Opinions & help please - 97/98 Kawasaki KLX300s

[cave weta]

Are you serious about selling yours or ???

Let me know...Im am a keen person with cash wanting to get a KLX300 ASAP!!!!

Come and ride it- I paid $2200 on TM about a year ago- its getting a bit baggy but goes well- dont know what year it is.

[camchain]

I bought a 2 year old KLX300 to get back onto dirt riding after 20yrs off bikes. Had it for a year and it was an excellent choice, I had a blast on it. A ten year old dirt bike is getting pretty long in the tooth though, so even though you're obviously keen, don't be in too much of a rush to buy. Take some time to find a decent one. If buying long distance, get seller to send some decent close up photos.

If the kick start idler gear goes, they can do a lot of damage - or no damage, depending on your luck. All bikes have their weak points so don't let this put you off the excellent KLX. Not a huge deal to pull the cover to check and shim the gear, although I never got around to it! Stroker USA used to make a wider/tougher gear but they folded the company. (Stroker also used to make a modified shift star but the stock one can be fairly easily modifed for much improved gear shifting). Never had any trouble with my idler gear, but I have seen one let go on a brand new bike.

When you get yours, the idea is to try and avoid a big heave on the kicker when piston is right on compression (at top dead centre), this puts extra load on the idler gear. Stroke the kicker a good half kick or more past the 'hardest point' & this sets the auto decompressor (lifts an exhaust valve). OK, it's difficult, or rather impossible to do this when you're angry, sweating & stuck in bog but just be aware of it. That's just my take on it, so keep an open mind for other views on the subject.

Also as already mentioned, check steering head bearings. The KLX steering stem has a slot cut through it for a steering lock (for road legal versions). Water can run down via the slot & onto the bottom bearing & bugger it fairly quickly. A bike with shot bearing is no reason to worry but replacing bearing is a bit of a pita (I filled slot with silastic when I did my bearing).
To check, rock the bike back onto side stand so front wheel is off the gound, rock the handle bar side to side, and note any 'notchy' feeling. Get someone to grab fork legs and feel for movement. Two heads and pairs of eyes when looking at a used bike is a good idea anyway. I always forget to look at one thing or another.

A bike that is suddenly very hard to start may have knackered inlet valves. If your seller has just shimmed them, they are already gone (through the hardening) and will need replacing shortly. Not a big drama to replace valves if you're handy on the spanners.

[RØKSTA]

Come and ride it- I paid $2200 on TM about a year ago- its getting a bit baggy but goes well- dont know what year it is.

PM'd you bout yer bike mate

[RØKSTA]

Come and ride it- I paid $2200 on TM about a year ago- its getting a bit baggy but goes well- dont know what year it is.

Are you getting my messages dude? Email r0ksta@xtra.co.nz or 021 039 7939

[RØKSTA]

Still on the prowl for a KLX guys if anyone has one... Cave Weta, still waiting to hear back from you man! Give me a buzz!

[cave weta]

Still on the prowl for a KLX guys if anyone has one... Cave Weta, still waiting to hear back from you man! Give me a buzz!

Ive just got in from work- and yes My phone has died!
I will go out to the shed and shoot these bikes- back soon with photos.

[cave weta]

Here ya go the rider I will be out on tomorrow- the dead one - I had to climb over other dead things to get to it- Its at the back of a shed crammed with bikes.

[RØKSTA]

Hey Stu, Cheers for pics. So are they both KLX300's???

No probs with the good one? Could I come down for a ride?
Does it have a headlight & does it still work? Does it have a spedo?


Really keen mate. Let us know. Looks good.

// Rob

[krad_nz]

Just found this in my travels.
Someone might find it useful. KLX250 with KLX300 supplemental workshop manual.

Guessing that the 250 & 300 are pretty similar. pdf format. ~ 15megs 299 pages.

http://www.mediafire.com/?b200n2cdtcq

[RØKSTA]

Guys, whats the nack to starting these bikes?

[RØKSTA]

Uh Hello???????

[Ride it till the red]

Depends entirely on the bike as to how you start it mate. Friend of mine has a KLX250 and it seems to like one or two big stamps on the kick start with no throttle and full choke. Then change it to half choke and it normally kicks first time no throttle. And then you can't touch it till it's warmed up a little when you can rev her a tad and take the choke off when sufficiently warm.

Might help but who knows, ya got one thats playing up?

[RØKSTA]

Yea got no half choke, only full or nothing

[secondfield]

Shouldnt make any difference ... have you seen the bike running before? Sometimes it takes a while if your new to bikes to get a feel for the starting effort. Not much help but thats the way it is ... You got any mates nearby that have bikes?. Check the spark maybe and clear out the float bowl of the carby if its beens sitting a while ... fresh gas? you dont have the killswitch engaged?

[krad_nz]

These bikes are sometimes really difficult to start.

Gently turn the engine over until you feel a point of high resistance (top dead centre) now give it a boot. Repeat until started.

If all else fails roll starting can help. My brother has a KLX300 that won't start when you give it a boot full. I was trying to start it for him oneday and performed the above procedure. However, as I was gently turning it over to find TDC it started up. Weird.

I think he needs to shim up something which gets loose in these bikes. Lots of info on the net about it.