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Author Topic: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side  (Read 10380 times)

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Offline WRXBRUMBY

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KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« on: September 14, 2018, 10:29:28 PM »
Disclaimer: I love these conversions but my curiosity is getting the better of me.

So has there been much in the way of opinions on the other side of these builds with the Ktm frames and their handling characteristics?from owners out in the field.

I see a lot of them done but not a lot of info on how they compare to modern 4 stroke handling bikes using the same frames.

We all know they will outdo our dated chassis and feel great but some questions if I may....


1.Are there any shortfalls of this conversion for the KX500 engine waking up in a chassis designed for a big 4 stroke.

2.How would a KTM500 Stack up against the KX500 in the same frame in terms of......

-Braking with less compression braking
-Tractability with more abrupt power delivery from KX
-Cornering and ability to flick the bike
-Handling big hits
-Gearing
-Vibrations etc

Opinions of all shapes and sizes welcome 🙂
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2008 FE650 (KX500 but with manners and E-Start)
2003 KX500 Scares me! (Reminded me I couldn’t ride well)
1997 TE610 Arm chair! (Made me think I could ride)
2000 CT110 Fun!
1986 KDX200 SOLD! (But looking for another)
1970 AG100 Still makes me 😀

Offline sandblaster

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2018, 06:27:21 PM »
My build will be in a MXA magazine build off against a CR500 in the same chassis and possibly a BRC 500 in the same chassis. Adam Millar will be building both the other bikes. You can read the article when it comes out.
Adam has built a couple of these conversions and absolutely loves them.
My problem is that I have been riding KX500's for so long that everything else feels strange to me...
But, I'll be posting my honest opinion when I get mine done for what it's worth  :-o
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The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline WRXBRUMBY

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2018, 08:27:18 PM »
Quote from: sandblaster on September 15, 2018, 06:27:21 PM
My build will be in a MXA magazine build off against a CR500 in the same chassis and possibly a BRC 500 in the same chassis. Adam Millar will be building both the other bikes. You can read the article when it comes out.
Adam has built a couple of these conversions and absolutely loves them.
My problem is that I have been riding KX500's for so long that everything else feels strange to me...
But, I'll be posting my honest opinion when I get mine done for what it's worth  :-o


That will be great sandblaster, make sure I don’t miss that article.

Does Adam post here?

Also I totally understand how you feel strange with other ergos. But coming from my bike history the Euros have just got it right. My berg felt like home very early.

As stated though the question is for the unknown, most blokes I know have never even ridden a K5 let alone the K5 in new chassis, and most fellas who build these awesome machines I never hear from them there after.

(Maybe they love them so much they are doing too much riding to post)
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2008 FE650 (KX500 but with manners and E-Start)
2003 KX500 Scares me! (Reminded me I couldn’t ride well)
1997 TE610 Arm chair! (Made me think I could ride)
2000 CT110 Fun!
1986 KDX200 SOLD! (But looking for another)
1970 AG100 Still makes me 😀

Offline sandblaster

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2018, 04:23:24 PM »
RoostiusMaximus is Adam
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The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline reklessj

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2018, 02:28:01 PM »
Hope Roost don't get mad but I never saw his BRC vid posted on here but there is one a few months back on his YouTube channel. Pretty cool stuff
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My rides: 1994 KX500, 1988 T4, 1998, ZXI 1100 JETSKI, 2003 MOUNTAIN CAT 900
WIFES (Baby Fiver) rides: 2004 KTM 105SX,1992 LT250R, 1995 ZXI 900 JETSKI,  2011 RMK 600
SONS ride: 1995 YZ125,2002 RM 250
other rides: 2007 RMZ450 RC Ediition, 2003 RMK700

Offline WRXBRUMBY

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2018, 10:33:08 PM »
Is the link available?
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2008 FE650 (KX500 but with manners and E-Start)
2003 KX500 Scares me! (Reminded me I couldn’t ride well)
1997 TE610 Arm chair! (Made me think I could ride)
2000 CT110 Fun!
1986 KDX200 SOLD! (But looking for another)
1970 AG100 Still makes me 😀

Offline reklessj

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2018, 04:46:27 AM »
Just search BRC 500 on YouTube
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My rides: 1994 KX500, 1988 T4, 1998, ZXI 1100 JETSKI, 2003 MOUNTAIN CAT 900
WIFES (Baby Fiver) rides: 2004 KTM 105SX,1992 LT250R, 1995 ZXI 900 JETSKI,  2011 RMK 600
SONS ride: 1995 YZ125,2002 RM 250
other rides: 2007 RMZ450 RC Ediition, 2003 RMK700

Offline WRXBRUMBY

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2018, 07:00:11 PM »
That was very impressive. Cheers reklessj

Still no takers on the reports from the other side of a conversion though. Looks like I’m going to have to wait for sandblaster at this rate hehe
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2008 FE650 (KX500 but with manners and E-Start)
2003 KX500 Scares me! (Reminded me I couldn’t ride well)
1997 TE610 Arm chair! (Made me think I could ride)
2000 CT110 Fun!
1986 KDX200 SOLD! (But looking for another)
1970 AG100 Still makes me 😀

Offline umberto

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2018, 02:48:24 PM »
For whatever reason, a lot of guys start threads about KTM/KX 500 conversions on here, but no one has finished one that I can remember. The pressure is on Sandblaster.  :-D
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Perhaps I have a dirt bike addiction?

