KTM 500 - Less is more?

[KrustyKustom]

My 500 came in last weekend. Bike feels crazy light, like a 200 2t, clutch is awesome, FI throttle response is great.



Big jump from my well sorted 07 RFS.

[Foot dragger]

Im still back at the first post,thrilled to learn about the new bikes but how does a new spark plug cap turn out to be so jacked up? Dont recall ever hearing of a new bike with a bad cap to the point that it barely runs right?
Just curious.

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by KrustyKustom

My 500 came in last weekend. Bike feels crazy light, like a 200 2t, clutch is awesome, FI throttle response is great.



Big jump from my well sorted 07 RFS.

Its only about 30 some lbs heavier then a newish 200,barely notice that.

[neduro]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

Im still back at the first post,thrilled to learn about the new bikes but how does a new spark plug cap turn out to be so jacked up? Dont recall ever hearing of a new bike with a bad cap to the point that it barely runs right?
Just curious.

Well, I agree, it seemed strange. That's why it took so long to find. I'm not sure what the actual issue was- the cap was well seated on the wire (which I checked) and on the plug (which I checked)- apparently there's a resistor in the cap which was faulty, and which meant that it was not sparking sometimes.

Be that as it may, swapped spark plug cap and the bike was right. So, there you have it.

12 vs 13: not a lot on paper, and I hesitate to comment on engine performance since mine wasn't healthy when I had it. It seems like the new bike is a little more polished, they always seem that way year on year I find. But, no major differences that would spur me to buy one over the other.

Steering damper: I'm a firm believer for high speed stuff. But my focus for this bike will be going fast in tight trails, and I don't think the chassis needs one.

[YetiGS]

Originally Posted by neduro

Steering damper: I'm a firm believer for high speed stuff. But my focus for this bike will be going fast in tight trails, and I don't think the chassis needs one.

Ah, that makes sense. Different swords for different opponents.


(or something like that)

[neduro]

The 450 I demo'd got somewhere between 50 and 60mpg, which impressed me mightily.

On the 500, my first and second rides were about 30 miles each, and I figured I would not refill between them to get a better baseline on mileage. This was all technical singletrack, my old carb'd 450 gets about 35 in this use. After 64 miles:



(note the fuel level).

It ran to the truck, but would not restart. Guess I shaved that close!

And just filled it up at a pump:



So I believe the usable capacity of the 500 is 2.2 gallons. I'd heard a variety of figures, thought I'd post my experience as a baseline.



Now, what remains to be seen is why I got 29.5 miles per gallon (I was even being somewhat nice, during break in), when that is so far from what I got on the 450.

[Ronin ADV]

Great thread.
I really like my WR but I'm pretty interested in a lighter, more powerful single track bike and I'm really starting to lust after one of these. I thought the 500 might be too much juice for single track vs the 350 but this may not be the case. I would need a bit more range than you are posting as I often ride 100-120 miles at a shot. What other fuel tank options are there for the 500?

[Lappeman]

Great question WW Ronin! Been thinking about trading up newer, maybe the 450. Apparently we can't even get the 500 up here right now...big waiting list.


What are the other tank options that would fit the 500 or 450? Your 2.2gal seems in line with a 9L tank. I also would need far more mileage out of it. I'm running the large 21.5L tank on my 530. Doesn't bother me with the extra weight or size and I can run hard...well as hard as I can run...for about 300kms (180miles), which is about what we run during a day on the backroads and trails here.


Just FYI, that 2.2gal or 9L would cost $12.42 up here. In fact your highest price for gas in the US is still cheaper than our cheapest


Good start to the thread, Thanks!

[B-Rod]

Originally Posted by WW Ronin

Great thread.
I really like my WR but I'm pretty interested in a lighter, more powerful single track bike and I'm really starting to lust after one of these. I thought the 500 might be too much juice for single track vs the 350 but this may not be the case.

I bought a large bore KTM because of my inexperience. It really helps in a pickle to have a bike that is so forgiving, and will simply chug up anything. I rode a new 350, and to be honest, it was a bit too much bike for me, simply in the way the it produces power. You can wring it's little neck, but then it can bite you in the ass!

[neduro]

Originally Posted by WW Ronin

What other fuel tank options are there for the 500?

Over the years, I've had tanks from all the major manufacturers- Clarke, IMS, Clockworks, Aqualine, and Acerbis.

