Any KTM 525 or 530 owners about?

[Blat450]

Hello people, I'm looking at getting into adventure riding for a bit of a change, I'm looking at bikes and would like a ktm 525/530 I think.
just want to see what owners think of theirs, good/bad points, what they are like at highway speeds, reliable etc.
I am punding around a wr450f right now, non road legal, just doing trail rides, and i am worried the 450 may be a bit busy at 100 Km's a hour. I think I read somewhere that the ktm is a bit more of a lazy motor, which seems good as I like to ride lower in the rev range.
Cheers for any feedback.

[CrazyFrog]

I've got a 2007 525, last of the RFS models. Had a '05 450 before that. Sold the 450 only because I wanted to be kinder to the motor at highway speeds.
Funnily enough, my 525 came from Te Anau, I flew down and rode it back to Nelson, so baptised it with a 1400km road trip. Went beautifully, and no worries with flogging it on the highway. I only got home with a sore arse and nearly ran out of fuel once.

The Good:
Light, great suspension, great handling.
Engines are a good, reliable donk, just keep up with oil changes and valve clearances. And don't rape the top end continuously if you don't like rebuilds.
More than enough power for highway use, which transforms to an absolute animal of a machine on the dirt.
All chassis components are same from 125-525 from 04-07, so plenty of spares available.

The "Not so Good" (I'm loathe to say Bad)
Stock 9 L tank is small - get a 13 litre one.
Get a seat reshape done for highway miles, your arse will love you for it. Mind you, most other trailies have the same problem.
They tend to chew out back tyres, and chains don't last long using the stock rear wheel. I've got a cush hub wheel for road use, which helps.
15 hour oil change intervals, due small oil capacity, 1.2 litres. You can go to 20hrs if you're just cruising, oil is still cheaper than rebuilds.
They have a tendency to need intake valves done, around 250hrs, stock ones are a bit soft, most people replace them with stainless valves.

In saying that, my bike has now done 270hrs, still plenty of adjustment on valves left, and bore is still mint (bore scope done).
The oil filters have always come out clean with no nasty metal flakes in the oil.
I will probably do piston, valves and main bearings at 350hrs as a precaution more than anything. There are plenty of riders in USA who have done well in excess of 30,000 dual sport miles with no real engine issues at all.

NightFalcon on here is just in the process of adventurising a 2010 530. See his thread on here for other tips.

Feel free to ask anything else.

[Ocean1]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/129672-Abuse-proofing-a-525

[Night Falcon]

exc's make great dual sort bikes but need some work. Easily cope with highway speeds with 14/52 sprockets, GPSMan also an inmate here has a 2011 530 fully set up and loves it.

Heres a couple of links you might find interesting:

this is my thread

My EXC530 Adventure (www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1037803")

this is the ADVRider 530mega thread

ADVRider.com 530 thread (www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=327969")

[FlangMasterJ]

Funnily enough, my 525 came from Te Anau, I flew down and rode it back to Nelson, so baptised it with a 1400km road trip.

Impressive.

[buggerit]

KTM 525, weapon of choice for NZSAS (or "The Pricklies" as the Taliban call them)

[FlangMasterJ]

The first modern dirtbike I rode was a 2001 KTM 520SX. My mates thought it was a good idea getting off my XL200R and using the 520SX for a day (a wet one at that). I was shitting myself but after ten minutes surprisingly I felt at home on it and I'm sure the later model EXCR's are even more usable and less intimidating. If I was to get another KTM it'd be the 530.

[Blat450]

Wicked, thanks guys for the replys, definitly thinking this is the way to go. now the hunt begins for a ktm.