Amazing bike, this is truly a dream machine! I rode a CRF150 across Vietnam, started in Saigon finished in Hanoi. Took 3 weeks,I had my GF on the back + all of our luggage. The first week it was fun the remainder was a pure painful slog of being in 5th gear with the throttle wide open trying to stay at 85+ Kms. We had bugger all protection, when I think back to that I can't really believe how silly I was thinking that was a good/cool Idea. We rode a mountain pass that took 4 hours through the night, not a single car passed us we really were in the middle of no where, how easily a flat tire or a pot hole could have taken us out. The standard light was so bad I had to squint to see and when it would rain my helmet had no visor so I just had to slow right down. At the end of the journey I realized that I want to do this again but properly, like you are doing. So i moved back home and for the last 1 year have been saving my ass off and planning my next proper big trip. Unfortunately Covid has other plans but I hope it all settles down soon and I can be off on my maiden voyage. Again awesome bike, I wish I had someone like you in my life to guide me a little but I guess that is part of the fun/learning process. Cheers.
@@joeybobbie1you'll notice I am not replying to the original comment, but someone that deleted their comment? Doesn't look like I am the one that needs to reread.
I rode my 690 Rally throughout Europe, the UK and Africa covering 12k in eight weeks. Once I got back home to Alaska, I sold it for a 500exc that I now have 9000 miles on. I haven’t found a seat yet that doesn’t kill my ass after a few hours of riding! I’m taking it to Ushuaia from AK next year. The 500 hands down is the best of all worlds. Not great at any one thing but brilliant at everything!
So jealous of that build! Perfect! I miss my 2014 500exc. Amazing bike. Love it for all the exact reasons you stated. Thank you for this incredibly well thought out overview. "Light is right"
It's incredible, actually, this almost EXACTLY the same year bike, same rally tower, wheels, even same luggage, that I was thinking of building, but ended up going with a 1970 Honda Trail 90 instead.
Looks like a great build Paul, thank you for sharing with us all! Really like the tiny turn signals, overbuilt hand guards w/mirrors, I know that Taco Moto worked with you on a lot of those goodies! Good luck with your travels, looking forward to seeing your next update!
I have no plans on adventure motorcycling. I ride a small 115cc bike as a daily commuter. But, I enjoyed your video so much because I appreciate people who do what they love. Thank you so much for sharing your setup and knowledge. That's 14 minutes and 20 seconds of my life not wasted.😉 Take care!
Five years ago today I left Connecticut for a trip to Guatemala and back on a 2007 KTM 450 EXC. I did the cush drive, enlarged oil cooler for increased capacity, custom racks for soft luggage, larger tank, etc. It was primarily road riding, 100% across the USA, 100% across Mexico and some light trail riding in Guatemala. It was like riding a chainsaw for 7-10 hours a day. I would never take a small single cylinder race bike on a trip like that again. For this trip, I guess if you're doing lots of off-road, the experience would be drastically different, but for me, my CB500X with a RR L2 kit has been the sweetest setup yet for my travels around Honduras and Guatemala (I live in Honduras currently).
A basic modded DR650 will do hiway great,80mph mine is happy. And most any off road is fair game...............the problem is the bike doesnt cost much,isnt any kind of poser bike. The real kicker is parts can be had world wide and cheap. So that's no good. There's no drama. Mine has 50,000 miles on it and it runs the same as it did at 1000 miles. If you need the bike to be the star of a ride,and attract attention,the DR wont do it....but it will get where you want easily,day after day. Ive ridden a KTM 500 and if you were riding singletrack all the way it would be great..
@@MOTOTREK Can you list the parts you’ve fitted please? Am currently designing a lightweight adventure bike based upon a modified CCM 604 frame and a BMW F650 Dakar engine converted to a carb. It’s a similar idea to your’s, but a smaller budget, and I’m starting with a generally reliable Rotax engine designed for on and off road. Liking your setup. Ride safe.
A true no BS kind of video, the man told y'all what worked for him and left it at that. 👍👏 Take it or leave it. Pro rider or future rider, everyone can appreciate his thoughts and effort into upgrading a bike for HIM. The whole point of motorcycling is that your bike represents you as an individual
Thanks for great content. Because of what you said, I'm now on my second exc, started with a 2022, now getting a 2014 for friends and family who visit. Everything you said to me personally in emails past or in your videos has been spot on. I didn't listen originally to your advice and bought a Honda 300L, thinking the 500 was too much power. All I can say is...Ooops, that bike needs to go. Since I got the 500, literally every time I ride it, I'm smiling at what the engineers and testers did to push this platform. Amazing, always outside my skill level, and infinitely capable. I'm like you demographic-wise in many ways for those curious. I'm not a racer or mx or enduro guy, but like to as Paul puts it, be able to go wherever I want to go on the bike, and when not loaded down with gear, push the bike on trails pretty hard for a non-pro. It does it all. Love the 500's.
@@asvpdro6468 I probably told him I rode (not raced, just trail rode for fun) as a kid, so the 500 wasn't my first bike. I'd recommend anyone start with a smaller bike for their first than the 500 since one needs to learn throttle control and how to depower your engine with the clutch as second nature. But the 500 does "handle" like a small bike, even much much easier than the honda 300L, so when friends visited who had little riding skill, I actually rode the 300 on trails since I found it more dangerous after feeling confident my friend, on my 500, knew how treat the throttle with extreme care. The 300 is also heavy and kludgey and dangerous (esp. without suspension upgrades). The 500 feels like a freaking mountain bike in nimbleness, that = safety, the 300L feels like a school bus in comparison. it's just the big engine thing, you gotta have basic body position down and clutch and throttle respect down, then the 500 will actually be much safer than the 300L in the dirt and on the street (given it's ability to "put" it anywhere you want in fast moving traffic, where the 300L is slow to get you to that place you want to be).
awesome, i will just stay with the rubber hoses, silicone hoses if they go bad they suddenly rip apart, whereas the rubber ones starts with a small leak first usually repairable until you get somewhere.
