KTM 640 Adventure owners, sign in please...

[Johnnyktm]

Amazing...

[hillbilly enduro]

Originally Posted by 640 Armageddon

The tower held fine in the 24hrs Rally Raid, but the engine gave up go figure
Here it is







What I need to put is vibration dampers everywhere and make sure the aluminium sheet is bent to a proper workshop. The aluminium developed cracks when they bent it. These cracks propagated because of the vibrations... It did not fall apart, but as Pete640 and others have told me, I should have welded these cracks. No time at the time (with only one week left to race) so I did my best to sort out the electrics. Now the bike sits on the garage, waiting for a donor engine, I have time to correct everything that was not right in the first version and redesign it for the next Rally
That was the point from the beginning. And I dont mean the engine failure ! I wanted to test the tower in order to get a product out at the end because I am sick of not finding products for the 640... First a Tower. then a nice bash plate, then a Roadbook a rally fairing and whatever inmates here ask for ...

If you don't know this allready, you should be aware, that the aluminium cracking when bend(t)? isn't necessarily the workshops fault. To bend aluminium without cracking, it has to be fairly new, (as in newly manufactured). If it has been stored for a longer period, something happens with it. I don't know the details about it, just that it needs to be "fresh" for bending it...

Excellent work with the bracket, and good looking designing with the bashguard. It looks GREAT

[640 Armageddon]

Originally Posted by hillbilly enduro

If you don't know this allready, you should be aware, that the aluminium cracking when bend(t)? isn't necessarily the workshops fault. To bend aluminium without cracking, it has to be fairly new, (as in newly manufactured). If it has been stored for a longer period, something happens with it. I don't know the details about it, just that it needs to be "fresh" for bending it...

Excellent work with the bracket, and good looking designing with the bashguard. It looks GREAT

Indeed , already knew that, the problem is that the workshop did not know how to bend the thing.... Not all aluminium crack, it just needs to be bent in a certain way. It also depends on the series that you are using... It is trickier than stainless steel but then again it is much lighter...
There is a minimum radius of bend. If you exceed that, aluminium will crack... It also helps to bend across the draw lines of the aluminium if you know what I mean.
There are many techniques from what I found later, you can heat treat is as you bend it but that depends on which series you are using...
The best answer to my problem was this one:

Originally Posted by tbarstow

Looking into 50xx series aluminum, they aren't heat treatable, but are strain hardened by cold working. What is the temper designation? You want to have the designation of 50xx-0 for annealed material.
A quick search with Google gives some minimum bend radius information.
Looks like a 4mm sheet of 5052 has the recommended minimum bend radii for the following tempers:

0 - 1t
H32 - 1.5t
H34 - 2.5t
H36 - 4t
H38 - 5t
t is thickness

Heck... Next time will do better.
Also, I found the hard way that it is better to get one workshop to do the job. In my case someone did the laser cutting and another did the sheet bending. They kept arguing with each other ...

D.

[hAjPR]

Guys, I've purchased the tripmaster switch for my '07 model, it works how it is supposed to BUT I have a question.

Does the tripmaster on my model year allow you to switch the Trip 2 mode in to a large digits instead of the speed digits?

I got it for my first roadbook "race", just to try it, keep the budget low but I was wondering if I can make it just more visible.

Thanks!

[warewolf]

Originally Posted by Aussie Steve

Can anyone confirm the rallye crank will go in and can keep both electric and kick start?

Also, IIRC if you use the big-bore Rallye piston the cases need to be replaced (or machined) because the piston bottoms into the cases. Pretty sure the details are on this site somewhere!

[philosobrad]

Purchased a project 640 Adventure last week, that the PO had decided to part out. Picked it up just outside KC without hearing it run, and without an IMO. PO stated the machine had roughly 4500 miles, and other than a spray bombed tank and upper fairing, she looked like a low mileage example. The price was right, and came with a decent amount of spares, so the deal was struck.

Got the bike back to the workshop and had myself a decent assessment of what I'd gotten into. Lots of buttoning up, and understanding that all the case cover and valve cover gaskets had been discarded. I really needed to get this beast up and going for an enduro ride 3 days later, so against my better judgement..............liquid gaskets were made

After reasonably sealing the LC4 up and reinstalling the starter, it became very apparent, that there were issues somewhere with the E-start system. After reading through several posts, I deduced a sprag assembly is the most likely culprit. So I kicked. And kicked. And swore, then kicked some more. After shredding both legs, it finally caught, started and IDLED!

I live 30 minutes from the Chadwick off road vehicle area, located in the Mark Twain Nat'l forest near Springfield, MO. World class (IMO) off road riding that covers everything from wide gravel to black diamond rocky/rooted single track. Took the bike out with some friends of various skill, with the intention of riding the easier family grade trails. This lasted 15 minutes before taking a wrong turn down a moderately difficult black diamond. I typically tackle this area with a well worn 250EXC two stroker with a fair amount of struggle, so I was pretty nervous taking an unproven monster in and back out.

I fell in love with this machine and its capabilities in short order. It's a twist of the throttle to tractor up and over logs, shelf rock, mud, ice covered rock, you name it. Riding down gravel at the same pace I felt comfortable on the EXC, was boring! Twist the gas and fly!

I haven't been this excited about a moto purchase in a decade, and now I'm contemplating selling my Triumph Scrambler, as it now seems obsolete! Will make a better assessment after sorting out the E-start and installing factory gaskets.









