Just about to turn over 7k miles on my 2018 500 with Vortex and FMF. Love it. One of my exhaust valves was a little tight at 200 hours so I had it re-shimmed. Zero issues other than that.
Awesome review. I took up sailing for a while - got fat and weak. My RMZ-450, WR450 and DRZ-400 keep me fit. There's nothing on planet earth that is as fun to do as ride a dirt bike.
I have an '18 that has 550 hours on it and 24,000 kms - still going strong. Had a top end done at 240 hours when the previous owner ran it out of oil! Just had to replace the fuel pump - known to be weak on KTM's. Watch out for this as it will leave you stranded when it goes - I was way up back country and had to be towed out by another bike.
great news - about to grab one myself, nice to see larger mileage reports :-) i have ran my sxf 450 since 2013 - faultless machine, i service it myself but nowhere near the so called intervals either, bullet engines - i bet my 450 gets oil every 50 hours and i only ride sand or enduro, off road of course - it is on its way for an exc500 so i can ride roads + off roads
I HAD A HUSKY 510 4T IN THE 80S IT WAS A GREAT BIKE,BUT THE REAR TIRE ONLY KASTED ABOUT ONE MONTHH..THE FRONT TIRE LASTED ABOUT 3 MONTHS,,GREETINGS FROM THE PHILIPPINES
I have an 18 with 525 hours / 31,000 kms on it. Just starting to idle a bit of smoke when I stop .. valve shims need to be replaced. The frame wiring harness on the right side between the triple tree has broken a few wires a couple times.. left me stranded once (kill switch wire) .. another wire break was just the headlight. So I've extended those about an inch with solder and heat shrink and it's been good ever since. I've changed my fuel pump also but it didn't break. I also had the ground wire loosen up on me but I was able to limp home.. it wouldn't rev up. I have also done the vortex / FMF / desmog / reed removal.. and the bike still hauls ass.. (no clutch 5th gear wheelies at 105kph) topping out at 170kph on gearing.
My main concern on getting these high CC KTM's is precisely the amount of maintenance that they need, so far as I know they are prickly machines, with constant oil changes every 1000km, with constant valve checks and adjustments, then there are the fuel pumps yadyadyada But yeah, all in all, the annoyances of maintenance and such, as you said at the end, this is the type of bike that just changes your life for the better, you get more exercise, take more sun, have fun and discover new places (that said, one can do all that on a Honda CRF300!!!!) but yeah, appreciate the review a heck lot Just for curiosity, I know that they dont correlate 1:3, but how many kilometers/miles does it correlate to 1 hour of use? As a rough estimate? I would maybe, like to pick up a KTM450 used, but as a street fellow I am used to managing Kilometers/Miles rather than hours Anyhow cheers and happy riding!