I just finished a 2400 mile ride through Baja on my 2013 KTM 500 EXC. I was with a KTM 790 Adventure and a KTM 950 Adventure and after all was said and done I’m convinced this is the best bike for the job. I could tackle anything from single track, sand, mud and hills with confidence and still chew up highway miles with no problem. Wish I had tried the Moto Z tire. I used a Metzeler Karoo 3 and it was thrashed. Thanks for posting the vid, I’m gonna have to borrow some of your mods for my future trips. Have a great adventure!
Trombolio I added some oil on the 3rd day after a long fast stretch of dirt where I was riding between 70-90 mph and working it hard. When I hit La Paz at around 1200 miles I drained and replaced the oil but not the filter. I used Lucas Oil that was available at Auto Zone. Like rtwPaul says, he won’t be racing, and if I wasn’t riding it quite as hard I don’t think I would have had to change the oil quite as soon.
The quality and feel of your stuff is epic and this 500 is friggin awesome!!! Great choice, Adam Riemann picked for motonomad, 500exc, he dround his in motonomad 2 and still finished, fantastic build!!!
i lik your humility and the fact that this bike is made for you and what you wanna ride.. indeed it's an awesome bike but not suited for everyone ! Good ride and hi from France!
Those are the right boots as well. Tried many others and found them to be the best. That is quite the wind deflector. Makes sense for those long days. Have a great trip sir.
Its the perfect bike, for RTWPaul. It seems like by 20,000 miles the engine was starting to need rebuilding, and from then on out it needed more rebuilding. Anyone who has ridden a 500EXC down the road much, knows they're a dirtbike. With enough mods almost anything can work, to a point. Once your on real dirt it would be the bike to have for sure.
Watching this video for the first time and I have to say, I am impressed with what you have done to modify your KTM 500 XC. I was not aware you could add a kick start on a bike with electronic ignition. Sweet! Will be following you!
This is only possible with select models of bikes that are pre-configured to allow optional kick start kits to be added after sale. Beta may also have such models, but I'm not certain.
Beautiful bike you have there Paul with a lot of common sense aftermarket upgrades! Looking forward to the luggage video and if you could go into detail on everything you'll be bringing with you from spare parts, to tools, to clothing would be awesome. Will you be recording or blogging about your journey throughout? Looks like an amazing route you've chosen.
Carlos Leon, I live in Mongolia. It’s awesome as a base but I travel too. I’m actually in southern Vietnam now on a 2 month trip that got extended to 5 months (and counting) due to covid19.
My fiancée is from Mongolia. It’s one of the only places we can live since visas for Mongolians can’t easily get visas for other countries. However, we’re in Vietnam now as we came for the winter and got stuck here due to the pandemic. Hopefully, we’ll get back to Mongolia when the pandemic is under control.
@@DonHavjuanthis is just not true. People like the DR650 because you can work on it, the problem is you have to work on them all the time.. read dr650 ride reports, they're full of repair stories. My Panamerican trip on a ktm was 25k miles of just oil changes and chain lube.
I agree on the oil change/ maintenance, a couple years ago I met a guy that was riding his ktm 500 through different countries and we talked for a bit, but what he told me when I asked him about his oil changes he had said that he hadn't changed his in about 5k miles. He said it's how you ride, if you're gentle and cruising theres no need to do it as recommended. As far as I know hes still out there on his 500 riding all over.
@@antontimkin if you're going around the world I'm assuming it would be for the most part, then there's the letting the beast scream and opening her up😁
if you can find another race bike that has every thing that the ktm 500 2016 has, and can do 900, hours before being touched, then get back in your hole !!
Waste of time to watch this commercial taking a stock KTM 500 rip it apart and adding after market components, good luck to source replacements in Kabulistan. For a fraction of money you get a DR650 which is far superior as a RTW bike. But hey don’t listen to me report back when your done it😜
@@honeybadger975 weight is a key here. Even if you'll spend 50k$ for upgrades you won't make it as light and as nimble as 500 exc, and this is the priority for the owner. If you have another priorities then you'll choose another bike.
Smart Lad all makes perfect sense I’ve just bought 2016 KTM 250 EXC-F > Six Day I live in Laos so it’s the perfect machine to use in my back garden gives me the option to ride quick or slow I’ve done a few I’ll be using some of your ideas lice the sump guard with the tool tray Enjoy the ride Bro...!!!
I stopped riding 10 years ago because my knees just can't take it any more much to my distress (had to sell my completely customised XTZ 750 - rather heavy but a ground-up custom build by me). I live vicariously on two wheels through guys like you. I love every single piece of detail you cover in your vids. Your EXC set up looks utterly droolworthy. Expensive maybe but on the other hand, lotta fellahs drop at least £$30-40k on a totally impractical two seater car so it's still collossal useable value to be on the best pair of wheels you can get.
Hope your having a ball on such a dream machine 🤞 It was interesting that yo changed gearing to 15/48. What was this like off road ? Did you gain torque and longer gears, 1 , 2, 3rd ? I have a 14 Husaberg FE 501 and was thinking of emulating your bike build.
Dude! The best setup I have ever seen and I have seen a lot. I wish you listed all the brands etc for all the upgrades. Is there anywhere I can find that info? Thanks for sharing and have fun on your adventure.
I second that. Please can you give a list of all the mods you did, I've watched the video 3 times and still can't remember everything, a list would help. Thank you
Just rode 1500km in Northern Pakistan thru the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush Mountains. Magnificent vistas and incredibly hospitable people. You should ride through on your way to India.
Great choice of bikes. The perceived high maintenance is just a myth. I am very lax with my maintenance and have had no issues in my 2013. I don’t even change the filter with every change. I’m convinced in a clean engine there is no way a quality filter is spent. I would also think it’s a very vulnerable way to get grit in your engine during a roadside change.
