KMX 125 on/off road project.

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

Hi all.

I've just joined this forum, I've just bought a fairly knackered and largely compete 90/91 (still yet to have a look at the frame number) for the bargain price of £120.

I'm planning a full rebuild and possibly a Supermotard conversion if I can find the right wheels.

I've got a bet on with her indoors that I can't do it for less than £750!!

I've been trying to upload some pics but photobucket isn't playing on my phone.

If anyone has any hints or tips on this model then any help appreciated Smile

stevo as b4 · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Karma :

No pics why????????? Laughing

Great price for a complete bike. Thumbs Up

Hope it's legit when you check it out too.

£750 sounds interesting and doable just? I think if you can get away with leaving the engine alone and all the plastics are re-usable, you could come in for £750 on a re-build. Will you be painting stuff like the frame yourself, or going for powder coating?

As for wheels, the two cheapest options if you can sort out the spacers/spindles to suit would surely be NSR125R or GPZ500S wheels. They can both be made to fit the KMX, but not many people want cast alloy's for the full SM look. Road tyres in 21/18" sizes are cheaper and definitely work, but don't quite have the look I guess?

I have no useful advice to add for your project if your to keep on budget other than:

1, Don't buy a Wilbers shock,
2, Don't Buy Conti attack tubeless tyres.
3, Don't buy a brand new flat slide carb.

There still seems to be plenty of 125cc bits on Ebay though and it was a popular bike, so you do hear of people finding old bits in their shed and wanting rid of them etc.

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

Hoorah! Photo bucket is working Smile

Here she is.

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/E0E4051C-A566-4428-82EE-CCD9AF25CCE9.jpg

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/E758E844-26B5-4EBF-8B3E-DC599F7993B7.jpg

I hope it's legit too, that's just put a nagging doubt at the back of my mind :/

Further investigation has revealed some slightly twisted forks and a badly scored cylinder.

I'm still planning on my £750 budget. I'm planning getting the frame powdercoated and some aftermarket plastics.

I'm pretty handy with the spanners (I'm a nuclear engineer and I've built a fair few cars)

I hope I'm not going to be eating my words!! Smile

dangerousdave · Traffic Copper Joined: 22 Apr 2011 Karma :

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

I hadn't noticed the number board!!

Anyway, I straightened the forks and then took them off, along with everything else.

So far, the frame looks nice and straight, the yoke bearings are knackered, the wheels are both rotten, and the wiring loom is a hateful mess of knots and twisted together wires.

I've also got a sneaking suspicion that this bike has been maintained by enthusiastic amateurs. I don't think I've found 2 fasteners the same and there's a couple of UNC bolts chucked in for good measure!!! Still we were all young and daft once.

Think the plan for this week will be to get the frame powder coated along with the handlebar and possibly the rear shock spring?? Although I dunno if that will just crack??

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/86D7FB50-6E09-4ED4-8590-C5048C4BA2B4_1.jpg

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/1C70229B-7626-471A-90FE-DD9123440B90.jpg

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/7A2D04D2-30A2-4856-A8CC-4B7AAD647710_1.jpg

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

At least the pegs will be easy to get off Laughing

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/1225FF8A-2B93-4BD9-BDA5-C916B0DF2749.jpg

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

Also, are these bushes? Bearings? Supposed to be eccentric? Or just plain knackered??

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/286A321D-593D-49DC-A2A4-7367804CF798_1.jpg

stevo as b4 · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Karma :

Nice project indeed, but I would say that! Wink

Seeing as your going for powdercoat and have all the bike stripped now, I would seriously consider having as much of the bike p.coated as possible. It won't cost much different for a few extra parts, so anything that can be re-used I would send off at the same time. Id the wheel rims and hubs are usable still id do them too.

Shame about the motor needing work, as it seems that it's engine and rear suspension work that breaks budgets with KMX's.

As an alternative to a re-conditioned cylinder, it might be worth mentioning Cradley Kawasaki have some new 125cc cylinders at £220, comparing well with a re-lined/re-plated bore in some cases.

Take a deep breath before you ask at the counter for rear suspension linkage seals and bearings though, but a lot of the rest of the bike looks good and should clean up nicely.

I quite like the red seat with a green bike too. It would make me think of doing the frame red and building the bike in Kawasaki France race colours.

Good luck with it, and think of the lols once it's finished too! Smile

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

Cheers Stevo!

I had a look at the rear suspension bush/bearing prices.

Then I had a sit down and a ciggy.

Way more than I thought!!

I've been trying to get those inserts shown in my last picture out. It looks like someone has had a welder in there at some point :/ I'm not sure what's supposed to be what now.

Worst case I'll make something on the lathe and weld it in.

That cylinder sounds like a shout, I'll do a bit of investigation Smile

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

stevo as b4 · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Karma :

https://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2/23windowdlx/BIKESIDE2.jpg

Maybe not the best pic, but this was the vague scheme I was thinking of?

But maybe the red seat, red frame and a white stripe on the green bodywork/tank would give the same look kind of?

It does look at bit like some thick washers have been tacked into that linkage? Maybe a removal attempt that went wrong?

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

My new £25 eBay stand/lift arrived today.

Perfect timing as I've just dismantled the bike Rolling Eyes

So I've put it to an alternative use.

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/3148D519-7513-432E-B97F-E8176522C2C7_1.jpg

Just_James · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 29 Aug 2014 Karma :

Have you checked if the bike is legit yet?

It makes for good project material and I'd like something similar myself but wouldn't want to put too much money into something that's only going to be a field bike.
____________________
Current Bikes / Projects: 1999 Rieju RS1 50
Previous bikes - 1986 DT125R (field bike), 1989 KX250, 1980 KX420 (with 500cc big bore), 1992 YZ250, 1988 KX500, 1989 XR250R, 1988 VFR400R NC24, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 2008 Rieju RS2 50 , 1993 Honda NSR 125

Boxing · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Karma :

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

Just_James · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 29 Aug 2014 Karma :

Are you certain it only has 12 digits? I'm pretty sure it should have 17
____________________
Current Bikes / Projects: 1999 Rieju RS1 50
Previous bikes - 1986 DT125R (field bike), 1989 KX250, 1980 KX420 (with 500cc big bore), 1992 YZ250, 1988 KX500, 1989 XR250R, 1988 VFR400R NC24, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 2008 Rieju RS2 50 , 1993 Honda NSR 125

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

Just got a bit excited then, I thought I'd found the VIN.

I saw some faint digits through the paint on the other side of the neck which looked like E1NJ4P

Result! I thought Smile

Sanded it back, it says MADEINJAPAN Laughing

Just_James · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 29 Aug 2014 Karma :

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

dydey90 · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Oct 2013 Karma :

I don't know much about these bikes, but are you sure it's a KMX and not a KX? The KMX was the roadgoing derivative with headlights and such.

Check here to see if you can find a VIN. Looks like yours should start with MX125, if it's the KX rather than the KMX it'll start with KX125.
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,~~ER6f~~ NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

System of a Clown · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Karma :

It's def a KMX

https://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg63/cpopaul/CB7DECCF-AC6C-432E-9329-936EE2F62199.jpg

Just_James · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 29 Aug 2014 Karma :

That does seem right after a bit of googling.

From what I gather, that makes it a 1991 KMX125-B6 (UK)
____________________
Current Bikes / Projects: 1999 Rieju RS1 50
Previous bikes - 1986 DT125R (field bike), 1989 KX250, 1980 KX420 (with 500cc big bore), 1992 YZ250, 1988 KX500, 1989 XR250R, 1988 VFR400R NC24, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 2008 Rieju RS2 50 , 1993 Honda NSR 125