Building a Lightweight Adventure Motorcycle: Don't Waste Money

[@clarson2916]

Love the video. I’m in the United States. Got my first motorcycle in 2021 when I got my Covid vaccine and retired. A 2007 600cc Honda Shadow. My bike is of course not an off road bike, but I decided to just go ahead and be an underprepared dirt bag and enjoy it. I just strapped on whatever bags and camping gear I happened to have and headed out. Though I did purchase some ROK Straps, so nothing has fallen off! Meeting fully kitted out adventure riders, on Arizona desert dirt roads, while riding a Honda Shadow with gear strapped all over it like a homeless person with a motorcycle, is part of the fun. I imagine their conversations after meeting me and it makes me smile. Almost 28,000 miles now, and still a dirtbag :)

[@elgringoec]

😂👍 and it's also a kick when you smoke those big spenders!

[@jshireley]

Hey man, more power to you. BAck in the day before ADV bikes, etc. people road cruisers like that all over hill and dale and didn't think twice. People used to put knobbies on Harley's and ride 'em through the dessert all the time! It's all about the ride.

[@gorongo4202]

The best ADV bike is the bike I have today. I have had many bikes over the last 40 years and you nailed it: Ride what you have and add as you go along.

[@TheFakeFatLegitimate]

Not sure a hayabusa would quite cut it 😂

[@LeighTheHuman]

Spot on. I couldn't agree with you more. Buy the bike, ride the bike then figure out what you need. And only that. So much effort and cost goes into people who enjoy building bikes, and that's fine, but I always see these bikes clean and unscratched. My lightweight travel 501 is perfect for my TRF adventures.

[@andrewparry814]

Agree with your philosophy, whatever your choice of adventure. Start off with the minimum, get riding, then add only what is essential. Did this with my ride to Slovenia this year on a Honda Vision. After various local rides I managed to cram everything into a medium sized top box and under the seat. There was nothing to indicate I was going on a three week adventure across Europe.

[@JohannesDalenMC]

Light is right, no question about it 😁 And regards to adding a tower, I did to my 701, but I didn’t really have to. I usually don’t care about looks, but I do absolutely love the looks of a rally bike!

[@CarparkCarl]

Great to see more people with this minimal pholisophy! I have a crf 250 rally, so it has the screen (and I do like hte gps to be higher up personally) but after that, all I have put on is the double take mirrors and handguards that are not made of cheese like the stock ones. Throw some saddle bags on and that's all that's required for a few days camping. (Can we just have summer back again please? :D ) Ride safe sir!

[@BWGPEI]

I like your setup and methods. May you ride happily for years to come.

[@bmwlane8834]

I've same bike and love it!!!! I've done 400 mile days....don't normally do that but is capable. Camp with it too!.

[@robertandersson2523]

Great philosophy. After 3000kms with my new 690 Enduro I've changed the tyres and tubes to what I want. I also got wider pegs due to the wide engine.

[@Andy-co6pn]

All about saving money - buys the 6 days edition 🤣

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I deserve it, because I'm worth it! ;-)

[@Andy-co6pn]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle Definitely got that L'Oréal look 👀 chum , but yeah bling bling can never be underrated. 👍

[@zeez3139]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle you deserve the maintainance maybe because you deserve it

[@claytonharbin1151]

@@zeez3139 what

[@G58]

What’s the difference between that and the standard model? Graphics? 🙄🧐🧐😜🙈

[@TheMotivationFallacy]

Excellent video. I've been looking at all kinds of new bikes, but this video put me over the edge on keeping mine and getting it correct for me. I have a street legal XR600R that goes anywhere and everywhere. I'm gonna start with those expensive mirrors and then add the tank. You saved me at least 10k. Thx!!

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Good decision

[@inoasdh7618]

Would love to be able to get one of these in German AT A DECENT PRICE. As they've never been really officially sold here, used prices for 25 year old bikes are crazy.

[@pfcokelly]

This is my goal for my xr650l, almost there. the swivel signals and bike mirror is genius

[@elgringoec]

I have a bike mirror on my 650L!

[@HappyHermitt]

I settled on a Yamaha TW200. I will not get from a to b fast, but I will definitely find shortcuts and enjoy the scenery. Its too slow to get on major highways or freeways. Its always the backroads

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Sounds great!

[@trailwayfilms]

Nice. I've done a similar thing to my 530exc, although I fitted a cush drive rear wheel from an lc4 640 adventure. Straight swap onto my bike with no mods needed

[@C_R_O_M________]

Did you know that 500EXCs have the equivalent of a cush drive in their clutch basket to protect the gearbox from sudden loads on tarmac ridding? Maybe the 530 has it too. In that case you don't need the cush drive.

