KTM 520 EXC - experiences/opinions please

[Ruralman]

Still looking ahead to what to buy in the way of a thumper that can be used on the road (but not very often) but able to handle to off road rides that I do all over Otago and bits of Southland.
I want something that isn't going to require huge maintenance or regular engine rebuilds. I'm not the slowest trail rider around but I don't aim to compete with much younger riders on the latest high revving rocket ships. I'm 6ft1in and around 100kg and a pretty experienced off road rider.
I have been wondering about a Yamaha TTr600 but also seen an advert for a KTM 520 and wondered how they fit the bill. Has anyone got any experience with these, what known problems do they have and what are they like to run cost wise?
Thanks
Bruce

[pervert]

A mate has a KTM 525 EXC, which I assume is very similar.

It is an awesome bike to ride, goes like a rocket!!!

Only issues he has are maintenance and parts prices. A simple oil change is a big task consisiting of multi-filters, and everytime he takes a decent dive off the thing it costs a good $700 - $800 to get back to good again.

But fuck it is fun to ride.

[laRIKin]

I had a 00 520EXC and it was a great bike.
We found that it was best to done regular oil changes. (5-10 hours)
And by that I don't mean changing the filters as well. (30hrs because you are changing the oil and it's cleaner)

Their are like all bikes a few thing to keep an eye on.

A big AL left handed threaded nut on the crank right side can come loose if it has not been loctited properly.
You will hear it rattle if it comes loose and if you stop riding little damage will be done, an oil change would be mandatory and re tighten the nut and loctite it properly.

And there is on the earlier 520 a nut and bolt that is used to activate the de-com for the electric start, that could come loose.
I up graded mine to 03 spec's.
It was later replaced with a moulded stump on the cam sprocket.

You can use these bike on the road if you look after the oil.
The big thing is that they do not have a cush drive in the rear hub, so this is hard on the gear box and chain when you ride them on the road a lot.

PS: is it the one on Trade Me?

[Ruralman]

I had a 00 520EXC and it was a great bike.
We found that it was best to done regular oil changes. (5-10 hours)
And by that I don't mean changing the filters as well. (30hrs because you are changing the oil and it's cleaner)

Their are like all bikes a few thing to keep an eye on.

A big AL left handed threaded nut on the crank right side can come loose if it has not been loctited properly.
You will hear it rattle if it comes loose and if you stop riding little damage will be done, an oil change would be mandatory and re tighten the nut and loctite it properly.

And there is on the earlier 520 a nut and bolt that is used to activate the de-com for the electric start, that could come loose.
I up graded mine to 03 spec's.
It was later replaced with a moulded stump on the cam sprocket.

You can use these bike on the road if you look after the oil.
The big thing is that they do not have a cush drive in the rear hub, so this is hard on the gear box and chain when you ride them on the road a lot.

PS: is it the one on Trade Me?

I did look at the one on Trademe - looks tidy in the pics - do you know the bike (its up your way I think)? Timing isn't right for me at the moment to buy that one even if it is OK and I'm not sure what reserve they've got on it.
Can't help thinking the TTR 600 will give less grief long term providing I can cope with the weight of it.

[Henk]

Got a TTR600. Good road bike but starting to give probems after 40000 k, too heavy for serious dirt.
Have riden 520s, great dirt bike if you are man enough,rode my 400exc on road once, not all that great an experience.
No bike is going to do both things well, the TTR is too heavy for serious off road and kick start only, the EXC has the wrong power and a seriously hard seat for road work. You'll have to decide for yourself where the lesser evil of the compromise lies. The best all rounder I have ridden is probably the DRZ400there is still an off road bias there though.
The only real solution is to buy two bikes.

[laRIKin]

I did look at the one on Trademe - looks tidy in the pics - do you know the bike

If it is the one I'm thinking about it is my old one (2 years ago) and has had the 03 cam and water pump up grade done.

I'm on my 3rd KTM and have found them to be a good bike.
You just have to keep up with the maintenance on them or they will bite you.

And they all rattle in the clutch, it's normal so do not worry about that.
And run the chain loose or you will do damage.

