KTM 530 EXCR- More better!

[bigborefan]

Ned, the TrailTech comes with a Hi/LO/Off switch, plus an integrated kill switch I think, not %100 on the kill switch . Is there something else the KTM Euro switch will give you?

[Country Doc]

Originally Posted by 309

If the doubletake works at all and doesn't break, I'll be happy.

I have the doubletake mirror on my 450EXC, after many frustrating rides with the unbelievably crappy stock mirrors. It's a nice design, works great, very robust, and I doubt it will break in most situations. The image isn't perfectly clear (I think the stock mirrors were slightly clearer) but it's very useable, and functionally it's a 100% improvement.

I also (as per Ned's great post on 530 setup) switched to the KTM plastic quick-release skid plate a few months ago after a few big knocks to my EE aluminum plate, and find it to be a nice design and so far, very robust. I like it a lot. Next thing I'll try are the Flexx bars plus/minus the PHDS clamps, to minimize impact and vibration.

Visigothic: I agree with your wishes for a 690-like motor w/ kicker in a 450/530 frame. My plan is to also add the HTR oil cooler (Flanny has done the same), and it should get the XC4 motor a bit more breathing room for long trips.

As for not checking the valves/opening up the motor until it 'shows a problem', I just have to express in this thread my absolute disagreement with those statements. Of course, this is NO disrespect _at all_ to any of those who choose to run/maintain their bikes that way - it may well work out just fine and we all make our own choices - but I at least want to put out an opposing voice so that new XC4 owners reading this thread don't necessarily feel vindicated in omitting what some consider (myself, obviously, included), routine and essential service for a long happy motor life. YMMV.

Happy New Year everyone!! Getting VERY antsy to ride! Baja coming up in two months....can't wait!

dc

[ganshert]

Originally Posted by bigborefan

Ned, the TrailTech comes with a Hi/LO/Off switch, plus an integrated kill switch I think, not %100 on the kill switch . Is there something else the KTM Euro switch will give you?

I assume by euro switch you're talking about the CEV switch. If so it gives you horn, kill, and off-hi-low for the headlight. There's also an optional turn signal switch that attaches to the bottom.

You can see the turn signal switch on the bottom of this one.



Here's one on eBay I found when searching for a good picture.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KTM-3...-/260714273304

[mookymoo]

Originally Posted by bigborefan

Ned, on the TrailTech X2, are you thinking the Dual Sport or Off Road Halogen? Not interested in the HID?

The HID lights have a long (8s-ish) warm-up time. Which is normal for HID's. But this warm-up occurs every time the light goes off. Dip the lights, stall the bike, and you have to wait 8s before you have light again...
The HID's on my 950 only have this warm-up once until they're ... warm.

My X2 HID is faulty (spot isnt firing - only flood light works) - and havent been blown away by trail-tech support. They offered me to send it back for warranty - but thats pretty much a 3 week turn-around - so will be without a light for my entire time in Aus. I offered to pay for a 2nd one if they refund me the first one to reduce down-time - nope... Oh well...

Originally Posted by bigborefan

Ned, the TrailTech comes with a Hi/LO/Off switch, plus an integrated kill switch I think, not %100 on the kill switch . Is there something else the KTM Euro switch will give you?

AFAIK, the TrailTech switch that comes with the X2 is just a light switch. Hi-lo-off. I'll go check in a sec

[osteo]

My X2 HID is faulty (spot isnt firing - only flood light works) - and havent been blown away by trail-tech support. They offered me to send it back for warranty - but thats pretty much a 3 week turn-around - so will be without a light for my entire time in Aus. I offered to pay for a 2nd one if they refund me the first one to reduce down-time - nope... Oh well...

I've the HID X2's and I do like them, but I do not have any other high end lights to compare them to that match the bike.

I've also had issues with my spot light on it as well, ironically x2! Ballast cooked itself once, so that was a warranty replacement and then blown the bulb once.

Mookymoo - smell the ballasts, if the one for the Spot smells horrible and burnt it has been cooked! it will smell really bad. I'm sure I no longer have that original one as that was over a year ago but the replacement that they sent had a different model number stamped on it and I think has a blue wax backing whereas the original was black.

