KTM 950 ADV trouble

[norschweger]

Some weeks ago I bought a KTM 950, 06 with 40000km on it.
Looks very good and ran well. Had a flat on the rear, fixed it, some days later the chain fell off at about 100km/h! Put it on again with a new masterlink (the old one was gone) and it worked for some 1000 km. Only thing to mention is that I always felt that there was a hesitation when accelerating or decelerating...until yesterday, when it broke again! It was quite bend and this time-without chainguard-it left a lot of traces on the swingarm, rim,racket...and on the inside of the front sprocket, directly in front of a screw that does not seem to hold anything. Exactly there it was leaking. I tightened the screw a bit and it seemed to stop leaking oil.
I bend the chain again and put it on, with a masterlink I had in spare.
Next to the fact that it started and died several this morning until the battery was dead (not the first time), it run well until I stopped to fill gas (after maybe 60 miles): the engine died before I had geared down to neutral. When I tried to gear again, there was no pressure on the clutch. Next to some occasions where it slipped in first gear with a cold engine, there had not been any signs of clutch problems until then.
Looking down i could see that I was losing oil again, but could not see where.
The clutch cylinder does not seem to have any damage to it. But the level in the master cylinder is very low.
Has anyone had a similar problem or an idea what might have happened/what to do?
When I let the engine run on the centre stand without the chain on and put a gear in it sounds as if something was loose...
Thanks for any help!

[Jake]

Regarding the chain, I would use a rivet link only in an emergency as the bike is very heavy on chains anyway, Also ensure you have not over tightened or left the chain to slack - sounds to me like maybe you need new chain and sprockets - but if your going to use a split link make sure its new and ensure its put on the right way round. If your losing mineral oil from the clutch slave cylinder ( the small round case infront of the front sprocket guard ) then this is a very common problem - the piston often cracks and weeps oil through so losing pressure but also if you have had a loose or over tightened screws holding it in place the whole unit may be damaged. I would replace it with one of the billet aftermarket set ups which are far more reliable. Also ensure the right oil has been used as if the wrong oil is used it will degrade the seals. Your last problem with the bike dying sounds like carb icing another big problem on these bikes. KTM did a recall to fit carb heaters but maybe they are not fitted or not working - even so they were never totally successful - I would use a fuel supplement to help prevent carb icing and ensure living up North it is good to try and get some warm air into the airbox during cooler months maybe piped in via a scoop from the back of the radiator if you look around the internet ( try adventure riders Orange crush for more information)

[norschweger]

Thanks!
We replaced chain and sprockets, slave cylinder (had a leak), oil and mounted a new chain guard. It should be good now,
That it died again can also be because of the fact that I do not know yet how much choke it needs. It was freezing the night before and the battery was already bad, will replace it soon, but we are heading towards warmer climate now : )
Cheers Toby

[norschweger]

Is it normal that you hear a bubbling noise of liquid from the engine when you shut it off (maybe just when warm)? It takes quite some time until it stops. I noticed it for the first time after the chain had destroyed the slave cylinder. But maybe I just had not noticed it before.

[norschweger]

The bubbling came from a bad radiator cap and a non-properly working thermo-censor. It is solved now.

[vicky250gt]

there is a dedicated forum in Advrider for the big KTM Adventure/dirt bikes (950Adv, 990Adv and 950SE) over here - ADVrider - Orange Crush forum

search for information, post your question and you will have all the answers you need.

[markharf]

Didn't you trade in a perfectly good bike for this one? The number of issues you've reported here during the past month or so strongly suggests your bike hasn't been taken good care of by the person you bought it from. That makes it unreliable (You think you've now found everything that's wrong with it? Think again!). More important, it's dangerous.

Before crossing the border, find a reliable, trustworthy, skilled mechanic and go over the bike front to back, top to bottom. You need to get ahead of the curve before you get into trouble, and you're not going to do that by continuing to post here whenever anything goes wrong.

This unsolicited advice worth precisely what you paid me for it.

Mark

[norschweger]

Originally Posted by vicky250gt

there is a dedicated forum in Advrider for the big KTM Adventure/dirt bikes (950Adv, 990Adv and 950SE) over here - ADVrider - Orange Crush forum

search for information, post your question and you will have all the answers you need.

thanks, I am already using this tool.
cheers toby

[norschweger]

[QUOTE=markharf;401462]Didn't you trade in a perfectly good bike for this one?
who knows? after my experiences with the 1st KLR (and some issues with no2) I did not feel that I would become a team with it.
The number of issues you've reported here during the past month or so strongly suggests your bike hasn't been taken good care of by the person you bought it from.
Possible, but some things might just be bad luck, consequences of bad luck, known issues and inadequate advice from a dealer. (had I replaced the chain after that it had fallen off the first time, I would not have had the problem again, my sleive cylinder would not have leaked and the battle scars of the chain would not be as they are.
That makes it unreliable (You think you've now found everything that's wrong with it? Think again!). Anything you know about?
More important, it's dangerous. ???

Before crossing the border, find a reliable, trustworthy, skilled mechanic and go over the bike front to back, top to bottom. You need to get ahead of the curve before you get into trouble, and you're not going to do that by continuing to post here whenever anything goes wrong.
Do not think that I have not been to several dealers and paid for the security you are talking about! Sorry for asking so many things. I would also prefer to spend my time on the road and experience real adventures, instead of worrying, looking for dealers, trying to find answers and paying bills.

This unsolicited advice worth precisely what you paid me for it.
If you mean your advice is neither wanted nor worth anything, why did you give it?
I am not sure if this is in any way well-meant advice or whatever. Maybe one of these language things/irony...?

[Walkabout]

[QUOTE=norschweger;401929]

Originally Posted by markharf

Maybe one of these language things/irony...?

Quite so! It's an Anglo-Saxon thing.
In the past, I have found that many of the Swedes I have worked with, internationally, can identify with this type of humour
Some other nationals may not be so confident with it.

[norschweger]

Well, nothing against irony. But is it not enough to have trouble? Is a forum not created to exchange knowledge and help each other? If I understood Mark correctly, he was more interested in telling me that I made a bad choice and do not do my homework than anything else. I feel some arrogance over the whole thing, maybe it is jealousy. Nuff said...
Anyway, it had a good side also. It encouraged me to have some things checked and done, for the peace of mind! Thanks Mark! (this is NOT ironical!) !

[markharf]

No offense meant. Good luck and safe journeys.

Mark

[norschweger]

Thanks!