KTM 530 EXC thread

I am starting this thread as to be a resource for anyone as well as a place for me to post all my crap on this bike in a single thread as an event log of sorts.

8/18/11:
Purchased brand new 2011 KTM 530 EXC from Quality Time Powersports KTM/Husaberg in Pelham, AL. Great bunch of guys and they will get my business again in the future! I got the bike home, unloaded from the trailer, grabbed my old haggard riding gear and hit the trails. Immediately I was in shock of just how bad KTM corked this beast up. Hell it felt a hair slower than my well-sorted out 2005 WR250F was! That's how bad they cork these bikes up in terms of power. But I knew this and its just a matter of time before the bike will be breathing a sigh of relief. I ended the day with a nice sunset and cold beer.

Hours on bike: .8
Miles: 14



Thoughts:
This bike certainly has the potential to be flipping amazing!! There is a reason why they are chosen and raved about. BUT, it's crazy restricted and slow stock. The stock gearing is way too high for trail or woods use. You'll either burn up the clutch or stall the bike if you try and ride this bike like it was intneded with the stock gearing, let alone the smog crap still on it. Razor sharp handling. Maybe a little too sharp. I've never considered a steering damper on my dirt bikes but this one will certainly get it to try and take some of the 'edge' off the razor. I was able to make the bike boil over as expected with all the emissions and restriction crap. Not sure if I'll need a fan kit but I'll play that by ear as I desmog and de-restrict the bike. If after all that and I still get boil over then I'll go with a fan kit. Either way I will buy a coolant overflow catch can bottle so that in the event it does boil over, I won't be losing my coolant out on the trail. All in all I'm stoked of my brand new purchase and kow this bike will be tits once sorted out.

8/19/11:
Woke up early in the morning and wanted to take a DS ride with my new bike. It went great, except for those massive spiders probably still sleeping that seemed to criss-cross all along the trails. Too bad they got a rude awakening and sometimes I did too with a few hitch-hikers. Later in the day I decided I might as well pop the bikes cherry in the must-do mods. Since I don't have a JD jet kit or Blais Racing smog blockoff kit on order, the only thing I can really do is to perform a bafflectomy. Below is a nicely detailed HD How-To video. Obviously it's the same for many KTM's, not just 530's.

Hours on bike: 1.4
Miles: 28

I don't know how to embed video on here but here is the How-To video I made for the exhaust mod:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4FUponrnHw

Thoughts:
The bike is ALIVE!! Well sorta. Doing the exhaust mod the bike felt like giving me a high five I'm sure. It cranks, starts and runs so much better. Of course a rejet is in order but right out of the box after modding you'll know this bike thanks you for allowing it to breathe a little easier. Still not there but MUCH more improved throttle response and power delivery. Hey, it's starting to slowly feel like how a 500-something cc bike should!

Next up is rejet and desmog. Stay tuned...

Day 2 cont'd:

Rode quickly to the store tonight to pick up some smokes. I need to quit but that's for another story. Anyways bike for sure needs a rejet after hak'ing the exhaust today but man did it wake the bike up!! It now has no problem toting the front wheel in gears 1 & 2 where as when 100% stock I would of had to rev + dump the clutch to lift the front over logs. Gearing is also a huge factor there. But as far as pep goes, this simple exhaust mod feels like it gave the motor a pretty good kick in the gonads. Sounds great too. Has a little pop on decel but that's to be expected.

I have noticed something strange going on with my header pipe. When I was washing my bike for the first time after picking it up yesterday I noticed this kind of weird effect, or glaze if you will, on a section of the header pipe. I shrugged it off as nothing, and it still is really. But after having the motor and pipe go thru a few heat cycles now it seems this effect or glaze on the finish of the pipe is becoming more noticeable. I'm not sure if anyone else has this 'issue' on their bike when new. It's not something I'm overly concerned with as I intend to buy a nice CF heat shield in the future to keep from burning my pants (already done that) but I'm just wondering if anyone else has seen this on their bike? It doesn't look near as noticeable when the pipe is cold but when it wamrs up you can see it much more. It's not from my riding pants as it doesn't really have a build-up or different texture than the rest of the pipes finish. It's just kinda 'there' for a lack of a better word.

To cap off day 2....

