I am the proud owner of a 1996 KTM 300 EXC .... Who is the go to guy in the U.S.A. for these bikes.... most KTM dealers have little to NO info on them and even fewer people that have worked on one. Any and all helo is appreciated ... Matt in NC
What do you want to know? The motor was updated in 2004. There should be parts. Any wrench worth a damn should know how to work on it. This is not alchemy.
I had the same bike. Now have 2000 (same model) I had no problem working on it. It is a 2 stroke. As long as you have parts (and they are out there) Don't let the stator get wet! No big deal.
I was looking for info on things like ... Slaven did porting for the engine ... is it a needed job.? anyones experience.? What things people have done to their bikes to inprove them .?? what works and what does not work ?? Those sort of things... Matt in NC
Your KTM EXC was billed as an Enduro-Cross-Country model. At it's age now it's a trail bike. A really good trail bike. A low mileage unit would make a helluva single-track bike or a weekend-warrior ride. If memory serves, there was an issue with the ports matching and the X-dimension of the head. There was a guy over at KTMtalk that worked miracles on these top ends I believe his handle was "claytm". If it were me... I'd ride it once and evaluate its condition. If the bike was worth keeping, I'd figure out the top end (it may be perfect as is). Then I'd strip it to the frame LOOK CLOSELY at everything, I'd replace all the fluids put it back together and go ridin'! Oh yeah, if it has many hours on it the carb will need to be replaced.
I beat the shit out of my 96. So did the guy before me and so is the guy who has it now. The original owner did a Piston, rings, bearings etc. Probably 10 years ago? The rest of us put Quality 2T mix in it at 50:1 and ride the piss out of it. I had the rear shock rebuilt. The fork seals need replacing now. The bike is ridden year round. Dirt and ice. It could probably use a set of rings and a piston, but it starts and runs strong as is. Great woods bike with low down lugging torque and ripping top end. (for the year) Problem..... The stator etc. DO NOT LIKE TO BE WET! Make sure you seal the crap out of the clutch cable near the stator. If it gets wet, remove cover and dry it well. It will spit and foul the plug if you run through rivers etc a lot. I have a 2000 300 EXC now. It has a bit more go and not the water issue. Other than that, my old bike plays right with new stuff out on the trails.
That is still a viable race bike today. My kid races a 2002 380SX and does great on it. You want common mods? Late model front end conversion is a bolt on, and worthwhile. If you want an awesome resource, register at ktmtalk and head to the "oldies but goodies" section. Vast knowledge and experience there, very willing to share too.
Worthwhile indeed but not quite a bolt-on. Steering stops will need to be welded to the frame below the headstock. (96 360 EXC)
Yes, I forgot that and have added a few! My apologies! Still not a bad project, the welding is a $10 job if sourced out.
I had one brand new in 96,rode it hard for about 4 years,the forks were an issue,magnesium lower legs would pick up metal bits from the bushings disintegrating,then the embedded and loose metal bits would frag the seals and the rest of the bushings. I had em apart many times,once I used a brake hone to smooth out the insides of the forks,one or two passes was all I did,then I polished the insides of the lower legs with rag and polishing compound on the same brake hone. It worked pretty good. Jetting was a long drawn out event,went through many needles and jets till I got it close,it ran great on top but was hard to jet off the bottom. Various small parts fell apart regularly,pipe hangers,etc. The stock Ohlin's rear shock is a good thing,I put on an eibach spring to match my weight and that was all it needed,worked great then! These bikes weight about 249 dry so not a real lightweight,but they work just fine once fettled. I have an 04 300 now,its just a put gas in and go sort of bike,good right out of the box.
Hey Guys, I've had a 400 RXC '96 for almost a year and a half now. Solid bike, but hard as hell to get parts for. Just found this site with manuals: http://www.mototech.com.au/content.php?pid=6&Level=1