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Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 09:46 pm Mar 22 2015
by linny
Hey friends,
In inspiration from the Too Stupid to Stop KDX resto thread, I have decided to restore my own.
I had a KDX 400 deal fall through, but that's ok. I posted an ad on Reno Craigslist saying wanted: aircooled kdx. Got a response from a gent in Carson City needed to fund a quad top end. He said it had a bent rod and needed a piston. Final sales price was 200$. The good thing about this bike is it was owned by someone who knew what they were doing. He even had already honed the cylinder jug. This is day 1. Got her home. We already own a 1984 200 that is street legal, so I decided I needed to own one of my own.

This bike is not going to be a perfect resto. This bike will be raced in the desert. Therefore I may do some things that are sacrilege.

Things to buy.
Aftermarket headlight
Piston
crankshaft
Oil seals and crank bearing
Tail light
Gasket kit.
Silencer (missing)
Mikuni TM 32 flat slide carb
Tires

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 10:17 pm Mar 22 2015
by linny

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 01:11 am Mar 23 2015
by KDXGarage
Congrats on picking it up.

dirtoverstock has some DG stuff.

Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 03:44 am Mar 23 2015
by KDX Geoff
Looking like a good project linny :grin:

Did you replace the rod when you did the crank ?

Cheers

Geoff

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 06:58 am Mar 23 2015
by s10gto
Wow! She is in nice shape. :supz:

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 09:41 am Mar 23 2015
by linny
Previous owner straightened out the rod. I am debating whether or not just to ebay a whole new crank or actually buy one :prayer: . They're honestly about the same price and I'm buying new crank bearings anyways, that pic is the rod straightened out which I do not honestly trust.

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 02:09 pm Mar 23 2015
by s10gto
linny wrote:Previous owner straightened out the rod. I am debating whether or not just to ebay a whole new crank or actually buy one :prayer: . They're honestly about the same price and I'm buying new crank bearings anyways, that pic is the rod straightened out which I do not honestly trust.
I agree with that. Straightened rod :naughty: Replace it!

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 05:11 pm Mar 23 2015
by linny
Does anyone think the rest of the crank is salvageable? I can buy a new connecting rod for 90$ but I'm worried that the bearing surface may have been damaged by the piston seizure and the rod bending.

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 12:29 am Mar 24 2015
by KDXGarage
Which bearing surface? Are you talking about a whole connecting rod kit with big end bearing, rod, pin and spacers??

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 10:02 am Mar 24 2015
by linny
Yes I'm talking about the big end. The part that is attached where the crank is pressed together.

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 06:31 pm Mar 24 2015
by adam728
If you buy a rod kit it comes with the pin that's pressed into. the crank halves. So no worry about the surface the bearing runs on, it gets replaced!

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 09:34 pm Mar 24 2015
by linny
I think I may buy a used crank. A connecting rod is 90$ a whole crank is 80$

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 11:17 pm Mar 24 2015
by adam728
linny wrote:I think I may buy a used crank. A connecting rod is 90$ a whole crank is 80$
Keep in mind this is a 30 year old motorcycle. So a used crank might have unseen rust and pitting on the lower bearing or pin, may have been dropped and knocked out of true, etc.

Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 05:06 pm Mar 25 2015
by linny
Ah, I may just buy a connecting rod kit. I do see that there is a ton of KDX stuff on UK/AU ebay. CSNL has stuff too so I may just have to bay the ky jelly shipping prices :wah:

Re: Because I can. 1985 KDX 200 vintage racer resto.

Posted: 12:29 am Mar 26 2015
by KDXGarage
Don't forget tot factor in shipping it out.