Frequently Asked Questions


MY QUESTION ISN'T HERE -- WHERE CAN I GET IT ANSWERED?


WHERE CAN I FIND PARTS FOR MY KLX?
If your local Kawasaki shop doesn't have what you're looking for, click KLX Parts


WHY IS MY KLX GETTING HARD TO START?
Check valve clearances: Intake = 0.10mm to 19mm (.004" to .0075") and Exhaust = 0.15mm to 0.24mm (.006" to 94")


WHY DID THE "FREE POWER" MODS MAKE MY KLX RUN LIKE CRAP?
Make sure that your bike is a 49 state model. If you have a CA model you need to change your needle to 49 state specs: Kawasaki's NEEDLE-JET, N1TC (p/n 16009-1912), CLIP (p/n 92037-140) and COLLAR (p/n 92143-1667).   Most KLXers, however, recommend you install a Dyno Jet Kit...


DOES REMOVING THE BUTT PLUG DISABLE THE SPARK ARRESTER?
No Butt Plug Req'd


WHAT AFTER-MARKET EXHAUST SYSTEMS FIT THE KLX?
Not as many as there used to be. Click... Exhaust Pros & Cons


HOW DO I REPACK THE SILENCER AND SERVICE MY SPARK ARRESTER?
You don't, the stock exhaust is a welded, one-piece unit with nothing inside to wear out. Click... Stock Muffler Diagram, then zoom inside.


WHAT SPRINGS SHOULD I USE?
Depends on your riding weight, the type of riding you do and other factors. Click Spring Rates for the springs recommedned by Race Tech.   The most accurate way to determine the correct spring is to perform Sag Adjustments


HOW DO I ADJUST THE SUSPENSION?
Click SAG ADJUSTMENTS for a step-by-step procedure, then buy the $30 video from Fineline Suspension and do DAMPENING ADJUSTMENTS. The following websites are also good...


HOW DO I TUNE MY CARBURETOR?
Start with... Carb Tuning then go here...factorypro.com


WHERE CAN I FIND SOME REALLY COOL GRAPHICS FOR MY KLX?
Tracy Smith's XGX Graphics


HOW DO I CLEAN MY CARBURETOR?
Spray the crud away... Carb Cleaning


WHAT'S THE DEAL ON THE KX CLUTCH UPDATE?
The KLX clutch is based on a 93 KX 125 clutch. The stock KLX steel plates are just as good as the KX ones. If  yours are in good shape use them or order more stock ones. The big difference is in the KX friction plates P/N 13088-1090. You can use all seven KX friction plates if you remove the jada spring and washer. If you choose to not to remove those parts then use six KX plates and the last plate in the stack has to be a KLX friction plate. Just to clarify, that's seven friction plates P/N 13088-1090 and six steel plates P/N 13089-1094.


WHAT CAUSES THE KLX TO RUN HOT?
The weather, deep sand, high altitude and the curse of qwerty... :))   Try changing your coolant.   Some people run Water Wetter or Engine Ice, and some install the radiator cap (P/N 49085-1073) from a KX500...


ARE THERE ANY AFTER-MARKET FUEL TANKS FOR THE KLX?
Yes, Acerbis and IMS make larger-than-stock tanks for the KLX. Click... AFTERMARKET FUEL TANKS for the details


IS IT POSSIBLE TO REPAIR A FUEL TANK?
Yes, click... TANK REPAIR for the details


HOW CAN I KEEP THIEVES FROM STEALING MY KLX?
Nothing can stop an experienced, well-equipped thief from stealing your bike.
But there's plenty of things you can do to slow him down until you get there... LOCK YOUR BIKE


DO TRIALS TIRES WORK ON THE KLX?
Yes, when traction is critical, a trials tire can be a good solution. Click... TRIALS TIRES


HOW DO I GET MY GRIPS TO STICK ON THE BARS?
You can buy grip glue, but WD-40 works good, too, by dissolving a thin layer of the inside of the grip.   Hair spray or spray paint is even better. Spray the bars and the inside of the grip, slip 'em on and ride!...


HOW DO I CONVERT BETWEEN METRIC AND INCH TIRE SIZES?
Click... TIRE SIZES


HOW DO I CONVERT BETWEEN METRIC AND ENGLISH WRENCH SIZES?
Click... METRIC-ENGLISH-DECIMAL


WHICH SPARK PLUGS ARE BEST FOR MY KLX-300?
Goto... INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS and scroll down to "Spark Plugs"


CHANGING THE SPARK PLUG IS A PITA -- IS THERE AN EASIER WAY?
Get a sidewinder... INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS

DOES THE KLX-300 NEED 2 RIM LOCKS ON THE REAR WHEEL?
Goto... Tire Tools


WHAT KIND OF TIRE-CHANGING TOOLS SHOULD I CARRY?
Goto... Tire Tools


WHAT TOOLS DO YOU NEED TO REPAIR THE KLX ON THE TRAIL?
Goto... Tire Tools


WHAT's THE BEST WAY TO FIX A STRIPPED DRAIN PLUG?
Some guys have had success with a helicoil, but many of the cheap, plastic ones won't follow the new threads (keep skipping to the next one), and the steel ones are expensive ($30 or more).   Another solution is to get a Timesert kit that installs a permanent steel "nut" in the aluminum case for the drain plug to screw into.   But Heli-Coils and Timeserts prevent the oil from draining from the little horizontal hole that runs into the main 10mm hole.   You could tap the hole out to 12mm, and make a new plug from a 12mm bolt, but here's a similar solution that keeps the hole at 10mm...

The stock drain plug is about 1/2 inch long, but the length of the hole in the case is about 1 inch, so you've got maybe 3/8 inch or so of good metal left above the stripped threads, and part of that is already threaded. Get a 10mm x 1.5 tap, run it up through the threads that remain and cut new threads at the top of the hole. Be careful -- the aluminum in the case is very soft! Next, get a new 10mm x 1.5 bolt that is 30mm long, and drill it for safety wire. Then install the new drain plug, torque it to 11 foot-pounds and install the saftey wire.


HOW CAN I IMPROVE THE THROTTLE RESPONSE OF THE STOCK KLX?
Install a Pumper Carburetor or take some weight off the flywheel. Shave the inside, not the outside diameter of the flywheel -- when you get to the rivet heads, you've gone far enough.


CAN I REPLACE MY OWN VALVES?
Yes, take a look at Harold's Valve Swap article