KDX to KLX, what to expect??
 

I used to have a KDX 200 that I sold a few years ago. Im in the market for a dual purpose and am thinking about the KLX. I loved my KDX and im just wondering how compareable they would be.

Obviously power wouldnt be even close but how about chassis and suspension? I looked at a new KLX at the dealer and it seemed quite a bit lower then my KDX but the suspension did have a lot of sag in it with my weight (around 190). Would it be a similer height to my old KDX with more preload or are these things lower for onroad use?

How about the 2006 and 2007 models? I see in the specs that these have an extra inch of travel, would this be any higher or closer to my old KDX?

Would the shock valving be similer to my old KDX or even softer still?

I rode a KDX once, briefly, and found the suspension to be almost non-existent compared to my KLX - and that was before I firmed up the springs. And the engine on the KLX was torque-ier (however you spell that). The KDX was lighter though and had that snappy two stroke motor.

The KLX, especially with the 351 kit, is a pretty handy little dual sport.

I have an 03 plated KDX200 as well as an 09 KLX250s. With proper tires you can flog a KLX pretty good on the trails. The KDX suspension works better off road and the bike is 50/60 lbs lighter. I like the KLX on the road much better. Having both i can say i really appreciate the KLX for what it is. It is fairly light for a dualsport and uncorked makes respectable power. If i could only have one bike it would be the KLX. Overall much easier to live with on longer ride- better mileage- no pre mix- less vibration. The KDX is a dirt bike not a dual sport. Look for a clean used one, both the early and later bikes are good just depends on which one you prefer.

Slightly off topic but I think an awesome old, 2 stroke that was probably a competitor to the KDX but would do better in a match against the KLX is the Honda CRM 250. I'm seeing them all over Thailand here with as much as 70K km on the clock. The reason it would match the KLX better than KDX is the CRM 250:

- has an oil mixer; put oil in a small tank/petrol in the other - much easier at the gas station.
- stock is street legal with all the lights/blinkers/horn.
- more hp, torque than all the others
- more hp (probably) than a sorted 351 though maybe not as much torque?
- though much lighter than the KLX, it probably is heavier than the KDX
- suspension better off and on road than the KLX for 190 lb guy at least

In a shootout with the KDX alone I could see many preferring the KDX for purely off road, but there is no question the CRM would kill it for on the road. Since the KDX also beats the KLX off road significantly but gets slaughtered by it on the road it made me think that the CRM would make a fun match up to the KLX. Can a bike with 30 year old technology beat on both surfaces a bike with 15 year old technology? :) It'd be fun to have a thorough comparison!

CRM 250, especially Mk3 is a badass little bike indeed. With a few mods
you can get around 50 hp out of it. AR version is only for people with a degree
in automotive electronics.

That said, it is a pain in the ass to find any parts for the CRM anywhere in
the whole wide world. Pitty, because if they would be available, that would
be the bike I ride!

I've had both bikes. The KDX is superior in almost every respect to the KLX when strictly off road. The KDX200 and KTM300 2-strokes may be the absolute best off road "trail" bikes ever made. An uncorked KLX with a pipe and proper jetting may be quite close to low end grunt of a KDX. The KDX has some amazing low end IMO for a smaller 2-S. For off roading you'll never overcome that 40-50 pound weight penalty on the KLX. Properly set up, the KDX handles circles around the KLX. You can't overcome the laws of physics.

On the KLX suspension, I think once you do a revalve on the fork and shock, the extra inch of travel is noticeable...in stock trim, not so much. If you do the same on the KDX, you get an amazing suspension. Both bikes need suspension attention, but the KLX needs it more.

Now, when it comes to riding areas where you Xhave to hit some pavement to make big loop rides and such, and where fuel quantity comes into play, the KLX is the far superior choice. And factor in any pavement, the KDX absolutely sucks.

Oh man. I had a 1995 KDX200 (first year of the H-series, which was unchanged until the end of production). The reason for getting my current 2009 KLX250S was that I needed a bike with a license plate; at the time, there was no longer any way to plate a dirtbike in MN. Now a couple years later, we can get plates for dirtbikes again...so in hindsight, would I still have made the switch to the KLX? I'm not sure, but probably not.

Over the years, I ended up converting the KDX front end to KX125 forks, and installed a 225 big bore kit, along with pipe, etc.

I wish, wish, wish that the KLX could be as good a bike as my KDX was. For me, the only things that the KLX does better is go further on a tank of gas (which actually is quite important to me), and take gas from the pump with no mixing needed. For me, the vibration of the KDX was a non-issue (it definitely vibrated a lot at high speed, that just doesn't bother me). The KDX was much lighter, had much better suspension, handled better, had far more power and better delivery of power. The KDX was way easier to perform maintenance on and modifications to. The KDX was 100% reliable - the KLX has not quite been (broken shift star issue).

They really are two different bikes for different purposes though. If the KDX was oil injected and street legal, it would be a better comparison; or from the other angle, the offroad only KLX300 to KDX200 is a good comparison. Both the KDX and KLX series bikes are readily modified, and have plenty of aftermarket support...but the KLX can never be as light or powerful as the KDX can be.

I don't want to sound like I'm bagging on the KLX - I do like mine, and it is a good bike for what it is. It's just not what my KDX was.

Having owned a few cr's in my days I have never heard of a CRM. I did a search and it is a nice bike but never available here in the U.S. That's why I never heard of one.

Indeed, I didn't know about it as well before I moved to Asia. But anyway the
thing is worth a SIN. It doesn't have the power and snap of a CR, but on
the other side it is very easy on the maintenance as well. A dual sport
two stroke with a strong orientation for trails rather than pavement.
40hp on the rear wheel stock.
Fix a CR fork and you are in heaven :)

I think I saw over the net a couple of grey imports being done do USA.

But the parts...unfortunate indeed.

yeah, had to google it myself. nice looking ride for sure.