It's late and I'm tired so I can't delve into detail so I'll type a bit, hopefully someone will leave some comments and I can jump back in tomorrow with the rest.

First of all. I bought my bike with approx 650 miles on it supposidly (has about 1250 on it now)...and it supposidly other than a tire and bars had no work on it. Well, I open the carb up to find out it has a 120 main in it and a 38 pilot. There was no plastic cap over the air/fuel screw. I started to turn it in to see how many turns it was and lost track because it was dark and was having a hard time seeing, but I'm thinking it was over 3 turns. Then I seated it and started backing it out only to find that the screw only backs out approx. 2 5/8 turns (a bit over two and a half turns for you non U.S. residents). So I set it at a 2 and left it at that for now.

I drilled a hole in the slide, ... mine is plastic. Is everyone elses? Seemed to me everyone else had a metal one. Then it seemed as if the rubber thingy (I'm so tired my brain is mush now, I can't even think) up top expanded and didn't fit easily back into its groove. You know, the flexible rubber diaphram looking thing. The metal lid didn't want to go on. I very carefuly fitted it back in and put the cover on and it went down flush, so I assume all is well?

The needle, it did have the stock needle in it, I put the N1TC needle it. I didn't notice a taper difference, and there is no length difference. However where the needle would hang from and where it hangs from if your to put the clip in the 3rd (middle) notch is a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE difference. Even at the top notch its nowhere close. Is this normal? Is this where the performance comes from?

I decided I'm gonna pop out baffle in the airbox for the crankcase vent, and take out the backfire screen. Well you can't get the screen out. It seems almost impossible. So I figured I would take the airbox out. Well it can't come out unless you take the shock and linkage off. So I figured I would split it. You can take all the screws out of the airbox and it doesn't split.......WTF!??!

I hate the people that engineered this bike. I would love to strangle them. This is the most unmechanic friendly bike EVER. I came from the motocross world. Those bikes a dream to work on compared to these hunks of crap. I regret even getting this rail. I wish I woulda got a suzuki 400 or a 650 so I coulda just left it alone and not have to undo the mess kawasaki did to choke this one up.

Oh by the by. I went to the bike shop to get main jets. They didn't have Keihn official brand but it was from parts unlimited. Its the keihn flat hand jet. It looks the same except the head is about.....i dont know, maybe a 1mm longer. I hope this doesn't effect anything. Other than that it doesn't seem to make much a difference. (haven't started it yet). I figured I would check the plug to see how it was burning. Of course its a ten minute operation to get that off EVEN WITH THE TANK OFF! then the plugs all rusted because they let it sit in a hole down in the motor. Then to boot, no one carries that plug. Anyway, the plug was near white, it was such a light tan it almost had a pinkish hue to it. And thats witha 120 main at approx 1000-2000 ft elevation. I tossed a 130 in it, 2 turns out on the screw, 38 pilot, N1TC needle 3rd position.

Any comments? Also, for me personally...how the hell do you get that airbox out and or backfire screen (American version)or split the airbox (if possible).

Peace...night fellow KLX'rs
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Video review

 

I think the airbox backfire screen comes out with 4 8mm bolts on the INSIDE of the airbox. I have the AUS spec, it's a bit different. See this thread. https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=24353
Plastic slide. ??? All I've ever seen is metal ones.
The jetting you now have should be a good place to start. #310 main, #38 pilot, FS 2 turns out, airbox lid removed!

 

Post up some pics of the slide.

 

I think you meant #130

 

Got me.

 

metal slide? it part thats connected to the diaphram? mine is plastic...

The airbox wont come apart because there is silicone or some other kinda sealer between the two pieces... i dropped a nut in my air box, and i took the air box out, keeping both sides together... its a ****... took me 45 mins to get it out, then another hour just to get it back in... and you dont have to do anything with the shock to take it out.... but its a PAIN... if you guys think the carb is bad, try taking the airbox out.... ya just have to get it in just the right position and it slides out from between the frame.... and its just as bad trying to get back in....

Sounds like who u got ur bike from lied to ya.... sucks..... at least it wasnt messed up or anything...

