1999, WHEN KTM GOT SERIOUS ABOUT FOUR-STROKES: THE WEEKLY FEED

Back in 1999, KTM was a two-stroke firm. The LC4 was a playbike that had been hammered right into a racing function by just a few passionate engineers, riders and mechanics, but it surely was dated and the arrival of the Yamaha YZ400F compelled KTM to behave shortly. The fast answer was to purchase Husaberg and use that firm’s know-how to jump-start a brand new program of Racing Four-Strokes (appropriately named the “RFS” engines). In 1999, KTM raced the World Enduro Championship on prototype four-strokes and gained the 400 class, Then they invited Dirt Bike to the positioning of the ultimate spherical to experience the prototypes. Here is what we mentioned within the October, 1999 situation.

Fabio Farioli was one of many racer/growth riders on the RFS program.

Of all the brand new four-strokes on the horizon, from the mysterious rumored Honda to the spacey new Cannondale, solely the KTM will come into the world with assured success. How?
Before the primary one rolls off the meeting line, earlier than the primary vendor sells one, it already shall be a world champion. The growth for the brand new bike was completed in European races and within the course of, Giovanni Sala gained the 400cc Enduro championship, wrapping it up on the ultimate spherical in Dvur Kralove, Czechoslovakia. The day after that occurred, the world-traveling editorial workers of Dirt Bike confirmed up in Dvur Kralove (pronounced with nice problem) to experience Sala’s preproduction 400 EXC, in addition to Kari Tiainen’s 520cc model. The racing season was completed, so that they figured regardless of how badly we bent up the bike, it wouldn’t matter. Naturally, we abused the privilege as a lot as potential.

The bikes we rode have been the enduro variations. The motocrossers have been being developed underneath a special program with Peter Johansson and Shayne King nonetheless within the thick of the GP wars. The bikes are moist sump (oil carried within the case) six-speeds with a single chain-driven overhead cam, four-valves and electrical beginning. If that sounds very Husaberg-like, then you definitely win the house model of our new Technical Word Association Jeopardy. KTM engineers took a detailed have a look at the Husaberg motor earlier than beginning. In reality, for the primary few races, the bikes truly used Husaberg heads. Other concepts have been taken from Japan. The drive chain is on the left facet. And the bike could have just about the identical carburetor that got here inventory on the 1999 Yamaha YZ400, electronically wired right into a Kokusan ignition. Like the YZ, the KTM’s throttle opening helps decide ignition timing. KTM doesn’t thoughts sourcing components from Japan–the Austrian engineers complain that it takes a very long time to have something custom-designed by the Japanese, however when it’s lastly finished, it’s proper the primary time. A few attention-grabbing notes: The new four-stroke motor is definitely somewhat narrower than the prevailing KTM two-stroke motor. That’s spectacular, contemplating it has an additional gear set inside (no less than within the enduro model. The motocrosser shall be a four-speed with out electrical beginning). The motor is wedged into the prevailing KTM two-stroke chassis with as few adjustments as potential. The engine has two header pipes, each exiting between wishbone downtubes and main again to an extremely quiet muffler. The bike is somewhat taller from the pegs to the seat than the two-stroke-that’s effective for riders of medium peak, as a result of some thought-about the prevailing KTM driving place to be somewhat cramped.
Now for the Big Number. According to KTM engineers (these are the blokes who use actual numbers, versus the advertising and marketing guys, who use Monopoly numbers), the enduro bike with full lights, electrical starter and kickstand, in both 400 or 520 model, will weigh 115 kilos. Multiply that by 2.2 on the Dirt Bike calculator and also you get 253 kilos, or about as a lot as a Yamaha YZ400 motocrosser.

The 400 and the 520 have been just about an identical from outward look.

