dimensions/photo's needed please help

[uklew15]

Hi everyone I just signed up,

I've just bought a crash damaged rc390, its had a front end hit I've added some pictures and id appreciate it if someone or anyone on here could do me a favour and take some close up pictures and measurements for me. As you will see from the first picture the front has been pushed back from the impact allowing the tyre to rub the fairings. I haven't stripped it yet and theirs no noticeable damage to the forks or wheel or even yokes so assuming at the moment the frame Is bent. Lifting the front end up their is slight play in the headset bearings but I have come to the conclusion this isn't the main cause their is still something else out of line. Anyway if someone could take 5 minutes to give some measurements of the distance from the lower guard protecting the bottom of the engine/radiator or with the steering turned full lock from the tyre to the tip of the fairings would be great anything to determine the rough distance in between.

Really appreciate any of you helping out, cheers.

 

[Rcdan]

You should just be able to check wheelbase and compare that to stock. A Google search should give you the specs. If there is slop in the steering head something has shifted or broken. That should be one of the first things you look at. But striping it down and looking at everything is the way to go. You do not want to miss something and have it reveal itself later. A lot could be wrong that is not obvious to the untrained eye.

 

[simpletty]

You should just be able to check wheelbase and compare that to stock. A Google search should give you the specs. If there is slop in the steering head something has shifted or broken. That should be one of the first things you look at. But striping it down and looking at everything is the way to go. You do not want to miss something and have it reveal itself later. A lot could be wrong that is not obvious to the untrained eye.

Loose or chipping paint on or around the steering head would indicate some serious damage. Without a frame jig even the slightest amount of damage would be hard to catch.

 

[uklew15]

Hi lads thanks for the swift reply's, measuring the front spindle - rear spindle (wheelbase) is a bit trickier with just myself but I will grab someone to check that with me soon thanks. I've checked for frame cracks around the headstock/surrounding frame and no obvious signs and I know without a frame jig it will be quite hard to notice or even measure distortion throughout the frame. I've got a abba stand and the fitting kit has just arrived so im about to jack up under the engine and start stripping the forks and yokes. In a way I hope its just the forks/yokes slightly bent as I know if the frame is at fault it means a complete strip down to put it into a frame jig.

 

[Formula390]

It's also not uncommon for the bearing recesses to become oblong in a hard front impact. This results in the bearings being able to shift front/back in the heastock and can result in seeing the loose shifting like what you describe. The only way to know what's going on tho is strip it all down and check. I've seen bikes where the bearing recess were made oblong and the USD forks were still straight... tho that's typically been on aluminum frames. I had to weld up and re-machine the recesses on a gixxer 750 once... That. F*****G. Sucked!!! After welding everything back up, it took me a day and a half to setup the frame with everything bolted down at the correct angles. Plus, Gixxer frames ain't exactly something which is conducive to getting bolted to a milling machine table!!! The next time I had to do a similar repair, I told the customer (a kid who'd wadded his racebike) that it's probably far cheaper and easier to take his old bearing, and fill the oblong area with Devcon Aluminum Putty. The steel trellis frame of the RC is far more likely to bend than oblong. The frames ain't that expensive either. You are looking for part number 90503001100. I think a replacement frame runs around $700 new. A used one might be found cheaper than that if you can manage to track one down. Both options are likely cheaper unless you've got access to a shop with a frame jig.

 

[uklew15]

Hi Matt thanks for the info top guy, one question I would like to ask as I've never owned a ktm...although all the bolts seem reasonably tightened is it uncommon for them not being tightened up to the correct torque? I say this as when I removed the yokes the top bolt and steering head ring seemed unusually under tightened. I know the steering head ring isn't meant to be overly tightened otherwise it wouldn't turn from left to right but they both just seemed extremely loose. look at the pictures though...I mean this is a 2015 bike with no more than 3000miles on it and bearings are dried out and the top bolts thread have rust built up. looking at the forks they seem pretty straight I done the roll test on the worktop and it was quite hard to tell as the usd part isn't the same size all the way up. The yokes I placed on the worktop as well seem flat and the stem..well I wont be able to tell if its sitting at 90 degrees but that right hand side bar is bent bad. Anyway I will be sending the forks and yokes to a specialist to see if they say whether they are damaged. Im lucky to be living here in the uk Matt and I have a trade account on bike parts so I can get parts quite cheap but as when I measured the wheelbase and it should be 1340mm long but when I measured mine give or take a few mm I was reading 1330mm so only 10mm short and when I shook the front end when it was all together with the front wheel off the ground id say it felt like 15-20mm movement at the bottom of the forks so could be but I doubt just head bearings coming loose. But hey il keep you all updated to my progress.

 

[stevieboy]

Another instance of KTM/Bajaj quality.

 

[Metals 907]

The roll test is a crude way to check for runout on a fork tube. You might not catch a bent tube eyeballing it. You need a set of stands with bearings to roll the tubes on and monitor the runout with a dial indicator.

