2012 ktm 500 exc?

[bill1960]

Originally Posted by hoss314

Yup...500EXC
One of the best upgrades I have installed. A ....."Must Have"


Just installed the BD Squadron headlight. Holy Shite that baby is bright! Looks like I am going to need to order the dimmer as well.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

If you get time I'd like to see a pic of your seat measuring 8 1/2" inches wide.

As you can see, my seatconcepts foam measured 7 1/2"



Some here have mentioned a pre built seat. Perhaps they're different (or customized) to the option where only the foam and cover is supplied for diy fitment ?

[advdoctor]

Originally Posted by bill1960

I ordered the seat concepts standard height/density foam and cover for my '13 500xcw.

Its a nice product but only 7 1/2" wide at the widest point, the same width as the oem seat pan.



I liked it for short rides when standing most of the time but for joining trails with hwy stints of 50km + it wasn't comfortable enough for me

Since I'm in Cambodia it wasn't viable to send it back so luckily the labor to modify it is cheap here.

Browsing around I came across http://www.fishersaddlebags.com and decided I liked the design of their 9" wide seat using the OEM base and adding to the OEM foam



So the next step was to wander down to the local motorbike upholsterers and see what they could do.
Cant buy good quality foam here so we cut up the oem foam to add to the seat concepts foam

Coming together



They made a new (larger) cover from scratch and copied the lines of the seat concepts cover



Stretched nice and tight and well secured




Finished product



Spot on 9"





Cost was $15 for 3 hours labor and materials, plus a tip

Very comfortable.

Nice seat, but are those OSHA approved sandles?

[avconnect]

Originally Posted by hoss314

Yup...500EXC
One of the best upgrades I have installed. A ....."Must Have"


Just installed the BD Squadron headlight. Holy Shite that baby is bright! Looks like I am going to need to order the dimmer as well.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

Tell me what you think of the dimmer if you install it. I have the insert as well and it is bright.

[bill1960]

Originally Posted by advdoctor

Nice seat, but are those OSHA approved sandles?

I believe they're rated to withstand closed cell foam being dropped from 1 meter.

[ngads]

anyone have experience with the map switch?

I am trying to decide between the 500 and the 350, but i feel like in the long run i would want more power. However, in tight tracks i feel like the 500 may have too much power.

If the map switch on the low setting dials down the power to usable in tight situations then i would def. be set on the 500.


any help would be greatly appreciated!

[leftystrat62]

Originally Posted by SteveO

When I was looking for a Dual-Sport bike, I purchased the WR250R based upon the following criteria:

Fuel Injection
6-speed, for the highway speed
Reliability
Aluminum Frame for weight saving
Single track capable AND Dual-Sport capable
Large Aftermarket support

The WR250R is a very capable bike. It meets all of the criteria above, and does a great job of getting you to places and back. Its very capable of taking abuse, and pushes on despite the abuse.

The ONE big thing that persuaded me to move on to the 500EXC was the overall lack of power on the WR250R.

Last year I was in an event that never happend, and I quickly realized that if I wanted to run with the larger bore bikes, I had to spend most of the engine time in the higher RPMs. The first and second day were real eye-openers for me in terms of what a rally is like. The third day I decided to really push the bike and see what I could do on the little bike. I was able to keep up, and at times even passed a few of the larger bikes, but I felt like I was pushing too hard; pushing myself and the bike. At one point, I was pretty much tapped out at 72mph, when a larger bore KTM came flying by me like I was nearly sitting still. Despite my dust trail behind me, the KTM rider came up on me so quick and passed me equally as quick......seriously, I jumped off my seat.

So, I decided that I need to look for another bike that could give me some legs on the open road, AND yet provide me with the exhilaration of the tight single track. Again, I need to establish a criteria so that I wasn't going at this half-cocked.

