Mofo's 690 Duke

[mangocrazy]

At the same time as the decat I put it in to my dealer (Redline in Loughborough) to have the 'Akra map' loaded. I didn't want to run it without having the fuelling adjusted to suit. It goes really well now, but the low speed fuelling has always been snatchy. I took it to BSD Performance in November and they remapped it to fix those issues. And that's another reason why I want to get out on it, to see what kind of improvement it's made.

[Supermofo]

I think mine might be going out today, got some errands to run and whilst it's dry and mild gonna get another quick bike fix rather than take the car.

Defo post up your thoughts on the BSD mapping and fork changes, I've been following your thread as well.

[weeksy]

I think mine might be going out today, got some errands to run and whilst it's dry and mild gonna get another quick bike fix rather than take the car.

Defo post up your thoughts on the BSD mapping and fork changes, I've been following your thread as well.

Might as well give it a last run-out before getting the XSR

[Supermofo]

I think mine might be going out today, got some errands to run and whilst it's dry and mild gonna get another quick bike fix rather than take the car.

Defo post up your thoughts on the BSD mapping and fork changes, I've been following your thread as well.

Might as well give it a last run-out before getting the XSR

Just can't see that happening this year Furlough ends for the Mrs in April and the travel industry is knackered so until I know we've got 2 incomes I can't justify a new bike when I've got one all paid for. If that changes then I'll be on it, but I think it'll be 2022 at the earliest now. Pity as I saw the perfect Tracer 900 the other week, 18 months old and 600 miles. Like new it was but with a healthy discount.

On the plus side I've just put new tyres on and about to fork out £350-400 on a valve service so might as well get my moneys worth this summer on the Duke And I still enjoy riding/owning the Duke so not much of a hardship.

[mangocrazy]

I think mine might be going out today, got some errands to run and whilst it's dry and mild gonna get another quick bike fix rather than take the car.

Defo post up your thoughts on the BSD mapping and fork changes, I've been following your thread as well.

I'll add more to my thread after I've ridden it, but I went to Andy at BSD in Nov 2019 to see what he could do about the low speed fuelling, but all the maps were write-protected and he could only read them. This time round (Nov 2020) he had software that allows 'access all areas' so he's really been able to go to town. He's got the low speed fuelling in the closed loop sorted and he's also updated the throttle map (it's a fly by wire throttle) to soften the initial power delivery in the lower gears. You still get full gas at WOT but the early part of the throttle action is softer. I could even notice the difference driving the bike up the ramp into my van - much easier to control.

Really, really, REALLY looking forward to getting out on it...

[Supermofo]

Hmmm. Left the battery in the bike after riding it Sat when I did 80 miles and I had it on charge Fri night. When I connected the charger it went to maintain about 30 secs after connecting it so assumed all good.

Today turned the key and it did the dash sweep hit the start button and it started straight away but I got a FI light and the rev counter dropped to 0 whilst the clocks came up with soft error 4.1 Dat .0. It then cleared and the rev counter went back to the actual revs. Done a quick search and sounds like it could be battery related? Given that it was running fine I did what I needed to do with the engine running and ended up doing about 40 miles. Came home turned the bike off, back on and it started fine with no error codes. Odd. So could be the battery is dying but will keep an eye on it. For now I'll bring the battery back in the house and put it on charge anyway.

Nice ride though

[Supermofo]

I've just remembered I had a random error code once before about 4 years ago. Gave me an error but no sign since...so hopefully it's just random KTM-ness. I'll bring the battery in anyway....maybe tomorrow so I can test it with leaving it overnight and seeing it starts fine tomorrow.

[Dodgy69]

Have you got an optimate type thing.?

[Supermofo]

Have you got an optimate type thing.?

Yes. That's what I used Fri. I don't have power in my garage though so need to remove the battery. On Fri I connected it and it started high 12s and went to 14 odd within about 30 secs and then onto maintain. I left it on charge for about 7 hours. I connected it to the bike the following morning and it started fine. Since the battery's been left in the bike.

Think I'm gonna leave it in the bike for a few days and see what happens. Hopefully worse case it's just a battery, it's the OE one and I got the bike in Feb 2016 so it's 5 years old now.

[Dodgy69]

I bet if you were commuting everyday on it, it would be fine. Treat it to a new one.

[Supermofo]

Valve service booked at Jim Aims for 1 April. They've quoted £320-360 pending if it needs adjustment. Which is a lot better than what I paid last time.

I asked about the rocker arms and they said they'd check them as part of the service. I asked if it was worth replacing now as a maintenance item and he said they can start to show wear at 12-15 so it might not be a bad idea but would add £100 odd to the cost. He said they generally have them in stock, but as mine was coming in for a valve check he'd make sure he some in case.

For £420-450 odd I'm thinking it's probably worth it for piece of mind. What do you guys think?

Given my concerns for the Mrs job I can't see me replacing the bike this year so having them done will hopefully mean they won't go in my ownership.

[Yorick]

£100 to check the rocker arms.
FFS that's tantamount to robbery.

