Thinking on a 450FSE to replace my KTM LC4 - Engine longevity?

[Ned]

Hi there, new guy here.

I'm currently on a KTM LC4 powered bike (my first moto) which is very reliable but heavy for tight trails. An opportunity came up to sell the orange for a near new '05 450 FSE and I'm thinking it might be a better answer to a trail-rideable daily driver than my LC4. In the end I want a one bike garage.

In looking around, I've looked at the sevice manuals on the GG website and see the oil and valve interval's are very comparable to what I'm on now. The big question is just how long would a moderately used FSE motor go? By moderate I mean used by as a low key road commuter, dual spoter and some tight, mountain trail riding in British Columbia and WA state which is probably the hardest on the bike of all my use cases.

As a reference point, I rode about 8,000 miles this year on my orange beast, most of it on road for trips of 20-50 miles. Is it realistic to expect the 450FSE motor to go big miles like my LC4 will provided it's treated with respect?

Also I was told by a GG dealer the 450 holds 2.5 quarts of oil while the online service manula says 1.2 liters. What's the real oil capapity? 2.5q's would be fantastic.

One more thing. The engine cases sure look a lot like the Suzuki DRZ. Again, dealer told me a number of the parts are interchangeable. Huh? What's the real truth on the motor design?

Thanks a lot.

 

[cdn280]

Hi there, new guy here.

I'm currently on a KTM LC4 powered bike (my first moto) which is very reliable but heavy for tight trails. An opportunity came up to sell the orange for a near new '05 450 FSE and I'm thinking it might be a better answer to a trail-rideable daily driver than my LC4. In the end I want a one bike garage.

In looking around, I've looked at the sevice manuals on the GG website and see the oil and valve interval's are very comparable to what I'm on now. The big question is just how long would a moderately used FSE motor go? By moderate I mean used by as a low key road commuter, dual spoter and some tight, mountain trail riding in British Columbia and WA state which is probably the hardest on the bike of all my use cases.

As a reference point, I rode about 8,000 miles this year on my orange beast, most of it on road for trips of 20-50 miles. Is it realistic to expect the 450FSE motor to go big miles like my LC4 will provided it's treated with respect?
Also I was told by a GG dealer the 450 holds 2.5 quarts of oil while the online service manula says 1.2 liters. What's the real oil capapity? 2.5q's would be fantastic.
One more thing. The engine cases sure look a lot like the Suzuki DRZ. Again, dealer told me a number of the parts are interchangeable. Huh? What's the real truth on the motor design?

Thanks a lot.

Just to cloud the issue, I've got a manual for a 2003 FSE and it says 1800cc.
Thats probably about right as it has oil in the frame too, but no spin on oil filter like your LC4. I can't speak to the longevity of the motor, but thats a lot of miles you do there. I'd be doing oil changes a lot more than every 30 hrs too. Even my LC4 (Adventure with all the filters) doesn't go much more than 1500km or so between changes, but its almost all offroad and a fair bit of riding thru water (can't help it where I live).

 

[Nick]

05 holds 1200cc

 

[Ned]

Thanks Nick. I've been locating and cruising various service manuals and have a better handle on it now.

The service intervals look really good (using my LC4 as point of reference) but I'm still trying to get a handle on how burly the motor REALLY is.

I'm certain just about any motor can be abused and blown up in short order but I just can't get a sense of rebuild intervals on these 450 engines under steady but easy use. Sure, they're probably better than a racing four stroke exploder but how would they rate against the DRZ benchmark?

Thanks...

 

[Nick]

I sold 6 05 450's The first one has countless races and riding since August of 05. They have their quirks but in all are great bikes.

 

[Ned]

Quirks indeed, the LC4 and everything else with wheels and a motor has its share. Thanks, that's good info knowing the bikes are getting aped on pretty hard but still hanging in there.

I could hammer you with piles of questions but I'll hold off. Thanks.

 

[Nick]

Bring on the questions. If you want you can call me (775) 738-3276

 

[Tom Zelko]

05 450 fse

I have a 05 fse and abuse it as bad as my 06 300. The fse isnt the street bike that the drz is, but you can't have everything. There is no compairision between any other dual sport and the fse on the trail, except maybe the new ktm 450? I ride mine to work almost every day and hit some nice single track riding on the way home, or go night riding with my freinds who are better ridders than me. they ride drz's thank God! or I would never be able to keep up. I have been doing this for 2 years and my only problems have been the fuel injector, replaced and all good, and the fact that it leaks oil into the oil filter box. I clean my oil filter box weekly and its all good. The maintinance is just like a dirt bike, not a street bike. I love the bike in the trail as much as my 300 untill it rains or lots of river crossings and the bike is not made for that as well as the GG 300

 

[Ned]

Thanks the open door Nick. The thing that I'm most curious about is whether you've had to crack any motors open to rebuild or address any problems. No question your boys are beating on the bikes harder than I will but I prefer to stick closer to LC4 or DRZ peace-of-mind durability than racing four stroke explodability.

Tom, you sound like a very close match to my usage of a moto. What sort of miles do you have on yours? Had to peel the motor open yet or are you just dealing in terms of oil and valves?

 

[Tom Zelko]

Hi Ned, my speedometer broke in a crash 3 months after I bought the bike and I fixed it with my wifes pampara cable then another crash and no more speedo. So im guesing 7000 to 12000 miles and only valve adj. and oil changes on the motor. Other things replaced due to trail riding are radiator, all plastics, headlight, 2 kickstands, 1 kickstand bracket 6 sets of tires, mt16 work good on the bike. My only complaint about the bike is that it took 3 weeks to get the fuel injector and 3 weeks to get my radiator Tom

 

[Nick]

Ned, 2 of the bikes had a weak spring on the shift mechanism, one bike had a bad wiring harness, replace the relays with NAPA part # AR614 before you even venture out on it. I ride and race one myself and have complete confidence in it.

 

[Ned]

Thanks much for the inside line Nick. I suppose the spring and relay are an easy fix, the wiring harness a bit more involved.


Slowly warming up to the idea of taking the plunge...... even if I'm asking a little too much of one bike like I do with my SXC.

 

[drzdemon]

Wish I could help out, my '04 FSE has less than 200 miles on it and doesn't start or run properly. If I can get it running I'll let you know after I get some miles on it.

 

[spdfrek]

I've got an 05. Its been torn down and rebuilt once now. Balled up a chain an chipped two teeth off in the tranny. Went ahead and replaced every bearing while it was apart. Managed to float a valve on it and the heads at a shop right now for a cost estimate. I'll honestly say had it been maintained better by the previous rider it probably wouldn't have these issues. Right now its a toss up between an 07 450 gas gas or ktm if I replace it after the head is back together.