KTM 530 my test bike / rides

[GregMember]

Firstly I really don’t hate KTMs I do like the loyalist’s reactions but when you bag them but I mean it passes the time :laugh: . I owned and raced a KTM many years ago, left hand kick start green seat. It wasn’t a bike I loved but when ridden aggressively did everything right when it ran I should add. It broke down all the time and cost more than I could afford in the end. I do like Hondas but won’t settle on a bike because it has to be a Honda. The Tenere was the best bike for what I wanted from an adventure bike when I bought it, I still think it is and I looked at them all in the CC range I wanted. I do get to ride a few different bikes and have always liked big bore four strokes and partial to the 07 525. The 530 always appealed to me and I watched Rockets with interest.
I have always been a critic of PDS, hell I have seen it and ridden bikes that did kick. The 530 that belongs to Steve from Adventure Moto has had the suspension done with no expense spared. I am also critical of the cost of KTM spares, oil filters for example twice the price to a Jap filter. Don’t scream the house down that’s buying one on one from the same shop with the same discount applied to both. The bike also has a CPW oil tank I fitted for Steve it adds 500ml to the engine oil capacity which at 600ml is a joke in my opinion. 1.1litres has to be better in a high performance 4 stroke engine hasn’t it? I fitted a Rekulse, a steering damper, bash plate, front mousse, new Dunlop tyres, a thermo fan and filled the cooling system with engine ice. The bike has only 9hrs on it and is like new.

I have some photos etc to add to a proper report about the bike and all the accessories which I will try and do over the weekend. There was very little I didn’t like about the bike and lots I did.

TB

[alanMember]

there a great versatile bike i reckon handle short highway runs fire trails and single track good on fuel it would suit the riding you do ps they crack to hay :woohoo:

[Nathan HeatherMember]

That sounds like bugger all oil for a big bore 4t. Does the book call for oil changes every 400km or something?

[peteMember]

This will be a good one to watch, the 530 is a great bike, i love big bores and in a perfect world i would have one in my shed……………………….. next to my XR650 :laugh: :laugh:

PTW

[GregMember]

pete the wulf wrote:

This will be a good one to watch, the 530 is a great bike, i love big bores and in a perfect world i would have one in my shed……………………….. next to my XR650 :laugh: :laugh:

PTW

Yes a perfect world, heaps of bikes in the shed and no work :laugh:

Nato wrote:

That sounds like bugger all oil for a big bore 4t. Does the book call for oil changes every 400km or something?

Yeah doesnt seem enough for me but hey I am from the old school where bikes held 2 litres :laugh: But its been said oil wasnt that good in those days so it needed two litres eh Lefty

white rocket wrote:

there a great versatile bike i reckon handle short highway runs fire trails and single track good on fuel it would suit the riding you do ps they crack to hay :woohoo:

It does crack of the bottom Rocket and yes I love that about it :woohoo: It does do ok on fuel as well actually Big bores are the go and it weighs only 4.5 kilos more than a CRF 250 and lighter than a WR450 (steel frame)

TB

[WayneMember]

I rode the KTM TB had at Wauchope on the grass track. It was a brilliant machine. The suspension over the various humps when your weight was coming off was excellent – it wasn’t kicking at all. You could change line, flip/ flop direction at the drop of your hat. Under power, it was tracking out of the corners, following the terrain perfectly. The power was excellent. I couldn’t fault it.
The power/torque wasn’t near the XR650 – but the ability to stop leaves the D11 of bikes (XR650) for dead.
It was a great ride.
Crash

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