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SpaceCowboy

I’ve never liked ktm...

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But I just bought one!  Price was too good to pass up. $1490 from Craigslist. Bike wouldn’t run without the choke out and even then wouldn’t idle. But the bike is clean and has a bunch of goodies including a rekluse, protection, and a big tank!

picked it up Sunday night. Checked valves on wed. Picking up a couple o-rings for the carb today, I’ll let you guys know if I can get it running well! 

Here are the first pics of my brand new-ish 2009 400 xcw

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Notice the dust on the WRONG side of the filter? I hope it didn’t cause too much damage. I’ll be getting a leak down test done by my local shop to check on the engine. Valves were all perfect, so I’m optimistic. 

Also notice the dual sport kit that’s installed. It’s still green sticker but I might go with an SD plate... we’ll see. 

 

When I first brought it home I could keep it running if I kept the revs way up, but it would bog and power felt like a 250f. Hoping to cure all that today with the clean carb and a few small replacement carb parts along with some tuning. 

 

Starting this thread mainly for my own records of what I’ve done to the bike. If this bikes engine turns out to be solid it might replace my 98 wr400. I’ll keep you guys posted. 

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Dude, thats a smoking deal. Let me guess, the valves were spot on??!!

 

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wow 1500. if top end is good and bottom is solid you got a good piece of the kato action for sure.

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You scored on that deal.  Carb cleaning will almost certainly net you a solid machine.  I didn't know they made a 400 XCW.  

Nicely done.

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I've seen older used engines priced higher! Good luck on your fine new pumpkin! 

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ITS A SCREAMER! All top end, very little bottom or mid power compared to my wr400f but damn it pulls in the upper revs. I might be able to jet it better but I see why people say this is a good technical bike, it’s very soft on bottom. By comparison, my wr400f and my brothers crf450x both feel violent in power when first cracking the throttle and up to the mid range while still pulling to the top. I finally understand that “linear” power people talk about. Very little on bottom, builds through the mid range, then explodes in the upper revs and keeps building power all the way to the rev limiter! 

Suspension works. Super plush, soaks up everything. The rear end is awesome, just sops up everything, never kicks up or sideways. There’s a race tech cap on the shock reseviour so I think there are race tech goodies in both ends. Both forks leak bad, will find out exactly what’s in there when I get them rebuilt. 

Bike turns better than I though possible. Super easy to turn and keep a line, but i can’t kick the back end out and power slide as easily and consistently as on the wr400. Also, bike is super sketchy at speed, especially skimming woops. On the wr400 I could get up over the bars while standing and just go fast. On this bike if I’m not leaning way back over the rear wheel then it gets gnarly head shake and feels like it wants to jump sideways at speed. It feels like I’m fighting it just to go straight, really exhausting. I have a stabilizer coming and I’ll adjust suspension once I get the fork seals done. 

Lost some oil on the engine side, will have to measure everything out and see if it’s migrating to the tranny or if it’s burning oil. Bike has 330 hours on the odo so anything is possible. 

Overall very happy with the bike. I’ll probably keep this and sell the wr400, even if this needs an engine rebuild to fix oil burning or migration issues. 

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There are folks who claim the 400 is the best iteration of the RFS power plant. The "just right" bore/stroke combination.

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Been burning through air filters, oil and and tires this whole time. Bike has been great. Been on the same chain and sprockets, they got a swap today.

76DC225E-8FDD-419A-A7D8-FC17DDEE5FE0.thumb.jpeg.4b644bd46c794908a5a75311aacbf23b.jpeg4CD852A5-F256-4300-9BE0-C2DBCDC4DAD6.thumb.jpeg.ff252e24d1b3ae4725fc17de6eb4609f.jpeg9C24F455-FE75-4DAA-AF8C-68417072A105.thumb.jpeg.8f69efde68c707151e697b7480c116aa.jpegADAD5B87-49C1-474D-927A-260DEE8E9F32.thumb.jpeg.7ac1eb4b1b4d22990244a68a562b529e.jpeg
 

front sprocket is pretty bad. Rear is pretty good. Chain is missing a bunch of o-rings and the ones that remain are ALL dried and cracked. I don’t maintain this like I should
 

went from 14-50 to 14-52. bike feels quicker to rev and much more playful. 6th gear is still plenty tall. Should’ve made the swap a while ago.  0059C16F-7210-4495-B58B-34706C1CEDD3.thumb.jpeg.997f9d98b9ec2fbb4464cecfd35eeefa.jpeg
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Also, the bike has turned into a 2-stroke. It likes to snack on rotella. Probably needs a top end. Maybe bottom too at this point. But it still starts and runs fine. I’ll update y’all when I get around to a rebuild. 