While out checking out my exhaust, ok I'll admit I can't stay out of the garage drooling over my new toy :D, but I decided to take some artsy fartsy shots of some of the details on the Katoom.

The brakes on this bike are amazing. Very responsive and confidence inspiring.



Stock the info on the cluster only shows hours or miles and MPH. I was reading in my manual and if I read right you can 'unlock' more features like lap timers, trip/enduro timer, etc. Pretty cool. The buttons are also easy to press with gloves on.



I LOVE the buttery smooth hydraulic clutch and shorty lever!



This headlight globe bulb is a joke. I usually do HID retrofits on my bikes and cars but I'm going LED I think this time.



I like bikes that come with at least some sort of brush/hand protection. Granted these aren't going to save levers but they have served some of their purpose already. They'll eventually be swapped out with proper brush guards but I like the detail KTM does on them.



Brembo front brake and MC are again amazing! Tons of feedback while on the trail.



The bars on the 2011 530 fit me nicely. I can't remember the bend name of them but they place me in a very comfortable position both sitting and standing. KTM supplies them with a nice touch on the bar pad.

8/20/11:

Things I did to the bike today:
I changed the engine oil and made a How-To during the process. It's a simple task but hell maybe someone out there learns better thur videos than reading their owners manual. I'll do one for the gear oil change as well as its much less involved. The video is being uploaded on YT now and I'll post it when its done.

Notable mentions:
My clutch seems to drag a little. When trying to start the bike in gear it will want to move. Bike will not start in gear as its too much of a strain on cranking I guess. If I'm not sitting on the bike and its in gear and I hit the starter I have to hold on or it will lurch forward while trying to start. Not sure what's going on there. It's a hydraulic setup so there's no adjustment other than the lever position I guess. I'm hoping that its just the oil being thick (I don't know what they put in there from the factory or dealership) and maybe some metal shavings from break-in. Also I've noticed its hard or near impossible to find nuetral even after the bike has warmed up. I'm going to change the gear oil tomorrow so hopefully that will make things easier. Otherwise I might have to take it into the shop to see what they think of it.

Here is a HD video I made on doing a simple oil change on the engine for this bike....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9bjspP7pGs

8/21/11:

hours: 2.4
miles: 47

Notable mentions:
After being suggested the clutch drag is normal when motor/oil is cold I wanted to see how it did afte rthe bike wamred up. I was able to find nuetral while the motor was running as well as crank the bike in gear! So turns out everyone was right and glad they chimed in. Lovin' the Katoom!!

thoughts:
Woke up and wanted to RIDE!!!


I rode up to Coalmont (The Bowl) in Shelby Co. It is confirmed. it is shut down. They have escavated (sp?) a crapload out of the entrance area. I couldn't even make it to "the bowl" area as they've added a huge road closed sign as well as a freakin guard shack!! Sucks!! I should of stopped to take a pic.

Left there and headed towards the local trails by the house. This is the first time I got to ride the bike in the trails after doing the exhaust mod. With the bike still running lean I didn't get on it too much but the bike is MUCH better in the trails now!! got a crossed-up log in your way? No problemo. Brap...up and over. Even on stock crappy gearing to boot! :D. Can't wait to desmog, reject and gear down. It will be a beast.

So here's some pics of todays excursion and shake down of the bike so far...



It was hot as hell already at 9am. But at least the talls tree cover cuts down on the heat plus makes for a nice scenic ride...



This is near a fence line that has a gate. Beyond the gate is some realy nice looking hills for a long ways. It's private property but so inviting. Maybe one day. :D



We need a good soaking to help pack down the trails and cut down on the dust and loose pebble rock. I was sliding all over the place while the big 530 fought for traction everywhere.



Scattered throughout the local trails are these rectangular cuts in the ground. I have no idea how they got there as its tick in some areas for even a bobcat or small backhoe could get out there. So I'm not sure what these are. I do know there is a small family graveyard not far from here. I can't help but wonder if they relocated the graves at some time in history lol...



You can see the rectangular cut thing to the right of my bike. It is over 7 ft long and about 2.5 ft wide...





