I ride in Western Washington snotty roots, rocks, mud and muck. The 13 tooth front sprocket has the bike geared way too low. I can chug along in first or second gear with the 15 tooth front sprocket on most of the trails I ride on with no problems. My buddy who has an XCW 500 rode it with the 13 tooth sprocket and he was in third most of the time, first and second were all but unusable. He also owns an EXC 500, that thing is geared so high it's all but unrideable on the trails. He swapped front sprockets and now the bikes are about perfect. I am also running a Rekluse and a LHRB as does my friend on his bikes. Both have the same primary transmission ratio of 32:76 Stock XC-W gearing 13T 50T 3.85 Stock EXC gearing 15T 45T 3.00 Swapping the front sprocket XCW 15T 50T 3.33 EXC 13T 45T 3.46
I'm not a fan of the Rekluse clutches, I'm pretty good with the stock clutch. I rode my friends 500 EXC in the single track last week with stock gearing and it was very ridable. Maybe I'm doing it wrong?
Same experience with the clutch. I agree with the gearing I ride trails in the mountains of NM and S CO and am very happy with the stock clutch and 15/50 gearing on my EXC. But I have friends who certainly prefer lower gearing. I do think I would have trouble with the stock 15/45 gearing however when things get really tight and steep.
Aaron, I think you'll love this bike! Can't believe your first ride on the bike was a night ride too, classic! I replaced a clutch a year in my YZ's and only one in my CRF. The kid and I did some of the singletrack in Moab last weekend and with stock 13/50 gearing I'm in 2nd most the time on harder singletrack and 1st only when I need it. Very little clutching even though it's a hard habit to break. My bike has never had an issue with flame outs either. We also did White Rim, 140mi gas to gas stop with a 13l tank, was a bit sketchy on whether or not I'd be making it w/o a tow. This bike has no problem riding a gear up, so I was really easy on the throttle and coasted down the long hills motor off, if I told you the mileage I got with it you'd call bull, but easily made it, even took a side trip into town before returning to fill up at the same gas station north of town. I'm looking at moving to a 14 tooth up front for longer rides just to see how it does. I've had this bike almost a year now and for me, hands down, this is the best bike I've ever had!
I basically jumped on it for the first time, rode from my van 100' right into the trails! I never touched the sag, or the clickers and I was on the pace all night and wanting to go faster This week I'm going to put the .49 springs in the fork and my shock spring from the 390 into the 500 to get the spring rates right. I'll ride it a bit on Saturday and then adjust the sag and then start playing with the clickers. looks like a Hare Scramble on Sunday for me, can't wait I can only imagine how great it's going to be after a get it sprung for my 250# and get a tall seat and some bar risers on it. I could not ride standing up, I had to sit most of the night and I still loved it. The rebound was a bit too fast in the shock but I'll see what's up after the springs get changed.
Making those of us unlucky enough to be currently living ANYWHERE other than Colorada jealous But, keep em coming
Just got back from Fruita/Moab/Grand Junction. Had a blast: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtadlock/8120538885/" title="Untitled by rtadlock, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8333/8120538885_0d05cce5c2_b.jpg" width="1024" height="577" alt="Untitled"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtadlock/8120482250/" title="Untitled by rtadlock, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8473/8120482250_eb53b1f6d0_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Untitled"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtadlock/8114192115/" title="Untitled by rtadlock, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8469/8114192115_8595ef555d_b.jpg" width="1024" height="576" alt="Untitled"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtadlock/8114179593/" title="Pretty big drop by rtadlock, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8475/8114179593_9c9a37aae5_b.jpg" width="1024" height="576" alt="Pretty big drop"></a> Took me a day or so to get used to the extra power at 3k feet... :)
Anyone else had issues wih the radiator fan not kicking on? It is a 2103 500XC-W, and it is getting hot on the tight single track, but the fan never kicks on. Any ideas on first places to look other than a fuse? Thanks
Happened to me on my EXC and it was the thermo switch in the rad that wasn't working. Replaced under warranty and now works fine. You can double check the fan by connecting the two wires at the switch and the fan should run
Not to hijack thread but in your first few photos, I see 3 HAAS mills.......What kind of parts do you make? Robert BTW, I'm Going today to put a deposit down on a new XC-W 500 so I'm following this thread very closely. But in OK , I have to install turn sigs as well.
Nice Moab pictures! That's awesome! That place is on my list to visit soon and ride a lot. I think the KTM Rally is in that area next year? hmmm :) Thought some of you guys might want to see this....pictured on a 500 exc 2012.
I just put a big dent in my cover. Curious to some details of that. Is that something we can purchase?
Hi C.Vestal! It's handmade of an aluminum alloy that's very light and strong. Yes, you can purchase these. Check them out in the vendors thread. http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=839454 Thanks!
Is it my imagination, or is there no way to turn on the "high beam" on the xcw? Two nights ago I commuted to work on the bike, and on the way home I had to ride in the dark. The light is so dim, I couldn't really ride by it, and I'm not even sure it could be used as a sufficient running light. I pulled off to have a look as I figured it was just not working, and saw there is a big bulb in the housing, but couldn't figure out how to turn it on. I looked at my owners manual on my phone, and I could only ever see reference to the high beam when talking about the EXC. When I got home, I took the light off and looked around, and I don't see a way to turn it on. Maybe the dealer didn't hook it up correctly when they put the horn on to make it street legal? Please don't tell me that KTM have just used the same head light assembly as the EXC, and there is no way to turn that big light on. Why not just ship the XCW with a number plate with some reflective tape? It's probably put out more light than the stocker... :huh
It is one and the same light between the two models. To get the high beam (not like there really is that much more light) to work you need to add a two or three position switch and add a lead to the connector to the light.