They are not like a old 4 stroke you have to tinker to keep them running good and not breaking.

I would still have it if I could of Rego it.
I could not because I did not have all the paper work.
Some how the guy after me regoed it in a month, I was PISSED at this.
As I had tried and tried but with out the shipping paper work they would not waver and let me rego it.
They could of given me a exemption but would not because it was to new.

Unless I was doing a lot of road riding I would buy the KTM.

[Ruralman]

Thanks for that Lemans - how big a job is this filter changing thing?
I would use the bike around the farm as well as for rides so 10 hours won't take long to come around for oil changes. At around 115kg vs 141kg for the TTR there is a big weight difference and as Henk says this becomes an issue off road (well it does when things start to go wrong)

[carver]

Still looking ahead to what to buy in the way of a thumper that can be used on the road (but not very often) but able to handle to off road rides that I do all over Otago and bits of Southland.
I want something that isn't going to require huge maintenance or regular engine rebuilds. I'm not the slowest trail rider around but I don't aim to compete with much younger riders on the latest high revving rocket ships. I'm 6ft1in and around 100kg and a pretty experienced off road rider.
I have been wondering about a Yamaha TTr600 but also seen an advert for a KTM 520 and wondered how they fit the bill. Has anyone got any experience with these, what known problems do they have and what are they like to run cost wise?
Thanks
Bruce

i rode on of these a few years back, and the CRF 250R too..
nice torque, and much more useable too, because you can be lazy with the engine..
not too heavy or weighty either, but i have always felt KTM have a tradeoff in wieight, and "refining" a engine (couterbalancers etc..)
much better than mt old KLR on the dirt, although the one i rode was a enduro modded one with full knobs and a few suspension tricks..
the guy who owns it rides it once in a blu moon, but it has been raced, he said it was in need of a gearbox re-build, but this was after a few years of hard riding.
a great bike for town & trail, but i wouldn't relish a 2 hour hiway ride!

[laRIKin]

The oil change on the 520 is easier than the 640, trust me on that.

OK off the top of my head.

Take off the bash plate.
To drain the oil you have a drain plug at the back of the motor pointing backwards.
And under the motor you have two screens that you undo and blow the screens clean, you do not get a lot of oil out of these and do not over tighten them when you put them back in, or you will regret it.

Ok the oil out and you can refill the oil if you are doing the quick oil change.
But first put the two screens back in and the drain plug.

Now if you are doing a full oil change and filters.
DO NOT put the screens and plug in just yet.
You could, but I do not until I have done a bit more work and allow the oil to keep on draining.

On the right hand side of the motor behind the barrel you will see two round covers with two bolts that hold on each cover on.
Undo these and use cir-clip pliers to remove the filters and they are different in length.
Now I put the two screens back and the drain plug.
Then you lay the bike on the right hand side, you can prop the handle bar on a stand, stool or box. Or just lay it right over on the ground. (come on it lays there when you crash, get over it)
O its a good idea to turn the fuel off.

Now you 1/2 full the two holes where the filters came out of and slowly push the filters in. (I let them sink and then push the last bit)
Put some clean oil on the rubber bits, that is O rings and rubber seals on filters, and put the new filters in and put the covers back on and do up the bolts (X4).

Now stand the bike up put some more oil in the filler hole to top up the oil level.
Start bike for a few minutes and check oil level after a few minutes and top up if needed.

I think that's it as it has been two years I think I remembered every thing.

PS:
I'm not to sure that the KTM is good for a farm hack.

[Ruralman]

Thanks Lemans - that doesn't sound like a quick job and the idea of having to do it very frequently isn't appealing - pity they don't design the bike with ease of servicing in mind.
When I say I'd use it around the farm don't assume this is all quiet put putting behind stock OK!!!! - it might have to do that on rare occasions but mostly it is zipping around doing bits and pieces which I currently do on a KDX220. The maintenance on the KTM is a whole lot higher and one of the issues with making the maintenance more difficult is that it is less likely to happen on time and with this sort of machine that could become very expensive.