KTM 640 Rallye info ??

atgreg · 04-24-2006, 08:48 AM

Im looking for a more serious dirt bike to go with my Africa twin

Ive been thinking about getting a 640 Adventure, 03 model but now I can get a rebuilt 97 640 Rallye for about the same price

Im not that clewy on KTM's or singles in general so Im after some info, does anyone know anything about the early Rallye's ??. From what ive been able to find out the early Rallye's are a lot closer to a normal LC4 than the later more exotic ones. Any ideas on reliability ? How they perform ? Are they OK for general dirt riding or just blasting deserts ?

Im trying to be rational about this but the fact that its a rallye and done the Dakar and the oz safari males it very tempting.

What do ya think ??.

greg

zugy · 04-24-2006, 09:08 AM

Shoot that's a nice bike. Ask if that one has the " high flow " top end. 03' and up I hear have the high flow. My 05' is reliable so far at 2500 miles.

I wonder what the range of that bike is.

I would like to check out that rear tank for my 05'. I wonder if I have to get the rear subframe to go with it? Then I would go with a 18 liter front tank. I'm thinking better balance.

The pro's don't beef it hardly ever. I do. I wish someone would make a carbon fiber protection for tanks. I've been lucky so far. But I've seen the big tanks break and the 18 litre's get holes.

Happe · 04-24-2006, 09:15 AM

Hi,

I have and love my '98 Rally.
The old ones up to 2001 are basically tuned Adventures.
The engines of the '97 640 and the '98 660 are the same except for more stroke and bore.
All engine parts are the original GS620 parts.
Main difference to the Adventure is the missing E-Start.
The girlie button is quite handy if you plan on going on single tracks.

If you are not a second nature mechanic you should go for a later year Adventure.
The best year for the Adventure is the '03. All goodies are implemented and the stupid things like second brake disk, low fender, SLS or the very soft front rims are first introduced in '04.

cheers

Stefan

Happe · 04-24-2006, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zugy

Shoot that's a nice bike. Ask if that one has the " high flow " top end. 03' and up I hear have the high flow. My 05' is reliable so far at 2500 miles.

It is the mother of the High Flow. The Rally Heads are basically High Flow heads, which was intrduced to the production bikes in '03.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zugy

I wonder what the range of that bike is.

This depends on the terrain. Last year mainly onroad and using 4.5L/100Km my Rally did 1000Km with 48L

This year in Morocco with luggage and deep sand it made 450Km with 48L

Quote:

Originally Posted by zugy

I would like to check out that rear tank for my 05'. I wonder if I have to get the rear subframe to go with it? Then I would go with a 18 liter front tank. I'm thinking better balance.
.

It will fit but you need to modify your rear.
And you will not like to have your fuel there. It is to high and to far to the rear. That is why KTM changed the whole exhaustsystem, rerframe and rear tanks the next year ('98)

cheers

Stefan

atgreg · 04-24-2006, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happe

Hi,

Main difference to the Adventure is the missing E-Start.

it's been fitted with an electric start

rjf · 04-25-2006, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atgreg

Im looking for a more serious dirt bike to go with my Africa twin
Ive been thinking about getting a 640 Adventure, 03 model but now I can get a rebuilt 97 640 Rallye for about the same price

Im trying to be rational,

Good luck with that Greg. I try to be rational when buying a bike, But I always end up following my heart not my head.

about this but the fact that its a rallye and done the Dakar and the oz safari males it very tempting.

What do ya think ??.

greg

Go for it.

I don't see how it would be worse than an Adv for general dirt riding, use plenty of body language and its an lc4E with a bigger tank.

Probably has a Delorto Carb. My old husky had one, better than the BST on my Adv to work on.

it costs an extra $k - $1.5K or so to buy the tanks and bash plate for an adv.

The only down sides I can think off are it may not have the following

No side stand ? - should be an easy fix

No low octane CDI setting ? - Its not an issue anyhow IMHO

Hmm, I wonder if Pezz wants to swap ?

Happe · 04-25-2006, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atgreg

it's been fitted with an electric start

Than its AFAIK not the original engine.

I would investigate a bit further.

cheers

Stefan

Happe · 04-25-2006, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjf

Go for it.

I don't see how it would be worse than an Adv for general dirt riding, use plenty of body language and its an lc4E with a bigger tank.

Probably has a Delorto Carb. My old husky had one, better than the BST on my Adv to work on.

it costs an extra $k - $1.5K or so to buy the tanks and bash plate for an adv.

The only down sides I can think off are it may not have the following

No side stand ? - should be an easy fix

No low octane CDI setting ? - Its not an issue anyhow IMHO

Hmm, I wonder if Pezz wants to swap ?

