KLX300 question...

[diesel_mr2]

So I'm looking at getting a klx300, just wondering if anyone can tell me how often the pistons should be done on these?

I know most 250 mx bikes should be done around 90 hours or so, but as this is a trail bike like the crf 230's I'm thinking the pistons probably don't need to be done to often, is this right?


Cheers guys.

[cowpoos]

these engines are not as highly strunge as the modern high reving MX bikes...
How often does the piston/rings need changing in one these bikes...is not a question worth worring about...everything is built to last!!

BTW...they are great bikes!! I rate the KLX300's highly!!

[diesel_mr2]

Sweet, that's exactly what I wanted to hear ;)

[vazza]

Have you considerd a KTM300EXC?

[flyingcr250]

Have you considerd a KTM300EXC?

:niceone: to be honest i was thinking about a KLX 300 too, had a ride on both the KLX and the KTM and i thought the KTM was light years ahead, in terms of handling and the awesome torque delivery, and the reliability. i also liked the thought of getting 120 hours out of a top end. for some reason ive never really been a fan of Kawasaki's so maybe im just biased. :laugh:

[honda_power]

the price of a 300exc is also light years ahead of the klx... if that makes sence

[flyingcr250]

the price of a 300exc is also light years ahead of the klx... if that makes sence

oh yea i forgot that:laugh:

[noobi]

make sure that it starts easily when its hot or after being dropped. we bought one new and sold it after 2 months cuz we just couldnt get it to start properly. after 2 trips to the shop it was still the same. maybe we got a dud, there seems to be lots of them around. just something to look out for

[jt119]

make sure that it starts easily when its hot or after being dropped. we bought one new and sold it after 2 months cuz we just couldnt get it to start properly. after 2 trips to the shop it was still the same. maybe we got a dud, there seems to be lots of them around. just something to look out for
thought you were talking about a honda ther. sounds just like my bike

[noobi]

thought you were talking about a honda ther. sounds just like my bike

maybe its just four strokes in general? or cuz your just used to the CR250 starting first go after anything.
but this klx was like 5 minutes every time it was stalled dropped or any time it needed to be started hot

[honda_power]

turn the gas off, put choke on and give full throttle. Allways worked on the crf

[green machine]

thought you were talking about a honda ther. sounds just like my bike

Should have got a K-WAKA John,never have any trouble starting mine:woohoo:

[vazza]

How much is a new KLX300?

[cowpoos]

How much is a new KLX300?
www.kawasaki.co.nz or look on trademe :)

[diesel_mr2]

Well, no I haven't considered the ktm 300 exc, I'm not fond of two strokes, I think they sound a bit cabbage :P

[vazza]

Considered a KTM450EXC? Or 250EXC :P!

[diesel_mr2]

Actually did consider the 450exc, but as I'd probably end up killing myself on it, I decided against :dodge:

[vazza]

What about the KTM250EXC-F? They're an awesome trailbike with heaps of power. Will outperform/outlast/overall be better than the KLX300 in my opinion haha. I'm just trying to steer you into the light!!! I'm glad I went with KTM :P

[diesel_mr2]

I was told I'd regret buying a ktm :p

[vazza]

LOL! Whoever told you that should be thrown in the pit! Hahaha.. Goodluck deciding which bike to get mate!

[Danger]

Actually did consider the 450exc, but as I'd probably end up killing myself on it, I decided against :dodge:

The 450EXC is an extremely easy bike to ride powerwise, not intimidating at all, and its pork is not that noticeable when riding.
The 250EXCF is lighter but its not a fun bike to ride in my opinion, too gutless like all 250 $ strokes but could be a good bike for racing if you like to wring the crap out of your bike or for riding tight trails if thats what your into. Either would be a better option than the KLX300 in my opinion.
More fun for the buck, get a 2 stroke!

[diesel_mr2]

Actually looking at a Husky tc 250 now, really don't want a 450, I only plan on trail riding not racing and 450 just seems a bit excessive...

[vazza]

Huskies are good =) A KLX300 would be very heavy.

[cowpoos]

Huskies are good =) A KLX300 would be very heavy.
they arn't heavy.

