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Metamorphosis of a KLX

2K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  JJBrewbus 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi all,

I have a KLX 150S (I think it is only available in South East Asia, but I may be wrong). After seeing a modified TW200 on pintrest today
>> THIS beastie Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Motor vehicle Car
,
I've decided.... been TOTALLY INSPIRED more like... to re-modify my bike and create a TW inspired-KLX.

As I have never even SEEN a TW in the flesh (and there are no TWs in my country), I was hoping that you guys could answer a whole lotta' pithy questions for me -- but if that sounds annoying to you, just imagine that we're sitting in a bar talking bikes, and you can show off all your knowledge and tall stories about TWs. That should help you. :eek:ccasion14:

Unfortunately, there's almost no way I can buy a TW, or TW parts, here in Bali -- the range of motorcycles is very thin (EVERYbody has to ride scooters, here), unless you are willing to pay 130% import tax on anything resembling a real bike.

On a positive note, what is deemed 'street legal' is a very grey area, so I may get away what ever modifications I like.

For those of you who don't know, a KLX 150S looks like this:
Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Enduro Car


But I've slightly modified mine to this:
Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Automotive tire Car



My questions:

1. Do you think it is possible to create something like that Beastie (first pic) from my KLX? (I'm guessing I'll need a different head/clamp for the front shocks... and probably new shocks, a wider rear swing arm, wheels and of course, some monster tyres. What have I missed?)

2. How different does it feel to ride such a wide-tyred bike, compared to what I'm used to?

3. How much height am I potentially going to lose? -- looks like the wider tyres may be a few inches less in diameter... and I prefer a very tall bike.

Any input will be appreciated

JJ

p.s. I could wait until I have a KLX 250 .... or .... maybe I should practise on the 150 first and get it perfect on on the 250, dunno, eh?
 
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#2 ·
I have some general questions.
Are parts easier to get than bikes? Less import taxes?
Any 3 or 4 wheelers there ? Do you have tools and skills or friends with? Are you willing to have no ride once you start your tear down until it's "just" right and rideable. I don't think it will be a easy project. I don't think you'll buy a list of parts and bolt on in a few hours. I think it will be trial and error to get parts to fit. And for tweaking it to get bugs worked out.
But it can be done. If you do it I'll enjoy reading your build.
But with a lot of these types of projects I wonder why. Now if you had bunch of broke bikes and put the parts together into a working bike that would be different. But why take a bike and make it into something it's not?
 
#4 ·
Hey there, Padilen,

In answer to your questions and response to your comments:
Yes. Yes. Yes. No, but Yes. Yes. Probably not; you're right. Of course not. Certainly, but I hope it goes smoothly. :p:D

But seriously...
Yes, I can import parts and I guess Singapore or Australia are the closest places to get stuff from. Parts will be my biggest expense, as labour is very cheap here.
Oh, and Indonesia prohibits anyone from importing a used or second-hand vehicle, though, which is annoying.

As for ATVs; Yes! There are some, but not many because even the road-legal ATVs are not allowed on the roads. But this means that I can lay my hands on tyres, if that's what you're getting at.

Certainly, I do not expect to be able to buy parts and have it built in a day. There will be trial and error and more trials and more errors and some fabrication involved (yes, I may wait until I've got the KLX250 before committing to the project so I've still got a ride), but I am hoping to avoid importing parts that turn out to be incompatible and unusable -- which is why I'm here bugging you guys... hoping to glean some information from you experiences.

As for "But why take a bike and make it into something it's not?" :eek:
Come on, Padilen! Modifying bikes and creating something new is what it is all about. Just for the hell of it and the challenge of it.

So, Padilen and everybody else... lets get to specs, and can someone please tell me if I've got this all wrong:

TW200, I believe has a fork rake of 26.0 degrees. (KLX150 has a rake of 26.5 degrees -- nearly the same.)
But I've also read that it has a 28 degree rake -- must be different year/models.
TW200, Stem diameter is 1.010in or 26.65mm.
TW200, Stem overall length is 7 13/16 or 7.813in.
TW200, Stem is straight with no reduction or taper.
- What is the distance between the forks, from centre to centre, please?

On the BW200.....
Stem is not straight and has a bottle neck reduction.
Stem at bottom bearing is 1.162in in diameter.
Stem at top bearing is like the TW...1.010in diameter.
Stem overall length is 8.50in

Please can someone tell me the specs for the rear swing arm? Although it looks as if the modified Beastie in the original post has an extended swing arm -- what is it?

Hope you can give me some specs/info for me to start the feasibility study, guys.

Cheers!

JJ
 
#6 ·
Hi JJ, welcome and good luck with your project whichever way you go. Your KLX would seem very light and nimble compared to a TW which has a different feel once those big old gyroscopic tires get to spinning.:D
The TW is also considered short by dual sport standards .
Normally I would recommend that if you are hooked on having a TW consider importing a new TW since parts can be imported. However if custom fabrication is cheap get ready for a lot of challenges. Maybe start with a better donor than KLX, like an Australian AG200.
The Beastie you like is heavily modified from the stock TW so achieving that look is going to be expensive irregardless.
 
#8 ·
@ Padilen -- Thanks. I've glanced at that thread and I shall be following that up. :eagerness:

@ Fred: Sadly, there would be a 130% import TAX on the bike alone (that's not including the actual cost of importing it) into Indonesia. But on a good note; I had thought that there were no TW's in Indonesia at all, but a colleague tells me that there are some on another island -- however, they are not registered nor road legal.

You mention that the TW is relatively short. Is that an intentional design BECAUSE of the big tyres, i.e. do they become more cumbersome with added length, do you think? As for my bike being light and nimble -- Hmm... the KLX 150S is made in South East Asia. It is cheap, about USD 2,300 brand new. It is quite heavy for such a small bike; 108kg empty. I think they made it out of iron and used lead for the space-age composite materials :p
But it's quite a tough little punk. I got rear-ended a couple of months ago, so hard that me and the bike launched off the tarmac and into the side of an SUV -- punching a small hole and making a few big dents in the rear door and rear panel of the SUV -- before rebounding into the car that hit me -- taking out the front-right corner, ripping its tyre and puncturing its front-right wing. Zero damage to me or the bike -- just a twisted handle bar which I sorted out with an allen key.

I'd never heard of an AG200 (just googled it). And I've not seen any in Indonesia. As I say, the Kawasaki KLX and the Suzuki TS are about the only off-road-ish bikes on the market here. Oh, except Husqvarna: whose front forks alone cost almost as much as my bike - honestly! The more I think of it, the better Heckkler's suggestion makes sense; I could just be in the wrong country for this project. :(
 
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