2012 ktm 500 exc?

[Hukamosh]

Originally Posted by jesusgatos

Jeezus, that sounds violent. Can see how that might be fun and all, but not what I'm looking for in a trailbike. Guess that's the nice thing about being able to tune these bikes to suit different riders.

Just ride it like a 2-stroke and use the clutch .
My 500 isn't like that but it's stock except for the euro/xcw remap & desmog...I have no stumbles, flame outs etc and cost me $20 at the dealer. The bike runs richer/better across the range.

If anyone is interested I know of a 2012 500 exc being sold. Close to stock w/ 25 hrs or so. It may be in the classifieds here but not sure. Owner busted his knee and wont be able to ride for a while.

[Zuber]

Originally Posted by Stu

I purchased a cushioned rear hub from Woody's Wheel Works. It is a RAD billet hub so it it both lighter and stronger than the LC4 equivalent. I will use it for extended travel that has a mix of hard road surfaces and off road (southern Utah coming up). Initially I had a problem with the hub which Chris at WWW took care of immediately with just a phone call and exact dimensions describing the issue. A big 1+ to Woody's WW!!

Stu

Hey Stu, have you ridden with the cush hub yet? Notice any difference on/off road, vibs, traction?

I built an LC4 cush wheel, but haven't mounted it yet. Hard to believe that the RAD hub would be lighter.

[teambft]

Originally Posted by Hukamosh

Just ride it like a 2-stroke and use the clutch .
My 500 isn't like that but it's stock except for the euro/xcw remap & desmog...I have no stumbles, flame outs etc and cost me $20 at the dealer. The bike runs richer/better across the range.

If anyone is interested I know of a 2012 500 exc being sold. Close to stock w/ 25 hrs or so. It may be in the classifieds here but not sure. Owner busted his knee and wont be able to ride for a while.

Please PM me info on that 500 for sale. Got a friend searching. He found a stock one in Fla he might be buying.

[Hukamosh]

teambft-PM sent

[LukasM]

Originally Posted by Zuber

Hey Stu, have you ridden with the cush hub yet? Notice any difference on/off road, vibs, traction?

I built an LC4 cush wheel, but haven't mounted it yet. Hard to believe that the RAD hub would be lighter.

I don't think the RAD hub is lighter than stock, might even be a bit heavier. And while it is probably stronger I have never heard about a single OEM cush hub breaking. Plenty of non-cush ones, but never a cush.

That being said, the billet hubs sure look good, and they don't cost much more than OEM. I personally prefer the Haan ones over the others as they are lighter with a lot more complex machining done while still being strong enough (plenty of Dakar rally guys run them).

Haan Wheels 640 carrier on the left (622 grams) and RAD Mfg 950/990 carrier on the right (930 grams):

[Stu]

Lukas,

Thanks for the info on the Haan hub. Did not know about it. I'm pretty happy with the RAD unit. I think it was built for bikes with a lot of power -- overbuilt if anything. I have not weighed the stock LC4 unit but it is very heavy and this unit does feel lighter. I have seen webs cracked on one LC4 hub. It may have just been a bad casting but seeing that was not encouraging so I went with the RAD.

I have not noticed any difference on or off road with the cushioned hub. The 500 has so much power that it is seemingly indifferent to what is mounted. What is important is that it will help make the 500 a worry free long distance bike. I will not have to be concerned about transmission needle bearings or counter shaft splines. I would note that on the highway at 45~65 MPH the 500 with the cushioned hub feels smoother than my 950. That is with the Kenda stock tires. It is not any easier to find neutral when stopped though.

The flame outs seem to be a rich condition. I am leaning out the "needle taper" jetting range (using carburetor terms) today to see if that will solve the problem. Cutting back on fuel in the "accelerator pump / leak jet" range helped. I had that set too high.

Stu

[ABYSS]

Originally Posted by LukasM

I don't think the RAD hub is lighter than stock, might even be a bit heavier. And while it is probably stronger I have never heard about a single OEM cush hub breaking. Plenty of non-cush ones, but never a cush.

That being said, the billet hubs sure look good, and they don't cost much more than OEM. I personally prefer the Haan ones over the others as they are lighter with a lot more complex machining done while still being strong enough (plenty of Dakar rally guys run them).

Haan Wheels 640 carrier on the left (622 grams) and RAD Mfg 950/990 carrier on the right (930 grams):

You have good points above but serviously, Are we that concerned about 300 grams, hell I can skip a dontu and get that back. Dpont get me wrong I have nothing against Haan but come on all this over 4300 grams. I have been a woodys customer for years and have runt he RAD setup on my SE as well as my 500 XCW. I never really new what I missed until I didnt have one. I personally can tell a substancial difference between having a cush hub installed and not and prefer having one. In regards ot weight I too beleive it is over built but for a very minimal weight gain. I like over built

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by ABYSS

You have godo points above but serviously, Are we that concerned about 300 grams, hell I can skip a dontu and get that back. Dpont get me wrong I have nothing against Haan but come on all this over 4300 grams. I have been a woodys customer for years and have runt he RAD setup on my SE as well as my 500 XCW. I never really new what I missed until I didnt have one. I personally can tell a substancial difference between having a cush hub installed and not and prefer having one. In regards ot weight I too beleive it is over built but for a very minimal weight gain. I like over built

Cush hubs........ considering the bike has a cush hub built into the clutch hub that does the same thing as a cush hub on the wheel hub,the extra expense/weight is really worth it to add on to the bike?
Do guys really use these things as street bikes?
Surely dont need it for dirt riding as the dirt is all the slip a bike needs. I guess the fancy hubs look neat though.

