One more saved from the Grim Reaper

[fasmith]

I bought this 1980/1981 KTM 250 GS the other day.  She is a sad sight.  However, I do plan to bring her back to life.  Going to a long road, but I figure one day, much like a good old dog, she will be a loyal partner.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1127527/old_girl.jpg

Freddie

[DKWRACER]

Fredie, got the bug I see, I may have a seat, will ck.
Tom..

[fasmith]

yep.. you can say that.  I have a hard time passing up an old bike in need of love.  Let me know on the seat.

Freddie

[DKWRACER]

Freddie, just ckd' and looks like an 81, the profile for the rear fender is not as tall/deep...Tom...

[454MRW]

79-81 should be the same. The 82 is much shallower, is slightly squared off above the fender and around the back, and is usually a very, very dark blue, unless the cover has been replaced. The 79-81 seat covers have the KTM logo heat impressed into the cover and colored in white along with the KTM logo on the side in white and often surrounded by an oval white line. Mike

Michael R. Winter
1974 250 Harescrambler
1975 250 HS Project
1977 250 MC5 Project
1978 250 MX6  
1979 250 KTM Project
1980 250 MX KTM

[DKWRACER]

OK! so it's an 82,  bo ho, at least we try [V]
had enough for awhile GN......

[fasmith]

darn.

Freddie

[jj]

My guess is 1980. This is what it should look like when it's done:

http://web.tiscali.it/ktm70/Ktm%20250%201980%20Flavio.jpg

and like this on the other side:

http://web.tiscali.it/ktm70/Ktm%20250%201980%20dx%20Flavio.jpg

The 81 GS should have a butch cut head type II motor with the swingarm axle through the motor.

John J Slivka

[454MRW]

Freddie,
If you want one to throw on it until you find a decent one, I have a seat that is junk in my opinion but free. The cover is torn up and the fiberglass frame has been extensively and very shabbily repaired. The only good thing about it is the foam and mounts are fairly solid as far as I can tell. The seller said it was in good condition on Upay...right. You can have if you want it N/C. Otherwise, I will probably just throw it out. Email me your address if you are interested. Mike [email protected]

Michael R. Winter
1974 250 Harescrambler
1975 250 HS Project
1977 250 MC5 Project
1978 250 MX6  
1979 250 KTM Project
1980 250 MX KTM

[fasmith]

well.. here's a picture of my 1980 KTM 250 I had many years ago.. It did not have the frame loop..I trimmed the number plates off the sidepanels.. and I thought this would be the seat I need.

  http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1127527/1980KTM250.jpg

And Mike.. I will get with you on the seat you have.. I appreciate the offer .. we'll work out something..   thanks  I'll be emailing you.

Freddie

[fasmith]

John..

that is two good pictures to reference.. ..thanks

here is a picture of the 1981 KTM 250 I just bought from Tom Brosius..   I have to say the black engine threw me.  My memory did not recall the engine being black.  Of course, my memory also doesn't recall how I ended up in the middle of Alabama one night with just one dollar in my wallet either.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-12/1127527/1981KTM250.JPG

Freddie

[454MRW]

While searching for parts to put together the early 1980 MC250 that I bought at a swap meet which was missing the tank, seat, exhaust, rear brake lever and rod, and airbox internals, I found that mid way through the 1980 model year, KTM switched over to the small finned black engine with the swingarm bolt that goes through the engine cases. This also required a redesigned frame. My brother found out the engine and swingarm differences unfortunately when he bought a 1980 engine through Upay and wound up with an engine and swingarm that won't fit his 1978 MC5 250. My early 80, on the other hand would. I have now found out, by visiting Phil Ketchum to make comparisons of my exhaust pipes that don't quite fit my 1980 MC 250 correctly, that the pipes I have are actually 1981 MC250 models and that my 1978 MC5 250 pipe is the same as his 1979 and early 1980 pipes and fit my 1980 bike as well. That unfortunately means the Circle F pipe won't fit the 78-80 bike until Kevin revises it slightly, bummer!
I hope that I don't cause hard feelings by posting uninvitedly, as my intent is only to share the knowledge I have gained while building these bikes, some mostly from scratch, as a learning tool and to add to my Penton/KTM enjoyment.
Does anyone know where I can get a pair of the lower shock bumpers on the shafts of the Fox Factory Shox like pictured on the 1981? I have these on my 1980. Thanks for your time. Mike

Michael R. Winter
1974 250 Harescrambler
1975 250 HS Project
1977 250 MC5 Project
1978 250 MX6  
1979 250 KTM Project
1980 250 MX KTM

[tofriedel]

Freddie,

I may be mistaken, but I think seats from 1979 through 1981 will fit (maybe even earlier models).

It appears that your 1980 model has had the shocks replaced as 1980's had remote reservoirs.  The Ohlins didn't show up until 1981, as far as I know.

Every 1981 model that I have seen had silver motors.  I think that any motors that were painted black on bikes with aluminum swingarms were painted by the owner and not the factory.  I believe the motors with the swingarm bolt used as the rear motor mount also showed up with the aluminum swingarm.  Info on the 79 & 80 models is a little fuzzy.

Things changed fairly rapidly at KTM, depending on their inventory of parts.   You could get 2 bikes of the same model in the same shipment and some items were different.

Tony

[454MRW]

Are the Factory Fox Shox (what the decals say) actually Ohlin shocks? I have seen several 1980 bikes with them installed on eBay and other sites where owners posted pics of their bike. The remote reservior Marzocchi shocks are pictured in the 1980 chassis parts manual, but I figured it depended on the KTM inventory at the time the bike was built. They may have just been a very popular replacement shock. I have a 1981 KTM engine manual with the small finned black engine pictured. (It may just be the cylinder and head that is black). I thought that all of the small finned engines which came into play sometime after mid 1980 were black, but that is just from all that I have seen, and I am speculating based on pictures that I have seen and have saved on my computer for reference. The swingarm used in 1979 and early 80 is aluminum but differs in the front where it mounts to the rear motor mount. It appears that all of the bigger bore (than 250) evidentally used the rear engine mount swingarm starting even in 1979. I am sure about the seat being the same from 79-81 as I have had all three year seats while looking for 2 good ones to use on my 80 and 79 project. Mike

Michael R. Winter
1974 250 Harescrambler
1975 250 HS Project
1977 250 MC5 Project
1978 250 MX6  
1979 250 KTM Project
1980 250 MX KTM

[fasmith]

Yo Mike..  glad you did jump in.  No problem on you posting..

Tony..  my old 1980 250..if  I remember correctly, came with Bilsteins, and I bought the Fox Shocks myself.  Now I bought a new 1982 KTM WR 250 and I selected the Fox Shocks for it.  Seems I could do that for a few extra dollars.  

I got pictures of my 1982 around somewhere..  I swear I don't remember the black engine.. but then again... I got CRS.  Can't Remember S***

One more thing.. has anyone ever built a web page with the as much info as possible about the mysterious years of 79-81? or 82?

Freddie