Remember those spiders I was talking about earlier? Well I gave them a rude awakening again this morning. Maybe one day they will get the hint. I was hauling butt around one of the loops and saw this huge thick web strung across the trail. In the middle was something massive but I was hauling too much a$$ to stop or slow down in time. I stuck my hand out in an attempt to swat this big beast out of the way. I hit it but I lost when it went. I had no idea if I killed it or it was on my back lol. So after riding I get home, pull in the garage, bend down to shut off the petcock and see something catch my eye on my left fork up near the triple tree. BAM!! I see this mofo!!

I call him KTM SPIDA since he is orange (I thought to myself, sweet graphics man!) and obviously loved my bike :). Unfortunately he died a painful death not long after these pics were taken. RIP KTM Spida.

8/21/11:

hours: 2.7
miles: 58

Took the bike out again today. It was running like crap. REALLY need to get that jet kit. But regardless, I pushed on and had fun on the local trails.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_2W90koF-k

8/25/11:

Thoughts for the day:
It has begun. Sat down on the 'puter and ordered up some parts. Coming this way are:

-JD jet kit. I was going to order the Blais Racing kit but I'll just get a different needle with more taper when I buy exhaust later in the winter. JD kit with stock exhaust will hold me over until then.
-Merge Racing fuel screw
-Blais Racing smog blockoff kit
-Doubletake folding mirror with 3" RAM clamp

Parts grabbing from local KTM dealer:
-Renthal 13T front sprocket
-EE barkbusters
Might buy a 48T rear sprocket if it's still too tall

I need to buy a leak jet as well, I'm thinking a 70 but not sure. Wondering if local KTM dealer has them in stock.

A good day! :)

8/29/11:

Today has been an awesome Monday. Got to leave work early. I couldn't think of anything better to do than to head to the KTM shop and pick up a 14T Renthal front sprocket, orange KTM/Enduro Engineering/Moose brushguards (they are all the same) and deflectors. Got home and found one of the packages I'm expecting has already arrived.

LIGHTNING FAST SHIPPING from Doubletake Mirrors!! Opened up the package and I think these will work out great. Install was a breeze, simply remove stock mirror post and install RAM mount. Clamp on the mirror, adjust and ride. Can't get much easier than that.

I'll give a real review of it once my other parts come in and I take the bike out on the trails and road to see how it handles vibes and my personal style of riding. I only bought one mirror as that's the minimum I need to be legal in my state or personally need on my bike.

For now here is some functional eye candy:


Contents from USP package..







I went with the 3" RAM arm which seems to be the most popular. This allows me to protect the mirror a bit more to the center of the bike...







Setting up the position is a breeze and you have endless adjustability on angle and FOV (field of view). sitting in the garage it seems to allow me enough FOV to see past my shoulder pretty well. I'll report more on that once I do a review after being on the road. Installed on the bike and positioned for my personal preferences...











Here are just a few of the many ways you can position the mirror out of harms way. I personally like the idea of using the stock KTM bar pad as an area to fold the mirror on, leaving mirror side down to protect it from the brush.:



Tucked in between bar and instrument display...







Tucked behind bar (still retains full lock to lock without hitting anyhting)...







My favorite position. On top of bar pad. Low overall profile plus added protection from vibes and mirror scratches...











Heading back out to the garage to install the other goodies!

8/30/11:



Got the bark busters swapped out. The KTM shop didn't have the same 'kit' in that was branded Moose but did have a set of bars (same as Moose / EE) but were badged KTM Powerparts. Hey, at least it adds a little more factory bling right :D. Thankfully they didn't have the kit as they had to make me a kit by snagging a set of Cycra U-clamp mounts which are much better built and allow for more clearance around the cables and bars than the Moose / EE clamps. Plus this setup was cheaper in the end so I got money back, which is always good! :D



Great bunch of guys at Quality Time KTM / Husaberg



Eye candy:

8/30/11:



Got the bark busters swapped out. The KTM shop didn't have the same 'kit' in that was branded Moose but did have a set of bars (same as Moose / EE) but were badged KTM Powerparts. Hey, at least it adds a little more factory bling right :D. Thankfully they didn't have the kit as they had to make me a kit by snagging a set of Cycra U-clamp mounts which are much better built and allow for more clearance around the cables and bars than the Moose / EE clamps. Plus this setup was cheaper in the end so I got money back, which is always good! :D



Great bunch of guys at Quality Time KTM / Husaberg



Eye candy:

