(Ready to) Race Against The Machine

[chevaliernoir]

Hello from France.
Sorry for my French accent ("but it's so cute!")
I plan to describe here the motivation, evolutions, and feedback about my RC390.
I will try to update this first post with the complete list of changes done, and link to individual description and feedback (or at least a picture).

So, I'm now 47; long distance rider over the world (on 640 Adventure, then 990 Adventure), and for the first time on modern sport bike (Yes, I exclude my T100R Daytona).
I spend a lot of time in the workshop to build, modify and maintain motorcycle, mainly old ones.
I work in engine management system for motorcycle. It could be usefull!
My motivation for RC390 was to have a bike "Ready To race", where I would save time in the workshop.
Let's face it : I completely failed on this point : I can't resist to modify the bike.

All modifications are lead by the same motivation :
I want the bike optimized for track, but still usable on the road, on a low budget.

I'm not a racer, and my laps time are not competitive, but this is like my school track bike. (I go 5 to 10 times a year on track)
As I want to keep it usable on the road, I have to keep somehow the legal equipment.

So the bike is RC390 from 2015, bought 2nd hand, 7000km, 3700€
It was already equipped with :
- tank grip (from ktm powerparts)
- front/back crash pads
Modification I did :
- Sticker removal
- custom rear light/licence plate/turn indicators
- KTM racing windshield (finally I removed it while going to Tyga front fairing)
- Tyga racing seat
- Tyga belly pan
- passenger footpegs removal
- chain protection removal
- Chinese low cost rear set
- low stroke grip
- Tyres Dunlop Alpha 13
- R6 schock absorber
- "prepared" fork
- Front brake pads
- cylinder head exhaust port rework
- custom exhaust line
- Termignoni muffler
- Power Commander V
- Lithium battery
- Tyga front fairing
- light LED lense headlight "999" style
- custom 3D printed intake
- oversized air filter
- Linear O2 sensor + display

Could come later on :
- smartphone holder integrated in battery cover and fast Bluetooth GPS, for track recording.
- ABS removal
- Radiator change

The nickname of the bike is : "(Ready to) Race against the Machine"
Let's go!

 

[Andy]

Regards to the future radiator change I've found that any overheating issues are not so prevalent in Europe (UK).

All I did was remove the rubber shroud, fit a high pressure cap (AS3), fit Samco hoses and use a high quality coolant (Motul).

Sent from my HUAWEI M2-801W using Tapatalk

 

[chevaliernoir]

My point about the radiator is not really to improve cooling (I think cooling is critical on that bike in slow traffic more than on race track where the speed is higher).
I understand that this rubber sheet removal could be efficient, as you experienced

My point is more to improve clearance with the exhaust header that I modified.
I think radiator from SV650 (only some specific years) and top radiator of SV1000/TL1000 could be possible options... I still have to check if they won't be too much exposed in case of crash....

About improving cooling in traffic, I think to an other option : to change the fan driver.
Today it's just a relay. But as long as therelay is not driven, all the exhaust heat is sent to the radiator just above, and the fan and plastic make the radiator ineficient.
My idea is, in stand by, to drive the fan at very low speed, just to avoid the header heat to come up to the radiator.

I will keep informed of these ideas, of course

 

[chevaliernoir]

First ride this week and ... It works.
Exhaust make a nice sound, and not too loud.
No parasitic vibration on the 3D printed intake and exhaust lines.
The AFR gauge at dashboard works properly too. I will use it to make the raw calibration of PCV.

 

[John390]

couple of questions if you don't mind?

what did you do to "prepare" the fork?? I'd be interested.

and how do you like the Alpha 13's over the stock tire? I have a set that I haven't installed yet.

Oh, and for the wideband AFR meter, did you install a second O2 sensor bung and put it there? Or did you put it in place of the original? Or did you just stick it in the tailpipe for temporary use?

Merci beaucoup!

 

[chevaliernoir]

About reparing the fork, as I have a target to keep budget low (I will be much faster if I spend my money in racing training than in racing parts), so andreani is not an option.
My KTM dealer is also a recognized off road suspension designer and tuner. He already prepaed RC390 Fork by milling some inside parts and add a cistom cartridge inside. I do not remember the price, but this was still quite expensive.
Then I found a second hand "prepared fork", at low price, from a racing team. The guy was not able to explain what was the "preparation". He just know that the fork went to his mechanic, and is much better now. I suspect it could be only a specific spring and oil change, and maybe no further preparation. Frankly, I do not know.

