Getting new bike 220?

[AwfulSmokey]

After about 3 months of fiddling with my 89 200, it finally got to where it should be. I couldn't have done it without the help you all gave, that's for sure and i thank you.

Yesterday me n my boss decided to play hooky from work. We hopped in my pickup, loaded the bike and off we went. He hasn't been on a bike in years. About 4 miles from where i live there's a couple hundred acres, where the owners don't mind atv's/trucks/buggies to go through the mud/muck. It gets really wet during the summer(rainy season) Right now it's perfect for fast riding. There's open areas , ponds, trails and muck all rolled into one.
10 minutes into the ride and my boss tells me he loves my bike and wants to buy one. A light bulb turned on above my head. I know my bike is an 89 but i tell you what, she looks good for her age. I have my tax return coming,so i was like I'll sell you my bike. He asks how much. I paid $650 for it, bought the acerbis dhh,hand guards, reeds, all new jets and needle. I spend a lot of time cleaning/tuning and making sure everything is "perfect". So i said told him $800 and my time was free. He agreed

Now i have a riding partner and i am able to upgrade. Would there be a noticeable difference if i were to hop on a 220? I don't want to sell my bike, which i'm perfectly happy with to buy something that isn't much different. I plan on spending $1500 give or take. As i was writing this i was searching craigslist in my area and man i'm sad, take a look at this.Why couldnt i have figured this all out a few days earlier. $1000 for an 01 220 is a good deal

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/mcy/562240697.html

[Indawoods]

A 220 is a downgrade!

Really... they are going to feel different than your 89 200. More grunt and less explosive. The 200 is going to be closer to your 89.

To tell you the truth.... your 89 is probably more peppy than a H series with the same mods. I have heard this from allot of owners of both series. I have to concur. My 92 was more radical than my 95, but I love both of them for different reasons.


Go ride both the 200 and the 220 and you will see what I mean...

[AwfulSmokey]

A 220 is a downgrade!

Really... they are going to feel different than your 89 200. More grunt and less explosive. The 200 is going to be closer to your 89.

To tell you the truth.... your 89 is probably more peppy than a H series with the same mods. I have heard this from allot of owners of both series. I have to concur. My 92 was more radical than my 95, but I love both of them for different reasons.


Go ride both the 200 and the 220 and you will see what I mean...

The kind of riding i do allows me to totally open the bike up for awhile, lots of bumps, tire tracks etc and lots n lots of sugar sand. Trail riding is awesome on my 200, there's this 1 long path about 4 feet wide that runs through palmettos, its all whoopty doo's and twisty. I just crack the throttle and it lifts up and takes the bumps with ease as i go flying through the air. This part i like riding with my bike. But then theres everything else, where it's all wide open and i want to go faster dammit! hehe

There isn't much of a selection on used bikes in my area now. I might have to resort to ebay

This one just sold 3 days ago 2001 220

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/mcy/562240697.html

and this is an 2001 200 for $300 more than the 220

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/mcy/559124414.html

and then there's this.. which is a couple hours from me. also a 2001 but a KX 250

http://lakeland.craigslist.org/mcy/565398751.html

[firffighter]

From what you described, I would recommend the KX250. I went with the 220 because I never get out of 3rd gear in the terrain I ride, but had a '92 KDX200 with mods that ripped pretty good. The KX will not be as forgiving as the KDX, but will have all the power you need to ride through sand and whoops. Good luck. Good situation to find yourself in.

[Colorado Mike]

Yeah, I agree with Firffighter. If you're in the open get the MX bike. way cheaper and more plentiful parts available, more power, better suspenders. Also I wouldn't limit it to green. The YZ's are very nice bikes. Cheap too. I bought a 1 year old barely ridden '05 YZ125 for $2200, and this was at a dealer no less. I like my bike, but looking at how the blue ones are made compared to it, no comparison. The YZ is a much higher quality bike. Granted, the KDX is a picture of 1994, and cost less new, but even comparing a KX to the YZ there are some significant advantages to the blue one.

[AwfulSmokey]

What's the deal with this bike?

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/mcy/547251862.html

KLX 250 ?

[dejovi22]

AwfulSmokey,

Not that I hate 4 strokes but they are...well, hell if they break. A 95 thumber might be close to ask for parts and service. Do you know how to work on a thumper? Willing to pay? Any two stroke and you are set with $120 for a new top end, back to full power and 1.5 hours of work (if you know what you are doing).

Then again, that is just my opinion. I stay with 2 strokes...

[Jeb]

A 250 will definetely be an upgrade in power. Enough that a 200 and a 220 wouldn't seem much different.

[KarlP]

I personally wouldn't touch a KLX250 that someone had put a "kit" in.

Any MX250 is SO much more bike than the KDX. If you get one, don't let it bite you.