[@jckrieger]

The 530 should be based on the RFS engine and has no cush drive in the crankcase. With that said, my 525 EXC has over 16k miles and the output splines look new.

[@franckbrunie4759]

First with DR350 and DRZ made me happy just adding 20ml of oil in the forks, thicker oil, and twiddling with the settings. My first KTM got a revalved fork which provided great improvement at fairly low cost. Subsequent KTM and Husktm were fine. On all bikes, I did a service every 100 hours - except the Husktm, and each time it was worth it as well. I found out that not overtightening the fork clamps, tightening at required torque or a bit lower, and always realigning forks (especially after dropping the bike) with the adequate technique did provide for the biggest improvements.

[@DBGE001]

This is some seriously good advise!

[@WillPower46]

I have a Honda CRF300L with many thousands spent on extras as everything on this bike needed doing from new. In retro spec I should have purchased a more capable bike from new like a KTM 500exc-f in the end I would have spent a similar amount and be left with a much more capable bike.

[@golfncars5094]

I have a moded dr650 it All come s down to weight in the woods looking at Ktm 350 or 500 next

[@davidpoffenbarger3686]

For MC camping, I've been using my Africa Twin. Works exceedingly well for longer distances over paved or roads like in this vid. My concern is I ride mostly alone, which I enjoy but it's a struggle if I tip the bike over. So far, I've been able to pick it up but can see if I were to get in a really precarious situation, I could be in trouble. As such, I've been thinking of downsizing my kit a bit and using my 500EXC for more remote camping. You vid provides a lot of good ideas on how to make it so. Thanks for the information

[@dirtrider9268]

Carry the "Dirt Knapper" lift or make one with a ratchet strap and telescopic pole.

[@neonalon]

Agreed to just changing what's needed after you have tested the bike and used it. I see so many people put on crazy amounts of bling on a bike and what for? They make it sound like such a bike is unrideable when it is stock. My 350 (euro) is almost stock (uncorked) except for some protective parts for enduro and it works brilliantly. I'll add and upgrade as needed but so far I've been super happy.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I'm glad you caught the point of my video. I'm not against bling. My message was not "don't spend money" but rather "spend money where you get the best returns"

[@patrickleigh1523]

I traded in a Volcon Grunt and just got a KTM Freeride E-XC. My 23 acres borders 10's of thousands of acres of Weyerhauser and USFS land, covered with roads and almost no people. I only want to do overnight (maybe 2 or 3 nights at the same camp). I won't need much range here, I love the bike already; it is so comfortable to ride for a dirt bike and it doesn't mind just going slow. At 70 years old I don't want to put a damper on my fun by getting injured.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Excellent. I hope have some great adventures on it.

[@jamesfairmind2247]

Very sensible choices. Only suggestion to others don't buy Double Take mirrors get the Toratech folders which are half the cost, half the weight, have a fast ratchet system up and down so don't have to be fiddled with like the DT ones and also are much clearer at speed.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I have a set of Touratech mirrors which I fitted prior to changing to the Double Take mirrors. Having used both, I consider the Double Takes to be much better and worth the extra money. They are expensive, but they are extremely rugged. I've lost count of the number of times I've bashed them.

[@jamesfairmind2247]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle Were they Touratech folding mirrors?

[@insatiable_mind]

I definitely want to get some bark busters and double take mirrors. I haven’t chosen saddlebags but I have a dry bag. I have a KLR but I just got a DR250 that I want to camp on.

[@jajalifonso]

Ok, that is my philosophy, my KLR is still stock bike, 33500 miles. Your opinion, common sense and experience. Merry Christmas!!

[@twowheeledadventuresuk2739]

I defo believe in the 'light is right' philosophy, but as for what we all do with our bikes and what we spend our money on, is a purely personal thing - there is no right or wrong, just individual choice. Ive got the AS mini fairing on my bike, and a bit of extra perspex to make a screen and I love it. I ride pretty hard, and it doesn't get in the way, but it does provide a place for a USB power socket and give loads of protection at motorway speeds. It's one of the things I love about having a proper dirt bike, the customisation and opportunities to add a bit of bling are endless!

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Some people love spending money on bits for their bike, and that is a huge part of the pleasure for them. Nothing wrong with that. I'm simply sharing my philosophy. If I had more money, I'd probably buy more bling too!

[@elgringoec]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle I know there are exceptions but for the most part the people I've encountered who spend time and money on bling that's mostly for show would have benefited far more spending that time and money riding to improve their skills.

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Well thought out. 7:00 just what gets the job done. I'm debating between a Royal Enfield Himalayan or a Janus Motorcycle Gryffin 250. The later being a big jump in price but has a head turner look and design.

[@Herco28]

Going to steal that swivel indicator idea. Thumbs up.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Go for it!