About Alpha13, to be honest I used it because this is the only tire allowed at the RC cup, so I imagine it fit perfectly the bike for track usage.
The tire is very narrow, the the bike handeling seems better, for me, and I feel more confident on track. But it's always to distinguish the psychologic effect and the real one.

About AFR meter, I installed an additional Bung in the exhaust line. I want to keep the closed loop control.
Here is the exhaust line description.

 

[John390]

thanks! Appreciate it

 

[chevaliernoir]

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

 

[chevaliernoir]

Few words about my track-still legal modification.
It is about the rear light, licence plate.
My goal is to remain street legal, but be able to have a track configuration easily

So I removed the fender + tail light + licence plate holder + turn indicators, and built a unique small part that integrates everything.
I reuse the small light turn indicators, and used a light rear light integrating licence plate light.

The weight of what I added is :
- home made holder : 224 g
- rear light : 68g
TOTAL = 292g

Compared to what I removed :
- licence plate holder = 997g
- rear light and bezel = 789g
TOTAL = 1786g

Saving = almost 1.5 kg

The interest is not only about weight, it's also that I only need 2 screws to plug it (or unplug) to the bike.
I reuse the same electric connectors, so it's really "Ready to Race"

 

[chevaliernoir]

Bad news : I traveled about 11 km, yesterday, in traffic but without over heat.
The fan switch on once (so it works)

Then, 4 hours later, hard to restart...
But when I switch OFF,n then it restart easily.

After 1 hour or so parked, the restart is difficult... and a lot of white/blue smoke is coming in the first minute.
I have smell of cooling liquid too.

My oil is more "milk chocolate" than "Expresso cofee"

I imagine i blown my head gasket.




In addition to the head gasket itself (and oil filter, oil and cooling liquid) is there some other fourniture to buy for the change?
(Chad I contact you separately to know how I can get your improved head gasket.)

 

[John390]

dammit...sorry to hear this

 

[=maz=]

Sorry to hear the bad news.

 

[Lima6]

Sorry to hear, hope you come back better and stronger after you fix this! Will you be fixing it yourself?

 

[chevaliernoir]

Sorry to hear, hope you come back better and stronger after you fix this! Will you be fixing it yourself?

I went this morning to my lovely KTM dealer.
The labor would cost around 350€ (400 USD), and could be done for mid June only.
So I decided to do it by myself.
The KTM workshop boss confirmed me that there is no mistake in the workshop manual.
(I asked him because the 990 Adventure woirkshop manual has many dagerous mistakes inside)

Then job started

The job is quite straight forward. It wads good for me to follow the workshop manual, otherwise I would have started by removing the tank, and this is in fact not needed
2 hours later (I work slow), the engine is on the bench. ,Time for a beer!

 

[chevaliernoir]

Oh I forgot. There is one thing that did not get well. It's about disconnecting the clutch cable. I understood that you need to bend the holder. I don't like that (and did not succed.
So I unscrew the cable holder, and to my surprise, pulling upward, the complete mechanisme went out of the engine.
So at the end it is very easy.
But is it normal?

 

[Andy]

Oh I forgot. There is one thing that did not get well. It's about disconnecting the clutch cable. I understood that you need to bend the holder. I don't like that (and did not succed.
So I unscrew the cable holder, and to my surprise, pulling upward, the complete mechanisme went out of the engine.
So at the end it is very easy.
But is it normal?

I'm pretty certain mine didn't just pull out?

A small screwdriver is ample to bend that tab up.

Sent from my HUAWEI M2-801W using Tapatalk

 

[chevaliernoir]

And one hour later... (I told you I work slow!)

Confirmation head gasket is dead

 

[=maz=]

Glad to hear you found the cause.

Will you be getting the new head design, and replacing the current head, and matching gasket?

 

[John390]

yes, get the updated head! and all the associated parts.

make it more reliable and, I suspect, flowing better

 

[chevaliernoir]

Do you write about new head, or new head gasket?
I did not know there was an evolution (I should read this forum more carefully)
In any case I do not plan to change the head, at least for cost reason.