KDXRIDER.NET

Recently bought a 87 kdx 200. It's been pretty neglected but after about 3 or 4 beers we had it running. The fork seals are leaking and the front brake is pretty messed up and the wheel bearings are pretty bad in the front too. I searched and found people talking about front end swaps but it wasn't really clear what the most painless swap would be so just wanting some input on that. Thanks in advance

I put the whole front end off of a 2000 H-series kdx on my 87 C-series years ago.
It was an easy swap and provided updated brakes.
My recollection is that it raised the front end a bit and I had to lower the forks in the triples.
There are other options such as KLX and KX forks.

Where are you located?

An easy swap may not be so easy, just depends on your skill level and amount of money you have to spend. I wanted to put RM forks on my KDX but machining was involved, easy for some, next to impossible for me. I read these forums to find out I had to do machining and I'm glad I did before I went out and bought all the parts.

Welcome to the forums. Congratulations on the 1987 KDX200.

As I understand you can slide in 95+ forks and get better technology and brakes. They're cartridge forks, but don't have rebound damping adjustability.
I'll be sliding in the front end of a 99 Zuki DR350 which had 43mm Showa conventional cartridge forks with rebound adjustability. Only because I already had them around though.
The KX swaps seems to be popular and well documented as well. Your budget is the limit.

I have my stock 92 front end that you're welcome to if you want front disk brakes. The forks aren't likely any better than yours though.

"Fun Wheel Drive"

The easy swaps are getting harder to find.

I swapped a ktm300 front onto my kdx , by gluing the kdx stem into the ktm triple. Hardest part was denting the tank to clear tubes

Welcome onboard the Green Train.
Pop over the the fork swap/conversion page on here, Give yourself an hour a night to let all the info sink in, and after a few weeks there will be anything you don't know about the pointy end of a kdx.

I put the forks off a 1992 KX 125 on my 1987 KDX 200. The triple tree bolts right up as the KX and KDX share the same frame. This way you get the inverted forks a powerful MX front brake plus the added bonus of being anodized blue. I bought everything off ebay except the right springs for my weight which I got from race tech. You can get the rear shock rebuilt but it was near impossible to find a spring for it. After searching high and low talking to local mechanics, ebay, local shops and some not so local, every shock company I could find I came up empty. What I did was call Race Tech and asked them to just point me in a direction for help since they couldn't get what I needed. The gentleman from Race Tech had me call a place call Cannon Race Craft in Oklahoma. They make specialty shocks for race cars street bike and some dirt bikes. I gave them the measurements they need and by some miracle they had a shock for my weight and it was only 150.00

I've used Cannon for years for custom springs and shock mods and rebuilds. The only fork springs that can usually be found online are progressive wound. Cannon can make you a set of custom straight wound springs for about the same cost as ordering progressives online.

They rebuilt and modified the shock on my 87 KDX and my 92 model. They did a fantastic job.

Are you saying that one cannot find straight wound springs for the 1992 KX125 forks, the 1987 forks or in general?

It seems to me that in general progressive springs are more commonly available. Especially if you're looking for springs for an older bike.

Sonic Springs has a couple of straight wound offerings for KDXs but not for the older ones. However, all of the Sonic Springs are made by Cannon Racecraft so you can just call Cannon and get whatever you want custom made straight from the source. RaceTech springs used to be made there too but last I heard they started outsourcing to China.

Besides Progressive brand springs, I hardly ever see any progressively wound springs for modern bikes.

Do you have a link on where Race Tech were made by Cannon or where they are made in China?

I don't have a link. I was there several years ago having some springs made for a CB500 project and one of the guys told me they had recently lost their Race Tech contract and that he had heard they were outsourcing to China. Around that same time they had lost a couple of other large contracts to China but they were automotive related. Sonic Springs are still made there. Race Tech may very well be having their springs made somewhere other than China but that is what I was told. It's been a while since I've asked them about this at Cannon. Race Tech may have contracted with them again.

I'm just pointing out that there is a good source for springs if you want to have some custom made. It is interesting that Race Tech referred the OP to Cannon.

Eibach 996 are an option

Thanks for all of the advice everyone, found a 93 kx125 near me that is being parted out so Im going to bite on the entire front end if it's in good condition.. so hopefully it does become an easy swap
I actually got a complete 89 frame and back tire with the bike including a disassembled 89 engine and rear shock was sad the shock couldn't bolt up.

1993 stem is not going to work, as the head tube got larger up top for 1992+ has a larger top bearing

To the guy above that said you had 1992, are you sure? Maybe 1991?

I certainly did mean 1991. Was a typo and I apologize. I think you were the one that that told me to use the front end off a 91. I found a set of sweet anodized blue. I had to drill and tap new holes on the triple tree to mount the headlight as the existing holes meant for the KX number plate did not line up.The only other issue I had was the plastic guide on the damping rod was to large to fit on the new springs. The springs for my weight (225) were much thicker than the stock KX springs. I simply took a Dremel to the plastic guide and carefully shaved it down checking the fir constantly till it fit the way the stock springs did.

The difference is night and day. I went from cringing at any deep rut , pocket at speed or jump over three feet in the air to laughing at all that and more. If you do nothing else to this bike , upgrade the suspension and get bigger foot pegs.

OK, cool. I kind of overlooked that for a little bit, but then it finally struck me that it did not sound correct.

Great to hear your technique on the removal of material on the spring guides. I did the same thing with a KDX250 that went to much thicker springs. It was a surprise, as I am sure you discovered.

Which springs did Race Tech sell you? I see that in the last several years, they have really limited the options on rates for the older forks. They used to have a lot of options, and I could make some work for KDX250. The 1993 - 1995 KX125 / KX250 springs are great for the KDX250 with some short spacers or a couple of thick washers.

I was surprised when the springs didn't fit. I kinda just starred at it for a minute . Lol. They sold me Eibach springs , which was the only option they offered me. Thats a good trick to know for the 250. The idea in general is good.