[crazybrit]

This one just sold 3 days ago 2001 220

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/mcy/562240697.html

I'm not surprised at $1000. WOW! They go for way more than this in the Pac NW. I paid $1900 for my 98 two years ago.

My advice, if they claim it's been well cared for, ask about how often they have serviced the suspension linkage and steering head bearings. Mine was low hours 1998 and the rear bearings all had to be redone as they had never been regreased. If you get a 220, low hours isn't that useful as if you follow the CW here you'll want to replace the OEM piston with a Wiseco. Take a compression tester with you if you have one, 5 min job to test it.

[2001kdx]

A 250 will definetely be an upgrade in power. Enough that a 200 and a 220 wouldn't seem much different.

So what's the scoop - Any "Big" upgrades in power for you this season?

[kawagumby]

IMO, properly setup KDX's are much more fun than the MX'rs for trail work unless you are racing against your buddies all the time. Even so, you'll make more technical hills, and get through the twisties faster on the KDX. And just to flog the dog some more, the close ratio trannys on MX'rs suck for most trails where you sometimes go slow and sometimes go fast. I'm selling my KX250 because I just tend to ride the 220 by far the most for trails - This is the second time I've done this, argh. An MX'r will also need the suspension revalved for trail riding too, or it'll beat you up if your riding area is rough surfaced.

A 95+ KDX200 will feel a little weak off the bottom compared to your old bike, I liked the 220 better as the replacement for my 89 KDX as they both hit well off the bottom.

[skipro3]

Let me know about the KX250 if you want to sell it. I may be in the market to get one for my son.

[AwfulSmokey]

I finally went to ebay and searched by distance. I chose 100 miles from me and i only got 5 hits Scrolled down the first 4 and nothing got down to number 5 and my eyes opened up wide. Check this out http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... Y.m238.lVI


Is it possible to get a headlight on a KX ? I e-mailed him and asked him what his bottom dollar was and i would pay in cash asap . I live about 30 miles from him. What do you think the price should be? I'm figuring 1500-1800, but with the dented pipe... i mean c'mon, you can't expect a guy to ride a bike with a dented pipe? I will but he doesn't need to know that. Is that a stock pipe?

[Colorado Mike]

you can put a headlight on a KX, a buddy did it, but he had to add a lighting coil. Check out http://www.rickystator.com .

[skipro3]

Notice the title is from Illinois. Make him go to DMV to transfer title or you could be in for some surprises. Not that it would be stolen, but might have trouble getting it all in your name.

I ran a headlight on my KX. I needed to swap the bulb for an LED type but it fit perfect. I ran it off the second coil used to power the carb. Yes, the carb has a solenoid and therefore a coil winding to make juice. Is it a good light? Good enough to get you out of the woods if you get caught after dark. Not good enough to ride on the street above 30mph though.

[skipro3]

There's also this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawasaki ... enameZWDVW

[AwfulSmokey]

Notice the title is from Illinois. Make him go to DMV to transfer title or you could be in for some surprises. Not that it would be stolen, but might have trouble getting it all in your name.

I ran a headlight on my KX. I needed to swap the bulb for an LED type but it fit perfect. I ran it off the second coil used to power the carb. Yes, the carb has a solenoid and therefore a coil winding to make juice. Is it a good light? Good enough to get you out of the woods if you get caught after dark. Not good enough to ride on the street above 30mph though.

good eyes. He responded to my e-mail with a price of $2,500 . Not worth that IMO . There's a new listing near me for a 99 KTM 300.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dirt-Bik ... 0215555177

Are these bikes dependable? What do you think it would be worth?

[AwfulSmokey]

This is what i ended up with. It's a 2001 KX 250.The KDX is going to my boss but will still be staying at my house. It is a win/win situation for me.

This is the picture from the listing, it will soon look much better. The guy bought it brand new and "supposedly" has 30 hrs on it. It's real clean. He was asking 1,500 and I got him down to 1,100 When we agreed to a deal he says, you want another bike? I was like no man, i'm done spending money. He said you can have it. It's a chinese bike a KPX 150. His little brother wanted to turn it into a motorcross bike, so he cut off all the wiring with all the lights. Now there's no spark lol we walked into his garage and here this was



Got it for free, just need to re-wire it
I sold my boss my KDX 200 for $800, so basically i got both these bikes for $300. I feel like i won the lottery or sumthin

[Jeb]

A 250 will definetely be an upgrade in power. Enough that a 200 and a 220 wouldn't seem much different.

So what's the scoop - Any "Big" upgrades in power for you this season?

My next upgrade will either be a 250, maybe a 300. One of the dads at a local track has a '97 KX250 that needs suspension work on the front and a top end that he'd part with for $800. I can do both of those things so I might get it. It'd be my track bike for now. I wanted a Gas Gas or a YZ but I'd settle for a low $ KX