[@johnyoungieyoung123]

Ohhhhh no. You need 120hp, 250 rider modes and the kitchen sink! A great little setup. I did the Baja 1000 on a stock XR650R seat and it murdered me. All my mods were about the same as yours starting with a new seat. Looks a great rig and dead sensible, people bolt too much bling on their bikes today.

[@jmiguelleite]

Nice video. Great idea the "flex" indicators bracket. Would be great if you could share a video showing it in detail. I want to make one for me. Cheers Thanks

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Thanks for the idea!

[@C_R_O_M________]

I agree about most of your decisions. Especially the plastic skid plate. I see people with aluminum ones that never ever need a bash plate, to be honest, and mine, the plastic OEM one on my 2012 500 EXC it sees rocks sliding on it, on a regular basis and never had a problem with it. It touches the frame and it's very strong plastic. Only once it got caught while reversing in a hard enduro tight spot, and it got unhinged from the rear. A simple push and it was on again. Love the simplicity. P.S. I would add a pair of plastic swingarm protectors. They are very cheap and protect those swingarms from scratches and dings. Extremely easy to install too with a few tie-ups. P.S.2 How much weight can you put at the back without risking damage to the subframe?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

No idea how much weight the back will take, but not much I think. I have a separate video on my luggage, which totals around 15kg.

[@AddictedtoProjects]

Thank you so much for making this video. For once, not clickbait! 😄 If you don't mind, I've got two burning questions on my mind: 1.) How much time/miles do you spend between oil changes? 2.) what's the longest distance you've ridden the bike on? (Ever gone abroad on it?) Thank you so much! 🙏

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Thanks for that comment! I don't do click bait. I'm not looking for a high number of views, just to share my enjoyment of biking. I mainly use my KTM for short trips in the UK. Usually it is 3 - 4 days. The longest I have done is 2 weeks. I'm not doing high miles each day, so only 80 - 150 mile each day. The longest I have gone between oil changes is 45 hours. I usually change it at 30 hours. (service manual is 15 hours, but that is for racing use). Even after 45 hours the oil came out clean. I do a lot of longer distance touring overseas, but usually that is on a rental bike or on one of my larger bikes. (I typically ride 25,000 - 35,000 miles each year).

[@adonysmares9146]

Hello there. I advice you to look at a diy video of making a windshield. It's very very cheap and funny to make. You can try it if you consider putting 4 bolts in your bikes headlight part :D

[@xXxBo5sANaCxXx]

450 EXC? Isnt that high performance engine that has very short maintenance intervals?

[@vascoteves]

great video. thanks for sharing. i have a 2007 Husaberg Enduro 450 and also am considering some slight mods for adventure riding

[@corvus400]

Cool motorcycle and setup!

[@elvispusley3515]

Everything is expensive, buy quality or pay twice. Nice bike guy.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Yes. Well said. I don't regret buying expensive items such as the doubletake mirrors and the seat and panniers as they are all still going strong and giving me good service.

[@yz125fun5]

Loved this, very informative. Thanks very much. I want to get an off road bike to do long distance trail riding but don't want a softly suspended heavy bike. I'm looking at an enduro bike so this is a great video for me. Thanks.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thevinceperspective9506]

Would like to know what you did for those rear indicator brackets

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I made them myself using a couple of cheap brackets from a hardware store.

[@DBGE001]

Very, very sensible bike! I would do almost exactly the same. The only thing I would change is the bike itself, today we have the KOVE 450 Rally (145 kg dry) with 31 liters of very low sitting fuel capacity as standard.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

There is a growing range of good lightweight adventure bikes. I think that manufacturers are switching on to the fact that this is a growing sector as big adventure bikes become bigger and bigger each year.

[@ktmtravels3727]

From memory, I think the 450 is around 100/110 kgs.

[@gazinsalta]

Love it! Very useful. Thank you from Argentina!

[@nosiismulmutkylsulki]

I like the way you think.

[@ukadventures5660]

Excellent video. Best to travel light

[@stephencustance3822]

Hi, loved the modifications. Could you send me details of the ignition switch and the mirror you use when standing up out of the saddle. Take care Steve

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I bought the small mirror in a local bicycle shop. I have no idea what brand it is. The ignition switch is off Ebay. it cost £2.50 including postage & came with 3 keys!

[@ktmtravels3727]

I use the same mirrors, very cheap on ebay also👍

[@tru3sk1ll]

Great mods buddy, appreciate the video - from california

[@aGentleUser]

Very well! Just beside that a "race bike" is not that cheap, and its maintenance intervalls are usually worse. Ride safe!

