KDXRIDER.NET

Hello from eastern Pennsylvania!

Ive got an 1986 KDX 200 that my father brought brand new. Ive many fond memories riding around with my father, first on the gas tank as a little potato, then chasing him, once I was old enough to ride myself. Whatever bike I had, I could never keep up with the old 200. Even though its stock, save for a rejet and an Answer slip on its had since new, it was always untouchable in the woods. Both it and my father were getting up in the years when he retired from riding and gave it to me, after I had used up my craigslist RT180. I went everywhere on it, and both me and the bike managed to survive crisscrossing the northeast on the tracks. I'm older and slower now, but Ive never been able to bring myself to sell it, and I don't suppose I ever will. Maybe someday my kid will add to the rubber melted to the cylinder head from my shoes!

I retired the bike to occasional use about 10 years ago, parts are too hard to find. The engine has never been apart, but it still has good compression. Unfortunately, the plastics have become brittle with age, and seem to be NLA along with many other RFN parts. Aside from Ebay, I haven't been able to find a good source of spare parts for the old warhorse. Its gotten a few scrapes in its 34 years, longer than Ive been around, but I can point out a matching scar on myself for most of them.

I can turn a wrench myself, but there are things I am unfamiliar with, and time is scare today. Id like to find a shop that is familiar with bikes this old in the Bethlehem area.

Thanks!

That’s awesome. Keep it in the family. A company does make plastic sets for these bikes, but the KX shade is slightly different. Barely noticeable but it is different. A company called off road innovation makes many of the obscure wear items such as the linkage bearings and such. Has the flywheel been serviced? I’d highly recommend making sure the magnets are secure.

Welcome to the forums and great story on the bike.

MAN! WONDERFUL STORY.

Thanks for joining kdxrider and sharing.

https://www.dcvmx.com/xcart/product.php ... 408&page=1

It is NOT the same as OEM, as it is vacuum molded, not injection molded. I assume they have the old Maier molds from the 80's. If you want shiny and new, restore OEM plastic or pay BIG for NOS (New Old Stock) on eBay or elsewhere.

www.frpoffroad.com is owned by Jeff Fredette, who rode for Kawasaki for years and helped develop the KDX.

Thank you for the information, maybe I will get a set of plastics and put the OEMs in the attic.

The flywheel has never been serviced, and there is a rattle from that area at idle. I thought it might have been a bearing or maybe the primary, but it goes away as soon as the engine comes off idle, and gets quieter as it warms up. Ive been mulling splitting the cases, mostly to see how it looks after all these years, and to catch anything before it becomes catastrophic. I don’t have a lot of time though, so it will be slow going.

Could be a loose magnet, they are prone to coming apart on those older bikes. Easy job to pull the flywheel and inspect, easier than splitting the motor open.

Man, what a really cool story. A classic bike, car, swing set and mustache! Good luck with that bike.

That was my grandfathers ‘74 Ford. He drove it till the late 80s. My dads mustache made it to this century haha.

Thanks for the insight as to the flywheel, I’ll pull the cover and check it out. It runs like a champ, although I don’t think Kawasaki ever intended this engine to stay together for so long.