Really like the mirror idea gets them out of they and gives u much needed space. What mirrors r those would like to do something like that w my 690 Enduro ADV build.
Wow, with a few exceptions the upgrades and modifications that you’ve done to your bike are pretty much exactly what I did to prepare my 2016 KTM 500 EXC for round the world extended travel. Your windscreen from MotoMinded looks to be much larger than the one that I got from them and your console dashboard setup is pretty slick as well (I just setup two different NAV’s on my handlebars). I’ve debated long and hard about attaching a rack setup but after seeing yours I may have to give that a rethink. I’ve been putting it off but I know that I should get a new set of heavy duty wheels with a Cush rear from Woody’s Wheel Works, too. 👍🏾
All this to basically ride on roads going RTW? Its hard to do trails going RTW. Unless you have 12 years set aside. And time for rebuilds every 20K miles or so. 500EXC not optimum going down the hiway.
In the beginning you mentioned that you picked this model because it has high possibility to find spare parts around the world.💪👍 But then you have changed pretty much everything with after market parts✍️✍️. I really don't follow your train of thought. But clearly you have so much experience. Hope for the best
Sweet set-up! I was going to do something similar with a 500 or 690 but then they came out with the 790r and I was sold! Hope to see you on the road. I will also be taking off on a world-wide adventure in the spring of 21. I still have many mods to get done to my bike
Chad Bjerken was thinking the same thing. This build is awesome but it feels a bit like making a dual sport in to a very off-road capable middle weight Adventure. Looking at his upgrades, petty sure the new 2020 790 R Rally version hits the major points w/ longer service intervals. Heavier, but if your a big enough guys, which he is, easy to lift solo w/ good technique. I guess “Rally” version may be hard to find based upon your location, where I live they are available; too expensive unless your doing a trip like this guy then you need it! Safe travels
@@JackieTreehoorn yeah, we all like what we like! His build is perfect for him. I decided to go with the 2019 790R and I love the machine! I am a little bit concerned about all the electronics in my travels but not enough to deter me from buying it. Yeah the rally is a bad machine also! A guy could just order the suspension and throw it on your regular adventure or your R version too, if you like but I am more than happy with the stock suspension on the 790 R. I will put a heavier spring on the rear shock but doubt I will need more than that.
Good points, it’s about taste, his build is pretty sweet! He shared that his build was cheaper than a new 790 R so hard to beat, plus he’s over 100#s lighter. I just bought a new 790 R last week, waiting for the snow to stop to break it in. Different goals though, taking mine in to some serious trails this summer but realize 85% of miles will be on road. While the 790 is very capable off-road, it’s a beast on road. Safe travels, enjoy the ride
@@JackieTreehoorn You are going to love that bike! It rips the trails like a HEAVY mx bike and it's a sport bike on the streets! It likes to be rode hard 😎
Nice bike build! We might actually meet on the road somewhere: I'm getting my bike shipped to Almaty on Monday and will pick it up late April to ride it through the "Stans" and then back to Europe ;)
@@antontimkin I'll head out of Almaty in late April, going for Uzbekistan first, Tashkent, Samarkand, Buxoro, Qarshi... then I'll cross into Tajikistan and ride the M41 including the Wakhan Valley. By the time I'll head for the high passes above 3000m it will be late May/ early June, so I don't expect any problems there. After that I'll ride across Kyrgyzstan back into Kazakhstan and then head west along the road to Baikonur, Aralsk etc. ;) But since you are here, could I ask you a question? How harsh is the current winter compared to the last one? More/less/equal amount of snow? Because I saw Itchy boots cross into Kyrgyzstan on the M41 in late April last year, I will be at the same spot about 4 weeks later, but would be nice to have a comparison between this and the last winter, so I can gauge it a little better. Thanks!
@@cedricfranzen8558Your plan is good. At the end of May may be some snow remainings but it will be possible to move. This winter was abnormally warm. But this could lead to another problem, rivers will be more difficult to cross. General rule help - if you can't cross river, stay overnight it will be easy to cross in the morning.
Nice bike. I have a 2015 xcw 500 that I’m slowly converting into an adv bike. I’ve done maybe half the things you’ve done already but definitely learned a lot more here. Thanks!
@@trombolio no problems. My WR450F only holds 0.7 ltr oil, but the manual say 2000 kms oil changes! Exc holds 1,2 ltr oil. I have done over 25.000 km with my WR now and never had an issues. 2000 kms is ca 40 hours.
So, what is your expectation in terms of service intervals? How much will you extend it to? By the way, this video just did it for me, I'm getting a "twin" of your bike!
Just like any other bike depending if youre driving off road or road.. I turned mine to SuperMotard so i do oil change every 5000 km. Its cheap and fast to do.. Never came iron bits out of it so i think is okey 😅.
That's a loooooot of new parts , so here's my question: When something, like say, a water pump breaks, are you likely going to replace the aftermarket pump with a stock part?
Wow! Just wow! You’ve thought of everything! I really love the fact that you pointed out I’m not racing this bike around the world, I’ve shied away from husky and KTM because of service intervals but you were absolutely right!
Elephant is still in the room for me. HOW OFTEN do you change oil, filter and check the valves? I just bought a dualsport wr250r you're making me regret it 😅
Awesome set up! I know a girl riding a stock 400cc Indian around the world right now. She could learn a thing or two about bike choices that's for sure.
hi the original reduction is 13/50 passing in 15/48, it approaches a reduction for the road. The 500 exc f is very powerful and considering the modifications it is a very expensive solution. For a trip to Mongolia, you have better suited and especially much less expensive motorcycle choices. I must say that this bike is beautiful and make me look, I understand that you have fun. have a nice trip
Model T's have something similar, My old 40's commer still had a grease one for the waterpump, but was relatively more modern lol. Nothing new under the sun as they say
Great video and thank you for covering the elephant in the room. I’ve been having sleepless nights about what to get, 690 enduro or 500 exc. It’s definitely going to be the exc now👌👍
Interesting build up. I can't help but think a KTM 690 overall would be better suited to extreme long distance off road touring. You'd get much improved maintenance schedules and a stronger platform without too much added weight.
