Engine life

[Tuesday]

After my first trip it made me wonder how much these bikes can handle. In deep snow the bike was under some heavy stress in 2nd and 3rd if not too steep. I have ridden bikes my entire life and I have never put a bike motor through that amount of stress for that long. Now I didnt hold it wide open all day but it was seeing a lot of max revs for a long time.

Thoughts?

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

ok...........no 14,000

after 4 yeaars on an 03 slightly done up wr450 yamaha, long track two days a week from thanks giving until may 1, engine was still crisp when it went off with the new dual sport owner, checked valves annualy, oil every couple of rides. every day I was hammering on this Yamaha I was poaching dans track on his 04 ktm 450, I am old he is younger might as well follow a good line, one spark plug cap that drove us crazy on the KTM, new sprague gear on the WR, oil and gas.

NOW, I have watched bikes with hillclimb riders bounce the rev limiter most of the afternoon, they will not be happy engine owners for long regardless of brand, and their tears have shown that to be the case.

current 450 4 stroke motors were designed to with stand the abuse of the 17 riders in the world that can wring out an engine for a few hours, then they are junk. Un famous snow bike riders can't run an engine that hard even in the snow, IF THEY STAY AWAY FROM 250 type of rpm . abuse it and loose it.

 

[jreed]

We shoot for 100hrs on an engine and then flip it or rebuild it...

 

[Tuesday]

Good reports.

I am sure in the snow these bikes are just seeing a lot of revs for extended periods. Even trying to ride like an old man in the deep bike was getting a lot of wot or close too.

Have a pile of miles on my boosted nytro but it doesnt get wot endlessly.

Any other input would be great.

 

[chumbilly1]

I wonder what these new cdi boxes that raise rev limiter will do to 450 motors? I think lots of oil changes, making sure your engine temps are where they need to be, and a piston per year with diligent inspection of head and valve train is a good idea personally. Years ago Alan from TS did a interview where he stated that they tore down 2 2013 ktm 450sx engines at 200 hours, one NA, one boosted, and neither needed pistons. He had the parts already so they installed em. 200 hours is a lot IMHO. He theorized that since there is no dirt ingestion that components last longer.

 

[wwillf01]

I would agree..Engines always look great after 100s of hours... If you keep water out of the oil and the heat in check they really last...

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

clean oil

one thing that has impressed me was how clean and clear the oil came out of my wr450. At the same time I often ride a YZf250 that I enduroized with wide ratio etc. No honking on the 250 in tight woods, but always dirty oil after 2 or 3 rides. I think that just shows how much fine dirt actually is going through a dirt bike engine, my ski boat engine same way, always clean oil even after hard slow pulls. I agree , snow is a friendly engine place.

 

[Uncle si]

We shoot for 100hrs on an engine and then flip it or rebuild it...

This. Valve trains won't take snow use for long.

 

[rskendallxc]

Says who?

This. Valve trains won't take snow use for long.

We have 2 YZ450F's, a 2014 and a 2013 with over 150 hrs of both dirt and snowbike use on each bike. Both valve trains have not to this point needed any adjustment or maintenance. With proper filter maintenance in the dirt, proper setup for the snow and regular oil changes these motors have very long lives.

 

[Manson456]

This. Valve trains won't take snow use for long.

I have 400 hours on a 2014 KTM 450 xcf. At 250 hours I put a piston in and 6th gear, at that time everything looked like new. So far at 400 hours the valves still are in spec, this is with dirt and snow bike use, (more snowbike). Im not sure how all the other brands hold up but im impressed with this Ktm.

 

[chumbilly1]

I have 400 hours on a 2014 KTM 450 xcf. At 250 hours I put a piston in and 6th gear, at that time everything looked like new. So far at 400 hours the valves still are in spec, this is with dirt and snow bike use, (more snowbike). Im not sure how all the other brands hold up but im impressed with this Ktm.

That is impressive. Hope my 450sx lives that long!

 

[M5-]

I think the answer is it depends. Not all 400 hour bikes have been ridden the same way. 400 hours of climbing, no way, 400 hours of cruising with the odd rev limiter excursion, likely, 400 hours of trail no problem. I blew up a brand new KTM rod after 80 hours on a fresh top to bottom rebuild. Personally I have a lot more faith that a Yamaha will take the abuse than I do with a KTM. I love KTM bikes I just don't trust them anymore.

M5

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I think the answer is it depends. Not all 400 hour bikes have been ridden the same way. 400 hours of climbing, no way, 400 hours of cruising with the odd rev limiter excursion, likely, 400 hours of trail no problem. I blew up a brand new KTM rod after 80 hours on a fresh top to bottom rebuild. Personally I have a lot more faith that a Yamaha will take the abuse than I do with a KTM. I love KTM bikes I just don't trust them anymore.

M5

Group of guys i know are getting around 30-40 hours out of thier ktm's.... 4 stroke
Bunch of rev happy thrashers though........

 

[chumbilly1]

Group of guys i know are getting around 30-40 hours out of thier ktm's.... 4 stroke
Bunch of rev happy thrashers though........

not changing oil or what?

 

[Timberview01]

It depends...

"It depends" is the only honest answer.

I've seen lots of guys that just pin it and hit the limiter all day. Those motors will not last.

Personally, I am scared to hurt mine as I don't have a ton of cash to rebuild and I can't stand wrenching on things. I ride in a reasonable RPM range and shift when necessary versus thrash the motor. To date, I still get to the same places everyone else does and have never heard it hit the limiter.

For the record, I bought a Yamaha due to my belief in their motors. I know I am giving up some potential HP to the KTM/Husky but reliability was WAY more important to me.

Be mindful of RPM, warm up the motor prior to riding off, use good oil, change oil often, don't abuse the clutch...

Have fun!

 

[boondocker97]

Engine (and transmission) life will depend a lot on how the bike is ridden and what the mods are. The same guys that get 3-400 hours on a trail bike will probably still get 200 hours on a snowbike. The guys that get 50 hours or less on a top end in a MX bike will probably get 25 on a snowbike.

 

[M5-]

Yep, the rev limiter is the enemy, if your bike can't hold third gear and you are forced to rev the pi$$ out of it in second its going to end badly eventually, this speaking from experience, twice. In a nutshell this the problem with wide ratio bikes.

M5

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

not changing oil or what?

I think just too much rev limiter.
Trying to climb in the deep.

We were out (axys 163x3) opening day in Johnson pass. (Deep) and spent the day riding the goods watching the snowbike guys struggle.

Definitely days where the sled is way funner.

We'll see how my 800r bike ends up.
My brothers Mototrax/300xc (full mod) is fun but slow.