650 SV650 motor in KTM frame

I'm installing an SV650 motor in a KTM 950 Adventure frame. The KTM LC8 motor is a dry sump 75 degree twin, and the SV motor is a wet sump ninety degree twin, so the front SV cylinder is a bit more forward than I like. To gain wheel clearance, I'd like to tilt the motor up ten degrees. It's a fuel injected 2008 motor, and the sump pickup will still be covered. Does anyone see a problem with the tilt?

Awesome. But I should have been clearer. I want to rotate the front of the motor up ten degrees. The counter shaft will be horizontal with the swingarm bolt, the front cylinder will be raised.

Here's my paper mockup, to scale

You would think if the sumps covered there shouldn't be any problems, please do a build thread for us.

I have considered a SV 650 in a KTM 450 frame for a snowbike build.

I think this is crazy... Crazy AWESOME!!! As long as the sump is covered there really shouldn't be a problem. There shouldn't be any "slosh" issue with the oil going away from the sump. It doesn't seem like that extreme of a remount. Make it happen!!

I love crazy builds like this, I have a lc4 and a 250sx frame and a spare sv650 motor with the same thoughts .

The paper built appears to show the rear exhaust dumping on the swing-arm pivot. Is there enough room to redirect that pipe ?
When the Gladius came out someone built a dirty version that looked the bussiness. The steel trellis ,at least is simpler to modify that the aluminum version.
I'll be watching your build. Full speed ahead !

Yes, plenty of room for the exhaust. I will start a build thread in a couple days, and leave a link here. The frame and some bits are arriving today, the motor will be here next week. Thanks for the interest.

Is there a benefit to the SV over the LC8?
(Pwr, weight, longevity, fuel consumption?)

The LC8 is a fabulous motor, great design, powerful and compact. But it's still big, tall and wide for me since it's 943cc in the 950 form. It makes too-much power for me, a guy who weighs 150 lbs and is 5'-8. I've had a 1090 Ducati Streetfighter, and a Honda RC-51 1000 twin. They're awesome, but a 1000cc is more than I want in an adventure bike I can handle off-road.

My hope with the 650cc SV motor is to save some weight, lower the center of gravity, simplify (no external oil tank), but mostly have something reliable and more manageable. I plan to lower, lighten and minimalize the bike where possible. Wheels will be 17/19.

The KTM 950 series is great for most folks out of the box.

The 950motor weighs 58kg 127lbs
The sv650 112lbs

So not a lot of difference you could loose that weight buy changing the exhaust

What about oil return. Are you going to get good drain back from the heads?

I can't tell you that, those are the kind of issues I'm inquiring about.

Those are the exact motor weights I found, it's good to confirm. You're right, of course. Fifteen pounds is not worth swapping out a motor. Keep in mind I'm starting with an SV650 motor kit, plus a KTM frame, subframe, swingarm, forks and shock. I wouldn't violate a completed KTM. If KTM made a 750 v-twin Adventure, I'd buy that. They may yet, there's space in the lineup.

The big plus is that the Gladius motor is good for 100,000k's +, the KTM motor, not so much :)

Pete

There are plenty of 950/990 motors well over 100k kms. Why dont you think they last?

Jerry - what radiator are you thinking of using?

The radiator is a problem. The KTM radiator hangs down in front of the cylinder head, which I believe would contact the front tire on compression. It may work after I rotate the motor back, I will check it. The SV radiator is shorter and sits above the front cylinder, but is two inches too-wide to fit in the gas tank opening. I'm looking into narrowing the SV radiator, or having one made to fit. There may be others that would work.
Here is a the 950 Adventure frame and an initial check with a scale graphic of the SV650 motor.

SV radiator.

Interesting! So everything else will be ktm parts or...?