ENGLISH
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MAINTENANCE WORK ON CHASSIS AND ENGINE »
Dismounting and mounting the rear wheel
Jack the motorcycle up on its frame so that the rear wheel no longer touches
the ground.
Loosen the collar nut [1], remove chain tensioner [2], hold the rear wheel and
pull out the wheel spindle [3] until the rear wheel is free but the brake caliper
support is still held.
Push the rear wheel as far forward as possible, take the chain from the chain
wheel and carefully take the rear wheel out of the swingarm.
– Do not operate the rear brake when the rear wheel has been dismounted.
– Make sure the brake disc is always on top when you lay down the wheel,
otherwise the brake disc can be damaged.
– If the axle is dismounted, clean the thread of the wheel spindle and col-
lar nut thoroughly and apply a new coat of grease to prevent the thread
from jamming.
The rear wheel is remounted in the reverse order. Before tightening the col-
lar nut to 80 Nm (60 ft.lb), push the rear wheel forwards so that the chain
tensioners lie on the tension screws.
– If you don’t happen to have a torque wrench at hand, make sure you have
the tightening torque corrected by a KTM dealer as soon as possible. A
loose axle may lead to an unstable driving behavior of your motorcycle.
– After mounting the rear wheel, keep operating the rear brake until the pres-
sure point returns.
– It is very important to keep the brake disk free from oil and fatty matters,
otherwise the braking effects would be strongly reduced.
– Tighten the collar nut with the required torque. A loose wheel spindle may
lead to an unstable behavior of your motorcycle.
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Tires, air pressure
Tire type, tire condition, and air pressure level affect the way your motorcy-
cle rides, and they must therefore be checked whenever you are getting ready
to go anywhere on your motorcycle. Tire size can be found in the technical
specifications. Tire condition has to be checked every time you want to ride
your motorcycle. Before leaving, check tires for punctures and nails or other
sharp objects that might have become embedded in them.
Tire pressure should be checked regularly on a “cold” tire. Proper pressure
(1.0 bar) ensures optimum driving comfort and extends the life of your tires.
– Damaged tires must be replaced immediately to protect your youngster.
– Worn tires can have a negative effect on how the motorcycle performs,
especially on wet surfaces
– Tire pressure below the normal level will lead to premature tire wear.
Checking spoke tension
The correct spoke tension is very important for the stability of the wheels and
thus for riding safety. A loose spoke causes the wheel to become unbalanced
and before long other spokes will have come loose. Check spoke tension, espe-
cially on a new motorcycle, at regular intervals. For checking, tap on each
spoke with the blade of a screwdriver (see photo). A clear tone must be the
result. Dull tones are indicators of loose spokes. If necessary, have the spokes
retightened and the wheel centered by a KTM dealer.
– Spokes can tear if you continue to ride with them loose. This may lead to
an unstable handling of your motorcycle.
– Excessively tensioned spokes may rupture due to local overloading. The
spokes must be tensioned to 5 Nm.