KDXRIDER.NET

Picked up a 2002 yr bike that appears to be a well used, but well maintained bike. Has the Gnarly Expansion Chamber, Turbine Core exhaust, Boysen reeds, most plastic seems to have been replaced, Guts racing seat cover. Also the previous owner states that the cylinder has a steel sleeve in it. Should i be worried? I thought it was a good deal for $1650 as these bikes seem to stay with their owners for a very long time. This bike was owned by the same guy for 15 years until he got too old to ride dirt bikes and traded in for a street bike. I don't (yet) have a factory owners or maintenance manual for this bike and have a few questions:

I have seen a few other posts in this forum where people recommend 10-30 or 10-40 oil for the crankcase. The Kawasaki shop where i picked up the bike recommends 75 or 80 gear oil. Which should i use? And what does the manual recommend?

Although I have ridden bikes for over 30 yrs, I have never been an advanced rider or a racer. I bought this bike with the expectation that it will be a good woods/technical riding bike for the Sierra Nevada Mtns. near me with single track, and also for some open desert riding (exploring) in Northern Nevada, where there is alot of hardpack, shale, and sandy washes. I just need a bike that is easy to ride, and so I can keep up with a pack of guys exploring old mines and abandoned towns in the middle of nowhere. Dependability and ease of maintenance are also high prioritys.

Any replies would be greatly appreciated

Welcome to kdxrider.net. Thanks for joining and participating.

Congratulations on the KDX.

The sleeve will probably be just fine. They fail on occasion, but you have already got one, so just go with it.

80 weight gear oil. As you can see on the picture below, 80 weight gear oil is equivalent to 10w-40. Lots of people use car oil, but I prefer motorcycle oil. I have had good success with Bel-ray Gear Saver or Maxima MTL-R. Without digging mine out, I think the manual states 10w-40 under hot temps, might get away with less on colder temps.





"I bought this bike with the expectation that it will be a good woods/technical riding bike for the Sierra Nevada Mtns. near me with single track, and also for some open desert riding (exploring) in Northern Nevada, where there is alot of hardpack, shale, and sandy washes. I just need a bike that is easy to ride, and so I can keep up with a pack of guys exploring old mines and abandoned towns in the middle of nowhere. Dependability and ease of maintenance are also high prioritys."

Yep. You made a dang fine choice! I may be a bit biased on that opinion.