450cc or larger
6-speed
Fuel Injected
Reliability
Aluminum frame (or lightweight bike)
Single track capable AND Dual-sport capable
Large Aftermarket support

After looking around for some time, and talking to several different riders of different bikes. I talked and listened to a rider named FORE! about KTMs. This guy knows his bikes, and he is an excellent rider. He stated the following: "everything I've thrown at the KTM, it has taken". This guy can ride! Hearing that from him, made me a believer. Seeing races such as the Romaniacs, with their KTM bikes made me a believer in the toughness of the bikes. Seeing them in the Dakar......well, you get the idea.

After looking over the KTM bikes, I heard about the up-n-coming 500EXC. New engine, new FI, new frame, new this and that. Well, I do have some pretty good mechanical skills, and thought that whatever I run into, I'd like to fix it myself so that I know how to fix it in the future. Some may take issue with the "reliability" of this NEW 500EXC motor. Yes, its new, but lets take a broader look into the KTM history. They are good bikes. Fuel Injection is the future, and not having to re-jet the bikes is simple awesome, and easy. This 500EXC is actually lighter than the WR250R, which is a welcome attribute.

As for this being my last KTM bike, well.....considering the price of these bikes, I don't intend on purchasing another KTM. I believe this bike has the power to shred single-track trails, sand hills, mud, and can still move down the highway at a nice comfortable clip. This bike has everything I have wanted in a dirt bike AND A Dual-sport bike. Yes, I've added a few things; better lights, 12V power outlets, etc, but as the core machine goes, it has it where it needs it.

In summary, this KTM is lighter, stronger (frame), more powerful (easy wheelies in the mud), faster than the WR250R and certainly way more fun to ride than the WR250R.


My next bike will be a Yamaha Super Tenere. My wife loves to ride along with me, and well, the KTM is just not suited for two up. So, the Super Tenere will be excellent for both of us, AND it will be great for me when i want to take a longer ride through the the mountains.....

Hey SteveO you certainly answered most of my questions about going from my WR to the KTM,but the last question for you has to do with maintenance. I am not much of a mechanic,and when I read about doing pistons & rings after 200 hrs, having multiple fuel filters to maintain,oil changes every 500 miles, I can't help but wonder how much more this will cost me to maintain,or how hard it will be to take care of it while on real long trips (thousands of miles). Can you share your experience on this?

[boostracer]

Great thread! I've learned a lot reading it. Used it to help me decide on what to do to my 2013 500 EXC. I wanted mine to look stock in case I get stopped by a smog nazi. So I took the SAS off, took it apart & plugged it at the fitting flange from the inside, then reinstalled it. For the tank vent hose, it's run down under the tank like normal to the swing arm area, at least it looks like stock that way. Euro map & 15/51 sprockets, small end screen removed from muffler. Also based on this thread, I just installed a Golan filter. Love this bike, it's an animal. Had it at Jawbone & it flies up the hills, approach at a little over idle in 3rd & whack it, good response. I have a bunch of videos at Youtube under "Rancheroracer" if ya wanna check. Question about the map switch compared to no switch, if running the Euro map with no switch, is that comparable to "normal" on the switch? Wild on the switch would be more aggressive than running with no switch?
Thanks guys

[leftystrat62]

Originally Posted by theantipaul

I'm with you Chris, but I think I found myself clutching it more with the 13 tooth to stay out of trouble, so I just picked up a 14 to try, if it works out better for how I ride, I'll keep the 13 in the tool bag too.

Going back & forth between the 13-14, can you use the same length chain?

[toddler]

Originally Posted by ngads

anyone have experience with the map switch?

I am trying to decide between the 500 and the 350, but i feel like in the long run i would want more power. However, in tight tracks i feel like the 500 may have too much power.

If the map switch on the low setting dials down the power to usable in tight situations then i would def. be set on the 500.


any help would be greatly appreciated!

The 500 xc-w has more low end power in "mild" mode than the EXC does in stock mode. I do not think you will see the power of the 500 downgraded to a 350 unless you do something drastic. You do get used to the 500's power in technical singletrack, but it is a lot of power for singletrack.

