KTM 500 - Less is more?

Additions:



As I’ve said before, I am generally skeptical of the aftermarket. OEM stuff is so good and so well tested, I’d rather stick with stock than whatever the latest gee-gaw gadget is, unless there’s a real advantage to changing. But there are a few things that make it onto my list of things worth doing, and it seemed like a good time to post them here.

A few items I reviewed early on, that I keep buying for every new bike: Dirt Tricks sprockets (still the best!), Hyde skidplate (will not buy again), RTE skidplate (will not buy again, I’m using a hard parts one now), Mefo mousses (still the best!).

Now, on to new stuff. The KTM single headlights are pretty dim affairs. The 2014 is better, but that is somewhat faint praise, as the starting point was horrid. Motominded is a new company run by an inmate (and buddy) who is making some super trick LED light mounts that allow you to run a Rigid or Baja Designs LED light with adjustability in the stock headlight shell.

I’m running a Rigid D2 driving light and it is impressive- bright, low draw, and bombproof. The FI bikes come with a DC wiring loom already set up, so the light is a plug and play affair (and if you get the light from motominded, they give you a wiring loom with the correct KTM connector already installed).



Motominded also makes a really cool little injector carrier called the pillbox, which allows you to carry a spare injector and the various O-rings in a sealed container under the seat. I had recurring injector problems early on (more on that in a moment) so I bought a spare injector, put it in the box, and have carried it safely ever since.



Looks like it’s time to replace the O-rings holding the box shut, funny how I didn’t see that in person but it is so apparent in the image.

At the same time I got the injector carrier, I also got a Golan fuel filter. I had one on the 450 from hour zero, and the bike was perfect for about 100 hours. I’ve done again with this 500 and again, since making that change, I haven’t had a single issue.



The Golan is a spendy unit (~$55) but then, anything that has high pressure flammable liquid behind it probably shouldn’t be an afterthought. I got mine at KTM of Aspen, they are about $55. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- awesome to have a dealer that rides more than I do, knows what parts to have in stock, and has somebody sharp answering the phone.

I decided it was time for more fuel, so I broke down and bought an Acerbis 3.1 gallon tank, which is hard to tell apart from the stocker except when you aren’t walking and otherwise would be. I put a new fuel pump in, they are known to fail so now I have a replacement. Over the years, I've had tanks from every brand, and that's led me to buy Acerbis only. They are OEM quality, and that's a good thing.



I’ve long run BRP handguard mounts and threaded bar ends with Cycra handguards, the icing on the cake is the Gatos Brothers C-clamps bar ends. These add practically no width to your bars, and take the bolt at the end of out of sheer, which means that in addition to your handguards not rotating down, they don’t bend the bolts at the end, either. The whole setup is enough to make me feel smug compared to the old days of chasing handguards around the end of the bar, I’ve never broken a lever with this setup (uh-oh, shouldn’t have said that) and even in big crashes, they stay put.



Next: Some new stuff I'm trying...

Now for 3 new parts I’m trying, that seem promising.

First is what I like to refer to as “Big Oil”, from Best Dualsport Bikes.

Dave @ BDSB had a brainstorm that clearly more oil is better, and that simple is best, and came up with a new clutch cover that holds a LOT more oil by virtue of a reservoir under the clutch.



Here it is installed:



The added volume tucks out of the way behind the rear brake lever. Installation is super simple, and it took my oil level from the top of the window, to the bottom. Getting it back to the top took about 200ccs, so it is a substantial amount of oil added. To me, this product is a win all around- it’s tougher than stock (thicker billet), and it adds oil without adding complexity.

Second and third are the big bottom and SNAP kit. Big bottom is a reshaped exhaust flange:



SNAP is a airflow “guide” that goes into the intake manifold between the air filter and the throttle body.



Both are claimed (and seem to, by my seat of the pants) to improve response and add low end torque. Dave has spent a lot of time on the dyno, and the results are simple- more and smoother torque down low, no top end tradeoff. I’ve just installed and gone around the block, when I’ve had the chance to put some miles on I’ll report back.

Care to share why the Hyde Racing bash plate found the trash bin?

I wondered when someone would come out with a larger clutch cover for increased capacity, it is definitely a win win idea with virtually no downside. Glad to see it in development.

The inset mounting holes at the front broke out of the plate. And then broke out of the replacement plate they sent, both in relatively few hours (20ish).