I've gotten to where I'll avoid IMS and Clarke at almost any expense, and have a strong preference for Acerbis. Their stuff is OEM quality, and on KTMs, it actually is OEM.

Acerbis makes, I'm pretty sure, 3.2 and 5.3 gallon options. They also make the KTM hardparts options, which I think are similar. MX1West.com is the place to buy Acerbis stuff.

But, I'm hoping to figure out why the mileage was so awful. I'd like to see at least 40 out of this thing... which would make 2.2 gallons acceptable for how I plan to use it.

[neduro]

Another comment for those of you out there with new bikes.

It's great to do an oil change EARLY and get all the manufacturing crap out of the motor. I usually do one between 30 and 60 minutes of run time, and it's amazing to see the swarf that is stuck in the filter and on the screens.

But, the motor was designed to be broken in on dinosaur (non synth) oil. KTM wants 5-10 hours on this before you go to the really slippery stuff. Synthetic too early may mean the rings don't seat properly, and you fight oil consumption for the whole life of the bike.

So, by all means, drop the oil early, but put in something non-synthetic. I've been using Honda GN4, which is cheap by the gallon, and is correctly rated for clutches, etc, but I'm sure there are many oils that would fill the bill just fine.

[woods wizard]

Originally Posted by neduro

Well, I agree, it seemed strange. That's why it took so long to find. I'm not sure what the actual issue was- the cap was well seated on the wire (which I checked) and on the plug (which I checked)- apparently there's a resistor in the cap which was faulty, and which meant that it was not sparking sometimes.

Be that as it may, swapped spark plug cap and the bike was right. So, there you have it.

12 vs 13: not a lot on paper, and I hesitate to comment on engine performance since mine wasn't healthy when I had it. It seems like the new bike is a little more polished, they always seem that way year on year I find. But, no major differences that would spur me to buy one over the other.

Steering damper: I'm a firm believer for high speed stuff. But my focus for this bike will be going fast in tight trails, and I don't think the chassis needs one.

The spark plug cap was also an issue with the Husabergs, my 570 had one at 1k miles.

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by neduro

Well, I agree, it seemed strange. That's why it took so long to find. I'm not sure what the actual issue was- the cap was well seated on the wire (which I checked) and on the plug (which I checked)- apparently there's a resistor in the cap which was faulty, and which meant that it was not sparking sometimes.

Be that as it may, swapped spark plug cap and the bike was right. So, there you have it.

12 vs 13: not a lot on paper, and I hesitate to comment on engine performance since mine wasn't healthy when I had it. It seems like the new bike is a little more polished, they always seem that way year on year I find. But, no major differences that would spur me to buy one over the other.

Steering damper: I'm a firm believer for high speed stuff. But my focus for this bike will be going fast in tight trails, and I don't think the chassis needs one.

Ive tried 3 different kinds of steering dampers,tried em on tight single track.
I cant do it. I want the bike to steer how I want it to steer,cant have it doing it's own input on tight left then fast right super tight corners,or anywhere really,they all drove me nuts within minutes and hitting trees was a possibility.
I know they are great at speed and in rockpiles,I think a lotta pros turn em off for tight woods.
The ones Ive tried,WER,Scotts,GPR, wouldnt turn down far enough to work for me.
Am I a freak?

I know guys,usually not great riders,who wont ride with out the things anywhere,its like a crutch to keep them upright I guess? I wonder if the dampers do just the opposite sometimes in tight woods?

[Geek]

Ned: are you going to do anything with the fuel filters in this one?

I've added a 10 micron 3.5 gallon/minute trail-serviceable golem filter to mine.

[guns_equal_freedom]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

Ive tried 3 different kinds of steering dampers,tried em on tight single track.
I cant do it. I want the bike to steer how I want it to steer,cant have it doing it's own input on tight left then fast right super tight corners,or anywhere really,they all drove me nuts within minutes and hitting trees was a possibility.
I know they are great at speed and in rockpiles,I think a lotta pros turn em off for tight woods.
The ones Ive tried,WER,Scotts,GPR, wouldnt turn down far enough to work for me.
Am I a freak?

I know guys,usually not great riders,who wont ride with out the things anywhere,its like a crutch to keep them upright I guess? I wonder if the dampers do just the opposite sometimes in tight woods?

I have used a Scotts damper on my last 3 KTM's.
If the damper "got in the way" I would just crank down the adjustment knob until it didn't.

On my 500 I am going to hold off on installing a damper (still have the one from my 530) until I ride it in the desert.