As with most everything you ask on the internet, there are many many debates about the gap in a reed valve. I think any opening may affect (a little) the fresh charge tending to back out, but as soon as theres more pressure after the cage, they will shut, at least with the tiny gap I have and the lack of force needed to put them against the block. My 465 is the only other reed valved member of my fleet, Ive never had to address those as it was all new when I got it, and it runs well enough. If that bike is down on power, I dont care, it has plenty more than I will ever use.
The KDX runs really well, its just that I was hoping to tune it back to having some low end. Im at a cross roads really..I have raced it in a 90s class MX race, and one cross country so far. Too much wheel spin for the CC...not enough grunt. Id like to have it right in the middle.Id love to ride on that is in stock form and see how that feels...I think that might be what Im after. Ive made that mistake in the past, taking a bike I loved and tuning it, making lots more power and hating it. Easier to ride a slow bike fast for me.
When I bought it, it had all KX plastics on it, and all the mods that I have found point to the previous owner trying to make the bike something its not. (well not the previous owner, he was a marketplace flipper--the owner BEFORE him. I had seen this bike on Marketplace and watched it for a while, then it sold. The guy I bought it from nearly doubled the price, and I watched the price go down over a period of weeks until he panicked and dropped it a little below what he paid. The relief in his voice when I said I was coming to look at it was palpable..as soon as he ripped it across his back yard, I said "SOLD". He was all smiles and so was I.
It may as well be a KX125 from the way it feels, a little less violent.
The boyeson reeds damn near bolt up.. I would have to egg out one of the holes in the reeds at one of the far edges by about 1/16th an inch.
The middle and one side lines up perfect.
It would cut the lower RPM intake cross sectional area a good bit with the three ports on the lower reed. I have a feeling it would run, and probably have the effect I want, but I also think Id be chasing the jetting. Of course, if I went back to a stock cage and put my new boyeson reeds on that...id have to change the jetting most likely. Not a big deal. As I write this, I may go that route.
KDXgarage, do you know the reeds you pointed me to are for the cage I have? I guess those are FMFs answer to 2 stage reeds for the ram valve.Its much appreciated, I just cant find those if I go thru their sites model search etc...(their site is a little clunky tho!)
That would be another way to go, if those FMF 2stagers will fit my ram valve.
If I need the bike before any of that, I may try flipping the valves over. It would be interesting to note the effects. Id bet that it might take me just a tiny bit in the direction I want to go...as at a given low pressure they would open a bit less, being stiffer due to having been flipped...I can feel the difference on the bench, having flipped them the other day....blowing thru the block takes more to open, (and they make a fun duck call sound.
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Yeah, Im not quite right in the head.
1994 kdx200, 1981 yz465, 1981 xt500, 1975 kx400, 1972 F9 350, 1972 S2 350, 1995 MZ skorpion, 1987 kd80, Baja mini
