Motorcycles

Quote
heymagic
Most 'enduros' or dual sports as they are called now did not have plastic tanks. The desert tanks were certainly retro fitted from time to time tho and you do see them. You just get into so much work on the old stuff and as JV mentioned parts are tough and it is hard to know for sure the part you're buying will actually work on the bike you own. Now for someone with years of experience it gets easier, especially if it is a brand they know well.

Check with your local authorities on what is street legal. Our state used to allow some dirt bikes to be fitted with lites and horns and be licensed. That is no longer allowed and many of the previous conversions are having the license plates revoked. I see stuff on CL that is advertised as street legal but they are conversions and the clock is ticking on many of them.

Wear a good helmet, don't wear sandals.

Gene, seems things have gone yet another round out here. Dave Dunn , my friend who was 1 minute ahead at our first events back in '84, recently came by and of course we were talking bikes, as always (did I mention I helped him mod his KTM590 into a side car rig? Oh gawd) and he said that "based on the fact that "home built" bikes have always REMAINED "licence-able" , ya know--some goon can weld up some pile of shit trike or POS Hardly Ableson and as long as the HOME BUILT thing met the blinker and 20 min parking lamp on and horn audible xx feet, then they could be registered for ON HIGHWAY use..

So somebody forced thru the idea if home builts can be "licene-able"---then a HOME MODDED to comply can also be "licence-able".


And eer er uh on the terms...Bikes worth playing with IN the woods--truely dodging trees at 8.5 tenths we who did it called them "woods bikes " or "enduro bikes'... and from maybe 1977-78 those came with plastic tanks.

Those things for puttering down to the lake when you took the Winnebago to Lake Bumfawk, with the 'trials' tires and steel tanks we called "trail bikes".

Trailbikes and those "dual" sprout things are both different products aimed at different peeeeples..

a decent woods bike is sorta no compromise designed for "good attack", in the WOODS.
"Good attack" as opposed to "maximum attack", as opposed to puttering along at 15 mph.

Anyway it SEEMS that sanity has prevail finally and maybe temporarily but we can register KDXs.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

http://hondaswap.com/motorcycles/washington-can-license-dirtbikes-street-use-finally-519576/

You are correct JV, I'm not up to date since we kinda quit doing the bike thing. Previously the WSP had to inspect the bikes and sign off. They then refused to inspect and at some point a genius at the State started revoking license plates. Nice to see that possibly someone in Olympia got their head out of their butts.

I sold a nice little 2000 Honda 230 to a guy. It had factory lites but no signals and had DNR permit. He knew that when he bought it. Then he tried to get it licensed. Spent a year messing with it and then sold it....probably about the time that law got rethunk.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/mcy/2982056787.html

What about something like this:

1978 i.t. 175 enduro. new bars, levers,cables,grips.,top end gaskets.well cared for,adult ridden.still has factory head light,tail light,speedo and # plate. comes with complete extra bike .$800 or best offer.

It does seem to have a rear monoshock. But I think I can find newer for not much more if i am patient and willing to travel a bit.

Checking out some forums and it is odd to see bikes from the mid 80s being discussed in the vintage riding section.

I do like the look of the KDX and 200 is about as big as I want to go.

I was initially drawn to the styling of the older bikes. I suspected that they would be the same as rallying a 70s car when it comes to parts. I was unaware that bikes from the 80s are so similar to modern stuff.

Quote
heymagic
http://hondaswap.com/motorcycles/washington-can-license-dirtbikes-street-use-finally-519576/

You are correct JV, I'm not up to date since we kinda quit doing the bike thing. Previously the WSP had to inspect the bikes and sign off. They then refused to inspect and at some point a genius at the State started revoking license plates. Nice to see that possibly someone in Olympia got their head out of their butts.

I sold a nice little 2000 Honda 230 to a guy. It had factory lites but no signals and had DNR permit. He knew that when he bought it. Then he tried to get it licensed. Spent a year messing with it and then sold it....probably about the time that law got rethunk.

Amazing. But true.

Yeah a liiiiiiiiittle late tho.
I obviously still have a soft spot in the top of my skull for bikes (I think that's what it's for???) and bouncing off trees but, even though i got a new all metal knee 2 years ago, its giving problems, and I'm limping around and not a happy camper. Just in this last week and going in for a bone scan to see if the metal has rattled loose and if the rebuilt knee needs rebuilding., bummah,

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
Greg Donovan
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/mcy/2982056787.html

What about something like this:

1978 i.t. 175 enduro. new bars, levers,cables,grips.,top end gaskets.well cared for,adult ridden.still has factory head light,tail light,speedo and # plate. comes with complete extra bike .$800 or best offer.

It does seem to have a rear monoshock. But I think I can find newer for not much more if i am patient and willing to travel a bit.

Checking out some forums and it is odd to see bikes from the mid 80s being discussed in the vintage riding section.

I do like the look of the KDX and 200 is about as big as I want to go.

I was initially drawn to the styling of the older bikes. I suspected that they would be the same as rallying a 70s car when it comes to parts. I was unaware that bikes from the 80s are so similar to modern stuff.

Mid-70s and later bikes are way cooler than current cars we all own.
mid 80s onward are flat good.

But there were some problems with those IT175s I can't possibly remember now. They looked good but there were problems (kick starters blowing cases up? Hubs fracturing---they did in 76-77 Yamadogs, we had an exchange program going with those back in Sweden, EVERY WEEK guys would drop off their wheels from that weekend and pick up the welded ones from the week before.)

