KDX 100 project for the wife

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Kirby N.
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KDX 100 project for the wife

Post by Kirby N. »

I bought the wife a 2000 KX100. She needs a trail bike, so my mission is to make it a KDX100. Street legal, trail weapon. Here is what I ordered for it:

2.4 Gal IMS Tank in black
Moose Skid Plate
Works Connection Radiator Guards
Acerbis Minicross Rally Guards in Black
Renthal Mini High Bend Bars
Steahly Offroad 10 oz Flywheel Weight
FMF Q Turbine Core 2 Silencer
One Industries Alpha Graphics and Seat Cover
Moose ESL130 Lighting Stator 40W output
KLX400 Headlight
1997 KX100 Kick Stand

Still need to order a LED tailight. My wife and I are stoked to build this bike. I can't wait until our parts start coming in.

Should be a pretty trail worthy bike when I finish it. She is comming off a TTR 225 Electric Start. It was a little heavy for her. I think the KX is more than 100 lbs lighter!

Suggestions?
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m0rie
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Post by m0rie »

Sounds like a pretty good setup. I bet Ron could help make it a bit more tractable on the low end of things. How is the stock pipe for low to mid range pull?
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Kirby N.
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Post by Kirby N. »

From what I have read it would do better with an FMF fatty. But at the cost of those, I figured we would try the stocker for a while.
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Post by KDXer »

Sweet I just picked up another KX100 a few weeks back for a buddy to ride (after the 96 model was stolen). Its a 2001 model that the prior owner advertised as a 2000 so bonus there. Those mods sound awesome and it will be a beast and a half when its all done. I love to hear how the mods transform the lil green beast as I am planning on getting a FWW for both that and my KDX but didnt want to lose to much snap from the 100. Do you mind if I ask what you paid for the different things or is it still to painful to talk about ?? :wink: They indeed are very light, so light I pick it up and carry it up the back stairs to keep it in the house. Good luck !!

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Post by KDXer »

>|<>QBB<
m0rie wrote:How is the stock pipe for low to mid range pull?
The 96 and 01 didn't have a whole lot of bottom or mid at all but when the power valves open you wanna be holding on tight. It takes a fair bit of clutch work to keep the revs up and wheelspin under control at the same time on average-tricky hills. Hence why the FWW would be my first purchase. If the 10oz takes alot of the snap away I'll go with an 8oz or similar.
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Post by Kirby N. »

We went ridding last weekend on some trails. There was a few really loose decomposed granite hills. They sucked for my wife. She was either stalling it or launching it and looping it. She was learning to abuse the clutch and keep it going toward the end of the day. The FWW will help that huge I am sure. I can't wait until my parts come in!

Cost? Alot! The gas tank alone lists for $225. The rest of it is on denniskirk.com, and steahlyoffroad.com
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Post by KarlP »

I've got a kx 100 I bought for my wife,as well. She doesn't ride it very much, but that is O.K.. When my boy outgrows his KLX110 he will get the 100 and be set untill he can get his own bikes.

I find that bike to be a handfull! I'm too heavy for it at 175 lb so it tends to want to loop a lot. I would certainly trade 25% of the hp on top for 25% more down low.

The way we jetted it it pokes around pretty happily with her on it. I suspect long WOT would stick the piston.

I wonder if the motor character can be changed much without major porting changes. Be interesting to see how it works out for you.


Good bike!
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'99 CR/KDX Hybrid with that RB stuff done to it
KX100 for the boy
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Post by Colorado Mike »

Yeah what you guys are reporting is what I found with my son's KX85 that I converted to the larger size wheels. That motor is a screamer and has very little down low. The light weight and nice suspension and brakes make it a great option for trail riding, if only there was a good motor for them. If you could swap in a bit more mellow powerplant these things would be sweet, much better than the overweight learner bikes that have 6hp, drum brakes , pogo stick suspension, and cheesy frames.

The YZ125 works much better on the trails, but has some liabilities for a lady. It weighs about 50lbs more, and is much much taller. The bigger wheels roll over bumps better though.
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Post by fuzzy »

Stroke it! :supz:
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Post by 2001kdx »

>|<>QBB<[quote="Colorado Mike"] overweight learner bikes that have 6hp, drum brakes , pogo stick suspension, and cheesy frames.
[quote]

That's what I learned on - XR100 baby. Can't knock the bikes for what they are - non-intimidating. I've seen a lot of kids get scared by one of those mini mx'ers with a potent but narrow powerband. I pretty much stepped off of the XR and got the KDX. not a hard adjustment.
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Post by Colorado Mike »

Not knocking them, well, ok maybe I am, but only cuz I paid nearly $3K for one (CRF150) that my kid mastered in 6 weeks. Then I was out buying him a used KX for $1100 , which technologically looked like an SR-71 sitting next to a dump truck with flat front tires.

My point is that if the manufacturers built the high-zoot MX bikes, and had a low-power option for the same chasis, the kids and ladies would benefit. They get a good handling lightweight machine that you can get parts for anywhere, and would last them a lot longer than the Klugey bike that will try to kill them when they start jumping it.

