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200 to 125
Posted: 09:35 am Mar 29 2011
by KDX Butterfly
Ok. So I my numbers keep growing (age-wise). I am considering trading (or whatever) my 200 (sorry Fuzz) for a KX125. I can't handle the weight generally, much less out of the mud.
Any suggestions for this "ol'" girl?
Posted: 10:28 am Mar 29 2011
by scheckaet
Are you going the 4 strokes route?
don't think the 125 weights much less than the 200, and the engine is really not that good for trail riding. The trade off would be worst IMHO.
Have you thought about getting a KX 100? I've heard they can be made pretty good for trail riding and they are much smaller than the KDX or 125.
I thought about getting one for my wife but couldn't find anything reasonably priced, I got her a ttr 125, she likes it so far (still learning) its almost impossible to stall, great for newb, but for more experienced rider, I'd say the limitations are going to be the suspension (the engine is not as good as the kdx though)
Posted: 11:14 am Mar 29 2011
by kdxmaniac
im with sckeckaet on this one. imo, the kx125 need to be reved and on the pipe to much to get anywhere with it. if your wanting something smaller, but still pull really good, look at a honda xr200. thats what my wife rides, and she likes it.
Posted: 11:32 am Mar 29 2011
by makeshoes
I'll second the KX100. My son had one for a couple of years and road it in the woods. I've riden it around the yard and its not crazy in power or anything scary like that. Try sitting on one or riding one if you can, that will tell you what you need to know. If it is a little quick for you, you could add a flywheel weight. Good Luck.
Posted: 12:12 pm Mar 29 2011
by SS109
The KX100 would be awesome if you do some mods to make it more trail friendly. Maybe a KLX140L? It is a 4t, has electric start, and is about the same size as a KX100. It weighs about 50 lbs more than the KX but is still considerably lighter than a KDX200.
Posted: 12:30 pm Mar 29 2011
by fuzzy
Start riding the TTR125 you already have. The KX will kill you.

I may take the KDX back. I have an inseam-challenged friend out here who just rode this TTR230 a different friend just got (see the trend I'm starting out here...LOL), and he liked it, but it needed mo powa....SO my old KDX would be perfect for him. The TTR is a sweet easy to ride old school 4-cycle.
Posted: 12:37 pm Mar 29 2011
by Coop
Well a 125 with a flywheel weight makes a decent trail bike if you don't have monster climbs. I was trail riding a KX125 right before I bought my KDX last fall. Other than wanting more power for the big gnarly, rutted, root filled, rock strewn, twisty climbs we have around here, I loved it. And it was a 1988 and stock lol. It definitely felt lighter than my KDX too, even if it there wasn't much difference on the scales (no idea).
Posted: 12:54 pm Mar 29 2011
by Mr. Wibbens
I found what you need gramma

Posted: 01:17 pm Mar 29 2011
by KarlP
The TTR is a good riding bike. It won't do much hill climbing and getting agressive on it is not going to be very rewarding.
The KX100 is a great bike. I did the RBD stuff to ours, left the stock pipe on it, and tweaked the ignition timing retarded a bit (I think). It is great for just poking around but will really fly if you let it. I use it mostly for trail maintenance work, now. The wife won't ride it.
She said she was getting old and tired of getting hurt
Ms Butterfly-
If you are tall enough the kx125 would be a great bike if you did a little motor work and want to ride a real bike. It feels taller than the KDX, to me.
The TTR would be a great bike if you just want to ride around.
The KX100 would be good if you are not too tall.
I've heard of people putting KDX motors in KX125 frames and making a pretty good bike. I don't know if you have any friends or relatives who would be willing to help with such a project........know anything about that?
Posted: 01:27 pm Mar 29 2011
by scheckaet
since you already have a ttr 125, I'd ride that for awhile and see.
Doing a bit of upgrade on it seems to yield great little bike, tune the carb right with airbox mod to get a better hummpf and upgrade the front to usd yz + get a shock from a ttr LE (rebuildable and has rebound + compression clickers) and you good to go.
Posted: 01:33 pm Mar 29 2011
by scheckaet
the hybrid is a bit lighter than stock kdx but still a lot heavier than ttr or kx 100
Posted: 02:12 pm Mar 29 2011
by Julien D
I'd go the kx100 route as well. I recently rebuilt one and had the chance to ride it with a fresh engine. Very light, very nimble, and very fun! I would NOT recommend a 125. It's going to be much harder to ride than the KDX.
Posted: 02:32 pm Mar 29 2011
by Mr. Wibbens
Found you another one!

