Passed by KTM Tard - Random observations and useless rambling.
#1
09-11-2011, 08:41 PM
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,414
Passed by KTM Tard - Random observations and useless rambling.
So i got passed by a KTM SuperMoto on the way home from work the other day, I was in the cage BTW.
Anyway it was a nice looking bike other than the fact the seat was only about 2 inches wide and looked like it was riding way up in the guys crack and giving him a wedgie.
Also I don't know what kind of pipe he had on that thing but it sounded like ***. Imagine what a badly tuned buell blast with a burt out stock exhaust would sound like and that would be pretty close.
So in short, i wasn't really that impressed.
Cool story huh ?
Anyway it was a nice looking bike other than the fact the seat was only about 2 inches wide and looked like it was riding way up in the guys crack and giving him a wedgie.
Also I don't know what kind of pipe he had on that thing but it sounded like ***. Imagine what a badly tuned buell blast with a burt out stock exhaust would sound like and that would be pretty close.
So in short, i wasn't really that impressed.
Cool story huh ?
#2
09-11-2011, 09:50 PM
Well, what can you really tell about a bike as it's passing...other than it's obviously going faster than you? As to the sound, what size bike do you think it was? Frankly, most 4-stroke single dirt bikes don't sound that great to me until you get to about 600cc...but...sound is like music. Some like Lady Gaga and some people's ears bleed when they hear her.
Last year outside of Moab in the Beef Basin area, I was going about 45-50 mph on a smoother, straighter section of forest road. There was a slight bend in the road, and I was far to the right. Another rider appeared in a flash coming head-on, but he too was way on his side of the dirt road. He must have going 60 or better, so we were closing at over 100 mph. It had 2 of those huge bug-eyed Baja lights, and the rest was an orange flash. But the sound coming out of an obvious aftermarket exhaust was clearly a twin KTM...950-990 style. Later I found out it was one of the inmates over on the ADV site, and I got to see that bike this past April. The guy is a Baja racer...but not on that bike obviously. Still, that was one sweet sounding exhaust coming out of that big engine. But trying to discern performance can be deceiving sometimes. Back when Formula 1 had 1500cc turbocharged engines, I went the Dallas Grand Prix in 1984. Those cars sounded like...as you describe..."***". I have heard old air-cooled VW's with a muffler full of holes sound better than these cars...but...they were wicked, wicked fast. That said, a nice exhaust note is always appreciated.
A local guy has the more modern water-cooled XR650R turned into a motard with an aftermarket exhaust. It sounds absolutely beautiful.
Last year outside of Moab in the Beef Basin area, I was going about 45-50 mph on a smoother, straighter section of forest road. There was a slight bend in the road, and I was far to the right. Another rider appeared in a flash coming head-on, but he too was way on his side of the dirt road. He must have going 60 or better, so we were closing at over 100 mph. It had 2 of those huge bug-eyed Baja lights, and the rest was an orange flash. But the sound coming out of an obvious aftermarket exhaust was clearly a twin KTM...950-990 style. Later I found out it was one of the inmates over on the ADV site, and I got to see that bike this past April. The guy is a Baja racer...but not on that bike obviously. Still, that was one sweet sounding exhaust coming out of that big engine. But trying to discern performance can be deceiving sometimes. Back when Formula 1 had 1500cc turbocharged engines, I went the Dallas Grand Prix in 1984. Those cars sounded like...as you describe..."***". I have heard old air-cooled VW's with a muffler full of holes sound better than these cars...but...they were wicked, wicked fast. That said, a nice exhaust note is always appreciated.
A local guy has the more modern water-cooled XR650R turned into a motard with an aftermarket exhaust. It sounds absolutely beautiful.
#3
09-11-2011, 10:17 PM
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,414
I bet it was a 400 something or other.
The bike obviously had some power, but it just looked like a very uncomfortable ride and the muffler sounded like crap.
I'm not trying to pass judgement on the bike from that one encounter, but i just wasn't impressed frankly. the bike didn't look that good and sure didn't sound very good. My buddys DRZ400 sounds much better and he's just got some no-name ebay special pipe on his.
Acutally now that i think about it, the KTM was probably the stock can with all the baffles and packing removed. It sounded kinda hollow and "tinny".
Again, i hope no one takes this thread seriously. Its just some randomness that i was thinking about this afternoon.
The bike obviously had some power, but it just looked like a very uncomfortable ride and the muffler sounded like crap.
I'm not trying to pass judgement on the bike from that one encounter, but i just wasn't impressed frankly. the bike didn't look that good and sure didn't sound very good. My buddys DRZ400 sounds much better and he's just got some no-name ebay special pipe on his.
Acutally now that i think about it, the KTM was probably the stock can with all the baffles and packing removed. It sounded kinda hollow and "tinny".
Again, i hope no one takes this thread seriously. Its just some randomness that i was thinking about this afternoon.
Last edited by wildcard; 09-11-2011 at 10:19 PM.
#4
09-11-2011, 10:54 PM
After such a great recommendation, I'm selling my KLX and buying one tomorrow! 
(I read the thread, so, I had to make some sort of comment, didn't I?)
(I read the thread, so, I had to make some sort of comment, didn't I?)
#6
09-12-2011, 04:08 AM
When I ride my KTM 520 EXC the same places I take the KLX it is not much louder. Its weigh and handling is about the same. Seat comfort goes to the KLX. HP, well 510 CCs out do 351. If I could only have one I don't know what
one I would keep. Lucky for me I can keep all my bikes and have it pert well covered, for me any way. Your situation may very.
one I would keep. Lucky for me I can keep all my bikes and have it pert well covered, for me any way. Your situation may very.
#7
09-12-2011, 04:40 AM
The header, collector, cross-overs and silencer have as much to do with the acoustics of the exhaust as the engine itself. Even a Harley motor with a glasspack silencer to remove the harsh overtones, coupled with a rider who knows how to rev & shift, can make one of those things sound decent.
Having said that, IMHO, Honda's V4 motor is one of the nicest sounding bike engines of all time; its got the deep baritone of the pulsing V4 and the complimentary soprano whine of the gear-driven cams! The VTEC versions also give off a growl at around 8000rpm that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand every time!
Having said that, IMHO, Honda's V4 motor is one of the nicest sounding bike engines of all time; its got the deep baritone of the pulsing V4 and the complimentary soprano whine of the gear-driven cams! The VTEC versions also give off a growl at around 8000rpm that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand every time!