[@aprikasoul]

Totally agree. Did you do anything to extend the intervals of oil/filter change?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I have not made any mods to extend the oil changes, but when trail riding rather than racing it is fine to extend the. I have just completed a 2,500 mile ride and changed the oil on my return. It was still pretty clean.

[@ViscountAlbany]

How is it like maintaining enduro race bikes when ridden long distances? Some people talk about oil changes every 5 hours and stuff, but obviously you're not doing that on rides. How long between services?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I've started a separate channel for my adventure riding and I discuss this point in several of my videos. You can check them out at: kzbin.info/door/Ndf1kLLuKZL5UE2DDNn9Ig

[@sanu5308]

Really liked your minimalist approach. May I know the orange plastic protection that you have on your silencer to protect the saddle bags? How do you charge the Garmin Montana? My Montana died while charging on the motorcycle and Garmin blamed the USB charger. So, I'm looking for a quality charger and I'm sure yours is a reliable one since you have been using for sometime. Thanks again for sharing a really useful Adv build.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Hello Sanu. I have my GPS wired to the battery, with an inline fuse and an on/off switch to the power feed. I'll maybe make a short video on how I wired it.

[@BartoszBanachewicz]

Hi, 500EXC owner here. Can you share your solution for the tail tidy/plate holder? Having some issues with mine, can't seem to find a good setup. Cheers!

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Home made from bits & pieces in my workshop!

[@goninm27]

got the same bags but im afraid the right strap that goes on the right side of the chassis, isnt it to close to the manifold? doesnt get burnt?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

No. I've been using these regularly for 6 years and never had an issue

[@billymagee9650]

Just watched this and great video as I’ve got a 350 exc f and was wondering is it suitable for the tet in France /hollamd etc ( I’m in Northern Ireland ) was worried id blow the engine up riding so long but could defo change the oil ever 30 hours if that would keep it safe

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Hi Billy. I just returned from riding the TET to Sweden and Norway on my EXC450. I've moved all my off-raod stiff to a separate channel "Off The Tarmac". I will be posting videos about the trip, and tips and advice on that channel over the next few weeks: kzbin.info/door/Ndf1kLLuKZL5UE2DDNn9Ig

[@glynshufflebotham6301]

I have recently bought a 450 and love the bike, I’m looking to get a concept seat where in the UK can I get one, also do you think it needs a starting damper, it feels a a bit squirmy at speed?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I bought my seat from the USA (beware - large import duties😒 )

[@theSquashSH]

I put 100hr on mine and I still feel like I badly need a mako 360 and a tall front screen 😢 $2500 expense coming up... The problem is all the best riding is 3hr away from the city, so it takes a lot of highway to get there, and then it's really big ruts and rocky climbs that make the bars leap out of your hands when you get there. My neck hurts, my hands hurt, my joints hurt, everything hurts, but maybe hurting my wallet to fix the rest will be worth it.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Sounds like a lot of highway work. Makes me feel fortunate that good riding is right on my doorstep.

[@ahmedelayan6719]

Have you got a link to the mirror clamps? I've got a set of double take mirrors to install and want to avoid a separate clamp on the bars as you have.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

The clamps I use came with the mirrors.

[@mikeisland7382]

Great idea on the standing mirror.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Thank you! 😊

[@jakewilliams3950]

Hey mate interesting video and points you’re making here. I’ve always been put off getting a more serious enduro bike for greenlaning/loading up with luggage etc because of the service intervals, weaker rear subframes, crap lights etc. can I ask what service stuff you’re doing when? Maybe oil and filters every 2500 miles then piston/rings/valves etc maybe 4000? I guess the maintenance chills out a lot when you’re not racing them cheers. Oh and how’d you find on the road for an hour or two getting to the lanes?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Hi Jake. For green laning and touring the engine is put under nowhere near as much stress as racing. Normally I change the oil every 30 to 40 hours of engine running time when I'm riding locally. When touring I change it before I set off and after I get home (2,500 mile trip this summer and the oil way still clean when I changed it). I check the valves every 6 months and have never had to re-shim them yet, and I'm on the original piston and rings after over 10,000 miles. I travel very light, and the location of the Kiega OS system puts very little stress on the rear. Road work is fine - I just keep the speed to about 65mph. This summer I did a lot of road work across Europe, including 360 miles in one day. I have upgraded to a new LED headlight this year as the original light is not great. I read so much online from keyboard warriors about the unreliability of of KTMs and their unsuitability for adventure touring - and yet here I am enjoying touring all over on mine. And so are several of my friends and other people I know. I'm sure some people have had problems with KTMs, but that's true of all bikes, and most people I meet who badmouth KTMs have never owned one. The no.1 issue for me is that it is a fun bike to ride, on and off road. I have owned bigger adventure bikes, but much prefer the weight and size of my little KTM for 'adventure' riding. Dry weight of 110kg! Compare that to the bloated adventure bikes out there. Even so-called lightweight adventure bikes are much heavier. The new Royal Enfield Himalayan is 181kg dry and the Honda CRF300 Rally is 153kg. Both are woefully underpowered compared to the KTM (but good bikes, none the less). My only warning if you are considering buying a KTM EXC or similar enduro bike is to be careful of the second hand market. I have seen first-hand that they are bikes that tend to be ragged and abused, and you can end up buying a pile of trouble. Check out my Swedish TET videos and see the heap of trouble my poor friend Brian had after buying a second hand CCM.