I'm sure you can test the ballast, but not sure what sort of settings you'd need for your meter.

D

[Hodakaguy]

Originally Posted by Country Doc

I have the doubletake mirror on my 450EXC, after many frustrating rides with the unbelievably crappy stock mirrors. It's a nice design, works great, very robust, and I doubt it will break in most situations. The image isn't perfectly clear (I think the stock mirrors were slightly clearer) but it's very useable, and functionally it's a 100% improvement.


As for not checking the valves/opening up the motor until it 'shows a problem', I just have to express in this thread my absolute disagreement with those statements. Of course, this is NO disrespect _at all_ to any of those who choose to run/maintain their bikes that way - it may well work out just fine and we all make our own choices - but I at least want to put out an opposing voice so that new XC4 owners reading this thread don't necessarily feel vindicated in omitting what some consider (myself, obviously, included), routine and essential service for a long happy motor life. YMMV.

dc

+1 on the Double Take Mirror...works great on my 530.

I agree on the valves, by the time that it's getting hard to start you could already be doing damage to the seats. It only takes me 15-20 minutes to check the valves (not adjust) on the 530. Preventive maint is key.

Hodakaguy

[Brown Dog]

Originally Posted by FlyingDutchman

+1
Is that even possible on a running 530? ...

The Honda Mirrors were great on my old 525 EXC, & the newer 530 has an even smoother Engine

I will try these folding mirrors after I break mine off

[terry.mc]

Originally Posted by neduro

Neduro's take on building a KTM 530:

Great info!

T

[FarBeyondDriven]

Hey guys.

This is just shouting out to all the owners of these bikes out there.

I am in for a new bike this summer, getting rid of my CBR 600 and going to dirt again.

Just wondering how these compare in terms of use with the Husqavarna 510 or the DRZ 400. I also am located in Canada so would KTM be easier to get parts for? I also want something that I am going to have for years. Probably not get rid of for a long time.

Anyways thanks for any of the input. I think I am in the right thread if not sorry!

[neduro]

Originally Posted by bigborefan

Ned, on the TrailTech X2, are you thinking the Dual Sport or Off Road Halogen? Not interested in the HID?

Never been an HID fan, they seem expensive and complicated and prone to failure.

I'd consider it for a racelight, but all I want is to be able to come out of the woods safely. This should be fine for that.

Ganshert's pic is the euro switch that I refer to, the turn signal control is modular so you can set it up without that if you don't run them (as in my case). It gives you a momentary switch for kill (which I like), high/ low/ off for the headlight (which is nice to be able to save some current in slow going) and a horn button (I'll never race without a horn again, it's way too fun).

OK, now going to start on the build process...

[neduro]

My bike started with me like this:



Which is unusual, because generally a dealer will have prepped the bike before they sell it. Anyway, I prefer to start from absolute ground zero.

Buy enough bikes and develop a relationship, and you too can pay for setup but do it yourself.

Here she sits in my garage, never started, just pulled out of the crate and installed the wheel, pegs, handlebars, loaded it in the van, and brought her home.



First step is to remove all the crap I don't want. Sorry for the crappy iPhone pics, I forgot to bring the camera, and it was snowing so I wasn't heading out to get it.

Start with the "medula oblongata" as I call it, which you remove by taking off the upper chain guide.



If you trace all the connections back, you'll find all the emissions stuff that wants out.

Especially key is the vacuum supply:



which I plug off with a shortened bolt:





You'll also get the carbon canister, and about 10 feet of various rubber hoses running to and fro across your bike. Save one of the correct diameter sections, and make a gas cap breather, I route mine from the plastic nipple on the left of the frame, around the front of the headstock between the wiring and the steering head, to provide some cushion and prevent chafing, and then to the gas cap. This also means you have a usably long siphon tube should you ever need it.

Next up, remove the "auto-fall-over" sidestand:



You have to use a shorter bolt to make things work correctly:



Next up, rejet.