That's one hell of a prep. Hoping it doesn't all feel too heavy? So many tips, thanks for sharing the knowledge. Ride safe and enjoy the moment. A new subscriber.
Thank you sir for sharing all this amazing information based on your experience and needs!! Finally a well informative video. Enjoy and have safe travels!
Insurance company: Do you have any modifications...?
This guy: Get yourself a cup of tea, sit down and we'll begin...
Lolol
😁
😂👌🏻
"Do you have any modifications...?"
"How much time do you have?"
Amazing bike, this is truly a dream machine!
I rode a CRF150 across Vietnam, started in Saigon finished in Hanoi. Took 3 weeks,I had my GF on the back + all of our luggage. The first week it was fun the remainder was a pure painful slog of being in 5th gear with the throttle wide open trying to stay at 85+ Kms. We had bugger all protection, when I think back to that I can't really believe how silly I was thinking that was a good/cool Idea. We rode a mountain pass that took 4 hours through the night, not a single car passed us we really were in the middle of no where, how easily a flat tire or a pot hole could have taken us out. The standard light was so bad I had to squint to see and when it would rain my helmet had no visor so I just had to slow right down. At the end of the journey I realized that I want to do this again but properly, like you are doing. So i moved back home and for the last 1 year have been saving my ass off and planning my next proper big trip. Unfortunately Covid has other plans but I hope it all settles down soon and I can be off on my maiden voyage. Again awesome bike, I wish I had someone like you in my life to guide me a little but I guess that is part of the fun/learning process. Cheers.
Have you tried doing anything yet?
What year500 is this? was looking at the 690 as well for possible adventure dual sport for me..
What happened?
You get this kind of upgrades from years of riding experience. Thank you for sharing! Super inspiring.
@@GiancarloBenzina dude has ridden around the world multiple times and you say he's not experienced? Interesting take.
@@amaximus167 you need to re read what he said. He was saying he has Years of experience.
@@joeybobbie1you'll notice I am not replying to the original comment, but someone that deleted their comment? Doesn't look like I am the one that needs to reread.
I rode my 690 Rally throughout Europe, the UK and Africa covering 12k in eight weeks. Once I got back home to Alaska, I sold it for a 500exc that I now have 9000 miles on. I haven’t found a seat yet that doesn’t kill my ass after a few hours of riding! I’m taking it to Ushuaia from AK next year. The 500 hands down is the best of all worlds. Not great at any one thing but brilliant at everything!
So jealous of that build! Perfect! I miss my 2014 500exc. Amazing bike. Love it for all the exact reasons you stated. Thank you for this incredibly well thought out overview. "Light is right"
so there you found the unicorn !!
It's incredible, actually, this almost EXACTLY the same year bike, same rally tower, wheels, even same luggage, that I was thinking of building, but ended up going with a 1970 Honda Trail 90 instead.
Looks like a great build Paul, thank you for sharing with us all! Really like the tiny turn signals, overbuilt hand guards w/mirrors, I know that Taco Moto worked with you on a lot of those goodies! Good luck with your travels, looking forward to seeing your next update!
I have no plans on adventure motorcycling. I ride a small 115cc bike as a daily commuter. But, I enjoyed your video so much because I appreciate people who do what they love. Thank you so much for sharing your setup and knowledge. That's 14 minutes and 20 seconds of my life not wasted.😉 Take care!
Me too bro,
115cc it does not matter if you are a great ride.
@@vantruong9452 That's the thing, I'm not a great rider. Haha. But I enjoy driving my bike anywhere. It's very relaxing and calming in some way.
Five years ago today I left Connecticut for a trip to Guatemala and back on a 2007 KTM 450 EXC. I did the cush drive, enlarged oil cooler for increased capacity, custom racks for soft luggage, larger tank, etc. It was primarily road riding, 100% across the USA, 100% across Mexico and some light trail riding in Guatemala.
It was like riding a chainsaw for 7-10 hours a day. I would never take a small single cylinder race bike on a trip like that again. For this trip, I guess if you're doing lots of off-road, the experience would be drastically different, but for me, my CB500X with a RR L2 kit has been the sweetest setup yet for my travels around Honduras and Guatemala (I live in Honduras currently).
Thanks for the info, Greg. Safe travels!
@@MOTOTREK Thanks you too! Keep up the great work on this channel! I always enjoy your videos.
A basic modded DR650 will do hiway great,80mph mine is happy. And most any off road is fair game...............the problem is the bike doesnt cost much,isnt any kind of poser bike. The real kicker is parts can be had world wide and cheap. So that's no good. There's no drama. Mine has 50,000 miles on it and it runs the same as it did at 1000 miles. If you need the bike to be the star of a ride,and attract attention,the DR wont do it....but it will get where you want easily,day after day. Ive ridden a KTM 500 and if you were riding singletrack all the way it would be great..
@@MOTOTREK Can you list the parts you’ve fitted please? Am currently designing a lightweight adventure bike based upon a modified CCM 604 frame and a BMW F650 Dakar engine converted to a carb. It’s a similar idea to your’s, but a smaller budget, and I’m starting with a generally reliable Rotax engine designed for on and off road.
Liking your setup. Ride safe.
@@bradsanders6954 - funny that anybody who spends more than $7K on an "adventure" motorcycle is a poser.
