After thinking about it for a while, I decided to extend the travel of the shock absorber.
I did some research and bought a used rear shock from a 1995 Kawasaki KDX 250.
Not only the KDX damper can be bought, but all which have a diameter of 44mm at the housing and a piston rod with a diameter of 14mm and longer than the KLX 250/300 (208mm).
These are mostly shocks (Kayaba) which were installed on various enduro and motocross motorcycles in the 90'. If you take a shock from a Honda CR for example, the lower mount will not fit on the rocker arm of the KLX 250/300. Then you have to rebuild with the rebound adjuster part of the KLX.
I 3D printed a few small tools myself and then made some measurements.
Measurement. Rear shock stroke extension
on a budget for the
Kawasaki KLX 250/300
Results here as pdf. Please take attention that is was measured with the rebound adjuster housing of the KDX damper which is 8mm shorter than the one from the KLX damper.
Then had made spacer out of aluminium and my shock with ~270mm travel was ready to reassemble.
The most difficult was the bleeding process. As the housing has no drain hole for bleeding, it needed to be done by the big hole for the compression adjuster. When done you should feel and hear this immediate by moving the piston rod if still air is in or not.
Reassembling. Tuning rear shock absorber on a budget
for the Kawasaki KLX 250/300
Finally I filled the bladder with nitrogen to 980kPa/142Psi - or better said my friend did, and my longer stroke rear shock was ready for a ride and setup the spring preload, compression and rebound to my feel good.
The test! 270mm - 10,6" rear shock travel.
Also the costs are manageable.
KDX shock second hand ebay €140,-
Spacer from aluminium €50,-
0,5l shock oil €8,-
Nitrogen fill 2-3 beers to my friend
Recommended shock absorber oil from Kawasaki/Kayaba - KYB
Bel-Ray SE2 63600
Viscosity, ASTM D445
@ 40°C, cSt 15.8
@ 100°C, cSt 3.94
Viscosity Index, ASTM D2270
152
Oil I used
Castrol Fork Oil 10W
Viscosity, ASTM D445
@ 40°C, cSt 15
@ 100°C, cSt 3.8
Viscosity Index, ASTM D2270
151
Here you find for free download the measurement tools as .stl file for 3D printing and working drawings as .pdf for the spacers.
Top measure tool .stl for easy measurement of the spring preload and in combination with the
bottom measure tool .stl the total length of the shock absorber.
Axle measure tool .stl should you also want to measure the spring travel away yourself.
Spacer large .stl and working drawing .pdf with notch for the circlip.
Spacer small .stl and working drawing .pdf to create your own spring travel length.
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