And I paid about £50 to have all 16 valves checked in UK.


Maybe the April 1st date is a clue?

[weeksy]

£100 to check the rocker arms.
FFS that's tantamount to robbery.

And I paid about £50 to have all 16 valves checked in UK.


Maybe the April 1st date is a clue?

Some of the figures you've paid for things though seem remarkably unrealistic to the rest of us. His price is right within the usual context of what you'd expect in a dealer.
Dealers are £80 an hour, so checking them for £50 just is never going to happen, they won't even take it in the workshop for that. A valve service on a Triumph is £600. A valve service on a ZX6R is £600. That's the prices, that's how it works.

Major service
15k miles (includes valve clearance checks).
Suzuki GSXR600/750/1000
Kawasaki ZX6r, ZX10r
Yamaha YZF R6, YZF R1, MT-07, MT-09

Prices from £349.00

Triumph major service (12k) from £399.00

http://www.jhsracing.co.uk/motorcycle-servicing/

https://www.seastarsuperbikes.co.uk/kaw ... servicing/

Fixed Cost Kawasaki Servicing
Our Workshop labour rate is £70.00+VAT per hour.

[Yorick]

I always used D-Tech at Postcombe. Ex racer and trained Suzuki techie.

£600 for a Triumph service is ludicrous.

[Supermofo]

£100 to check the rocker arms.
FFS that's tantamount to robbery.

And I paid about £50 to have all 16 valves checked in UK.


Maybe the April 1st date is a clue?

£100 is for 2 new rocker arms, they are £50 quid odd each. So that's the price for replacement, not checking. They will check them free whilst doing the valves.

The rocker arm bearings can fail. At best that damages the valve train = £800 as happened to Taipan, at worst the bearing shrapnel drops into the bottom end

I suspect £50 for a valve check in the UK was a massive dose of mates rates?

To service the Duke cost me £90 last time doing it myself. Service kit from KTM for 2 filters, 2 screens and all the O rings was £50 and oil was £40 for the recommended Motrex. £320 at a main dealer is par for the course. I could probably get it cheaper at a place around the corner but they'll know nothing about KTMs and their 'issues'.

[Yorick]

I used to pay about £130 - £150 for a full service. He knew it was used mainly on track so he checked everything thoroughly.

[Taipan]

Yup, my valve train repair was around £800 all in. An yes, I was lucky as they can indeed kill the whole engine. They had to find all the bits or it was a full engine strip down. KTM know about the issue and modded the later ones but typically didn't recall the old ones. IMO it's a no brainer to get the arms replaced whilst they're in there.

[Supermofo]

KTM know about the issue and modded the later ones but typically didn't recall the old ones

I've read that but asked at 2 different KTM dealers and they claim there is no updated part....which actually sucks more than having one but not doing a recall, as means that the new ones are just as likely to fail I guess.

When I asked at Jim Aims last time the bloke said it wasn't worth replacing mine if they were fine as the new one's might not be better The bloke this time was of the opinion it's not a bad idea to change as typically they go as they wear so better to have new ones than take the chance.

IMO it's a no brainer to get the arms replaced whilst they're in there.

Yes that's my thinking. I'm paying them to do the valves I might as well get them to do the rockers whilst they are in there. And in spite of the above I think it's probably worth doing as mine have done 12k now so hopefully new ones will be better.

[weeksy]

KTM know about the issue and modded the later ones but typically didn't recall the old ones

I've read that but asked at 2 different KTM dealers and they claim there is no updated part....which actually sucks more than having one but not doing a recall, as means that the new ones are just as likely to fail I guess.

When I asked at Jim Aims last time the bloke said it wasn't worth replacing mine if they were fine as the new one's might not be better The bloke this time was of the opinion it's not a bad idea to change as typically they go as they wear so better to have new ones than take the chance.

IMO it's a no brainer to get the arms replaced whilst they're in there.

Yes that's my thinking. I'm paying them to do the valves I might as well get them to do the rockers whilst they are in there. And in spite of the above I think it's probably worth doing as mine have done 12k now so hopefully new ones will be better.

Well no, but the later 16+ is a complete redesign of the system so doesn't use the same type at all. Doesn't massively help you, but they have resolved the issues on the later bikes.

FWIW, I'd still have a 690 Although i do believe it would have to be the SMC-R if i did.

[Supermofo]

Well no, but the later 16+ is a complete redesign of the system so doesn't use the same type at all. Doesn't massively help you, but they have resolved the issues on the later bikes.

FWIW, I'd still have a 690 Although i do believe it would have to be the SMC-R if i did.

Yes the latter ones have a totally different valve train.

Like you I'm not overly bothered, from the sounds of it the rockers can go whenever and I've lived with it for 12k miles/5 years. Jim Aim's said last year they've had rockers go at 4k miles and others are at 40k miles on the originals. On the basis usually bearings wear with miles I'll replace as a service item and hope that's the right thing. The bike will definitely be here this year, after that who knows.

Although I have been trying to justify a way of keeping the 690 and buying a second bike