Part I

OK…I was at the track just after the first of the year and one of the dads asked me why we were not riding our 2008 KTM SX65. After I gave him the explanation he actually laughed at me. The reasons are the exact reason my kids or myself have never had a DNF on a new bike.
IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN A PART BEFORE YOU RIDE IT. Now I am not talking about the engine, although you need to ensure you give the mounting bolts a little tightening.

First let me tell you why I think the KTM65 is superior then any of the other 65s and we have had several of the others so this is based on firsthand experience. Quality! The quality on the KTM is far superior then the other makes. The last few bikes (other brands) we purchased had flaws from the beginning. Several of these were; Bolts tighten so tight I either stripped the head or broke the bolt, bolts already stripped before you touch it, missing spokes. I have a bike now that was missing 2 spokes when we purchased it new.  Although we use a compression gauge and set a standard duration between top ends, we rarely are forced to change a top end due to lack of compression or piston failure.

Don’t get me wrong, I have several other bikes other then the KTM, but if you want the little quality the KTM is the bike to have. One last thing on this…KTM has a plethora of aftermarket replacement parts, far more than any other brand.

Now some of the stuff I am talking about contradicts what I am saying above but, this information below is the case with all brands and validates the reason for taking the bike a parts and getting it set up to race.

So here is where the real stuff starts. None of this is very technical and if you have a little mechanical skill you can complete 100% without dealer assistance. If you get stumped just run the bike down to your local dealer. I have found out that most of the KTM dealers are a little more willing to help then some of the others.

If you are going only going to play ride the bike skip all this have fun and go riding. If you are serious about racing, read on.

First, I recommend purchasing a few aftermarket parts. Here is our list. If you prefer you can substitute you favorite brand but this is what works for us. I will explain why we change out each part as we go but to start you will need to have the parts ready. KTM also sells a very high quality brand for each of these items.

Hand guards- Cycra Stealth Primal Kit
We have tried other brands but these have a good look and seem to have the best fit. KTM also has a great set as an accessory through your dealer.

Handle bars-Pro Taper Seven Eights
I can’t tell you the reason why but Ashley likes the Honda bend on her KTM.

You may need to experiment with this but get a new set of tires. On the west coast the Michelin MH3 or MS2 tires seem to have an edge in grip, durability and price. We like them.

Springs- My opinion is springs are springs. We have springs we purchase through Worth Racing in Arizona but you could get them through Jeremy Wilke at MX-Tech. They key thing here is to get the correct size for your kids weight. This is very important for suspension performance.

ASV Levers-If your kid has smaller hands ASV has a set of levers that will move the clutch lever about a half an inch closer to the bars over stock.

KTM 48 tooth rear sprocket- You can pass on this if your kid is a beginner but as he or she gets faster the 48 or 46 tooth is a must.

Belray waterproof grease-Get the water proof grease because none of us are really that good on maintenance after 10 or 12 washes.

A single roll of 1/” wide plumber tape.

OK here you can leave the stock but eventually you will need to replace the chain. The stock chain is fair but is seems to stretch a little easier than a Renthal R1 chain. My opinion is the R1 chain is bullet proof for the little bikes.

That is it. If you have an unlimited budget you could gets your hands on a KTM hard parts catalog from your dealer. They have pipes, wheels, graphics, throttles, billet covers and more. You can just about name it and they have an aftermarket part for it.

My system is to take the bike apart is sections. This way I do not have all the bolts mixed up and you can do it as time permits.

You will also need to use your manual for disassembly and reassembly instructions and torque specs.

Start with the front. Up front we are mostly concerned with checking the steering head and changing the fork springs if required. You will need to remove the front wheel, front brake caliper, the forks from the triple clamp and the handlebar. You may need to get a tool for the center.
Once all this is apart you can remove the center steering nut on the top triple clamp. Don’t even worry about how much grease is in the bearings, just re-grease them. Do not clean the old grease out.
I will try to explain. The bearings have a sharp edge at the top and bottom of each roller. Use this sharp edge to scoop the grease into the bearing. Put a generous amount of grease into your left hand (wear rubber gloves) and scrape or scoop the bearing across the grease. You want to start at the edge of the grease and work your way towards the middle of the grease pile in your hand. You can add pressure here.
The idea is to force the grease between the bearing rollers.

Reassemble the steering head and triple clamps per the manual diagrams.

If you bought new springs now is the time to install them. If you have never had a set of forks apart just take them to your dealer or use a suspension service such as Race Tech, Worth Racing, and MX-Tech. There are many of them around. We have spent some time with oil weights, levels ect… So if you have experience her spend some time making adjustments with the oil.

You may want to replace the tire at this time. We used the Pirellis until they were worn but the Michelins seem to work so much better.

Replace the forks, wheel brakes and other parts you removed according to the manuals.
Replace the handle bars with a higher quality set. Don’t throw the other set out just use them as a spare.

I always use plumbers sand cloth to clean the paint or anodizing off the throttle area. This prevents any paint or debris from the handle from building up under the throttle. Put a thin layer of the Belray grease where the throttle tube slides.

Replace the throttle tube.
Put the lever perches back on. Leave snug them up but do not tighten them because we will need to remove them again.

Now position your hand guards and levers so everything fit to your preference. The area is tight and this is why we use the Primal hand guards.
Go ahead and secure the hand guards in their final position.
I started using hand guards several years ago with an experiment to save levers and hand grips. Since then I have not replaced a lever due to breaking them and very few grips. One more note is it will save your throttle tube in a small tip over.

Remove the lever perches and carefully put 3-4 wraps of ½” wide plumber tape just under the location were the lever perches go. Install the perches and tighten them in their final position.

Replace the front fender.

Now your front end should be all reassembled and ready to ride.

Part 2 coming in about 1 week.