firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
As many may have heard from me whining in my various posts, I've been having a heck of a time with my riding lately. I don't know if it's the bike transition or what. I've had my KTM for 3 1/2 months now and I am still struggling. I'm out with a torn knee for a while (check out my toasted hs report in the race reports forum for details) and thinking about my bike setup. Steve thinks I should try a flywheel weigh to smooth out the power. Which one works? What size? What can I expect? Any other mods I might think about? I kind of ruled out re-gearing since it's really fine where it is. Other than training wheels, and getting the right shock spring, I don't know what else to do. Maybe learn how to ride. :confused:
 

quadrunner

Member
Jul 20, 2001
48
0
Couple things to remember. You may STILL be faster than whoever is trying to give you advice. You'll develop your confidence again with more practice. I would advise you to be analytical in your approach. Some riders can push any bike to make a lap time happen, whether it's working well or not. The remaining mortals should do everything to get it sorted, get it right, before pushing the limit. The most important thing is getting your suspension right, before worrying too much about the motor. A lot of riders will have suspension settings too stiff for their own good. M'xers have stiff suspensions to land those big jumps. The rest of the time, you can benefit from softer settings that keep the wheels tracking on the ground. Are you USING all of your suspension travel? If you are not at least occasionally bottoming at both ends, you are NOT! You need to use ALL of the suspension the bike offers to be your best. A word about springs. For the most part, all you are really trying to do with them is set the proper ride height, so your suspension is roughly in the middle of its travel for your weight. The springs work in the same direction as your shock and fork compression damping circuits. Find the combination fork oil weight, oil level, and compression damping adjusters so you just bottom out on your biggest hits. You need more rebound damping than compression damping, since your springs work in opposition to the rebound circuit.

As for your riding, look for some whoops to help you find the right suspension tuning. What your are looking for, is a sense that the bike is coming off the face of whoops level, without a tendency toward nosing up or down. If you don't have the proper balance between the forks and the shock, as you fly off the face you'll note the rear kicking up, landing on the front wheel etc. In the corners, try and ride the back wheel, weight the outside peg.

Lastly, a bit of sports psychology I remind myself...some riders are natural, others like me are constantly thinking, planning, sensing, making decisions as we ride. Decide which you are...but stay keen towards understanding what the suspension is doing, AS YOU RIDE. I believe you will find that your riding style will converge with your tuning skills, at which point speed will be the natural result. An easy to ride bike is usually faster. For me, on the trail, I can stay with the fastest bikes on my easy to ride DR350. On my much more exciting (but demanding) KTM520, I'm fast when I'm not crashing...You get the idea :D
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Your sports psychology makes sense, but I don't think I fall into either category. I am NOT a natural but neither do I analyze while I ride . . . I don't think at all when I ride. There stem most of my problems--the good habits and techniques I know I should be using fly right out of my head when I need them most. Short of attaching post-its with hints to my bar pad, I can't think how to overcome this problem. And I don't have a whole lot of money to throw at the problem to make it go away, either, otherwise I'd already have my suspension re-valved, my engine tuned, a steering damper, and all the bells and whistles. Guess I'll just have to learn how to ride.

My suspension is on the list too. I'm going to start with a lighter shock spring and go from there. I'm not a good enough rider to be able to tell what the bike is or is not doing and nobody else has time to help me figure it out. One of these days.
 

quadrunner

Member
Jul 20, 2001
48
0
>There stem most of my problems--the good habits and techniques I know I should be using fly right out of my head when I need them most. Short of attaching post-its with hints to my bar pad, I can't think how to overcome this problem.<

That's the fog of competition! Without telling you how, I think you can. YOU need to think you can. The mental workload will go down. Relax and heal first. You're doing fine.
 

GlennP

Member
Jun 6, 2000
311
0
I know what its like to struggle with a poor fitting (not poor quality) bike. To improve you need confidence. If the bike is to stiff and hard hitting and scares you half the time, its tough to get better. Like quadrunner said, the bike has to be soft enough to use all the travel, not half and then kick you off. I hated my '98 200 EXC when I got it. It was way too stiff even for me (175lb Bsr), and I could go faster on my buddy's clapped out KDX, because it sucked up hits and didn't bounce off everything. Get the spring rates right first for your weight and ability, and save for a revalve. Properly tuned forks that don't deflect will do more for your confidence and riding than anything. For the motor, an inexpensive way to mellow the hit is a reed spacer, around $20 and can be eaisly installed/removed. More flywheel is a good idea also. Good Luck.
 

LoriKTM

Super Power AssClown
Oct 4, 1999
2,220
6
New Mexico
http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/showthread.php?threadid=20489

I tried to PM you and e-mail you when I wrote this, but the messages wouldn't go through. Steahly makes a 9 oz and a 12 oz. version for the KTM200. I can get you part numbers if you'd like.

Also, I had softer fork springs put in (per Jeremy's advice), but he felt the stock spring would be fine with a little massaging. I'm very pleased with the modifications.
 
