Here is my 03 Hybrid build.

Post by **scheckaet** » 08:43 pm Apr 20 2008

was wondering the same thing. Are those stock size?

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 09:43 pm Apr 20 2008

The bike is real narrow. The bars are normal Charmichael bend Fat bars. Camera does not help either. 802 mm. bout average width.

THill · Post by **THill** » 07:54 pm Apr 21 2008

Eric you got me wanting to tear down my 03 KX now ...
Still waiting to get my KDX 220 cylinder back and get it running right before i start any tear downs and build ups...
I just hope mine turns out as sharp as yours......

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 08:16 pm Apr 21 2008

The 03 is way better.

jc7622 · Post by **jc7622** » 08:28 pm Apr 21 2008

Have you gotten a chance to really give it a thrashing yet? How do you think it would do in really tight, twistey, rocky, muddy, gnarley terrain? Does the chassis of the KDX have ANY points that are better than the '03 KX125?

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 09:11 pm Apr 21 2008

Yeah I put 60 miles on it. In the nasty twusty stuff it woirks great ESPECICALLY if you have 2-3 foot moguls like we don in AZ. They go on for miles.

The 03 works better than the 02 for sure. The KDX though, although heavy really responds to user inpout, ironically probably due to it's weight. On second gear twisty rocky rolling terrain with lots of swithcbacks the KDX works as well. If I have to be honest.

Unfortunatly not all ridinf is like that and when it opens up and gets rough the KDX is a death trap at high speed. the KX just soaks it ap and asks for more speed. Nerve runs out long before the bike runs out of performance.

The KX is also way way easier to flick. Itis more comfortrable and is less work to ride.

Overall the KDX makes riding trails real easy. The KX is more engaging but a KDX with new shock and KX forks with RB mods may be the optimal choice.

For me I just prefer the MX ergonomics. I am just not comfortrable on a KDX. Great bike and on many trails the KX offers no real benifit other than sex appeal. In other areas the KX simply out guns it.

Hard to say if it is worth it. Am I faster on it tha the KDX, yeah probably. What if the KDX had the same motor mods and KX suspension. Don't know about that, but the KX is WAY sexier and will always be ligher and less work.

Would I do it again. You bet ya. I did it twice and plan on upgrading the 02 to an 04 amking it 3 times.

The $800 spent on MX-Tech suspension valving was TOTALLY WORTH IT!

-E

jc7622 · Post by **jc7622** » 10:00 pm Apr 21 2008

I guess I need to find somebody with a KX125 that will let me take it for a spin on the trails to see if I like it. A friend just bought a KTM200. I can't wait to try that thing. Another friend got to ride it and said that it felt really light and nimble.

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 11:08 pm Apr 21 2008

KX25 has nowhere near the low end power of a KDX. You won't get a feel for it. You'll be on piupe lal the time. with the KDX motor I can lug it all day but then open it up when I need to.

Similar to the KTM200 yeah. The KTM is a little more high strung though. Not as luggable.

jc7622 · Post by **jc7622** » 11:47 pm Apr 21 2008

I was mainly talking about how the bike feels and how it handles. I do love how the KDX can lug up almost anything.

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 10:56 am Apr 22 2008

Ok the KX is great. You have no idea. Light, flickable, comfortrable. Just not sure it is better at going slow than the KDX. it is not worse but the KDX is just plain easier to go slow on. It is madefor that the KX is made to go fast. But the KX does everything else better.

Look at it this way, you can do surgery with a scalpel or a meat cleaver. Both work but one is more precise. That is the KX.

I can definitly build a KDX with suspension yada yada yada. But I decided to build 2 hybrids a year apart. WAY harder. Must be something to it. At least for me and my style of riding. Not sure it is for everybody though.