03 KX 250/88 KX 525/2017 KX250F - Goliath
17 KX250F/04 KX250
04 KX 250 - Lunchbox's Bike
05 KX 125/144

Offline WRXBRUMBY

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2018, 06:50:11 PM »
That’s the exact thing I’m afraid of hehehe, what are they not telling us? The mind boggles!
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2008 FE650 (KX500 but with manners and E-Start)
2003 KX500 Scares me! (Reminded me I couldn’t ride well)
1997 TE610 Arm chair! (Made me think I could ride)
2000 CT110 Fun!
1986 KDX200 SOLD! (But looking for another)
1970 AG100 Still makes me 😀

Offline sandblaster

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2018, 03:21:25 AM »
Quote from: umberto on September 19, 2018, 02:48:24 PM
For whatever reason, a lot of guys start threads about KTM/KX 500 conversions on here, but no one has finished one that I can remember. The pressure is on Sandblaster.  :-D

I've done all the hard work on mine... I just need parts...
But don't worry, I think it will be worth the wait..
But who knows... Maybe I'll hate it and sell it when done... Probably not...  :-D

I rode my Dad's 2015 KTM 250 SXF for a few laps around my property a couple of months ago.
I was not converted.
Handling was perfect.
Braking was perfect.
Power... it's a 250f meh...
But over all it was a well balanced bike.
After I'm done with mine we'll have to wait and see.
It will have slightly more power when I'm done.  :evil:

The goal on the engine build is huge bottom end, healthy mid range.... Destruction on the Top end...
If my current batch of mods work the engine alone will make the conversion worth the effort.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2018, 03:24:50 AM by sandblaster »
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The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline WRXBRUMBY

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #11 on: September 22, 2018, 10:30:25 PM »
Quote from: sandblaster on September 20, 2018, 03:21:25 AM
Quote from: umberto on September 19, 2018, 02:48:24 PM
For whatever reason, a lot of guys start threads about KTM/KX 500 conversions on here, but no one has finished one that I can remember. The pressure is on Sandblaster.  :-D

I've done all the hard work on mine... I just need parts...
But don't worry, I think it will be worth the wait..
But who knows... Maybe I'll hate it and sell it when done... Probably not...  :-D

I rode my Dad's 2015 KTM 250 SXF for a few laps around my property a couple of months ago.
I was not converted.
Handling was perfect.
Braking was perfect.
Power... it's a 250f meh...
But over all it was a well balanced bike.
After I'm done with mine we'll have to wait and see.
It will have slightly more power when I'm done.  :evil:

The goal on the engine build is huge bottom end, healthy mid range.... Destruction on the Top end...
If my current batch of mods work the engine alone will make the conversion worth the effort.

I’ll be very interested in the weight distribution and where the front wheel will want to go. Hopefully it won’t just point to the stars.

Have you reasearched the rake angle between the two chassis? And the performance of that frame at speed?


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2008 FE650 (KX500 but with manners and E-Start)
2003 KX500 Scares me! (Reminded me I couldn’t ride well)
1997 TE610 Arm chair! (Made me think I could ride)
2000 CT110 Fun!
1986 KDX200 SOLD! (But looking for another)
1970 AG100 Still makes me 😀

Offline WRXBRUMBY

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #12 on: September 22, 2018, 11:00:16 PM »
This sums up my concerns, I found this quote from Dr Ian Malcolm quite fitting.......

“The world has just changed so radically, and we're all running to catch up. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but look… Dinosaurs(KX500’s) and man(new KTM frames), two species separated by 65 million years of evolution(give or take  :wink:), have just been suddenly thrown back into the mix together. How can we possibly have the slightest idea what to expect?”

I wish Dr Allan Grant were here, but I’m frightened he might say....

“T. Rex(KX500 Engine) doesn't want to be FED, he wants to HUNT!. Can't just... suppress 65 million years of gut instinct”.



Maybe this is the reason why no one is able to post about their conversion after they have ridden one because of this.....

Dr Ian Malcolm:
“If there's one thing the history of evolution has taught us, it's that life (The power delivery of the KX500) will not be contained. Life breaks free, it expands to new territories, and crashes through barriers painfully, maybe even dangerously, but, uh, well, there it is.” :-o

Maybe in too much pain to type  :lol:
« Last Edit: September 23, 2018, 02:00:17 AM by WRXBRUMBY »
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2008 FE650 (KX500 but with manners and E-Start)
2003 KX500 Scares me! (Reminded me I couldn’t ride well)
1997 TE610 Arm chair! (Made me think I could ride)
2000 CT110 Fun!
1986 KDX200 SOLD! (But looking for another)
1970 AG100 Still makes me 😀

Offline sandblaster

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2018, 03:03:53 AM »
All I can say is hold my beer and watch this Cletus...
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The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline umberto

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Re: KTM/KX500 Word from the other side
« Reply #14 on: September 23, 2018, 04:33:31 AM »
Ah, the Dukes of Hazard.  Poor Cletus couldn't resist the charms of Daisy.  Looks like in modern times it's a KX 500 he can't resist.   :-D

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Perhaps I have a dirt bike addiction?

03 KX 250/88 KX 525/2017 KX250F - Goliath
17 KX250F/04 KX250
04 KX 250 - Lunchbox's Bike
05 KX 125/144
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