KDXRIDER.NET

I caught the 2 stroke bug.

My name is John and a 155 pound male with a 31 inch inseam. I am a 34 year old male single father that lives in Washington state. First memories of riding started on a honda 50/70 or something with a clutch when I was 10 and rode it into a sticker bush. I rode BMX since the age of 7 or 8 till my teens. I started for real when I was 15 with a trail cub auto clutch then tw200 on my buddies powerline easement. Have had a 1991(forgot year)crb600 f2, 2002 cbr600 f4i, 2006 gsxr1000, 2011 dr650(own), 2000 KDX 220(own)

I bought a 2000 kdx 220 in August for my birthday. It's my first two stroke ive been enjoy learning about the bike ad i cant ride much. I have also enjoyed slowley working on the bike. As of today roughly 5 months post acl surgery. Only put maybe a total of 30 mins just riding in the neighborhood. Don't plan on riding local trails till fall. I am located in Washington state and also caught the offroad bug 2 years ago on my dr650 2 miles from my old house at a local utv offroad park. After my surgery I wanted a lighter bike for the trails. I love the dr650 but being the same weight as my gsxr1000 and other street bikes I wanted something lighter.

First I bought mobius x8 knee braces. Things I have done to the kdx are; polisport front head light, amazon footpegs, bending foot controls, hyde skid plate, new oil, new chain, new air filter, bent stock exhaust to decent shape, compression checked at 145psi yesterday, used a boroscope to check cylinder shape, kouba kdx1 1 1/8th inch lowering links, shaved the stock seat 1 and a half inches or so, droped my forks down 3/4 of an inch, and checked the sag the best as I could by myself.

Since I did the kouba links, shaved seat, and dropping of the front forks the bike has roughly 34.5 inches seat height. Very close to my stock factory lowered dr650. I've been searching latley, how much to drop the front forks in relation the the lowering links. Static sag is currently at 25mm and race at 3 1/2" or 89mm. I could probably get the race sag to 100mm if I was able to fully put my weight down with gear.

My main question is how much should the front forks be lowered in the tripple clamps in relation to the 1 1/8th lowering link. Any information would be appreciated.

With a 31 inch inseam, you don’t need to lower the bike. Those links and stuff tend to completely ruin the handling and suspension geometry of the bike.

Maybe it's closer to 30" inseam. I was roughly tip toeing before lowering link.

I am 30". Do you have real boots? I tip toe, but am fine with it. I think hardly anyone has both feet flat on a dirt bike.

I think you are not used to it. It will get more comfortable over time.

Yihaw wrote: ↑09:33 pm Oct 13 2022 Maybe it's closer to 30" inseam. I was roughly tip toeing before lowering link.

That's how it's supposed to be. If you're able to "flat foot" while sitting over a dirtbike, it is too low for you.

Slick_Nick wrote: ↑08:01 pm Oct 13 2022 With a 31 inch inseam, you don’t need to lower the bike. Those links and stuff tend to completely ruin the handling and suspension geometry of the bike.

So true. I really hate how those links destroy the rear shock action but for a beginner I guess they really won't notice the difference much until they start developing some speed.

I'm 5'8", 140lbs, with a 30" inseam and my suspension is even taller than stock! Yup, can't flat foot it at all. I normally slide off the seat a bit to the left side, if stopped on level ground, to get a foot down.

To answer your question, with how much the links drop the rear, you just can't drop (raise in clamps) the front enough to match. The only way to balance it out would be to have the forks internally shortened. Otherwise you will always be "choppered" out some and you'll notice the front tire doesn't like to stick well and will push in corners. Also, sag numbers really don't mean squat once you've installed lowering links as, like I mentioned above, it throws off both the valving and spring rate. Personally, put the stock links back in and learn to ride the stock height. I promise you will get used to it and it makes getting your bike to handle correctly infinitely easier.

Shouldn't be spending much time sitting on a dirt bike offroad anyway. Stand Up and ride faster, safer with more control.

Just started using the Mobius braces. I’ve been through all the knee stuff and had the Leatt Z braces for the past two years. They did a great job for me and I put them through the wringer. Very impressed with these X-8s so far. It helped that I had 50% off coupons (have their wrist braces too) because they sponsor our race series.

Good luck with your bike!