Differences between the E and the H

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Goofaroo
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Differences between the E and the H

Post by Goofaroo »

I'm not in any hurry but I want to start keeping my eye out for a KDX for myself. I have some experience with the C and the E but not the H. I rode the E that I freshened up for my son-in-law last week and really liked it and it has me wanting to get a KDX as a 2 stroke option to my XR.

Here's what I liked:
It was very comfortable. The seat was as good if not better than my XR and the ergos were great. I really felt like I could spend a lot of time on this bike without getting tired or uncomfortable.

It handled great. The fork and shock were very well matched. I used 7.5 wt fluid in the fork and as far as I know it is otherwise stock. I had the shock revalved and serviced by a local shop so I'm not sure how much his work improved the ride but the bike really felt good. Nice and smooth and overall just very fun to ride. I felt at home right away even in the horrible trail conditions we had that day.

The motor was perfect and built speed from idle to redline without a hiccup and never loaded up when lugged through the really tight sections. I'm sure that the H is pretty much the same.

So what's the deal on the H? I've never ridden one or even seen one in person so if you are familiar with both bikes I would like to know how they compare. I would be perfectly happy with the E but I like the fact there seems to be a lot more aftermarket parts available for the H. Are they as comfortable as the E or have they narrowed the seat? Are they freakishly compliant but also confidence inspiring at higher speeds and very forgiving when you do something stupid like the E seems to be? Are they as fun as the E?

So what are the main differences between the two? I need the poop.
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Re: Differences between the E and the H

Post by 6 Riders »

I have both, I can tell you that the ergos on the H are way better than the E. The H feels lighter while riding and handles the bigger hits from whoops and jumps much more smoothly. The E feels more powerful to me, but there are differences in my bikes, the H has a FWW, the E just went down for it's first rebuild in 6 years, so take it for WIW. I'm not sure if the seat foam on my H was redone or not, but it is the softer and more comfortable seat of the two by a mile. The only time I've had my H in the dirt, I had my 94 (E) USD forks on it, so the handling characteristics between my two bikes would be different than full stock bikes.

So, I have my E taken apart for a refresh, motor, bearings maybe a redone rear shock. When I am done with that and the Dessert 100, I will be taking my H apart and doing a full restore, powder coating, rear shock (KX forks are being worked on as we speak) all new bearings and a slight mod on the motor. I was going to do the full restore on the E, but I like the H way better (so far :D) so that will be the bike I'm dumping more money into.
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Goofaroo
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Re: Differences between the E and the H

Post by Goofaroo »

Thanks for the input. I need to find an H for sale and go take a look at it.
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bufftester
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Re: Differences between the E and the H

Post by bufftester »

I have ridden Cs, Es, Hs and the 220 (As). To me the H/A feels taller in the saddle, but also lighter than the E. Suspension on the stock for me was a wash (the E was a 93 with USDs), and the motors between the E and H are nearly identical. Parts are a little easier to find for the H/As, and that will always be the case, though there are plenty of Es still being ridden and I haven't ever had difficulty finding parts when needed. The E always felt to me like I was sitting IN it, and the H/A like I was sitting ON it, if that makes any sense, likely due to the perimeter frame and KX inspired ergos the H inherited. I am now riding a KX125 based hybrid with the 220 motor and the handling and ergos are definitely MX like, though not as comfortable as the stock E/H/A.
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Re: Differences between the E and the H

Post by SS109 »

6 Riders wrote:I have both, I can tell you that the ergos on the H are way better than the E for me and my riding.
There, I fixed that for you! :mrgreen:

I have ridden both and the ergos for the E are much better for me. I prefer the "Lazy Boy" seat on the E. I can ride it all day as it doesn't become uncomfortable. The H started to bother me after an hour of riding. IMO/IME, the E has better low end than the H so I prefer the E for more technical riding. Like bufftester said, the H definitely feels higher in the saddle than the E yet the H feels lighter. In stock form the suspension from one to the other is a wash as there isn't any notable differences between them. The only place where the H is better, IMO, is with the more durable power valves.
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Re: Differences between the E and the H

Post by Goofaroo »

The E always felt to me like I was sitting IN it, and the H/A like I was sitting ON it
That's the main thing I don't like about newer bikes.
I have ridden both and the ergos for the E are much better for me. I prefer the "Lazy Boy" seat on the E. I can ride it all day as it doesn't become uncomfortable. The H started to bother me after an hour of riding. IMO/IME, the E has better low end than the H so I prefer the E for more technical riding. Like bufftester said, the H definitely feels higher in the saddle than the E yet the H feels lighter. In stock form the suspension from one to the other is a wash as there isn't any notable differences between them. The only place where the H is better, IMO, is with the more durable power valves.

I was only on it for a couple of hours but I felt like I could really relax and make good time on it. I'd be happy with an E but I would still like to at least take a look at an H.
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