New old KX owner from Australia

[LukeG]

Hello everyone out there. I was just given a 1990 KX250 by my father in-law which had been sitting in an open garden shed for the last seven years and am going to try to restore it to it's former glory. I live in Victoria, Australia and ride a DRZ 400 motard. Looking forward to reading through the posts on here and I hope I can get some help and guidance when I need it with my restoration.

Here's the KX in my shed at home. Halk the bolts are missing or the holes are stripped out. The forks are corroded and cracked. The crank seal to the water jacket was leaking supposedly. The exhaust is badely dented and rusty and mislocated. The clutch perch is completely missing. I have started sniffing around the net trying to find parts for it. Exhausts for the 90 don't seem to be available as are cranks. I was wondering if I could use a later crank in there from a 92, I know the stroke is longer but at the moment I don't care about keeping it as a 250.



I will probably spend the next week or so going through old posts before I go asking any questions.
Thanks for your time. 

[Foxx4Beaver]

welcome LukeG...good lookin 90 for sittin around for 7 years!

[sandblaster]

welcome.
The 90 kx250 crank is the same as the 91-94 KDX250.
The Kawi rod is the same as 86-93 KX250, 91-94 KDX250.
If you can find a rod kit you can have the crank rebuilt.

This eBay seller claims 78-07
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KAWASAKI-KX250-KX-KDX-250-KDX250-ENGINE-CRANK-CONNECTING-ROD-KIT-78-07-/131107645807?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e869fe96f&vxp=mtr

Here's another:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KX250-KX-KDX-250-KDX250-ENGINE-CRANK-CONNECTING-ROD-KIT-/150699372401?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item231661ef71&vxp=mtr

If that fitment is correct it means that the newer cranks had the rod pin drilled 1 mm different then the earlier years while essentially using the same rod.

[motopunk]

welcome.
The 90 kx250 crank is the same as the 91-94 KDX250.
The Kawi rod is the same as 86-93 KX250, 91-94 KDX250.
If you can find a rod kit you can have the crank rebuilt.

This eBay seller claims 78-07
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KAWASAKI-KX250-KX-KDX-250-KDX250-ENGINE-CRANK-CONNECTING-ROD-KIT-78-07-/131107645807?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e869fe96f&vxp=mtr

Here's another:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KX250-KX-KDX-250-KDX250-ENGINE-CRANK-CONNECTING-ROD-KIT-/150699372401?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item231661ef71&vxp=mtr

If that fitment is correct it means that the newer cranks had the rod pin drilled 1 mm different then the earlier years while essentially using the same rod.

full agreed...  you only need a guy who is able to press the new conrod in and balance it correctly... 

 some oem-parts for the 1990/91 models you could find here ... www.cmsnl.com  , bearings gaskets and seals are still available from prox, moose , allballs racing, athena , cometic , winderosa and so on. the most of them you could find easily in ebay or directly on their own websites...
  plastics you´ll find at www.nightmare-racing.com or simply www.ufoplast.com

exhaust could used a later year or you look for fmf or pro-circuit. they still offer pipes for older bikes ...

and by the way : great base for restauration ..i´ve seen bikes in much more painful conditions, that only the half time of yours were sitting untouched... 

[zz3gmc]

i bought the first 90 to come into my dealer in 89. It was a good bike. I raced enduros on it.

[motopunk]

i bought the first 90 to come into my dealer in 89. It was a good bike. I raced enduros on it.

1990 was the first year as the kx-bikes could legally bought for the first time after the fall of the iron curtain here in east-germany  ...  
 before this,  were here this stupid cz-only or handcrafted race-bikes rule...  

[Foxx4Beaver]

at the moment I don't care about keeping it as a 250.

hmmm...if that's the case, if you have the time, money, and the means....you could make yourself a sweet Billy Liles style bike out of it ....something to let ponder around the mind.

http://www.mxclassicracing.com/53101598ea1033303/0492fb9ba01454603/0492fb9ef811fa505/index.html

[motopunk]

at the moment I don't care about keeping it as a 250.

hmmm...if that's the case, if you have the time, money, and the means....you could make yourself a sweet Billy Liles style bike out of it ....something to let ponder around the mind.

http://www.mxclassicracing.com/53101598ea1033303/0492fb9ba01454603/0492fb9ef811fa505/index.html

great idea... a billy liles team johnson kx250
  and you should know this is one of the 3 last real kx500sr factory-gp-bikes with a lot of special features, like 4 speed gearbox , 2peace-clutch-cover, cylinderhead for the parallel cooling system , special made factory exhaust, engine performance like a dream .. i dont know, what i would give to own one of these bikes... 

[LukeG]

I have been thinking down those lines. Even getting it taken out to 300cc would be good. I have been looking at some 92 barrels on ebay but people always sell the powervalve assembly seperate which ends up costing more. I did find a 93 full barrel and head with KIPS in place but that was the year they changed the head and I think it may be a plumbing nightmare. First thing is to get it stripped down and the frame repaired.

Thanks for the help so far guys!

[motopunk]

I have been thinking down those lines. Even getting it taken out to 300cc would be good. I have been looking at some 92 barrels on ebay but people always sell the powervalve assembly seperate which ends up costing more. I did find a 93 full barrel and head with KIPS in place but that was the year they changed the head and I think it may be a plumbing nightmare. First thing is to get it stripped down and the frame repaired.

Thanks for the help so far guys!

the 93-cylinder would fit without big problems to the 90 motor bottom...  but you need also the 92-2004 crank because  the cylinder is longer and needs also the longer stroke...

to do the older cylinder to a newer motorbottom is easier, because it needs only a spacer to lift up the cylinder to the right height.
i think you should complete rebuild your engine or make a complete change to a newer 250-engine..  but if you rebuild your engine, you will always know what you have ... most of the used engines and parts on the market need a very good look or rebuild...

[sandblaster]

but if you rebuild your engine, you will always know what you have ... most of the used engines and parts on the market need a very good look or rebuild...

+1

[motopunk]

but if you rebuild your engine, you will always know what you have ... most of the used engines and parts on the market need a very good look or rebuild...

+1

  ... thanks sandblaster... 

[Foxx4Beaver]

but if you rebuild your engine, you will always know what you have ... most of the used engines and parts on the market need a very good look or rebuild...

+1

yup +2....that's why EVERYTHING except the case halves were replaced with all brand new OEM parts on my last rebuild...I'm too embarrassed to reveal how much I spent this time, I could've easily bought another sweet used car/4X4...but I know everything is totally brand new, and should last me a long time. If we could just get some decent weather now, so I can finish breaking it in.

[sandblaster]

I hadn't planned on replacing everything in my engine as I already had new cases.... but... things happen 

[Foxx4Beaver]

I hadn't planned on replacing everything in my engine as I already had new cases.... but... things happen 

you're the only one that has an idea what I've spent...since then you can add another $2K on all kinds of little odds and ends, mostly cosmetic crap I really don't need..
got new pegs/pins/springs and rear brake line guides yesterday...



just more crap I didn't need...I do know I need HELP in more ways than one