KTM 500 EXC "Problems"

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Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
577
Reaction score
94
Location
Cape Town, Southern Suburbs
Bike
Triumph (all models)
My 2016 500EXC 6 Days is really a joy to ride gravel, bush roads or tracks here in Moz and I love exploring the bush around here. I particularly wanted the 2016 because it still had a kick-start.

But it has two things that just take the edge off it.

The first is that the front brakes go soft from one week-end to the next. From the forum I found that if I tie the brake lever back under pressure then all is well and the brakes are firm and sharp. But they they soften bit by bit during the week. There are no leaks, I bought brake fluid from KTM, I have new pads, I have bled the brakes (a few times), and I have bled them backwards but pumping fluid in from the calipers. No difference!!  What can be the problem and fix or do I just have to live with it??

The second is the engine that sounds like it has loose bolts rattling around inside. I bought the bike "second hand" but it had 4 previous registration numbers from around the western/eastern Cape and I think it saw a few enduros from some of the stickers with club race numbers. It was the first KTM I owned and when it arrived here I thought I had bought a dud because the engine noises were so bad. So Nelspruit KTM rebuilt the motor (fitted new big end, con-rod, piston, small end, did the valves). When it came back it was still very noisy but the noise reduced when the clutch was pulled in so it went back and they fitted a new clutch basket and plates. When it came back it was quieter but still rattling (a lot more than my Husky). But I have been riding it like that and had no problems so far (about 40 hours). Is this rattling normal for a 500 engine? It just worries me.

Besides that it has proved an excellent bike for the various terrain (really rocky lose stone tacks to long deep sand) tracks around here and I love it.



 
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