Info needed for a 1982 KX250

theinternetkid
Edited Date/Time 8/5/2019 1:48pm
Hey guys,

Looking to pull from some of the experience on this section of the board. My friend has a 1982 KX 250. It was rebuilt a few years ago, then sat and had some moisture build up in the crankcase. It needs main bearings and a fresh top end (and whatever else we find).

What's the value of this thing as it sits and what would it be worth running?

What's the best source of parts for something this old?

Thanks in advance.




1
|
MaxPower
Profile picture for user MaxPower
Posts
2646
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
NJ US
MaxPower 7/18/2019 3:52pm
7/18/2019 3:52pm
How is the cylinder plating? Early electrofusion wore quickly. The bike looks in great condition.
The biggest disadvantage on that bike is the Ahrma will bump that into a class with newer bikes because of the disc. If someone races an organization that allows 1982 motorcycles to ride against other 1982 morocycles it would be more fair.
Price is how much someone has to spend and how bad they want a KX. I'd love to own a 250. I don't have anything to spend on one. They are rare, someone will want it.
notme
Profile picture for user notme
Posts
570
Joined
5/23/2010
Location
CA
notme 7/18/2019 4:35pm
7/18/2019 4:35pm Edited Date/Time 7/18/2019 4:35pm
I had some great races on one! Id pay around $900-1200 for that one but then it has a bit of sentimentality value to me. Not a great reliable bike in its day... price will vary on most any bike depending on location!
Thats what im on in my avatar.
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7563
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 7/19/2019 7:12am
7/19/2019 7:12am
But it has a unique place in history. It's the last air cooled KX250.
GforceCoatings 7/19/2019 7:59am
7/19/2019 7:59am Edited Date/Time 7/19/2019 8:04am
I restored one of those old girls 4 years ago. It was a fun project. Found all the needed parts online with some digging. Good luck with the build.
4

The Shop

See All »
GforceCoatings 7/19/2019 8:02am
7/19/2019 8:02am Edited Date/Time 7/19/2019 8:05am
I'm sure I have extra stuff in my shop if you need something.
ATKpilot99
Profile picture for user ATKpilot99
Posts
9806
Joined
4/13/2010
Location
Lake Geneva, WI US
ATKpilot99 7/19/2019 12:02pm
7/19/2019 12:02pm
I got a leftover new one in 84 . One of my favorite bikes.
theinternetkid 7/19/2019 7:54pm
7/19/2019 7:54pm
MaxPower wrote:
How is the cylinder plating? Early electrofusion wore quickly. The bike looks in great condition. The biggest disadvantage on that bike is the Ahrma will bump...
How is the cylinder plating? Early electrofusion wore quickly. The bike looks in great condition.
The biggest disadvantage on that bike is the Ahrma will bump that into a class with newer bikes because of the disc. If someone races an organization that allows 1982 motorcycles to ride against other 1982 morocycles it would be more fair.
Price is how much someone has to spend and how bad they want a KX. I'd love to own a 250. I don't have anything to spend on one. They are rare, someone will want it.
The cylinder looks good for the most part. One of the corners of the skirt on the intake side is chipped off. Not sure how much that will affect things or if it’s repairable
theinternetkid 7/19/2019 7:56pm
7/19/2019 7:56pm
GforceCoatings wrote:
I'm sure I have extra stuff in my shop if you need something.
Definitely could use the main crank bearings and all of the gaskets for splitting the cases. Let me know what you have.
theinternetkid 7/19/2019 8:00pm
7/19/2019 8:00pm
Wandell wrote:
But it has a unique place in history. It's the last air cooled KX250.
Being air cooled helped me ID the correct year of the bike. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about bent radiators
theinternetkid 7/19/2019 8:04pm
7/19/2019 8:04pm
GforceCoatings wrote:
I restored one of those old girls 4 years ago. It was a fun project. Found all the needed parts online with some digging. Good luck...
I restored one of those old girls 4 years ago. It was a fun project. Found all the needed parts online with some digging. Good luck with the build.
Wow, beautiful collection, excellent work.
1
socalkiwi
Profile picture for user socalkiwi
Posts
29
Joined
10/29/2012
Location
El Cajon, CA US
socalkiwi 7/21/2019 6:43am
7/21/2019 6:43am
I have rebuilt two of these bikes and both have sold to overseas buyers for $2800 due to their rarity, it’s a challenge to get parts but with some digging on eBay etc it can be done.


