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My 200 89 have a factory installed 89 piston!

Posted: 10:36 am Mar 07 2005
by kdxquebec
I bought the bike 4 years ago.The owrner told me the bike should have aprox 2000 miles.The front tire was the original one.When i bought it i dissesembled the top end and show it to the best local dealer in town.I was new to dirtbikes.

The piston in is the original oem.(the owrner told me)I mean the one that japenese people installed in 1989. the piston look new with no scratch anywhere.So the dealer told me to install new rings only.So i did.

The compression test before and after putting ring is the same ...177psi.Should i install a new piston? kawasaki standard size piston or aftermarket? what size?The Nickel look new with no scratch.

I am affraid to have problems if i put a new one and i am affraid to leave the stock one in. :rolleyes: so what should i do now? :shock:

Posted: 10:38 am Mar 07 2005
by Indawoods
That's good compression... Run it!

Posted: 10:51 am Mar 07 2005
by Indawoods
Why would you be afraid to run the stock one? Everything is good and 200 pistons don't have the genade factor.

Posted: 11:02 am Mar 07 2005
by m0rie
I'd tear it down once a year, check for cracks or pitting on the piston and if everything looks okay throw some new rings on it and close her back up.

-Maurice

Posted: 11:14 am Mar 07 2005
by kdxquebec
i am affraid to leave the stock one in because the piston is 15 year old!And Some peoples told me my cylinder may be little oval,so putting a new piston will cause problems...are they right?

Posted: 11:19 am Mar 07 2005
by Indawoods
All cylinders are a little oval... with that kind of compression I wouldn't worry about it. Putting a new piston in isn't going to make your cylinder any less oval. :wink:

Posted: 11:57 am Mar 07 2005
by m0rie
I'd be more worried about keeping the LH KIPS valve from stripping on your 89 than running the stock piston.

Posted: 12:22 pm Mar 07 2005
by KDXGarage
I recently took my top end apart and it had a surprise for me. If yours has no surprises for you, then you can check the measurements as listed in the manual and if it is within spec, then it sounds like no need to replace it.

Posted: 12:34 pm Mar 07 2005
by fuzzy
I agree w/ Inda. Run it. Replace it next time.

Posted: 12:35 pm Mar 07 2005
by bradf
I have heard from reliable sources that deep within the Kawi manufacturing plant, somewhere back in the engine assembly room, a guy sits with a box of 220 pistons and pulls their pin, yells "fire in the hole" then puts the piston into the engine. And here you sit with a near perfect running engine whose piston is as reliable as an MF tractor. I shoulda got a 200. I have a slightly used factory 220 piston and an Chevy Vega engine I'll sell ya.

Posted: 03:06 pm Mar 08 2005
by 89kdx200rdr
i'm still running my oem piston. if it's still within specs it's ok. no idea how many miles but i rode it three years after i bought it in 89 and the past four years.