[@jakewilliams3950]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle thanks for the reply! That doesn’t sound too bad reliability wise. Do you know if they sell lowering links for them? I’m about 5’10 and 75kg so don’t imagine I’d be able to get much more than tips of my toes down. Oh sorry to hear about your mate Brian, I’ll check out the video!

[@jakewilliams3950]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle thanks for the reply! Sorry to hear about your mate Brian. struggling to find the video on your channel. Which ccm was it? The gp450?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

@@jakewilliams3950 Sorry! I have a separate channel for my adventure riding videos: "Off The Tarmac" kzbin.info/door/Ndf1kLLuKZL5UE2DDNn9Ig

[@0103monk]

how do you do it with the service interval? arrn´t they in Hoers instead of km/miles? every 30h servicing? how could this work?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

The service intervals specified by KTM are for racing. I change the oil every 30 - 40 hours and it is still very clean when it comes out. A typical riding day is usually only about 5 hours running time (8 hours on the road), so that means I can do a trip of a couple of weeks without needing to change the oil. I check the valves at the same time, but in 100's of hours of running I've never changed a shim. It's still on the original piston too.

[@0103monk]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle thx for your answer. that makes sence for someone who are able to check the valves. i guess for me its not possible, so i have to give it to the dealers hands :)

[@ErnestShapovalov]

that seems to be an overkill, why not opting for 890 r? I own 1290s 2021', and 350 2023' the latter was my pick for mountains. though I'd swap both for 2023' 890, but it's hard to get hands on in my country at the moment.

[@pnworvandmore]

im from wa state very helpful information i plan to do a budget adv bike for under 3000 usd with a yamaha 250f or 426f

[@luisp3897]

Hola. Buen vídeo. Podría decirme cada cuanto hace el mantenimiento en ese tipo de moto? Muchas gracias. Un saludo

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

It is a racing bike therefore the maintenance schedule is in engine running hours rather than mileage. You need to change the oil quite frequently because the engine don't hold much oil so it is working harder - I assume to keep the weight down. The KTM manual suggests an oil change every 15 hours, but this is for racing. I have found that 30 hours is fine, but it depends on what kind of riding I am doing.

[@timothybroga1704]

Did you change the front springs for the load on the bike as well

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

No. I checked the sag both front and rear and the front was fine.

[@maxflight777]

I like the seat concepts seat… but im curious, can you buy them in the UK ? Did you end up paying import taxes ?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

You can either buy direct from USA and pay import taxes, or a couple of UK shops will import them for you. The cost either way seems to be similar.

[@TheIdlesurfer]

For a dedicated lanes bike, a tower is, I agree, pointless. Johannes, we've chatted towers before. The 701 is a light adventure bike with a tower. Without a tower, it is an uncomfortable, over heavy and over powered trail bike. I have a lightweight FE350. My bike was the test mule for Nomad ADV so I got my prototype tower for free but on a 350 which really does minimal roadwork, it is not something I'd pay for. If I'm doing road miles, the 701 is my choice, with a tower and Seat Concepts seat, same mirrors and Moskomoto 40 reckless with a 30 ish litre roll bag, so about 70 litres. Plenty enough for lightweight camping. After spending far too much money experimenting, I've got pretty well the same set up as you, apart from bashplate. I've got some bloody great dents in my bashplate that would have taken out an engine cover. One was a big rock in long grass in Finland, in the Arctic North, about 150km from the nearest fuel station. I've never really twatted rocks in UK, though.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Thanks for sharing. Quite a few of my friends are now riding 701s and I agree, with a larger bike like that, a tower makes more sense. However, for the riding I do, my 450 is perfect. For longer trips I am using my Triumph Scrambler, but of course, that limits off-road riding to easier trails.

[@jobiah]

Great build and like the ethos. Has the luggage strap close the exhaust pipe caused any issues or did you add protection? How much clearance is there between the strap and the pipe? It looks like only a few mm from the video.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I have installed some extra heat shield and a silicon heat proof cover. The strap is close to the exhaust but I've had no issues with a lot of use of the bags.

