KLX450R or KTM450XC-F motard conversion?

[stupidmoto]

I currently have a DRZ400SM, and its a great bike, but I want something more. The first bike I was looking at to convert was a 2008 KLX450R. It seems like a pretty good bike, but were I live they are pretty hard to find. On the other hand, I have a guy willing to trade me a 2008 KTM450XC-F for my DRZ. This thing also seems like a nice bike. The KTM is lighter and probably more powerful than the KLX, and both the bikes will require more maintenance than the DRZ. I would really like to have the KTM, but i'm worried that the maintenance will be too ridiculous. Odds are the bike will never see a track, and will just be ridden on the roads about 5 times week. What is the maintenance like on the XC-F, and would it even be worth beeing a street ridden supermoto?

[shift1313]

I currently have a DRZ400SM, and its a great bike, but I want something more. The first bike I was looking at to convert was a 2008 KLX450R. It seems like a pretty good bike, but were I live they are pretty hard to find. On the other hand, I have a guy willing to trade me a 2008 KTM450XC-F for my DRZ. This thing also seems like a nice bike. The KTM is lighter and probably more powerful than the KLX, and both the bikes will require more maintenance than the DRZ. I would really like to have the KTM, but i'm worried that the maintenance will be too ridiculous. Odds are the bike will never see a track, and will just be ridden on the roads about 5 times week. What is the maintenance like on the XC-F, and would it even be worth beeing a street ridden supermoto?

 

the ktm will probably be easier to get street titled.  08 would have been the RF4 motor.  There is no real maint. issues there.  Nothing will be as bullet proof as the drz but ktms arent bad.  and parts for it are actually cheaper than for your drz:)

 

the ktm EXC models were the street legal ones(not all of them).  Also ktm parts are nearly universal with other ktms, and ktm sells stock SM parts because of its SMR.  factory parts are cheap BUT some of the SM stuff requires a wait for it to get to the US.  For instance i tried to order an SMR chain slider.  It was only a couple bucks but a 4 week wait....Thats the only part ive found so far that had a wait.

 

If i had to choose only between those two i would take the ktm.

[stupidmoto]

the ktm will probably be easier to get street titled.  08 would have been the RF4 motor.  There is no real maint. issues there.  Nothing will be as bullet proof as the drz but ktms arent bad.  and parts for it are actually cheaper than for your drz:)

 

the ktm EXC models were the street legal ones(not all of them).  Also ktm parts are nearly universal with other ktms, and ktm sells stock SM parts because of its SMR.  factory parts are cheap BUT some of the SM stuff requires a wait for it to get to the US.  For instance i tried to order an SMR chain slider.  It was only a couple bucks but a 4 week wait....Thats the only part ive found so far that had a wait.

 

If i had to choose only between those two i would take the ktm.

What do you think the maintenance schedule would be like on the KTM? Oil, valves etc. I wouldn't mind having to change the oil every 1000 mile, and do the valves every 5000. I'm afraid road use and high miles will put to much of a toll on the motor.  

[shift1313]

well the biggest thing to worry about with the xcf i believe is the chain slack.  on the street in SM trim a lot of guys run the PDS systems with super slack chains.  Im not sure if this was an RFS thing or also the RF4.  My ktm is non-PDS(has linkage rear suspension) and im told isnt the same issue.

 

As far as oil, valves etc.  In all my 4 strokes i check the valves regularly but ive never had to shim anything.  If you have to start shimming things  you need head work in most cases. 

 

I think what you need/want to consider is the type of riding you want to do.  If you have to do a lot of sustained RPM cruising then maybe you need to look at a larger bore motor, something you wont strain as much.

 

For the oil interval you would need to find someone who has that bike road legal and see what they do.  Me personally I would change it at 500 miles and look at its condition.  If things are good then next change would be 750 or 1000 miles.  I probably wouldnt go more than 1000 miles though.