30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
-
- Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 10:53 pm Aug 08 2019
- Country: Us
- Location: SW Washington, almost Oregon
30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
In true mid life crisis style I just bought a dirt bike. 2003 KDX 200. I’m 49 and haven’t owned a dirt bike in over 30 years. My last bike was a 84 CR250. I rode trails mainly and raced a few seasons at the Woodland Wa track. Someone had to place 16th!
The bike seems pretty clean and doesn’t seem to be modified from stock in any way. Even the grips appear original. Tires are in great shape but suited for hard terrain. Dunlop D739 front and rear.
After searching the forum a while I answered most of my questions, but I couldn’t figure out of the KDX came stock with a spark arrestor.
I plan on adding handguards and maybe buying tires along with riding gear. Bars seem bent and sweep back too much for my taste. I just want to get it ready to ride and then figure out what I need/want. No reason to spend $800 on aftermarket parts to just find out I’m not into it.
Any advice will be appreciated. About the spark arrestor, tire choices for the NW and handlebar options.
Oh and I won’t be riding for a few months. I just had my hip replaced. “Midlife crisis time.
So I have plenty of time to get it ready.
The bike seems pretty clean and doesn’t seem to be modified from stock in any way. Even the grips appear original. Tires are in great shape but suited for hard terrain. Dunlop D739 front and rear.
After searching the forum a while I answered most of my questions, but I couldn’t figure out of the KDX came stock with a spark arrestor.
I plan on adding handguards and maybe buying tires along with riding gear. Bars seem bent and sweep back too much for my taste. I just want to get it ready to ride and then figure out what I need/want. No reason to spend $800 on aftermarket parts to just find out I’m not into it.
Any advice will be appreciated. About the spark arrestor, tire choices for the NW and handlebar options.
Oh and I won’t be riding for a few months. I just had my hip replaced. “Midlife crisis time.
So I have plenty of time to get it ready.
-
- Member
- Posts: 4
- Joined: 10:29 pm Jul 28 2019
- Country: United States
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
WOW! I feel like I just read my own story. 48 years old, have not owned a dirt bike in over 30 years. My last bike was a 1984 KDX200.
I just bought a 98 KDX220R . I guess once it's in your blood it never leaves. I just joined the group a few days ago myself. This site is amazing.
So much information. I will post a pic of my bike under introductions this weekend after I put the new seat cover on. Welcome aboard.
I just bought a 98 KDX220R . I guess once it's in your blood it never leaves. I just joined the group a few days ago myself. This site is amazing.
So much information. I will post a pic of my bike under introductions this weekend after I put the new seat cover on. Welcome aboard.
-
- Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 10:53 pm Aug 08 2019
- Country: Us
- Location: SW Washington, almost Oregon
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
I’m hearing a lot of guys my age wake up like rip van winkle and start doing kid stuff again. “Before it’s too late”
I just answered my spark arrestor question. My detective skills led me to actually look at it. Shocker.. it says right on it that’s it a spark arrestor. IM THE GREATEST DETECTIVE IN THE WORLD.
as for tires. I hear good things about the Shinko 216 fatty front and 525 cheater for the rear. I might ride it a bit and just see how the Dunlop’s 739s act.
As for the bars. It looks like the clamp on the left is bent back a bit. It’s not the bars. Hopefully I can live with it and won’t need to replace a clamp. Or worse.
Walking around my “new to me” bike on crutches must be a sight. Unloading it from the truck with my teenage son last night was also an adventure. I had brakes and bars. He had stabilization. Suburb kid. Never unloaded a bike before. Lol. I plan on teaching him to ride. I could never afford to when he was younger. Child support etc.. as many of you know.
I just answered my spark arrestor question. My detective skills led me to actually look at it. Shocker.. it says right on it that’s it a spark arrestor. IM THE GREATEST DETECTIVE IN THE WORLD.
as for tires. I hear good things about the Shinko 216 fatty front and 525 cheater for the rear. I might ride it a bit and just see how the Dunlop’s 739s act.
As for the bars. It looks like the clamp on the left is bent back a bit. It’s not the bars. Hopefully I can live with it and won’t need to replace a clamp. Or worse.
Walking around my “new to me” bike on crutches must be a sight. Unloading it from the truck with my teenage son last night was also an adventure. I had brakes and bars. He had stabilization. Suburb kid. Never unloaded a bike before. Lol. I plan on teaching him to ride. I could never afford to when he was younger. Child support etc.. as many of you know.
- KDXGarage
- KDXRider.net
- Posts: 14062
- Joined: 06:45 am Nov 01 2004
- Country: United States of America
- Location: AL, USA
- Contact:
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Welcome to kdxrider.net to both of you! Congratulations on the KDX.
Apparently, it is Klean KDX Week here at kdxrider.net. I think that is the third one in a row on introductions that looks really nice!
HA HA! Yes. It is the stock pipe and spark arrestor. Nice and quiet!