[@teknolojiekibi1]

well, how much engine life will be for this bike? How much km after you will make rebuild the engine? I am using honda crf250l because of this engine life problem. But, power of crf is not enought and weight of crf is much.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I'm not racing my KTM therefore I'm probably stressing the engine less than you are stressing your CRF. Seven years of riding it so far, several thousand miles and no engine issues. Not even had to change the valve shims, although I check them regularly.

[@teknolojiekibi1]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle Thank you for your response.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

@@teknolojiekibi1 I'm just sharing my own experience. Others may have had different experiences, but mine has been all good so far. I have ridden the CRF250 extensively (see my Himalayan Motorcycle Adventure video) and I have to say that the KTM is so much more fun to ride.

[@teknolojiekibi1]

​@@SongsFromTheSaddleI am sure that KTM have much fun. Honda don't have enought power, suspensions not enouht and it is heavy. So, I am thinking to change it. But, my brain is playing with me. I am examining scramblers and t7 for example same time. I don't know maybe vibration of honda is directing me to big bikes. Can you advice me somethink. I don't want much vibration like crf. But I don't want heavy bike same time.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

@@teknolojiekibi1 It depends on what terrain you will be riding. If you have watched any of my off-road riding videos, I take my 450 places I would not be confident taking a T7, which is much bigger and heavier. The T7 is a lovely bike, but I probably wouldn't take it anywhere I'm not equally happy to take my Scrambler. I don't think there is an ideal allrounder. In my experience, a major factor is what your riding buddies ride. It helps to be on similar sized/powered bikes.

[@mariantotelecan5891]

You have confirmed that I am going in right direction.

[@sandrider1406]

Are you using the stock gearing and if not what are you using? Great video.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I've now changed the chain and sprockets several times and I've always stuck with the standard gearing. I was out on the bike yesterday and with standard gearing I have no problem doing 70 for a stretch down the highway, with plenty extra for overtakes, should I need it.

[@tonybrown6212]

What switch unit did you use to replace the horn/lights/indicator/kill & ignition ?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Standard KTM unit - they make one for the EXC range.

[@BikerBill603]

Great video, nice touch with the ignition. This was my main worry. Have you got a link for it please?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Hi Billy. I bought the ignition switch off Ebay for about £3 and wired it in myself. I'm reluctant to make a video about how I wired it, as that would tell potential thieves how to remove and bypass it. My main reason for fitting it was simply to be able to walk away from the bike at places such as petrol stations (i.e. going in to pay) without the fear that someone could just jump on the bike and ride away - something that has happened to many people with Enduro bikes.

[@sandrider1406]

No didn’t mention hearing?? Have you changed any sprockets for road use?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Standard gearing.

[@johannescarlsson4559]

About comfort, how's vibrations on the EXC? Some puts on a cush hub for longer journeys

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I agree that a cush hub is a good mod. I may look at that sometime. Vibs are not too bad, but it is a big single!

[@johannescarlsson4559]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle i find vibrations is the biggest comfort issue that's hard to fix. Power/weight/vibrations(comfort)/service equation is where we look for unicorns

[@markeverson5849]

You didn't mention what kind of a motorcycle you have? I tried to identify it and cannot

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

This bike is a KTM EXC-F 450 6-day edition.

[@Cees1984]

Really Nice conversion 👌, i have KTM 350exc and sometimes ride the tet route in netherlands and belgium.

[@albericnoncle9156]

Hi, I al from Belgium, so a lot of roads… hoe is the 350 On! the road? And for TET?

[@Cees1984]

@@albericnoncle9156 Hello Alberic, the 350 is really Nice in the forrest and a good practice Bike for slow technical riding. I also use it in the moto-cross and enduro track. On the road it’s not ideal and the Bike also needs more maintenance then a adventure bike. It all comes down to : what do you ride the most? Grtz Cees

[@garyhooper1820]

Thanks for the look see .

[@fish0n2]

I like your setup, one quick question what is the most days your have done on a trip with your setup

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

2 weeks is the longest with this bike, but much longer on a previous bikes with similar setup before I started making KZbin videos

[@laurenceharper4225]

Hi, the guy didn't tell us what make and model the bike he modified is.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Its a KTM EXC450. But I wasn't talking specifically about that bike, but rather the general principle.

[@BiztoryTime]

Ive hd Both a 690 and a 500 exc. the 500 is muuuuch more reliable, holds less oil and is way easier to work on. And the grin while on the 500 is double the size than that while on the 690.. I love both bikes don’t get me wrong but the 500 makes much more sense if you wanna hit unicorn territory

[@stevecarmack6267]

I’ve been riding a 690 on local rides and have used it on the TAT from the Atlantic to Utah. I’m really leaning towards trying the 500. Lighter may equal more fun 👍

[@BiztoryTime]

@@stevecarmack6267 definitely go that way imo!

