KTM 500 XCW AS A SNOWBIKE

[vmax1200]

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS SO FAR WITH THIS BIKE

 

[Rush44]

From what I hear there aren't many problems... it's just a different bike. You've read the opinions here on the gearbox differences between close and wide ratio so that part shouldn't be an issue for you to grasp. Just realize that the bike won't be as snappy as the 450... but the bike would probably make a very capable travler with an LT kit. Add the grip warmers and you'll be in high country comfort.

 

[DieselTwitch]

From what I hear there aren't many problems... it's just a different bike. You've read the opinions here on the gearbox differences between close and wide ratio so that part shouldn't be an issue for you to grasp. Just realize that the bike won't be as snappy as the 450... but the bike would probably make a very capable travler with an LT kit. Add the grip warmers and you'll be in high country comfort.

I love my 500 XCW. There is a gap in the gears but I'm learning that these snow bike kits seams to do really well, be than snowmobile at slow speed in deep snow. Spinning the track seams to end in trenching in more often than not. I believe that the 60 CC's more than the 450 really makes up for the wide ratio trans.

I highly recommend changing to a better pipe. And I've yet to do it but porting the head is said to really open the XC-W's up. Just adding the pipe makes it feel a lot more like my CRF450R did.