KDXRIDER.NET

Hello, I am a Hodaka guy. I have a set of 1981 KDX-175 forks on my Thunderdog. I want to put better springs and a gold valve in the forks. I want to the Race Tech site and they do NOT list the KDX-175. Has anyone out there done the conversion? If so, can you tell me what you used for gold valves and springs? I also want to lower the forks an inch but that should be no problem

THANKS!

Bob in MD

Probably going to be too old to find parts for. There is very little aftermarket support for the 175.

www.cannonracecraft.com

Look on the dimensions for Cartridge Emulators on the Race Tech site. They might have a set that will work.

Thanks for the responses. I am not sure it is the age that matter. RT makes kits for my 74 Hodakas - well they really make them for the 34mm KYB forks that are on them. I am going to spec out the forks and have the come up with a solution. I was just hoping someone already had done it, that would save time. I am not sure exactly who made these forks. They all I know right now is that they are 36mm. Anyone know what company made forks and if they were on ANY other bikes besides the KDX 175s? Knowing that has helped me with other bikes. For example the very forks on my Hodaka were also on the 74 Yamaha DT-250. Thanks! Bob

I've had a couple Hodaka's in my younger years, about 30 years ago. You ever go to the Hodaka days in Athena Oregon?

I think they are made by Kayaba (KYB).

I know the rear is KYB, so I would assume that the fronts are too.

Hi all,

Got a reply back from Matt at RaceTech. As I already knew, these are KYB 36mm forks. It seems the 75 KX-250 had the same setup so I have found something that works.

To the question on Hodaka Days. Yes, I went out there in O6. I also am have hung out and raced with Paul Stannard from StictlyHodaka and Ed Chesnut who used to work for Hodaka. Harry Taylor and Marv Foster were there too. So VERY Cool.

I am currently racing an ED250 Thunderdog in Ahrma Cross Country. I race an Early Super Rat, Combat Wombat, and Super Combat in VMX. I have a fully modified Ace 100 for Vintage Trials.

I was up to 23 of the little gems but I have sought professional help and I am down to 10 bikes - 8 of which are Hodakas. I just picked up a Rickman Roller frame and I have a late model Super Rat motor that is going in that. AND I got my title work complete on my fully restored little 68 Ace 100. Which is exactly like the one I had when I was a kid in 72. If you would like to see pics, drop me a line...

Any way, these KDX forks are going on the Thunderdog and I looks lIke I am set.

Bob in MD

I would like to see some pics of the fleet.

Wow! Congratulations on having all those Hodakas. If you can, post some pictures. Thanks.

Hi All, sorry I have not been here since I last posted a while back.

I now have all the stuff to put the forks on the Thunderdog. I worked with RaceTech and we have the code broken on the 81-82 KDX 175 Fork upgrade.

I would be happy to post pictures here but to be honest I cannot figure out how to CREATE a gallery for myself. I can only view.

Any thoughts? If I can post here, I will indeed put up pics of the Hodakas.

Bob in Bel Air, MD

You will need to make a Photobucket account and upload the pictures there, then link them here.

Nice collection. I am really digging the trials bike.

Thanks :-) Ran it last weekend and will be running it up on the Dupont Estate near Wilmington, DE on the 28th of OCT. That little bike will really tractor - especially when I weighted the flywheel with three pounds of brass. It ran the whole event last Saturday on ONE tank of gas - 1/2 Gal is the capacity of that Whizzer tank.

I just added some pictures of what it looked like when I got it.

BTW, the name Tadpole is a knock off of Bull Frog. Hodaka made a prototype trials bike in the day. It was a modified Yamaha engine and they called it the Bull Frog. It was a 175. They made two and the two are still out there today running. I know the owners of both. One was the factory rider back then and he still rides trials today!! So since mine is a 100 - it is a Tadpole. I posted a photo of them too...

Thank you for posting the pictures. They look terrific!

BTW, if anyone wants to know the Race Tech gold valve setup for the KDX-175 let me know... Matt (Race Tech) and I have it all figured out now. I also discovered there may be a difference between the actual dampening rod design on the 1980 and the 1981/82 models. I have the later ones, if anyone has a picture of their dampening rod from a 1980 post it and I will tell you if it is different. It does matter when it comes to putting in a Gold Valve.

Remember, I do not speak fluent KAW, I only have the Front End on my Hodaka Thunderdog. ;-) Other than Hodakas, I have a 1989 FXRS-SP Harley, 1977 Suzuki PE 250, and a 2006 Yamaha TTR125L

Bob in MD on Hodakas....