A true no BS kind of video, the man told y'all what worked for him and left it at that. 👍👏 Take it or leave it. Pro rider or future rider, everyone can appreciate his thoughts and effort into upgrading a bike for HIM. The whole point of motorcycling is that your bike represents you as an individual
I'm 15 seconds in, "This 500 exc is going around the world for the next 4 or 5 years" LIKED AND SUBSCRIBED!!!!
What a shame this didn't happen Paul, I wish you the best of luck for 2021.
When you get to Norway - remember to take the coastal route and NOT the E6 that goes from south to north.
Og ikke kjør off road, for her er det ikke lov...
@@JohannesDalenMC helt klart. Noen offroadere harvet opp en tursti på hytta vår i sommer. Helt unødvendig - så enig med deg :-)
Wow ! So glad you made it. Its ages since I saw you ON HERE when you were setting off that's great supercool bike too. Well Done PAUL.
Perfect presentation of this machine. Have a good time and ride and all the best for your trip.
Thanks for great content. Because of what you said, I'm now on my second exc, started with a 2022, now getting a 2014 for friends and family who visit. Everything you said to me personally in emails past or in your videos has been spot on. I didn't listen originally to your advice and bought a Honda 300L, thinking the 500 was too much power. All I can say is...Ooops, that bike needs to go. Since I got the 500, literally every time I ride it, I'm smiling at what the engineers and testers did to push this platform. Amazing, always outside my skill level, and infinitely capable. I'm like you demographic-wise in many ways for those curious. I'm not a racer or mx or enduro guy, but like to as Paul puts it, be able to go wherever I want to go on the bike, and when not loaded down with gear, push the bike on trails pretty hard for a non-pro. It does it all. Love the 500's.
Wait so he recommended going with the 500 starting off?
@@asvpdro6468 I probably told him I rode (not raced, just trail rode for fun) as a kid, so the 500 wasn't my first bike. I'd recommend anyone start with a smaller bike for their first than the 500 since one needs to learn throttle control and how to depower your engine with the clutch as second nature. But the 500 does "handle" like a small bike, even much much easier than the honda 300L, so when friends visited who had little riding skill, I actually rode the 300 on trails since I found it more dangerous after feeling confident my friend, on my 500, knew how treat the throttle with extreme care. The 300 is also heavy and kludgey and dangerous (esp. without suspension upgrades). The 500 feels like a freaking mountain bike in nimbleness, that = safety, the 300L feels like a school bus in comparison. it's just the big engine thing, you gotta have basic body position down and clutch and throttle respect down, then the 500 will actually be much safer than the 300L in the dirt and on the street (given it's ability to "put" it anywhere you want in fast moving traffic, where the 300L is slow to get you to that place you want to be).
Heck of a setup there, looks like you’ve got it all covered. Best of luck on your journey.
awesome, i will just stay with the rubber hoses, silicone hoses if they go bad they suddenly rip apart, whereas the rubber ones starts with a small leak first usually repairable until you get somewhere.
I just finished a 2400 mile ride through Baja on my 2013 KTM 500 EXC. I was with a KTM 790 Adventure and a KTM 950 Adventure and after all was said and done I’m convinced this is the best bike for the job. I could tackle anything from single track, sand, mud and hills with confidence and still chew up highway miles with no problem. Wish I had tried the Moto Z tire. I used a Metzeler Karoo 3 and it was thrashed.
Thanks for posting the vid, I’m gonna have to borrow some of your mods for my future trips. Have a great adventure!
Thanks for the info, Hugh!
How often did you changed the oil?
Trombolio I added some oil on the 3rd day after a long fast stretch of dirt where I was riding between 70-90 mph and working it hard. When I hit La Paz at around 1200 miles I drained and replaced the oil but not the filter. I used Lucas Oil that was available at Auto Zone. Like rtwPaul says, he won’t be racing, and if I wasn’t riding it quite as hard I don’t think I would have had to change the oil quite as soon.
Awesome video, with great production and content. Bravo! May we all live vicariously through you RTWPaul!
Thank you kindly, Rob!
The quality and feel of your stuff is epic and this 500 is friggin awesome!!! Great choice, Adam Riemann picked for motonomad, 500exc, he dround his in motonomad 2 and still finished, fantastic build!!!
Man....you know what you're doing. Preparation like a Dakar winner. The best presentation how to I've seen. Welcome back and great riding ....
Sending this video to C90 Adventures 😋
Ed March is awesome!!
Really glad to see another Mototrek video. Great subject and material. Thanks! Keep em coming.
Thanks, will do!
i lik your humility and the fact that this bike is made for you and what you wanna ride.. indeed it's an awesome bike but not suited for everyone ! Good ride and hi from France!
true, but how is a DR Z400 not better for this mission?
Falcon 4 not as light or powerful and not even close comparable suspension
Hell yeah !! Went the same route on my 2010 Ktm 530 and it's been completely awesome, in fact just got home 🤟
Just bought mine. A used 2010 500 EXC. My first bike ever....
That's what I call a dream bike! Great upgrades and a proper bike to travel light!
Those are the right boots as well. Tried many others and found them to be the best.
That is quite the wind deflector. Makes sense for those long days.
Have a great trip sir.
Its the perfect bike, for RTWPaul. It seems like by 20,000 miles the engine was starting to need rebuilding, and from then on out it needed more rebuilding. Anyone who has ridden a 500EXC down the road much, knows they're a dirtbike. With enough mods almost anything can work, to a point.
Once your on real dirt it would be the bike to have for sure.
Watching this video for the first time and I have to say, I am impressed with what you have done to modify your KTM 500 XC. I was not aware you could add a kick start on a bike with electronic ignition. Sweet! Will be following you!
This is only possible with select models of bikes that are pre-configured to allow optional kick start kits to be added after sale. Beta may also have such models, but I'm not certain.
I too think the kick start option is a sound decision on this build. Lithium-ion motorcycle batteries are notorious for sudden failure....
He has the 2016......which already came with it from the factory....