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by Zuber

Hey Stu, have you ridden with the cush hub yet? Notice any difference on/off road, vibs, traction?

I built an LC4 cush wheel, but haven't mounted it yet. Hard to believe that the RAD hub would be lighter.

Cush hubs are a streetbike thing,not a performance thing for off road in any way. Dirt lets the tire slip all it needs so the trans doesnt get hammered. They dont help shifting or make for less vibration. KTM went to great expense to put a cush hub in the clutch hub so a cush hub isnt needed out at the wheel.

But then,what do I know.

[LukasM]

I agree that the weight difference between either hub is not a big deal, I just said if I can choose I'll take the Haan, even if I like and own RAD products.

Either way I do however consider the cush assembly - whether OEM, Haan, or RAD - a necessity for a dual sported bike that is seeing more than casual use. And the clutch damping mechanism is NOT sufficient.

Posted by another member, 11k dual sport use (XC4 engine with the same clutch damper):

[ABYSS]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

Cush hubs........ considering the bike has a cush hub built into the clutch hub that does the same thing as a cush hub on the wheel hub,the extra expense/weight is really worth it to add on to the bike?
Do guys really use these things as street bikes?
Surely dont need it for dirt riding as the dirt is all the slip a bike needs. I guess the fancy hubs look neat though.

Originally Posted by LukasM

I agree that the weight difference between either hub is not a big deal, I just said if I can choose I'll take the Haan, even if I like and own RAD products.

Either way I do however consider the cush assembly - whether OEM, Haan, or RAD - a necessity for a dual sported bike that is seeing more than casual use. And the clutch damping mechanism is NOT sufficient.

Posted by another member, 11k dual sport use (XC4 engine with the same clutch damper):

footdrager but I think you are missing the mechanical aspect of these a bit. I dont care what something is purposed for if it has a functional purpose else where than that is all the better for the MFG and the people smart enough to take advantage of it.

The dampening of the clutch is for clutch to engine connection "One side fo the coin" BUT not for output to wheel they are two competely different anmials, location and stress points. Lukas put in a good pic here and there are hundreds more out there I am sure. People have learned from experience I guess you experienced this yet. I dont recall saying they add performance My reason is reducing wear/stress points and i can feel a difference after being with one for so long Not better just different.

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by LukasM

I agree that the weight difference between either hub is not a big deal, I just said if I can choose I'll take the Haan, even if I like and own RAD products.

Either way I do however consider the cush assembly - whether OEM, Haan, or RAD - a necessity for a dual sported bike that is seeing more than casual use. And the clutch damping mechanism is NOT sufficient.

Posted by another member, 11k dual sport use (XC4 engine with the same clutch damper):

That looks like the bolt holding the countershaft sprocket on was run loose. How else would it do that?If the sprocket is let run loose then it hammers the shaft,for sure.
The clutch is between the trans and the engine,the clutch cush hub wouldnt damp drive forces to the trans?
How have the many thousands of DRZ 400's got by with no cush hub at the wheel?
Im just wondering and am no expert on any of this,but Ive had many big bore dirt bikes with no cush hub with no problems.

[LukasM]

Your theory does not quite work, if the bolt was left so loose as to allow lateral play on the shaft it would be pissing out so much oil that you'd need to fill it up 100 times in the 11k.

DRZ are slow turds compared to the KTMs, and maybe their shaft is more appropriately sized for their power.

Fact is that the EXCs and SXCs wear out the countershafts and often break the solid hubs (I have seen both OEM and billet Talon ones broken) if no cush drive is used in high traction applications where a lot of shock is transmitted. Obviously this is gradual so you need to rack up enough miles for this to be noticeable - which excludes most riders on these higher performance/maintenance machines.

[HeadintheClouds]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvQwDohsj7k&feature=plcp

Great riding around West Carolina. Any other 500s in the area?

[jesusgatos]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

Cush hubs........ considering the bike has a cush hub built into the clutch hub that does the same thing as a cush hub on the wheel hub,the extra expense/weight is really worth it to add on to the bike?
Do guys really use these things as street bikes?
Surely dont need it for dirt riding as the dirt is all the slip a bike needs. I guess the fancy hubs look neat though.

I've been riding my 450XCW almost exclusively on-road, with a set of 19/17 Woodys wheels (Rad front & OEM rear) and goddamn does that cush hub make a difference. Agree with you about performance off-road, but even when I've got dirt wheels on my bike, I do a lot of dualsport riding. You know, to and from trails, etc. Trailers are for boats! Anyway, have just found that the cush-hub really smoothes-out the power-transfer and helps a lot with settling the bike down, especially downshifting into corners. Picked up another OEM cush-hub to lace-up for my dirt wheelset. Heard that some of the aftermarket cush-hubs were having problems with the rubber bumpers not holding up very well.