3
SKramer
Profile picture for user SKramer
Posts
23
Joined
7/30/2019
Location
Casa Grande, AZ US
SKramer 7/30/2019 9:56pm
7/30/2019 9:56pm
That's my old bike. I rebuilt it from the ground up about 5 years ago in Arizona.
I had powerseal replate the cylinder and fit a piston.
Cylinder was supposed to have been ported by Noleens.
Put a PVL ignition and new carb on it also.
Amazing how these bikes get around.
Good luck with it.
Uncle Tony
Profile picture for user Uncle Tony
Posts
4149
Joined
6/30/2014
Location
New York, NY US
Uncle Tony 7/30/2019 10:16pm
7/30/2019 10:16pm
Sentimental has mental in it lol just kidding, nice bike
theinternetkid 8/1/2019 1:56pm
8/1/2019 1:56pm
SKramer wrote:
That's my old bike. I rebuilt it from the ground up about 5 years ago in Arizona. I had powerseal replate the cylinder and fit a...
That's my old bike. I rebuilt it from the ground up about 5 years ago in Arizona.
I had powerseal replate the cylinder and fit a piston.
Cylinder was supposed to have been ported by Noleens.
Put a PVL ignition and new carb on it also.
Amazing how these bikes get around.
Good luck with it.
Small world. Speaking of small world, I stayed in Casa Grande when I went to Free Fall School back in 2010. Had a lot of fun at "The Gym" and rented some dirt bikes up near Phoenix.
MaxPower
Profile picture for user MaxPower
Posts
2646
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
NJ US
MaxPower 8/1/2019 5:29pm
8/1/2019 5:29pm
I need an airbox from that bike. You aren't using yours are you?
socalkiwi
Profile picture for user socalkiwi
Posts
29
Joined
10/29/2012
Location
El Cajon, CA US
socalkiwi 8/2/2019 11:55am
8/2/2019 11:55am
Search 1981 / 1982 KDX250 on eBay, air filter housing is the same
socalkiwi
Profile picture for user socalkiwi
Posts
29
Joined
10/29/2012
Location
El Cajon, CA US
socalkiwi 8/2/2019 12:47pm
8/2/2019 12:47pm
Search 1981 / 1982 KDX250 on eBay, air filter housing is the same

Pit Row

See All »
MaxPower
Profile picture for user MaxPower
Posts
2646
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
NJ US
MaxPower 8/3/2019 9:12am
8/3/2019 9:12am
socalkiwi wrote:
Search 1981 / 1982 KDX250 on eBay, air filter housing is the same
Thanks. I need a airboot with a larger ID to accept a bigger carb on my 125. I'm thinking the KDX250 might run a smaller carb than the KX250. I already asked the seller on Ebay the dimension and it was the same as on my 125. It's still may be bigger though as it can be hard to tell accurately as rubber is flexible .
riv187
Profile picture for user riv187
Posts
527
Joined
2/1/2015
Location
Lakeland, FL US
riv187 8/4/2019 6:22pm
8/4/2019 6:22pm
I think many times restoring a bike is a break even or loss. It’s easy for me to spend 800-1000 rebuilding a engine properly,, replated cylinder, piston kit, rod kit, clutch, basket,oem bearings, odds &ends. I love KXs this vintage, and have a 84 kx250 I got locally craigslist for $300 that doesn’t appear much worse than yours.. I’ll probably blow $2000 grand in parts,, and lots of free hours to get it looking similar to other fellows above.
DavetheVintageGuy 8/4/2019 7:19pm
8/4/2019 7:19pm
Plastics are easy to find. Nightmare Racing has nice gloss finish plastic for your bike. And pretty much any Kawi from the 70s to late 80s. He can also help you find some of the other stuff you may need.
MaxPower
Profile picture for user MaxPower
Posts
2646
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
NJ US
MaxPower 8/5/2019 1:48pm
8/5/2019 1:48pm
Many times a break even or a loss? Ya think ? I'd say it's close to 98% of the time a loss . Unless you found a real low hour bike buried in a climate controled time capsule or you are ok with riding a rat. The 2% of the time you will do better is on a Maico or CZ , neither of which is my thing. I can't ride rattly kick start bike with sagging pegs ,round knobs and blown shocks. This kx250 looks good. Maybe it's my own sickness, but I'd still spend money I didn't make yet to make it good or better as it was in 82

Post a reply to: Info needed for a 1982 KX250