Yeah, an impressive build up of a global traveller motorcycle. (Glad you anticipated the fuel pump problems.)
Beautiful bike you have there Paul with a lot of common sense aftermarket upgrades! Looking forward to the luggage video and if you could go into detail on everything you'll be bringing with you from spare parts, to tools, to clothing would be awesome. Will you be recording or blogging about your journey throughout? Looks like an amazing route you've chosen.
Could also show what Type of Drone you will be using, Tent etc.
Hit me up when you get to Ulaanbaatar. Or even before. I live there and ride a 1993 Transalp.
will do, thanks for the offer
what the hell are you doing there?
Carlos Leon, I live in Mongolia. It’s awesome as a base but I travel too. I’m actually in southern Vietnam now on a 2 month trip that got extended to 5 months (and counting) due to covid19.
@@martinfoster5163 why did you move to mongolia? :o
My fiancée is from Mongolia. It’s one of the only places we can live since visas for Mongolians can’t easily get visas for other countries. However, we’re in Vietnam now as we came for the winter and got stuck here due to the pandemic. Hopefully, we’ll get back to Mongolia when the pandemic is under control.
This is my KTM. Almost nothing on it is from KTM. Haha
And the upgrades probably cost more than the bike.
@kenny master Remember a KTM is much more likely to die out there than something like a DR650.
Here comes the haters. I love you guys...you make realize how lucky I am.
That’s what makes it “his” KTM
@@DonHavjuanthis is just not true. People like the DR650 because you can work on it, the problem is you have to work on them all the time.. read dr650 ride reports, they're full of repair stories. My Panamerican trip on a ktm was 25k miles of just oil changes and chain lube.
I agree on the oil change/ maintenance, a couple years ago I met a guy that was riding his ktm 500 through different countries and we talked for a bit, but what he told me when I asked him about his oil changes he had said that he hadn't changed his in about 5k miles. He said it's how you ride, if you're gentle and cruising theres no need to do it as recommended. As far as I know hes still out there on his 500 riding all over.
Thanks, Carbajal!
@@MOTOTREK you're welcome, forgot to mention it was in Alaska. Good luck and I'll be watching🙏
Ktm 500 for "gentle and cruising"... :-))) Not the best choice for sure...
@@antontimkin if you're going around the world I'm assuming it would be for the most part, then there's the letting the beast scream and opening her up😁
"this is the best bike because I changed everything on the bike". The end.
if you can find another race bike that has every thing that the ktm 500 2016 has, and can do 900, hours before being touched, then get back in your hole !!
Waste of time to watch this commercial taking a stock KTM 500 rip it apart and adding after market components, good luck to source replacements in Kabulistan. For a fraction of money you get a DR650 which is far superior as a RTW bike. But hey don’t listen to me report back when your done it😜
@@honeybadger975 your just bitter that you’re saddling a la-z-boy commenting on a UA-cam instead of putting 400,000k’s on bike.
@@honeybadger975 weight is a key here. Even if you'll spend 50k$ for upgrades you won't make it as light and as nimble as 500 exc, and this is the priority for the owner. If you have another priorities then you'll choose another bike.
@@west_adv sadly this is true, weight is king in the end, why it has to be priority 😔
Massive tnx,ur the 1st person that gives me much better info mods..👍😀
Awesome bike! I really like that skid plate/tool box!
I'd be concerned about integrity, after being bashed by a large rock or log at speed. But it does keep the heavy stuff down low....
Smart Lad all makes perfect sense I’ve just bought 2016 KTM 250 EXC-F > Six Day I live in Laos so it’s the perfect machine to use in my back garden gives me the option to ride quick or slow I’ve done a few I’ll be using some of your ideas lice the sump guard with the tool tray Enjoy the ride Bro...!!!
I want to do a similar build to my 6 Days! I had thought about selling this bike but I’m kind of inspired to have an ultralight adventure bike!
I stopped riding 10 years ago because my knees just can't take it any more much to my distress (had to sell my completely customised XTZ 750 - rather heavy but a ground-up custom build by me). I live vicariously on two wheels through guys like you. I love every single piece of detail you cover in your vids. Your EXC set up looks utterly droolworthy. Expensive maybe but on the other hand, lotta fellahs drop at least £$30-40k on a totally impractical two seater car so it's still collossal useable value to be on the best pair of wheels you can get.
Thanks for the feedback, KD. Sorry you're not riding anymore :(
Dream machine farkel supreme
Shout out to Paul! I'm a new subscriber and loving it! Thank you!
Welcome!!
Hope your having a ball on such a dream machine 🤞
It was interesting that yo changed gearing to 15/48. What was this like off road ?
Did you gain torque and longer gears, 1 , 2, 3rd ?
I have a 14 Husaberg FE 501 and was thinking of emulating your bike build.
Gotta be more than 30 grand into this bike. Impressive build, glad to see you actually use it.
Man!! So nice....I was raised in the Mojave desert....I really miss it for the riding.
This is the perfect time of year for the AZ desert!
Awesome overview and details of why you went with extra/after market solutions. Thanks RTW
Glad it was helpful!
Dude! The best setup I have ever seen and I have seen a lot. I wish you listed all the brands etc for all the upgrades. Is there anywhere I can find that info? Thanks for sharing and have fun on your adventure.
Go to my website, its listed there - rtwpaul.com/2019/12/12/adventurizing-a-ktm-500exc-for-rtw-riding/
I second that. Please can you give a list of all the mods you did, I've watched the video 3 times and still can't remember everything, a list would help. Thank you
@@peterstimpfle9424 go to rrtwpaul.com/2019/12/12/adventurizing-a-ktm-500exc-for-rtw-riding/ its all detailed there
I didn’t see any details about the toolbox in the front of the skid plate? Did you build that or buy it?
Just rode 1500km in Northern Pakistan thru the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush Mountains. Magnificent vistas and incredibly hospitable people. You should ride through on your way to India.
