left over for a couple more seats if your interested. I also have a roll of the regular (Not non-slip) too.
I've got the time & tools if you wanna give it a go..

I'm in Livermore, so not too far away. Ya, I appreciate your offer... that would be awesome! But before I get the cart in front of the horse, I need to finalize the purchase of the KDX. It has been assumed that I will be getting it, but I need to actually exchange currency with my friend. Then yes, I'd like to take up your offer.

here's my direct email andbike@pacbell.net
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

Jason wrote:http://www.ronayers.com/Side-CoversChai ... 72554.aspx

1995-whenever are $128 per pair. Earlier are polar white. Later ones are "a hell of a lot cheaper" white at $36.23 per pair. (S. WHITE)
Found them... thanks Jason. I then looked up the same part numbers on Apache and found the covers for about $4 less!
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Re: Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by KDXGarage »

What is Apache?

Shipping is $8 on orders up to $50 at ronayers.
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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

Apache Motorcycles is multi-brand dealer in Arizona with online parts service. I started using them many years ago when I had a dealer account (and before they had online sales). Since closing my shop I continued to use them as their online prices are almost as good as the dealer prices I was getting. In the last year or so with so many other online retailers competing, I've done some price comparisons with most of the well know discount on-line retailers and they almost always come out with the best prices (although I have not compared shipping costs).

Thing I like the best about Apache is that they are a real dealer with a real location and friendly people that can help out if there is a small problem or if I have questions about a part. A perfect example was a few months ago I ordered a set of clutch plates. I didn't bother to check them until a month later when I was installing them and realized that five of the seven pates were wrong. I made a phone call to their parts guy and he found the correct plates at one of their other stores (they have three locations) and had them shipped out the same day. They didn't charge me anything for the replacement plates except honor system that I would return the the incorrect plates within a few days. Honest mistake and they made good on it without any hassle at all.

Great service, and the best prices... I can't say enough.

http://www.apachemotorcycles.com
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Frame Maker from NorCal

Post by frame maker »

Hello and happy New Year to everyone. Its been a long time since I've posted anything, so wanted to give an update...

As last reported back in June, I was considering buying my friend's '97 KDX220... but for some reason ended up not getting it. For the past six months I've been riding my "blue brand" 250 MXer, but always thinking I should have gotten the KDX. So fast forward to yesterday, and I became the new owner of 2001 KDX220. I paid more than my friend was asking for his bike (which makes complete sense since I'm unemployed right now :? ) but the bike has low hours (supposedly) and looks real nice.

I've been reading up on some of the mods I'd eventually like to do...

KX fork swap,
replace stock piston,
FMF pipe and silencer,
RB carb mod,
RB head mod,
open up air box,
reeds,
etc...

I already have some KX forks, so that will happen very soon. However because of my work situation, the engine mods will likely only be done one at a time, so I'd be curious what order of priority others would suggest for doing these mods? What would you do first? second? and so on...

I'll post some pics of the new bike in a day or so, although it looks just like any other completely stock 01 220.

cheers,
Julian

PS- see my other post for updates on my KDX450 (powered) chopper project... http://kdxrider.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=14470
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