Couple new to 2T's questions for today

[supervokes]

A couple questions for today (of many to come).

Since I am NEW to 2 strokes .. (just bought a 12 KTM300XC)

1. Do you run a non-synthetic oil mixed with gas for BREAK IN purposes ??

2. The '12 model of 300XC claims taller 1st and 6th gears compared to bikes of previous years. Anybody have a recommendation for gearing that HAS ridden a 12 model?? Our trails are mostly FAST and open with very tech sections. I was thinking one gear taller out back for better transition between gears.

3. What impact does the silencer have on the power band. Is it true the SHORTER the silencer, the SHIFT in power and torque to the LOW END ?? Just wondering how a shorty and a Fatty would work together.

4. Looking for recommendations for online US dealers that will ship to Canada. KTM CYCLE HUTT ... get with the program!! Why would you exclude shipping to Canada in this day and age? Afraid of making too much money ?? OK .. rant over .. but looking for recommendations?

Thats it for now ... lots more to come ?

[shrubitup]

1. have heard of this approach used before.

2. haven't ridden one?

3. what's wrong with stock exhaust? but yes, a shorty will give you crazy low end snap/power whilst being annoyingly loud on the trail.

[supervokes]

1. have heard of this approach used before.

2. haven't ridden one

3. what's wrong with stock exhaust? but yes, a shorty will give you crazy low end snap/power whilst being annoyingly loud on the trail.

Was just 4-stroke thinking ... using dino oil for break in .. therefore wondering if Dino premix should be used to help break in the piston rings for my 2 smoker ??

Nothing wrong with the stocker .. just looking at options. Some are saying buy the Gnarly pipe while others say buy the Fatty pipe. Everybody has their opinion on this one. I was thinking the Fatty and Shorty MAY be a compromise in the middle?

The other middle of the road option is the Turbine Core II ... but have not heard much on those. Basically looking for WEIGHT savings?

Any other opinions and thoughts are valuable. ?

[shrubitup]

1. I would just use 32:1 for break in with a high quality oil from Maxima or others. Yamaha recommends 16:1 for break in.?

3. to save weight you should get the FMF titanium II but I wouldn't. I'd use money for pre mix, tires, chain/sprocket, etc.

[Oregon250]

Do what the manual says.40:1 before and after break in. I use Motorex and love it.

[fender bender 59]

1. I would just use 32:1 for break in with a high quality oil from Maxima or others. Yamaha recommends 16:1 for break in.?

3. to save weight you should get the FMF titanium II but I wouldn't. I'd use money for pre mix, tires, chain/sprocket, etc.

This is not a Yamaha.... Go by the book. All of the manual's I've read say 40/1 to 60/1. I'm useing 50/1 Luces simi syn and it burns really clean.

[shrubitup]

This is not a Yamaha.... Go by the book. All of the manual's I've read say 40/1 to 60/1. I'm useing 50/1 Luces simi syn and it burns really clean.

I know it's not a Yamaha but was pointing out that at least one OEM sez to use more oil for break in. It's a matter of comfort really but I wouldn't use 60:1 upon break in. IMO, use a safe ratio during break in especially if you've put in a new crank. Residual oil builds up during prolonged operations but when you rebuild a bottom and top end they're dry mostly.?

[Dirt Addict]

I have owned many ktm 2t's (never a new one though) I would go with 32:1 quality oil for break in. I'm not sure about the dino vs syn. thing. Then I would go to40:1 and feel safe with the ration. i personally use motorex or amsoil.

I'm not a fan of the gnarly. I like revving my bike out. the gnar kills over rev.

I am a fan of stock gearing unless there is some very specific need. Oem ratio will work under the broadest conditions. It took me a while to figure that out. it was expensive but I finally came around...

[Larry63r]

I run 52:1 golden spectro in every bike, weed wacker and chainsaw I have ever owned. I have never seized anything I have owned. I have ran this in My first 2t (DT60) and in my sons's KX65. I have ran it in all my KTMs from my first (82' 495mx) to my latest (11' 150sx). I wanted to see how long a bike could go on it once. I rode an 87' KTM 250mx for 14 years and never changed a topend on that bike untill I sold it in 2001. I put a new piston and ring in it and sold it to a kid down the street from me. I still do all the work on that bike for him and it is still using the stock crank bearings (24 years and counting). I don't know anyone who has ever tried anything like that. Most people never keep a bike long enough to even think about doing a true long term test such as that. Most people don't even ride motorcycles that long, much less keep a bike that long.

Do yourself a big favor and get an Ironman rear sprocket for your bike. Then just relax and ride it for ten years.

