Cool tips

	All KTM’s come with wimpy little 18mm diameter washers holding on the radiators which usually allow the bolt to pull through even in a small tip over. The effective, simple and inexpensive fix to this is to replace the stock washers with 25mm diameter washers as shown in the images. Problem solved! Go out and crash to the max, at least the radiators will still be attached to the bike after you stop tumbling!
	Anyone that has riddin his/her bike a bit has lost one of these brake pins at least once! Not to worry though as there is an easy fix! Simply run some safety wire from the brake hose banjo bolt to each pin. With this done the pins will stay in place better, if they ever do come out then they are just hanging there waiting for you top put them in. Another, low cost aggravation saving tip from LR!
	This is a problem you don’t want to have while 200 miles from the truck. The mechanism that engages the shift drum (behind the clutch basket) is made of two pieces held together by a pressed in, and peaned over dowel. On some bikes this dowel can loosen and fall out making it impossible to shift the bike. The fix is simple and requires nothing but time and access to a MIG welder. Simply drain your oil, remove the shift lever, remove the lick starter and right side case (be careful with the gasket!) and complete clutch basket. Then slide the piece that engages the shift drum back and remove the complete shift shaft. Then have the dowel spot welded in place, put the bike back together in reverse order, top it with oil and start that ride to La Paz in complete confidence!
	Carrying all your spares in your fanny pack can add up to allot of weight. That's why many riders use rear fender mounted tool pouches. That's a good idea for everyone except those riders whose butt is always back there. There is a cool hidden spot on the KTM four strokes though and I've found the right pouch to use there. Under the left side panel there is an open area in the air box that can hold a small Acerbis pouch perfect! You can see by the attached image that it can old a good selection of seldom used spares which takes weight off the fanny pack and open up room to carry other things there. You can get the Acerbis "hot dog pouch" as part of a complete kit of small storage pouches from LR's MotoZone for less than $30
	The stock KTM four stroke crankcase vent hose attaches to a fitting at the rear of the carburetor. While good for mileage and emissions it is not the hot set up for throttle response or power output. A few companies offer kits to move the hose and filter the vapors and oil residue that exit the vent hose but, naturally given LR’s experience, he has a better and shockingly simple solution to the problem. LR simply removes the vent hose from the carb, plugs the nipple on the carb, and routes the hose where the oil vapors can help lubricate the chain! Routing is simple (see the images) and the vacuum nipple caps are available by the dozen at any auto parts store. For riders not needing a dozen caps LR’s MotoZone can send you one for chump change, give ‘em a ring at 760-949-9050 and tell them Dirt Bike sent you.
	Keeping rocks, stones, twigs, branches or even logs from jamming up your shifter or brake lever is a great idea for serious off road riders. It's even more important for KTM four stroke riders as this debris could potentially break the sight glass in the clutch cover, which could potentially end your day. The fix is simple though, just pick up some of Acerbis' reticulated foam (part number 25047005) trim it to fit and stuff it where shown in the attached images, a zip tie or two may increase its lifespan. Not a bad plan for only $10.00
	Another no cost mod that makes sense is to reposition the battery in all equipped four stroke model KTM’s so the cables and battery posts do not chaff on the bottom of the seat. This simple mod ensures the cables do not wear through and short out the system. Just disconnect the cables, yank the battery, turn it around and reconnect the cables and your done! That is, unless you buy your KTM from LR’s then I’ll do this mod for you.”
	Riding in the rain or in muddy conditions can really make it hard to keep your goggles clean. I use Smith roll offs and such but there is still a need for a dry and clean rag throughout the day but how do you keep it dry? Simple, just stuff your rag behind the radiator! The air flow will push warm air onto the rag helping to keep it dry in all but the most wet conditions.
	Trail riders will find this idea useful. Us married guys need a watch when we ride to make sure we get back on time. Running it on your wrist usually is not that comfortable with all the dirt etc that gets under the band, not to mention getting it hung up on bushes and such. A quick and easy fix is to buy a cheap watch with a plastic band and wrap it around the clutch master cylinder (sorry all you non-KTM riders!). Clean and always there for a quick reference
	Here is a tip I learned from an old 6-day guru. To be able to tell quick and easy if any bolts are loosening up just take a paint pen or Sharpie and mark a horizontal line across the bolt head and onto the frame or whatever. That way if the bolt loosens up the lines will no longer match and you’ll know to tighten things up. While this tip may be more necessary on old bikes it still works well on today’s modern bikes.”
	Sometimes a good tip doesn’t cost a dime (and pisses off the aftermarket as well!). This tip is simple, cheap and may make the difference between a DNF and a win. I learned this tip while on a trail ride in Mexico with a KTM dealer from Italy. Earlier I had bent my chain guide in on a rock, I bent it back but a small edge still was rubbing the master link clip, eventually it wore it through and the chain launched into a sand wash (a story in and of itself!). While fixing the problem my Italian friend told me that the KTM factory team at the World Enduro championship simply removes the metal chain guide and runs the plastic chain rub block itself. The chain still is properly guided onto the rear sprocket but as it’s made of nylon can return to its original position if it is hit on a rock or log. The only extra note I would add to this mod would be to either install shorter bolts or cut off the excess that is exposed when the metal chain guide is removed. Lastly, on the EXC models the chain’s mud guard should be removed.”