Great choice of bikes. The perceived high maintenance is just a myth. I am very lax with my maintenance and have had no issues in my 2013. I don’t even change the filter with every change. I’m convinced in a clean engine there is no way a quality filter is spent. I would also think it’s a very vulnerable way to get grit in your engine during a roadside change.
Yup. This guy is for real. Gonna send this video to all those T7 buyers that think they can do RTW trip with a bike straight from the dealership...
Really like the mirror idea gets them out of they and gives u much needed space. What mirrors r those would like to do something like that w my 690 Enduro ADV build.
Highway Dirtbikes
I did notice you don't have a guard for your front sprocket...you might want to change that...just saying. 😊
Wow, with a few exceptions the upgrades and modifications that you’ve done to your bike are pretty much exactly what I did to prepare my 2016 KTM 500 EXC for round the world extended travel. Your windscreen from MotoMinded looks to be much larger than the one that I got from them and your console dashboard setup is pretty slick as well (I just setup two different NAV’s on my handlebars). I’ve debated long and hard about attaching a rack setup but after seeing yours I may have to give that a rethink. I’ve been putting it off but I know that I should get a new set of heavy duty wheels with a Cush rear from Woody’s Wheel Works, too. 👍🏾
All this to basically ride on roads going RTW? Its hard to do trails going RTW. Unless you have 12 years set aside. And time for rebuilds every 20K miles or so. 500EXC not optimum going down the hiway.
In the beginning you mentioned that you picked this model because it has high possibility to find spare parts around the world.💪👍 But then you have changed pretty much everything with after market parts✍️✍️. I really don't follow your train of thought. But clearly you have so much experience. Hope for the best
the basic bike is still the same, its mostly ergonomics and structure changes
This is a magnificent and enviable setup!
magnificent yes....necessary ...no....I'd do that on my CBR and I just a mere girl! lol
Knew Taco was involved with this build ... their signature KTM mods... great bike! safe travels ...
Think you Sir... this was really nice to watch :-) Great to see your setup and your tought's behind it :-)
Sweet set-up! I was going to do something similar with a 500 or 690 but then they came out with the 790r and I was sold! Hope to see you on the road. I will also be taking off on a world-wide adventure in the spring of 21. I still have many mods to get done to my bike
Chad Bjerken was thinking the same thing. This build is awesome but it feels a bit like making a dual sport in to a very off-road capable middle weight Adventure. Looking at his upgrades, petty sure the new 2020 790 R Rally version hits the major points w/ longer service intervals. Heavier, but if your a big enough guys, which he is, easy to lift solo w/ good technique. I guess “Rally” version may be hard to find based upon your location, where I live they are available; too expensive unless your doing a trip like this guy then you need it! Safe travels
@@JackieTreehoorn yeah, we all like what we like! His build is perfect for him. I decided to go with the 2019 790R and I love the machine! I am a little bit concerned about all the electronics in my travels but not enough to deter me from buying it. Yeah the rally is a bad machine also! A guy could just order the suspension and throw it on your regular adventure or your R version too, if you like but I am more than happy with the stock suspension on the 790 R. I will put a heavier spring on the rear shock but doubt I will need more than that.
Good points, it’s about taste, his build is pretty sweet! He shared that his build was cheaper than a new 790 R so hard to beat, plus he’s over 100#s lighter. I just bought a new 790 R last week, waiting for the snow to stop to break it in. Different goals though, taking mine in to some serious trails this summer but realize 85% of miles will be on road. While the 790 is very capable off-road, it’s a beast on road. Safe travels, enjoy the ride
@@JackieTreehoorn You are going to love that bike! It rips the trails like a HEAVY mx bike and it's a sport bike on the streets! It likes to be rode hard 😎
Nice bike build! We might actually meet on the road somewhere: I'm getting my bike shipped to Almaty on Monday and will pick it up late April to ride it through the "Stans" and then back to Europe ;)
Safe, fun travels, Cedric!
Welcome from Almaty. In April and May all mount passes above 3000 m. still closed. What will be your route? I'm planning big trip for July.
@@antontimkin I'll head out of Almaty in late April, going for Uzbekistan first, Tashkent, Samarkand, Buxoro, Qarshi... then I'll cross into Tajikistan and ride the M41 including the Wakhan Valley. By the time I'll head for the high passes above 3000m it will be late May/ early June, so I don't expect any problems there. After that I'll ride across Kyrgyzstan back into Kazakhstan and then head west along the road to Baikonur, Aralsk etc. ;)
But since you are here, could I ask you a question? How harsh is the current winter compared to the last one? More/less/equal amount of snow? Because I saw Itchy boots cross into Kyrgyzstan on the M41 in late April last year, I will be at the same spot about 4 weeks later, but would be nice to have a comparison between this and the last winter, so I can gauge it a little better. Thanks!
@@cedricfranzen8558Your plan is good. At the end of May may be some snow remainings but it will be possible to move. This winter was abnormally warm. But this could lead to another problem, rivers will be more difficult to cross. General rule help - if you can't cross river, stay overnight it will be easy to cross in the morning.
@@antontimkin very good tip! Thanks for your help and have a safe trip in July :) Where are you headed?
Nice bike. I have a 2015 xcw 500 that I’m slowly converting into an adv bike. I’ve done maybe half the things you’ve done already but definitely learned a lot more here. Thanks!
So what DO you expect your oil change and service intervals to be?
Second
I do 2000kms between changes on mine, no problem at all.
@@Twistedmetallic changing the oil every 2000km on a round the world bike is still absolutely ridiculous
@@Twistedmetallic manual says after every race or 15h of hobby use. 2000km is about 60-70h intervals.
@@trombolio no problems. My WR450F only holds 0.7 ltr oil, but the manual say 2000 kms oil changes! Exc holds 1,2 ltr oil. I have done over 25.000 km with my WR now and never had an issues. 2000 kms is ca 40 hours.
