Lets see those X-Pro Paladin 300 EFI mods! put em up!

[LightSmith88]

Hey all! I wanted to start a new thread with some of the adds, mods and custom touches you are all adding to these Paladins. There is already a really good resource guide about the mechanical stuff so I was thinking about the upgrades to form and function. I'll start with the power oultet/voltage gauge that Installed almost immediately after assembly. It took a little work but it is doable and works great. It came about because I noticed this large hole in the metal next to the gauge cluster and I thought that it could be put to use.

[buzz]

That's for a cigarette lighter.

[LightSmith88]

Yup! It sure is for a cigarette lighter. That's why I found a power outlet that was made to fit in the opening for one. This is what I used (see link below). The dumb thing is that the hole was a tiny bit too small still. I ended up having to make it a bit bigger with a uni-bit. Tricky manuver because the turn signal is so close to it. I also had to wire it back to the battery because there was no wiring ready for it. https://www.amazon.com/Cigarette-Replacement-Voltmeter-Waterproof-Motorcycle/dp/B0CTD84F3P/ref=sxin_18_sbv_search_btf?content-id=amzn1.sym.7032aefd-3c59-4a1e-aaf4-8d3a944207a4%3Aamzn1.sym.7032aefd-3c59-4a1e-aaf4-8d3a944207a4&crid=3JSNXYSVOT54A&cv_ct_cx=cigarette%2Blighter%2Busb%2Bcharger&keywords=cigarette%2Blighter%2Busb%2Bcharger&pd_rd_i=B0D3XDFJDT&pd_rd_r=12cfc83f-8ff0-472c-b7c7-2d20b6480e40&pd_rd_w=9cfeH&pd_rd_wg=RjIYP&pf_rd_p=7032aefd-3c59-4a1e-aaf4-8d3a944207a4&pf_rd_r=Q9AAYVKNQK8YYSRWSVDB&qid=1738188420&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=cigerette%2Caps%2C165&sr=1-1-5190daf0-67e3-427c-bea6-c72c1df98776&th=1

[LightSmith88]

I think we can all agree that the Paladin is a great looking bike except for one (major) thing. The graphics could use a bit of work. Its not that they are bad in my opinion. I just think that they went a little crazy with the X-pro name on literally every single panel. If you look at some of the examples here (see pics) Zuumav did an altogether better job with graphics. And then of course there is Gas Gas who came up with the plastics in the first place. We can't leave them out. They went bright in color but subdued in logo.

[LightSmith88]

So, I decided to lead the charge on a complete graphics overhaul. I went with some of the craziest graphics for fun to start but I actually have a totally different set of plastics and graphics coming in the near future. I didn't really mean to go with yellow. The picture made it look more of a high viz yellow which I thought would look cool with the green frame. The reason I selected the green color for the bike was that I like the fact that it is a completely different color than any of the big brands. In the past they did a version of the Kawi green. I love that now they do this light green color. side note, if you need to touch up the green or paint something to match (see my tail rack in the album on my profile page) you can use gloss jungle green from Krylon. It is not a perfect match but really damn close! Well when teh graphics showed up just regular yellow, I decided to lean in. Anyway....more pics.

[OldGuy]

I guess you won't like my comment on the big thread. I bought this thing to RIDE, I just don't get the whole "HEY EVERYBODY, LOOK AT ME!" cosmetic changes. I removed the original gaudy stickers, and actually would love it if it just had the base colors & maybe ONE PLACE where it said Paladin & X-Pro. Even the cases are annoying, I will likely use some JB Weld Steel Stick to fill in the machined in advertising. This isn't simply branding, it is ANNOYING ADVERTISING that looks stupid! I won't worry about the seat stitching logo (and will eventually get a custom cover made & add some foam).


:hmm:

[LightSmith88]

Hey there! I don't mind the comment at all. I only went crazy with the design for fun and to share with the community. My other bikes are very understated. I actually have a whole plastic change coming up but I wanted to see what I could do first with the factory plastics. I'm actually now in the process of peeling back a bunch of what I did. Stay tuned for a return to the ktm style headlight with a I later today. I already have a full set of polisport plastics and senge graphics (that are much more laid back) for it. But the way I see it, why not try some things and put them up for others to see on here if they are considering making a Change. We all know what the stock stuff looks like. I wanted to show you all something different. I'm 43 and "hey look at me" days are back somewhere in my 20s for sure. I will take this thing out to the trail like this a couple of times and beat up these plastics a bit before I change them but why not? I've got nothing to prove. I'm not showing off a12 thousand dollar gas gas. In fact, quite the opposite. It is fun to me when I'm on my brozz recon and people are like"what is that thing? " I tell them "chinese bike in a box" put it together like grown up Legos"i usually get a good laugh at that. I figure, If I do the plastics change and throw the other stuff in the attic, fine. But why not show it off on here in hopes it will help someone one way or the other! I also have a bunch of (other) fails I'm going to put on here so that people can see some things to avoid buying.

[LightSmith88]

Anyway, here are some more "functional" mods from this weekend. Phone holder bar pad with integrated charger. Back to ktm style headlight. Tail bag. It's kind of a baby adventure bike at this point. I also toned back a bunch of the yellow stuff I had on here. It was fun but not my style.

[LightSmith88]

Oh yeah. Old guy, I couldn't agree more about the name on the case on each side. Here is what I did about that. It's still there but I think more tasteful.

[OldGuy]

Yeah, I thought paint would do it, then thought about the JB.

Well, this is one of those "ok boomer" moments, I suppose. I grew up in an era focused on performance & function. Fast cars were just fast, and made noise & had big tires. Sure, perhaps a decal or two, but most were pretty tame. Our culture has turned into appearance over function, or "ideology over function" as our DEI FAA is currently demonstrating to the world!

I would like some color, and actually the yellow isn't bad. There is just TOO MUCH of it for me.

QUESTION: how does the KTM headlight work from a FUNCTIONAL standpoint? As I have remarked over on the big thread, the headlight is useless as it is aimed far too low. Does the KTM allow proper locating? I suppose the 'nipple mounts' aren't necessary - I just want FUNCTIONAL lighting! I will possibly install small LED spots on the forks as I did w/ my FJ09. It both makes me more visible to cars AND is really useful at night.

[LightSmith88]

I can totally relate. I have a 69 skylark in the garage and guess what? Not one sticker on it. If you look at my other bikes on the big thread, I usually don't go as crazy with my color schemes. I thought the color was going to be more greenish from the pictures of the graphics but when they showed up..... yellow. Oh well (I thought) lean in and see what we can do with it. My next color scheme is gray (camo) with green like the frame. And that's it! Two colors. Anyway. Back to the headlight thing. I responded to that on the big thread. There is an upgraded LED headlight with two large projectors in it stacked that I am going to try. The 5 let's in the stock one are set in and kind of high. I also do think it has to do with the ktm light and the gas gas fender (like I said on the big thread) the gas gas headlight aimed farther down the road. Just to be clear, I don't expect everyone (or even anyone) to do the mods I'm doing. I just know that I always enjoyed seeing what other people did with their bikes to get ideas of what might work and what doesn't. I thought I might as well return the favor to the community here. I realize everything on here is subject to criticism, and I'm OK with that. To each his own!

[LightSmith88]

Here is the headlight in talking about vs the one we have.

[dashideler]

Anyway, here are some more "functional" mods from this weekend. Phone holder bar pad with integrated charger. Back to ktm style headlight. Tail bag. It's kind of a baby adventure bike at this point. I also toned back a bunch of the yellow stuff I had on here. It was fun but not my style.

Info on the mini tail rack? If you don't put the links or at least where you got your mods your going to get asked a million times.

[LightSmith88]

Good call. I will post some links here. tusk tail rack https://www.ebay.com/itm/314726092493?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=314726092493&targetid=2512152189032&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9192879&poi=&campaignid=21214286338&mkgroupid=161030074701&rlsatarget=pla-2512152189032&abcId=9407521&merchantid=131376416&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAqfe8BhBwEiwAsne6gUGULvUlrga29F4v3NQs xlYUrwsxc4NAj76ZeVaHOzzNIbGpE7v9VRoCdgUQAvD_BwE
mini tail rack (in my album on profile page) https://www.amazon.com/NICECNC-Compatible-125-530-Yamaha-Fitment/dp/B0DG2M2S3C/ref=asc_df_B0DG2M2S3C?mcid=9ed6649ea1be340598c48a4 f1b733152&hvocijid=14669025215579955039-B0DG2M2S3C-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14669025215579955039&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9192879&hvtargid=pla-2281435177858&psc=1
bar pad with phone holder. https://www.ebay.com/itm/387685591383?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-166974-028196-7&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=387685591383&targetid=2274564709393&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9192879&poi=&campaignid=21428031033&mkgroupid=162854364934&rlsatarget=pla-2274564709393&abcId=9466083&merchantid=6482024&geoid=9192879&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAqfe8BhBwEiwAsne6gSSU2WTlN-r3_3TUMnkyAylKZzmUf_qnC9ufiWDhml_WJV4mnO4AphoCMqQQ AvD_BwE
tail bag https://www.amazon.com/KEMIMOTO-Waterproof-Universal-Mountain-Shopping/dp/B0CGZT55D4?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=A268OGM9K7GWGH&th=1
ktm winshield https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806873872561.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3 .4c724mT44mT4KA&algo_pvid=6286b0b4-61d4-49cc-8d09-94d060ec5ddc&algo_exp_id=6286b0b4-61d4-49cc-8d09-94d060ec5ddc-1&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2132.46%2127.84%21%21%21235. 36%21201.83%21%402103247417384613200421128ef36a%21 12000039269096826%21sea%21US%210%21ABX&curPageLogUid=BjEMof9r3isl&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

[LightSmith88]

graphics I used https://kalairgfx.com/graphics-kit-for-gasgas-ec300-2021-swirl-series/
more graphics ideas https://kalairgfx.com/graphics-kit-for-gasgas-ec300-2021-rebel-series/ and https://kalairgfx.com/graphics-kit-for-gasgas-ec300-2021-twitch-series/
and from Senge https://sengegraphics.com/dirtbike/gasgas/ec/mayhem and these ones from Nicecnc are pretty cheap but thick (if what they say is true) and super cheap. These can be found on Aliexpress even cheaper and they are not terrible.https://www.nicecnc.com/products/motorcycle-team-full-graphics-background-sticker-decal-kits-for-gas-gas-ec-enduro-2021-2024?variant=44244132626662&country=US&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=webtraffic-pmax-11.11&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-5a9BhCBARIsACwMkJ5mAd-AgoxrxkHqqYfaTv5mOF5nqHz2KDjHEv4EhewcvI_n0ypNqK0aA uypEALw_wcB

[LightSmith88]

So I have to say, the tail rack that you see in the pics was very involved. It comes in black but I found one used so it was scratched up. I took the opportunity to paint it green and get some more of that color into the bike. The black when new though looks good. You have to cut a few slots in the plastic in the airbox rear section which makes up your rear wheel well you might say. I also had to add a bend to it (in the vise by hand) to make it work with our rear fender. the KTM fender is a little more narrow near the exhaust then the gas gas one. It also lays right on top of the fender tight so I added some spacers to lift it up a little bit. watch this guys video on the install of it. He takes you through the whole process of it. Its funny, it is made specifically for the exc-f 500 but the sub frame is the same for the excf 350 and so the same as ours. I took a chance and it paid off.https://youtu.be/KXsfJyDOqfw?si=3YSMUQBI7K2Y3MJU

[Mumen Rider]

Anyway, here are some more "functional" mods from this weekend. Phone holder bar pad with integrated charger. Back to ktm style headlight. Tail bag. It's kind of a baby adventure bike at this point. I also toned back a bunch of the yellow stuff I had on here. It was fun but not my style.


I bought a similar grab handle like yours and it was no where close to being the right bolt spacing to line up. Can you throw a link to the exact one you used? Thanks.

