KTM LC4 (640) Thread Index

Now I know for sure I've lived a charmed life.

Merry Christmas all.
bill

Meeryxmas folks, thanks for the tip on the drain holes, my swingarm is probably full

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Also posted below to KTM 640 Adventure owners, sign in please... not sure which one is 'right' or if there is a 'right' thread to post this to?


Well gang, after a two and a half year hiatus (two young kids, life, etc!), I will be returning to ride this spring when the snow melts this spring!

I bought my '07 640 (third owner) in 2009 with about 7,000 kms on the odometer and only rode for 3,000 kms over two riding seasons. Since 2010, my bike has been stored and over the past two weeks, I had some work (well) done to it by my friend, Pieter, as well as starting to go through it myself.

Due to some ongoing wiring gremlins - headlights sometimes working, sometimes not (stock running lights with an aftermarket HID kit installed by the PO - no markings / brand / documentation which contributed to my frustration!), I looked for loose connections and then split wires (perhaps grounding on the frame), but after a fruitless search (I am not much of an electrician!), I decided to just replace some circuits altogether. Enter my friend, Pieter, a motorcycle / remote control aircraft enthusiast (auto mechanic by trade) who specializes in electrical.

After his initial appraisal, he decided it would be more time efficient and more useful to me in the future to rewire much of the electrical (using vehicle grade wire) onto separate circuits (as well as building custom, waterproof fuse boxes) such that any issues can be easily identified and solved in the field. Now all my lights are on separate circuits (stock running, HID low and HID high). He also reorganized the rats nest of wiring under the shroud... not that there was much room with the aftermarket horn and additional HID ballasts!

While he was at it, he mounted a trick airline fuse into the cockpit panel (another quick change fuse on a separate circuit for my accessories), hard wired leads for a phone and a GPS, as well as rebuilding my aux port (the power plug-in would come loose on bumpy ground such that anything plugged into it would only receive a sporadic power supply.)

In the future, I might see if Pieter can isolate the 'key on' circuit to further separate the lights and the battery such that it doesn't waste energy on the lights; taking away boost for the starter (an issue as read on this forum). If so, I will have to add on on/off switch for the lights as this will override the 'instant/always on' for the lights...

Finally, Pieter rebuilt and re-machined my crash bars to properly fit to allow for full radius turning; mounted by a previous owner, they contacted the forks slightly at full lock either way... not good! I had to remove them once I figured it out.

For my part, I welded a cracked subframe that was hidden by the right side panel (PO over-packing the bags?) and have started reading all the posts on this thread / other specific KTM 640 threads to try to learn of any other potential issues / areas to address. Thanks for the prior info about drilling a hole in the swingarm to release water buildup... any photos / description of exactly where you drilled?

Q: Does anything jump out regarding potential / actual 2007 640 issues that need to be addressed? Anything not included in the standard KTM owners manual checklist "MUST DO's" that a guy should be aware of?

Q: Any specific brand / model highly recommended as a replacement battery to the stock Yuasa YTZ10F MF?

I truly appreciate the contributions on here... looking forward to learning more from you inmates in the future and contributing when I can.

Cheers!

The biggest issue I had that was not covered in the KTM (2006 640A) owners manual was the sore face muscles from the ear to ear grin every time I ride this bike. <-- That's what I look like!

Welcome back!

Thanks David!

I am still probably four months away from an actual ride (snow covered and -32C with the wind chill factor here in Calgary AB Canada) but looking forward to that day with much anticipation! I am envious of your location!

In 2004, after a week on the Cook Islands, my wife and I spent three weeks on the North Island of New Zealand before heading 'Down Under' for another three weeks... visiting Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane (and small towns nearby). I rented a Honda 650 in Melbourne for the best day of the trip and toured south of Melbourne - the Great Ocean Road - to see some Apostles! Gotta get back there to do it again!

Merry Christmas!

Dean

Hockeygod, with only 7000 KM on the odometer your bike is barely broke in... You should get quite a few more miles in before any service issues creep up... One thing I would recommend is for you to regrease the suspension linkage and steering stem bearings soon... Other than that you should be good up to around 40,000 KM and then the valve cover should be pulled to change the intake cam roller and rebuild the waterpump at the very least... Keep a spare intake roller on hand in case it goes before that time {symptoms are noisy valves and opened up valve clearances}...

