Husqarvarna ktm transmission ratios

[raleigh111]

Can someone explain to me if the fe with the 6 speed gear box is wide ratio or is it going to suck going from 1st to second or second to third like my yz450fx. The fx was only a 5 speed box. Looking to build another bike for next year. I like the first second closeness of the motorcross bikes but want a headlight and street legal down the road. I am guessing the fe may be smogged up where the fc would not. Thanks in advance.

 

[RmK8oo]

FE does have the emissions equipment that greatly hinders the motors capability of making max HP #s. FE bike would need ECU, Silencer and open intake to use motor's full potential which adds extra expense to make the available HP. FE 6 speed is a wide ratio trans as well. I have heard of guys swapping close ratio gear sets.

 

[dooman92]

raleigh111, I went from a 450fx to a 500 ktm with the 6 speed wide ratio transmission. I certainly understand your concern given the 5 speed transmission in the fx. That is my biggest complaint about the fx. As for the ktm 6 speed, in the 500 i am very happy with it. I have ridden a 450 xc with the 5 speed and for my riding I prefer the 6 over the close 5 in the xc. My problem with the xc was 1st to high and need a sixth on some trails. My 500 is not stock (vortex, h/c piston) and probably has a few more ponies than the fx but, I do not notice the gaps from 1-2,2-3,3-4. Much better than the fx. You can't miss that 2-3 gap on the fx. No such issue on my 500 with 6 speed

 

[boondocker97]

I'm currently swapping the 1, 2, and 6th gear into my 2017 Husqvarna FX450 out of the wide ratio FE for trail use. Runs about $700 in parts to do it. Only about $350 in parts if you want to add the 6th gear to the close ratio 5 speed for more top end. So you either pay to desmog the FE/XCW or pay for the wider ratio transmission for the FC/FX/SX/XCF. The forks are the other big factor.

Here's what the ratios look like for the 2016-2018 bikes. Not sure if the 2019-2021 ratios are the same or a little different. % Change columns are the difference from the previous gear.

 

[raleigh111]

Awesome great info, thanks guys.

 

[weak_T4R]

my 500 ktm with a get, fmf SO and reeds removed made 60hp on the dyno. They are choked up from the factory big time (wouldnt run one if it was stock). Parts are really just open the end cap (PMB end cap - $130 + get ecu $800 = a cool g for tons of hp's) - big + is riding on the street in summer (supermoto tires for twistys or knobs for single track... it can do it all).

ive read some people hate on the 500's trannys as they are meant for crawling single tracks (very close). So 1 is very quick and not used, 2 is now your starting. Ive also heard 4 just doesnt pull in powder... AGAIN HEARD. Why is beyond me as its the same gear ratio as a motox bike...

Ive been on the fence a long time trying to decide to snatch up a tsled kit as well.

Here to learn more

 

[weak_T4R]

.

 

[boondocker97]

I've never ridden a MX bike snowbike that would pull 4th in deep snow either. It's usually 2nd and sometimes 3rd. Just don't have the power at high elevation to pull that much load. Another complaint I hear about the wide ratio KTM transmissions is the short gap between 4th and 5th, followed by a big gap to 6th. Hoping to avoid that by keeping the MX 5th in place. Not sure how the bigger gap from 2nd to 3rd will work out for me, but as is on the dirt I'm shifting from 2nd to 3rd pretty fast. Maybe a little more spread there will actually be helpful?

 

[Norma Stitz]

Big gap to 6th would be desirable to me, it’s the gear you use for high speed groomer work. But keeping lower gears close and usable is the real trick. I think the xcw gears are much too gappy for a snow bike, but many snow bikes are set up wrong imo, with a low first that isn’t really useful for anything but getting the bike on the truck.
im putting a 14t CS sprocket on today in fact, so I can try to get my first gear back.
Ideally I’d want a very tall first,followed by very close 2345 and then a big gap to 6th. And a reverse. Hey why not we are just dreaming anyway

 

[weak_T4R]