[LightSmith88]

Yes it is this one http://aliexpress.us/item/3256805829725633.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1 .12eb725eh8di6z&algo_pvid=3473598c-8ea4-417c-9a4e-4f8d6db213fb&algo_exp_id=3473598c-8ea4-417c-9a4e-4f8d6db213fb-0&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%219.70%216.70%21%21%219.70%2 16.70%21%40210308a417384700553261027e069c%21120000 35335152458%21sea%21US%210%21ABX&curPageLogUid=SfeTh00yhhlY&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A This (like most things for this bike) required some modification. The bolts that they give you are the correct length but not the right size. They are like an M6 instead of the M8 bolts that you actually need. You have to use a drill press and enlarge the hole through the standoffs and the holes through the strap. https://www.amazon.com/VGBUY-M8-1-25-Stainless-Included-VG30134/dp/B0CK22LBP6/ref=sr_1_13?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LTTs9n_Tx6B4SIvedGi7S fejiiRR6RlmPXX_aqESdMmNmjHM8e34joslVqlSUa5h-ciB1ZPwlAOrtMCBnykDsrV8vuJ82tlVwbfRfCPTKvH0Zl40Vvv cw3jeZOtDTU2vaFPWzIillT5xbNec6_2BQ5w2NENdkZ6O4kSBN s_HL36pql-QgghW5TTe7Fo3EuDZ-mCpYoHg6koczqhyP2xDlkJnbd8K-xeA3QnsWSuyev4.AA-JbzHvKJhy_M6QrPiPMK9sIy2_tSrscKI5BpJi3po&dib_tag=se&keywords=m8-1.25x90mm%2Bsocket%2Bhead%2Bcapped%2Bbolt&qid=1738470654&sr=8-13&th=1 are the bolts you will need. I also pointed the ends of my bolts a little bit to help align it when you put it back in. It does go through the exhaust mounting tabs. It is handy for sure though moving the bike around.

[LightSmith88]

Ok. So I have put up a few things that worked. Now I think it is time to put up a few things that did NOT! I will start with the front and rear rotor guard combo from Aliexpress. Its all black aluminum. Honestly the craftsmanship is not bad. As you will see from the pics below, however, they would not work without more modification than I was willing to do.

[LightSmith88]

The link for this item is this. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807974794009.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.6 .1fbaDMnHDMnHam&algo_pvid=89e066ef-9a78-4bb3-adf1-fa7f46600e22&algo_exp_id=89e066ef-9a78-4bb3-adf1-fa7f46600e22-5&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%223%22%2C%22eval%22%3A %221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2116.72%2115.80%21%21%21121. 59%21114.90%21%402103247017386849527904740ece2e%21 12000044043438180%21sea%21US%213758317920%21X&curPageLogUid=JWlxunGDdwVa&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A
The main problem with the fit in this situation is the axle bolt (see the black one in the second picture above) being too large in diameter and the stock bolt being too short. The solution for this would be to track down the correct length of axle bolt. The reason I did not pursue this solution is because I realized through my test fit that this type of guard doesn't offer any protection for the front caliper. I decided to go a different direction. Mumen Rider has a good solution (on the big thread) that works well. The main reason I wanted this set to work was 1: it is a matching set instead of a mish mash of different components. And 2: the rear (seams) like it would work without having to change the rear caliper. I decided since I am not going to use the front portion, using the rear did not make sense. I'll post a better picture of the axle bolts below so that you can see the difference.

[LightSmith88]

Ok. It seems like no one else is willing to put up any mods that they have done. That is a bummer but I will keep putting mine up with links in hopes that it will help some of you to find the right thing for your bike or not waste money on the wrong thing. I don't have much time today so I will put up a couple of little things. Another thing that I thought cheapened the overall look of the bike is the bar pad. I purchased 3 after-market options which I will post pics of below. I will follow that with a brief description and a link for each one.

[LightSmith88]

The first one that you see there is a Pro Taper that I bought from Amazon. Fit, finish, and function are all excellent as is to be expected from a big brand. I went for this one because it matches the rubber on the stock grips EXACTLY. The reason I went for the green option for the bike is because it is not a copy color of one of the big brands. It is a green that Zuumav seems to use on a bunch of their stuff but it is much lighter than the Kawi green. What I found (the hard way) is that means you will have a hard time finding after market accessories that match the color. If I had to do it all over again, I might have selected red because there is soooo much gas gas stuff that can fit on this bike and almost all of it is RED. Here is the link. https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Taper-2-0-Square-Bar/dp/B07BQNNTX1/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2X3OBUZDCCXMW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.USiy2xDlKdMuxkHmlFrSPtlTjVvcDrjrD yfoqZm85xSvguZXJbrZTohiN1EgjhIlHZhbZxMEdV8VqAtP39L of_8SnQH6vQYa4pmzMeLxByTG5A_xINpCLmPdrEup9QWNW3t7B p5eTqCku3K3AIDbbJRKdiRtyHbHZ5wk50o0jL1bRr0ywv2i5QE g03-v_91RC-dqNXVLm8BRcKxFkYuuptdviJDWm3QEvfQgjRXymrA.QPPgL_6m rw93drkY0-4i57uqf9vVg3yWsoFic2H5bRk&dib_tag=se&keywords=pro+taper+2.0&qid=1738946751&sprefix=pro+taper+2.0%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-9

[LightSmith88]

The second one that I show is from Aliexpress. It is better quality than I imagined it would be by far. I liked the look of it and I consider it a nod to this bikes WUYI ZUMA corporation ZUUMAV roots. If you look closely you can see this name (ZUUMAV) embossed on certain areas of these bikes. I like the name and I love the logo they use. It also has the exact green of the frame in the color scheme which is fun. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807369445717.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1 .eeb1ftT1ftT1xM&algo_pvid=843132fe-86c3-4b8d-a26a-8f755870bde9&algo_exp_id=843132fe-86c3-4b8d-a26a-8f755870bde9-0&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%221%22%2C%22eval%22%3A %221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%214.79%214.79%21%21%214.79%2 14.79%21%402101ef5e17389477958848516e9e5f%21120000 41280935264%21sea%21US%213758317920%21X&curPageLogUid=3SuVkZopsibC&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

I mean for $5? how could you go wrong?

[LightSmith88]

The third one is the largest and most expensive option by RSI. It was purchased from ebay. This one came about because I wanted a way to have my phone visible while I ride, for navigation. I tried buying a holder that attached to the handle bar but I did not like anything about it once installed. It just added another bulky awkward thing to the handlebars. This thing solved that problem and comes with a way to use a charger at the same time. The applications and the price range for this are pretty wide. I'll post the link of the exact one I used. I did modify the foam inside to fit my phone better (easily done with an exacto knife). It fit ok but would press the buttons on the sides. It is larger but I think it looks OK. If I did not add the windshield it might be a little to bulky looking. The cool thing is you can swap it out in about 1 min with a normal one if you don't need the navigation. https://www.ebay.com/itm/135331981751?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=jtrCprMXSOS&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=hhes36k-tcm&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[LightSmith88]

Shoot! It looks like that last link just takes you to the ebay home page. Well when you get there just search this...
RSI Cellphone Handlebar Pad (BPL-PHONE)


It should be around $58 or so. Ive seen some listed over $100 so you have to dig a little but they are there for this price.

[OldGuy]

After poking around on other threads, your title caught me off guard: what we need are not more mods for the 'Paladin 300 efi' but rather "EFI Mods for Paladin 300". The thread for the 250s go me looking around, it looks like 'Hud Hacker' software could potentially be useful for us. Need more info on the ECU on our bikes!


Carry on, back to your thread. Oh, along with some driving lights & brackets I did order a phone holder (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PVFN7LG).

[LightSmith88]

That's funny you should mention the EFI mod thing. I have some experiments in the works right now around the fuel system starting with the gas tank and fuel pump. I also was able to track down an EFI tuner that is universal but works with the KLX300R among others that I think might Help with our tuning restraints. Going off of what Mumen said about the KTM pump being PWM pump, I also picked up a speed control unit that should allow me to adjust the output of it. I have an EFI fuel pressure gauge and so I plan on getting some readings with the stock pump and then working forward from there. I will report my findings on this thread one way or the other and it proves to be worthwhile I will post my findings on the big thread. The only piece I am lacking at this point is the EFI tuner.

[LightSmith88]

Also, I am glad to hear about your lighting and phone holder mods. It would be great to get pictures and links of the products on here if they work well for you.

[OldGuy]

Neither the Power Commander nor the JD Tuner will work for this, they are specific to a particular ECU. It is unclear about which ECU is being used in this application. The HUD Hacker I mentioned before will fully rewrite fueling tables in the Delphi MT05 ECU, but I am unclear what we actually have, likely something newer. Someone is going to need to update some software to be able to write to these ECUs.

[LightSmith88]

Good to know. I will wait for further information on this before making any moves toward that part of it. Meanwhile I will experiment with the fuel pump part and report what i find. I removed the links above so as not to mislead someone. Old guy, I will defer to your expertise on the EFI controller part of this. I admittedly do not have much experience with EFI motorcycles.

[Mumen Rider]

It's a standard Chinese 18+18 EFI ECU. You can adapt an Aracer ECU to work with the engine but the gains will be minimal and the cost will be $800+ USD. I'm sure throttle response would improve but I can't justify spending the time or money on it myself.

[OldGuy]

Good call. I will post some links here.
ktm winshield https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806873872561.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3 .4c724mT44mT4KA&algo_pvid=6286b0b4-61d4-49cc-8d09-94d060ec5ddc&algo_exp_id=6286b0b4-61d4-49cc-8d09-94d060ec5ddc-1&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2132.46%2127.84%21%21%21235. 36%21201.83%21%402103247417384613200421128ef36a%21 12000039269096826%21sea%21US%210%21ABX&curPageLogUid=BjEMof9r3isl&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A


How much wind protection do you see from this windscreen? Last week during my 100+ mile road ride, I was quite aware of how different it was from my Yamaha. I don't have any experience with such a small one. It would have been a more pleasant ride with some protection.


I received my lights and clamps, I am uncertain of how I want to wire the lights. Generally I prefer to have them wired to switched power source, not sure what is available on this bike. Tonight after dark, I hope to check out the two different lights I bought. The clamps are fine, and I am positioning them just below the turn signals.


Which raises another point: I see in your photos that you have the turn signals mounted up on the metal frame, I installed mine on the headlight itself. Then I thought 'I could move them up here' and realized that is what you had done. I didn't watch any assembly videos, and haven't paid enough attention to know where others have mounted them.

[buzz]

Won't even think of buying this pile of junk. Good luck to all that did.

[OldGuy]

Won't even think of buying this pile of junk. Good luck to all that did.


And you are welcome to your opinion! Having owned motorcycles since 1970 (got my first Kawasaki 100 @ 13 y/o), this is a keeper. There are several annoying aspects, but it is an astonishing motorcycle for the cost. If you got a chance to ride one, you would understand why most of us are very pleased. There are more little things that need to be dealt with, but the performance advantage over anything else in this class is worth it ... at least for those of us with mechanical skills and some creative thinking.

[LightSmith88]

Hey all! I am back in town after my vacation in the desert (Vegas). I got to do some off-roading out there! Unfortunately, I was only able to rent a quad (Honda Rancher 400) but it was a great time. The wife and kids were in a Kawi 4x4 UTV four-seater and we had a blast chasing each other around. I have got to get my bike out there next time. Now I know why you desert guys hate the PNW so much. We spend so much time out here navigating the mud, roots, and rocks in the mountains. Lots of spinning tires and leg work. Out there it was just sand and rocks...traction for days! I could see wearing out tires there like crazy. Obviously the dunes are a different matter but the rigs we rented were not set up for that. Any way I saw a couple of questions while I was away. Old Guy, you know I didn't even think about the fact that I mounted my turn signals on the metal frame as apposed to the headlight itself. I did use those holes on the headlight to mount it which would have moved the top back just a smidge. I like the higher placement just because it gets them up near the handlebars a bit. A little more protection for them but a little less visibility I suppose. As far as the wind shield, it really only keeps the wind off of your body but still a great help in my opinion. As I mentioned before, I spend most of my time off-road so I kind of like having a smaller thing to break up there lol. It was another Aliexpress find that surprised me with its quality. I noticed another thread about all this tariff stuff so I won't get into it but I must say, I haven't had any issues yet with getting things I have recently ordered. I did have one thing that was canceled and instantly refunded, but then I received at least three things that I ordered after that without trouble. Speaking of those things I received, I will be back in the garage this weekend and will be posting more pics (and links) of my progress next week. Oh yeah, as far as these things being a piece of junk, I couldn't disagree more. I have had up-close hands on experience with three Chinese bikes and they were/are all exactly what I expected. They all needed work, modification, and customization. But that is exactly why I like them. I can't justify starting at $10,000 plus and then tinkering and modifying. The tinkering is my favorite part. Starting at $3,000 with these options? Now we are talking! I think that this forum is such a valuable resource for that very reason. If anyone is considering getting a Chinese bike of any type, someone on here has most likely had experience with it so you know what you are getting into. I grew up with Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki just like most of the folks on here. Yet, my two main bikes right now are Chinese. I can't agree more about these bikes being an excellent value for the price. I would Highly recommend that anyone who is thinking about buying one spend some time on here and doing some research first however.