Re: 200 to 125
Posted: 06:00 pm Mar 29 2011
by David_L6


KDX Butterfly wrote: I am considering trading (or whatever) my 200 for a KX125.
Get rid of a KDX? Someone get a rope! Or call a psychiatrist!
Seriously, I've been making do with MX bikes in the woods for years. They just aren't ported and carbed for trail riding / woods work. For example, I have had the suspension re-valved, installed a flywheel weight, Gnarly pipe, and a different carb (38mm Air Striker - I sometimes wish I'd bought a 36mm carb) on my CR250 to tame it down for the woods. It works a lot better for that purpose now but the KDX is still better in the tight stuff. Throw an MX track into the mix and it's a whole different story. I still have stock suspension on the KDX. The stock KDX will get you hurt if you try to mix it up on an MX track. Just to confirm this, my son and I both rode the KDX on an MX track this past Saturday and we both came away with the same conclusion. (Good way to get killed!) I do not like the stock KDX suspension and brakes but I absolutely
love the KDX motor.
If you're dead set on getting something smaller, I guess a "tamed down" KX100 would be the way to go. It's physically a small, lighter weight bike. Those little MX bikes are "high strung" though. I'm not sure that you can get the motor tamed down enough that you'll like that part of the bike. The weight, seat height, suspension and brakes should suit you though.
Re: 200 to 125
Posted: 06:01 pm Mar 29 2011
by David_L6


David_L6 wrote:

KDX Butterfly wrote: I am considering trading (or whatever) my 200 for a KX125.
Get rid of a KDX? Someone get a rope! Or call a psychiatrist!
Seriously, I've been making do with MX bikes in the woods for years. They just aren't ported, piped, and carbed for trail riding / woods work. For example, I have had the suspension re-valved, installed a flywheel weight, Gnarly pipe, and a different carb (38mm Air Striker - I sometimes wish I'd bought a 36mm carb) on my CR250 to tame it down for the woods. It works a lot better for that purpose now but the KDX is still better in the tight stuff. Throw an MX track into the mix and it's a whole different story. I still have stock suspension on the KDX. The stock KDX will get you hurt if you try to mix it up on an MX track. Just to confirm this, my son and I both rode the KDX on an MX track this past Saturday and we both came away with the same conclusion. (Good way to get killed!) I do not like the stock KDX suspension and brakes but I absolutely
love the KDX motor.
If you're dead set on getting something smaller, I guess a "tamed down" KX100 would be the way to go. It's physically a small, lighter weight bike. Those little MX bikes are "high strung" though. I'm not sure that you can get the motor tamed down enough that you'll like that part of the bike. The weight, seat height, suspension and brakes should suit you though.
Posted: 07:32 pm Mar 29 2011
by Julien D
The kx100 does suprisingly well on the low end. I was really shocked when I rode one a few weeks ago after rebuilding the motor top and bottom. I think it would do great stock, and with a FWW it can only get better.
Posted: 08:50 pm Mar 29 2011
by makeshoes
+1 (KX100 weighs approx 155lbs)
Posted: 08:49 am Mar 30 2011
by fuzzy
That may be the way to go, but yeah gotta ride the blue bike some. It's already been uncorked, and has YZ forks on it.

Posted: 09:16 am Mar 30 2011
by scheckaet
Posted: 10:36 am Mar 30 2011
by Julien D
I hope uncorking makes a difference on those things. I rode a stock ttr125. I think my old xr80 has more balls.