Guy Cooper and the KTM 540
David H
thing if coop can get a bike like this why dosent factory KTM guys ride a
monster like that? Or do they.
"1990 AMA National 125 Motocross champion, Guy Cooper, at close to 40 years
old, will race the AMA 250 Outdoor National Motocross championship series
this year, beginning next month in San Bernardino, aboard a KTM 540
four-stroke reportedly making over 70 horsepower. The specially built 540
(basically, a KTM 520SX with lots of trick parts, including a big bore, high
compression piston), to give you some perspective, should make roughly 15
horsepower more than the most powerful 250cc factory two strokes. Lots more
torque, too.
Cooper reportedly calls the bike "the best" he's ever ridden, and he has had
factory machinery before. Although, at his age, Cooper won't be a title
threat, he sure could pull plenty of holeshots and spend time mixing it with
the leaders.
What is most interesting about this story is the fact that a 70 plus
horsepower motocross bike (weighing less than 230 pounds) is controllable
and rideable by a guy roughly 40 years old. This is the beauty of the
four-stroke power delivery in dirt bikes. The fatigue factor is dramatically
reduced (a two stroke with this much of power would wear out the youngest,
most fit motocrossers).
With the AMA set to limit four-stroke engine capacity to 450cc next year
(for the 250cc two-stroke class), maybe a new "open class" will emerge for
the mega four-stroke machines. If four-strokes can be this powerful, and
this much fun, maybe it will happen."......MC daily
MXOldtimer
>This might be old news but its still cool hes gona go for it. And one more
>thing if coop can get a bike like this why dosent factory KTM guys ride a
>monster like that?
70+ HP,,,He's going after holeshot money.
Doug
John Schofield
machine are building Dowdy's bike and I think the factory KTM bikes.
They are awesome. The exact number for the 540 is 78 hp. You'd have to
get your shoulders relocated after every straightaway.
John S.
'02 KTM 520 E/XC
'00 Yamaha WR 400f
'02 Honda XR 200f
Amandio J.S. Bacalhau
> They are awesome. The exact number for the 540 is 78 hp. You'd have to
> get your shoulders relocated after every straightaway.
> John S.
Its a question to get used to it (if i ever will be)...
...but believe me when i say that your cardiovascular
system is tested to the limit in each straight ;-)
AJSB
'96 KTM LC4 620 @ 70 HP !!!...and i still want more (and i will get it !)
GIORGIO BETTETO
Amandio J.S. Bacalhau wrote:
In fact ...if you are disponible to trade-in the handling and durability , it's possible to
push very hard a big 4T ..I remember Yamaha Belgarda 660-700 air-cooled
supermono engines based on XT/TT with power in excess of 82/84 hp
...(note for driver seen on the tank : "full gas NO MORE than 3 laps "!
GiorgioXT Betteto - Padova & Tai di Cadore Italy
XT600 '89 XT 600 Z 86 XT 500 81
tra...@mail.neol.it ECHM #645
"Se sei incerto tieni APERTO!" (since 1981)
Amandio J.S. Bacalhau
> Hi from GiorgioXT
Hi
> Amandio J.S. Bacalhau wrote:
> In fact ...if you are disponible to trade-in the handling and durability , it's possible to
The handling at full power at off-road is an issue...
My bike now destroys rear tires at an incredible rate for a 4S...seems more like a
500cc 2S !...and if the tire is "half-done", things start to get real "fun"...
...power slides everywhere !...and just to think that i want more !...OK, send me
to Looney City =8->
> push very hard a big 4T ..I remember Yamaha Belgarda 660-700 air-cooled
> supermono engines based on XT/TT with power in excess of 82/84 hp
Yeah, IIRC (i still have the magazine somewhere), Suzuki had a 900cc Supermono
with even more power ! But remember that Supermonos was/are for speed races in tarmac
and not for off-road.
Even in Supermotard races KTM/Huskys are extremely powerfull...the official KTMs
are using now a 660cc LC engine.
> ...(note for driver seen on the tank : "full gas NO MORE than 3 laps "!
Ohhh i believe that one...you said sacrifice durability ? Yeap, i only tell you this:
My engine didnt made any (or almost any) debris in the oil at 53HP and i changed it
not very frequently...
...now, i need change oil after each off-road day and when i push the beast to the
limits from the begin to the end of that day, *there* is debris !
Im sure that next year i need to open the engine just to check what
parts needs replacement...of course that i will use that tear down to increase
the power to a new completly outrageous and absurd level =8->
GIORGIO BETTETO
"Amandio J.S. Bacalhau" wrote:
>
> GIORGIO BETTETO wrote:
> > Hi from GiorgioXT
>
> Hi
>
> > Amandio J.S. Bacalhau wrote:
> > In fact ...if you are disponible to trade-in the handling and durability , it's possible to
>
> The handling at full power at off-road is an issue...
> My bike now destroys rear tires at an incredible rate for a 4S...seems more like a
> 500cc 2S !...and if the tire is "half-done", things start to get real "fun"...
> ...power slides everywhere !...and just to think that i want more !...OK, send me
> to Looney City =8->
>
:-)))))) ! ...only tyres conceived to (and able to ) mess with such
power are Michelin "Desert" and Pirelli MT18 "HD" ....both are no good
on wet ....
> > push very hard a big 4T ..I remember Yamaha Belgarda 660-700 air-cooled
> > supermono engines based on XT/TT with power in excess of 82/84 hp
>
> Yeah, IIRC (i still have the magazine somewhere), Suzuki had a 900cc Supermono
> with even more power ! But remember that Supermonos was/are for speed races in tarmac
> and not for off-road.
Correct ! based on DR Big 800 motor ....
>
> Even in Supermotard races KTM/Huskys are extremely powerfull...the official KTMs
> are using now a 660cc LC engine.
Husky 570 Nox (limited series , but production, not tuned) 64 hp/wheel ...
>
> > ...(note for driver seen on the tank : "full gas NO MORE than 3 laps "!
>
> Ohhh i believe that one...you said sacrifice durability ? Yeap, i only tell you this:
> My engine didnt made any (or almost any) debris in the oil at 53HP and i changed it
> not very frequently...
> ...now, i need change oil after each off-road day and when i push the beast to the
> limits from the begin to the end of that day, *there* is debris !
> Im sure that next year i need to open the engine just to check what
> parts needs replacement...of course that i will use that tear down to increase
> the power to a new completly outrageous and absurd level =8->
Friend of KTM rally team told me that the 660 rally motor was even more
reliable that the standard LC4 ..
Altough , in my opinion the "badder beast" of a bike ever seen was a
"special" made with an old Maico MC490 and a GM 500 speedway motor (with
methanol alimentation and full-loss oul lubrication...) made for himself
by Giuseppe Marzotto , former Speedway Champion and founder-constructor
of GM speedway bikes ...
Giorgio Betteto "GiorgioXT" - Padova - Tai di Cadore -Italia
XT600 '90 XT500 '81 - tra...@mail.neol.it - www.polverosi.org - EchM#645
"se sei incerto tieni APERTO !!
RetSenior
the 500 GP's a couple years ago. Cooper finished top 20 at the first
National. Let's see how he improves.
scr...@mindspring.com
Actially, both of them were riding Husabergs a couple of years ago,
weren't they?