Understood and thanks for elaborating. I have a HR poly bash plate on my 525 and that does appear to be a weak spot. I'll have to macgyver a fix before mine do the same.

Cool! Thanks Ned. ...please do report back once you've had a real ride. I'm mostly concerned if you feel the new cover interferes with your foot placement at all.

I've been very happy with products and services from BDSB, and also felt that the Snap and Big Bottom kit added a little bit on the bottom end; subtle, but noticeable.

Intrigued. Tip on the side to drain the oil? I assume you'd want to empty that reservoir.

Yes, clever idea! It looks like you could get most of it out by removing one of the mounting bolts but still a potential for sediment to collect.
Do those bolts have some sort of a seal on them? Against a machined surface? Actually it looks like the whole thing is machined from a billet. Pretty stout for sure.

I like this concept, very clever! And the lower bolts would need a crush washer anyway to keep from leaking, so you could get most of it out, but what I wonder is, if the oil below the tangent on gasket can't get into the engine what use is it? Does anyone know?

Maybe move the reservoir to the sides where all of it can be used, anything above the oil level seems as though it would be useless too. Just thinking out loud.



Still very nice piece!

I think cavitation and the movement of the bike will slosh the oil around a bit , unless of course you ride a dead straight flat road , but the shear tension of the oil will drag it out a little .

I would agree, it can't hurt, just harder to use it all.

I'd use it , my bike has the occasional lay over

Re: Big Oil, the provided bolts come with rubber seals, which seem to be effective.

Regarding lost capacity, IMO the "sling" of oil from the clutch will keep that oil moving through the motor quite effectively. The increased capacity is below the level in the sight glass but I believe that level is above the connection into the clutch, meaning that it will exchange naturally as well.

The product page: http://bestdualsportbikes.com/hi-capacity-clutch-cover-for-450-500/

Any thoughts on 450 vs 500?

Ned, Any feed back on the performance value of the Snap/Big bottom kit? How your foot position with the Big Oil? Thanks

Big Oil does not perceptibly affect foot position.

Snap/ Big Bottom is subtle.

Bike runs great... and it ran great before, and since I broke my sternum and was off the bike for 5 weeks, during which I installed the kit, I don't really have a straight back to back. It seems smoother than the 2015 500EXC I rode back to back, but that might be down to the 2015 having about 4 miles when I was on it, or due to the 2015 having stock gearing (15/45) which makes everything feel different...

I will say, and I feel strongly about this, dirtbikes are rad.



I broke off another stock skidplate... Grrr... Going to try P3 Carbon this time.

While I'm telling stories... Quinn Cody on my 500:



And of greater to interest (to me, anyway), that means I got to ride his full-factory 450XCF:



Anyone want to buy a soul? Mine's available for a set of aluminum cone-valve forks.

Finally, I'm sure everyone in this thread is well aware of Kurt Caselli, his general awesomeness in life, his unfortunate death, and his legacy in the KC66 Foundation. They are doing some truly interesting things- trying to improve racer safety, and also (and importantly in my mind), working to provide racers with post-racing education and career paths. If the people who race these things we love are important to you, you might consider making a donation.

There are a lot of things I could have quoted from this post but my background in Exercise Physiology makes me wonder how you broke your sternum? Most bones are broken through leverage but seeing how the sternum doesn't move nor do the connecting ligaments have enough tensile strength to pose any threat to damaging it I am keen to hear the story.

Riding the 505 Rally down a wide, graded, straight, smooth dirt road, at about 35-40mph, and a deer materialized from the shoulder about 10' ahead and lunged into me. It was "one of those things", I had just scanned the brush where the deer stood up from, decided there was nothing big enough to hide a risk, and was proven wrong. I never had a chance to brake or change line, I wasn't going fast (100mph would have been easy there) nor being inattentive... seems like there isn't much of a lesson to learn from the whole experience, other than motorcycles are dangerous.

Sternum was broken by tearing the nav tower off the rallybike. I cartwheeled off down the road, but the rest of me was fine in my Klim Rally Jacket: D30 is magical stuff. Wrote off a Bell Moto 9, but never blacked out nor showed concussive symptoms, so that is a win, too. When I finally got a breath in and was aware of my surroundings again, the stupid forest rat was gone.

Eat venison my friends.

animals definitely scare me.....

so tell us about the factory cone valve forks?.... are those really aluminum tubes, too?.