Actually it can be worse,
Question is, was this bike used for Rally riding? Than check all Suspension bearings. Check the frame for breaks.
Mine had the top shockabsorber mount broke off. One of the rear subframes was cracked too.
Why has this bike an electric start? What type of engine is in there?
If it has E-start it has most probably not the SEM ignition, than you might need the low octane CDI. The SEM is able to be set to cope with other fuel qualities.
If it has electric start, where is the batterie? If in the Airfilterbox, how to change the airfilter. It looks more like an Adventure tuned with Rally plastics.

Can you get the VIN? And engine number?
I would have them checked by KTM before considering buying the bike.

cheers

Stefan

ozadvntr · 04-25-2006, 01:42 AM

No. it is a genuine Rallye. Craig Hartley from Dalby Moto put Perry onto the Rallye. A guy from Blackall or Blackwater (can't remember) owned it. Perry called in and stayed with me the day he picked it up.

It has done a couple of Aust Safari's but I am telling you nothing Perry hasn't told you or posted here.

Glenn Mayne rode it after this years Moonan get together and loved it. He thought it was excellent and is still considering purchasing it, but needs to sell another bike.

Greg, perfect for you, upgrade the front springs and get Frank Pons to set it up for you with a full fuel load and get out on it.

From my point of view having seen both bikes, it is a far better bike than the Rallye Craig Hartley recently sold, it had had a hard time of it, a Dakar and a number of Aust Safari's.

atgreg · 04-25-2006, 03:33 AM

Stefan,

its defineately a rallye, we know the bikes history, it's been fitted with a later 660 rallye crank and starter and whatever bits it needed to make the conversion. The bike is actually in very good condition and has been totally rebuilt when the e-start was fitted. The condition of the bike or it's guenuineness is not in question, I just want to know if it's much less reliable than the 640 Adventure.

Greg

Happe · 04-25-2006, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atgreg

Stefan,

its defineately a rallye, we know the bikes history, it's been fitted with a later 660 rallye crank and starter and whatever bits it needed to make the conversion. The bike is actually in very good condition and has been totally rebuilt when the e-start was fitted. The condition of the bike or it's guenuineness is not in question, I just want to know if it's much less reliable than the 640 Adventure.

Greg

Hi,

if you know the history than go for it. It is not less reliable.
Compared with Adventures build before '02 it is more reliable because of the forged piston.
All you should check is, if the guy who had rebuilt it used the roller bearing on the main shaft and the new sealed cam bearings.
If yes than its optimal!

cheers

Stefan

KenR · 04-25-2006, 07:26 AM

I'd jump all over that deal if it was in the US...

Happe · 04-25-2006, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenR

I'd jump all over that deal if it was in the US...

I know that feelin'
But here in Europe hundreds of faked Rallys are for sale and you really have to be carefull not to waste your money on a big pile of poo

cheers

Stefan

Pezz_gs · 04-25-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozadvntr

No. it is a genuine Rallye. Craig Hartley from Dalby Moto put Perry onto the Rallye. A guy from Blackall or Blackwater (can't remember) owned it. Perry called in and stayed with me the day he picked it up.

It has done a couple of Aust Safari's but I am telling you nothing Perry hasn't told you or posted here.

Glenn Mayne rode it after this years Moonan get together and loved it. He thought it was excellent and is still considering purchasing it, but needs to sell another bike.

Greg, perfect for you, upgrade the front springs and get Frank Pons to set it up for you with a full fuel load and get out on it.

From my point of view having seen both bikes, it is a far better bike than the Rallye Craig Hartley recently sold, it had had a hard time of it, a Dakar and a number of Aust Safari's.

Mick

It has had the front end rebuilt by MPE and is running the heavier springs

Pezz :)

SamH · 04-25-2006, 06:19 PM

Tough decision, I know because I've been looking at that bike too.

The choice is between a stock bike with all the refinements that the 03 upgrade brought or an older but tooled up rocket ship.

To give you an idea my 97' get's 38.5hp at the rear wheel. An 04' get's about 43. I think Pezz's get's something like 55... Like I said, it's a Rocket Ship.

It all depends on what you prefer. If you're mechanically minded the Rallye should be fine. I say that purely because it's almost 10 years old and things are going to go wrong. Even if they're just little things. If you can fix them your self then who cares. If you're not mechanical in nature or you don't intend on running rallies or taking 600km, no-fuel runs then I'd go the newer bike.

