Parts recommendations for 88 KDX 200

[Wesalauzen]

Hey guys,
Picked up a pretty clean 88 kdx 200 the other day. Going through it and am hoping to find fenders and a seat cover that are decent. Are the ones listed on DC plastics the way to go? I found a listing on ebay for the seat cover for $35 from pitreplica that looks decent, but not sure if anyone has tried them?

Also curious on fenders. Has anyone just used a kx front fender on them? there's a weird almost 80's yz shaped UFO fender on it now. It's green, but I would like to put a kawasaki fender on it that looks right. was curious if any old kx fender would work or no? For the rear, looks like DC plastics is the only place that has them. do those look ok installed? Are there other good options? I see some people have used mx fenders on theirs from newer bikes. Just curious what fits best and what's involved in mounting them?

The rear light is missing also. If I go with the stock replacement fender, I can find the red lens, but the inner stuff that holds the light and where the wires connect is missing. anybody have a source for those parts?

It still has the black cannon stock rear muffler on it. Wondering if there is a budget friendly modern looking aluminum spark arrestor style silencer available for it? I noticed the DG pipe for it is $320... holy S%#T... cool that it's available and all, but I would never spend that on a pipe. I assume the silencer from them is non SA. might be stuck with the stocker for now, but figured I'd ask.

Last but not least. I need a kickstand assembly for it. anybody have one or is there a good aftermarket that uses the stock swingarm mount?

Thanks in advance.

[KDXGarage]

I think DC Plastics is the only company making a rear fender for it.

I have a 1987 KX250 pit replica seat cover. I bought it in 2014 or so. I never installed it (super long term project), but it looked pretty good to me. If rebuilding one for looks, I would get it. For general riding, a light gripper seat cover works much better than sliding around.

front fender equivalent... later models are narrower... UFO plastics are great.
https://www.denniskirk.com/ufo/kawasaki ... 610004.sku

A 1987 KX250 rear fender will fit somewhat decently with some cutting and modification. No taillight, of course. If you want a "bolt on and go" solution, then it is not for you.

Consider just keeping the stock spark arrestor, OR ... check into the FMF universal fit spark arrestor. Nothing will be as quiet as stock.

Keep looking on eBay for kickstand and other parts.

Good luck, and thanks for taking us along on the journey.

[Wesalauzen]

Thanks again : ) appreciate the reply.

I kind of want to make this thing look factory. Really like the look of the blue and green.

However... if I wanted to go with a gripper or other seat cover, what else is out there? Also... the replacement seat foam by DC plastics, would that firm up my seat? My foam is in good shape, but seems a little soft / maybe sacked out a bit. It would be cool to have something a little more firm, supportive.

My stock spark arrestor has a big opening at the back, maybe 2" and doesn't seem to be very quiet. not loud, per-se, but I have a feeling there's supposed to be a baffle in the back that is not there. Am I correct?

I'll deal with the no kickstand until one pops up on ebay I guess : )

[KDXGarage]

CEET used to make a gripper cover.

Check CEET or GUTS Racing for foam. I know CEET used to sell some. I don't know if GUTS ever did. I have not looked at DC Plastics for seat foam. On some models, companies offer different stiffness of foam. I don't know if there is such an option for a 1986 - 1988 KDX200.

Yes, it had a short baffle. Check out the diagrams pictures. (parts microfiche)

I don't know why so many take the kickstand off and lose it.

[Wesalauzen]

yeah, I never understood why a person would remove a kickstand unless the were jumping the bike so hard it would come down on the landing, but who would do that on a kdx? I remember some kid saying he was going to remove it because it looked cooler that way. Apparently, having to find something to lean your bike against every time you stop is cool.

Thanks for the reply. I was digging a little bit and looks like CEET does still make foam for them in 3 densities. Same price as the one at DC so I think I'll go with the CEET just because you can pick firmness. they make a gripper cover as well it looks like so have that as an option I guess as well. Really like the stock look though.

as of now, I have picked up:
engine bracket and chain slider parts lot off of ebay (mine is missing the upper engine mounts and chain slider, hopefully it's useable)
Power valve backing plate (fits behind the linkage on the right side, cover still missing)
Clymer Service book (going to go through the carb and set to stock, also remove all non-factory wiring)
Uni air filter
Scott grips
fork boots blue off ebay... hope they look ok and are plyable
new motion pro levers
kill switch (guy wired a toggle switch in place of the original and attached it to the brake line with zip ties...)