Brad
417moto.com

[TripleThreat719]

Welcome to the obsession...

[Low594]

Originally Posted by philosobrad

Purchased a project 640 Adventure last week, that the PO had decided to part out. Picked it up just outside KC without hearing it run, and without an IMO. PO stated the machine had roughly 4500 miles, and other than a spray bombed tank and upper fairing, she looked like a low mileage example. The price was right, and came with a decent amount of spares, so the deal was struck.

Got the bike back to the workshop and had myself a decent assessment of what I'd gotten into. Lots of buttoning up, and understanding that all the case cover and valve cover gaskets had been discarded. I really needed to get this beast up and going for an enduro ride 3 days later, so against my better judgement..............liquid gaskets were made

After reasonably sealing the LC4 up and reinstalling the starter, it became very apparent, that there were issues somewhere with the E-start system. After reading through several posts, I deduced a sprag assembly is the most likely culprit. So I kicked. And kicked. And swore, then kicked some more. After shredding both legs, it finally caught, started and IDLED!

I live 30 minutes from the Chadwick off road vehicle area, located in the Mark Twain Nat'l forest near Springfield, MO. World class (IMO) off road riding that covers everything from wide gravel to black diamond rocky/rooted single track. Took the bike out with some friends of various skill, with the intention of riding the easier family grade trails. This lasted 15 minutes before taking a wrong turn down a moderately difficult black diamond. I typically tackle this area with a well worn 250EXC two stroker with a fair amount of struggle, so I was pretty nervous taking an unproven monster in and back out.

I fell in love with this machine and its capabilities in short order. It's a twist of the throttle to tractor up and over logs, shelf rock, mud, ice covered rock, you name it. Riding down gravel at the same pace I felt comfortable on the EXC, was boring! Twist the gas and fly!

I haven't been this excited about a moto purchase in a decade, and now I'm contemplating selling my Triumph Scrambler, as it now seems obsolete! Will make a better assessment after sorting out the E-start and installing factory gaskets.









Brad
417moto.com

Welcome! I think you might do well with a build thread, so we can help you along. and its fun for us to see what you got going on! That windscreen looks to be non-factory... does the upper portion bolt onto the headlight shroud? It looks to have the angle and lip of the early 2 piece screen/shroud, but has the USD forks of a late model, with the mid front hub(no boss for 2nd disc). Given that I am guessing its an '01-'02?!

[philosobrad]

Originally Posted by Low594

Welcome! I think you might do well with a build thread, so we can help you along. and its fun for us to see what you got going on! That windscreen looks to be non-factory... does the upper portion bolt onto the headlight shroud? It looks to have the angle and lip of the early 2 piece screen/shroud, but has the USD forks of a late model, with the mid front hub(no boss for 2nd disc). Given that I am guessing its an '01-'02?!

Yassir, you're an astute viewer ('01). The upper is one piece, the PO just used the split you see as a demarcation to spray bomb the upper portion of it in white. I'm still scratching my head over this. The tank paint is hideous, and I'm too ashamed to post a pic of it. I'm going to try and have the entire bike vinyl wrapped after I figure out a way to safely remove the paint from the tank. I'm aware of the possible adhesion issues with the tank due to its poly construction, but gonna give it a shot anyway. I will be posting often to try and give back all the information gleaned from the incredible posts that have gotten me this far. This monster has consumed my thoughts since I bought it. I've given long dissertations over the years that there is no perfect solution to "one bike to do it all". I may have just discovered this unicorn.

Single track--check
Highway use--check
Loaded touring--check ish

Unknown:

If'n my 520 EXC Supermoto wheels fit this bike, I'll give it a shot at a track day to see if it's a viable Supermoto.

I've more or less stuck the rear EXC wheel in place of the LC4 stocker, and it seemed to fit just fine. Anyone know off hand if the front will work?

[dnrobertson]

If the tank is the standard KTM tank (not the KTM competition tank), you should have no problems with paint or vinyl adhesion. They are the plastic that does not "breathe". Otherwise, the standard paint from KTM would be bubbling off.
Maybe the PO just covered over the beautiful paint underneath?

Love to here about your experience with the 520 wheels.

[philosobrad]

If I post a pic of the tank, can you Identify it?

[juames]

Originally Posted by philosobrad

The tank paint is hideous, and I'm too ashamed to post a pic of it.

Come on post a pic, we won't laugh promise.

[dnrobertson]

Originally Posted by philosobrad

If I post a pic of the tank, can you Identify it?

Look on the bottom of the tank, it may have the KTM part number moulded on it. It it does, use munnracing.com to cross reference the part number.

If it is listed on the normal parts fiche, it's a standard tank and can be painted, wrapped etc. If it says it's from the KTM hard parts catalog, then it is the unpaintable one.

On my 2005 640A, when you look inside the filler cap, the tank is a white(ish) colour. My tank from the hard parts catalog is orange the whole way through (and translucent). (Yes I have both tanks and swap them depending on the ride).

[philosobrad]

The clear solution then, is to trade me your hard parts tank, for this one. Seems equitable.

[dnrobertson]

Originally Posted by philosobrad

The clear solution then, is to trade me your hard parts tank, for this one. Seems equitable.

The shipping to Australia would make it cheaper for you to buy a new tank!

The real reason I bought the hard parts tank is on the later models, the tank capacity was reduced and sometimes I need all the range I can get. Also, I ride like shit (fall off a lot), so I prefer scratching the hard parts tank than the super expensive original.