Naw stay the course, Kawasaki hit the nail squarely on the head and that's rare so take advantage of that, get as late as possible for the price.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

That 175 isn't a licensed bike I'd bet. Number plate isn't license plate, so you'd have to confirm the requirements in your state. Since it doesn't appear to be tabbed it may not be possible back there.

Watch the forums and google whatever you happen to like the looks of. All the 'dirt' (groan) will be there somewhere. Hard starting, poor handling, rough shifting etc. Somewhere on the 'net it will be mentioned. Of course you have to sort thru the BS just like on any forum.

I like 2 strokes and the quirky power band but they are really a thing of the past. The smoke, noise, fuel mixing, pissed neighbors etc. 2 stroke outboards are being outlawed in many parts of the US and I know quite a few trail riders who won't allow 2 strokes to ride with them so buyer beware on that front also. That may also enter into the licensing situation.

I've seen two KDX200s that were mid rebuild and disassembled for sale recently for $175 and $200. Always think about picking one of those up as figure could probably get it back together for under $500. Of course they keep showing up near the end of the month where that tends to be double the amount of money I have. Oh well...

---

Grant Hughes

After doing some research and gene's comment about noise I remembered how obnoxious my brothers CR125R was I think a KLR250 might be the way to go for me.

Less obnoxious, easier to licence and no fiddling with mixing oil and gas.

Quote
Greg Donovan
After doing some research and gene's comment about noise I remembered how obnoxious my brothers CR125R was I think a KLR250 might be the way to go for me.

Less obnoxious, easier to licence and no fiddling with mixing oil and gas.

//

KLRs are a great dual sport in that size. Good choice to watch for.

Quote
Greg Donovan
After doing some research and gene's comment about noise I remembered how obnoxious my brothers CR125R was I think a KLR250 might be the way to go for me.

Less obnoxious, easier to licence and no fiddling with mixing oil and gas.

Bullshit,. a KDX with original muffler is flat quiet. Kids and their fawkin CR 125s and MX bikes want to make noise.
Modern 4 strokes can function fairly good, you just rev them twice as high to make up for the fact that 4 strokes only fire now and then and spend half their time doing nothing, or get something twice as big with all the weight and porkiness associated with that.

Second, they all 2t or 4t need work eventually. 4strokes costs easily 3-4 times what a 2 stroke costs to do a simple top end job.

And heaven forbid you should ever do like the 15 bikes lined up in front of the shop i last worked as a bike mechanic and damage even slightly the cam jounals---aka the cylinderhead...Cost: more than the bike is worth---that's why there was 15 abandoned beaters there...

Look in cars we have no choice, they almost all come with dumb 4 strokes which have all this shit that is not needed. They have cams and "valves" and chains and oil pumps, and valve springs and a bunch of useless shit that good engines don't need.

You have a choice in bikes, you don't have to voluntarily choose the inferior design and face inevitable expensive repairs.
be smart, its a toy and the dollar spent to fun ratio is best with 2 strokes...

Size for size they make twice the torque which is not at all surprising because they fire every time the piston goes up.
So a 2 stroke can be half the size of a comparable output 4 stroke and make the same poop..Have you looked at what revs modern single 4 strokes make?

Mufflers work, the OEM things on KDX are fine, the water cooled ones are even quieter...and everybody fucks with their mufflers on 4 strokes anyway..
Its vestigial machismo that drives the 4th stoke mythology.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
heymagic

Quote
Greg Donovan
After doing some research and gene's comment about noise I remembered how obnoxious my brothers CR125R was I think a KLR250 might be the way to go for me.

Less obnoxious, easier to licence and no fiddling with mixing oil and gas.

//

KLRs are a great dual sport in that size. Good choice to watch for.

Another 40 lbs more weight for nothing, pfffffft.

If a guy is interested in WOODS, dodging trees, no, but rather if he wants to be cruising the logging ROADS, maybe--if he doesn't mind the expense when the head needs work.
One friend said roughly $800 for a bike head overhaul.

That 40 lbs make a difference in the second half of the day even if you are truly strong and fit.

For nothin.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Ok, those are all valid points too. What does a 2 stroke rebuild run?

If I can get a two stroke that is quiet enough that would be fine.

I want a bike I can ride the 2 miles to work, then on my day off ride out to the woods, play around and ride back home. I don't want something that needs a truck to take it out to play. How are the KDX on longer rides at 55-65?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2012 11:05PM by Greg Donovan.

I'm riding a 95 rmx 250 2 stroke enduro. last top end cost me $80 and an hour and a half. Cant recommend the rmx, cause it has a funky multistage powervalve that likes to break and bounce around the inside of the cylinder. The two stroke on the street is a blast, but I can't keep the front end down.

If I were looking for a bike to go get coffee, enjoy a woodsy trail and had phenomenal reliability for a great price:

Yamaha TW 200.

Super easy to ride, very comfortable, sits much lower than your standard mx bike. It's what 90% of the motorcycle instruction schools around here use. Has all sorts of rack systems available to carry guns, tools, etc. Great all purpose bike. Usually see them for about $800-1200

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/mcy/3095905385.html

What is the reason for the TW running tires that are so much wider than on the KDX or KLR?

Better pavement handling?

I notice the TW in the ad has drum brakes front and rear, what are the advantages/disadvantages of the two different set ups.