2005 kdx 220 conversion

Questions and comments about converting to beefier forks..
Malibu406
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Re: 2005 kdx 220 conversion

Post by Malibu406 »

Having .46’s also lets you use a .43 and a .46 to get .445. I have a friend who has won a bunch of hare scrambles and enduros and he always tries to buy a set 4 up so he can split them and have essentially three spring rates.

Now we just need to get some decent weather. Thx
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treelimb
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Re: 2005 kdx 220 conversion

Post by treelimb »

KDXGarage wrote: 11:19 pm May 05 2020 I assume your riding weight is 235. I would also assume .46, depending on terrain, skill level, alignment of planets.

Skip preloading and buy stiffer springs.

Whatever the lowest manual mentioned oil level is, go with that. You are using KX forks for trails, not a track with jumps. If you are somehow bottoming them out, then go with more oil at that point.


YES, absolutely buy the appropriate springs. The Entity that is the G and I went through perhaps 3 sets of fork springs before I ordered a set from Cannon racecraft because they are the only ones that offered,made,produced,and/or listed springs that would fit my 2001 KLX300 conversion and my riding weight. We also tinkered with the oil level but ordering the CORRECT springs for me showed immediate( well within a very short while) results.

So with that having been typed,best of luck sorting it all out but do indeed at least call Cannon and talk with their guru-advice was free but then I bought so it all worked out. Spending the moolah takes virtually all the guess work out of the equation although I understand some prefer to work it out regardless of the downtime involved. I was ready to race and then ride and now during slow times sort more issues out.
Malibu406
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Re: 2005 kdx 220 conversion

Post by Malibu406 »

I messed around with fork oil height, nothing significant. Installed a 5.4 kg/mm in the rear. The bike improved, but forks were still twitchy. I looked back at my fork purchase and believe the springs were .41 from kx125 not .43 from kx250. At 220lbs without gear, I was pretty sure the forks were too high in the stroke causing the issue. I purchased .46 kg/mm race tech.

My daughter and I went riding and got 4 hrs in. I was able to push it in short bursts, but obviously I couldnt get too far from her. It is balanced much better now. The first thing I noticed just pulling away from the truck is there was a slight but noticeable tendency from the bike to want to track straight. Before there was none of that. The next thing I noticed was it didnt feel like 20 year old bike. It was more balanced, a little soft in the rear. I did not notice any of the twitchiness I spoke of in the front forks.

The rear sag is now a little bit off with the heavier fork springs. I will set that back to 95-100mm and so how it all feels on a faster ride.
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KDXGarage
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Re: 2005 kdx 220 conversion

Post by KDXGarage »

SWEET!

Thanks for the update. I am glad that you took the time (and money) to get it more to your liking.
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net. :bravo:
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