[LowBrewTow]

Last night I finally finished putting the Paladin back together the right way. The exhaust gasket was leaking (what a surprise) so I took care of that, changed the seal to the block, sealed the slip joint with permatex copper, and bolted it all back together. Also added two heat shields, one for the leg and one for the rear shock (heard somewhere that’s important). As far as the fuel tank I back buttered the crap out of it, even in the screw holes, voids/bubbles kept appearing so I’d put another bead, and another, and another. No more leaks. I also went around and added dialectic grease to all connections. I had broke a bolt off in the front caliper so I had to replace that. Changed both tires (front Tusk waypoint, rear Tusk Dsport), trued and balanced both rims. Rear bearing were seized but came loose. I torqued the rear nut to the spec in the manual (65 lb) I purchased a decal kit from Upshift for a KTM before I found out that this bike has GasGas plastics. (Emailed them the same day and the would not let me cancel or return the order since it was a sale item..) They don’t fit at all lol.. so I’ve been slowly piecing it together like Frankensteins monster. It looks kinda janky but everything about this bike is kinda janky so it makes sense. I bought some orange CNC hardware for a KTM. Most didn’t fit, but the foot pedals did (in reverse). The phone holder works awesome, works as a fast charger and has an additional USB plug for another accessory. Holds the phone great and has anti vibration dampeners. Tusk brush guards went on great and are super high quality. I know most guys on here like to shop on AliExpress but I’m not too familiar with that app and it’s easier to return items on Amazon or websites like Rocky Mountain/revzilla. I use this website called motorcyclecloseout that sells a lot riding gear for dirt cheap. Bought a couple pairs of Klim pants and Alpinestars tech 7s for wayyyy cheaper than I could find anywhere else.

So I finally took the bike out for my first real ride! The thing really rips!! I love it! I don’t know how the Templar X or KPX 250 ride but this thing has a great power. I had the tachometer reading 79 mph (seems to be governed?, I know it’s not accurate, google GPS had me about 5 mph slower). The suspension is very firm, I have it dialed in about halfway on all the adjustments). Feels very taught but in a good way, not cheap at all. So all the trails in my area are closed due to controlled burns, every. single. one. of. them. So I was just driving down dirt/gravel roads from trailhead to trailhead getting disappointed. When I started today the bike had around 45 miles on it and now it’s got 115. When I was riding back home I ran out of gas!!.. literally 1/4 mile down the road from my neighborhood. I pushed the bike to the next house on a side road and asked if they could spare some gas. After the lady told me the good word about Jesus she lent me her gas can and I made it home in one peace lol. I had topped it off with 93 before I set out so I’m averaging around 35 mpg. Not bad for the way I was riding it. All in all it was a ton of fun and honestly well worth the grief of fixing the initial problems with the bike. Anyone on the fence I strongly suggest going for it!!

One thing I did notice, any time I would shift I would hear a metallic scrapping noise. I made sure to have the throttle all the way in and it would still do it. I’d also hear it sometimes when I’d let off the gas/decelerate. Anyone have any idea what that could be? I’m uploading photos of the bike.

[LightSmith88]

Awesome! Thank you soooo much for getting your write up in here! I would love to see more pics of the graphics and mods that you have done. I like that you kept the 300 graphic on the headlight. That is one of the ones I tried to save but it ripped! I was able to save a bunch of others (like the ones that say EFI) that I might incorporate into a later design. My OEM graphics don't seem like they were "activated" with a heat gun and so most came off pretty easily. I wonder if that was the same for you? I will admit the no fuel gauge and no reserve is a little frustrating. That is what actually initiated my upcoming attempt at using an IMS tank with a natural finish so I can see the level. I am stoked to see the MODS!! Oh and one question. Did the metallic noise sound external or internal? That might help us narrow it down.

[LowBrewTow]

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[LowBrewTow]

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Not sure why all my photos keep coming out sideways.. this website is archaic.

Back to fuel story. I actually already purchased a Nelson Riggs molle tailbag: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077TQQGYN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title and fuel bottle holder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084B8V582?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
Unfortunately I did not install it because I can barely get my leg over the bike with them on there.. I also returned a tusk tank bag because it felt like it was in the way. I know some people mount the bottle holders around the front forks so I just need to figure out how that's done.

It's hard to say if the noise I'm hearing is internal or external when I'm cruising down the road.. my guess would be external.

[LightSmith88]

I am a big fan of those tusk hand guards! And it looks like you get good coverage from that exhaust guard as well. I was going to go with that one but the one I got ended up working out though it is a little small. I like the accents that you have on there. Do they make that same style in the 2022 gas gas ec 300 configuration? If so you could for sure fill in the gaps. your bike kind of makes me wish I went for the black frame. Its got a more sinister look that way. I don't usually go for bright colors and so this time I just went with it. So now I have a conundrum. We spoke before about the Tusk tires and I mentioned that I am a fan of the D-sport. This will be the third bike I use them on. Off road they are amazing and seem fine on the road but if you look at the voids in the front one it doesn't instill much confidence in leaning corners. The set you made looks like the best of both worlds! I haven't mounted my new set for this bike yet and now I'm thinking of getting the way point for the front. I was wondering how they would look together (obviously not the most important thing in this scenario) but, They look really great! How do they feel on/off the road compared to the stock set? As far as the noise, I would be looking for anything that the chain might come in contact with. I know that the chain guides are not the softest plastic and I remember with one of the bikes (templar I think) it was making a loud noise. I would even consider the inside of the sprocket guard. You could look for signs of wear in there maybe? I will keep an ear out on mine but please let us know if you find it.

[OldGuy]

Tusk brush guards went on great and are super high quality.

I am about to give up on the cheapies from the main thread that I have been using - they simply don't have enough room to allow me to set levers properly. So I have a question: from the pics it seems you got the Tusk Pro guards. Why these rather than the less expensive Tusk? What is different? My concern is room to get everything setup properly. Also: which size? 7/8" or 1-1/8"? Is this more about the inner piece that mounts on the end? I see that the inner mount is down on the thinner part of the bar - just don't want to get the wrong size. I can't find any clarification in the descriptions.

As far as the fuel: yep! That has been my concern, hence I stopped to refill after a bit over 50 miles out. Highspeed road travel, honestly I was suprised that I got over 50mpg. It is a bit unnerving to not know how much nor to have a reserve capability. A small Rotopax on rear rack might be indicated, but I dislike the idea. I do look forward to experiments with larger fuel tanks.

Glad you are pleased, despite all the annoyances! I love mine, no question. I wish it had a LITTLE bit more power & throttle response, but it is okay for now. EFI tuning is needed, though. I need to pull the unit & see which it is - if it is the Delphi it can be modified. That might be something for me to attempt down the road.

Not sure what to make of your noise. I had a bit of contact between the clutch cable (lower) attachment & the exhaust requiring a little bit of 'reshaping'. That is the only 'oddball' thing that comes to mind.

The added height when actually putting something on the back (I did the small rack mounted to the fender) is not something I had considered! My long legs help, but my aged back does make throwing the leg much higher (than the baseline) a ...FOCUSED ... effort!

It is too cold to screw around with it for the next few days, but I'll post some photos once I have the new lights wired up. I have been debating how I want to do it, I think I will simply use a relay & tap the light circuit for a trigger. I'd like to have them run all the time, not just with high beams. That will depend on how they project once up & running.

[LightSmith88]

I just posted it on the big thread but I will be making an attempt with the fuel tank this weekend. I will give a full report whether it works or not. I am excited to see how you handle the lighting. I am considering going that route as well and also do not like the idea of having them come on only with the high beams. looking forward to it.

[LowBrewTow]

I am a big fan of those tusk hand guards! And it looks like you get good coverage from that exhaust guard as well. I was going to go with that one but the one I got ended up working out though it is a little small. I like the accents that you have on there. Do they make that same style in the 2022 gas gas ec 300 configuration? If so you could for sure fill in the gaps. your bike kind of makes me wish I went for the black frame. Its got a more sinister look that way. I don't usually go for bright colors and so this time I just went with it. So now I have a conundrum. We spoke before about the Tusk tires and I mentioned that I am a fan of the D-sport. This will be the third bike I use them on. Off road they are amazing and seem fine on the road but if you look at the voids in the front one it doesn't instill much confidence in leaning corners. The set you made looks like the best of both worlds! I haven't mounted my new set for this bike yet and now I'm thinking of getting the way point for the front. I was wondering how they would look together (obviously not the most important thing in this scenario) but, They look really great! How do they feel on/off the road compared to the stock set? As far as the noise, I would be looking for anything that the chain might come in contact with. I know that the chain guides are not the softest plastic and I remember with one of the bikes (templar I think) it was making a loud noise. I would even consider the inside of the sprocket guard. You could look for signs of wear in there maybe? I will keep an ear out on mine but please let us know if you find it.

The waypoints are a better road tire than the Dsport and you don't give up much off road performance. Ive read a lot of complaints about the front Dsport so I knew I was going to put something else. The rear tire is a beast though!! As far as the stock tires on the bike I believe they are a copy of a Motoz tractionator. The Tusks ride much better on the pavement. The trails were closed like I mentioned so I haven't had a chance to go off road yet but Im sure they will be more than capable enough for me.

I'll inspect the chain guide and sprocket and report back. Thanks for the info!

[LowBrewTow]

I am about to give up on the cheapies from the main thread that I have been using - they simply don't have enough room to allow me to set levers properly. So I have a question: from the pics it seems you got the Tusk Pro guards. Why these rather than the less expensive Tusk? What is different? My concern is room to get everything setup properly. Also: which size? 7/8" or 1-1/8"? Is this more about the inner piece that mounts on the end? I see that the inner mount is down on the thinner part of the bar - just don't want to get the wrong size. I can't find any clarification in the descriptions.

I purchased the 1 1/8 size handguards. The bar is tapering where the mounts go so the 7/8 will be too small. The pro guards come in all black (more sinister lol) and have much better coverage. Plenty of room for any adjustments. It's $75 well spent imo. They will last a very long time.

As far as the fuel: yep! That has been my concern, hence I stopped to refill after a bit over 50 miles out. Highspeed road travel, honestly I was suprised that I got over 50mpg. It is a bit unnerving to not know how much nor to have a reserve capability. A small Rotopax on rear rack might be indicated, but I dislike the idea. I do look forward to experiments with larger fuel tanks.

I feel like I ran out of fuel earlier than I should have. I noticed later that the bike was still leaking fuel!! I very carefully tightened the bolts even more and it seemed to stop, for now. There is a YouTube video discussing carrying reserve fuel. You should check it out, these guys are hilarious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAToq8BWVes

Glad you are pleased, despite all the annoyances! I love mine, no question. I wish it had a LITTLE bit more power & throttle response, but it is okay for now. EFI tuning is needed, though. I need to pull the unit & see which it is - if it is the Delphi it can be modified. That might be something for me to attempt down the road.

For a first bike this thing is perfect for my needs. Im sure I'll be wanting for more sooner than later. Im glad there are guys like you out there that are going to find ways to squeeze more performance out of the Paladins.

Not sure what to make of your noise. I had a bit of contact between the clutch cable (lower) attachment & the exhaust requiring a little bit of 'reshaping'. That is the only 'oddball' thing that comes to mind.

YES! That could be it! When I readjusted my exhaust I noticed it was barely clearing the clutch cable attachment. That could certainly be the culprit.

The added height when actually putting something on the back (I did the small rack mounted to the fender) is not something I had considered! My long legs help, but my aged back does make throwing the leg much higher (than the baseline) a ...FOCUSED ... effort!

Having a small rack with a pouch is one thing, but when you add a cylinder shaped fuel bottle attached with molle it becomes a bit more difficult. And my concerns would be the repeated contact id be making with the bag would cause it to rip prematurely. Im 6'4 and have long legs but I'm a bit stiff and not flexible if I put the fuel bottle back there ill have to basically Spartan kick my leg over the bike to avoid hitting it!