Search for threads on handlebar clamps twisting (or handlebars twisted in clamps). It may not be damaged, just out of alignment.
Good luck on healing up most of all, then on getting the KDX to your liking. A KDX is a whole lot cheaper than a Corvette!
Apparently, it is Klean KDX Week here at kdxrider.net. I think that is the third one in a row on introductions that looks really nice!
HA HA! Yes. It is the stock pipe and spark arrestor. Nice and quiet!
Search for threads on handlebar clamps twisting (or handlebars twisted in clamps). It may not be damaged, just out of alignment.
Good luck on healing up most of all, then on getting the KDX to your liking. A KDX is a whole lot cheaper than a Corvette!
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net.
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128
-
- Member
- Posts: 126
- Joined: 09:04 am Sep 23 2014
- Country: United States
- Location: TX born and raised.
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
.
Welcome!
I guess I was around 49 when I had my mid-life crisis and went from being an avid surfer back to riding motorcycles again. My wife doesn't like 'em, but tolerates the fact that between my two sons and me we have 9 bikes. Like you I just acuired another KDX.
Best wishes of healing up quickly, getting strong and enjoy riding that clean looking KDX.
NEVER FORGET!
-
- Member
- Posts: 11
- Joined: 05:24 pm Aug 07 2019
- Country: United States
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
That's a great find! Amazing how many nice KDX's are still around.
- TwistedRoot
- Gold Member
- Posts: 323
- Joined: 02:56 pm Oct 08 2017
- Country: United States
- Location: Florida, US
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Dude your not kidding!!! Wth is going on? Everyone in the US decide to sell their closet-kept KDX's in August?
Thats a great looking bike! You are super lucky to have found one in pristine condition. A keeper for sure.
Also its not a mid life crisis, its the need to braaap. Ride on brother!
- Attachments
-
- confucious.jpg (331.54 KiB) Viewed 5080 times
2002 KDX 200
2003 KDX 220
2003 KDX 220
-
- Gold Member
- Posts: 877
- Joined: 06:59 am Jan 27 2017
- Country: US
- Location: Florida
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
I love seeing these clean bikes pop up on the forum. I'm 46 and bought my KDX a couple years ago. I told my wife I've wanted one since the early 80's so this isn't a crisis, I just procrastinated for a few decades.
- bufftester
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 3461
- Joined: 06:03 pm Oct 31 2012
- Country: USA
- Location: University Place, WA
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Congrats on the bike and welcome to the club. Some great riding down in your part of the state in the Gifford Pinchot, and across the river in the Willamette, as well as further north and the east side of the state. As for the bars you can remove the top clamps and then remove the bottom clamps and check the rubber cones, they do wear out and replacing them may get your bars and clamps back in line. Of course, they could just be bent bars too lol.
-
- Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 10:53 pm Aug 08 2019
- Country: Us
- Location: SW Washington, almost Oregon
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
One more dumb question.
I planned on running maxima super m for two stroke oil. Put put around trails. I doubt I will be reviving the bike out until I learn to ride again. Owner said he put ATF type F in gear box. Said he ran valvoline 2 stroke mix also.
I still need to change out the bent handlebar damper. It’s hard to leave it sit and not spend money tinkering. Lol
I planned on running maxima super m for two stroke oil. Put put around trails. I doubt I will be reviving the bike out until I learn to ride again. Owner said he put ATF type F in gear box. Said he ran valvoline 2 stroke mix also.
I still need to change out the bent handlebar damper. It’s hard to leave it sit and not spend money tinkering. Lol
- KDXGarage
- KDXRider.net
- Posts: 14062
- Joined: 06:45 am Nov 01 2004
- Country: United States of America
- Location: AL, USA
- Contact:
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
What was the question??BATTERY88 wrote: ↑05:44 pm Aug 10 2019 One more dumb question.
I planned on running maxima super m for two stroke oil. Put put around trails. I doubt I will be reviving the bike out until I learn to ride again. Owner said he put ATF type F in gear box. Said he ran valvoline 2 stroke mix also.
I still need to change out the bent handlebar damper. It’s hard to leave it sit and not spend money tinkering. Lol
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net.
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128
-
- Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 10:53 pm Aug 08 2019
- Country: Us
- Location: SW Washington, almost Oregon
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Crap. I read that again. Is that a good choice for two stroke oil?
Maxima super m two stroke oil?
I don’t want to be in a great oil debate! Lol. Just curious what is a good go to for out west in the slow trails.
Maxima super m two stroke oil?
I don’t want to be in a great oil debate! Lol. Just curious what is a good go to for out west in the slow trails.
-
- Supporting Member II
- Posts: 342
- Joined: 11:20 pm Jul 23 2013
- Country:
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Welcome back to the best sport out there! I got back into it 6 years ago when a buddy dropped dead of a heart attack, 61 now and loving it. Maxima will work as will most any 2t oil will, I use Lucas because it’s always available and not to pricey. ATF type f works great in the gear box and is cheap.
