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So im in the process of doing a restro-mod on a new-to-me 2002 KDX200, and just got to cleaning up the swing arm and pressing in new linkage and swing arm bearings.

I had the frame and parts powder coated, but since the swing arm looked like bare aluminum i left it alone and after pressing out the bearing i was going to clean it up and get it looking new before i pressed in the new bearings - however i noticed somthing strange with the finish. There are parts of the swing arm that are total bare aluminum but then in the corners and edges i noticed with looks like black paint under a silver paint. Digging further i noticed thats also on the center part between the two 'forks' of the swing arm where the linkage bearing goes....

Was this OEM painted/coated and some one before me stripped 90% of it, or was it only partially coated? Just wondering what bone stock was, either way ill polish it up and run with it but still wondering what the stock finish was.

Thanks!

-Rich

It was fully painted when new.

Thanks for the quick reply man... one follow up question --> Was the stock 2002 swing arm painted black, silver, or some other color i see no trace of?

Looks like it has a base coat of black, but that could have been the base for the silver-ish i see on top of it. Along the way someone must have stripped it and went for the brushed aluminum look, which IMO did not look bad so im just going with it (mostly because i already have my 2nd job in the powder coat shop and dont want to press the bearings out and get a 3rd round of stuff done this time... maybe next time i do the bearings ill get it back to stock coat)

Hi.

The stock configuration is black primer and silver paint. (silver No. 35)

Good call on just going with it.

Eagle Mag Wheel Cleaner and Scotchbrite pads work well to give it a brushed look...

ericr, that looks great. Did you clear coat it or anything? How's it holding up so far? My YZ250 looks similar, and I like the look of it.

I put 3 coats of Protectaclear on it and it's holding up fine. I'd suggest just skipping the clear coat - touching up any scratches would be easier.

I would be worried about stains without some sort of coating.

Thanks for the reply.

Mine has no coating on it, with the exception of some of the stock paint right up againt the welds and in the center area where the linkage attached at which they did not strip.

The only issue i noticed was there was some minor stains left by cleaner that i missed and it dripped down one side... but i just hit that whole side again with the same cleaner and a brass wire brush and blended it all together and looks great! There are some dings in the swingarm that i *could* sand out and blend in for the raised parts but its on the bottom side and will be covered in dirt after the first 30 seconds of each ride (and will get ding'd again im sure) so just left it. Will post photos when its all together.... lost my bearing kit over the winter and following 5hrs of searching im just gonna bite the bullet and order a new set (new post comming there soon)

As much as it pains my OCD side to say it, "it's a dirt bike". :-) Ride it and enjoy it. Hopefully you keep the bike long enough and ride it enough to need the other bearings eventually.