It is too cold to screw around with it for the next few days, but I'll post some photos once I have the new lights wired up. I have been debating how I want to do it, I think I will simply use a relay & tap the light circuit for a trigger. I'd like to have them run all the time, not just with high beams. That will depend on how they project once up & running.

Interested in seeing how it turns out. It's freezing down here in east TX right now too. I need to put my GFs Lifan Xpect together but it aint happening today!

[LightSmith88]

Ok. So here we go. I may have to do this parts because I want to be thorough and I only have a limited time each day to work on this. For those who may not know what I am talking about, watch this.... https://youtu.be/7MZpYhJe4dI?si=WpzTXfLVhTF2frzg
The main goal here was to install a (slightly) higher capacity IMS gas tank with a natural finish so that I could see the fuel level at all times. A bi-product of this is that in order to use any KTM, GasGas, or Husqvarna style tank, the fuel pump and assembly for those brands must be used as well. I was ok with that because of the many concerns about the ease of replacement and reliability of the stock Paladin fuel pump set up. well long story short and as you can see in the video...IT WORKED!:yay:Here's how.
First things first. the parts list. I used this IMS tank which I found on sale from amazon on sale for $99 https://a.co/d/jfs2l6k After that I had to source the fuel pump and assembly. this is the tricky part. My initial search came up with KTM branded stuff in the $700 range....not going to happen for this bike. So with cross referencing part numbers I was able to find this set up on Ebay for around $238 (type in all balls fuel pump assembly 2019-2024 KTM Husqvarna GasGas 150-501 on Ebay if the link doesn't work) https://www.ebay.com/itm/296315569373 (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337605188&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-53200-19255-0%2F1%3Fcampid%3D5337605188%26amp%3Btoolid%3D10001 %26amp%3Bmpre%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com% 252Frover%252F1%252F711-53200-19255-0%252F1%253Fcampid%253D5337605188%2526amp%253Btool id%253D10001%2526amp%253Bmpre%253Dhttp%25253A%2525 2F%25252Frover.ebay.com%25252Frover%25252F1%25252F 711-53200-19255-0%25252F1%25253Fcampid%25253D5337605188%252526amp% 25253Btoolid%25253D10001%252526amp%25253Bmpre%2525 3Dhttp%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Frover.ebay.com%25 25252Frover%2525252F1%2525252F711-53200-19255-0%2525252F1%2525253Fcampid%2525253D5337605188%2525 2526amp%2525253Btoolid%2525253D10001%25252526amp%2 525253Bmpre%2525253Dhttps%252525253A%252525252F%25 2525252Fwww.ebay.com%252525252Fitm%252525252F29631 5569373%252525253F_skw%252525253Dgasgas%252525252B fuel%252525252Bpump%2525252526amp%252525253Bitmmet a%252525253D01JN1DVD6ZZ5698N5T4B2R5RB0%2525252526a mp%252525253Bhash%252525253Ditem44fdc8c4dd%2525252 53Ag%252525253AumMAAOSwAJ9l%252525257E3GL%25252525 26amp%252525253Bitmprp%252525253Denc%25252525253AA QAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cRG4Bx%25252525252Brm 8O%25252525252F0Vg9lY7hV8NQqV2DgHnKf02%25252525252 FR%25252525252FdW7xoMNsrZRUginyCuD3OjgceKrVo%25252 525252BKZ7po0sg6%25252525252Fb5CrVD4hIDMr%25252525 252FifyuDVjXr2iqg%25252525252FlGOsU5J%25252525252B L0Kg4Lk4CSkkC4fFka0LBVcqJ0sJFjtSmiCgTR33qZqcqL7BZ3 dMS%25252525252BPyz%25252525252BCkKPEU0Mm8suBbsAcQ EgjP1xE99fBxEodCmaaWFF1CyZv4iagbboiOqPajsFmQvNihVd LbYZKcSgO7gnnwKEFZcpgon7jZHmdRdyty%25252525252FSWF d4Bc%25252525252Bh8whTk%25252525252FFTeaMALF2wg%25 252525253D%25252525253D%25252525257Ctkp%2525252525 3ABFBM1NPtrahl) That was much better but then I went further in my search. This one is where Aliexpress really paid off. I found this one. the part number was not the same but with a deeper internet search I found that they were cross compatible. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807448488743 (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807448488743.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.5 4.119bvoPEvoPEjq&algo_pvid=90915022-9cc4-469a-88d4-cf4256163f17&algo_exp_id=90915022-9cc4-469a-88d4-cf4256163f17-53&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%2240%22%2C%22eval%22%3 A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2148.66%2138.44%21%21%2148.6 6%2138.44%21%40%2112000041586343462%21sea%21US%213 758317920%21X&curPageLogUid=zx6xWNXiIDSn&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A) This is the one see (hear) working in the video. $40 to my door! insane. I can still hardly believe it. So at this point my total investment was only $140.....Boy did I hope it would work. Now before everyone gets too excited, I did have to but a KTM gasket kit for the pump for another $49 here it is (Type in ktm gasket kit 78107089100 on Ebay if the link doesn't work) https://www.ebay.com/itm/145856591465 (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337605188&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-53200-19255-0%2F1%3Fcampid%3D5337605188%26amp%3Btoolid%3D10001 %26amp%3Bmpre%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com% 252Frover%252F1%252F711-53200-19255-0%252F1%253Fcampid%253D5337605188%2526amp%253Btool id%253D10001%2526amp%253Bmpre%253Dhttp%25253A%2525 2F%25252Frover.ebay.com%25252Frover%25252F1%25252F 711-53200-19255-0%25252F1%25253Fcampid%25253D5337605188%252526amp% 25253Btoolid%25253D10001%252526amp%25253Bmpre%2525 3Dhttp%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Frover.ebay.com%25 25252Frover%2525252F1%2525252F711-53200-19255-0%2525252F1%2525253Fcampid%2525253D5337605188%2525 2526amp%2525253Btoolid%2525253D10001%25252526amp%2 525253Bmpre%2525253Dhttp%252525253A%252525252F%252 525252Frover.ebay.com%252525252Frover%252525252F1% 252525252F711-53200-19255-0%252525252F1%252525253Fcampid%252525253D533760518 8%2525252526amp%252525253Btoolid%252525253D10001%2 525252526amp%252525253Bmpre%252525253Dhttps%252525 25253A%25252525252F%25252525252Fwww.ebay.com%25252 525252Fitm%25252525252F145856591465%25252525253F_s kw%25252525253Dktm%25252525252Bfuel%25252525252Bpu mp%25252525252Bgasket%25252525252Bkit%252525252526 amp%25252525253Bitmmeta%25252525253D01JN1EC5QSFES1 T7MGS6CYQWF2%252525252526amp%25252525253Bhash%2525 2525253Ditem21f5baf669%25252525253Ag%25252525253AP zQAAOSwuMxmfQ0-%252525252526amp%25252525253Bitmprp%25252525253Den c%2525252525253AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dYaf k%2525252525252Fg5uJh6UNz8rhYFr%2525252525252Fldai TDfln3s0ZwukdttWtiyWCSbkDBqhCIvcGO0aRzhaqRjx1OMcl5 16TlpDDUahinE1EUYGSalCRskLhT0%2525252525252FfDdtkO MH9RxLR3FXxE6MiVK%2525252525252BJGFGu1TldNeiWV4En8 cfJYiMTFFr43E10e4o9HKBgtTrJSZ4OYpZDpkSDfl161KgvMJi zvfgz45q2Kkuf1jT5bciPXmcF2pokfQlzscm%2525252525252 FTaEIrQ7oCWIVqIbl50Rc0WoCbw91GJ2YprLPQ6V2gOaqY4Ekt %2525252525252BaRns2%2525252525252BPaUdXyi5g%25252 52525253D%2525252525253D%2525252525257Ctkp%2525252 525253ABk9SR4zcsK6oZQ) And I opted for this 90 degree connector which I highly recommend (Type in KTM factory fuel pump connection 77707988017 if the link doesn't work) https://www.ebay.com/itm/394512472066 (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337605188&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-53200-19255-0%2F1%3Fcampid%3D5337605188%26amp%3Btoolid%3D10001 %26amp%3Bmpre%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com% 252Frover%252F1%252F711-53200-19255-0%252F1%253Fcampid%253D5337605188%2526amp%253Btool id%253D10001%2526amp%253Bmpre%253Dhttp%25253A%2525 2F%25252Frover.ebay.com%25252Frover%25252F1%25252F 711-53200-19255-0%25252F1%25253Fcampid%25253D5337605188%252526amp% 25253Btoolid%25253D10001%252526amp%25253Bmpre%2525 3Dhttp%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Frover.ebay.com%25 25252Frover%2525252F1%2525252F711-53200-19255-0%2525252F1%2525253Fcampid%2525253D5337605188%2525 2526amp%2525253Btoolid%2525253D10001%25252526amp%2 525253Bmpre%2525253Dhttp%252525253A%252525252F%252 525252Frover.ebay.com%252525252Frover%252525252F1% 252525252F711-53200-19255-0%252525252F1%252525253Fcampid%252525253D533760518 8%2525252526amp%252525253Btoolid%252525253D10001%2 525252526amp%252525253Bmpre%252525253Dhttps%252525 25253A%25252525252F%25252525252Fwww.ebay.com%25252 525252Fitm%25252525252F394512472066%25252525253Ffi ts%25252525253DMake%2525252525253AKTM%252525252526 amp%25252525253B_skw%25252525253Dktm%25252525252Bf uel%25252525252Bpump%25252525252Bconnector%2525252 52526amp%25252525253Bepid%25252525253D1622979380%2 52525252526amp%25252525253Bitmmeta%25252525253D01J N1EHMPG59DV5G6G4C0VNY5R%252525252526amp%2525252525 3Bhash%25252525253Ditem5bdac69802%25252525253Ag%25 252525253A-LoAAOSw9DZlOnJA%252525252526amp%25252525253Bitmprp %25252525253Denc%2525252525253AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GG Du0w3yXCmi1fHEacvCxFfC0js%2525252525252BKG%2525252 525252FnAalHGHAtFFv4brSfmoqfTIOb0gCudOmUYSyOFtYDvM XW1Z8dkKb43XcigUsjes7qKju5Pekr%2525252525252FYau25 QQxvP%2525252525252BWrpIOkgUdsvSDV%2525252525252Fn S1YTmJZduEmftiljbCE5I%2525252525252BB8bdt%25252525 25252FtVvJdvvEEl9iNp7UKymtW72IW%2525252525252B4KMn hd3aLAKGvdrCwSTFryJ%2525252525252FzYPooalrE7UP%252 5252525252FlTX%2525252525252FMzsZIPYYF%25252525252 52BrVUKP94c2XNnDz0eH83LQP6fbiVfxw1LVBkP9hwZXoPPNnN SoYpzrXHNQUb6y%2525252525252BiEOZcW1XdaByrw%252525 2525253D%2525252525253D%2525252525257Ctkp%25252525 25253ABk9SR7rLxq6oZQ) I also ended up using some rubber tape and some adhesive heat shielding that I will talk about later. I am not sure why I seem to be having trouble with these ebay links. That is why I am also putting in what to search for if they don't work. Please let me know if they work on your end. the following parts will be a description of what I did and how I did it with pictures. Standby. More to come.

[LightSmith88]

Let me try this Fuel pump assembly https://www.ebay.com/itm/296315569373?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=UgihmTx_QzW&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=hhes36k-tcm&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337605188&toolid=10001&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F2963155693 73%3Fmkcid%3D16%26amp%3Bmkevt%3D1%26amp%3Bmkrid%3D 711-127632-2357-0%26amp%3Bssspo%3DUgihmTx_QzW%26amp%3Bsssrc%3D2047 675%26amp%3Bssuid%3Dhhes36k-tcm%26amp%3Bwidget_ver%3Dartemis%26amp%3Bmedia%3DC OPY)


gasket kit https://www.ebay.com/itm/145856591465?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=u753gnigqbi&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=hhes36k-tcm&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337605188&toolid=10001&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F1458565914 65%3Fmkcid%3D16%26amp%3Bmkevt%3D1%26amp%3Bmkrid%3D 711-127632-2357-0%26amp%3Bssspo%3Du753gnigqbi%26amp%3Bsssrc%3D2047 675%26amp%3Bssuid%3Dhhes36k-tcm%26amp%3Bwidget_ver%3Dartemis%26amp%3Bmedia%3DC OPY)


90 degree connector https://www.ebay.com/itm/394512472066?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=2TdWI-yNSYG&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=hhes36k-tcm&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337605188&toolid=10001&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F3945124720 66%3Fmkcid%3D16%26amp%3Bmkevt%3D1%26amp%3Bmkrid%3D 711-127632-2357-0%26amp%3Bssspo%3D2TdWI-yNSYG%26amp%3Bsssrc%3D2047675%26amp%3Bssuid%3Dhhes 36k-tcm%26amp%3Bwidget_ver%3Dartemis%26amp%3Bmedia%3DC OPY)


Lets see if any of these work.