9/3/11:

Hours: 2.9
Miles: 59

It has been a crazy one!! After two oil changes (engine side), one tranny oil change, and a metric TON OF STRESS the bike is now finally happy. It runs like a scalded dawg!! Hell it will even pull wheelies in 3rd, probably 4th if I tried hard enough on the tall stock gearing (and I weigh 220#) :roost: . Crazyiness but in an awesome way. No more smoke from header either. My guess is that it was just some residual fuel/carbon sludge that was coming out of the header/muffler. It isn't doing it anymore after 2 oil changes. Bike will be perfect with a gear change which is next :)

Thanks again to those that helped on here or in private messages.

Hak

Video I made.

How to desmog your KTM 450/530 in 3 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJItqjaRNgI

Video I made.

How to desmog your KTM 450/530 in 3 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJItqjaRNgI

9/4/11:

Little update on the Doubletake mirror:
Since mounting the Doubletake mirror, and today being the first day out with it, I do have one issue with it. It seems that when layed all the way horizontal that the clamp needs to be very tight to keep the mirror from wanting to 'swing' around the RAM ball. I'm not sure if this is a trait with this mirror or if mine is just a little different than most. It's certainly not a deal-breaker but it is something I will mention in my video review of it as well as show you its pro's and con's. More on the mirror soon...

Quote :

Trial16,Sep 6 2011, 08 PM
No my bike had only 150 miles on it and all factory, No mods at all
As I said in my post in the jetting section, I did desmog and muffler tonight and going tomorrow to get the jets,
I compared mines to yours and it seems strange
I have:
Main 180
Starter 85
Power jet 40
Idle 48
And my bike runs perfectly on the choke but stops immediately when I remove it ?!
I cleaned the carb and was careful to set the mix screw to 1-1/2 turn and did'n change anything, I tried 2-1/2 and the stock setting was 4-1/3 ?!
Love your thread and follow your progress in tuning your bike right

There is two thing I do not get of your mods:
1 what is the diaphragm and the oring you changed when jetting the carb?
2 what did you do of the tube going from the valve to the catch can in your desmog video? Did you leave the hole opened on the catch can or did something else with it?

Thanks for the time you lose answering my stupid questions

As for your carb settings or why it dies at idle without choke could be a few things. You mentioned you cleaned the carb so I'm assuming you pulled the pilot to make sure those little orifices weren't clogged? Even the smalled amount of varnish or 'gunk' can give you headaches....I know 1st hand by chasing a carb ghost on my last dirt bike lol. Another thing...and as silly as it sounds ...but if you are stock and no mods yet and the bike won't idle without choke, make sure your idle adjustment (not fuel screw but idle screw) is not too low. Turn the knob clockwise and it will raise the idle. Turn it the other way and it will lower idle. you will know by ear what a healthy idle should sound like.

The diaphragm is part of the AP (accelerator pump) mechanism. A vertical rod controlled by the throttle side of the carb, pushes down on the diaphragm which then squirts a shot of fuel directly into the motor from the AP nozzle. The purpose of the diaphragm is to create a sealed area where pressure can be used to 'push' fuel thru the AP nozzle passage, up and out of the AP nozzle orifice. Fuel sits in a 'pool' between the diaphragm and the AP cover waiting to be pushed to the AP nozzle when you quickly whack the throttle. The actuator rod is too long on the carb so by using the spacer JD supplies with his kit you will effectively shorten the stroke, meaning less duration of shot. In short it will run and start better better since the duration of the stock carb is too long on a 530.

The oring mod will also help your bike run and start better. It will also give you quicker throttle response.