[@finesoul677]

How much lighter is it fully loaded? And more importantly what are the service intervals on the 500 compared to the 690?

[@BiztoryTime]

@@finesoul677 the service intervals from hard off-road use is 1500km but you can easily stretch it to 2500km. And and oil+filter change takes 15 minutes and can be done on the road easily. And as long as you keep up with oil the engine is pretty much indestructible. RTW Paul has one with 150.000 km (90.000k ish miles) before rebuild. Fully loaded and fueled ready to go it weighs in at around 120 kg. The 690 is about 30-40 kgs heavier fueled and ready to go. The intervals are much longer BUT way more complicated and expensive. On top of that it’s prone to many defects. The rocker arm issue has kind of been fixes since 2021 onwards but the engines still grenade themselves and other problems too. And they are not that much more comfortable than the 500. I bought a 701 earlier this year only cus I need the option of riding 2 up occasionally which is not legal on the 500. Hope it helps . Feel free to ask if there’s anything

[@karolisstarkutis2950]

Hey!Great bike.Can I ask how many moto hours you done in 4 years of ridding?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Not as many as I'd like, as I own 6 other bikes as well!

[@antonio.a.soares]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I am in process to downsizing my bike. Currently i ride an Africa Twin crf1000 and i love it. But, as i go deeper in offroading (not enduro, just trails) i realize that i don't need to carry so mucht weight (and expensive fairings). So i am wandering around ex enduro bikes and civilizing-it as you did. But, does the maintenance become an issue? How do you manage that? I don't want to change oil every 1K km neither change piston every 30h. Of course I will not race, but where is the limit?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I have found (and many of my KTM riding friends agree) that if you are not racing then you can push the oil changes out to 30 hours. For the first couple of years I changed the oil every 15 - 20 hours and it was coming out as clean as it went in. My bike has done 7,000 miles/250 hours on the original piston. No problems. There is a world of difference between thrashing an engine if you are racing and normal riding.

[@richardvalitalo3670]

Get a 2nd bike. The skills will improve, more trip options!

[@antonio.a.soares]

I just did. I bought a 2001 DRZ400.

[@DirtyDovi]

Great video bro, and My Thoughts Exactly! I've been in the riding game long enough that 1 I learned this from the very beginning, and 2 - Three decades later, I'm still doing the Exact Same Thing! In Our case - it's just nice to see that the components that we use and would like to use are becoming more available and also made of better design / quality! [I used to have to custom fabricate a lot of what went onto my [and other's] bikes in the past] 🤘😎 Sam -

[@nickg2431]

No offence good sir,you seem like a nice fella and enjoy your riding but it always puzzles me why people buy an full on enduro bike for gentle trail riding.As soon as you put a big load of luggage on ,it ruins the handling and the ability to travel"advantageously quickly "over difficult terrain.Surely thats the whole point of having an enduro bike.For this kind of pleasant days out a drz400 would be more than enough and a 'better" choice

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

See my earlier video on why I sold my DRZ400 and replaced it with the KTM

[@tommohighpark]

Hi we're abouts did you get the mirrors please

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

www.doubletakemirror.com/ Lots of retailers on Ebay and Amazon. Doubletake mirrors. Don't buy cheap copies.

[@G58]

I’m unclear in which way you’re building a lightweight adventure bike here. All you’re doing is spending £7,000 plus on an off-road bike, paying the DVLA for the right to ride it on the road, then changing the tank and adding a few accessories. There are obvious downsides to this setup. One is the short service intervals - which is an obvious deal breaker for any serious rider actually contemplating embarking on actual adventures. Don’t get me wrong, I agree that most if not all lower capacity ADV bikes today are too heavy. They are also way too complicated. But my priorities are reliability, low weight and simplicity. I want a tried and tested engine that is low maintenance, economical and problem free. So, that means losing the EFI and fitting a carburettor, and mounting the engine in a well designed frame. The thing will probably cost me £5,000 in the end, but I will have actually designed and built it myself. So far I’ve got the engine (F650 Dakar), frame (which still needs modifying), forks, tank and mudguards.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

You have to go with what works for you. I've been riding for over 40 years and have travelled all over the world on a wide variety of bikes. This setup is one of the best I've had. It works for me for the use I put it to. It may not be for you - that's fine with me!

[@jameswalsh2454]

Your doing it right for sure ...i always laugh at these big bikes you can't pick up in the mud, and wtf are windscreens on dirtbikes all about lol ....only thing i would change is your mirrors , i ride without as theres no substitute for looking over your shoulder and find mirrors distracting but if you want them get yourself the ones that flip out of the handgaurds

[@TheBigBraap]

great vid👍love your approach to making it work for you - ive never seen the flexi indicators idea, nice.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Thanks! 👍

[@fatpigeonadventurerider2118]

Great video and presentation, just out of interest what is the oil service intervals?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Schedule is 15 hours, but that is for racing. I have experimented over the 5 years I've owned the bike, and now push it out to 30 hours or 40 if I am on a longer trip. I'm only bumbling along, so the engine is not highly stressed.

