New to KTM, input/advice

usafwx
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usafwx
Edited Date/Time 2/8/2016 7:56am
Hey guys,

Im a yamaha fan boy, have all I ever owned. Welp today I picked up a 2016 KTM 150 SX. Not new to 2 or 4 strokes, just curious as if there is anything different with these bikes. I noticed the bike MOTOREX sticker on the crank, I've been running AMSOIL in all my bikes, do I need to switch? Otherwise excited to explore the world of KTM and open to any other advice input about these bikes from the orange experts. Thanks in advance.
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Motofinne
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Motofinne 2/3/2016 7:30am
2/3/2016 7:30am Edited Date/Time 2/3/2016 7:32am
Motoul? It should be Motorex.

You don't have to change, i used AMSOIL in my 2014 450 and will continue with AMSOIL when i get my 2016 Factory Edition!

I'm sure that you will have a lot of fun with the 150! I rode the 09 150 once but the 2016 150 is supposed to be insanely fun!
lumpy790
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lumpy790 2/3/2016 8:05am
2/3/2016 8:05am
Use what ever your favorite brand oil is. The bike will not know the difference.

Buy some weird sockets sizes.
njracer46
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njracer46 2/3/2016 4:20pm
2/3/2016 4:20pm
I didn't like the motorex oil that came in both of mine, came out midnight black after 2 rides. I've always ran trans fluid in them, gear saver to be exact. But like others have mentioned any oil is fine.

If you have your suspension done, request they put in the green skf fork seals. The orange low friction ones suck and have been leaking oil since the first day I rode it.

Buy the torx bit for a ratchet for the sub frame bolts and a few others. Keep that little tool bag they give you in your tool box, it comes in handy with the 6 mm and 13 wrench. You'll find some odd bolts on them.
Pirate421
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Pirate421 2/3/2016 8:10pm
2/3/2016 8:10pm
Rotella T, check all the bolts pretty often for the first few rides. For some reason ktm's love to spit bolts while riding. Get some good jetting recommendations my 250sx came from the factory so rich I literally couldn't ride it. Other than that take care of it and it should be low maintenance. The clutch seriously lasts forever in these bikes so don't worry about that and just ride it hard!

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lumpy790
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lumpy790 2/4/2016 5:30am
2/4/2016 5:30am
njracer46 wrote:
I didn't like the motorex oil that came in both of mine, came out midnight black after 2 rides. I've always ran trans fluid in them...
I didn't like the motorex oil that came in both of mine, came out midnight black after 2 rides. I've always ran trans fluid in them, gear saver to be exact. But like others have mentioned any oil is fine.

If you have your suspension done, request they put in the green skf fork seals. The orange low friction ones suck and have been leaking oil since the first day I rode it.

Buy the torx bit for a ratchet for the sub frame bolts and a few others. Keep that little tool bag they give you in your tool box, it comes in handy with the 6 mm and 13 wrench. You'll find some odd bolts on them.
Tightened my sub frame bolt after putting my shock back in with the proper torx bit and it came out. Want to find a flush Allen head replacement. Maybe Honda?
racerhansen 2/4/2016 10:14am
2/4/2016 10:14am
njracer46 wrote:
I didn't like the motorex oil that came in both of mine, came out midnight black after 2 rides. I've always ran trans fluid in them...
I didn't like the motorex oil that came in both of mine, came out midnight black after 2 rides. I've always ran trans fluid in them, gear saver to be exact. But like others have mentioned any oil is fine.

If you have your suspension done, request they put in the green skf fork seals. The orange low friction ones suck and have been leaking oil since the first day I rode it.

Buy the torx bit for a ratchet for the sub frame bolts and a few others. Keep that little tool bag they give you in your tool box, it comes in handy with the 6 mm and 13 wrench. You'll find some odd bolts on them.
lumpy790 wrote:
Tightened my sub frame bolt after putting my shock back in with the proper torx bit and it came out. Want to find a flush Allen...
Tightened my sub frame bolt after putting my shock back in with the proper torx bit and it came out. Want to find a flush Allen head replacement. Maybe Honda?
Loctite is your friend in regards to the subframe bolts. We've been riding KTMs on and off for the past 15 years, and for some reasons they always come loose without some loctite
mxb2
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mxb2 2/4/2016 10:32am
2/4/2016 10:32am
Ktm talk.com
WVUpetro2013
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WVUpetro2013 2/4/2016 10:53am
2/4/2016 10:53am
Pirate421 wrote:
Rotella T, check all the bolts pretty often for the first few rides. For some reason ktm's love to spit bolts while riding. Get some good...
Rotella T, check all the bolts pretty often for the first few rides. For some reason ktm's love to spit bolts while riding. Get some good jetting recommendations my 250sx came from the factory so rich I literally couldn't ride it. Other than that take care of it and it should be low maintenance. The clutch seriously lasts forever in these bikes so don't worry about that and just ride it hard!
Spot on. Rotella T is the way to go. My 250sx was ridiculously rich. I'm not sure if the 150 jetting is close.
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racerx317 2/4/2016 6:16pm
2/4/2016 6:16pm
JD Jet kit will really clean up and simplify jetting. Run 98 - 100 octane if you can swing it. Send suspension to Powerband... Billy does wonders with that 4cs fork. Play around with the clickers when you get it back and you'll find that Billy does a great job at removing the harsh feel that you will notice in stock trim. The shock will be amazing to say the least,
BobPA
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BobPA 2/5/2016 7:28am
2/5/2016 7:28am
lumpy790 wrote:
Use what ever your favorite brand oil is. The bike will not know the difference.

