Bikes: 2013 KTM 500 exc
A KTM race bike for adventuring on?
After months of reading motivational adventure blogs, like this, by Aaron S I think the KTM 500 is probably the best light weight dual sport adventure bike on the second hand market. Almost 20kg lighter than a DRZ, wide ratio gear box, which is important as I enjoy the tarmac too. It's got a proven record in race and adventuring as shown by Adam Riemann in multiple films, see a taster here. The Rolling Hobo swapped from a 690 to the EXC500 and has a full write up on his brilliant blog here. Its also a recent model and a lot easier to source parts in the UK than the ageing Suzuki was.
Frequent oil changes are often cited as an issue for adventuring, but even Honda's brand new CRF450L Dual Sport has a similar schedule. Will the KTM500 be reliable? I hope so, time will tell...
Ignition cover from Slovenia. Difficult to source for the older model KTM, but definitely needed. The current casing shows signs of wear from the gear leaver striking it. I'll file the sharp edges of the leaver down before fitting the Slovenian.
Frame protection. Saves the paint and frame from my boots and the occasional fall.
Acerbis plastic belly pan is slung below. Its not pretty, but neither is a condom and like a condom it should protect the under carriage.
Hinson Clutch cover. Hard as nails, protects the clutch casing from my enthusiasm. ;)
Hand Guards
The current hand guards do not wrap around to the bar end leaving the leaver exposed during a fall. New items from Aliexpress were sourced and fitted.
Grips
Lyndon Poskitt recommended Progrip 714 rubber grips. He suggested they were extremely hard wearing, didn't hold water in the wet and were, well, 'grippy' :) Sounds good so i thought i'd try them.
Tank
The AdventureSpec team here opted for larger 15L tanks, and they do look 'adventure ready'. However, last year with Jason highlighted to me that in Europe that type of range isn't really needed, he didn't always completely fill his 15L whilst I brimmed the DRZ.
I found this on eBay, a 13L IMS.
After. Clean and fresh.
Wide Pegs
Exhaust
Heat Shield
A giant loop heat shield to protect the plastics and luggage.
Temperature
Mirror
Cheap as chips ebay special, makes you safer and comes with a RAM mount connector.
Seat
Rode over two mountain ranges last year in two weeks, it took over two months for my arse to recover. This year Ive got a softer seat. Also looked at sheepskins, but I'd rather not look like a Mongolian nomad.
Luggage
My advice on this topic is buy cheap, buy twice. Which is exactly what happened. The old luggage wasn't secure, I packed too much and eventually sheared a bolt. Jason likes the modular Kriega as does the 'Rolling Hobo' and it's got it advantages; easy to access, remove and fit, but it bounces around. I'm sticking with the Giant Loop Coyote, 39L capacity and 3 dry pod bags. Not the easiest luggage for accessing the lowest reaches, nor the quickest to fit, but it sits perfectly on an Enduro strapped tightly to its frame.
Tyres and wheels
The serious adventurer's often opt for Haan wheels with cush hubs. Being a tight arse I found at least one post that said if you always use knobblies then a cush hub is not necessary. (everything on the internet is true, right?)
Considering the expense of new wheels is enough to ship the bike somewhere, I'm just going to keep the original excel wheels and use knobbly tires.
Final Gearing
For Enduros and practicing i run 13/50. Adam Reimann, in Motonomad, runs KTM 500's for thousands miles on 15/48. Im took the middle ground and fitted 14/49, works fine for my needs.
Security
I considered wiring in a key ignition as i did on the DRZ, but im not sure they are a deterrent to thieves. You simply have to pull the wire from the back to hot wire it. Instead i opted to install two hidden switches;
One prevents the start button from closing its circuit, effectively stopping the button from doing anything.
The second closes the circuit on the engine kill switch, this means the bike cannot be started from the kick start, or indeed the button on the bars.
Nothing is infallible, but this would slow a thief down and its not as obvious as an ignition on the bars.
Livery
When I bought the bike it came in the default KTM orange. Complete with the previous owners race number and graphics kit. It was a bit 'in your face' rather than 'looking for adventure'. I started looking for alternatives so that could change the number to my own. I hadnt considered changing the plastics until i noticed a crack on the middle section that houses the battery. Combining the graphics with plastics makes for some really compelling bike porn.
She now looks like this.
