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Used SD Buying Tips

cessnatpa

cessnatpa

2014-07-27 22:25:00 UTC

I'm going to look at a 07 SD with 18k miles and would like to get some advice if there are any issues with 07's and what to look for. Also what is a fair price?
Thanks.

Hotbrakes

Hotbrakes

2014-07-27 22:48:00 UTC

I believe 18k (maybe 16k) is the first major service/valve check. Motors are pretty solid though and I wouldn't expect much adjustment if any would be needed, so not a huge concern but is a good indicator of the owner's overall care.
Other items to ask and/or check on would be the fuel filter as they degrade over time and can jam up the fuel system, oil sight tubes had a bad habit of splitting and were usually replaced under warranty/recall, water pump seals also have a habit of going bad anywhere from 2k-20k miles which allows coolant to seal into the engine oil. You can check that by popping the top on the radiator (cold of course) and the fins should be submerged. The other part is the oil level in the sight tube should not be high. On my two SD's the oil is visible about 3/4 up the tube when cold on the side stand. Oil level varies when hot because of expansion.
Price point should not be over $7k. Inspect the bike for overall general condition, tyres, brake system, signs of abuse, etc. Also at 18k miles the original chain and sprockets if still mounted are nearing the end of their life. Overall they're fantastic bikes with quality components and you've come to the right place for info. Please post pics or any other questions you have about it.

cessnatpa

cessnatpa

2014-07-28 00:13:00 UTC

Thanks for the reply, good info.
Can someone confirm if the 1st major service is at 16 or 18k miles.

cdv478

cdv478

2014-08-07 07:13:00 UTC

The first valve check should be done at 9k miles. Mine were within spec at that mileage, but many people need to adjust one or two valves. Also, that's when the plugs should be replaced according to the manual. When you go shopping, ask for maintenance records, whether it is a book, receipts or both. I'd prefer a used motorcycle from someone who documented maintenance to one from a dealer with no records or a person who supposedly maintained the motorcycle but never documented it.

Look for expanding fuel tanks. There should be a gap of about 1/4" between the forward bolt mount and the top steering clamp. The tanks expand due to Ethanol incompatibility. KTM will replace them under goodwill at least once, but if it hasn't been done and KTM decides not to goodwill the bike you buy because you aren't the original owner, yowl could end up with a $1500 bill. I had my tank coated internally so it wouldn't expand again, and so far so good. I wouldn't buy one unless this has been addressed. If the owner plays dumb, move along to the next motorcycle.

As Hotbrakes said, water pump seals go bad sometimes, but it isn't a tough fix as long as no one rode the bike hard or put a lot of miles on it with the contaminated oil. The sight tube on my bike split and started leaking when it was about a year old, but the replacement has never given me any trouble and I replaced it about 4 years ago.

Look closely at the gauge cluster for water leaks, holes in the mode/set buttons or the tach needle scraping on the instrument face. My tach had to be warrantied at 700 miles because the needle was scraping the face and there were little plastic shavings in the cluster.

Also ask to look behind the battery fairing or chin spoiler. A lot of crap accumulates back there and it takes work to keep clean. If it still looks ok, the owner probably was good about cleaning and maintaining it. When you change the oil, if you clean the sump screen on the left side, oil will drip into this fairing if you don't find a way to deflect it, and it will accumulate around the battery and make a mess. Not a deal breaker, but a good indicator of the owner's attention to detail or concern.

cessnatpa

cessnatpa

2014-08-07 14:07:00 UTC

Post missing.