The specs I use are 168/ OCEMP 4/ 42/ 50 Leak for winter/ low elevation. Summer/ high elevation, I drop the main to 162 and make no other changes.

Remove the carb by loosening both clamps, pulling firmly back toward the airbox, and then going down and forward. If you've got the bike taken apart, you can loosen the lower subframe bolts and remove the upper ones, allowing you to lean the subframe back a few degrees which gives you more room to maneuver.

New for 2011, my carb had a block off on the air screw. A quick rap with a drift and a hammer sorted that out:



The leakjet is in the upper right portion of the bowl in this photo:



Put a shot of some sort of lube/ contact cleaner/ whatever on your finger, and smear both the rubber manifolds to make carb reinstallation much easier.

Note: I used the same jetting in my 400 XC-W except a 170 main and it was boggy. I went up in leak jet until I got to 70, and it runs perfectly. I'm not an expert on jetting, but if your bike is boggy, that's where I'd start.

And by extension, if you have a 450, I'd guess a 60 leak jet? But, that's just a guess, haven't tried it.

I also get rid of the push cable, which gives a little lighter action and allows for cleaner routing of things. Don't do this if you are going to sue me. And don't do this if you don't maintain your bike, I replace throttle cables at least once a season to keep a light action and avoid the potential of being stranded.

A couple shots of that:



Note the bolt blocking the top throttle hole.



Trimmed and plugged with Silicone so that no grit gets into the throttle housing through the now-open cable hole.



Cable tied to frame so that it cannot get caught in tank mounting slot.

The cable exits between the upper radiator mount bolt and the radiator hose, goes through the triple clamp, and the throttle assembly is turned upside down. (my pics of this all suck)

This routing is beneficial for a couple reasons- first, the plastic cable ends are less prone to breakage where they enter the throttle assembly as they are under the bar, second, the cable isn't hitting the steering damper/ wearing on the bar/ etc, and third, everyone will ask where you got the longer single cable. I always tell them motion pro.

So, carb back in and you're done in the middle of the bike.

Now, I regear. Not going to cover that as it seems pretty straightforward, but a couple setup tips along the way:



In years past, I've had trouble with axle adjusters seizing, so I always take them out and grease thoroughly. This year, for the first time ever, the bolt was liberally coated with antiseize from the factory. Hooray for progress. I still smeared them with grease.

I remove the chain guard. It wears through on the rear tire and doesn't offer me any benefit. You'll want to shorten the forward chain guide mounting bolt about 5/16".

While the wheel is out, I swap the rear spring for my fat-boy model. I've tried a number of different options over the years and always come back to straight rate. For me, at about 200lbs without gear, 7.6 works nicely. I aim at about 105-107 rider sag, 32-35mm static sag. I don't run any preload (in the adjuster cap) on the fork spring.

Gotta run, next installment coming soon.

[neduro]

One more set of pics, should have started with these:

Everything that came off:



Everything going on:



It impresses me that the bike requires this little to set up so well. Half of what is above is just personal preference.

Back when I used to run XR650Rs, it was a much longer list, the bike would needed practically everything either massaged or replaced or upgraded.

[309]

Great stuff Ned.

How much preload are you putting on the 7.6 spring to get those sag numbers? I weigh a bit more than you (225) and deciding between the 7.6 or going up to the 8.

[neduro]

Originally Posted by 309

Great stuff Ned.

How much preload are you putting on the 7.6 spring to get those sag numbers? I weigh a bit more than you (225) and deciding between the 7.6 or going up to the 8.

Not sure, wind it until it reads right.

I'm guessing you could get away with either spring. You might want to go up in fork spring, too, to a 48 or a 50.

I've got a spare 7.6 you're welcome to try, it's not for sale because I'm sure I'll need it sooner or later, but if you want to see if it feels right, you can borrow it for a few weeks.

[mookymoo]

Originally Posted by mookymoo

AFAIK, the TrailTech switch that comes with the X2 is just a light switch. Hi-lo-off. I'll go check in a sec

I was wrong. It also has a kill button on the top.