Service Schedule
50hrs - Bought
65hrs - Oil and oil filter and tank fuel filter. Rear wheel bearings and new plastics. Front and rear break switches. Front brake pads.
85hrs - Oil and filter & air filter
90hrs - Tyres & front tube.
100hrs - Chain and sprocket (13/50 Rental Steel and DID 118VX2 chain)
102hrs - Oil and filter & air filter, Sparkplug, valve check (nearside intake @.107 others in middle of tolerance) Chain Slider. Rear brake pads. New sprockets for Slovenia trip: 14/49 renthal) Rear tyre and UHD tube. Cush Hub from 640 LC4 fitted.
125hrs - Oil and filter & air filter. Coolant drained, flushed, replaced.
150hrs - Oil and filter - Field Service in Morocco.
174hr - Oil and filter & air filter.
Preparing for adventure
To a bike enthusiast the customisation of your ride is one of the most exciting times. You're constantly and excitedly anticipating your coming challenges, reflecting on experience and / or research and sourcing parts that fit your need and fall within budget.
Incredible fun, like leafing through the toy pages of the mail order magazines mum used have when I was child, but this time youre buying the toys and getting to play with them!
Youre building something you'll depend upon, something that will carry you and your possessions, something you'll experience the world from, a steed thats personal to you and ultimately something you want to protect.
Protection
- better to be safe than sorry.
All of the following were sourced from eBay.
Ignition cover from Slovenia. Difficult to source for the older model KTM, but definitely needed. The current casing shows signs of wear from the gear leaver striking it. I'll file the sharp edges of the leaver down before fitting the Slovenian.
Acerbis plastic belly pan is slung below. Its not pretty, but neither is a condom and like a condom it should protect the under carriage.
Hinson Clutch cover. Hard as nails, protects the clutch casing from my enthusiasm. ;)
Hand Guards
The current hand guards do not wrap around to the bar end leaving the leaver exposed during a fall. New items from Aliexpress were sourced and fitted.
Grips
Lyndon Poskitt recommended Progrip 714 rubber grips. He suggested they were extremely hard wearing, didn't hold water in the wet and were, well, 'grippy' :) Sounds good so i thought i'd try them.
Tank
The AdventureSpec team here opted for larger 15L tanks, and they do look 'adventure ready'. However, last year with Jason highlighted to me that in Europe that type of range isn't really needed, he didn't always completely fill his 15L whilst I brimmed the DRZ.
I found this on eBay, a 13L IMS.
Based on experience i recon +130miles range, can always carry a couple more litres if required. It also allows the use of radiator and tank protection shrouds and I have a colour scheme in mind.
Fuel Filters
The second hand tank I bought came with a pump already fitted. I removed it for inspection and noted the date on the filer - 2012! (Wonder if the pump will actually work)
Regardless, I opted to replace the Mahle fuel filter, I can always fit it to my other pump if required .
Before. Old and dirty like Grandad.
After. Clean and fresh.
My pal Tony noted on the last enduro that my bike appears to have a non-standard quick release fuel coupler. It has no room for an inline fuel filter. A quick look at the microfiche on trevor pope here, confirmed that suspicion. So i ordered the stock part and filters.
Wide Pegs
Big, fat, stable and comfortable to live with, completely the opposite to my girlfriends.
Exhaust
Unlike many others i actually opted to replace the race pipe with a standard muffler. Despite the pipe looking the part, i dont want the noise and do not need the extra power. More power usually means using more fuel and id rather have the range, Noah Horak mentions the same in his Round the world on a KTM blog here.
I also noted that the bike seems to run better with it fitted, less flame outs. I assume due to the back pressure making the fuel mixture less lean? (open to other suggestions)
A giant loop heat shield to protect the plastics and luggage.
The OEM fan temp sensor kicks in at 100degrees C. Boiling point is a little too close for comfort for me, especially considering my novice riding style. I researched online and understood that a BMW car temp sensor fits and that they come in different temperature ranges. I purchased (ebay) and fitted a Febi 95/90 sensor model that triggers at 95degrees and turns off at 90. Sorted.
G2 Throttle tamer
G2 Throttle tamer
Mentioned on a previous pages already, it has a different camber and makes for a smoother power delivery between the on/off throttle position. I really like it. Another eBay second hand special for little money.
