2 strokes on the street, long term...

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jgas
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2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by jgas »

I was in the Army, and traveled pretty much all over the world, and often saw 2 stroke bikes of all shapes and sizes that were used for commuting and every day use. I wonder how many miles/hours could be expected of a KDX 200 or 220 as a daily use and Dual Sport bike? It would get alot of steady throttle use, stop and go, etc. I wonder if the bikes I saw were tuned/ported/set up differently internally for that type of use?
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diymirage
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Re: 2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by diymirage »

one of my KDX 200s is plated and I use it to commute to work and anywhere else I need to go on my own
been doing it for several years now so im sure ive put quite a few miles on it

I don't think there is a need to change anything on an endure style bike to run her in the streets (other then tires and gearing)
honoustly, 100 miles of surface street has got to be easier on every aspect of the bike then 100 miles of single track
(though I will admit the tires wear quicker on tarmac)

something to consider is all those countries where you need to be 18 to drive a car but can get a moped at 16
with the advance of scooters they have introduced 4 strokes into the scooter world but only 20 years ago that was all 2 stroke

ask any of our UK member what a "fizzy" is and the'll tell you ;)
I actually had one of those aswell, alongside several Honda MTs, MTXs, Suzuki TSXs, Yamaha DTs, DTRs and even the odd Zundaph and puch

I bet if you were to travel though Europe you wouldn't have to look to hard to find a gas station that still offers premix
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
pumpguy
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2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by pumpguy »

Back in the day, I used my 175 Maico as my daily commuter. I didn't own a car. I put over 12,000 miles on it before the speedometer quit, and I don't know how many after that. I also fitted this engine in a scrambler frame for some enduro use in the under 200 class. I still have this bike and it's still on it's original piston and all bearings.

The only real difference between this engine and our KDXs is both main bearings are lubricated by the transmission oil, and of course, no power valves to get carboned up.
terminatr
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2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by terminatr »

I would think street riding is much less strain on the engine than offroad riding.

I put almost 1000 street miles on my KDX. Most of the time, it's just cruising along.

When offroad though, it gets revved to the moon and all the acceleration and deceleration and tire spin. It uses a twice as much fuel offroad. It tells you offroad is harder on a bike.

So I reckon a street riding KDX would last forever almost.
2001 KDX220
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adam728
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Re: 2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by adam728 »

Where street gets bad is prolonged WOT. Tuning for bursts of wot off road, and a 1 minute top speed run are different. Keep that in mind and it will be fine.

Otherwise, gear it up! Dual sporting my old 220 was painful above 50 mph, so revvy and buzzy. Despite an 82 mph top speed. I could have used another tooth up front, and a few lwss in the back

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jgas
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Re: 2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by jgas »

I've been using an 01 GasGas so far, it seems to be fine, but KDXs have wider ratio trans than my GG. I haven't put high miles on the GG though, maybe about 1000. Not enough to learn of long term reliability. I put over 10,000 on a 1980-something Yamaha DT, but it had oil injection metered by the bike itself. I'm not looking for a 2 stroke to commute daily, but to cruise on dirt roads, single track, and pavement connection to trails/dirt roads. I too think a high geared KDX would be fine. They don't vibrate as much as most 2 strokes, not nearly as bad as my KTM 520 did. Thanks for the input.
Yugmoto
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2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by Yugmoto »

I am fortunate that now here in AZ bikes do not require emmissions testing, so I am free to consider almost anything that I can put lights on. Since there is no one to save me from myself, one of my CR500s seemed reasonable, but I traded for two GGs and a KDX. Still considering a street two stroke though. I have enough GG parts to build a streetable bike. The only reliability concern I would have might be the gearbox due to better grip/traction and a lack of any "slack?" in the drive line. Maybe buffering is a better term than slack? I know a friend mine kept tearing up XR600 boxes in the dirt, we figured a cush drive might help one last on the street. Obviously some bikes have weaker components than others so who knows.
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adam728
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Re: 2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by adam728 »

I cant recall the name, but there is a company selling cush drive rear sprockets.

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Robkx250
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Re: 2 strokes on the street, long term...

Post by Robkx250 »

I have turned my kdx 220 into a street legal commuter I've put supermoto wheels on it and changed the gearing to a 15 front and 42 rear it's perfect for what I want it will cruise at 50 / 60 mph in 6th gear hardly revving it at all then if I want to go fast it will top out at 97 mph :)
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