To make it how I want it, I still need seat foam, seat cover, tires, front and rear fender and tail light assembly and possibly a voltage regulator. I don't have $$ for all of it at once, so I'll have to pick and choose and piece it together over the summer. It could be ridden right now (once i go through the carb and get the upper engine mounts and new air filter installed), I just like going through things. New rear tire would be nice. Have to pick between that and the seat for the time being : )

I really should rebuild the forks and the shock (well have the shock done), grease all the linkage bearings, but I think I'll do that over the winter. The engine and trans both seem pretty tight. I'm just going to change the trans oil, get the carb into stock form (if it's not), put in some fresh gas with good oil and run it.

I'll post some pics soon.

[Wesalauzen]

Here are a few pics of her. Just random ones I had in my phone, but it's an overall on the right, one of the power valve as it was when I bought it and one of the seat from the left. I'll take some better ones in a day or two.

[Wesalauzen]

someone tried to make this a street legal bike at some point. It had a plate on it at some time (holes drilled in fender), has a turn signal switch setup on the bike and a high and low beam for the head light (last one may be stock?). When I pulled the tank off there was a bunch of red wire running to the back of the bike and lots of electrical tape... Although it would be cool to be street legal and the bike does have a title from South Dakota, not sure I want to sort through the wiring. I'd probably need to put DOT dual sport tires on it and then have to buy tabs and insure it etc. etc... Don't really want the hassle, but we'll see. I will probably just rid the bike of anything that's not factory. The headlight doesn't currently work and the tail light is missing and there are no turn signals at this point anyway so it's a low priority for me right now either way. Maybe at a later date.

[Wesalauzen]

I do have another question though... Is there a standard voltage regulator on this bike? I would assume there would be, but there's no battery so maybe you don't need one to run the headlight/taillight? I checked the parts diagrams and didn't see anything. I see the stator and igniter, the headlight & tail light assemblies and the trip/time meter assembly, but didn't notice a rectifier / regulator. It'll be a week before I get my manual with wiring diagram. would be cool to know. thanks again : )

[kdxsully]

Those plastics looks great! Toggle switch for the kill switch? That poor thing. You might be able to rig up a socket for the headlight/taillight, but I just ran mine without them. Make sure that engine is good before you start throwing money at this thing. How’s the cylinder and piston? I’d go ahead and grease the linkage bearings. If they are dry, they’ll wear out and they are EXPENSIVE. And the bolts that go through them with em get eaten up if they seize. Grease is a dollar.

[KDXGarage]

THAT'S RIGHT!!!! A single dollar. HA HA AWESOME!

That bike loos real nice, with much potential. I really hope you have not ridden it without a chain slider. Hotfootmoto or the other guy (same guy / different account??) have the sliders on eBay.

I think most kickstand removal must be "make it look like a MX bike" thinking.

That is awesome on the title and tagging. Do it when you have funds available.

Congrats on the '88. I always thought they look great, and would still love to get one, someday.

I don't remember a regulator. Bulbs are 6 volt.

You can get a toolbag off eBay that is similar to the stock bag.

[kdxsully]

Didn’t 88 come with white plastics though?? Or was it both?

[Wesalauzen]

Thanks guys, yeah, I have to say I overpaid for the bike, but it's clean for the year. If not for the rear fender and missing taillight, I'd say it was a well kept survivor. It is in many ways, but the missing, yet critical parts (and weird additions) makes me wonder about the previous owners... Oh well, I'll get it sorted out.

well... I bit the bullet and bought a new rear tire $48 kenda K760 ebay special, a new CEET medium density seat foam replacement and a pit replica 87 kdx seat cover on ebay. Hopefully that will improve the feel of the bike when sitting on it. Rear tire is worn out so just having new knobs will be a big deal. I'll probably try to ebay the stock seat foam and cover. It's still in good shape (the foam anyway), just softer than I want.

The motor seems to be in good shape. I'm not going to tear it down to see where it's at. Maybe this winter I'll pull it down, but it's got good compression, makes good power and doesn't seem to be flogged. Kick starter detent is still tight, shifter not loose or worn, noticeable compression when kicking, not loose as a goose. I'm thinking it doesn't have a ton of hours on it. You never know, but going to make sure the carb is set right, air filer is good and oiled, and it has fresh gas and oil and run it for now. It idles well so I think the seals are ok yet.

The previous owner definitely rode it without the chain sliders... He did tighten the chain to bowstring tight to avoid hitting the swingarm though... not sure that's good either, but I have a used ebay chain slider as part of a parts lot coming. hopefully it's useable. Guy had a different one shown for an older bike so not sure what I'm getting. The parts lot has the upper engine brackets in it though and that's the main reason I bought it.

Yeah, I think you're right, remove the kickstand and make it look like an mx bike. Still don't get it though. Even as a kid I would have left it. maybe removed the lights, but not the kickstand.