04-24-2006, 08:48 AM	#1
atgreg ^OP Africatwinarama Joined: Mar 2003 Location: Sydney Australia Oddometer: 9,758	KTM 640 Rallye info ?? Im looking for a more serious dirt bike to go with my Africa twin Ive been thinking about getting a 640 Adventure, 03 model but now I can get a rebuilt 97 640 Rallye for about the same price Im not that clewy on KTM's or singles in general so Im after some info, does anyone know anything about the early Rallye's ??. From what ive been able to find out the early Rallye's are a lot closer to a normal LC4 than the later more exotic ones. Any ideas on reliability ? How they perform ? Are they OK for general dirt riding or just blasting deserts ? Im trying to be rational about this but the fact that its a rallye and done the Dakar and the oz safari males it very tempting. What do ya think ??. greg

04-24-2006, 09:15 AM	#3
Happe KTM Nut Joined: Sep 2003 Location: Wales UK or Switzerland Oddometer: 492	Hi, I have and love my '98 Rally. The old ones up to 2001 are basically tuned Adventures. The engines of the '97 640 and the '98 660 are the same except for more stroke and bore. All engine parts are the original GS620 parts. Main difference to the Adventure is the missing E-Start. The girlie button is quite handy if you plan on going on single tracks. If you are not a second nature mechanic you should go for a later year Adventure. The best year for the Adventure is the '03. All goodies are implemented and the stupid things like second brake disk, low fender, SLS or the very soft front rims are first introduced in '04. cheers Stefan __________________ KTM Lc4 Adventure '03 unfortunately nicked on the 29.04.04 KTM Lc4 660 Rally '98 pre e-start Blue/Orange now with FCR41 KTM Lc4 640 E '98 Black/Orange/Silver broken up for parts KTM Lc4 640 Adventure '98 Blue FCR39MX and DAM Exhaust KTM EXC450 '04 Black/Orange

04-25-2006, 01:42 AM	#9
ozadvntr Planning that trip, again Joined: Sep 2002 Location: Queensland, Australia Oddometer: 1,120	No. it is a genuine Rallye. Craig Hartley from Dalby Moto put Perry onto the Rallye. A guy from Blackall or Blackwater (can't remember) owned it. Perry called in and stayed with me the day he picked it up. It has done a couple of Aust Safari's but I am telling you nothing Perry hasn't told you or posted here. Glenn Mayne rode it after this years Moonan get together and loved it. He thought it was excellent and is still considering purchasing it, but needs to sell another bike. Greg, perfect for you, upgrade the front springs and get Frank Pons to set it up for you with a full fuel load and get out on it. From my point of view having seen both bikes, it is a far better bike than the Rallye Craig Hartley recently sold, it had had a hard time of it, a Dakar and a number of Aust Safari's. __________________ Mick

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04-24-2006, 09:08 AM	#2
zugy My brother wheeling SXC Joined: Apr 2005 Location: So. California Oddometer: 191	Shoot that's a nice bike. Ask if that one has the " high flow " top end. 03' and up I hear have the high flow. My 05' is reliable so far at 2500 miles. I wonder what the range of that bike is. I would like to check out that rear tank for my 05'. I wonder if I have to get the rear subframe to go with it? Then I would go with a 18 liter front tank. I'm thinking better balance. The pro's don't beef it hardly ever. I do. I wish someone would make a carbon fiber protection for tanks. I've been lucky so far. But I've seen the big tanks break and the 18 litre's get holes.

04-25-2006, 03:33 AM	#10
atgreg ^OP Africatwinarama Joined: Mar 2003 Location: Sydney Australia Oddometer: 9,758	Stefan, its defineately a rallye, we know the bikes history, it's been fitted with a later 660 rallye crank and starter and whatever bits it needed to make the conversion. The bike is actually in very good condition and has been totally rebuilt when the e-start was fitted. The condition of the bike or it's guenuineness is not in question, I just want to know if it's much less reliable than the 640 Adventure. Greg

04-25-2006, 07:26 AM	#12
KenR Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Park City, UT Oddometer: 1,642	I'd jump all over that deal if it was in the US...

04-25-2006, 06:19 PM	#15
SamH 90S on the bench Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Tasmania, Australia Oddometer: 429	Tough decision, I know because I've been looking at that bike too. The choice is between a stock bike with all the refinements that the 03 upgrade brought or an older but tooled up rocket ship. To give you an idea my 97' get's 38.5hp at the rear wheel. An 04' get's about 43. I think Pezz's get's something like 55... Like I said, it's a Rocket Ship. It all depends on what you prefer. If you're mechanically minded the Rallye should be fine. I say that purely because it's almost 10 years old and things are going to go wrong. Even if they're just little things. If you can fix them your self then who cares. If you're not mechanical in nature or you don't intend on running rallies or taking 600km, no-fuel runs then I'd go the newer bike.