[vazza]

106KG dry weight, suppose it isnt bad

It just looks like a tank thats all! haha

[cowpoos]

106KG dry weight, suppose it isnt bad

It just looks like a tank thats all! haha
they are a very very underated machine...very easy to ride. and cheap as chips to maintain. great novice bike!!

[Buddy L]

My dad brought his new in 2003 and still has it, payed $8999 for it then hasn't touched the motor and it still powers along only changed one spark plug and he rides every other week. They are selling these bikes new up in Dargaville now for only $5999 super cheap for a new bike.

[diesel_mr2]

Going to have a look at a klx tomorrow night, sounds like a pretty solid bike

[camchain]

Sorry browser did something funky and ended up double posting. KLX a decent trailbike, I don't regret buying mine. Had a ton of fun on it.

[camchain]

I bought a KLX300 to start riding again after a 20 year break. Was tempted for something more glamorous but felt no point in a higher maintenance competition style bike if not using all the extra performance. Had it for a year then upgraded to EXC200. KLX engine is in a pretty low state of tune so they last a long time. I maintained mine very well but I didn't baby it along. Needed inlet valves at 150hrs. Piston was near mint, even rings were still well in tolerance (but replaced rings anyway).

[humai]

Diesel MR2,

I haven't owned a KLX300 but I've ridden 3 different examples and have had riding buddies who have owned them on and off for several years. The following opinions on the KLX are based on this experience.

Weight: Ready to ride with no gas, they weigh about 112 KG on the scale. They are about the same weight as a steel frame WR250F about 5KG more than a KDX200. They are lighter than every mainstream 450 four stroke enduro bike( in stock trim) on the planet.

Power: They smoke XR250s of any persuasion and are more powerful than the SOHC KTM 250 EXCs. They are much more powerful than a stock KDX200 but a little less powerful than a KDX with an aftermarket pipe/muffler. Unusually for a dirt bike, they have CV carbs, which slightly slows throttle response. A significant upside is that they carburate cleanly and can take an instant full throttle application cleanly without gagging at ridiculously low revs.

Reliability: They are pretty much completely bullet-proof apart from one easy to fix issue: the kickstart idler. Google "KLX idler". It can be fixed with proper shimming. KLX300s should last hundreds of hours between rebuilds if regularly serviced and the aircleaner is looked after.

Starting: They start fine when hot... as long as they were shut down properly prior. If they flame-out, spit back, stall on an aborted hill climb or a crash, or otherwise shut down in a non orderly fashion, they can be difficult to relight when hot. The guaranteed fix is to fit a hot start mechanism like most modern 4 strokes are supplied with, where fresh air from the airbox is piped in to the inlet manifold ahead of the carb through a user-operated valve.

Summary: If you are looking for a tame, friendly, durable trailbike that has a lower than normal seat height, predictable linear power, steers well, is not too heavy, is plush and a very capable handler in normal trail riding conditions at moderate speeds, the KLX300 is a fantastic and highly underrated choice.

[krad_nz]

I've had a ride on two KLX300s. One a mates, the other my brothers.

I must admit that the KLX feels far heavier than a KDX and ALOT less powerful. However, that could just be due to the way a 2t delivers power vs a 4t. My bike has a pro circuit pipe and thats about it performance wise.
Power comes on very smooth by comparison to the KDX. Typical for a 4t though I guess.

I would have to ride my brothers one for a bit longer before I could make a full comparison though.

Brother only recently got his KLX300. I think its a 2003 model. He loves it and its his first motorbike full stop. They have better suspension than a stock KDX and would make an excellent bike for a less experience rider. If you ever want to do some racing I suspect it would come up short, but it was never designed with that in mind.

[tommorth]

If you ever want to do some racing I suspect it would come up short, but it was never designed with that in mind.

This is something so many people miss. The intended purpose of the bike.