I think you're right on the regulator and 6v also. Guy on youtube rigged up a different system and was talking about it. said the system works on balanced resistance between the two lights. if you have the headlight and taillight both in place, all is good. if one pops, all the juice runs through the other and pops it. I'm wondering if I set things up as stock and put a resistor in place of the tail light maybe I can have a headlight until I can put money together for a new fender and tail light. any thoughts? Not sure what value I would need, but I think it might work?

I'm thinking the previous owner though it was a 12v system and tried to put on all of the road lighting... it's all taped up and unused so not sure if they ever got it working. I have a feeling they didn't.

Hopefully the shipping guys will get my parts here quickly and I'll be digging in to replace things soon. The rear fender will remain ugly for now, but hopefully from there forward, it will shape up quickly.

[Wesalauzen]

Question... if I wanted to pull apart the rear suspension linkage to grease things. How do I do that with the spring tension from the shock? Just curious what the best sequence would be to avoid issues? and... what grease would a guy use? Prefer something i can pick up at the local hardware store as opposed to high dollar brand name motorsports stuff if there is something that works. Thanks again.

[Wesalauzen]

Here's a couple more pics

[Wesalauzen]

also... just looked up "how to make a kick stand" and sure enough, there's a video. I'm going to try to make one : ) maybe in a week or two when my garage is back in order. Just got the sheetrock mudding and sanding done last night. Need to prime/paint and then organize... hopefully done this weekend. Then, start working on the KDX : )

[kdxsully]

That bike looks good man. Does it still have the meter?

Try disconnecting the linkage from the rocker arm first, then from the swingarm. If that doesnt work I’d unbolt the top of the shock from the rocker arm to relieve the tension and go from there. Get some marine/waterproof grease from your local hardware store. Someone on here might suggest using moly.

[Wesalauzen]

Thanks! unfortunately no meter : ( I haven't checked to see if the drive setup on the front axle is still there yet. Honestly, it seems like someone just decided to tear into it and pulled a bunch of stuff off and never reassembled. Parts probably sitting on someone's shelf somewhere or lost / thrown out. Upper engine brackets gone, power valve cover and backing plate gone, meter gone, random switchgear installed, but not really working or connected. I just don't understand why people do what they do sometimes.

It just dawned on me that I could back off the shock spring nuts and relieve the tension. Then I should be able to disassemble without tension on things. I'll try that this weekend. Hopefully the bearings that are there aren't dust... don't want to spend that money right now.

[JimmyB]

It just dawned on me that I could back off the shock spring nuts and relieve the tension. Then I should be able to disassemble without tension on things. I'll try that this weekend. Hopefully the bearings that are there aren't dust... don't want to spend that money right now.

Very nice looking bike, no worries on the spring, You don't have to loosen off the spring nuts the entire shock will come out as one complete unit. If you want to go the moly grease route Lucas construction and mining is a good 5% moly grease or many just use marine grease..

For the rear taillight(please if you could post up a closer photo of the taillight area) you might be able to use the entire rear assembly off the 95-06 kdx model, I don't think the base is available anymore but the complete Kawasaki KDX unit is the same as a 94-04 Honda XR250R, lens mount etc.. they mount on the fender with 3 grommets/nuts, you might check with your local auto store and the Cole Hersee electrical product catalog, they carry many different sockets, something might work..

Xr250 assembly https://www.ebay.com/p/1322120207

Or ouch :
https://www.ebay.com/itm/KAWASAKI-23008 ... SwLfNeki2m

[Wesalauzen]

Thanks for the heads up on the XR light assembly. UFO actually makes a completely assembled rear fender complete with light and lens for the 96 and up kdx for about $45 on ebay. Has anyone tried to mount one? if it could look ok, I'd be game to give that a try as my fender has seen better days and buying both the DC plastics fender and separate tail light assembly would be in the $100 range. I guess I'm not sure how the part that extends inward of the seat would fit though. The external portion I would think would be pretty close as long as the width is similar.

If the light assembly is the same as factory & XR, I could just pick up the ufo setup and have the fender to try out too. Not sure if it's the same though or only fits the UFO fender.

[JimmyB]

Thanks, looks like they just mount the lens and a bracket for the bulb assembly directly to the fender, the newer ones and XR have a base too.

OUCH ... wow, I wasn't expecting this.. OEM

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/KAWASAKI-NOS-VI ... cT&vxp=mtr

Looking at the mounting photos I do not think any of the rear fenders off the E or H series would fit. best bet might be the aftermarket and the lens for that year and try the auto parts store for a bulb holder which includes a mounting plate.