Posts
1267
Joined
1/3/2011
Location
US
Edited Date/Time
3/7/2020 10:13pm
I wanted to play with something a little more obscure and figured an ATK would do the trick. As a 10 year old kid I remember thinking these bikes were the answer to a question nobody was asking. They looked weird...and not in a good way. As time has gone by, I've gotten curious enough to seek one out and ended up finding this beauty a couple months ago.
The good, it was located a couple hours away (alot of others were West Coast or Canada), it runs, it is fairly complete and unmolested, has a cool Dyno Port pipe and was fairly cheap at $1100.
The bad, the body is scabby, the tires are shot, suspension is shot, and it appears to have been slapped back together hastily as if someone tossed some gas in it to see if it would run. Needless to say, it will need gone through before I can enjoy it.
The good, it was located a couple hours away (alot of others were West Coast or Canada), it runs, it is fairly complete and unmolested, has a cool Dyno Port pipe and was fairly cheap at $1100.
The bad, the body is scabby, the tires are shot, suspension is shot, and it appears to have been slapped back together hastily as if someone tossed some gas in it to see if it would run. Needless to say, it will need gone through before I can enjoy it.
The other bad part is that the tire was getting into the side and chewed a hole through it. I decided to use some alumiweld rods with a propane torch to see if I could repair it. Those rods did the trick!
After cleaning and sanding 75% of the rubbish out of the can
Hole is filled and smoothed out
I'm glad I pulled the core out, When the pipe bent, it nearly crimped the inlet of the core shut. That's all fixed up now
Next up....the pipe was dented pretty badly and cracked in 4 places. I RTV'd the cracks shut and filled it with water to freeze. I've already got to weld all over it, so I'm not worried about more cracks. My wife was pretty understanding. I'm on the second trip to the freezer...will report in later.
I'm posting up some of the pipe damage
I got to this point after several hours with a body hammer. For some of the sharp pits that I can't massage out, I will try filling with weld and sanding out. At least this is a natural finish pipe. I can't imagine what I would do with a plated pipe.
The Shop
I'd love to get a 406 - the utter simplicity of them just gels with me. And, as I used an AMP Torque Limiter for many years on my CR/XR hybrids, and my 500s, I am used to the traits of them / the ATK (fuller) system. But, 406s are few and far between here in OZ, and, pricey if you do find one.
Are ADB still around / selling bits?
You're just a little fella, aren't you..........
ADB is still around. They offer some nice bits, I'll be sourcing most of the suspension components from them when I get around to rebuilding both ends of the bike.
And yeah, you remember my handlebar set-up on the CR500. I'll be doing something similar on the ATK to accommodate my tall frame!
Tonight I went back over my welds. In my defense I really had no idea how much weld to build up in each dent. This time around I had an idea...and I went a little more generous in each spot. Here is a video of after the welding.
I was going to resist grinding tonight, but I couldn't. I hit a few spots to see how they looked and I am much happier with round 2.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1995-ATK-406-EXPANSION-CHAMBER/323649448275?ha…
No idea on the parts crossover between years...
Cool bike, brother!
Before dropping it with the powdercoat guy, I need to come up with a footpeg solution though, since I want the brackets to be powdercoated white as well. American Dirtbike sells these IMS bolt-on beauties for $200. They are nice, but a little out of the budget so I picked up a set of KTM 450SX pegs for $25 complete with pins and springs along with some weld-on mounts for $18. I just need to sit down with the welder and drill press and I should be able to whip some up for about $50. Best part is I can weld them a bit lower for more comfort (probably 1/2 inch)
Otherwise, I picked up a set of new Kenda tires, air filter, some plastic and I'm currently trying to source the inner/outer fork bushings for these WP 4054 Inverted 43mm forks. These are the first generation I believe since there are no adjusters. Here is a vid with some other details:
Pit Row
Picked up some new plastic. This is Acerbis Nost front/rear fenders, which is what the bike should have had. Front fender has been revised through the years, most notably it no longer has the rear vents, but otherwise is the correct part and true to form. I went with a KTM front number plate though, which covers the lower clamp a bit more. I thought it looked a little nicer.
I'll refurbish the stock red side plates, which will take care of all of the plastic.