[IIIRII]

What Noobi said
I got one brand spankers and took it for a ride at thunder, stopped to assist noobi, would NOT restart at all ......
The only way it would go was by bump starting it.
There was about 4 different people attempting to start this bike, so it wasnt just noob and me.
took it back to the shop told them to sort it out.
Got it back "supposidly" fixed , took it for a ride, WOULD NOT RESTART HOT.
Even just turning it off using the kill switch, it would not start hot.
The ONLY way would be an agressive bump.
Went back to shop, the converstaion was a bit like "Sort this &^@$!*($&!( thing out "
Got it back again , supposidly fixed + some instructions on how to hot start it which was something like,
Make sure the the bike it pointing towards meca, slowly push the kickstart down untill the piston is at 16.25 degrees past tdc, poke tongue out slightly, give it 1/7th of a turn on the throttle and kick it hard .


Yeah right ....
Took it for a ride, WOULD NOT HOT START ....
Put it on Trademe . sold it ....
Bought a 350 kitted 250excf c/w electric start, never looked back.

I would rather not go into where it came from or the discussion about buying it etc:.
Its a pretty safe bet I will never buy another bike from that shop.

[cowpoos]

What Noobi said
I got one brand spankers and took it for a ride at thunder, stopped to assist noobi, would NOT restart at all ......
The only way it would go was by bump starting it.
There was about 4 different people attempting to start this bike, so it wasnt just noob and me.
took it back to the shop told them to sort it out.
Got it back "supposidly" fixed , took it for a ride, WOULD NOT RESTART HOT.
Even just turning it off using the kill switch, it would not start hot.
The ONLY way would be an agressive bump.
Went back to shop, the converstaion was a bit like "Sort this &^@$!*($&!( thing out "
Got it back again , supposidly fixed + some instructions on how to hot start it which was something like,
Make sure the the bike it pointing towards meca, slowly push the kickstart down untill the piston is at 16.25 degrees past tdc, poke tongue out slightly, give it 1/7th of a turn on the throttle and kick it hard .

.

what the hell did you do to it?? I've had three of them...start first kick every time hot...no more than third kick on a frosty morning cold!!

[noobi]

is has suddenly dawned on me that maybe it wouldnt start properly is because it wasnt run in yet? could this have made a difference?

[laserracer]

my son started riding 18 month ago he had never riden before he started on a 2004 klx300 they are a great bike to learn on and do everything right , as well as being able to climb like a mountain goat he then progressed on to a yz 250 2t and now just brought a yz 450 .. so it was the ideal bike to start on

[barty5]

is has suddenly dawned on me that maybe it wouldnt start properly is because it wasnt run in yet? could this have made a difference?

very unlikely

[diesel_mr2]

Well, I've been and had a look at a Klx300, took it for a test ride and it seemed pretty mint and I'll hopefully pick it on wednesday :)

[Motoxparts]

If the klx300 needs more power and you not want to change checkout our Two Brothers M7 exhaust fit on go big power gains and sound alot better

www.motoxparts.co.nz

[DaveHonda]

I've got a KLX300, bought it new late last year. These things are great trailbikes, climb hills that stop a lot of other bikes in their tracks. If you know what you are doing, its a good simple trailbike that will give you a lot of fun. Its no racer, but thats not what I wanted anyway. They can sometimes be a little cranky when hot, but if you know how to start 4 strokes, at most 5 kicks will see them going even after parking upside down. I love it. Get it. You wont regret it.

[cowpoos]

I've got a KLX300, bought it new late last year. These things are great trailbikes, climb hills that stop a lot of other bikes in their tracks. If you know what you are doing, its a good simple trailbike that will give you a lot of fun. Its no racer, but thats not what I wanted anyway. They can sometimes be a little cranky when hot, but if you know how to start 4 strokes, at most 5 kicks will see them going even after parking upside down. I love it. Get it. You wont regret it.
Hot start....get compresion to the top of the kick...full throttle...kick...95% of the time first pop start on all three klx300's I've had.

[diesel_mr2]

Bought it a bit over a week ago, very pleased with it, haven't had any probs hot starting it yet. (then again 20 mins at a time may not be as hot as it gets?)
I must say the thing has stacks of bottom end torque for climbing hills, just seems to pull and pull!

Bought a cycle works exhaust the other day should arrive on monday :D

[camchain]

Spend another $100 on carb kit to take full advantage of that pipe. Stock needle not the best. Enjoy your new bike.

