EXC 200 advice?

[shadow88]

Can anyone suggest gearing combinations, power valve settings or other modifications that have worked well for them on a EXC 200? Just wondering if anyone has experimented and found a good combination with these. cheers

[andy 101]

Go to www.ktmtalk.com and do a search on the 200 there is a massive amount of info there.

[warewolf]

14:46 gearing with the power valve set to about 40% through the travel, IIRC thats about 2 full turns on the adjuster from set to the top of the marks.

You will read about the "Langston setting" for the 125, that is about 20% down from the top, or 1 turn. Once I had the jetting sorted, and with the slightly taller gearing, I wanted a bit more snap to the throttle response to balance things out.

Terrain down here is more open, less twisting through trees on single track, and lots of slippery rocks. 14:48 just felt too snappy and too quick to top out the gears, but probably works really well at Woodhill. As it is, I almost never use 1st/2nd except to get moving, and not a lot of 3rd gear either.

[Reckless]

Agree with everything Warewolf says! Personally I have stuck with the factory 14:48 gearing for the sandpit, Kimis. thunder and The mr moto rides! I see your in Auckland. I'm just rejettng my bike to take some of the richness out but 14:48 will still probably go way faster than most of use can handle taped out! I'd guess 130 ish or so on factory gearing. But i'll let you know when I've rejetted. The only criticism ever put at the 2hundy is it runs out of legs on the flat out road sections compared to a 250 2t or a 450 4T.

I also agree with Warewolf. I never use 1st always second and mostly 3rd and 4th, it will torque up most hills even when you think its stalling!

Re the power valve? Quite frankly I just set it to where it felt best for me (until I did the engine up, found and punch marked the X and z factory settings as a benchmark). You can try and decipher Langston settings like I did or you can take it to the local paddock, thrash it and set it where you want. I did it this way! I rapped it along and it wanted to hoist the front and toss me over the back, so I turned it a full turn back, which was pretty lame. Then I turned it forward a quarter turn at a time till it delivered enough power, quickly enough to hold the front about a meter off the ground through first, second and into third under full power! This was my happy place, for my ability level, thats the greatness of the adjustable power valve you can make the bike what you want! That is on the condition you have the jetting correct and its going as well as it can. Just make a few notes in your book on what you do, so you can go back to where you bought it if your not happy.
Now I have had the engine to bits I have the factory settings punch marked under the power valve adjuster nut! I turn it past or back from this point depending on the weather, muddiness, power delivery I think my day will require. Don't be scared to have a fiddle with the adjustable power valve its Ktm's "gift from god" on the 200.

For example as my boy learned to ride better and better we changed the bike from a soft power delivery to a much more aggressive delivery/hit just by turning the power valve nut a quarter of a turn as his ability progressed over a year or so. You can make this bike what you want!

OK enough typing for one night but I do have some pics taken through the inspection plate on how the set the power valve up if you don't have the factory x & z setting punched into the casing. Tell me the year of your bike and I'll assist you all I can!! I have an 03 and an 08, but this setup hasn't changed for quite a few years and I can post how the cut outs on the disks where set for my preference!

[Crisis management]

Listen to Warewolf & Reckless....me, I just wobble around with the thing as it is, I get into enough trouble with it like that (I also confess to using 1st, but i ride like a Nana)

14:48 works for me for everything from open spaces (Tussock Buster) to tight stuff like Riverhead.

My one real suggestion tho is to get your suspension sorted by someone that knows what they are doing, when Danger (Pro-ride) sorted mine it made a world of difference.

[Reckless]

My one real suggestion tho is to get your suspension sorted by someone that knows what they are doing, when Danger (Pro-ride) sorted mine it made a world of difference.

Very much agreed! They are generaly sprung light if your sitting (100kg geared up) on it like me, do the above you won't regret it!

[shadow88]

Go to www.ktmtalk.com and do a search on the 200 there is a massive amount of info there.

Cheers for that, I will check it out.

[shadow88]

Thanks for that warewolf, I have the 14:48 gearing and I also dont really ever use 1st which is why I asked, sounds like for riding condition up here it is still the way to go.

[shadow88]

Thanks for the info Reckless, the bike i an 2008 with the 14:48 gearing. I havent seen what jet sizes are. I did the Waeranga ride last weekend and found the bike a little flat until it was reving. If you could give me a better Idea of where the powervalve should be set that would be great. I would like to make a few changes before the ride next weekend an would appreciate your thoughts.

I have the suspesion sorted and that feels pretty good now, I am on the lighter and shorter side 65kg and 5"4, so yeah my feet dont touch the ground but I was a bit unsure of changing the handling by lowering the bike, i figure I can learn to ride with with my feet on the pegs.

[Reckless]

ok mate haven't got time now but I'll flick the covers off and take some pics for you.
I'm not sure all bikes are the same as the X & Z settings could make every bike slightly different depending on the barrell and piston differences. But they can't be by much different!
I'll let you know.

Sounds like your lightness (65kg) is closer to factory suspension than my big fat butt LOL!!!

BTW funny you say your bike was flat? Mine was as well?? I went out and bought two main jets and tryin to find the time to take it out and re tune the midrange a bit leaner.

[camchain]

The 200s have always had a rep of been a bit stroppy. From 2007 on they went from 38mm to 36mm carb (all engine sizes). As I understand it, smaller carb means higher velocity giving smoother low-mid power. They made a few other porting/pipe changes on the 07 and some more tweaks on later models, all about smoothing bottom end to mid delivery.

On open ground, 200 low end power will feel pretty ordinary, but anything tighter can be quite a different story. Definitely check jetting though. My 07 was very badly jetted when I got it, had a way-wrong needle. I went the whole hog and bought a JD jetting kit which really made a big difference to the bottom end.

I recently bought a standard needle to compare with JD's and bike ran ratty (rich/burbly) down low. Was very snappy and a real handful, but my PV control arm is a bit worn and this majorly exaggerated things. JD needles (For the 07) have leaner tips/tapers and really do seem to give more accurate fuel metering on bottom end.

Regarding power valves - if you can find the original 'Langston setting' article, note an important part of article mentions a control arm after the governer that wears pretty fast (a $60 part). You can tell if it's worn by feeling play when rotating the adjuster nut back and forth while looking to see when main arm/horseshoe starts to move. Worn part makes PV transition real 'snappy' (like mine is). Basically you get a delayed reaction between governer and PV.

Mine has over half a turn slack before you see anything move, so it's quite worn. Doesn't sound as though yours is like this but you might as well check it when adjusting your PV. PV's can bind up as well, check by taking the little RH side cover off (has breather tube coming out of it). Give it a few revs and see if it's moving freely. Yours might be stuck open, giving crappy low end pep.


One other thing, from 07 they came with dual map ignitions. Grey wire running off ECU plugged/unplugged. Thought it was odd KTM don't add a handlebar switch, but I fitted one and buggered if I can feel any difference.

[shadow88]

Thanks camchain, have had a look and there is definatly play when rotating the adjuster, I have had a look for the article that you mentioned, I think I have found it but there are no images showing, is it very differcult to change the worn control arm?

I have got a map switch also, i have a noticable cange in power when swiching between the two maps.