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I really don't like spokes and would prefer a cast wheel.
I really want the Enduro model but
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If the rims on the spoked wheels are alloy they would stand up to a lot of rough back road riding, which I do. I do not know about the durability of the steel rims. The alloy rims would just wad up or break apart on rougher country roads. The spokes make a lot of sense.
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I'm not too confident that the Scrambler would as a whole stand up to rough riding without some major mods. I can understand the spoke wheels for that use since you'll never see a dirt only model with mag wheels but the rest of the design doesn't appear to be able to do that and while I am sure most fire roads and back roads are fine anything too rough might be met with some issues without modification.
Dave, thanks. I agree. Edit on my comment: I should have said "alloy wheels" rather than "alloy rims" when I mentioned the wheels getting destroyed. I've seen a lot of alloy wheels get smashed up. Very few Excel allow rims (although I do have one 21" front wheel with a ding in it from jumping into the rock face of a ledge...).
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i've ridden dirt roads two up with tubeless alloy wheels,,no problems,,not a scratch, slow careful riding,,,these scramblers are short fendered standard motorcycles,,,they are not "enduro" motorcycles,,anything more than dirt/fire roads at anything more than a mild clip and you are asking for trouble without extensive mods,,( ie. suspension,skid plates ,more agressive tires,,),,,
Your "nasty wire wheels" probably don't even compare to my battle hardened Excel rims on my KTM 250 XC. The most damage has been with tire tools fixing the many flats I have had after running over locust thorns. Dirt? Check. Mung? Check. Simple Green clean it all off? Check. I called Woody's Wheel Works in Denver about durable rims for the Scrambler. They have already had loads of questions about this. Get a model with spokes. Take the rim and spokes off and send the hubs to Woody's. They will put competition grade Excel rims on with HD spokes and nipples that are TUBELESS RIMS from Excel and return them to you. About $1,200 USD. AND they will put on usable rims that will accept many tire choices (their suggestions were 17" X 3.50 rear and 19" X 2.50 front for best balance, feel and universal use). Now your problem will be protecting the exhaust pipe with either the stock low position or the "high" position (header still runs under the engine -- what a joke).
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I like where you are going with the rims. my $.02, set it up for the woods
21" front rim
A real skid plate
Bark busters
Change chain and sprockets, bigger in the back and smaller in front
Ditch the mirrors, put a fold away mirror
Knobbies
Also the bike is also only 375 lbs. and 75 hp. The BMW gs 800 is over 500 lbs. same hp
Further mods. Replace rear shock to raise the clearance of the bike...
In the north east we have many rocky and boney trails
Finally. The weight is not much difference than my drz 400
I like where you are going with the rims. my $.02, set it up for the woods
21" front rim
A real skid plate
Bark busters
Change chain and sprockets, bigger in the back and smaller in front
Ditch the mirrors, put a fold away mirror
Knobbies
Also the bike is also only 375 lbs. and 75 hp. The BMW gs 800 is over 500 lbs. same hp
Further mods. Replace rear shock to raise the clearance of the bike...
In the north east we have many rocky and boney trails
Finally. The weight is not much difference than my drz 400
I rode an enduro in NY state years ago so I know what you are talking about. I usually ride in MO, KS & OK.
A 21" may not clear given the limited travel. You would have to check that. The 19" will and it will work for most of what we would want to do with this bike.
Raising the rear shock steepens the rake/trail ratios. It might be twitchy at speeds. Check with a suspension guy. You might be able to get 1/2 ~1" more from the stock forks & shock. The stock suspension might work OK. I'd ride it first. No double jumps though. It might pitch you off.
Weight: smaller tires / rims might reduce it some. A Shorai Li-ion battery would drop a whopping 8 lbs. (I have one in my 500 EXC and it has survived 2 years of trail bashing.) A tail tidy from Monster Parts might drop a pound or so (considering that you start with the UE). An Akrapovic slip on muffler would drop 2+ lbs. Expensive mods but all with a purpose: durability and lightness.