Buy some weird sockets sizes.
I've heard people complain about this, but what are the weird sizes? 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, T45 torx? They all come in your standard tool sets.
seth505
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seth505 2/5/2016 2:15pm
2/5/2016 2:15pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Use what ever your favorite brand oil is. The bike will not know the difference.

Buy some weird sockets sizes.
BobPA wrote:
I've heard people complain about this, but what are the weird sizes? 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, T45 torx? They all come in your standard tool sets.
No kidding, if you don't already have 13mm then you have a very incomplete set of tools.
usafwx
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usafwx 2/6/2016 12:14am
2/6/2016 12:14am
BobPA wrote:
I've heard people complain about this, but what are the weird sizes? 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, T45 torx? They all come in your standard tool sets.
Yep, she got tore down for suspension and some new parts and nothing out of the ordinary besides the subframe T45 bolt, I will say holy sh*t balls there are more than necessary bolts holding everything together, must have been 20 bolts just in the subframe and rear plastics alone. Lol.
F150Motocrosser 2/7/2016 12:08pm
2/7/2016 12:08pm
Only special tool for general maintenance that I remember buying was a Motion Pro thin wall socket for removing the spark plug. Was absolutely baffled that I couldn't remove my spark plug with a common man's tool box
lumpy790
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lumpy790 2/7/2016 8:47pm
2/7/2016 8:47pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Use what ever your favorite brand oil is. The bike will not know the difference.

Buy some weird sockets sizes.
BobPA wrote:
I've heard people complain about this, but what are the weird sizes? 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, T45 torx? They all come in your standard tool sets.
seth505 wrote:
No kidding, if you don't already have 13mm then you have a very incomplete set of tools.
Only time I have ever needed a 13mm was if I could not find a 1/2 when working on an American car.
lumpy790
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lumpy790 2/7/2016 8:50pm
2/7/2016 8:50pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Use what ever your favorite brand oil is. The bike will not know the difference.

Buy some weird sockets sizes.
BobPA wrote:
I've heard people complain about this, but what are the weird sizes? 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, T45 torx? They all come in your standard tool sets.
25 years as a motorcycle A tech working on Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki and never needed a single torx bit..... And no they are not in a standard tool set.
colintrax
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colintrax 2/7/2016 9:01pm
2/7/2016 9:01pm
^Lumpy are you just bullshitin? Ever work on a Ford? 13mm everywhere.
And you've never found a torx on a bike before???? Come on dude. Btw torx is standard. I got my brother a $20 tool set to keep in his truck and even it has torx bits.
WVUpetro2013
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WVUpetro2013 2/8/2016 3:30am
2/8/2016 3:30am
In my opinion this whole special tools discussion is being blown a little bit out of proportion. On every ktm I have owned, I have been able to do most everything with the tools they give you.
lumpy790
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lumpy790 2/8/2016 5:44am
2/8/2016 5:44am Edited Date/Time 2/8/2016 5:45am
colintrax wrote:
^Lumpy are you just bullshitin? Ever work on a Ford? 13mm everywhere. And you've never found a torx on a bike before???? Come on dude. Btw...
^Lumpy are you just bullshitin? Ever work on a Ford? 13mm everywhere.
And you've never found a torx on a bike before???? Come on dude. Btw torx is standard. I got my brother a $20 tool set to keep in his truck and even it has torx bits.
The short time I worked in the auto industry it was Hondas and no torx.

I would rather use Allen bolts than torx any day.

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seth505
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seth505 2/8/2016 7:16am
2/8/2016 7:16am
BobPA wrote:
I've heard people complain about this, but what are the weird sizes? 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, T45 torx? They all come in your standard tool sets.
seth505 wrote:
No kidding, if you don't already have 13mm then you have a very incomplete set of tools.
lumpy790 wrote:
Only time I have ever needed a 13mm was if I could not find a 1/2 when working on an American car.
Ah, I have 13mm on my Ram and I need torx bit to even get my rear lights off.
Pirate421
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Pirate421 2/8/2016 7:18am
2/8/2016 7:18am
I love that the bolts have torx also so if a bolt ever gets rounded off you can use a torx bit also. And with the bag of tools and the T handle and axle/plug wrench and the 10/13mm that's provided by ktm I've been able to do just about everything on the bike. I've never sweated the torx one bit and This is my 3rd ktm
BobPA
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BobPA 2/8/2016 7:56am
2/8/2016 7:56am
lumpy790 wrote:
The short time I worked in the auto industry it was Hondas and no torx.

I would rather use Allen bolts than torx any day.
You must not be working on anything modern, as they love using Torx fasteners everywhere. I thought the same about Allen key superiority, but after a few years of using torx, I have to say they are better...you just have to use the proper driver.

Japs always seem to stick to even hardware sizes except for their love of 19mm bolts.

Everyone else, Sea Doo/ski Doo, Arctic Cat, KTM, Harley, all American car manufactures have an abundance of 13mm and torx hardware.

Bombardier also uses a shit ton of reverse torx (forget what they are called) for their small fasteners...and they are awesom.

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