Time to Wake Her Up! Tell me how...

[Captn Kirk]

My buddy has a very lightly used 2004 KDX220R and it is bone stock with less than 200 miles on it. I told him he is ready for a pipe and reeds. Honestly, I don't know what should done for sure on this bike and figured you guys can clue me in so I can do the work for him. He has a revloc in it so he is getting some benefit from the psuedo-heavier flywheel effect, but what else should we do? He needs all the grunt he can get to hang with us in the Colo single track we ride. Give me the list so I can start spending his money.

Thanks in advance guys!

[SS109]

Does he have his suspension setup properly for him? If he doesn't then that is the first place to start. After suspension, then you can get to power mods. I'll list the following power mods in the order I feel they will make the most benefit.

1. Pipe and silencer - A pipe will really wake up the KDX power wise plus it will weigh considerable less. A matching silencer will be lighter but not really make anymore noticeable power. However, reducing weight is just like adding power and it is repackable unlike the factory unit.

2. Reeds - Aftermarket Boyesen 607 reeds will help wake it up a bit and provide better throttle response.

3. Ron Black's head mod - Makes the engine snappier and is very affordable.

4. Ron Black's carb mods - Helps low end throttle response and top end power.

5. Reed cage - If you choose you want a little more than the Boyesen 607's you can always switch the whole reed cage/reeds out for a Boyesen RAD Valve or Vforce III setup. There is debate as to which is the best but my choice is the Vforce.

6. Porting - Some power gains can be had from porting along with tailoring the power curve.

[rbates9]

Don't forget swapping the piston should be the very first thing.

[SS109]

Don't forget swapping the piston should be the very first thing.

Definitely. I totally forgot about the 220 time bomb.

[ChubbyWookie]

I like the FMF gnarly Rev pipe. For silencer I use the Turbinecore II since it has a spark arrestor and many of my races require one.


On my setup i had Fredette mill head, port cylinder and bore carb.
While its apart Boysen Rad valve and repalce piston.

As stated above Suspension helps alot. Make sure you got the right springs for your weight up front and back.

[Captn Kirk]

Gents:

I've talked the owner into doing the piston and getting a pipe. I am going to go ahead and sneak in a set of reeds for good measure. I volunteered to do the work thinking you guys might help me walk through this process. I am trying to help him since he isn't rolling in cash - like most of us.

I am assuming there is a "kit" availible that has the gaskets rings, wrist pin, etc, right? Where would you guys recommend me getting it from your experiences?

For a technical rider riding tight wooded trails, what pipe would be the one of choice?

Last, would this site have the torque specs and any procedural info on reinstalling the motor? I didn't find any sticky's. If I am being a noob, I apologize, but I haven't been at this site long and I haven't torn down a motorcycle engine since my '79 XR500. I believe I can do this with the right information sources though.

One thought, if I am going to have to pay someone to do the honing of the cylander for the new rings, you think RB would do that if I surprised my buddy with a ported and milled cylander? Surely they can hone the cylander if it is in good enough shape that all it needs is honing, right? OR, is the history with this motor such that we'll likely have to bore the cylander for an oversized piston anyway? It's original piston with about 150 hours on it.

Thanks for your help in advance!

Kirk

[Julien D]

You don't need to hone the cylinder since it's plated from the factory. Just clean it and install your new piston kit. If it really is that low mileage, and the piston hasn't grenaded, the cylinder should be in great shape. Clean with a scotch brite pad, some lubrication, and plnety of elbow grease. The idea is to get the glaze off the cylinder.

Wiseco sells a kit with piston, wrist pin, rings, wrist pin bearing, and gaskets. Check ebay for a better price seperately, or just buy from wiseco.

The best all around pipe for the 220 is definitely the Gnarly desert, or "rev". The woods pipe kills the top end completely.

Make sure you have a service manual!

[rbates9]

Gents:

since he isn't rolling in cash - like most of us.

Kirk

[Julien D]

lol, what's that rbates? You rollin in the dough?

[Captn Kirk]

You don't need to hone the cylinder since it's plated from the factory. Just clean it and install your new piston kit. If it really is that low mileage, and the piston hasn't grenaded, the cylinder should be in great shape. Clean with a scotch brite pad, some lubrication, and plnety of elbow grease. The idea is to get the glaze off the cylinder.