[LightSmith88]

So strange. I made the changes that Mumen suggested but it still seems that all of my ebay links just redirect to the ebay home page. Frustrating!>:(

At one point I even had it working and then it went back to doing it. I'll get it figured out.

[LightSmith88]

Well shoot. I also just read this "You might not be able to share a link to an eBay item because eBay has a strict policy against sharing links that direct users away from their platform, aiming to protect buyers from malicious sites and spam, and keep all transactions happening within the eBay ecosystem; this means you generally can't paste a direct eBay item link in most external communication channels like emails or social media posts without restrictions" so maybe thats it.

[LightSmith88]

Ok. So here are some pics of the initial fit and things that I had to deal with to get the fit right. The first pic is the original tank. The second is the "dry fit". The third pic is the stock thick rubber insulator that will not work with this new tank (there is one on each side). The fourth is the computer under the seat that will have to move a tiny bit. The fifth is the biggest obstacle, the black louvered voltage regulator that will not allow this tank to fit in the standard configuration. This last one seemed like a deal breaker but ended up being really easy to deal with.

[Mumen Rider]

You can switch to KTM tank rollers for a better fit. KTM part #50307014000


I have no idea why KTM calls them a tank roller. Japanese bikes call them fuel tank dampers.



Good work man!

[LightSmith88]

Another thing that you are going to have to deal with one way or another is the fuel pump connector. Now the way I handled this is not necessary but I wanted to be able to go back to the stock tank (mostly because I didn't even know if this was going to work!) You can buy a ktm fuel pump adapter plug online (ebay i think) but for the same price I was able to buy a whole kit. https://a.co/d/9l1NGWT this kit is great! it even comes with the tool you need to crimp the connectors. You will see that I used the two wire male and female to make adapters so that I could switch between the tanks. I would also recommend the shrink tube and to bend it downward like you see in the pics. I did not get a pic after but I did end up putting some black tubing around the wires before I called it done (master electrician, I have an image to uphold ;)).

[LightSmith88]

So here is how I handled the first clearance issue. I ditched the "fuel tank dampers" haha (thanks Mumen) and used rubber tape to make my own. the tank fit so snug that I might leave this. For now at least anyway. I think when I do the plastic swap I have lined up I'll try those KTM tank rollers. This will be it for today. More to come on this tomorrow.

[OldGuy]

Guess I will interrupt the fuel tank & report back on my lights. I just snapped a few pics to show the various combinations since I added two side spots.


First, this is the stock low beam, with the simple change of the light bottom, the nipples are not inserted into the two holes, but are sitting on the top of the fender about 1.5" forward. It is hard to tell from this photo, but it was actually pretty good on a highway & then interstate, a bit over 50 miles at night. The overall width is lacking, but right in front of the bike, it has good visibility.


https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32789&stc=1&d=1740624087
Next is the low beam + high beam. Comparing to the above pic, it you can see a narrower but higher rectangle of light added here. Again, on my ride 2.5 weeks ago, I was not uncomfortable on the interstate at night. Field of view is a bit narrow.


https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32790&stc=1&d=1740624109


Next is a shot with just the low beam, but the two spots added. The main light appears more washed out due to the relative increase in light output, so the camera cut the exposure.


https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32791&stc=1&d=1740624109


Finally, this is stock low + high + side spots. This is QUITE bright, but if you look carefully you can see that spill from the spots is not as high as the high beam. Setting it up this way should help oncoming drivers. The side spots dominate, but you can see further down the road with the addition of the high beam.


https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32792&stc=1&d=1740624109


Overall, these inexpensive lights do a great job, and the brackets allow easy adjustment in all directions. This is a great improvement, no need for me to look further. I would add that I have used part of a wire kit that I hacked up to make this work. Basically everything was WAY too long, but I was able to mount the relay under the tank, connect the two battery leads, bring the feed & the switch circuit forward. At present the lights can be switched on without ignition, and I think I will change over so the relay won't operate without power on.


More tomorrow, including the lights & clamps, although I do think I showed links before, but I will do that tomorrow.

[LightSmith88]

This is great! I am impressed with those lights to say the least! Very good visibility. I would like to see some pictures of them mounted on the bike if possible. This seems like a really good solution to the lighting problem. The flexibility is nice. When you are around street lights and a bunch of other cars you can just turn them off all together. I tend fall often on single track trails. I would want to know that I could put them somewhere they wouldn't break off you know?

[OldGuy]

Quick update: I will post more with photos of mount but thought I would just point out the high beam more clearly. As I said, I rode over 50 miles after 9pm on 2 lane, 4 lane divided, and interstate highways with the stock lighting (headlight angle raised), and was pleasantly surprised. If you note the photo above without the spots, you can see that the stock lighting illuminates the full width of this road in my neighborhood, not great for offroad, but adequate for road use. The spots add a LOT of width + greater overall illumination, but with them set so they aren't shining into oncoming cars, the stock high beam aids long range visibility noticeably.


BTW: with the mounts modestly tight, I was able to adjust the field of view easily. It was funny as I actually had the beams crossed ("whatever you do, DO NOT CROSS THE BEAMS!" ... for fans of pre-DEI films) and didn't realize until I started to adjust them. They can easily be angled up/down and rotated sideways to give you the desired spread. For a hardcore offroad night ride, bringing allen keys & a 13mm would take 10 sec to adjust for wider, closer view.



https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32793&stc=1&d=1740663134

The arrows point out additional visibility that the high beam adds, and by looking at the driveways, mailboxes, & such, you can perceive scale. Why am I going through this obsessive detail? I do NOT see the cost effectiveness of swapping the stock light, just mounting it without the lower nipples inserted into the holes. For $42 (add 10.52 for the harness) you add excellent lighting that WON'T blind oncoming drivers! That is IMPORTANT on a motorcycle, especially if you are on a 2 lane road!


I also purchased a pair of higher end Nilights (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B695KWSC) but they are a bit larger, and I didn't see much difference. I will probably keep them, may compare to what I have on the Yamaha. A more compact (and cheaper) light for this bike makes sense. Honestly, they are FAR better than I expected.

[LightSmith88]

Love the updates and pics on the lighting Oldguy! keep it coming! So I talked about the tank rollers (dampers, insulators....) and I went over the electrical connection. One thing I forgot to mention about that is this. You will see on the connector (formed into the fuel pump assembly) a small embossed + and - this shows you which two pins you will be dealing with. The third pin (as I mentioned previously) goes to the fuel level sensor within the tank. Now I want to make this clear. The sensor in the tank is a low level sensor only! In other words even if you hook it up, it will only tell a light to turn on when gas is below it. That is the way KTM intended it on this particular assembly. It does not have an armature or a float of any kind to determine level of fuel. It is a simple on/off. If you wanted to use it (I may in the future) you would have to simply run it through an LED of whatever shape and color you choose and then to ground or the NEG battery terminal. I would do red in a round light to fit that little hole on the bracket holding the gauge cluster. However for the purpose of this write up, the blue wire (third pin) was not used. I used red for pos and black for neg and that worked well with the stock fuel pump connector wiring colors (I think the neg was black with green stripe but pos was red.)

[LightSmith88]

So the next clearance issue was the computer under the seat. this was really an easy fix. I just made two new holes behind the two existing and scooted it back a little bit.

[LightSmith88]

So the next part, and what I assumed would be the biggest hurdle, was the louvered voltage regulator. I found that with the tank on, the best place for it was in the exact same place on the opposite radiator. Now the one little thing I did have to do to make it work is this. I took the corner of it to the belt sander and rounded off the aluminum fins on one corner. These fins are to dissipate heat but I only removed a little material so no harm done. this allowed it to fit in a very factory-like way and the factory wiring harness did not have to be modified at all. I did, however, spend some time on wire/connector management in the frame between the rads though. That was a mess. You have to fold everything in just so but it does fit. I am glad I did too! even though I checked all electrical connections and added dielectric greese to all connectors, I found this (see pic) my fan would have never worked

[LightSmith88]

Oh yeah! I mentioned that I was going to do some testing before and after. It is kind of odd and maybe my tester is not super accurate. but I got exactly 40 PSI with the stock pump and just a little over with the new one (43 PSI) I thought this odd because I thought the KTM pump was supposed to be a solid 50 PSI. maybe it is because it is a cheaper pump but in this case I considered it a win. They were so close I wasn't afraid I was going to do any damage to the injector or anything. I also put a picture in here of the wire management I did in the frame (a crucial step!.) Anyway with the clearance issues sorted I went back to fitting the tank. Now early on I thought that the problem was the cylinder head was too large for the tank. Though I proved myself wrong on that, I was still concerned about how close the tank was to the engine. I added some heat shielding to put my mind at ease. I actually bought this stuff originally to use on my new plastics near the exhaust but it worked great on the tank! https://a.co/d/2gWmh9T

[LightSmith88]

stay tuned for the fourth (and final) part. The seat fitting process! I will try to get that out later today or tomorrow.

[LightSmith88]

Ok. Well lets see if I can wrap this up. with the tank fitting and all of the body panels on (which took some work but is doable) I found that the seat did not want to go on. The back metal tube that accepts the long bolt was about a half inch or so back from where it needed to be. Now I think that this could be handled one of two ways. I will speculate about the first but show proof of the second. What I may try next time I remove my plastics is to make a relocation bracket that moves the bolt through the tank to the frame forward about a half to three quarters of an inch. I think that this would have made the body panels fit better as well. Now I can not vouch for this because it is not the way I went. If someone does try this with some success (or not) please let me know. The first pic is a drawing of what I think might work. The remaining pictures are of the modifications I had to make to the seat in order to make it fit. I am not entirely sure that I needed to trim down the front plastic and foam. I did that before I figured out the the bottom actually hit the tank first. It does make it easier to get on though. the other seat (black) is the Enduro Engineering seat that I am actually going to run on this bike. I wanted to try the mod on the stock first to make sure it would work. Now that I know it does, I will mod this one as well. I might make the notches and cuts in the bottom first before trimming the front and see if it fits.

[LightSmith88]

Now the other part of this (and why I think the relocation bracket might be the way to go instead) is that I also had to move the second seat mounting bolt forward. If you are wondering why I had to make that notch in the bottom of the seat, I will include a pic of what was hitting underneath. the rest of the pics will be of the bolt I had to make a new hole for and tap. I also have a pick of the bottom of the black seat next to the post mod stock seat for reference. Another thing that I should mention is that I did myself a huge favor by ditching the stock tank-to-frame bolt and using a longer bolt. That allowed me to put it in lose and then get all of the other body panels tight and lined up before then tightening that one down.

[LightSmith88]

The seat cover part is not as daunting as it may appear. I will show you all the staple gun that I use for this type of thing. it is not expensive and works like a charm. After that Ill just put in some more close ups and that is that. I have a bunch more pics than what I will put in here so if anyone needs to see anything else just let me know. Oh yeah, I did not talk much about the fuel line connection. It is literally just a hose clamp. If you are careful you can separate the factory clamp and re-crimp it. A hose clamp works just as well though. The KTM fitting is barbed to work with a hose clamp.I wish I took pics of this part but with the new location of the fuel pump out put, I was able to route the fuel line back along the frame away from the engine. it is a much better route and I had to trim off a few inches of it. It is much more out of harms way for sure. Well thats it! Thanks for hanging with me. Like I said, I will gladly answer any questions that anyone has about the conversion. just let me know!