Big gap to 6th would be desirable to me, it’s the gear you use for high speed groomer work. But keeping lower gears close and usable is the real trick. I think the xcw gears are much too gappy for a snow bike, but many snow bikes are set up wrong imo, with a low first that isn’t really useful for anything but getting the bike on the truck.
im putting a 14t CS sprocket on today in fact, so I can try to get my first gear back.
Ideally I’d want a very tall first,followed by very close 2345 and then a big gap to 6th. And a reverse. Hey why not we are just dreaming anyway

is this on a 500? or 450

 

[dooman92]

I probably ride different than most. Never learned to slip the clutch when the gear was to high. I've been working on machines with clutches for 50 years and can't bring myself to slip a clutch although my riding buddies sure do. So, l really like the low 1st on my 500 ktm and find that in the trees or wherever I can almost come to a stop and idle thru without touching the clutch. Less slipping of clutch when getting out of a stuck etc. The only gap I notice is the 5-6 at high elevation. At above about 7500-8000' pulling 6th on the trail is a little luggy for my taste. Drop alittle lower and it will pull the overdrive 6th. fwiw

 

[raleigh111]

Big gap to 6th would be desirable to me, it’s the gear you use for high speed groomer work. But keeping lower gears close and usable is the real trick. I think the xcw gears are much too gappy for a snow bike, but many snow bikes are set up wrong imo, with a low first that isn’t really useful for anything but getting the bike on the truck.
im putting a 14t CS sprocket on today in fact, so I can try to get my first gear back.
Ideally I’d want a very tall first,followed by very close 2345 and then a big gap to 6th. And a reverse. Hey why not we are just dreaming anyway

You are spot on. On my fx (just trying to make the best I could out of 5speed wide ratio)I put 18 on top and 16 on bottom. First was now usable and second was sweet spot. Worked good from 4-6000 ft. Could pull 2nd all day up hills. Went to 10000 ft and should of went back to 17-17 as I was downshifting back to 1st but it was deeeeeeeppppp!! First time I was glad I had 137. 129 were making me go first so they could poach my track. No ****. Btw I was not stuck in any of those pictures just stopped. Light snow you could push through but just barley. Poor 450 motor, no braping just bbbrrraaaappp for 7 days.

 

[giggity]

I'm currently swapping the 1, 2, and 6th gear into my 2017 Husqvarna FX450 out of the wide ratio FE for trail use. Runs about $700 in parts to do it. Only about $350 in parts if you want to add the 6th gear to the close ratio 5 speed for more top end. So you either pay to desmog the FE/XCW or pay for the wider ratio transmission for the FC/FX/SX/XCF. The forks are the other big factor.

Here's what the ratios look like for the 2016-2018 bikes. Not sure if the 2019-2021 ratios are the same or a little different. % Change columns are the difference from the previous gear.

View attachment 368376

Resurrecting an old thread. @boondocker97 would you be able to share what parts you needed to swap the 1st and 2nd gears from the FE to your FX?

 

[boondocker97]

Resurrecting an old thread. @boondocker97 would you be able to share what parts you needed to swap the 1st and 2nd gears from the FE to your FX?

Sure. Remember this is for 2016-2019 engines only. The 2020+ are different.



Got everything apart and started swapping new parts in. Ran into a problem. Part 79433033000, Spacer Sleeve (#8 on the FE450 primary shaft diagram) is an incorrect part on the primary shaft. What comes in the bag is not a narrow spacer as shown in the part diagrams, but a large spacer about 1" wide and it doesn't fit anywhere. I've read about this problem in other threads where guys were adding 6th gear. It's a part error on KTM's end. What is needed is part 78033033000, Stop Disk 23x32x1,5. This is item #11 on the countershaft diagram so order it from there. This needs to go between a snap ring and the 6th idler gear. Without it there might not be full engagement of the dogs on the sides of the gears, and IMO would eventually cause the gear to walk around and destroy the bearing between it and the primary shaft. So now I wait for another week while the $2 stop disk comes in.

 

[giggity]

Thanks @boondocker97, much appreciated. Glad you mentioned the difference between the model years as I have a 2021 FS450 used for road racing. Actually wish the jump to 6th would be shorter (if added to my 5 speed), like 10-15% or so. 19% is too drastic for racing. I ran the numbers to swap 1 & 2nd out instead but 1st ends up being too short for launches and second too tall, even playing with different rear sprockets. I'd have some custom gears made if it weren't so expensive