New (again) KTM Owner!

[FlogginHarvey]

Well, I have been lurking here a while now and doing some research (and some buying LOL) and finally picked out and picked up a new 2008 450XC!!! I am so stoked! Was a KTM bike owner years ago and learned four wheels are better for me than two...anyway, went with a YFZ and it was just time to get back into Orange again finally.

First EASY ride as on Saturday for break-in (talk about killing me) ... Got some addies bolted up and needing the oil change and off to Waynoka in a couple of weeks!!! SWEET!!!

Thanks for the great forum and all of the wonderful info so far! Thanks for the great info and Love the site!!!

[mikes525]

Well, I have been lurking here a while now and doing some research (and some buying LOL) and finally picked out and picked up a new 2008 450XC!!! I am so stoked! Was a KTM bike owner years ago and learned four wheels are better for me than two...anyway, went with a YFZ and it was just time to get back into Orange again finally.

First EASY ride as on Saturday for break-in (talk about killing me) ... Got some addies bolted up and needing the oil change and off to Waynoka in a couple of weeks!!! SWEET!!!

Thanks for the great forum and all of the wonderful info so far! Thanks for the great info and Love the site!!!

Glade to hear your back, just to let you know I have a 08 and there is a couple things you should know,
1st end cap on stock muffler will fall off loctite it.
2nd order a carb boot it will rip
3rd loctite your axle nut because it will come off on you!

Things three things will save you lots of time and money time.
Beside this little problem I love my bike have a good one.

[XtremeSkier08]

I'll second that

[5lblmbn2009]

you will like the ktm alot. also watch the tank inserts for the bolts as they will probably start spinning eventually.

[clear4landing]

One more to add, remove and clean, loctite the shifter bolt. These also seem to come loose if not checked when new.

[Fast64ranchero]

Welcome, don't worry to much about the break-in, most people don't know that every engine is ran on a test stand, then installed and ran in the quad before it ever leaves the factory. I broke mine in on the dyno WOT, it has 80 hours on it now without having one engine problem....

[FlogginHarvey]

Hey all!!! Thanks for the warm welcome and the help! All noted and will be done in short order. THANKS!!!

On the carb boot, do you mean the one that fits between the carb and head or carb and air cleaner? Imseem to remember something about an "updated boot" but not sure what it was or why? I actually just put the FCI on and super stoked to get out to the dunes for a try after the shake-down run!

Oh, speaking of mod parts: is there any market for the original filter and intake, exhaust header & silencer, and heel guards & pegs? All that stuff is in a box prior to the quad leaving the dealership?

That's cool to know about test run-in on the motor and then again in the frame for final QC. I had the dealership install a JD Jetkit as a bandaide until I can pull it and send it to you (fastranchero) later in the year after season!!!

And ya! Good call on the shifter bolt. I am VERY lucky to still have it and the lever after the first ride!!! It was finger-tight when I checked everything over following the ride.

[reckless525xc]

It's the boot between the carb and the head.

[FlogginHarvey]

It's the boot between the carb and the head.

Gotcha and THANKS!!!

[rumlesj1]

best fix for the axle nut is get a rath one or i believe ktm bill makes one as well, definitly cheaper than loosing the back end like a buddy of mine had happen to him.

if u plan on running the stock head pipe get a akropovic exhaust manifold, it will stop it from popping when decelerating. i believe i paid 45 bux from Dave Hopkins (site member) if u plan on a full exhaust than KTM Bill is the guy to talk to. his pipes make the most power for these ktms.

as for intake get a FCI or have a custom fabbed up one like i am having done

[FlogginHarvey]

Wow! Great info for sure!

The FCI is in and on it! I am running a full FMF megabomb with 4.1 thus far but do have an Akro silencer and going to try and track down a Ti Akro pipe setup this summer...

Would love to get the Bill's axle nut: does anyone have a picture so I know what I am looking for on that? I'll pop up a couple of pix of the quad when I sit still next week as I am super stoked to be in Orange again!!!

[reckless525xc]

Bill's axel nut

[FlogginHarvey]

Awesome pic and it looks like a nicely done part! It's on the list! Thank you!