 

[Metals 907]

Another instance of KTM/Bajaj quality.

@3000 miles on a thumper you're going to find loose hardware.

 

[stevieboy]

@3000 miles on a thumper you're going to find loose hardware.

Maybe if its a POS. And definitely not the headstock. I was speaking more to the grease or lack thereof and the rust. I've had bikes with 30,000 miles on them ridden in all kinds of weather that looked better.

 

[Metals 907]

Steering stem is only 38ftlbs. Might seem kinda loose to some. Looks like someone used a pressure washer on it and drove water into the headstock. Looks like rusty grease. Far from dried out.

Either way you think its a pos, i think it is a fine bike for the price. Opinions are like assholes, we've all got one. Some just stink worse than others.

 

[stevieboy]

Well there you go. Maybe POS was too much. Maybe my expectations were too high. All of the used bikes I have bought were in better condition than the bikes with the complaints on this forum. All of my new bikes were of better quality and dealer prep than the bikes with problems seen here. Maybe my problem is I should go back to the kind of bikes I usually buy. Thank you for helping me see the errors of my ways.

 

[Diploman]

If you are going to rebuild the steering stem bearings, All Balls sells a tapered roller bearing conversion kit for the 390. This is a nice and more durable upgrade from the minimalist OEM ball bearing set. We have seen before that the OEM bearings are very susceptible to water damage, which is why using water to clean your bike is problematic. Look for the 390 conversion bearings under the "Fork Conversion" section of this site.

https://www.allballsracing.com/

 

[Metals 907]

Well there you go. Maybe POS was too much. Maybe my expectations were too high. All of the used bikes I have bought were in better condition than the bikes with the complaints on this forum. All of my new bikes were of better quality and dealer prep than the bikes with problems seen here. Maybe my problem is I should go back to the kind of bikes I usually buy. Thank you for helping me see the errors of my ways.

Whatever blows your skirt up dude.

 

[stevieboy]

Its all good since these bikes seem to be retaining approximately 70% of the retail price three months after purchase.

 

[uklew15]

Hi Lads thanks for all the input, id agree that the other owner possibly used a pressure washer forcing the grease out of the headset but I still think a minimum amount of grease was used at the factory. if I was to be building these things id insist on fitting a grease nipple, I have done so on my mx bikes and the bearings last ages. Thanks for the heads up on the All Balls taper bearing kit another set of bearings I use on my mx bikes really well made. mad that I can get the all balls set for £45 and OEM set for £12! just goes to show how cheap the OEM ones really are. I don't agree that the fixings should be expected to shake loose after 3000 miles, I think it comes down to these small fixings that bolt one plastic panel to another plastic part that contain moulded in nuts cant take to much tightening as if you have even owned a mx bike the petrol tank ones always seem to have been ruined by the previous owner over tightening meaning the nut starts to spin. I just think they could use some light thread lock to resolve that issue although its good practice to check all your fixings.

Anyway back to the wheelbase out of alignment, I contacted motoliner and sent photos of the forks/yokes and they got back to me and pointed something out I didn't even notice. But if you look at the attached photo in my first post that shows a close up of the front wheel/bottom of the L/H fork look at the stanchion/dust seal...you can see a slight bend in it. So I have sent these off to them today to be straightened and to check the yokes as well, the R/H handle bar is bent also so hopefully they will bend this back. I will be posting up a good few bits for sale once they are back and fitted back in and I can replace all the other damaged parts so if their is anything you lads need let me know.

 

[Diploman]

Stevieboy, Since Simpletty has reoriented his perspective, have you taken the baton as Chief Negativist?

 

[stevieboy]

Nope. I'm just getting rid of it. Going back to something dependable and a dealer I can rely on.

 

[uklew15]

Hi lads well seems ktm are in my good books for customer service...received this email today.



might not seem like a lot but a 5 minute strongly worded email gets me £50's worth of credit! free new head bearings at the very least lol

 

[koakley]

I have a lot of experience with this issue. I have rode motorcycles my whole life and got a 2015 RC 390 for a commuter to save on gas. Well, a Tesla decided to pull out in front of a mustang which I was behind. We were both only going about 60mph. Instead of the Tesla speeding up and merging onto this one lane road they decided to completely stop. They probably got a text on their 22 inch screen. So naturally I get on both brakes after realizing I couldn't avoid left or right. The ABS and terrible OEM front brakes slid me right into the Mustang as I was leaning up on the tank trying to save it with a stoppie. Luckily I didn't scratch my Arai but I did bend forks and later on realized frame did get bent in slightly.
I still have all pics of the restoration and am riding it everyday now.
I decided to just leave the frame issue since there were no stress cracks or anything. After the new front forks and triples it barely rubbed the fairing turning left. Not bad enough for me to replace the frame on a low speed commuter. I am definitely doing something with the brakes I'll end up sharing eventually if this forum allows the pics.
Let me know if u have any questions