I usually do a valve service at around the 40k km mark but others have successfully run them for twice that long...

Your 07 is the last of the 640 production so most of the early LC 4 niggles had been long worked out by that time...

Thanks Gunner!

Will do the linkage and bearings when the weather warms up (and thus my garage... it sits at 3C during the winter.) Any links to those particular threads with details?

Is it best to order these parts (intake cam roller and water pump) from KTM direct / my local dealer or another site?

Thanks,

Dean

PS Enjoyed your writeup about your 'spare' 640! Love the Campbell River area... I was through there on a Jr. B scouting trip in 2000. Have a couple of hockey friends living there... still have many relatives and friends on the Isle and will most likely be back sometime in 2013.

You pretty much have to go through KTM for those parts, Parts Pit Stop has good prices on KTM OEM but they over charge for shipping so you may not save much over the local dealer... I've bought quite a bit of my 640 parts through my closest dealer because they offer me a 15% discount which puts their price a little closer to the on line guys...

So yeah, order the parts and have them ready for when the time comes... For the water pump you'll need the shaft, seal, and 2 new bearings... A new intake rocker for the 40,000 mark, the exhaust roller lasts quite a bit longer but maybe order one of those as well... You'll need some liquid gasket goop for the valve cover, for that I found 1211 works best...

The local area player {Mitchell, Kings} brought the cup up this summer and had some kind of a shinding viewing thing at the Mcneill arena which got people exited for a bit... But now hockey is on the backburner with the money dispute that is going on, maybe the champions will still be the Kings come next summer...

In the Sticky at the top of the page click on the "Bike Specific Index Thread" then, click on "KTM LC4 (640) Index". There you'll find a list of maintenance items/ issues.

"Thread index" page 1 to get started

I have a couple question for those with Lc4 experience. I have 2002 with 4000 mls on the clock I have installed Leo Vince can with stock headers my question is there any advantage of removing the pre muffler and installing S duct from 2001 SMX to free up exhaust flow.

I've been reading LC4 exhaust page looking for other answers but for yours the consenses is save your money.

Hockeygod, welcome back.
My experience is my stock Yuasa YTZ10F gave life to the mighty 640 as long as 5 years... that's pretty enough for me.
I have just changed the batt of the 990, and I bought also the specified Yuasa, quite costly but high percentage of no-trouble in that department...

Any specific reason for a change?

.

Life rider,

I will monitor my battery during the off (hockey) season again and test it when spring comes. It didn't seem to have a ton of juice in it previously (tough to start... Would start to slow down when cranking) but this was before I got the electrical done. I had the battery inside for the winter (and do so every year); even had it on a smart tender, but it was still weak. I bought an electrical tester and before I put her to bed this winter, it showed about 14.8 which is slightly better than the manual said... So we will see in the spring!

Secondarily to getting a more powerful battery, I wanted something a bit lighter (smaller size if possible) to save weight; plus the battery area is so tight, itis tough to get out. I am rigging up a strap to lie flat underneath the current battery so it will give me a place to grip and pull it out in the future so that issue will be solved!

No other reasons... If it works A-OK in the spring, I will just keep using this one.

Now that you mention the no-riding season (hockey ), I have to say that I used the bike every month during those 5 years, North Patagonia has that important advantage for batteries' lifecycle.

When I ride light, may be the weight of the stock batt is relevant, but once I put on the full loaded Gobi sidecases... nobody remembers that little tiny piece of battery

Enjoy your hockey season, man!
(I love snowtime... but here is too short)
Cheers!

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I'm new to KTM's, don't know anything about the dual sport models they've made, how reliable they were, how light, how dirt oriented etc. I'm looking for a used, older KTM that is dirt focused, lighter, dependable, and preferrably e-start. Any and all info about a KTM that will fit my bill from you KTM specialists is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me

i am very satisfied with my 5 year old odyssey pc310 until last weekend. looks like it's on its last leg. the cold weather is not helping either. i would buy another one but i got a great deal on a shorai lfx18a1-bs12 from a fellow inmate and neighbor.,





your bike is not that old, mine is an 02 and will need new rubber isolators.


anyone planning a long trip, invest in a good battery, you'll thank yourself for doing so.

I did it to move what I felt was a pretty big heat source away from the shock... And I have no idea if it made any difference... that shock failed shortly thereafter... :)