weapon of mass destruction ! 495

[troy327]

Guys I just pick up a 1982 ktm 495. It is a true survivor. It was in a basement for over 25 years, the only part that was changed was the grips. I rode it down the street when I got it home. I have never been on a bike that felt that fast. I plan to race it in the ultima 500 class next season, so all you guys at the track watch out on the straits. Congratulation to all of the ahrma champs of 06. Every one have a wonderful holiday. Greg

[Rain Man]

Hey Greg, congratulations on your new purchase !!  Those bikes we're a terror back then, and they still are today !!
  Don't get behind one !!
  There is a website if you arent aware of it already []
  The KTM 495 unofficial website,  If my memory serves me.., err still

Raymond
 Down East Pentons

[Gavin Housh]

Greg, I was with two guys that rode 495's at the 1983 barstow to vegas race. You can only imagine the stories they told of leaving riders on lesser bikes in the dust when crossing the dry lake bed. Fastest dirt bike in the world. 124 MPH with stock gearing? Gavin

[tofriedel]

Gavin,

Not quite stock gearing.  If memory serves me, they used a rear Yamaha hub so they could get a smaller rear sprocket, as KTM didn't offer one.  Everything else was all stock KTM parts, except for the rider, Rod Bush.

There have been a few attempts to beat the 495 speed record, to date no one, on any other bike has been successful.

495's rule.

Tony

[firstturn]

Here are the changes Rod made on the 495 and the fuel mixture.

Rod Bush is the Service Manager of KTM, U.S.A., and has a pretty good track record to back him up. Three golds, a silver and a bronze. He's also the eleventh-ranked enduro rider in the country.

We worked out the details as we set up the new KTM. The tallest gearing possible was to be used. A 16-tooth countershaft sprocket was delayed from Austria, so we had to go with a 15-fang version. Internal changes were needed to make up for this. A 20-tooth fifth gear from a 390 enduro bike was slipped in. Primary drive was 31/79.

The gearing at the rear was limited to 48 teeth. Not enough for what we had in mind. A YZ250G rear wheel was found to be a virtual slip-fit, just by making some simple spacers. This let us drop to a 44-tooth rear sprocket, which is just about worth one more tooth on the countershaft.

To play it safe, we also installed a gigantic 150.80 x 18 Metzeler, two-ply, nylon tire. This massive tire is almost 29 inches tall and noticeably dwarfs a 4.50 x 18 Metz. A larger tire is much like gearing a bike up.

Rod felt that he could get some extra rpm out of the engine by changing the timing. The deck height was changed to 1.4mm, from a normal height of .8 to .9mm. Intake and exhaust manifolds were carefully matched, but no porting was done.

Carburetion was left standard. Ron ran premium gas with a 50:1 Duralube mix. Klotz Octane Booster was added to get rid of any possible detonation at the high engine speeds we'd be running at.



Ron Carbaugh

[Larry Perkins]

Brother Ron,

Thanks for the reminder of "The Great White" and Rod's Record run.

I was lucky enough to have gotten to race that bike.  Afterwards it got refurbished at KTM and went to Letko Cycles which I rode out of.  I made two trips to major Desert races out West with "The Great White".  My most fearful memory on a motorcycle ever was aboard that bike.  I was practicing Bomb Runs the day before the race and was going 70-80mph.  I wicked the throttle off real fast and that beast went into a speed wobble that nearly yanked the bars from my hands.  I did everything but crash for what seemed like forever.  All I needed to do to fix it was get back on the gas but I did not really want to go faster at the moment.  I survived it but my heart was never the same.

Memories.

Congrats, Greg.  If ever you want to send her to a new home please think of me as I would be interested.  Be careful you have some "E" ticket rides coming.

Larry P

[socalmx]

Larry's high speed wobbles during a bomb run brought back scary memeories from the 1987 Barstow To Vegas race. My beast was a 1984 500XC Husky that I had purchased from Matt Hildenberger (of Speed and Sport fame) after he had broke his back riding it. I should have known better just from that but I was young and full of it. Anyway, I was about 60 miles into the race and was going down a sandwash that was cris-crossing a small and shallow stream. The first couple of times I just splashed thru but then I decided that I would wheelie thru the next crossing. I was going about 50 miles an hour when I dropped it down a gear and pulled up on the bars. This was a very big mistake because the Husky stood up on end and I was staring straight at the bars. Instinct told me to throw away the bike which I did then proceeded to sail thru the air. The flight was ok but the landing was a bit rough. I ended up laying there with a dislocated shoulder and no desire to ride on. Fortunately, there were some people right there that hauled me into the next check point where my friends drove me back into Barstow to get my shoulder re-set. This done, we went back to the check and picked up the bike and headed for Vegas. That was the last time I ever rode that beast and sold it about three months later.

[rob w]

Greg, Cool bike. 495 + paddle tire + sand dunes = a whole bunch of fun. If you don't know of a place - there's a place up this way where you can open'er up....let me know.  


Bob W

[troy327]

Guy's I can't wait to race the bike. It looks like the firts time I will able to ride it will be at the Flordia race in March. Greg

[Kip Kern]

KTM 495=Suzuki TM 400 Cyclone=Trip to Hospital[V]

[john durrill]

Greg,
 Try this link. It a picture and some info on the record setting 495.
 I believe thats Rod during the run.
John D.
http://www.mxbikes.com/pics/showpic.php?PIC_ID=405

[troy327]

After reading all your guy's replies I think I will trade it for a 100 penton. Just kidding, Thanks for some of the history. Greg

[Gary Roach]

Greg,

So, is this your answer to clearing those big double jumps? More horsepower?!

Remember what happened Saturday night after the Western Reserve race? You've got to worry more about your tools hurting you than this bike will.

Gary

[tlanders]

I bought a 1981 495 with the original dual spark plugs and high compression head. It won't start because, I think, of low compression. I haven't had any time to work on it. Last year was the MC5 project. Maybe I will get it going this year. I did ride it once - it was awesome.

Teddy

[troy327]

Gary, it is the only way I mite have a chance of seeing you past the first turn. No more wrenching between races. Greg