[OldGuy]

As requested, here are two pics of the spotlight mounts. Not great quality shots, but it is enough detail to see how they are mounted & where the adjustments are. As you can see, I attached the turn signals to the headlight - that seemed the most reasonable place to mount, as they would be removed with the lights if desired for offroad riding.


https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32835&stc=1&d=1740745979

https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32836&stc=1&d=1740745979


I still need to decide on the final wiring (switch) but as you can see, the adjustments include where you clamp on the fork (vertical height, but also be aware of rotation on the fork itself), the rotation of the L-bracket mount, the lateral position as well as right/left rotation of the single bolt to the base of the light bracket, and the vertical rotation of the light bracket to light => MANY different 'tweaks' to give you EXACTLY what you want.

As I keep saying, the goal is to give YOU good visibility but NOT blind oncoming cars. Obviously offroad this doesn't factor in, although I doubt you would want positioning to be any different - you won't need more high beam throw as you won't be riding nearly as fast. Even lighting to the side is well covered.

Bottom line: these inexpensive lights & mounts are outstanding for this use. Durability of the lights remains to be seen, but Nilight has a good reputation. A dab of sealant around the lights would not be a bad thing, and always a little dielectric grease in connections is excellent preventive maintenance.

[OldGuy]

Reading through all of your posts, it is somewhat hard to follow but let me know if I have the specific issues correct:


1 - Different wiring connectors, easily resolved (I do like your approach of having swappable connectors; I bought a few already assembled 2-piece waterproof connectors for lights but ended up soldering; I didn't realize that the kit for just the pins & connectors without leads was out there!).


2 - Rubber damper/cushion/spacer pieces are different & must be changed


3 - Relocation of voltage regulator & ecu



4 - Seat: the plastic slots that capture the two forward 'bolt heads' are further to the rear on the new tank, so you have to cut the base to allow the seat to slide further forward (or reposition the rear mount). Additional cutting of plastic that interferes (?) on the seat base?


The variance for mounting points on the aftermarket tank seems to be the main issue. The question is whether or not a different tank would actually fit with this seat & frame. Is this a difference between KTM & GasGas, or simply that the 'reverse engineers' in China didn't measure very carefully when copying the frame / tank / seat?



Anyway, I applaud your efforts. As I mentioned elsewhere, for now this is more trouble than it's worth for a modest increase in capacity. Small auxiliary fuel containers seem more simple ... but maybe not!

[LightSmith88]

As requested, here are two pics of the spotlight mounts. Not great quality shots, but it is enough detail to see how they are mounted & where the adjustments are. As you can see, I attached the turn signals to the headlight - that seemed the most reasonable place to mount, as they would be removed with the lights if desired for offroad riding.


https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32835&stc=1&d=1740745979

https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=32836&stc=1&d=1740745979


I still need to decide on the final wiring (switch) but as you can see, the adjustments include where you clamp on the fork (vertical height, but also be aware of rotation on the fork itself), the rotation of the L-bracket mount, the lateral position as well as right/left rotation of the single bolt to the base of the light bracket, and the vertical rotation of the light bracket to light => MANY different 'tweaks' to give you EXACTLY what you want.

As I keep saying, the goal is to give YOU good visibility but NOT blind oncoming cars. Obviously offroad this doesn't factor in, although I doubt you would want positioning to be any different - you won't need more high beam throw as you won't be riding nearly as fast. Even lighting to the side is well covered.

Bottom line: these inexpensive lights & mounts are outstanding for this use. Durability of the lights remains to be seen, but Nilight has a good reputation. A dab of sealant around the lights would not be a bad thing, and always a little dielectric grease in connections is excellent preventive maintenance.
Looks great! Thanks for the pics.

[LightSmith88]

[QUOTE=OldGuy;416078]Reading through all of your posts, it is somewhat hard to follow but let me know if I have the specific issues correct:


1 - Different wiring connectors, easily resolved (I do like your approach of having swappable connectors; I bought a few already assembled 2-piece waterproof connectors for lights but ended up soldering; I didn't realize that the kit for just the pins & connectors without leads was out there!).


2 - Rubber damper/cushion/spacer pieces are different & must be changed


3 - Relocation of voltage regulator & ecu



4 - Seat: the plastic slots that capture the two forward 'bolt heads' are further to the rear on the new tank, so you have to cut the base to allow the seat to slide further forward (or reposition the rear mount). Additional cutting of plastic that interferes (?) on the seat base?

Yes! This about sums it up. I think I might try the small bracket idea because I think that would eliminate the need for all but the voltage regulator move (which was really not hard). I was also looking at an Acerbis tank last night. I am not going to purchase it, but if someone does I would like to know if the fit is easier. this one comes in black (which some have mentioned that they prefer) and reports 3.2 gallons cap. It appears to use the same fuel pump that I used which draws fuel from the bottom of the tank. https://a.co/d/3IwWsqG or the black one https://www.partsgiant.com/p325022-acerbis-fuel-tank?m=28403722&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2oW-BhC2ARIsADSIAWpdsMIljqAF_XM8eZAMvCHv-n_I2g81rSVe7Ju7JEj6eDyveA2_oHwaAoBcEALw_wcB
I am happy with my set up now. If I do decide to do the relocation bracket when I do my plastics change, I will report back.

[OldGuy]

Without digging back through, what is the capacity of your new tank? Someone posted a link to one via Ali, but it was just 11 liters, we have 10 do we not?


On another note, I have pulled my countershaft sprocket to assess/measure. I don't know that just one tooth increase (14=>15) will be enough gearing increase, but larger on front is always better for chain. That is basically a 7% decrease in engine speed, I'd like a bit more, perhaps 10-12%. The engine will easily pull more gearing, and I would really like to drop RPM down when on the road. From there I could drop a few teeth on the back if needed.


Careful measurements show this to be the KLX300R 2003-2006; it is the same as a Yamaha YZF450, but those have 13T standard. The difference in the later years is that they are wider at the base. Anyway, I'll order one & see what shakes out.


From JT, the designation is JTF565 for the sprockets, then they add a .14, .15, whatever for the # of teeth. Finally, the letters SC at the end mean self-cleaning, it has several holes in the sprocket to more easily clean mud, etc. Our stock front sprockets are that design, but most that I am finding online are not, but are solid.

[LightSmith88]

Yes. The stock one claims to be 2.6 gallons (10 liters). The new tank is 2.9 gallons (11 liters). The funny thing is when they are sitting side by side, the new one looks WAY bigger than stock. I have half a mind to measure the actual volume of the stock one since I have it off anyway. There was never an Ali link to my tank. I bought it from amazon and it is an actual IMS tank. I saw it online for over $200 but amazon had it for $99 which is why I grabbed it. (there is a link to that up there somewhere) Anyway 1 liter is about 21 extra miles give or take (at 63 mpg, listed for a klx 300 efi) and off-road, that's a big deal! I'm definitely not saying everyone should do this conversion by any means. But if they want to, now they know how. I mainly didn't want anyone to jump into it thinking it would be a simple "bolt on" swap.

[LightSmith88]

I am out of town right now so I haven't done much wrenching as of late. I did, however, get a few things attached to the bike before I left. I wanted to be able to bring a few things extra with me on the trails without being too overburdened so I picked up a couple of storage solutions. I won't be riding with them on full time, but they will be helpful for certain situations. The tusk traverse panniers are great! But I was really surprised with the American trail set up I got for the front. I took a chance on those for $20 on Amazon. They are made for atvs but the fit was great! Links to follow.

[LightSmith88]

Tusk bags https://a.co/d/bu3WsCs
American Trail bags https://a.co/d/dsC6jT2

[OldGuy]

I am out of town right now so I haven't done much wrenching as of late. I did, however, get a few things attached to the bike before I left. I wanted to be able to bring a few things extra with me on the trails without being too overburdened so I picked up a couple of storage solutions. I won't be riding with them on full time, but they will be helpful for certain situations. The tusk traverse panniers are great! But I was really surprised with the American trail set up I got for the front. I took a chance on those for $20 on Amazon. They are made for atvs but the fit was great! Links to follow.


Wow, now THESE look VERY interesting! I love the way the rear bags fit as they don't appear to interfere with riding. I have been pondering how to get a bit of storage on this bike. On my FJ-09 I modified pannier brackets for two Pelican cases on the side that have been exceptional (including protecting the bike & even making it easier to pick up after dropping it at about 1 mph on a steep uphill off-camber turn!


I am seriously pondering going up to TN for March Moto Madness and taking both bikes. Having the carrying capacity for the Paladin would be JUST the ticket! I would think that the stock tank would be enough for any rides up there. It would be a good 'shakedown' from a reliability standpoint. My 100+ mile road ride made me trust this, although the fuel injector issue bears watching. Overall I remain a huge fan of this bike. Sorting out the tuning is the main thing I need now, although lower rate springs MIGHT be good. Honestly, the ride isn't bad although a little stiff.


Just waiting for Rocky Mtn to get the black Tusk handguards back in stock.

[LightSmith88]

Yes. I must say that I am really impressed by the quality of the tusk bags. The best part is that they come with a rear fender strap and clamps that work well even if you do not have a rear rack at all! But then they also give you straps to use with the rear rack. I watched a video that was helpful about mounting them but honestly its pretty straight forward and they come with good instructions. The set up I have on the front surprised the hell out of me. Honestly I thought I was throwing away $20 because they are for ATVs and the pictures they use to sell them do not show you much. They actually fit great! They will be very functional for bringing extra tools and parts on "shake down" runs and when I go moto-camping I will for sure use them. None of these bags are "water proof" but the Tusk definitely make some effort in the "water resistant" direction (and claim as much). the American trail bags do not even pretend to be water resistant so take that for what it is worth. That is why I would use them case by case and not every day.

[LightSmith88]

I forgot to mention one of the bags I have on the bike for storage. This Kemi Moto bag that I use for my day to day on the tail rack is actually made for mountain biking. I love this style of bag and this is the second bike that I have used one on. There is one upgrade to the bag that I believe is necessary if you are going to use it off-road. I have two of these bags and I find that the plastic clip that is used on each side for the strap is really weak and brittle. One fall with the bike and it breaks. What I did to remedy this was installed black metal fixture chain loops in place of the clips. Super cheap. Perfect fix. The bag is this https://a.co/d/deAzrDq Here are the chain links that you should use for it https://a.co/d/7A35HQ3 the pictures below should make sense of what I am talking about. Great little bag to use for day to day though!

[OldGuy]

Yeah, I have played around with old MTB bags. What I like about these Tusk rear bags is that they don't raise the height. I mounted an old bag on my small rear rack, just a few inches tall. Getting on the bike was okay ... and THEN I found out getting OFF was far more tricky! Didn't consider that movement is more constricted when you are already sitting on the bike.


The countershaft sprocket change 'hits the spot' for most usage, but I will probably throw the smaller one back on for serious offroad use where crawling speed is needed. My Husky spoiled me with an autoclutch & far more low-end torque. Actually I like the handbrake I setup (used the hydraulic clutch cyliner & simply bought a long hydraulic line for the rear brake) on that bike. Mountain biking showed me how much better braking is when control is in your hands! Back when I used to MX, there were those right turns where you wanted to set up w/ a stab at the rear brake but needed to get your foot out quickly. Dancing like that sucks, and on technical downhills fingers are far more granular in force than pressing with your toes!


I do want to add capability to carry a couple of 1 liter fuel bottles for extreme circumstances. Your 'natural' tank is an advantage as a fuel gauge, just needs more capacity to be worth the trouble (FOR ME!). Glad it's working out well.

[LightSmith88]

Yeah. I hear you about the extra height thing. and the more fuel thing. the funny thing is that the main reason I got the KEMI MOTO tail bag was that it has a criss-cross parachute cord along the front which would work perfectly for a 1 liter gas bottle! (its kind of hard to see in the pics) The kicker is by using that, it would make it even harder to get your leg over haha! Oh well. Best laid plans and all that. I am planning a WA state BDR trip with my brother in law in the future. for that I will likely take the extra gas and just deal with it. That trip will be a full load for sure. we will be moto-camping for 4 or 5 days depending on the leg we choose. He has a templar x 250 and so the goal is to see if a couple of Chinese dual sports can conquer the famed Back Country Discovery Route. Here is the bottle I was thinking of https://a.co/d/8i82TKN I like your Idea about the hand brake for the rear. I have never had that as an option but I can see how it would have its advantages in the more technical stuff!

