1987 KDX 200 restore

[JohnPainter]

I can't say I got much done tonight, I tried to tin the sensor lines, after stripping and hitting
the wires with a bit of sand paper, then flux, holy cow the sheathing started to melt and solder
didn't pull down right. Heck my son can do better and he's 9.



So once I decided to give up and try again in a couple days with another batch of solder, I figured
I'd put on the forks and try to set my mind on how it would be going together. I'll have to drill out
and tap a few of the spots I welded so the correct size bolts could be used again. So that's probably a weekend
job. Hey at least my Schnauzer, Isaac, was into it!!

[rbates9]

Looking great!

[kdxquebec]

Nice to see good work like this

[fuzzy]

Sweet! My next Unlimited Dirt Oval Kart is going to be 87/88 KDX powered, ported to the hilt, on meth.

[JohnPainter]

Looking great!

. Thanks, still doing some work on the engine, it won't quite be on "meth" like the machine Fuzzy wants, but I'm thinking an '87 with good compression and KIPS will be plenty good for the local trails and maybe a scramble or two. I also need to hit the spring off my shock shock with a touch of paint, but I'm having trouble verifying if the spring was black in '87.

I'm still on track for having a rebuilt KDX for under $500 when I'm all done.

[JohnPainter]

Again not much progress, just got the bars, light, swingarm and shock on (sort of) there's one bolt I have realized is bent...
so I'll need to head over to used bike shop and do some digging, otherwise it's going back together ok.

I had forgotten just how long and thin this bike is (compared to my KLR 650 it's a toothpick), and am sort of remembering
when I rode a KDX back in the early 80's that this was one of the advantages of the bike on the trails. At the time I had an IT 175, but I really liked my friends KDX.

[JohnPainter]

Rats! I forgot my wood was being delivered this weekend - bright an early.

[JohnPainter]

Well I got everything tapped and was able to place the plastic for fitment and how it feels. Feels good, pretty tall.



I also got an inexpensive tool bag from Boliviaxport, you can find them on ebay, and I have to say I am impressed with the quality and look.



Over the weekend after I got the wood pile all squared away I was talking
with my mother about whether she had any old photos of me on any of
my previous dirt bikes. She was able to dig out this shot probably in 1981
of me riding my 1980 Yamaha IT 175 in Lincolnville, Maine where my family owns a hundred or so acres of woodlot.
I got nostalgic and wanted to verify that my old number I had for scrambles, etc was indeed 8, I plan to use the number 8 on the KDX.

[Fletch]

Awesome!
Love the vintage.

[skythrasher]

Yes the spring was black on the 87.

[SpudRider]

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Well I finally found a swing arm mounted kickstand that didn't cost a hundred bucks, it cost $43 with tax. It's got pretty rugged welds, so I'm hopeful.

You're doing a great job! I like your kickstand. If I may ask, where did you get it?

Spud

[JohnPainter]

Doing a LOT of cleaning today. Look at all the flecks of red epoxy from the old
rotor.



Unreal just how much magnet chips were still floating around in there. This is why it pays to have one or two strong magnets at your house.
I just swiped this one around in there and look at what it picked up.

[JohnPainter]

I like your kickstand. If I may ask, where did you get it?
Spud

Spud,

Thanks. I got the kickstand from 2wheeldiscount.com http://2wheeldiscount.com/ should be $41.99, but sometimes cheaper on ebay - missed their auction so just went to the online store, shipping was fast. I considered welding up my own, still might for a spare, but this one fits the KDX 200 perfectly, it feels solid - but with anything the real test will be on the trails. Take care. JP

[JohnPainter]

Yes the spring was black on the 87.

Thank you skythrasher!!

[SpudRider]

I like your kickstand. If I may ask, where did you get it?
Spud

Spud,

Thanks. I got the kickstand from 2wheeldiscount.com http://2wheeldiscount.com/ should be $41.99, but sometimes cheaper on ebay - missed their auction so just went to the online store, shipping was fast. I considered welding up my own, still might for a spare, but this one fits the KDX 200 perfectly, it feels solid - but with anything the real test will be on the trails. Take care. JP

That kickstand is a great find! Thank you for sharing it with us! Please do update us, and let us know how well this kickstand works for you.

Spud

[JohnPainter]

Just seeing how the stator fits. I know that wire off the lighting coil looks in the way but when I set the rotor in to get a look at how it's going to set, there was plenty of clearance.
This is the way Fredette fixed it so I'm going to leave it be unless I have a problem. If I do I'll see if I can run it behind but it's pretty tight back there too because of how advanced
the base was cut compared to how it was stock. You can see the original timing mark in the slot right behind the blue wire coming off the source coil or about 4 O'clock mark.

I'm still fishing old magnet and epoxy chunks out of there to.

[JohnPainter]

Power has been out here in Maine since yesterday, the news is saying over a million without power here in New England, just came back on.
While it was out I figured I'd apply the PlastiDip to the boots which had cracks, since I couldn't do much else. I'd already tested the stuff on
some other materials, plastic, metal, wood, cotton gloves and read about a few other people having restored vintage parts with the stuff -
picked it up at Lowes. The stuff is pretty easy to apply, like spray paint, and seems to hold up to petrochemicals well - at least over the past
several weeks of testing. So this is what my boot looks like before.



This is what it looks like after the first coat, I'll lay on a couple I think.



Can't wait to get some more parts back on.

[JohnPainter]

Just doing a bunch of little stuff lately, like figuring since I had to remove the weld the PO used to attach the shifter, I might as well experiment a bit. So
I spread the gap, and laid a few beads inside the shift lever where it had stripped, retapped the bolt hole to 8mm and now I'll cut some groves and repaint. Even if it doesn't work I still got to have fun.



I also applied Plastidip to the intake boot, which was predictably cracked to pieces. I only wanted it on the outside since the inside was fine and I didn't want to disrupt how the fuel flows.



It's pretty good.

[SS109]

Interesting use of Plastidip. I like it!

[rbates9]

Interesting use of Plastidip. I like it!

+1, I have used it in the past for what it was intended for but I see no reason it shouldn't work for this stuff also. It is supposed to be chemical and fuel resistant so why not give it a try. Great idea!