spishack4433 Posted April 1, 2010 Looking to buy a used one for mostly on street work. Is it a pipe dream to expect to get 10,000 miles out of one of these? Just wondering how reliable it will end up being in the long run... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikes300 Posted April 1, 2010 I've heard more for sure, you mean with no mantaince? I mean at somewhere around 400 hrs or so you may need to rebuild the head and maybe throw in a piston, but then your good for a long long time, overall the RFS motors have proven extremly reliable. Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spishack4433 Posted April 1, 2010 Yea I shoulda been more clear. I'll maintenance regularly and rebuild when necessary. I just don't want this thing to grenade on me because of too much riding (mileage). I have always heard that they are very reliable. Can't wait to find one, freakin people on craigslist not calling me back!!!!👍🤣 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dudenstumpy Posted April 1, 2010 In Europe, loads of off-road bike rental companies use rfs excs as their fleets. The bikes must rack up way more than 10,000 miles per annum. The rental outfit me and my mates used for our off-roading vacations, told us that their excs covered up to 30,000 miles per annum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike in Fresno Posted April 1, 2010 the bottom end is NOT reliable if riding it hard like in SM racing. With regular riding tho it should be good for the 10K. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jjm525 Posted April 1, 2010 My brother did 48,000 RFS miles in street sumoto trim without ever opening the engine besides valve checks & 2 adjustments. Syn oil, low RPMs & good fuel. Engine was sold in pieces with miles noted on ktmtalk. Everything was in spec., piston, rings, everything. Good luck.👍 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8675309 My Ride Posted April 2, 2010 i know 2 people with 04 and 05 450 exc's that did 10,000 trail miles before a rebuild. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jjm525 Posted April 2, 2010 Then again, put the air filter in crooked & you may need a top end/valves in a few hours riding. 👍 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8675309 My Ride Posted April 2, 2010 Then again, put the air filter in crooked & you may need a top end/valves in a few hours riding. 👍 good point at least on the '08's Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pumpkinrider33 Posted April 3, 2010 Miles don't really mean anything, it's all about how high your revving it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jnewsom Posted April 7, 2010 Ive had 5 525's. I have yet had to rebuild one. I'd say the main thing is keep your air filer clean and change your oil and oil filters every 150-200 miles. Good luck, Jimmy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firebolter Posted April 8, 2010 My 07 525 has almost 2000 miles on it, all dirt with about 300 or so street Dual sport miles cruising along 55-65mph. It still feels fresh as new, no valve movement and is dead on solid. Like one of the previous posters said, if you are not reving it to the moon for extended periods of time, these motors are tanks. I do have a HT oil cooler, so I do have an additional .6 of a litre of oil capacity. All I do is wash it, change the oil and clean the filter, that's it. Valves have yet to need adjusting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chas_M Posted April 8, 2010 After almost 2000 miles on an RFS engine I suggest that you check the valve clearances again soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firebolter Posted April 9, 2010 I have checked them, they have stayed in spec, pretty much sitting solid at .005 Like I said, I never ride this thing full throttle for long periods of time and if you maintain these bikes, these motors can last a long time. Mine lives a life of Dual Sporting now. My 200 is for the tight stuff. Most KTM RFS' I have seen opened up after a couple of seasons, needed a valve job before they needed piston and rings. Then once you put in the KW's, they live even longer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Burnrider Posted April 10, 2010 After losing a cam roller bearing at 6700 miles, I would have changed my cam bearings every 3000. The cam bearings (6201) are the weakest part of the valve train (still the only choice of bearings). Hindsight: After you do regular maintenance of oil change and valve checking. 1) Pull the stator cover and check it every 1000-1500 miles. If there is a valve train issue, it will be stuck to your pulse coil or flywheel. 2) Get cam cam chain press and extra master link. 3) Replace cam bearings at 3000 miles or so. At 6700 miles the cam bearings were extremely loose. The bearing shop I checked said the 6201 is still the best bearing for that application. A great bike, but this is something to inspect periodically. Learning to press a cam chain could have prevented this, it ran a while to grind the pin and break the outer roller. The exhaust cam roller was fine. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChadG Posted April 11, 2010 Wow, I had the same failure, exhaust side tho. Ur the first guy ive seen w same problem. My exhaust roller failed about 4000 mi after top end rebuild. Cam bearings looked fine. About 20000 total mi before that failure. Ran out of intake valve adjustment at about 16000. I ride everything. Pull lots of wheelies on the street. Sometimes from 45mph. Put about 30 hrs in the dunes on it. Solid motor in my opinion. Oh yeah. I agree w u about checking stator for metal debris and I plan to start adjusting valves from the locked at TDC method. I could have caught this failure. My exhaust valves were very loose 400 mi before she blew. Thanks for the heads up! Did u split cases after failure? Rebuild bottom end? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BONESTOCK Posted April 12, 2010 Seems like alot to do and I ride about 6k a year mostly offroad. 200 mile oil changes? I ride more than 200 miles a weekend and then 100 again through the week commuting and do a lunch break ride a couple times a week.. I know about the HT oil cooler. Cam bearings every 3k? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jjm525 Posted April 12, 2010 "About 20000 total mi before that failure" My brother rode his 450 RFS from Daytona to NJ. He stopped in Tn at the Tail of the Dragon to change his oil cause he was worried. He drained perfectly golden, brand new oil for no reason & knew it when he saw it dump out. He eventually stretched his synthetic oil changes to 2000 and up to 3000 street miles. His bike went 48,000 miles without a teardown. Every single engine part went on to live in another engine in a part out. Ride any bike easily & don't abuse the clutch and your oil will last longer. It has alot to do with how you ride. Our WR250r supposedly has long maintenance intervals but guess what, if you ride it like an enduro race bike, it needs enduro race bike care! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BONESTOCK Posted April 13, 2010 Our WR250r supposedly has long maintenance intervals but guess what, if you ride it like an enduro race bike, it needs enduro race bike care! You have a very good point. I do ride hard at times but the riding to work shouldnt be bad and the week end is where it will be abused. How much oil do they hold anyway? a quart? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firebolter Posted April 13, 2010 How much oil do they hold anyway? a quart? 1.2 litre in the RFS 450/525 motors. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites