New "General Purpose KTM'ers thread"...

[rapiti]

Originally Posted by dirtrider

I've been running an E Line skid on my EXC for 2 years and I can tell you it's been through two years of bouncing off of logs and glancing off of sharp edged rocks like these

and I have not broken one yet. They are not only strong, but they are light weight and don't resonate like an aluminum skid. There must be a reason KTM uses carbon skids on their Baja and Dakar bikes?

Weight/cheaper to fab up, once the mold is made. Thick enough, you are fine.

[Mack]

I have to agree with Rapiti, Carbon-Kevlar is the stuff? Even on Commercial aircraft, where weight is a HUGE issue, Carbon-Kevlar is the composite of choice. Personally I even think it looks better.

[dirtrider]

Originally Posted by Mack

I have to agree with Rapiti, Carbon-Kevlar is the stuff? Even on Commercial aircraft, where weight is a HUGE issue, Carbon-Kevlar is the composite of choice. Personally I even think it looks better.

If you look back at my post on pg 10, you'll notice that I said that the E Lines ARE carbon/kevlar, not just straight carbon fiber. A plain carbon skid plate would not last on my EXC.

[Mack]

Originally Posted by dirtrider

If you look back at my post on pg 10, you'll notice that I said that the E Lines ARE carbon/kevlar, not just straight carbon fiber. A plain carbon skid plate would not last on my EXC.

O' phooey, I am actually supposed to read your posts! Happy Turkey Day everyone!

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by dirtrider

I've been running an E Line skid on my EXC for 2 years and I can tell you it's been through two years of bouncing off of logs and glancing off of sharp edged rocks like these and I have not broken one yet. They are not only strong, but they are light weight and don't resonate like an aluminum skid. There must be a reason KTM uses carbon skids on their Baja and Dakar bikes?

Hey DirtRider,

You keep talking like that I am going to be $150 poorer. I might have to start charging royalties for my poetry to pay for the C/K fiber skid plate.

Happy Thankgiving to y'all
from cold frigid Colorado, where my bikes been mothbald
my new Diso boots are still shiny, my front TKC's brand new
and my front rim is cracked, nearly all the way through
but ole man winter he don't care one bit
cause left up to him, we got another 5 months of this shit !

Esteban

[Buckster]

I am going to upgrade the springs on my Adv front and rear, I am going with a 76/250 rear and 4.8 s on the front, I may increase the front pre-load by a couple of mil as well, the maximum rider weight on the rear spring as standard is 75kg, I am 90kg, it is unlikely that a 75kg rider could reach the floor, so wtf did KTM fit these springs? The springs are linear, and I intend to stay with linear, progressive would be better for the road but can bite you off road, while I have the fork caps off I will retap them for Schrader valves.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by The Dude

KTM'S originated from Penton's John Penton sold to the Austrian's long ago but still attends KTM functions and lives in Ohio. A very cool guy. Read John's book and you will get the whole KTM story.
The Dude

Hey Dude, I thought it was the other way round - I understood that John Penton started selling KTMs in the USA which he re-badged as Pentons.

[rapiti]

Originally Posted by KTiM

Hey Dude, I thought it was the other way round - I understood that John Penton started selling KTMs in the USA which he re-badged as Pentons.

I had a Penton 125 with a Sachs motor as a kid. I understand there was collaboration, but I'm not sure I give JP all the credit for KTM. Kind of like Preston Petty doesn't get all the credit for Acerbis' success.

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by rapiti

I had a Penton 125 with a Sachs motor as a kid. I understand there was collaboration, but I'm not sure I give JP all the credit for KTM. Kind of like Preston Petty doesn't get all the credit for Acerbis' success.

KTM started in 1934 as a M/C dealer. They started building their own bikes in '53. I don't think John Penton is that old.....

CC

[creeper]

Originally Posted by rapiti

I had a Penton 125 with a Sachs motor as a kid. I understand there was collaboration, but I'm not sure I give JP all the credit for KTM. Kind of like Preston Petty doesn't get all the credit for Acerbis' success.

Paging rapiti... paging rapiti. Your flashback is waiting..........

[dirtrider]

Originally Posted by Mack

O' phooey, I am actually supposed to read your posts! Happy Turkey Day everyone!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving too!

Esteban, I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your quote. I got a kick out of it and added it to my signature.

I checked E-Line to see if they made a skid for your KLR, but they don't offer it. They do, however, have it for your LC4. For anyone that may be interested in E Line skid plates, THIS is some interesting reading.

[dirtrider]

Ok guys, I'm not a historian so If I don't have exact facts, don't bust my balls. I've had the pleasure of meeting and talking with John Penton a couple of times. According to him, he was racing, I believe BSA's at the time and was also a dealer. After a weekend of racing and the bikes breaking or not working as John thought they should, he would call his rep and tell him what changes should be made to the line to make them more competitive and reliable. After months of hearing what was wrong with the bikes, the rep told John he should design his own damned bikes if he thought he could do it better. John took this as a challenge, and after talking to many bike companies, he ended up talking to KTM who was interested in his ideas. At the time, KTM was manufacturing small displacement street bikes and scooters. They began building John's vision and as they didn't have their own engine that would be competitive, they sourced out to Sachs for the engine in the early bikes. Although the bikes were manufactured by KTM, they bore the Penton name for a few years, then began using the KTM name in the early to mid 70's.

I believe that had it not been for John, KTM would have never grown and been successful and more than likely, would have folded like so many other small motorcycle manufacturers in the late 70's and early 80's.

[PASSMORE]

VERY NICE! BTW, the stickers you sent me are really nice as well - fit is perfect, can't wait to show ya the final product! Thanks Matey!


M

Originally Posted by matey peeps

Hey lookie what I made!


Now that I've got your attention please see my above post about the airbox drain.

[rapiti]

Originally Posted by creeper

Paging rapiti... paging rapiti. Your flashback is waiting..........

Dude! I feel all pre-pubescent and shit looking at that photo

That's the one! It looked so...so...Maico'd out with the radial head cooling fins! Many a fond memory. Remember when bikes were expected to bottom out all the time? I put Curnett shocks on mine. Akront mud slingers and all in the pic. Damn.

That's the bike that helped me figure out that MX was not for me 'cuz I didn't like running over other people, or being run over by some freak crusading for a plastic trophy Desert & trail riding was more my speed.

Thanks for the flashback How many of those things are still around?

[creeper]

Originally Posted by rapiti

Dude! I feel all pre-pubescent and shit looking at that photo

That's the one! It looked so...so...Maico'd out with the radial head cooling fins! Many a fond memory. Remember when bikes were expected to bottom out all the time? I put Curnett shocks on mine. Akront mud slingers and all in the pic. Damn.

That's the bike that helped me figure out that MX was not for me 'cuz I didn't like running over other people, or being run over by some freak crusading for a plastic trophy Desert & trail riding was more my speed.

Thanks for the flashback How many of those things are still around?

This one is at work.

http://creeper.smugmug.com/gallery/257160