Wiseco sells a kit with piston, wrist pin, rings, wrist pin bearing, and gaskets. Check ebay for a better price seperately, or just buy from wiseco.

The best all around pipe for the 220 is definitely the Gnarly desert, or "rev". The woods pipe kills the top end completely.


So if there is no vertical scoring, normal or otherwise, you're saying to hand scrub the cylander - not hone? Wow. OK. Things have changed I guess since the old days of my Honda XR 500.

Make sure you have a service manual!

[Captn Kirk]

Is Kawasaki my only option for purchasing a service manual? I assume it's the right option, but before I spend his money.......

[SS109]

Is Kawasaki my only option for purchasing a service manual? I assume it's the right option, but before I spend his money.......

A factory manual is a necessity IMO but the Cyclepedia online manual I hear is quite good. Just look up to the top left hand side of this forum and you will see a link for the Cyclepedia version.

[rbates9]

lol, what's that rbates? You rollin in the dough?

No, not by any means.

[fuzzy]

I'd love to see the difference of 220 w/ pipe vs 220 w/ RB head mod(stock pipe)....and even carb mod as well. Since #1 thing to do on a 220 is swap in a wiseco, you can send the head right off. I like quiet exhausts, and the KDX is the quietest pipe EVER. Plus the 33mm carb is #1 source for 220 top end enemia.

[Captn Kirk]

I'd love to see the difference of 220 w/ pipe vs 220 w/ RB head mod(stock pipe)....and even carb mod as well. Since #1 thing to do on a 220 is swap in a wiseco, you can send the head right off. I like quiet exhausts, and the KDX is the quietest pipe EVER. Plus the 33mm carb is #1 source for 220 top end enemia.

Well, maybe what I'll do is send the head off to RB while the owner is looking the other way, have him mod it top and side, then install with the piston w/o the pipe, then with the pipe so I can report back

[Julien D]

I'm betting the pipe makes a very noticable difference on the RB modded bike. About the same amount of difference as it makes on the non-modded kdx. The stock silencer is nice and quiet. The double walled pipe is nice and quiet too, but IMO more suitable as a boat anchor than an expansion chamber!

[TWMOODY]

I'm betting the pipe makes a very noticable difference on the RB modded bike. About the same amount of difference as it makes on the non-modded kdx. The stock silencer is nice and quiet. The double walled pipe is nice and quiet too, but IMO more suitable as a boat anchor than an expansion chamber!

It ain't even good for a boat anchor ! POS it is

[Captn Kirk]

Does he have his suspension setup properly for him? If he doesn't then that is the first place to start. After suspension, then you can get to power mods. I'll list the following power mods in the order I feel they will make the most benefit.

1. Pipe and silencer - A pipe will really wake up the KDX power wise plus it will weigh considerable less. A matching silencer will be lighter but not really make anymore noticeable power. However, reducing weight is just like adding power and it is repackable unlike the factory unit.

2. Reeds - Aftermarket Boyesen 607 reeds will help wake it up a bit and provide better throttle response.

3. Ron Black's head mod - Makes the engine snappier and is very affordable.

4. Ron Black's carb mods - Helps low end throttle response and top end power.

5. Reed cage - If you choose you want a little more than the Boyesen 607's you can always switch the whole reed cage/reeds out for a Boyesen RAD Valve or Vforce III setup. There is debate as to which is the best but my choice is the Vforce.

6. Porting - Some power gains can be had from porting along with tailoring the power curve.

Gents:

I've taken the advice listed above with the exception of the RB mods. I bought the FMF Desert, the VF III, and the Wiseco.

Here's my question - when I button her back up, do I need to re-jet the bike from it's previous stock jetting? I'm concerned about being too lean during break-in.

Thanks in advance!!

Kirk

[Slick_Nick]

Yes. You should rejet after most changes.

[SS109]

You know, I did forget the simplest of mods which costs you nothing other than possible costs of jets and some time, the air box mod.

There are many ways to modify the air box for better flow. Drilling holes in the lid (half inch or larger), removing the snorkel from the lid, or removing the lid completely.

Sorry I forgot this one.