First Dual Sport Ride

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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

Did the "SR" have it? (overseas D/S KDX) Ditto on the 'would never run oil injection'

Chainsaw oil bottles are great for carrying oil around in. Even if you have to buy them at Ace for $1, and pour the oil out. Then you have ready-made bottles that go with 1gal gas
'91 KDX 200 Project $300 KDX
'95 KDX 200 Project $600 KDX
'94 WR 250 Always a project
GS
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Post by GS »

"They must not have outboard motors where you live."

You're a funny laddy!

Nope....we use wooden paddles to waterski and jetski.

Donnna mess with us Canadian boys!!

Actually, I'm sure there have been failures....but not that I have ever heard of, or experienced.
Ogre
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Post by Ogre »

Anyone who has been around outboards has seen a broken oil injection system......
There was a time that a working one was an oddity.


BTW has the ice melted enough up there yet to ski? :razz:
I finaly got my 9 year old up 2 weeks ago

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07 KTM 640 Adventure
GS
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Post by GS »

No ice hereabouts, think of Seattle weather to know what we have ........FRIKKIN RAIN...... in spades this "spring".

Oh well, slow start to summer this year, but we were wakeboarding 4 weeks ago.....with partial wetsuits on. Lakes are very high from snow melt in the mountains.

Nice pic!
91kdx200
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Post by 91kdx200 »

Ihave had oil injection fail. I rebuilt a 1978 DT100 for my cousin and it blew up a week later because the oil injection quit working. :sad:
1991 KDX200
Kurt Franz
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Post by Kurt Franz »

Took the ride this past weekend and here are my thoughts:

Enginewise the bike ran fine, no overheating or any issues.
Gas mileage was about 25 mpg
Comfort level was adequate for the distance travelled

However, I think I prefer street/gravel-dirt road riding over off road riding and am going to sell this bike and get a Suzuki DRZ400S. I really like the KDX and it is great for its intended purpose, however, as everyone else has said here - it is not a bike meant for long jaunts on the road, but is great for intermittent road use for enduro or trail connecting purposes.

Bottomline - the KDX will do the long rides, but there are other bikes better suited for the purpose. I am still glad that i purchased the bike and made it street legal, however the DRZ400S will suit me better.

Regards
KF
1987 BMW K75
1973 Yamaha CT3
2004 Kawasaki KDX200
1981 Yamaha PW50
GS
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Post by GS »

KF,

I'm interested in the DRZ also. Are you thinking the off-road, but licensable version? Or the street-leaning version?

Apparently the seat sucks for passengers and I love to intro people to the world of off-roading on my bike, too.

I'd likely head for a xr650, but the insurance goes through the roof for anything over 400cc around here.

Would you let us know how that works out, if you go ahead?
Thanks,
Greg
Ogre
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Post by Ogre »

Kurt,

What was your longest distance ran at a steady speed, and how fast did you run?

I keep varying the speed when I run, but I wonder if its unnecessary.

I swapped with a DRZ400S guy for a while on one of my dualsport ride.
During the swap I was very surprised how heavy, soft and short the DRZ felt and how much stronger the KDX engine was.
The DRZ was WAY WAY smoother on the street though.
07 KTM 640 Adventure
Kurt Franz
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Post by Kurt Franz »

Ogre - GS

I ran at a relatively steady speed for at least one 20 mile stretch. I would guess that I was travelling 50 -55 mph during this time. At first I was varying the speed, but then I just quit doing it and ran it flat out. Seemed to do fine, I just made certain to clutch it when I decreased speed drastically. Additionally, I think my jetting is not quite correct as the engine does not seem as smooth as it should be and there was a bit of spooge on the fenders etc, and quite a bit drained out of the arrestor. Actually I really like this bike and the power to weight ratio. If I could have a four stroke that was identical to the KDX it would probably be about perfect. The 25 mpg prety much sucks though as does mixing the oil and gas on the fly and the spooge factor.

I think the DRZ400s should fit the bill pretty nicely - unless I want to use my 1973 Yamaha 175 CT3 street legal enduro..... :grin:
1987 BMW K75
1973 Yamaha CT3
2004 Kawasaki KDX200
1981 Yamaha PW50
Ogre
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Post by Ogre »

Kurt,

What you experienced sounds a lot like mine.

My bike surges and sputters (4 stroking?) unless I run it fast enough that the kips is closed, with the kips closed its pretty smooth.

I also have the spooge factor, I am not sure if its from "blowing out" the crud that collects during slower running, or if it develops from running faster, as I have only ran about 10 miles at a time at speed before hitting slower single-track stuff.

I have to admit I keep thinking about a KLX250S.
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kawagumby
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Post by kawagumby »

I thought the DRZ-S was a pig. I had one for 3 years and it didn't do anything right IMO. Too light for hiway stuff, too heavy and gutless for off-road. Just my opinion. If you are doing gravel/dirt roads and some hiway but no real off-road stuff, you might want to look at the KLR 650. It is soooo much more fun, comfortable and easy to ride than the DRZ. It has a tractor kind of motor that pulls about the same no matter what RPM or gear you're in, a wide comfortable seat (the drz seat sucks for road work, and don't bother with a corbin, they can't seem to get it right) and the KLR handling is superb.
1994 KDX200, Beta 200rr, yz125, yz250, kx100 modded for adult, gasgas contact 250.
dentvet
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Post by dentvet »

hey, why not dig up an oldie?

So i plated my 200 and rode it to the post office. I was cringing and wincing at 45 mph (trailtech). To cruise at 55 mph must be kdx abuse, right? What is the 6th gear ratio? I thought it might be fun to cobble a supermoto setup for her but i'd have to go way down on the gearing to make any speed at all. i know, i know, its a trail bike.

BTW, how is the kmx200 mentioned above geared? :grin:
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Post by barryadam »

>|QBB>snip, snip
The 25 mpg prety much sucks though as does mixing the oil and gas on the fly ....>>

[/quote]

If you want to make it much easier and convenient to measure and add oil on a trip, carry one of these in a plastic bag, just in case. You don't want to fall on it. BE SURE TO EMPTY OUT THE WEEDWHACKER OIL AND CLEAN THE BOTTLE BEFORE FILLING WITH YOUR PREMIUM TWO-STROKE OIL OF CHOICE.
Disclaimer: Don't dump the oil in the drain, gutter, garden, or neighbor's gas tank, or Inda's thermos. :mrgreen:

It has a built-in measuring cup. Mebbe take the lable off, too, just in case your riding buddies are watching.

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KDX Butterfly
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Post by KDX Butterfly »

[/quote]

Disclaimer: Don't dump the oil in the drain, gutter, garden, or neighbor's gas tank, or Inda's thermos. :mrgreen:

[/quote]

Inda survives on weed wacker oil. It's the first thing he drinks in the a.m.
But, when he's ready to ride, he goes with the good stuff ... AMSOIL. :wink:
"If I were just two inches taller, I wouldn't be me." ~KDX Butterfly
Ogre
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Post by Ogre »

That weed wacker oil container is a great idea.

I use a plastic drinking flask with my ratio marks per 1/4 gal on it.

Its OK to fall on it too, I believe that is a design criteria of a drinking flask :partyman:

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