New KDX Owner
Posted: 07:16 pm Apr 20 2011
As of last Saturday, I am the hesitantly proud owner of a 2004 200. I am sure you all will forgive my screenname - I'll come up with a more fitting one for this forum.
I have basically ridden dirtbikes all my life (off and on), starting with that first ride on a somewhat quirky Hodaka Combat Wombat. That hooked me, and at the end of the next summer I had enough money to buy a Yamaha CT2 (a 175cc "enduro" with reed valves (what a great invention!)). I made it dirt ridable by stripping off all the metal fenders and the street accoutrements, adding a 21" front wheel, adding an ill-fitting expansion chamber, plastic fenders, lengthened swingarm, different shock, knobbies, etc.
Moved on to real bikes with a 76-ish Penton 250 MC model, then a KTM420 around 1980. Finally ended up with the 86 Honda XR250 - and that one has server me well, with zero big ticket maintenance for over 20 years now.
As I slip ever quicker toward my "golden years", I became aware of a yearning to return to the days and smells of premix and the sound of a 2stroke - hence the KDX.
I am at the point where I am cautiously hoping that, as the layers of surface neglect are peeled away, I end up with a solid bike and that large helpings of elbow grease and TLC will bring the bike back to the point where I can glowingly talk about my ride as you all do on this forum.
I am sure you'll be seeing posts from me asking for guidance as I delve into the semi-project.
PS - how long does it take to get used to the kips rattle?
I have basically ridden dirtbikes all my life (off and on), starting with that first ride on a somewhat quirky Hodaka Combat Wombat. That hooked me, and at the end of the next summer I had enough money to buy a Yamaha CT2 (a 175cc "enduro" with reed valves (what a great invention!)). I made it dirt ridable by stripping off all the metal fenders and the street accoutrements, adding a 21" front wheel, adding an ill-fitting expansion chamber, plastic fenders, lengthened swingarm, different shock, knobbies, etc.
Moved on to real bikes with a 76-ish Penton 250 MC model, then a KTM420 around 1980. Finally ended up with the 86 Honda XR250 - and that one has server me well, with zero big ticket maintenance for over 20 years now.
As I slip ever quicker toward my "golden years", I became aware of a yearning to return to the days and smells of premix and the sound of a 2stroke - hence the KDX.
I am at the point where I am cautiously hoping that, as the layers of surface neglect are peeled away, I end up with a solid bike and that large helpings of elbow grease and TLC will bring the bike back to the point where I can glowingly talk about my ride as you all do on this forum.
I am sure you'll be seeing posts from me asking for guidance as I delve into the semi-project.
PS - how long does it take to get used to the kips rattle?