[LightSmith88]

I was just going through my build pics, and it occurred to me that I have not talked about my front forks at all. I have done a series of things to them, mainly to add protection. None of these are necessary, but if anyone feels like trying them, I put up pictures and links. I will start with the front rotor guard. I have three options on this but they are all basically the same thing. This one 32896 and the link is here https://www.denniskirk.com/polisport/black-front-disc-fork-protector-8151600001.p4910551.prd/4910551.sku?srsltid=AfmBOoogCOhMKMgQQ8TOEsEkNzuMgR 38X5v-6j65eDKJusiO7lbRJD1F is the "real one" made by polisport and is of the finest quality. The next two here 32898 and here 32899 are from Aliexpress and can be found here https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807612538527.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.2 2.608dp5NQp5NQFu&algo_pvid=78d7b9b8-b979-4f96-a7bf-13d2f5fae21f&algo_exp_id=78d7b9b8-b979-4f96-a7bf-13d2f5fae21f-21&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%2212%22%2C%22eval%22%3 A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2124.64%2124.64%21%21%2124.6 4%2124.64%21%402103205117419627942476145e892e%2112 000042239834125%21sea%21US%213758317920%21X&curPageLogUid=qcjVLqDj8ePN&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A I just got two different variations of the same one. here is a side by side (kinda) of the real and fake 32897 All three have a unique mounting system in that you do not have to remove the front wheel to install them. They also come with this piece as a protector for the fork on the other side 32900 A cool idea but I could not get (at least the Ali one) to line up. Plus I already have the great aluminum one on there.

[LightSmith88]

The reason I did all of the same was this. I bought the Polisport one first because it matches my Nardo gray plastic kit that I am going to put on this bike (once I have ironed out all of the kinks), and second because I was trying to put a little more yellow in the bike for now to go with my initial graphics selection. It turned out that the yellow (which looked hi viz on Ali) was just ugly. I hated it, but I liked the product. In fact, if you look closely, you can see that the Ali ones have extra hexagonal venting in the lower portion, which I think looks great. The Polisport one does not have that! So I went with the black one instead, which I think looks way better. One thing I must mention about the Ali ones is that the top part of both of them was warped a little in a way that slightly veers away from the upper portion of the rotor. A small detail, but it's annoying. I even tried to correct it with a heat gun (to no avail). For the obvious upgrade in fit and finish, for an extra $30, I would just skip the Ali ones and go straight for the Polisport ones.

[LightSmith88]

Now these I got from Aliexpress https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806722401009.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1 7.522aHN1xHN1xZW&aem_p4p_detail=20250314081621147406387013862900017 52273&algo_pvid=9f29f6c2-21a0-4b42-a8be-66bc0c1639ef&algo_exp_id=9f29f6c2-21a0-4b42-a8be-66bc0c1639ef-16&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%224%22%2C%22eval%22%3A %221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2121.15%2121.15%21%21%21152. 48%21152.48%21%402103247417419653816138882e1bcc%21 12000038685124322%21sea%21US%213758317920%21X&curPageLogUid=ufPgNaOmdwHv&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A&search_p4p_id=202503140816211474063870138629000175 2273_15
These were cheap but I was pleasantly surprised! I love the fact that they have this extra coverage for the back of the forks 32901 and another angle here 32904 It does not show up well with my camera, but the hi viz color on these is great! They also have black and a few other colors. I also bought a pair in dark grey that I am going to use with my plastic swap. Here is a front shot 32902 and one after I put on the graphics 32903 I did eventually find a headlight mask that matches this hi viz color. I will have more on that in my headlight write up. Also I have mentioned this before but here is the lower fork guard (all aluminum) that I ended up using. Also Ali, love this thing 32905 here is a link for that https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808099542619.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_l ist_main.212.c7201802Fp9aYZ&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

[LightSmith88]

These things are also pretty cool. 32906 They are actual carbon fiber 32907 and they come from Aliexpress. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807069334933.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_l ist_main.136.c7201802Fp9aYZ&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa
Now, they come precut, so you have to order the correct length. Each set is one pair. For our bikes, you need to get a pair that is 172mm and one that is 260 mm. They look great! You can zip tie them if you want, but they fit tight and keep their shape, so I just put them on without them. 32908 I added the green logo stugg after the fact. They come without any logos on them. I like the way they go with my carbon fiber exhaust shield 32909 That thing I got here https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806685142311.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_l ist_main.262.c7201802Fp9aYZ&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

[LightSmith88]

Hey all! I just put up a new video of the paladin on YouTube. Feel free to check it out if you want to see some of this stuff up close.
https://youtu.be/ueS9RnwMwbo?si=fsxPGgWh_379Bv73

[dashideler]

Awesome video. Couldn’t comment on it on YouTube so I’ll say it here. I appreciate all the effort and info you’ve put out there for this bike.

[LightSmith88]

Thanks! I really appreciate the feed back. I will get back to doing some mod writeups here soon. I plan on spending some time in the garage this weekend. Which project I take on will depend on which of my AliExpress orders shows up! 😄

[LightSmith88]

Good morning all! I realized that in my video, I talked about a Rustoleum bed liner product32932 that I used on the side covers of the engine. 32931 This stuff is great. I have used it on a bunch of jeep parts and it has stood up well to test of time (and trails!). It is relatively cheap compared to other bed liner products. The funny thing is that I don't actually use it in truck beds. I actually coat the inside of my jeeps with a different product entirely. This stuff is what I use for any external part like bumpers and rocker guard protection. On one of my jeep YJs I used it to coat the entire louvered panel that I added onto the hood for ventilation. It worked great!32933 So here is the link for that. You can get it right from your local Home Depot. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Automotive-15-oz-Black-Truck-Bed-Coating-Spray-248914/202097787

[LightSmith88]

I just found something on the xpro website that I thought might be useful. It looks like they are now offering factory graphics kits for $49. I thought this might be nice to know for anyone who attempts the graphics swap but would like to be able to go back to stock. You can get them in any color, so another cool thing would be to use one color kit on a different color frame or some combination of the two. Just an Idea! https://xprousa.com/products/209-905019-paladin-300?_pos=4&_sid=b02e610c6&_ss=r&variant=52301893206176
32934

[Mumen Rider]

Good morning all! I realized that in my video, I talked about a Rustoleum bed liner product32932 that I used on the side covers of the engine. 32931 This stuff is great. I have used it on a bunch of jeep parts and it has stood up well to test of time (and trails!). It is relatively cheap compared to other bed liner products. The funny thing is that I don't actually use it in truck beds. I actually coat the inside of my jeeps with a different product entirely. This stuff is what I use for any external part like bumpers and rocker guard protection. On one of my jeep YJs I used it to coat the entire louvered panel that I added onto the hood for ventilation. It worked great!32933 So here is the link for that. You can get it right from your local Home Depot. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Automotive-15-oz-Black-Truck-Bed-Coating-Spray-248914/202097787


+1 for Rust-Oleum bedliner, that is what I used to paint my skid plate after using self etching primer.



Rust-Oleum 382630 Platinum Truck Bed Coating Spray Paint


https://i.ibb.co/8LxLCLtg/skid1345346.jpg (https://ibb.co/fzNzgzLd)

[LightSmith88]

Yes! I meant to comment on that earlier. That thing came out awesome-looking! I bet it will hold up as well as powder coat would anyway. I mean, if you put a rock against aluminum, whatever is in between won't last forever, LOL! Also, good point. Using the self-etching primer beforehand on raw aluminum is a must.

[surfnow23]

Info on the mini tail rack? If you don't put the links or at least where you got your mods your going to get asked a million times.

You know what year KTM rims will fit the Paladin??

[LightSmith88]

Hi there! As far as that quote you put up there, I have posted links to everything I have mentioned in this thread so far. You just have to read through it. But just in case, here it is https://a.co/d/0WJHJz4 I have not done any mods to the wheels yet so I am not sure exactly about that. If I had to guess, I would go with the same wheels as a 2017-2019 KTM exc-f (whatever displacement). It seems that KTM did not change much in that department very often. It also appears that these are consistent with the husky and GasGas of that vintage as well. So far, this bike is a clone of those in just about every aspect except the engine. These are the measurements that you want to pay attention to...
Front Axle diameter: 22mm
Front axle spindle torque: 25.8 ft-lbs
Front axle stub bolt torque: 11.1 ft-lbs

Rear Axle diameter: 25mm
Rear wheel spindle torque: 59 ft-lbs
Wheel Spoke torque: 3.7 ft-lbs
(Thanks Mumen!)
I would guess that you will end up using the stock wheel spacers for this.
I also pulled this conversation from another forum....

"Are the F/R wheel/hub/brakes compatible across 2012-20 year models?
Wanting to pick up a spare set of wheels for my 2019 500 EXC"
answer....
"Yes, with the correct axle spacers ......... the axle diameters are different."
(Adventure Rider Forum)

These are not my words, but they are pretty convincing nonetheless. This is really the best I can do without having done the swap myself. I try not to speculate too often on here. I would rather be able to back up my claims with experience, results, and pictures.

[Mumen Rider]

KTM wheels from 2003-2022 will work, you just need to use the axle spacers that came with your bike or KTM axle spacers for your axle size. They all use the same hub.

[LightSmith88]

Hey all! This morning, I wanted to go over the seat in a little more depth. At least one other member is doing the tank swap, and I am not able to attach pictures to a private message, so here goes. On the resource (big) thread, Mumen installed a seat concepts seat, and I talked about my enduro engineering seat. BOTH seats needed this modification to fit 32937, and here is a closer look at that. It seems that when they did a clone of the GasGas KTM style seat (my seat was actually from a 2017 exc-f) they molded it with that rear attachment point further back for some reason. 32938Note: only the back mount needs adjustment if you are not doing the gas tank mod. If you are also doing the gas tank mod, you will need to modify the seat as shown here 32939. I covered that one a little more closely in the tank write-up.

[LightSmith88]

Here are a couple more pics of the seat modifications needed for the tank swap 32940 and here 32941 here is another view 32942 and a clean one 32943 I can assure you that non of the modifications done to the seat affect its performance in any way. If done properly, it fits just as tight as it did from the factory. Remember, it is easy to take material off...not so easy to put it back on. I just did a lot of removing small amounts and test fitting.

[LightSmith88]

Here are the last couple of pictures from different angles. Here is the reason you need to do the large notch if you do the tank mod 32944 and here 32945 for comparison 32946 Then here is a before 32947 and after 32948 that's it! Hope this helps!

[LightSmith88]

Hey all! I put this up on the big thread but I figured I would put it up here as well. enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kErehVvM3mA

[LightSmith88]

Before anyone mentions it, I realize that a little water leaks from the fuel pump outlet as I do this but if anything, that would be in the tanks favor! That would make it look like i fit even more. To be honest it wasn't much that leaked out anyway. It took about one paper towel to clean it up.

[dashideler]

I've done a few mods and i'd like to cover 3 that I feel have significantly improved this bikes usefulness/enjoyability to me.

1. Seat Concepts Comfort XL Seat
2. IMS Tank
3. NICECNC Mini Fairing GPS Mount

https://i.ibb.co/PZNptXB7/IMG-0658.jpg
*
https://i.ibb.co/xqWx5ZdX/IMG-0659.jpg

Seat Concepts Comfort XL Complete Seat

This modification was an absolute must for me. Due to some back issues I have a sensitive tailbone at times and the MX style seat that comes on these bikes make rides over 40 or 50 miles not possible. I've had a seat concepts comfort previously on a DR650 and rode that bike over 350 miles at a time in relative comfort so I knew I had to make one work on this bike.

Mods needed for installation.

I was able to install this seat with zero modifications with the stock tank on the bike. I know other members on here have had different experiences than me and I am sure there are slight variations on these from bike to bike.

After installing the IMS tank I did have to make a couple of adjustments.

Firstly, I had to trim about 3/4" off the front edge of the seat pan. Because the IMS tank is taller the seat was not able to slide far enough forward. Very simple process. Pull the staples on the front of the seat, cut 3/4" off the pan, fold the cover back over and staple it back to the pan.

Secondly, I had to trim slightly some of the material from the back of the 2 notches that engage with the seat lugs on the tank. I only had to remove about 1/4" from both of those areas.

Overall the install was very easy and an absolute game changer for me personally. I know Mumen had done a seat concepts seat and didn't think the change was worth it. Keep in mind the seat he purchased was the MX style seat and not the Comfort Seat.

https://i.ibb.co/G4YFmLrr/IMG-0657.jpg

IMS 2.9 Gallon Tank

While I don't think this an absolute must, I do think it has improved the usability of the bike for me. It's a modest improvement in capacity, less than 1 liter. (I do not however believe the 10 liter capacity stated by x-pro)(This was written before i saw LightSmith88's capacity test.) The main benefit for me is being able to see my fuel level. I ride in areas with limited fuel availability and knowing how much I have is important.