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24 minutes ago, SpaceCowboy said:

Also, the bike has turned into a 2-stroke. It likes to snack on rotella. Probably needs a top end. Maybe bottom too at this point. But it still starts and runs fine. I’ll update y’all when I get around to a rebuild. 

This is the separate oil engine (yes?) , they were known to have migration issues just to be aware. There are lots fix it articles out there.

That sure was a heck of a final drive set on that thing!!!

If she has an FCR Keihin I would suggest a full carb disassembly meaning the mid block full disassembly to clean all the passages and re-do all the seals and orings. Arm chair thought but to me it sounds like you may have an inop /clogged accelerator pump assembly which may even be a compromised diaphragm. All that would be discovery inspection with full rebuild.

  For the price you did great!!!, she just needs the normal love a 10+ year old machine needs. I would also suggest a regular suspension service reseal and review with S101 also to verify your alignment to unload any binding. Also if you staying with the machine JD jetting for FCR if they still have kits setup are simple and effective and his accel pump jet mods are great.

Have fun most of all

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BTW that old rear sprocket is a super premium Dirt Tricks brand steel rear sprocket. They are highly rated.  I personally am not a fan , I feel they are too spidery, I hit my rears and side load them too much,  so I stick with OEM type Alloy or SuperSproxx steel/alloy enduro types. Thats the type you added so good on ya.

KTM Rear Sprocket – Dirt Tricks

 

 

 

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Thanks for letting us know how far we can go with Blowing the case apart.

    💥

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On 4/1/2022 at 8:13 AM, robertaccio said:

This is the separate oil engine (yes?) , they were known to have migration issues just to be aware. There are lots fix it articles out there.

That sure was a heck of a final drive set on that thing!!!

If she has an FCR Keihin I would suggest a full carb disassembly meaning the mid block full disassembly to clean all the passages and re-do all the seals and orings. Arm chair thought but to me it sounds like you may have an inop /clogged accelerator pump assembly which may even be a compromised diaphragm. All that would be discovery inspection with full rebuild.

  For the price you did great!!!, she just needs the normal love a 10+ year old machine needs. I would also suggest a regular suspension service reseal and review with S101 also to verify your alignment to unload any binding. Also if you staying with the machine JD jetting for FCR if they still have kits setup are simple and effective and his accel pump jet mods are great.

Have fun most of all

Thanks for the help. It’s jetted and the carb is good enough. Definitely a lean spot about 1/4-1/3 throttle but that is not noticeable when warmed up. Forks were rebuilt initially, then swapped for some 4cs forks that had been gone through and work better than the stockers ever did. 
 

 

On 4/1/2022 at 8:27 AM, robertaccio said:

BTW that old rear sprocket is a super premium Dirt Tricks brand steel rear sprocket. They are highly rated.  I personally am not a fan , I feel they are too spidery, I hit my rears and side load them too much,  so I stick with OEM type Alloy or SuperSproxx steel/alloy enduro types. Thats the type you added so good on ya.

KTM Rear Sprocket – Dirt Tricks

 

 

 

I was skeptical too, but this one never bent and I’m not easy on it. Lots of big rocky sections. 
 

Oil isn’t migrating that I’ve noticed, mostly blowing out the engine breather tube (mine is vented to the atmosphere and I see a wet spot after long high reving). I also have been seeing some engine oil behind the air filter lately. Anyone know what these two symptoms mean? Piston blow by? Valve stem seals? Valves leaking? Normal when slightly overfilled oil? 
 

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