[@fatpigeonadventurerider2118]

How much oil on each service and how often is the oil filter changed? Some how I can't see it working for me, I travel for many weeks at a time and most days 6 to 10 hrs riding per day.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Oil change is 1.2 litres and I change the filter every time with the oil. If you are out for a full day riding, you find that actual riding time is usually only about 5 hours. So I change the oil every 6 - 8 days of riding. The oil and filter change only take 10 minutes and you only need 2 tools (both in KTM supplied tool kit) so it's a very easy job. I've made a video of the oil change process.

[@DevNull66]

Did you have to do anything to get it street legal in the UK, e.g. reduce power, different exhaust or so?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

The EXC comes street legal in the UK

[@sanjayg5780]

Awesome video.

[@mdavidlem]

Excellent video, and I like your philosophy. The one minor thing I would change is how you mounted the RAM ball mount for your Montana. The threads of the u-bolt sticking out are facing you, the rider. One more dangerous thing sticking out could injure you even though they are covered by rubber thingies. Just reverse the entire thing and have the mount and the threads on the front side of the handlebar. I have a similar setup, and if the u-bolt threads are too long just hack saw the off.

[@deltaskyhawk]

Is there any place in UK that is dry?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Only during the dry season, which is usually 3 days late in June.

[@pufifa]

How many miles does it take for an oil changes with these exc's?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I change mine every 30-40 hours riding time.

[@pufifa]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle thanks! 👍

[@timmoore6656]

@@pufifa The manual says to change the oil every 15hrs but I think that’s for racing not for normal easy riding.

[@gradocchio]

Great video, i'm torn between the (heavy) KTM 690 Enduro R and one of the lightweight 450-500 EXC-F's. The one thing that concerns me is the maintenance intervals as I don't have a garage to work on it.. It will have some road use also, which will rack up the hours/miles even faster..

[@shaddybros3566]

Buy the 500 a New Zealander did 50,000km before he had to replace the top end, here's the link to with the interview talks about the build, and his trips kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXbJln5qhL2fmKM

[@BiztoryTime]

Ive hd Both a 690 and a 500 exc. the 500 is muuuuch more reliable, holds less oil and is way easier to work on. And the grin while on the 500 is double the size than that while on the 690.. I love both bikes don’t get me wrong but the 500 makes much more sense if you wanna hit unicorn territory

[@dirtrider9268]

Changing oil is quick on the 500, wherever you are.

[@BiztoryTime]

@@dirtrider9268 exactly

[@mikemerrill175]

Love everything about ADV riding except the idea of camping.😂

[@Jonathan-L]

That's a nice build. I like that silicone muffler skin ... nifty indeed.

[@nastybasement6232]

Great ! How many kilometers with one piston for a 450 EXC ?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

7,500km so far on original piston and never needed to re-shim the valves

[@nastybasement6232]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle thanks !

[@antonstagge6824]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle That’s great! Hos often do you change oil then?

[@patrolduty8715]

To be honest, I will invest few more dollar to add exhause pipe protection. If you crash and the hot exhaust pipe sitting on your body, it will not be pleasant experience.

[@spymaine89]

excellent , my philosophy.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Glad you agree!

[@michamarynowski9917]

Nice bike, however its again one of those bikes where the necessary mods are still quite expensive. Did you sum up your expenses. Based on you list it's easy 2K+ EUR of upgrade. Wouldn't call it minimalist. I just sewed me a rackless system and drybags, similar to givi, am about to buy a progressive rear spring and bash plate. Cost all together 200 EUR. No more. Nevertheless nice project of yours.

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

I wouldn't call my bike a low-cost project. The bike before any mods was very expensive. You could create a great bike for a lot less money. I used to ride a Suzuki DRZ400 which cost only £1,400.

[@Motovibes91]

Tenere 700 not an option for you?

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Yes it is an option. great bike.

[@ashleyjohns1235]

Can I ask the cost of the seat .

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

It was about £350 UK, which included shipping from USA

[@ashleyjohns1235]

@@SongsFromTheSaddle many thanks for your reply I'm planning a very similar set . 2023 . 450 excr . Six days. Can I ask didn't you doing anything to the rear to take the weight of the luggage. Great video. Very helpful. Ash

[@shadowdance4666]

Nice fork

[@gnarlybadger690]

Nice setup 👍

[@SongsFromTheSaddle]

Glad you think so!