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mechantloup

Member
Feb 5, 2001
55
0
I'd say a little bit of practice and good reading should cover the subject !!
Give a try to Donnie Bales and Gary Semics "pro motocross a nd off-road riding technique " and follow the training technique suggested ,works well for me and Mr 520. For your suspension set up try a goog supension shop in your area ,even if you don't plan any revalve they can help with spring selection,and quite often they can have cheaper springs ,my dealer is also the Mx tech importer for Canada and told me what i needed...also you said 3 1/2 mth that convert in how many actual hours of riding ??? I needed a good 30hrs (my bike as a hourmeter )to adapt to my 520 ....Good luck !!
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
I've had lots of hours in the seat (or above it--nothing like a KTM seat to make you want to stand!) since Steve loves long trail rides. 30 miles is the shortest we've gone. Course, many of those miles were had me cussing and hollering and riding like a squid from sheer exhaustion so I'm sure some of them don't count . . .
 

mechantloup

Member
Feb 5, 2001
55
0
You're rigth about KTM's seat !!! It's a secret weapon so we KTM rider ride better !! No sitting like the XR guys, Hey ?Did you try training physically?Mountain biking,swimming etc...believe me, if you're in good shape you will find your bike is much easyer to ride !! I had much more fun with Mr520 after a few weeks of getting in shape , daylong ride are possible now with minimum exaustion,when exausted you forget about proper riding techniques...you want to sit (...KTM seat or not !!),you don't grip the bike with your leg properly,you lose concentration...etc...No need to go in a olympic training shedule ...A little excercise to get better cardio-vascular capacity is ok...
 

fatherandson

Mi. Trail Riders
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 3, 2001
3,818
0
FC22, I have a Steahly flywheel on my EXC 300. It turns this bike into a rock and dirt throwing tractor. I would recommend it for your bike. FYI, most of my riding is tight, woods riding in MI.
 

Lorin

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 25, 1999
948
0
I have ridden a 200 mxc before and after a flywheel weight was installed and I liked it considerably more with the extra weight. For what it is worth, I rode the bike on trails and the rear tire hooked up better with the weight.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
You're rigth about KTM's seat !!! It's a secret weapon so we KTM rider ride better !! No sitting like the XR guys, Hey ?Did you try training physically?Mountain biking,swimming etc...believe me, if you're in good shape you will find your bike is much easyer to ride !! I had much more fun with Mr520 after a few weeks of getting in shape , daylong ride are possible now with minimum exaustion,when exausted you forget about proper riding techniques...you want to sit (...KTM seat or not !!),you don't grip the bike with your leg properly,you lose concentration...etc...No need to go in a olympic training shedule ...A little excercise to get better cardio-vascular capacity is ok...

I do plan on getting in shape, rollerblading at lunch, rowing machine and a well-rounded weight routine but I was just getting fired up to do it (my workout motivation comes in waves) when I wadded up my knee. I’m going to at least start on my upper body workout while I recoop.

I know EXACTLY what you mean about sitting down when tired . . . then I make all kinds of stupid mistakes like slow-speed tipovers, putting feet down and getting bounced around from sitting. Not fun. The KTM seat is an effective deterrent from that however. The end of the ride goes like this: sit until I can’t stand it, then stand until my legs start shaking, then sit again until my rear end feels bruised . . .

I have decided to go for the flywheel weight. Sounds like a good deal. Is Steahly the only manufacter?
 

Low n Slow

Member
Apr 22, 2000
3
0
I've got a '01 200ex/c. I understand the idea the suspension is too harsh on square edged bumps (rocks roots etc) and how the seat is to take up space between the rear fender and the tank and not to sit on for any length of time or it'll leave a wood grain imprint on your butt. Conditioning required to stand up is the secret here. I suppose your idea of the flywheel weight is to calm the percieved "hit" of this machine. I made mine so much more smooth and tractable power delivery that the standing and the harsh response to the suspension became secondary. Not that those things will be ignored, but the power delivery was either off and bogged or like a light switch - wheeling, wheel spinning and unmanagable. Not a confidence inspiring combination. It wore me out, especialy on steep hills and tight woods sections, virtually all my riding. If you haven't done it yet, get rid of the NOZ needle that is in the carb and go with a single taper needle. Rejet accordingly and you will discover a powerful tractable light and easy to ride bike hiding within. It's the cheapest and best upgrade to the bike, bar none. To prove it, just try to get a hold of the CEJ; CEK or CEL needles. The back order status of these needles speaks for the demand. Sudco and Carb Parts could move every one that they get their hands on. Its the KTM riders of America flooding the demand for these needles. Go to the Holeshot Forum under "Jetting" and search on your bike and year and find what the guru of jetting, James Dean has to offer. I tried the jetting changes and finally found out what KTM really designed. The e/xc has a heavier flywheel. It'll tractor great for a 200 if you dial-in the jetting. Yet, it will walk away from the KDX's when it comes on the pipe and the main jet. It's a whole new bike and I can't tell you what its done for my confidence and abilities to ride the thing over demanding terrain. Go to: http://www.holeshotforum.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi and find out what $20.00 will get you. I can't say enough about the change. How's that for an unsolicited testimonial??
 

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