[rpt50]

Don't sweat the oil--just buy a known brand, pick a reasonable ratio, and use it. I've been using yamalube 2R for decades with great results. It's gotten a little harder to get where I live now, so I've switched to Lucas (available at autoparts stores silly cheap). I'm a big fan of small bore bikes, so I run a lot of 32:1, but I've been running my KTM 250 sx on 40:1. Anything with less oil than 40:1 makes me nervous, but a lot of guys do run leaner ratios.

As for the exhaust, I think you would have to be super sensitive to notice any silencer difference (other than noise) for woods and trail riding. I've bought a lot of used bikes over the years, any many came with multiple pipe/silencer combos. I never could tell any power significant power differences when swapping silencers--maybe you would on a wide open track however. An FMF shorty is going to weigh less than your KTM stocker, but it will be WAY louder--perhaps too loud for this day in age. I would just run the stock system until you smash it. Make sure you keep an eye on the pipe mounts and O-rings on your stock system, as then tend to work loose.

[505]

My 2 cents. I would use a good 100% synth oil from the start. The best mod you could do would be to call Jeff slavens. I have a 11 250 xc with a fmf shorty snd a fatty and I fell it didn't change much from stock. I hated the gnarly.

[highmarker]

Nice thing about buying a 300 is you don't have to try and get more power out of it with a bunch of parts. Just jet it and tune the powervalve. my 02

Breakin protection? just don't beat on it and don't baby for the 1st ride. And don't pin it wfo for a mile on a cold morning till it's warmed up good. (in other words don't let your buddies try it out, hehe).

[anderini]

I run synthetic normally, but just broke in a new top end with maxima castor 927 @ 45:1. Why not run it with the stock silencer and gearing first to see if you like it?

[Paul061]

Dumonde Tech has a break in oil and a very good break in procedure (no I don't want to open that can of worms I'm just saying), I went to an engine building seminar put on by Rod Falkner of Dumonde Tech. I have followed their procedure and used their break in oil and 2T oil with zero problems. Never had a scuffed piston.

[supervokes]

Thanks all?

Got enough info to make a few decisions

Looking for weight reductions ... so I'll likely go Fatty and (not sure .. come down to sparky decision) ...

Gearing will likely stay stock (yes I am putting a Dirt-Tricks on )

Oil .. well I'll just run the recommended ratios .. and a good hard break in to seal the rings .. but not too hard ?

Now to figure out this other 2 T stuff

[zilla]

I have a 12 300 XC.. With every bike I have ever owned I break it in with the oil I plan to use at the ratio I plan to use.. Stock gearing on the 12 XC works for me.. Only 1st and 2nd are different from the XCW.. The XC tranny ratios seem seamless to me.. Run the red PV spring and jet to suit..

Edited December 2, 2011 by zilla

[trailmeisterjoe]

I run 52:1 golden spectro in every bike, weed wacker and chainsaw I have ever owned. I have never seized anything I have owned. I have ran this in My first 2t (DT60) and in my sons's KX65. I have ran it in all my KTMs from my first (82' 495mx) to my latest (11' 150sx). I wanted to see how long a bike could go on it once. I rode an 87' KTM 250mx for 14 years and never changed a topend on that bike untill I sold it in 2001. I put a new piston and ring in it and sold it to a kid down the street from me. I still do all the work on that bike for him and it is still using the stock crank bearings (24 years and counting). I don't know anyone who has ever tried anything like that. Most people never keep a bike long enough to even think about doing a true long term test such as that. Most people don't even ride motorcycles that long, much less keep a bike that long.

Do yourself a big favor and get an Ironman rear sprocket for your bike. Then just relax and ride it for ten years.

I would not use golden spectro as it is a synthetic/dino BLEND, so not 100% syn that is recommended. as far as the '87 bike having the original crank....it almost completely depends on how many hours.miles are on it not years. some bikes are ridden 6 or 7 times a year ( on average over many years), others 80 times a year.....no comparison.

Joe

[powrstrokd06]

not sure if its true for all years, but my 06 250xc came stock with a fatty pipe, i switched to the turbine core II sparky and didn't notice much difference.

However, I did recently switch to the SST pipe with the turbine II sst and noticed a HUGEEEEE difference in low end torque (its got NOTHING down low all upper RPM pipe) I turned my powervalve out flush with the case and got my torque back with no real affect on my top end..

just a tip, before you spend alot on pipes and gearing, just mess with the different springs for your powervalve... i think most reviews you'll see people prefer alot of the stock equipment on these things and just fine tune that...

[shrubitup]

just a tip, before you spend alot on pipes and gearing, just mess with the different springs for your powervalve... i think most reviews you'll see people prefer alot of the stock equipment on these things and just fine tune that...

Yup, jetting adjustments too for that matter.?

[bnr]

If you are looking for a spark arrestor I wouldn’t get the Leo Vince. I have one and the bike barely runs with the spark arrestor screen in.