Also got the rear wheel cleaned up and new Kenda mounted along with a fresh tube
Making the mounts wider than the 22mm(?) of the KTM Peg width - I assume you are doing that for a bit of adjust-ability, like how some other aftermarket pegs have the reversible inserts? A Great idea! A bit of forward and back, and up and down to be had that way, with suitable spacers either side of the peg mount.
Another thing, as you are such a Shortarse........ KTM 450RR / Adventure Pegs are not only longer, and, a tad wider, fore and aft, but Lower than the std (up to 16 on EXCs?) pegs you are fitting. Something to keep in mind if you are going to be riding the 406 and still find you are 'folded up', too much.
You probably don't need this advice - putting a brace on the forward face of the mount you've done, to the mount plate, will make things very, very much stronger. A simple wedge from a bit of, probably, 1 inch square, is an easy to do reinforcement, and will present a 'ramp' for crud and impacts. I also use 10mm Stainless bolts with No threads bearing on the peg pivoting area, or the mount plates. I never have any Peg Pivot, or Mount wear sag, that way
Nost Fenders - I unpacked and packed hundreds of the bloody things when I worked at the OZ distributors, nearly 2 decades ago.
Did you work for ATK or Acerbis?
Never ATK - but as I've said before, I would very much like a 406. I might have to be happy with my PDS'd Steelie, that I'll convert to a 'Finner', when I gather together enough parts to make a whole new 500 Watercooler, with, my own frame that I'll make. But, I've a few Ducati, Bicycle (well, quite a few of these, now I've the Pinion Gearboxes to hand) and Sport Sedan Chassis to make before then. Retirement, is a bloody busy time, I'm learning.
They make them 125mm long, from the centre of the pivot bolt to the outside of the Peg, and 86.5mm wide, front to back. 32mm of that, is at the back of the 48mm wide KTM Peg.
The 450RR / ADV KTM pegs are 130mm long, from the centre of the pivot bolt, and are 55mm wide (that extra 7mm width, I think is rearward) , and, somewhere around 8 to 10mm lower.
I made a little more progress on the pins. It is hard to find time these days.
I also have a red tank in pretty good condition
Email me if you need either
64maxpower@gmail.com
A rear hub and new sprocket too
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/846078085830306/
At least in the downtime I've been able to give some careful thought about the color options for the frame/swinger. I was really considering a metal plated finish, but in the end I'm going with just red and white powdercoat. I realize blue is the OEM look, but I can't stand it. There isn't one drop of blue on the entire bike and it looks awkward to bomb out the frame and swinger in blue paint.
I like the red/white/blue "Made in USA" theme, but the blue needed to be worked in much more thoughtfully IMO. I am also happy to see that the new Acerbis NOST fenders no longer feature the "Acerbis" text boldly printed into the fender, however the fenders look naked without some kind of emblems. I really liked what Yamaha did in 1992 with the rear fender on the YZ's so I took a cue from that bike. I'm going to have a rear fender graphic made to try and incorporate the red/white/blue theme and also give some designation to engine size which was also missing on the original model. And I want it to look era specific, so something basic like in the pic below. Here is the OEM vs. what I'm going to shoot for:
The Big ATK on the tank looks great
But, perhaps a Blue seat cover. It seems too much red with it as Red, and the Frame and Tank, as well. A bit too Old XR like. But, then again, I like the blue frame........
Im done with the blue frame! What do you think of all white swinger/frame?
The different colour on the swingarm to the main frame in your mock-up is an idea. Looks white there, but Silver / grey might be 'the go' - though that sort of smacks of budget Japanese bike models 'faking' of Aluminium SAs.........
White (frames) was used on the last of the (non linkage / Leitner designed / John Martin era) Can Ams, wasn't it?
I'd put on a Different front fender than the bloody Nost. I never liked them, as I may have said before. Looked crap, stopped buggerall dirt / mud, especially the vented ones.
But, all of this 'styling' advice is coming from a bloke that uses beat up, White plastics from bikes I had 28 years ago, on a 17 year old bike - all while having an Otto Bin with about 5 (or more, if I count the 07 'other' model stuff I might one day fit) full sets of new plastics that I won't put on. My 'Blinging' record is quite lacking.
That 406 in the ad that another bloke put up, has me crying in my beer. $1400. I've a mate that could organize packing and freight, but, I've got too many other things to spend / waste money on, at the moment.
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