For myself I'm faster on a 350 vs the 500, but I prefer the 500 for more dualsport type of riding and I think the 500 is more versatile.

Good luck in your decision

[Zuber]

The stock map on the EXC's will not 'see' the map switches. The Aus map will use them, I don't know about the Euro maps.

The lowest and most mild HP is with the stock map. The Aus map with the Mild map plug is more aggressive than stock.

The 350 is a very fast bike and I'd guess that off road just as fast as the 500, but you'd have to rev it almost 2-3000 rpm more to get the same moto-vation. If you are an aggressive rider and have a small dirtbike background, you'd like the 350 and the 11 less pounds.

The 500 is easier to ride in most conditions. It has a nice soft throttle just off idle and the power builds very predictably. On the road it is way better than the 350. Crusing at 55, the 350 will not pick up speed by just twisting on the throttle, you must downshift. Off-road the 350 would potentially be faster on very rough terrain. Except for the engines, these are the same bike, same handling, same suspension, same transmission ratios.

I waffled between these two bikes for a while. If I rode more off-road, single track 90% of the time and very little road and no pavement, it would have been the 350. If I wasn't a lazy rider that didn't like to shift or rev engines, or maybe 30 years younger, it would have been the 350.

Now I'm waiting for my 350 Freeride to get in the USA.

Originally Posted by ngads

anyone have experience with the map switch?

I am trying to decide between the 500 and the 350, but i feel like in the long run i would want more power. However, in tight tracks i feel like the 500 may have too much power.

If the map switch on the low setting dials down the power to usable in tight situations then i would def. be set on the 500.


any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Wentjo]

I love the 500 in most circumstances, a little heavy for technical single track but it's not like I'm trying to race guys on 125's though them everyday. Diffinately a 10 on the fun factor though..

[crankshaft]

Originally Posted by toddler

The 500 xc-w has more low end power in "mild" mode than the EXC does in stock mode. I do not think you will see the power of the 500 downgraded to a 350 unless you do something drastic. You do get used to the 500's power in technical singletrack, but it is a lot of power for singletrack.

For myself I'm faster on a 350 vs the 500, but I prefer the 500 for more dualsport type of riding and I think the 500 is more versatile.

Good luck in your decision

I'm faster in the single track on the 500 than I was on my 390 Berg, don't know why but I'm looking forward to the next Enduro

[Night Crawler]

Originally Posted by avconnect

Tell me what you think of the dimmer if you install it. I have the insert as well and it is bright.

The dimmer works perfect. You can set the level to what ever brightness you want for "low beam" and never mess with the remote again. I ordered the KTM kit so mine came wired with the factory connector, and took about 2 min. to install. The dimmer is pretty bulky, but I managed to install it behind the mask without even using the supplied extensions as I did not like how far the mask sat out from the forks, and looking at that rats nest of wires behind it. Now I just have to figure out a way to get more downward adjustment out of the light as it is pointed too high without the extensions. It should not be that big of a problem, but I might have to Dremel a little more clearance out of the mask so it can tilt down that far. The light is awesome and very high quality. I would recommend buying the dimmer though, so you can run it on a "low beam" when conditions require. Also on full power you might be mistaken for a UFO landing in the forest somewhere!

[ngads]

thanks for the replies everyone!

I rarely ride in the really tight stuff, and will be doing a lot of road riding, and possibly supermoto down the line

I was 95% sure what i was going to get, thanks for the last push....500 it is!

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by ngads

anyone have experience with the map switch?

I am trying to decide between the 500 and the 350, but i feel like in the long run i would want more power. However, in tight tracks i feel like the 500 may have too much power.

If the map switch on the low setting dials down the power to usable in tight situations then i would def. be set on the 500.


any help would be greatly appreciated!

The throttle turns both ways on the 500,so too much power is up to the operator.