From 2 bikes to 1..parts swapping
Posted: 05:50 pm Aug 07 2011
So the story is that I have a friend that bought a 95 KDX200 about 2 years ago from a mutual acquaintance. Said friend later hurt his back and after surgery, was recommended to stay away from off-road riding for a while.
So I picked up the bike thinking I'd revive it and call it my own. It looked pretty beat but had a gnarly woods pipe and a gripper seat, and the forks had already been resprung for a heavier rider as well as the rear shock receiving this treatment. At least, that's the story as I'm told.
Well, I decided to sell my DRZ400 and was also entertaining the idea of taking trades on something like a KTM 200 EXC or a KDX... I was offered a decent amount of cash and a fairly stock, low-hour 2004 KDX 200 and after seeing the bike I got the notion that I'd just transfer some parts off the beat-up looking 95 and put them on the 04, then later sell the 95.
I had ridden the 95 a few times now and knew it was pretty quick, but I had no idea until I rode the stock 04 and then the 95 right afterwards.
WOW. The 95 felt SOOO much faster. Just a pipe and no air filter box/carb rejet seemed to add quite a bit of power.
So The 95 also had some barkbusters as well as a scotts damper mount.

But I had already put together something with new parts- Easton bars (on closeout) in CR High, Zeta XC Handguards/Armor, ProTaper clamps. I had Zeta rubber killers ordered but I ordered the wrong ones.

95

04

So I took off the pipe, carbs, and reeds.
The 95 has a Boyesen Reed box (RAD Valve?) w/ single piece carbon fiber reeds.
Obviously, the 04 has what I have to guess are stock reeds/valve.
I took a peek into the intakes and thats where it got interesting...
Stock 04


The 95. Ported?


After seeing that, I feel indifferent about tossing stock parts over what might be some light motor work... I don't know how much I want to keep my stock, unmolested cylinder... Is it worth my time to hold on to the ported top end?
So I picked up the bike thinking I'd revive it and call it my own. It looked pretty beat but had a gnarly woods pipe and a gripper seat, and the forks had already been resprung for a heavier rider as well as the rear shock receiving this treatment. At least, that's the story as I'm told.
Well, I decided to sell my DRZ400 and was also entertaining the idea of taking trades on something like a KTM 200 EXC or a KDX... I was offered a decent amount of cash and a fairly stock, low-hour 2004 KDX 200 and after seeing the bike I got the notion that I'd just transfer some parts off the beat-up looking 95 and put them on the 04, then later sell the 95.
I had ridden the 95 a few times now and knew it was pretty quick, but I had no idea until I rode the stock 04 and then the 95 right afterwards.
WOW. The 95 felt SOOO much faster. Just a pipe and no air filter box/carb rejet seemed to add quite a bit of power.
So The 95 also had some barkbusters as well as a scotts damper mount.

But I had already put together something with new parts- Easton bars (on closeout) in CR High, Zeta XC Handguards/Armor, ProTaper clamps. I had Zeta rubber killers ordered but I ordered the wrong ones.

95

04

So I took off the pipe, carbs, and reeds.
The 95 has a Boyesen Reed box (RAD Valve?) w/ single piece carbon fiber reeds.
Obviously, the 04 has what I have to guess are stock reeds/valve.
I took a peek into the intakes and thats where it got interesting...
Stock 04


The 95. Ported?


After seeing that, I feel indifferent about tossing stock parts over what might be some light motor work... I don't know how much I want to keep my stock, unmolested cylinder... Is it worth my time to hold on to the ported top end?