690 Rally Replica questions...

[notmybikemodelname]

Originally Posted by F650Dakar_Norway

I used a kevlar jacket myself in UN-service in Lebanon in the eighties and wouldn't mind making a "Tank-Impact-Jacket". Those racing guys live and breathe crucial weight saving, while my gravel-dirt-touring regime can easily live with a few extra grammes.

Besides, that colored Kevlar looks "da shit" and should do a decent job protecting those expensive polymer tanks. I'll go for that solution, so where do I order here in Scandinavia? Hmmm...this can be an interesting farkle-rich KTM-winter

Not sure about Scandinavia, but here's a good source to start, and they'll ship anywhere.

http://www.fibreglast.com/category/Kevlar

[F650Dakar_Norway]

Thanks. Will check here in Norway for dyed kevlar mats too. The trick will be to shape them and provide secure padding behind the kevlar against the polymer tanks. Then I should avoid the mishap Matt of "Race To Dakar" fame encountered - holes in the tank when hitting stones etc. when I drop it.

[Kirschgeist]

Does anybody know, if it is possible to cover the whole tanks with foil, or do you get bubbles from the fuel?

[italrally]

Yes for shure you will get bubbles. May be a foil with small holes could help

[F650Dakar_Norway]

Originally Posted by Kirschgeist

Does anybody know, if it is possible to cover the whole tanks with foil, or do you get bubbles from the fuel?

The stock "KTM-orange" colour on mine appears to be some kind of foil applied by the factory. These polymer plastic tanks are known to release fuel vapours over time, so choosing the right perforated foil or correct paint may be crucial to avoid peeling.

On mine the stock, big KTM-stickers won't stick and peel off. This no doubt caused by fuel vapours gradually dissolving the sticker adhesive.
For me this is no big deal, since these peculiarities are well-known in dirtrider circles concerning plastic tanks. I simply tear off the useless stickers and apply new ones - depending on daily moods and prefs there and then

[Mudguts]

Tanks are made from a nylon it does not breath like standard moto tanks and it is paintable same as the 690 enduro tanks are paintable

[LukasM]

Originally Posted by Mudguts

Tanks are made from a nylon it does not breath like standard moto tanks and it is paintable same as the 690 enduro tanks are paintable

Do you know what nylon? Like F650 said, my friend also had a lot of bubbling under the tank stickers. The paint had no problems however....

[F650Dakar_Norway]

Pal Anders Ullevalseter told me this summer that no stickers - regardless of adhesive - would stick to those nylon/plastic (whatever) front or rear tanks for a long time. They "sweat" fuel vapours and require constant attention even for his sponsor-stickers. No big deal, really.

Goes with the territory; these tanks are made for maximum capacity and a reasonable crash-tolerance in rally-conditions within a certain temperature-range. If you want permanent stickers, go elsewhere.

In my world this is only a small rally-character treat of this bike. If you see the preps for Dakar and other rallies, mechanics use heat-guns to make sponsor-stickers hang in there for a while. Given the crash-tolerance of these tanks, that's a small price to pay.

And plastic or nylon tanks - each have their own advantages and trade-offs.
These rally-bikes are by design demanding more attention and scrutineering.
That's cool enough in my book

[italrally]

Originally Posted by F650Dakar_Norway

The stock "KTM-orange" colour on mine appears to be some kind of foil applied by the factory. These polymer plastic tanks are known to release fuel vapours over time, so choosing the right perforated foil or correct paint may be crucial to avoid peeling.

On mine the stock, big KTM-stickers won't stick and peel off. This no doubt caused by fuel vapours gradually dissolving the sticker adhesive.
For me this is no big deal, since these peculiarities are well-known in dirtrider circles concerning plastic tanks. I simply tear off the useless stickers and apply new ones - depending on daily moods and prefs there and then

The KTM rally tanks are painted in a special way from the factory painter, because they heat the tanks before they get painted and ist is a little bit of mistery how they do this job. So the color get no bubbles. I let paint my tanks twice from a professionell painter, also with a different mixture of colors ( waterbasis and chemical basis ) but all the time i get after three month a lot of bubbles.

For the foils you can use different printfoils, normaly everybody use digital printfoils, but there are a lot of differences too. !

Also when you have small holes in the digital print foils the stickers will hold some more time as without holes.

When you print stickers with the offset mode and not the digital mode, the foil can be very thick and is more resist against the petrol in the tank.

[Evil Invader]

Does anybody know if there is any copies of the front tanks for the 690/450 Rally avalible? And i do know of the Alberto Dottori ones, but I would like copies of the Real rally tanks.
Or better yet, some real ones, for sale second handed.
I´m about to build me own rallybike, but don´t have the funds to buy new ones...
Sorry for Hi-jacking a very nice thread...
/Thomas.

[italrally]

Originally Posted by Evil Invader

Does anybody know if there is any copies of the front tanks for the 690/450 Rally avalible? And i do know of the Alberto Dottori ones, but I would like copies of the Real rally tanks.
Or better yet, some real ones, for sale second handed.
I´m about to build me own rallybike, but don´t have the funds to buy new ones...
Sorry for Hi-jacking a very nice thread...
/Thomas.

.. i have a non painted rear 690 rally tank, send me a email:

ma@maconsultinggroup.de

M.

[Evil Invader]

Originally Posted by italrally

.. i have a non painted rear 690 rally tank, send me a email:

ma@maconsultinggroup.de

M.

Thanx mate, but just after the front ones.
Will keep it in mind though.

[Cummo]

Would any of you guys have a step by step guide to a piston change?

I want to drop a new piston before my next rally and have enevr done it on this bike before.

[F650Dakar_Norway]

Just checked my manuals, and they were not workshop manuals - only chassis and engine spare parts manuals and owner's manual. Nothing about piston change or other more detailed engine work in the latter.

Except from that: I have in vain sent an email to Daniela Leidl at KTM about Akrapovic silencers. Not even the faintest reply yet since that mail was sent 28th of November last year.

Maybe she was out of office or don't work there any more.

[schattat]

Originally Posted by Cummo

Would any of you guys have a step by step guide to a piston change?

I want to drop a new piston before my next rally and have enevr done it on this bike before.

Cummo, what makes you think the piston change should be different from any other bike?
Do you just need specific measurements and torque values, or the entire procedure?

BTW: I'm also rebuilding my bike ATM during the winter break :