Hope that makes sense. :showtime:

There are some great articles posted on here that explain what each circuit does on the carb as well as address AP modifications. In addition to ktmtalk, this is where I learned about my first FCR carb on my WR http://www.thumperfaq.com/ap_mods.htm

For the catch can, I left out a good bit of the catch can modification on my video. I still have the raw video if anyone wants it but I opted to not include it in the tutorial. Mainly because RonnieMX already did a fine job on his video for the CC mod but also because in the end...I saw no point in keeping the catch can. So off it came on the bike, which is why I left that little blurb at the end of the video to leave it up to your discretion which route you want to go. Many probably use the catch can and the same holds true for those who don't. Of all my dirt bikes this is the first one I've had that had any kind of EPA contraption crap on it. People worry alot about those lines getting blocked by dirt/mud/etc..and they are right in that it's definitely something you don't want getting blocked. But at the same time I've had my bikes thru some thick, nasty, ruin your fresh aluminum frame kind of Southern red clay and never had an issue with my lines getting clogged. I'm pretty anal about my bikes and clean the living piss out of them after every single ride and I do a sort of mental checklist while cleaning the bike. Checking fastners, moving parts move freely, ports that are supposed to vent to atmosphere are not clogged or partially obstructed, etc. Doing so has I guess kept me on the safe...or lucky...side for years. That's not to say it can't happen. I'm just saying I prefer to remove the CC entirely and as a result I pay closer attention to the carb vent lines than say someone who is using a modded or stock catch can. I will say this if you do decide to remove your CC. Don't throw it away!!! When doing oil changes you'll of course need to lay the bike on its side to put in the oil filter. Doing so means your carb is going to vent from the overflow tube, as it's designed to. But without the catch can means that fuel will spill out onto your garage floor and make a dangerous mess. So do yourself a favor and keep the CC (with drain bolt installed) handy next to your spare oil filters. You will know why the first time you attempt to change your oil and get about halfway there when you realize you're high as a kite from fuel spilling out :chair: :gap: . If you opt to leave your catch can installed just remove the drain bolt on the bottom so that the CC doesn't stay filled with fuel if you drop your bike and fuel comes from the carb overflow vent. Som add more holes to the bottom of it but if anything that just makes me wonder why they are keeping it in the first place. My guess is people may think with a larger hole or more holes that any and all fuel will not collect in the CC because it has to go somehwere right. Well the same holds true for any and alll mud and dirt to get up in there blocking those small orifices on the vent nipples of the CC. In it doesn't make any difference IMHO just so long as you hav a means for the fuel to flow and the lines to vent.

9/9/11:

hours: 3.9
miles: 80

Today was an awesome day. Weather was in the 70's and the ground has dried up a little after Tropical Storm Lee rolled through. Perfect traction conditions and minimal dust to deal with. I have been on Bing Maps scouting trails via Bird's Eye. They have shutdown access to one of my favorite places to tool around and explore deep woods riding. If you get caught out there the fines can be steep. Luckily I'm on a bike that can get me into the thick stuff pretty quick should I need to . So the main access to this location is closed down and watched by guard shacks and CB radios from mining truckers and wildlife rangers. Soooo good ole Bing Maps and Bird's Eye showed me a way into my riding area via some ATV trails and powerline trails. Today was the first day with decent weather that I got to really see what this bike was about without being restricted by all the stock crap. Holy hell this bike is amazing!! Even on stock gearing I was having a blast, granted having to slip the clutch in technical stuff, but it was a freakin' blast none the less!! The bike pulls strong. Real strong! Got a tree in your way? No problem. Bluuurrp.... up and over :roost: . Got a huge mud puddle surpise you around the trail head? No problem. Bluuurppp..shift....bllurrrp .....skeet right on thru it :bumps: ! This bike and I are finally starting to gel. I can't wait to get the gearing swapped out but funds are a little tright this week so it'll have to wait.

BTW I mentioned earlier in this thread that the frontend didn't give me alot of confidence as it seemed to deflect off rocks way too easy. I added 5 clicks to stiffen the front and made mental notes to sit further up on the seat and grip hard on the shroud "vent grips" with my thighs and the bike gives back plenty of feedback and feels more planted!! It's a huge step in the right direction from what it was before. Once I get spring rates for my weight and an x-bushing to help with my inseam, I think this thing will be a beast for any condition the trail can throw at it. It'll be my fault if the bike can't make it thru it :)

PS, even trees lay down on the trail and bow to the mighty 530 :hail:

hours: 5.5
miles: 121

Wished I could of broke away to ride early this morning as temps were low 70's with a nice breeze, but watching the kiddo took over. Finally got a chance to break away for a nice mid-late afternoon ride. I wanted to go explore some of Alabama's remote powerline areas so that's the type of riding I did today....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OAUol0hkYY

Ended the day playing on these lil hillclimbs by the house...