So, got home and changed the oil, cleaned the screens (what a total PITA by the way after dropping the left side one into the case! Doh!!!) and bolted on the Baldwin cooler. Filled it up with the 2L of Motorex and fire it up a couple if quick times to top it off with the extra 300-400mL of oil. Went to fire it up one last time and hit the starter button and NOTHING happened...nuttin'? I shut off the key a few times, grabbed the clutch a couple times, shifted and back to neutral...just won't do anything? Went for a search and found this thread...should have thought about wd40 into the button assembly.

http://www.ktmatvhq.com/forum/invision/ind...Engine+starting

Here is the history to here: bought it new as a leftover last week, ran it for 3 hours in wet conditions on Saturday last weekend, hosed it off to clean it (no pressure washer handy so used a hose with a low pressure spray nozzle), heat cycled it twice sitting in the shop last week and then today changing the oil. Not sure where to look. I checked all the fuses and wiring connections and have not found the chase to this point. I was wondering if the starter button is just bad? Actually looking back on the first ride, twice when intried firing it back up in the trail I hit the button and nothing happened. I pulled the clutch lever and cycled the key switch and it fired right up and didn't think twice...until tonight!???

[kiwi-craig]

08's, some had problems with dud key switches, get a replacement from your dealer under warranty

[FlogginHarvey]

Dealer found the starting issue...the clutch safety starting circuit (not sure official name) wasn't making good contact and needed adjustment. They made the proper adjustments and viola, problem solved! thank goodness!

Going to Waynoka Friday...YAHOO!

[AZ450XC]

Awesome pic and it looks like a nicely done part! It's on the list! Thank you!

So, got home and changed the oil, cleaned the screens (what a total PITA by the way after dropping the left side one into the case! Doh!!!) and bolted on the Baldwin cooler. Filled it up with the 2L of Motorex and fire it up a couple if quick times to top it off with the extra 300-400mL of oil.
;

You may be a little full on oil, keep an eye on the crankcase breather hose. If your getting a lot of oil into the carb from it you may need to drain a little out.

I also run a Baldwin oil cooler and the only time I have been able to get a full 2L of oil in it was when I tore down the motor and knew it was bone dry. It usually takes about 1.75L or so.

[FlogginHarvey]

Hmm, I will be very careful with theat when I change the oil next week. Thanks you for the heads up.

We had a blast at Waynoka in our group but a member of another group was not quite as lucky. Please say a prayer for Ken in Osage Beach, MO. We had very high winds and they really peaked up the tops of the dunes. He went over one on Saturday morning and the endo'ed over the bars and quad landed/rolled on top of him. He broke his neck and his back but had feeling and movement when they loaded him on the back board.

On a lighter note, I finally figured out (unfortnately) what a ripped carb boot does for everything...talk about not idling at ALL! WOW! Got it on a dyno thinking it was a jet issue and found that rip at the bottom of the boot in a couple places under the clamp. The "dyno Guy Mike" helped me out and got me back out on the sand. Good togo ...

and yes, the orange rear ring that was on back order in the pic have arrivedthis week...

here are some pics prior to the dune trip:

[FlogginHarvey]

Well, this KTM atv bug got me again. There is a new atv shop that just opened in Wichita, KS called MidWest Motorsports (MWM) on Broadway in the central business district that a friend referred me to very highly. He has been asked to do some work for the KTM team of Cory Siever (spelling unsure because I don't follow racing much recently) and seems to check out.

His name is Kyle Roby and his contact info is below for anyone in the area that want to get any work looked into:

Midwest Motorsports
Kyle Roby
601 S broadway Wichita, KS 67202
316-201-4989
Parts Service Custom Dyno Tuning

They will be installing a KTM 540 kit, a Baldwin Promo head & KTM 8/06 cam, and Ranchero 41.5mm carb in the next couple of weeks. They have a dyno in house and will put it on prior to The work as a baseline and make the mods and re-dyno and tune in for break-in!!! Yeah baby!!! It will be interesting to see the dyno result variance between the dyno run last April in waynoka, ok and this as a baseline.

It pulled 46.45 last April with an FCI intake, jet kit, and FMF Ti 4.1 mega bomb full system.

[clear4landing]

Keep us updated on results, I want to do something like this myself.

[FlogginHarvey]

Keep us updated on results, I want to do something like this myself.

You bet! They dynoed the bike this week as a baseline and it turned around 42hp on their dyno. Interesting the dyno results are so different from the dunes to here in Wichita. I suppose the actual number isn't the key, but seeing the variance between baseline and the new one with mods. Should have it back in a couple of weeks...