The front sprocket is a 15T. I would go to 16T for more time between new chain and sprockets. The forces on the chain increase by 1/7th with each tooth you drop and that means more wear. You could probably go up 3 teeth on the rear without clearance problems.
Mirrors: I would get separate mounts for foldable mirrors. Having the mirror mounted in the casting for the brake and clutch controls is a bad idea. A crash could break those castings. I got my mounts and mirrors from Sicass Racing. (Sicass has a sub fender for the KTMs that includes a tail/brake LED light. I would pull the one off my 500 and see if it could be adapted and used on the rear. They also have smaller LED turn signals on flexible stocks that take a hit from your boots or from a drop. Front turn signals are also LED and are embedded in the plastic guards that mount on their really tough Cycra alloy hand guards. Using these would save a bit more weight and add durability. I've hit trees straight on with these plastic guards with no damage to anything. But now we are turning this bike into something it is not: a KTM Adventure. No reason why we couldn't. KTM will not have a mid range Adventure out until 2017 and the Ducati is 60+ lbs lighter than the former 950 Adventure. And weight is the enemy!)
Stu
A 21" may not clear given the limited travel. You would have to check that. The 19" will and it will work for most of what we would want to do with this bike.
Raising the rear shock steepens the rake/trail ratios. It might be twitchy at speeds. Check with a suspension guy. You might be able to get 1/2 ~1" more from the stock forks & shock. The stock suspension might work OK. I'd ride it first. No double jumps though. It might pitch you off.
Weight: smaller tires / rims might reduce it some. A Shorai Li-ion battery would drop a whopping 8 lbs. (I have one in my 500 EXC and it has survived 2 years of trail bashing.) A tail tidy from Monster Parts might drop a pound or so (considering that you start with the UE). An Akrapovic slip on muffler would drop 2+ lbs. Expensive mods but all with a purpose: durability and lightness.
The front sprocket is a 15T. I would go to 16T for more time between new chain and sprockets. The forces on the chain increase by 1/7th with each tooth you drop and that means more wear. You could probably go up 3 teeth on the rear without clearance problems.
Mirrors: I would get separate mounts for foldable mirrors. Having the mirror mounted in the casting for the brake and clutch controls is a bad idea. A crash could break those castings. I got my mounts and mirrors from Sicass Racing. (Sicass has a sub fender for the KTMs that includes a tail/brake LED light. I would pull the one off my 500 and see if it could be adapted and used on the rear. They also have smaller LED turn signals on flexible stocks that take a hit from your boots or from a drop. Front turn signals are also LED and are embedded in the plastic guards that mount on their really tough Cycra alloy hand guards. Using these would save a bit more weight and add durability. I've hit trees straight on with these plastic guards with no damage to anything. But now we are turning this bike into something it is not: a KTM Adventure. No reason why we couldn't. KTM will not have a mid range Adventure out until 2017 and the Ducati is 60+ lbs lighter than the former 950 Adventure. And weight is the enemy!)
Stu
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So you get the urban enduro and I'll get the full throttle and we'll swap wheels. Problem solved.
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Would be a definite solution, maybe a good topic here for a sticky?
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I like the look of the cast wheels for the Scrambler, but personally, I'd rather have wire wheels. Let's see, lemme count the times I've fixed flats on spoked wheels with tubes.....too many, that's for sure. But it's still what I want.
Flats on my KTM 500 EXC? A pile of rocks or a stump and I am in business fixing it and back in action. The Scrambler could just as easily be fixed trail side if needed. However, do not forget that you can get Excel rims that are tubeless. So just plug 'n go. Someone also mentioned on this forum that the spoked rims are tubeless. Nice if true.
Stu
Stu
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I agree mods would have to be made. First ride over a log and your gonna crush the exhaust! So a redirection? Or bigger skid plate? Well...both!!!
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The high exhaust only moves the exit higher, but there is still plenty of exhaust uncovered under the bike, even with the Ducati "skid plate" in place. The way they redirect the exhaust, if you really look at it, it doesn't do much other than look the part. That's fine though, because this isn't a log hopper. It's a street bike that can do a little reasonable off-roading.
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