Just my thinks on the madder... :rolleyes:
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Post by Jeb »

For that KX, consider some aftermarket reeds as well. My youngin' was happy when I installed some Boyesen dual-stage reeds in his RM65 ("Power Reeds", $30 or so). These reeds will open up more with less throttle than the stock reeds meaning more air sooner, and - as long as there's enough fuel - that generally means more power sooner (lower RPMs). I had the most success by raising the needle a notch (more gas with the increase in air). The difference was not earth-shattering but definately noticeable (he sure did). 'Smaller beast than the KX but the nature of the beast is similar, so there's a good chance it would work for you as well.

Also, like morie suggested, give Ron Black a call. What that fellow can do to make a motor run . . .
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Post by Kirby N. »

I agree with the statements about the play bikes. She is comming off a TTR225 electric start. Great bike, don't get me wrong. But it weighed like 270 wet (if I remember right). It had suspension from the 80s, and brakes from the 80s. She could not pick it up, and I cringed when sh jumped it. She is loving the little two stroker now. However, she did say those hills would have been alot easier on her old bike.

I thought about a 125, or even a kdx 200 (my personal choice), but my wife just isn't big enough for one of those. She is 5'4" and 110lbs. The goal was to get her something that was sized right for her. I wish Kawasaki would make a kdx100. Something with power, technology, and a trail bike in a compact package. I decided I had to make one! A CRF150X would be a cool bike too. Maybe there isn't as much of a market as I think for one.

I will need to start playing with the jetting when I get everything installed. As of now, I haven't touched it. It seems pretty close, but I think the silencer will effect it. I may also get some of the reeds. I have heard good things about them.

I have a personal friend who is a well known motor builder here in colorado. He works for one of the bigger shops in Denver. I will have him build the motor for me if I get it built. That is something I will look at when it needs a top end though. Right now I would like to leave the motor
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Post by fuzzy »

Locking the power valve to never yield lower dynamic compression (top end) is another option. The bike will still "Get on the pipe," but not with the lower dynamic conpression completely optimizing top-end(wicked powerband), and allowing "overrev."
'91 KDX 200 Project $300 KDX
'95 KDX 200 Project $600 KDX
'94 WR 250 Always a project
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Post by Kirby N. »

Then it would be no fun!

Forgot to mention- the Moose Offroad Skid plate is sweet. Great coverage of the water pump and the left side plastic case. Those parts are super vulnerable on these bikes because of the frame design. The plate has wings that come out and cover those parts really well. I was happy with it.
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Post by fuzzy »

I would love to see how it worked like that. BTW, how tall is your wife? I slammed my KDX for my girlfriend, and it was too much for her (weight and power), but fit her inseam OK...Still just a touch on the tall side. I had thought about doing the same thing to the KIPS as mentioned above, but I'm thinking about a different bike entirely. XR200 is what I wanted originally, but again I think that's too heavy. She will will safest on a light bike w/ great suspension, and minimal power.
'91 KDX 200 Project $300 KDX
'95 KDX 200 Project $600 KDX
'94 WR 250 Always a project
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Post by Kirby N. »

My wife is 5'4". Maybe you need a 125 TTR or something? Maybe a CRF130. I decided to go with the KX100, because my wife learned to handle the 225s power well, she was just having problems when she would fall- she couldn't pick it up! So that is why we went with the KX100. The TTR and CRF don't have much suspension. Niether does the XR.

Got the FMF Q Turbine Core 2 Spark Arrestor Today. I am going to go put it on in a few. Also got the Renthal Mini Highs. They look like they will fit my wife well. She has to hunch a little when she stands up with the bars it has on it.
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Post by Kirby N. »

Got the tank, flywheel weight and the lighting coil on today. Got the headlight wired too. I need to get a 12v voltage regulator and a tail light. I like the Steahly LED tail light/ liscence plate. I think I will go with that. I also want to get a switch so she can turn off the lights and make the bulkbs last longer. My wr250 didn't have a switch and it was annoying.
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Post by Kirby N. »

Made some progress on the wifes.

Got the Graphics/ seat cover on. Ordered Steahly's "standard size" LED tail light and liscense plate holder along with a 12v regulator. Also bought a WR450 headlight switch off of ebay.

Got the kickstand tab fabbed and welded on. I am still waiting on the kick stand bolt to come in. The bolt that connects the stand to the mouting bracket has a shoulder on it so I decided to order it.

Also, painted the frame where the welds heated it up and also the new tab I added. Anybody know where to get some kawasaki matching paint? Closest I could find anywhere (including the craft/ hobby stores) is painfully obviously not the right color. Sticks out like a sore thumb!

I will take some pics when I get the rest on it. I keep thinking of taking pics, but it needs the tail light, handlebars, handguards and the kickstand still, so I think I'll wait.
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Post by KDXer »

PJ1 should make matching paint.
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