KTM 640 Adventure owners, sign in please...

[GP640]

Ever been to the hardware store and heard a paint shaker?

It's not the noise you need to worry about, it's any change in the noise.

If you`re really worried, take it to a KTM shop. looks like Parker bros. might be good.

[dnrobertson]

Originally Posted by alongat

Signing in here - new ADV rider based in Toronto, Ontario. I picked up an '05 640 Adventure with some mods and plenty of scratches :)

Damn, is the engine supposed to be that noisy? It sounds like gremlins rolling around in there with mini sledge hammers...

I'll post some pictures soon.

I ride with ear plugs most of the time.

First time I rode without ear plugs on the 640 I stopped about 10 times thinking the things was going to blow up!!

Seriously, they are a noisy engine. If you are worried try and find another owner and listen to his/hers. Depending on kms done, it could be getting near time to look at the cam follower bearings (you ain't heard noisy until these let go). Do a search on here for a few threads on the replacement of these.

OH, and welcome to the 640 Club. Had mine 2.5 years (2005 640 A) and love it.

[skibum69]

Originally Posted by GP640

Ever been to the hardware store and heard a paint shaker?

It's not the noise you need to worry about, it's any change in the noise.

If you`re really worried, take it to a KTM shop. looks like Parker bros. might be good.

both my 525 and 640 came from Parker Bros, I've always found Dave great to deal with

[alongat]

Originally Posted by GP640

Ever been to the hardware store and heard a paint shaker?

It's not the noise you need to worry about, it's any change in the noise.

If you`re really worried, take it to a KTM shop. looks like Parker bros. might be good.

I happened to be at Parker Bros picking up some parts yesterday afternoon when another LC4 based bike showed up (early Duke) and what would you know...another bucket of loose bolts :) Guess the noises are quite normal. OK, I'll chalk it up as being character. The oil seaping is also bothering me a bit. I changed out the two o-rings that go on those machined "caps" on the cylinder head becuase I could see oil coming from there after rides but I'm sure there's more coming from elsewhere. I have been thinking that perhaps crankcase ventilation isn't as good as it needs to be and when I'm bussing along at 5500 rpm for periods of time, crankcase pressure builds and pushes oil out of every orifice...I'll search the forum for ideas but if you guys have any opinions/advice, I' m all ears...

Thanks again,

[markuska]

Here is my 03 640 Adventure. Used to be a silver one. Now, after 51000 km, she got a new colour and a some other goodies...

Greetings
Markus

[markuska]

Here is another one...

[markuska]

and one more...

[Coho911]

Whuh oh....

Put my spark Arrester back in my bike and noticed where I THOUGHT I had the NON-silenced insert in, I didn't...

So..... I swapped in the NON-Silenced and OM FG its LOUD. AHAHAHAHA !

Like a new hockey/baseball card in my spokes !

I so love this bike ! (I'll see if I can get a video or sound bite up)

KTM - Making grown men feel like kids ALL over again.

[warewolf]

Originally Posted by alongat

I changed out the two o-rings that go on those machined "caps" on the cylinder head becuase I could see oil coming from there after rides but I'm sure there's more coming from elsewhere. I have been thinking that perhaps crankcase ventilation isn't as good as it needs to be and when I'm bussing along at 5500 rpm for periods of time, crankcase pressure builds and pushes oil out of every orifice...I'll search the forum for ideas but if you guys have any opinions/advice, I' m all ears...

What year bike, and mileage? Mine became very rattly in the top end when the cam follower bearings failed (as someone's already mentioned, I see).

The crankcase ventilation is fine - you have a problem. Quite possibly it is the well-known cam cover leak, usually above the left exhaust port. Search the index, there's a thread. There's also a thread on what it could be if it's not that - bless Creeper!

[sparrow]

I'm looking at an '07 640 and after a short ride the engine noise is very disconserting. A lot like my wr450 only worse.
My question are
:
Where can I get some bar risers that are a good 2 inches higher and put the handlebar a bit forward of the stock position? At 5'10" the cockpit is very cramped for me as I ride up on the tank like an MX bike and stand up a lot. Also this bike has a slip-on and has not been jetted. This guy has been riding this bike lean for 15,000 miles(which scares me some) and the decel popping is bad. The valves were checked at about 8,000 miles. so I figure that's a must.

Is it normal for this motor to spin up off the bottom more like a Harly than a dirtbike? At 350 lbs I figured it would be a bit of a dog but it surprised me at how the acceleration was so slow. Over say 2k rpms it started to get it done pretty good but that first 0-1500 rpms was weak. Keep in mind I've never ridden a tank like this before so I don't really have anything to compare it to.

[B-Rod]

Originally Posted by sparrow

I'm looking at an '07 640 and after a short ride the engine noise is very disconserting. A lot like my wr450 only worse.
My question are
:
Where can I get some bar risers that are a good 2 inches higher and put the handlebar a bit forward of the stock position? At 5'10" the cockpit is very cramped for me as I ride up on the tank like an MX bike and stand up a lot. Also this bike has a slip-on and has not been jetted. This guy has been riding this bike lean for 15,000 miles(which scares me some) and the decel popping is bad. The valves were checked at about 8,000 miles. so I figure that's a must.