[laserracer]

sons one had a dyna jet and full exhaust went very well with these mods

[diesel_mr2]

Spend another $100 on carb kit to take full advantage of that pipe. Stock needle not the best. Enjoy your new bike.

So I should re-jet it?

[camchain]

So I should re-jet it?

You certainly don't have to, but mods like these potentiate each other. Having spent a fair bit on a new exhaust system it's worth the bit extra to tweak the carb as engine will be breathing a lot better. BTW make sure you remove the airbox lid otherwise might as well leave the new pipe in the box.

The stock KLX300 muffler is really not that restrictive (it's just heavy), the real prob is header pipe which is just too small in diameter (stock header is from earlier model KLX250, 300 is bored out 250). The exhaust port on the 300 is larger then the stock header, you'll see it's quite a big size step down from port to pipe.

KLX carb is a CV (diaphram) job, good for emissions/economy but not performance. Note your throttle cable is not attached to the carb slide, it operates a butterfly valve in carb throat, then engine suck causes diaphram pressure differential which then lifts the slide = slow throttle response.

Apparently they really come to life with a new carb but it's a bit of a major (usually frame mods involved). Dynojet kit works pretty well and very simple to fit. You don't get many parts for your $100 but the result is worth it (Kit has much better needle which has sharper stepped taper, different shape main jet to suit needle, and a drill bit to open up the slide lift hole under diaphram). I felt the kit gave a similar boost again on top of new exhaust system, so = good value. Carb kit gave no extra top end power but better throttle response and boost to bottom end. I only wished I'd done the carb kit straight away.

[diesel_mr2]

Thanks camchain, that's what I needed to know ;) (there's a big bore header coming with the exhaust) so this dynojet kit, do I just get that a Kawasaki dealership? or is that something I'd get online somewhere?

[camchain]

Glad to help if I can. I got mine from AMPS in Newmarket (Think I Googled Dynojet and they came up) but maybe your local kwaka dealer can get one in for you. From memory instructions re setup were a bit vague but you can't go too far wrong, play with needle clip position for best result. I'd fit the pipe first, go for a squirt up the street just before doing carb so you can feel the difference.

[cowpoos]

Thanks camchain, that's what I needed to know ;) (there's a big bore header coming with the exhaust) so this dynojet kit, do I just get that a Kawasaki dealership? or is that something I'd get online somewhere?
try these guys http://www.thequadshop.co.nz/ they have heaps of hot up parts for klX300's including bigbore pistons kits etc...carbs the works!!

[diesel_mr2]

Hey thanks for that cowpoos! I'll check it out when the sites back up (down for maintenance)


Fitted the new header and exhaust today, turns out the old header was only held on by one nut which was barely finger tight, the other had riggled off I presume... Anywho, the new one's on and certainly adds more top end power!

[alex_nz]

Nice. Just got a klx250 (a month ago) with some adventure tyres on it now. Have not had any issues starting it and it's a 1994 (13,000kms). Third kick max on a cold morning and usually first pop when hot. Can't get enough of it!

[diesel_mr2]

Nice. Just got a klx250 (a month ago) with some adventure tyres on it now. Have not had any issues starting it and it's a 1994 (13,000kms). Third kick max on a cold morning and usually first pop when hot. Can't get enough of it!

Nice one. Yeah I find it kind funny, for a four-stroke, how it takes more kicks when it's cold than when it's hot! my brother has a husky tc450, and when that thing gets hot it's a prick to start, he stalled it going through a stream one day and it took him about 5 mins to get it going again, good times, good times :P

[DaveHonda]

The thing about these KLX300's that really surprises me is that sometimes I'll be simply kicking it slowly to get to TDC with the weight of my leg, and the bloody thing just starts! Amazing, and I've owned a lot of big 4 strokes (tt600, xt550, xt500, xl350 etc) back in the old days.. Never had anything that starts quite so easy. Good thing is, it will grunt up the sort of hill where you've had to change direction quickly and are faced with a real steep bit.. she'll just grunt on over it no worries.. Good bike.