Fenderless

[TwoSmokeDS]

Originally Posted by Johnf3

...KDX (one of the most stable bikes ever)...

I've alwasy thought my KDX is kind'a squirrelly. When I go into deep sand, the handlebar fights me. Headshake. On the highway, the front end bounces.

My XR200 and KX100 are both very stable on highway and in deep sand. When I hit deep sand on my XR, I can stand up on the pegs, and it's fully stable. But on the KDX, I cannot stand on the peg without crashing, and I have to be extra vigilent. I highsided hard two weeks ago, because of headshake. I didn't know at the time what headshake was or how it can hurt you. The bars were turning full left and right so hard, it was ripping my arm out of my shoulder, before the bike highsided me into the sand. I didn't "gas it" becasuse I was in the "what-da-$%$" mode. I'm not sure why it headshake so easy because I made sure lowered the front and rear evenly, about 1.5-inches. Maybe I don't have enough race sag (3"). Maybe I didn't revalve the fork after lowering it 1-inch. Maybe it was the Kuobo link. Maybe the bike's geometry just isn't meant for high speed. I was lucky I didn't break my neck. When I was dusting sand off myself, I was thinking Religion.

Hence, the steering dampener. I might also try a stiffer fork spring. I've got the stock fork spring, which is too soft.

[Johnf3]

Originally Posted by TwoSmokeDS

I've alwasy thought my KDX is kind'a squirrelly. When I go into deep sand, the handlebar fights me. Headshake. On the highway, the front end bounces.

My XR200 and KX100 are both very stable on highway and in deep sand. When I hit deep sand on my XR, I can stand up on the pegs, and it's fully stable. But on the KDX, I cannot stand on the peg without crashing, and I have to be extra vigilent. I highsided hard two weeks ago, because of headshake. I didn't know at the time what headshake was or how it can hurt you. The bars were turning full left and right so hard, it was ripping my arm out of my shoulder, before the bike highsided me into the sand. I didn't "gas it" becasuse I was in the "what-da-$%$" mode. I'm not sure why it headshake so easy because I made sure lowered the front and rear evenly, about 1.5-inches. Maybe I don't have enough race sag (3"). Maybe I didn't revalve the fork after lowering it 1-inch. Maybe the bike's geometry just isn't meant for high speed. I was lucky I didn't break my neck. When I was dusting sand off myself, I was just thinking Religion.

Hence, the steering dampener. I might also try a stiffer fork spring. I've got the stock fork spring, which is too soft. I've read stiffer fork springs will work better on the sand but not work as well on the tight wooded singletrack stuff.

The golden rule of steering stabilizers is to not install them to try and mask problems due to poor bike set up. It won't help.

A stabilizer may help on unexpected hits and sudden deflections, but it is not magic. Sounds like you have a lot more going on with your KDX than that stabilizer will fix. More rear sag also increases the "trail" of your front wheel and generally leads to more stability. That would be worth a try. I'd dial in closer to 4 inches and try it. Lowered bikes can be tricky to set up.

I know what you mean about religion and crashes. I had the same thing happen when my throttle hung (worn carb slide) on my old KX 500 during a race 20 years ago. Bad crash. Even after installing a brand new carb I had flashbacks.

[Rman of 237]

Originally Posted by Irishcoffee

Well set up bike. Many make fun of those but lots of riders went very fast on them and embarrassed many of those fancy smancy euro guys.

I get a lotta laughs out of it, 1st bike I've ever owned that I didn't have to spend a dime on. Completely tricked out by the PO!!!

[Irishcoffee]

Originally Posted by TwoSmokeDS

I've alwasy thought my KDX is kind'a squirrelly. When I go into deep sand, the handlebar fights me. Headshake. On the highway, the front end bounces.

My XR200 and KX100 are both very stable on highway and in deep sand. When I hit deep sand on my XR, I can stand up on the pegs, and it's fully stable. But on the KDX, I cannot stand on the peg without crashing, and I have to be extra vigilent. I highsided hard two weeks ago, because of headshake. I didn't know at the time what headshake was or how it can hurt you. The bars were turning full left and right so hard, it was ripping my arm out of my shoulder, before the bike highsided me into the sand. I didn't "gas it" becasuse I was in the "what-da-$%$" mode. I'm not sure why it headshake so easy because I made sure lowered the front and rear evenly, about 1.5-inches. Maybe I don't have enough race sag (3"). Maybe I didn't revalve the fork after lowering it 1-inch. Maybe it was the Kuobo link. Maybe the bike's geometry just isn't meant for high speed. I was lucky I didn't break my neck. When I was dusting sand off myself, I was thinking Religion.

Hence, the steering dampener. I might also try a stiffer fork spring. I've got the stock fork spring, which is too soft.

Standard to set race sag at 4 inches, not 3. JohnF3 has it right. Start over.

[Rman of 237]

Plated dirt bikes are just that..plated dirt bikes. They're not dual sport bikes! I can stand on the seat of my 650L and it will go straight, it's a dynamically stable, heavy, powerful 'Dual Sport' bike. My 440 and my KDX are not 'dual sport' bikes, they're plated dirt bikes! You have to RIDE THEM or they will RIDE YOU. I can't imagine taking my hands off the bars on my 440 at 70mph , that's a tank slapper waiting to happen!! Steering dampener be danged, I don't trust the KDX at those speeds either. Both are extremely effective though... doing what they were designed to to.

Now what were we talking about? Oh yeah, fenders.