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525exc and street reliability

13K views 8 replies 9 participants last post by  RebuiltRocket 
#1 · (Edited)
so I got a 525exc about 3 months ago. I got it with a relatively unknown history but the bike is pretty clean, runs great, and seems to have been reasonably well kept. I love the thing, and am currently looking for a sm kit for it. I have changed the oil 3 times and done the valves twice so far. nothing on the screens, oil still pretty clean, valves hadn't moved much if any, it was a bit hard to tell. about .001 of change. I was doing the 6th turn method and checking with a feeler gauge after.

So can some of you 525exc or other RFS riders weigh in from a street perspective???
what is your usage? type of riding, mileage, etc
what kind of maintenance schedule are you going with? what are your oil changes based on, hours, miles, look of the oil, or?
what reliability issues have you had with the bike?
what mods or updates have you done, and what are the critical things to do reliability wise? I'd love to do the HT racing oil cooler but it's a chunk of change.
are you using a cush drive hub or not? thoughts?
 
#2 ·
either you're adjusting your valves way too often or changing your oil on large intervals. 2 valve checks in the span of 3 oil changes is overkill. if you're riding on the road i would say MAX 1000-1500 miles per oil change, personally probably a bit less. valve check intervals are varied, but you definitely don't need to check them more frequently than 10 hr intervals.

you don't need a cush hub.
go to ktmtalk.com and look at the stickies. they will answer all of your other questions about issues and fixes on the bike.

street mods: 17's, big brakes, and sticky rubber :thumbup:
 
#3 ·
street use will overpower the press fit on the crank. was not made for that kind of traction. crank spreads open and the clutch side main fails. 50 hours? total. ten times the same spread that occurs in the dirt.

if you search here long ago you will see my posts about this issue.

fix is to weld the crank pin on a non damaged crank and reassemble. or leave it without sticky tires. street takes longer to fail versus track use.
 
#7 ·
02 exc, cush drive, large front rotor. My buddy has her twin. Usual sex lasts .5 to 2 hours without foreplay. 75% on pavement and 25% in the dirt, once a week during the summer. Several short rides take place between the long rides, and one bloody mess once a month during the summer. I don't hammer the bike all day however, there's a wheelie from every 1st-2nd gear shift and I tend to back it in slightly whenever possible. No fan so she gets hot at low speeds and hard work in the heat, then she cools down. One valve check after a year and there was no change. My buddy checked his valves after about 3 years and had no noticeable change. Sprocket wear isn't anywhere near bad and the oil gets changed when it's dirty or before a track day/all day ass pounding. We don't fuck often but when we do, I hit it hard and she likes it.

I had some wiring issues and the starter is intermittent. The kick starter gets a workout and I keep an eye on the bolt that holds it on, blue locktite isn't quite good enough.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Edit: Could have sworn I read this was a 2019 post. Apologies for the resurrection.

Made an account after creeping for like six years all because of this. Literally the same with my 06 525 EXC. THREE WAY?

Same issue with my starter, wirings shot somewhere but who has time to look for that. Kickstarts first try after sitting outside all winter under a cover. Judge me baby. Found a shed with room this year, still cold all alone.

ANYWAY. What are the votes like for cush hub vs non cush hub? Asking for a friend because his wheels are finally on the way after a six year dream and riding many different bikes.

CHEERS HOMIES.
 
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