Is it normal for this motor to spin up off the bottom more like a Harly than a dirtbike? At 350 lbs I figured it would be a bit of a dog but it surprised me at how the acceleration was so slow. Over say 2k rpms it started to get it done pretty good but that first 0-1500 rpms was weak. Keep in mind I've never ridden a tank like this before so I don't really have anything to compare it to.

They can sound like a bucket of bolts, so bear that in mind. You can get bar risers like Stenhouse. He has regular risers on his site as well as this sub-mount riser.

If I still had mine, I'd be seriously thinking about an FCR carb to liven it up of the bottom. The BST is a vacuum carb, so they can be a little late in responding to your immediate needs.

[ak-15]

Yeah, that's right. I have a KTM SXC 625, no mods, just trying to keep up on maintenance. She wheelies in third gear.

[dnrobertson]

Originally Posted by sparrow

I'm looking at an '07 640 and after a short ride the engine noise is very disconserting. A lot like my wr450 only worse.
My question are
:
Where can I get some bar risers that are a good 2 inches higher and put the handlebar a bit forward of the stock position? At 5'10" the cockpit is very cramped for me as I ride up on the tank like an MX bike and stand up a lot. Also this bike has a slip-on and has not been jetted. This guy has been riding this bike lean for 15,000 miles(which scares me some) and the decel popping is bad. The valves were checked at about 8,000 miles. so I figure that's a must.

I have the Stenhouse risers and the ROX risers on mine. The ROX are good as they allow you to move the handlebars up and forward (or back). You may need longer cables. I had to replace the decomp with an earlier model (which is longer), but the throttle cables will work with a bit of re-routing and spinning the throttle house so the cable exit from the bottom.

[mike cramb]

Originally Posted by sparrow

I'm looking at an '07 640 and after a short ride the engine noise is very disconserting. A lot like my wr450 only worse.
My question are
:
Where can I get some bar risers that are a good 2 inches higher and put the handlebar a bit forward of the stock position? At 5'10" the cockpit is very cramped for me as I ride up on the tank like an MX bike and stand up a lot. Also this bike has a slip-on and has not been jetted. This guy has been riding this bike lean for 15,000 miles(which scares me some) and the decel popping is bad. The valves were checked at about 8,000 miles. so I figure that's a must.

Is it normal for this motor to spin up off the bottom more like a Harly than a dirtbike? At 350 lbs I figured it would be a bit of a dog but it surprised me at how the acceleration was so slow. Over say 2k rpms it started to get it done pretty good but that first 0-1500 rpms was weak. Keep in mind I've never ridden a tank like this before so I don't really have anything to compare it to.

Hi Sparrow,

They need a bit of tuning to get the best out of the BST 40 carb. Throw away all the polution plumbing and jet it up and it will have around a 30% increase in power. There are plenty of threads in here on how to do it what to remove and blank off. Mine goes extremely well and is quicker than a freinds who is running a pumper carb much to his dismay. They do sound like they are about to explode at any moment but you get used to this. Other problems to look for are bent rims the originsal beher rims a soft as $&!^ and will soon look like and Aussie 50c piece. Go for double stamp excell's but these still get bent if you ride hard over rough country. Spring rates are set at factory for a 75 kilo rider and are way to soft if you are around 80 to 90 kg you will need to upgrade the springs. I am 5'10 and dont run any bar risers at all but I do have long arms. (heavy school bag when young or maybee just a knuckel dragger! ) I stand up a lot and have rotated the bars back a bit. My friends 6 ' and has 1'' bar risers. Plenty of riser kits available some with steering dampner. Accelleration should be good check the gearing if standard from factory gear it down a a couple of teeth at the rear if you are riding off road. Mine will power wheelie without any problems. decel popping is controlled by a valve and part of the polution stuff you throw away so maybe this bike has had some but not all the mods. I have raced mine as a Rallye bike and now its retired and used for trail and adventure riding. I dont know of a better bike to do long range trail riding its fast ,comfy and handles very well for its size. It can be along way between fuel stations over here so the 400 kilometer range is very handy as well.

Mike

[Cruiser]

After seeing that sweet white/black adv,, got me thinking about creepers white adventure.. does anybody have any pictures of that when she was all finished.. I searched and only saw some early white/black pics,, no all whites with the custom seat.. That one was his I believe? if not I'm sure somebody knows who's that would be.. I sold my 625sxc for a 450exc and regret ever doing so.. sure its better off road.. but I just got word I have disc issues in my L4-5 and may not be able to ride as aggressive as I was for quite some time.. Something I could ride a bit farther on the slab would be really nice.. and the 640adv is such a great bike..... yes I'm kicking myself.. my LC4 was super fun.. and the new owner said no about selling her back..