I have a very sensible crf250 rally 2019 and trust me it is prime but I must confess that I like this ktm 500.
So, what is your expectation in terms of service intervals? How much will you extend it to? By the way, this video just did it for me, I'm getting a "twin" of your bike!
Just like any other bike depending if youre driving off road or road.. I turned mine to SuperMotard so i do oil change every 5000 km. Its cheap and fast to do.. Never came iron bits out of it so i think is okey 😅.
@@Earlhelder How's your bike holding up with the 5k services?
@@sweatyapexnerd4596 Now at 9000km and no issues , oil comes out clean and bike has its full power still
@@Earlhelder Cheers for the reply, I was hoping you'd say that. Going to the ktm shop next week to check one out.
I have some Dirt Tricks Sprockets on my Honda Xr650r. They are the best . Nice adv conversion . Best of luck on your ride .
Amazing bike set up!
Where did you get your Skid plate from with the tool
Compartment and what is the name of the skid plate? Thanks
I am interested in this as well.
Sic! nice quality sound on the video too! FYI, those of you wanting more details I see HoboMoped has a 9 minute video of this same bike.
Thanks for the info, Sandy!
Love my seat concepts seat also . Have one on my Klr and my Drz .
Thx for the feedback, Keith.
Great video and no doubt that bike is going to be amazing on your RTW trip, Paul!!! Safe travels buddy!
That's a loooooot of new parts , so here's my question:
When something, like say, a water pump breaks, are you likely going to replace the aftermarket pump with a stock part?
No...an After-Aftermarket one!
@@St3veWK Good luck with that when in the middle of nowhere
Wow! Just wow! You’ve thought of everything! I really love the fact that you pointed out I’m not racing this bike around the world, I’ve shied away from husky and KTM because of service intervals but you were absolutely right!
ride on bro 👍 - Q: new kiss $10 Oiler 7:38 Gidibi? each of your bikes gets a totally diff't oiler, repeat, so... is this "the Unicorn" of oilers?
Never found an oiler that has been consistently good, so thought I'd try this one, if it fails I go back to old school, oil and a toothbrush
Glad I waited to the end of the video to comment cause I kept thinking about maintenance. Seems you have it covered. Wish you well on your trip.
So how often does he do the oil changes?
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I replaced the motor to give it more power.
Lmao 😂
Elephant is still in the room for me.
HOW OFTEN do you change oil, filter and check the valves?
I just bought a dualsport wr250r you're making me regret it 😅
Great setup on an awesome bike! I would love to do this. Great explanation on the parts you used too. Thanks for the video.
Awesome set up! I know a girl riding a stock 400cc Indian around the world right now. She could learn a thing or two about bike choices that's for sure.
Filmed in my back yard. Be safe and have fun!
hi the original reduction is 13/50
passing in 15/48, it approaches a reduction for the road. The 500 exc f is very powerful and considering the modifications it is a very expensive solution. For a trip to Mongolia, you have better suited and especially much less expensive motorcycle choices.
I must say that this bike is beautiful and make me look, I understand that you have fun. have a nice trip
only thing this bike have from company stock ,,, is engine i guesss.
your the original dirt bagger. (dirt bike / sleeping bag combo)
Love the toolbox skid plate, who makes that?
Google - EXC toolbox engine guard....I'm exhausted now and need a beer
Wicked video... Thanks for sharing & Good Luck on the Trip... Have Fun Brother.
Love that chain Oiler... my Echo Chainsaws come stock with those! lol
Model T's have something similar, My old 40's commer still had a grease one for the waterpump, but was relatively more modern lol. Nothing new under the sun as they say
Great video and thank you for covering the elephant in the room. I’ve been having sleepless nights about what to get, 690 enduro or 500 exc. It’s definitely going to be the exc now👌👍
You like changing oil?
Love the motorcycle!
Went to the website. Great stuff! Thanks for sharing. You certainly know how to live.
Interesting build up. I can't help but think a KTM 690 overall would be better suited to extreme long distance off road touring. You'd get much improved maintenance schedules and a stronger platform without too much added weight.
Yea that's what I was thinking too. Especially with a steel trellis frame it's probably a bit stronger too.
Exactly. The oil change schedule on the 500 is ridiculous.
Treasure trove of great info, things to think about and common sense features. Thanks for posting!
Looked at the motominded website to see if they had a rally kit for my drz. Nope. But for the ktm, $1800-2600.
johnboy2251
DRZ is a better bike for this...
Get on reddit and go to r/dualsport and r/drz, ask there... youl find stuff cheaper (like 1300-1900 max) and a hell of a lot more.
@@Rick_Sanchez_C137_ drz is a fat slow boy
@@Rick_Sanchez_C137_ man drz fan boys are everywhere. get a grom dude
Paul, I can promise you that you’d like the Fasstflex bars and pegs. They WILL extend your riding day by reducing fatigue.
You said “gallon” and “6 foot” . Liked and subbed
Meanwhile in Australia we’re smart. We use the metric system😜
That is one beautiful bike, great set up. Can't wait to see more videos. My 640 and I will be following you. Keep the rubber side down Brother.
19 thumbs down is Harley Davidson owner.
Like it a lot! You´ve made your homework. Safe travels from Switzerland, you are welcome any time! (Bernese Mountains)
That's one hell of a prep. Hoping it doesn't all feel too heavy? So many tips, thanks for sharing the knowledge. Ride safe and enjoy the moment. A new subscriber.
Thank you sir for sharing all this amazing information based on your experience and needs!! Finally a well informative video. Enjoy and have safe travels!
Sir you got all the bases covered. Awesome bike great presentation. Stay safe enjoy the ride.
Wouldn't it be better to have a Dr650? I mean it doesn't have a radiator, water or fuelpump, just a carburator
you definitely built your own dream motorbike!