 

Kawi definitely choked the bike up. But from sounds of things, the bike has been messed with before. I know the KLX is probably not one the best bike to work on. But it takes a little patitence to work on it. I though it was quite easy to work on compared to some cars today.

 

Hang in there, Jason. Sounds like you had one of those nights we've all had. You'll get used to working on the KLX. It's more difficult than some but not nearly as bad as others. Be patient. These bikes DO uncork! And for reassurance, just re-read some of the many reviews about how much fun this bike is off road. Also, I wouldn't get too hung up about removing the airbox backfire screen. That's not going to buy you a huge performance increase anyway - IMO.

 

As far as relative needle position goes, are you sure you don't have the collar under the clip? I should be on top, right?

 

Hey thanks for all the responses guys. This is by far the best board I've ever been a member of. I'm not a huge of the bike (yet, lol) but the Kawi board is tops in my book. You guys are friendly and knowledgable.


Ok, the slide. Yeah... I guess it was just a combo between me not paying attention to detail close enough and being an optical elusion from discolored gasoline plastic and camera flash giving the appearance of metal. Plus, people saying they used metal filler to fill the hole they misdrilled. It's plastic, I guess its suppose to be, no surprises there.


The needle. I do have the collor up top. But if any of you have them out seperate look at them. Look where the collar is on the stock needle and where it would hang in the slide, then put the clip on the N1TC on any notch, even the top one closest to the stock needles setting. And see how much further down it is. That would richen it up MASSSSSSSSSIVELY! I mean, if a tiny notch of 1mm or so richens it, what would 3-4 mm's do? Geez, I hope I don't have something wrong. I do have the correct stock needle, I did check it, and I do have the correct N1TC needle. Middle notch, collar on top. Then the plastic cage on top with the fingers on it pointing down.

I think I did get douped. It didn't look like this bike had 650 on it when I bought it but it was still in pretty good shape though ya know. I mean, 650 is nothing. It should still have that showroom "glaze" over all the parts and stuff. Even if your doing 90% off road riding like this guy did. I just figured that off road is much harder on a bike than on road so thats what happened. But man... the way some of the paint is wore off the frame from his boots and on the bottom from rubbing on mud, sticks, rocks, etc. Discoloration on the aluminum from being exposed to dirt. It just seems theres more than that to it. I'm wandering if he didn't turn back the odometer or something. I'm turning it around. I use Mean Green cleaner and make sure I amor all it. If you keep doing that it will turn back the hands of time and make it easier to clean the next time and keep all the parts looking nice and shiny and get rid of dirt stains. Who wants a stained bike after all?

Anyway, that airbox. How in the world did you get it out of there without taking the shock out? You sir, are a magician! Thats like getting those solid metal rings apart and together without cuttiing them! lol I must learn this secret. I think I have to go through with taking it out though because I've gotten it dirty inside there so It's gotta come out now. You know, you can wash these bikes ****k and span on the outside, but take the panels off and all the dirt and mud is still laying there.

WestOZ..sorry, my digi cam is readily available right now. Plus its not the world's greatest either. Not as good as your cam is. I swear you have a cam hooked up to an electron microscope with some of the shots you've taken. Mine works good sometimes, and sometimes it doesn. All in the operator granted. but I haven't figured its quirks out yet enough to know how to take a big, good, clear, close up shot. And yeah, our airboxes here must be different than yours. Theres 4 nuts, but they are on the INSIDE, what geniuses these guys are at Kaw. And not only that, if your going to make a bike one way in one country, why not do it the same in another.

You guys should just go to a buddy who has a MX bike and help him work on it. See how the "other side" lives. It's unreal. When you go to jet a MX bike you loosen both boot clamps and twist the carb to the side at 45 degree angle and take the bowel off and there you go. Alot of carbs you don't even have to do that you can just take a nut off the bottom of the bowel for main jet changes with a 6mm socket. The air/fuel screw is right on the side of the carb, not jammed up underneath hiding. And if you wanna do the needle, you just unscrew the top of the slide a brass slide pulls up out and the needle hangs right in that. Easy as pie. If I ever go back to moto bikes (which I doubt) I'll think I went to heaven when I work on it! lol


Thanks again guys. Your help is MOST appreciated.
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Zx14 vs hayabusa