A great day for riding the 530!!

10/16/11:

Hours: 7.0
Miles: 150

Changed the oil in the bike today. Last time I changed it was at 2.9 hours/59 miles. I use a measuring cup while draining the oil on both the engine drain and the filter to catch the oil as it comes out so I can get a good reading on how much oil my bike is using. After letting it drain and leaning the bike from side to side I was able to squeeze out 550ml. I could probably squeeze out more if I put the filter in a jar and let the oil run off the paper element. I'm sure there is more oil trapped in the nooks and crannies in the motor. So with 50ml being the difference of what I put in last month on 9/3/11 hours: 2.9/miles: 59 vs what I got out it today I think it's safe to assume my bike is not burning any oil or having oil transfer problems.

Going for a good ride with some riding buddies today. Will report back on anything interesting. Probably a vid and some pics too.

Bike is running great! I have seemed to notice more of the exhaust ticking or whatever ticking sound or maybe it's just my head messing with me as I'm super crazy about sounds lol. I've listened to all the 530 vids on the net and my bike sounds the same so I'm just going to chalk it up as that's how these bikes sound with the stock exhaust and the way it mounts to the engine with springs. I don't think you can ever get a 100% sealed connection with their method so I'm just figuring the little tick I hear sounds like a small exhaust leak. It's coming from the front right upper side I think. Hard to tell. I don't think its the auto-decomp I'm hearing and I know it's not the CCT as the sound is not coming from there. That reminds me, I need to order a dirttricks CCT to replace the stocker lol.

ride on guys!

10/30/11:

Hours: 9.4
Miles: 203

Good day of riding. You can see more pics here http://ktmtalk.com/index.php?showtopic=435...0&#entry3839120

Hours: 10.9
Mile: 236



Today got a good ride in doing some exploring along the interstate after eyeing some aerial maps. I found some marked single track as well but it was rather short and dumped me out by a neighborhood somewhere.



Here's some pics along the ride with my cell phone...



I lvoe this time of year for all the colors, fallen leaves and nice temps...







Somewhere in Saginaw...
















Came across a few creek crossings along an old gas line trail...











See I wasn't kidding about the trail running along the interstate...







One side dumps be out on an overlook in Alabaster...







After exploring those trails I hopped onto another trail system I spotted from aerial reconnaissance :).







Which led me to doing a little bit of illegal riding apparently as I stumbled across these signs skirting the trail...











Which allowed me to sneak up on the opposition. Target acquired :)...

Hours: 10.9

Mile: 236



Today got a good ride in doing some exploring along the interstate after eyeing some aerial maps. I found some marked single track as well but it was rather short and dumped me out by a neighborhood somewhere.



Here's some pics along the ride with my cell phone...



I lvoe this time of year for all the colors, fallen leaves and nice temps...







Somewhere in Saginaw...
















Came across a few creek crossings along an old gas line trail...











See I wasn't kidding about the trail running along the interstate...







One side dumps be out on an overlook in Alabaster...







After exploring those trails I hopped onto another trail system I spotted from aerial reconnaissance :).







Which led me to doing a little bit of illegal riding apparently as I stumbled across these signs skirting the trail...











Which allowed me to sneak up on the opposition. Target acquired :)...

I need to pick up some safety wire and do the entire bike.

I'm off all week so I got a chance to test out the grips today. They actually did seem to cut down on some of the vibes and were comfortable on the trail being gel and all. I didn't get them wet so I'm not sure how they will provide traction when wet but they claim to give traction in all conditions so we'll see I guess.



Here's some pics of them installed...

Nov 22nd:

Today I got a little bit of riding in before the storms roll in. Found a trail that will take me to 8 Mile :D

Dec 29th:

Mile 271
Hours: 12.8
Maintenance: engine oil/filter change. Drained 550+ml out. Same as before. Thumbup :)

Tomorrow or this weekend we are going to explore where two men derailed a passenger train in the 1890's not too far from where I live. The train fell over 110' into the shallow Cahaba River bed killing over 20 passengers and train engineers. Metal detectors might be coming along to see if we can find any goodies. I will have a post with pics and maybe vid I'm sure. The only thing that remains standing of the large tressel are its hand formed and laid stone support columns. Should be a good time and temps will be in the mid 60's!!!