Unfortunately, Czech customs wouldn’t let the fabulously correct Dirt Bike atomic scale into the nation. But we imagine the burden determine. Sure, it has an electrical starter and a battery, however the Yamaha has an additional cam, a counterbalancer and a motor that’s bodily about 20 % bigger. When you elevate the KTM off the stand, it feels about as heavy because it ought to really feel. When you get on board, it feels as slim and small because it ought to really feel, if it have been a two-stroke.
Forget all of the shallow-end-first enterprise; we rode the 520 first. It’s quick. Way quick. If you recognize what a Husaberg 501 motor seems like, then you definitely’ve bought a lot of the image. The KTM has that very same low-end snap adopted by a protracted, arduous pull. It’s not as a lot of a revver as both a Yamaha or a Husaberg, however that’s effective. By the time you get to the upper revs, you don’t need any extra. The motor is tremendous responsive. You don’t have to attend round for it to lumber up to the mark like older KTM four-strokes. When you open the throttle, issues occur quick, extra like a Yamaha. And it’s making all this energy with a full-enduro muffler. We can solely guess what the MX model shall be like.
Is it too quick? That is dependent upon what you intend to do with it. In actually tight woods, it is perhaps a handful. But the bike feels so mild, it’s arduous to get into an excessive amount of bother. It actually does deal with identical to a KTM two-stroke. These days, that’s arduous to beat. KTM misplaced the funky Euro-bike really feel years in the past. You can bounce off a Japanese bike onto the 520 and really feel proper at dwelling. The suspension on our take a look at bike was nice. Actually, we rode two totally different 520s: Kari Tiainen’s and Fabio Farioli’s. Both bikes had WP inverted forks and PDS no-linkage rear suspension, however they have been arrange for these specific riders. Tiainen’s was softer than Farioli’s, however chances are high that the manufacturing model shall be softer nonetheless. The race bikes additionally had some impractical touches like super-short-life fork seals that don’t have any friction, however solely final a day or so. They have been actually plush however have been weeping by the top of the take a look at session.·

The manufacturing variations of KTM’s new four-strokes arrived in 2000. They had electrical begin, which finally caught on with different producers, however it will take 10 years.

After driving the massive bike, the 400 felt precisely such as you would anticipate. It’s a mellow 520. That means it’s simpler to experience and extra enjoyable within the tight stuff. It clearly isn’t as quick because the 520 (thank goodness), but it surely’s simply as responsive. Again, it’s arduous to not make comparisons to a Husaberg. We know, that doesn’t do 99.9 % of the world at massive a lot good. But the remaining 0.1 % of you’ll discover the bike’s descendancy from a ‘Berg 400 right away. For the rest of you, the power is a cross between Yamaha WR400 and Honda XR400. The bike doesn’t rev as excessive as a Yamaha, and it makes most of its energy proper within the center. We would guess that in a turn-to-turn drag race with an unplugged WR, the KTM may lose just a bit floor. But it’s a must to do not forget that an unplugged WR is simply that: unplugged and tremendous loud. If you managed to get the Yamaha right down to the identical noise degree because the KTM, it will be extra equal. And should you left the inventory plug within the WR pipe, the KTM would stroll away.
Is there something that wasn’t excellent throughout our transient take a look at experience? Tiainen’s bike had a slight carburetion glitch–the bike would hiccup on jumps. It may need been the results of an exhaust leak. Remember, it had been raced in a world championship enduro around the day earlier than. Farioli’s bike was effective. All the bikes appeared to run somewhat sizzling, which is typical of wet-sump motors. But after hours of driving on a sizzling day, not one of the machines steamed or boiled. Not that we didn’t attempt.

KTM nonetheless produced the LC4 in 1999. It was an honest bike with 10 years of refinement, but it surely was no racer. Lance Smail and Tom Moen bought one to carry out in Supercross, but it surely was no straightforward activity.

… there’s nonetheless that magic button. Electric starters on dust bikes have been round lengthy sufficient now that they’re no danger anymore. We’ve by no means had a failure that’s extra critical than a lifeless battery. Just to say we did, we began the 520 with the kickstarter as soon as. It fired proper up. KTM engineers say that the battery and the starter value about 15 kilos. On any four-stroke, that’s weight effectively spent. No matter how easy the drill is, there are riders who won’t ever grasp the artwork of kickstarting a thumper. Even they, nevertheless, can push a button. Will the manufacturing variations be nearly as good because the race hikes that we rode? Will the bikes acquire weight within the course of? Will the bikes be nearly as good on American soil as they have been in Czecho? We’ll have to attend just a few months to seek out out. KTM is now transferring into a brand new 80,000 square-foot manufacturing facility and the four-strokes will begin rolling off that meeting line in December. We’re not scared, although. If the true issues are half nearly as good because the bikes we rode, we’re going to have a enjoyable 12 months.