97-220 with a PC pipe. 2015- RB carb and head mod
- KDXGarage
- KDXRider.net
- Posts: 14062
- Joined: 06:45 am Nov 01 2004
- Country: United States of America
- Location: AL, USA
- Contact:
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Super M will be fine.
Enjoy that KDX!
Enjoy that KDX!
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net.
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128
-
- Member
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 01:01 am Jul 24 2019
- Country: Usa
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Awesome man!! Welcome back to the fold!
I am 48 and just bought a kdx myself. I’ve done enough riding over the years to keep the spark alive but I’m ready to do as much as I can!
My midlife crisis came early and I started racing vintage mx in my 30s. I think I’m having another midlife crisis now because life is settling down in some ways... I just want to ride for fun now!!!
Good luck with the hip healing up, one of my friends who rides had both knees done one right after the other and once healed it didn’t slow him down a bit!!
I am 48 and just bought a kdx myself. I’ve done enough riding over the years to keep the spark alive but I’m ready to do as much as I can!
My midlife crisis came early and I started racing vintage mx in my 30s. I think I’m having another midlife crisis now because life is settling down in some ways... I just want to ride for fun now!!!
Good luck with the hip healing up, one of my friends who rides had both knees done one right after the other and once healed it didn’t slow him down a bit!!
1994 kdx200, 1981 yz465, 1981 xt500, 1975 kx400, 1972 F9 350, 1972 S2 350, 1995 MZ skorpion, 1987 kd80, Baja mini
- VTMTcowboy
- Gold Member
- Posts: 580
- Joined: 07:50 pm May 26 2017
- Country: USA
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Beautiful bike! Looks like it was barely ridden.
The KDX will be a great bike for you to hop on and just ride. Upgrade the bars to 1-1/8" (you'll need universal adaptors), new grips, tires, hand guards, and new tires and you are good to go! I am still running the stock tires on mine haha, but I am going to try the Kenda Trackmasters II's next or the Shinko's as you stated. I like Golden Tyres but they are expensive. You'll have to jet for your area, but other than that the bike is plug and play right out of the box. It is the bike part of the KDX, you can just kick it over and ride. Good luck and enjoy!
The KDX will be a great bike for you to hop on and just ride. Upgrade the bars to 1-1/8" (you'll need universal adaptors), new grips, tires, hand guards, and new tires and you are good to go! I am still running the stock tires on mine haha, but I am going to try the Kenda Trackmasters II's next or the Shinko's as you stated. I like Golden Tyres but they are expensive. You'll have to jet for your area, but other than that the bike is plug and play right out of the box. It is the bike part of the KDX, you can just kick it over and ride. Good luck and enjoy!
1997 KDX 220
2004 KDX 200
2004 KDX 200
- TwistedRoot
- Gold Member
- Posts: 323
- Joined: 02:56 pm Oct 08 2017
- Country: United States
- Location: Florida, US
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Just a little tip on buying tires. If you wait until Nov/Dec or so you will see some great tire deals pop up on ebay. Early season prices are usually quite a bit higher.
2002 KDX 200
2003 KDX 220
2003 KDX 220
-
- Supporting Member
- Posts: 739
- Joined: 08:28 am Apr 21 2019
- Country: United States
- Location: North Cackalack
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Now THAT’s a sticky!TwistedRoot wrote: ↑01:06 pm Aug 13 2019 Just a little tip on buying tires. If you wait until Nov/Dec or so you will see some great tire deals pop up on ebay. Early season prices are usually quite a bit higher.
I like turtles
- doakley
- Gold Member
- Posts: 1241
- Joined: 02:58 pm Mar 10 2016
- Country:
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Could be the bars, but more likely the clamps are just twisted in the rubber mounts. Loosen or remove both nuts holding the bar clamps (bottom of the TOP triple tree clamp) and see if you can simply "wiggle" them straight again. Then retighten the nuts that hold the clamps to the top triple tree. I had to do this nearly every time I fell (which was a lot). I replaced the old rubber cones with new red rubber "hard" cones. First fall they were twisted again and I was running around the gas stop at an enduro trying to find someone with the right size socket wrench. Now I've replaced them with aluminum cones. Haven't ridden with those yet.As for the bars. It looks like the clamp on the left is bent back a bit. It’s not the bars. Hopefully I can live with it and won’t need to replace a clamp. Or worse.
Congrats on the "new to you" bike!
Old Guy Racin'
- KDXGarage
- KDXRider.net
- Posts: 14062
- Joined: 06:45 am Nov 01 2004
- Country: United States of America
- Location: AL, USA
- Contact:
Re: 30 year dirt bike hiatus. Just bought a 03KDX200
Look into a solid top piece for the handlebar clamps. KX's had them YEARS ago. FRP used to make a beautiful top clamp.
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net.
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128