Wiring Loom
I removed the tank, seat and plastics and checked the wiring loom. Any location that showed signs of wear was reinforced with gorilla tape covering and secured with zip ties. i sealed and tidied any connections, the pain of the bike stalling on my last Enduro after a soaking still fresh in my mind.
Power for the devices.
I've run power to my bike handle bars in the same simple way for years. Its never failed. I run an optimate charging cable from the battery directly to the bars and install an inline fuse. I then fit optimate connectors to all the devices i wish to power.
RAM Mount
The standard. I fit one to each side of the bars for the mirror and GPS. Allows you to choose the side the mirror is fitted on depending on which side of the road youre riding.
Phone mount
An emergency purchase when my last GPS failed. It got me home, adds almost no weight and so i carry it.
USB
A usb charger from eBay fitted with an optimate connection and complete with a long cable. Allows me to charge the phone in the safety of my pocket or on the holder on the bars.
A usb charger from eBay fitted with an optimate connection and complete with a long cable. Allows me to charge the phone in the safety of my pocket or on the holder on the bars.
Gps
Ive spoken at length on previous pages about the GPS. I like using Garmin ZUMO's. The more recent versions allow you to 'route' on road maps and display 'tracks' over any base map. For me this is the best of both worlds. Allows you to search for hotels and petrol whilst also following tracks into the wilderness over freely downloadable base maps.
Mirror
Cheap as chips ebay special, makes you safer and comes with a RAM mount connector.
Seat
Rode over two mountain ranges last year in two weeks, it took over two months for my arse to recover. This year Ive got a softer seat. Also looked at sheepskins, but I'd rather not look like a Mongolian nomad.
Luggage
My advice on this topic is buy cheap, buy twice. Which is exactly what happened. The old luggage wasn't secure, I packed too much and eventually sheared a bolt. Jason likes the modular Kriega as does the 'Rolling Hobo' and it's got it advantages; easy to access, remove and fit, but it bounces around. I'm sticking with the Giant Loop Coyote, 39L capacity and 3 dry pod bags. Not the easiest luggage for accessing the lowest reaches, nor the quickest to fit, but it sits perfectly on an Enduro strapped tightly to its frame.
Tyres and wheels
The serious adventurer's often opt for Haan wheels with cush hubs. Being a tight arse I found at least one post that said if you always use knobblies then a cush hub is not necessary. (everything on the internet is true, right?)
Considering the expense of new wheels is enough to ship the bike somewhere, I'm just going to keep the original excel wheels and use knobbly tires.
Final Gearing
For Enduros and practicing i run 13/50. Adam Reimann, in Motonomad, runs KTM 500's for thousands miles on 15/48. Im took the middle ground and fitted 14/49, works fine for my needs.
Security
I considered wiring in a key ignition as i did on the DRZ, but im not sure they are a deterrent to thieves. You simply have to pull the wire from the back to hot wire it. Instead i opted to install two hidden switches;
One prevents the start button from closing its circuit, effectively stopping the button from doing anything.
The second closes the circuit on the engine kill switch, this means the bike cannot be started from the kick start, or indeed the button on the bars.
Nothing is infallible, but this would slow a thief down and its not as obvious as an ignition on the bars.
Livery
When I bought the bike it came in the default KTM orange. Complete with the previous owners race number and graphics kit. It was a bit 'in your face' rather than 'looking for adventure'. I started looking for alternatives so that could change the number to my own. I hadnt considered changing the plastics until i noticed a crack on the middle section that houses the battery. Combining the graphics with plastics makes for some really compelling bike porn.
She now looks like this.
Service Schedule
50hrs - Bought
65hrs - Oil and oil filter and tank fuel filter. Rear wheel bearings and new plastics. Front and rear break switches. Front brake pads.
85hrs - Oil and filter & air filter
90hrs - Tyres & front tube.
100hrs - Chain and sprocket (13/50 Rental Steel and DID 118VX2 chain)
102hrs - Oil and filter & air filter, Sparkplug, valve check (nearside intake @.107 others in middle of tolerance) Chain Slider. Rear brake pads. New sprockets for Slovenia trip: 14/49 renthal) Rear tyre and UHD tube. Cush Hub from 640 LC4 fitted.
125hrs - Oil and filter & air filter. Coolant drained, flushed, replaced.
150hrs - Oil and filter - Field Service in Morocco.
174hr - Oil and filter & air filter.
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