The 03 is DRASTICALY better than the 03 btw.

jc7622 · Post by **jc7622** » 01:17 pm Apr 22 2008

So comparing your '03 hybrid to a KDX (with KX forks) you would say that the hybrid doesn't lose anything to the KDX in the really slow technical terrain? It's not better at slow speed but it's not worse either? That was what I was trying to figure out.

The fact that I could "have my cake and eat it too" is what I was wondering about by still being able to do good in the really rough terrain but then with a hybrid also being able to rip it on the fast terrain. I wouldn't want to give anything up by building a hybrid.

Would you say the hybrid is 20 pounds lighter than the KDX?

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 05:43 pm Apr 22 2008

nope, 30 pounds lighter actually. 190 pounds to 222 pounds. Yes, at slow speed it's not better at slow speed but it's not worse either. It is jsut different.

The Hybrid is much better in the rough fast stuff. Better than a KDX with Works shock and KX forks? Not sure but the long light KX is designed for rouigh high speed stuff. It is really at home there.

Actually, in the slow technical stuff with sharp hits and steep moguls the hybrid is better. Lifting the front over a mogul and carying it over the crest of a second mogul is real easy. The KDX will wear you out.

Slow twisty rocky flat surface riding I'd probably take the KDX with KX suspension.

Add steep rolling terrian and miles of 4 foot moguls that come in waves of 10-50 at a time I'd take the KX. Depends ont eh riding. If you need to get the front int he air all the time, like I do, take the Hybrid. I probably have both wheels in the air once every 25 yards some times multipl;e times for hundreds of yards and that is duplicated for 30 miles.

If you are riding with both wheels on the ground take the KDX.

Most modern offroad bikes are variants of the MX cousin. same seat height and wheelbase. There is a reason. Overall it works better most of the time. KDx was last changed 11 years ago. That is a loooong time.

Don't kid yourself, if you are looking for the ultimate performance bike, terrain aside, the Hybrid is it. If you are not looking for the ultimate performance bike and both wheels are on the ground at almost all times then the KDX is perfect and super easy to ride. But man does it feel old and slow after hoping back on one after the 03 hybrid.

THill · Post by **THill** » 10:27 pm Apr 25 2008

Man the bike looks great...
Where did you come up with the kick stand ?

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 12:13 pm Apr 27 2008

Pro moto Billit.

jc7622 · Post by **jc7622** » 01:40 pm Apr 27 2008

What year KX parts are compatible with the 2003?

Do you know if most KX250 parts for that model bolt onto the KX125 frame (gas tank, plastics, shock, seat, sub-frame, airbox, reac caliper, etc)?

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 02:05 pm Apr 27 2008

Yep, 03 125 and 250 part are interchangable for the most part.

jc7622 · Post by **jc7622** » 02:10 pm Apr 27 2008

Any other year parts that I can look for like '04, '05, '06, etc?

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 02:17 pm Apr 27 2008

Dude, it would take days to lay all that out. Best way to check is to cross refrence part numbers on kawasakis site. Some parts have sifferrent part numbers but still fit. For example, 99, 00-01, 02 KX subframe part numbers are different but all interchange.

For the most part 03-07 KX parts interchange. 03 suspension is specific to 03 though. No swaps with other years. 99-03 swingarm will work for 03 though. At least accordng to my measurments.

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 11:48 am May 03 2008

Posted completd pics in the first post.

ebeck · Post by **ebeck** » 12:20 am May 31 2008

Forgot these pics. I forgot to weld in bolt stems for the coil back by the rear bracket before powdercoating so I improvised and used the stock location. It looks better now, this was the test fitting/proof of concept picture.

I opted for all the electronics in the air box. The KDX wiring wants to go that way and that is pretty much where the stuff is on the KDX except it is on the airbox lid that the KX does not have. It makes it so that you do not have to splice wires and it is still pretty neat. No headlight so that wirinng stub is folded oer and taped as you can see. I could have cut it but I may want a light at some point.

KDXRIDER.NET

KDXRIDER.NET

Here is my 03 Hybrid build.