I wouldn't say the installation was difficult but it was involved. I followed LightSmith88's info on what to order and how to do the installation. I won't re-hash over that, but i did have some differences in what needed modified.

I did have to relocate the voltage regulator to the right side of the bike. I did not however have to sand any material off of it. It is slightly touching the tank, I'll keep an eye on it. I also did not have to move my ECU. It doesn't touch the tank at all.

I did order the KTM tank rollers but did not end up using them. I just wrapped the studs with some electrical tape and went with it.

I ordered the tank off ebay and paid 105 shipped.

https://i.ibb.co/99ZRc8NL/IMG-0663.jpg

NICECNC Mini Fairing GPS Mount

Again, this wouldn't be a necessity but really improves the usability for me. I generally ride with my phone mounted in some way to the bike running a GPS or following a track with GAIA GPS running. Not having to constantly look down at the bars makes it very nice.

Installation was very easy. The main arms of the unit simply clamp to your bars. It will fit 7/8" or 1-1/8" bars. The plate can be adjusted up or down to fine tune where exactly you want it. Where I currently have it I cannot see my stock speedo. If i raised the plate up a couple of slots I could see the speedo. The clear "windscreen" angle can also be adjusted. I may end up putting dark tint or painting the windscreen. I think its a little tacky looking through to the back of the plate.

I plan on mounting my phone to it, but currently have my rugged tablet that was previously on a BMW GS mocked up to it. I'm waiting on a mount from Quadlock. I have a usb charger mounted in the hole to the left of my speedo and I may or may not end up moving that up to this mounting plate.

The only thing I don't care for are the pre cut holes. It has holes pre cut as knock outs to mount switches or whatever. I wish they would have just left that solid so the end user could just drill holes wherever they want.

Thats it. I've done other small things not worth writing about with more to come. I've got some graphics coming from Aliexpress.

[LightSmith88]

AWESOME!!!! I love this stuff, man this is great! Great write up and pics. Keep it coming!! These look like great additions to the bike. Can't wait to see the graphics!

[Mumen Rider]

I know Mumen had done a seat concepts seat and didn't think the change was worth it. Keep in mind the seat he purchased was the MX style seat and not the Comfort Seat.


No, it was the comfort seat. I think you've got it mixed up due to the different seat cover from a regular comfort seat. I wanted the all weather protection and added grip.



https://i.ibb.co/GfPYhdtH/Screenshot-2025-03-22-at-19-26-10-Element-KTM-2019-2022-SX-SX-F-XC-XC-F-EXC-F-XC-W-XC-FW-2023-EXC-Se.png (https://ibb.co/DPKcq18r)




You can pull all of the engine sensors data to your smartphone or android based GPS device with an OBD2 reader.

[dashideler]

No, it was the comfort seat. I think you've got it mixed up due to the different seat cover from a regular comfort seat. I wanted the all weather protection and added grip.

Yeah, I guess the cover did throw me off. I had the regular Comfort seat on my DR650 and now the Comfort XL on this bike. For me they both have made a huge difference.

The Comfort seat is 7-3/8" wide and the Comfort XL is 9-1/2" wide.

[dashideler]

You can pull all of the engine sensors data to your smartphone or android based GPS device with an OBD2 reader.

I actually have DMD2 installed on the tablet. I'm going to get an OBD2 dongle and see what comes of it.

[Mumen Rider]

The Comfort seat is 7-3/8" wide and the Comfort XL is 9-1/2" wide.


Originally I wanted the wider one but then I saw reviews that it gets in the way when riding hard. I am sure the XL is the more comfortable option.

[surfnow23]

Anyone know what footpegs will fit the Paladin??

[surfnow23]

Ok. Wow! I just found these on AliExpress | Motorcycle Foot Pegs FootRest Footpegs Rests Pedals For KTM EXC EXCF XC XCF SX SXF 85 125 150 200 250 300 350 450 530 2017-2023
https://a.aliexpress.com/_ms0sbaJ the exact same as above but less than $20! Crazy, I might actually pick these ones up after all.

These are the ones I bought and they don’t work. The foot peg doesn’t stay level and secure, they just fall up and down and won’t support any type of weight on them.

[LightSmith88]

Oh! Well that's good to know. That is actually really valuable information. I haven't felt the need to change mine out so I was just offering up some ideas. That just goes to show why I usually stick to mods that I have tried first before opening my mouth. Lesson learned. Well please let us know when you find some that work. The KTMs must have something down there that this frame doesn't.:hmm:

[dashideler]

Does anyone have any reason to believe these swing arm protectors would not fit the Paladin? They list a set that fits a 21&22 EC 300 and a different set for the 24 Model. Not sure which to go with.

https://www.nicecnc.com/products/motorcycles-swingarm-guard-protector-cover

[LowBrewTow]

Anyone know what footpegs will fit the Paladin??

I used these https://a.co/d/b3xDrNg32976

32977

[Mumen Rider]

Does anyone have any reason to believe these swing arm protectors would not fit the Paladin? They list a set that fits a 21&22 EC 300 and a different set for the 24 Model. Not sure which to go with.

https://www.nicecnc.com/products/motorcycles-swingarm-guard-protector-cover


The 21/22 EC300 should fit, the 24 will not. You can get these for $10 on Aliexpress, NICENCNC will ship items from China to the USA without telling you it's coming from China.


https://i.ibb.co/v6psCJDY/IMG20250323160508-Copy.jpg (https://ibb.co/67zvc4NB)


I haven't put any on my K8 models yet.

[dashideler]

The 21/22 EC300 should fit, the 24 will not. You can get these for $10 on Aliexpress, NICENCNC will ship items from China to the USA without telling you it's coming from China.


I did order my Mini Fairing directly from Nicecnc however the listing specifically said US stock.

[dashideler]

I think I figured out the whole picture thing thanks to Mumen. I edited my post on my top 3 mods. Looks much better now. This site is not exactly the most user friendly.

[LightSmith88]

Wow! Even better! The bike looks great. :tup: Can you pm me about the picture thing? I am also trying to figure out how to get that to work.

[Mumen Rider]

Wow! Even better! The bike looks great. :tup: Can you pm me about the picture thing? I am also trying to figure out how to get that to work.




Resize your picture with your application of choice and use https://imgbb.com/ to host the image. You will have several different options for links after you've uploaded something, I use the BBcode for a full image link.

[dashideler]

Resize your picture with your application of choice and use https://imgbb.com/ to host the image. You will have several different options for links after you've uploaded something, I use the BBcode for a full image link.

I've figured out you can resize your photo within imgbb and you can choose to link a medium size pic instead of full.

[dashideler]

You can pull all of the engine sensors data to your smartphone or android based GPS device with an OBD2 reader.

Update on this. It appears the OBD2 port on the bike is not a true OBD2 port. I've got 2 different dongles for reading from these ports and neither one of the detect any info from the bike. I'm guessing it some kind of proprietary data protocol.

It was worth a try.

[LightSmith88]

Thanks guys ill give this a try!

[surfnow23]

I used these https://a.co/d/b3xDrNg32976

32977

How did you get them to fit? I bought similar ones from AliExpress and I can’t get them to stay secure without falling down.

[surfnow23]

I used these https://a.co/d/b3xDrNg32976

32977

I just found this on AliExpress: $55.14 | Footrest Foot Pegs Footpegs Rests Pedals For KTM 690 950 990 1050 1090 1190 1290 50 65 85 125 250 SX 50SX 125SX 250SX 85SX
https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0QXF87

These are the ones I purchased and can’t for the life of me get them to stay secure without them just falling down in the bracket
I just found this on AliExpress: $55.14 | Footrest Foot Pegs Footpegs Rests Pedals For KTM 690 950 990 1050 1090 1190 1290 50 65 85 125 250 SX 50SX 125SX 250SX 85SX
https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0QXF87

[OldGuy]

I've done a few mods and i'd like to cover 3 that I feel have significantly improved this bikes usefulness/enjoyability to me.

1. Seat Concepts Comfort XL Seat
2. IMS Tank
3. NICECNC Mini Fairing GPS Mount


Great write-up & info provided! This is very good stuff, the gas tank is more of an issue than I realized, just wish I had already made this mod. I will bring a couple of aluminum fuel bottles along (used for Coleman fuel on LONG backpacking trips, should be okay) for the rally this week - March Moto Madness (https://marchmotomadness.com/about-us/) as I don't want to run out of gas! The seat is interesting, I did a Seat Concepts foam & cover on my Husky TE449 which was an improvement. I will see how my butt fares this week on the longer rides. The gps tower stuff ... hmmm, depending on the type of riding, I could see some use there.



I received the Tusk Handguards suggested by others and they are quite stout. What I didn't realize is that during the install, stuff simply doesn't line up "square" but you just progressively tighten everything in place as you need to align. The inner mount looks funny, but everything snugs up in a sturdy fashion.


Along with the handguards, I ordered the Tusk panniers that seemed to fit so well. I'll play around with mounting later today. They will be good for carrying extra fuel & such.


Getting back into longer dirt rides, I realize the differences from mountain biking for things like fixing a flat tire. I think I will try a Tubliss conversion at some point, prying off knobbies on the trail does not sound fun. MTB tires can simply be pulled off by hand ... at least these aren't like the tubeless Michelin Road tires I run on the Yamaha! There are a real pain to mount & dismount. Just praying for no flats this week!


I am really looking forward to some extended riding to get a better feel for this bike. We have all been doing so much 'modding' and not so much riding through the winter.

[OldGuy]

Update on this. It appears the OBD2 port on the bike is not a true OBD2 port. I've got 2 different dongles for reading from these ports and neither one of the detect any info from the bike. I'm guessing it some kind of proprietary data protocol.

It was worth a try.


Looking at it carefully, in only has three leads. On the 'tuner' sites, there are different adapters depending on the plug (the Delphi uses a small plug, for example). So this uses the same format, but with most of the pins missing. I was a little surprised about a standard dongle reading, but haven't messed with the computer/tuning stuff beyond trying to get info on the ECU itself. I will be posting on tuning forums & watch for any input. SOMEBODY will do this - 'Old Skull Tuning' is constantly posting new bikes he can tune.



Perhaps Mumen can enlighten us as to what protocol, adapter, and software he is using. 'GPS' must mean something like DMD2 - far more than 'GPS' that I run on w/ Graphene OS (OSMand).

[dashideler]

'GPS' must mean something like DMD2 - far more than 'GPS' that I run on w/ Graphene OS (OSMand).

I generally run GAIA on my phone on the handlebars in some way. Mounting the tablet and the DMD2 idea was mainly just for fun until my quad lock mount arrives for the dash.

[LightSmith88]

How did you get them to fit? I bought similar ones from AliExpress and I can’t get them to stay secure without falling down.
Hey Surfnow! I can see the problem you are having with the foot pegs! Look at this pic of the ones you got...32982https://ibb.co/272b9QMz and here are the ones that LowBrewTow got....32983https://ibb.co/5XrCHWN9do you see the diference? Look at the areas that I circled in relation to each other. do just make sure which ever ones you get next have that flat spot facing up.

[LightSmith88]

https://i.ibb.co/NgP7vxtH/20250112-100332-2.jpg (https://ibb.co/NgP7vxtH)this is what we are looking for in a replacement foot peg you see? Flat spot up. BTW this ziptie trick is really handy when you are applying graphics so you don't push the bike off its stand....(which i found out is really easy to do!):doh: I actually caught it before it hit the ground though :lol:

[Mumen Rider]

Update on this. It appears the OBD2 port on the bike is not a true OBD2 port. I've got 2 different dongles for reading from these ports and neither one of the detect any info from the bike. I'm guessing it some kind of proprietary data protocol.

It was worth a try.


I think your scanner has to support K-line(OBD2 port pin #7) for it to work, my OBD2 reader pulls information just fine.



https://i.ibb.co/mC07TR7y/Screenshot-2025-03-25-at-13-52-02-Amazon-com-Veepeak-OBDCheck-BLE-Bluetooth-4-0-OBD-II-Scanner-Wirel.png (https://ibb.co/99hjgpj4)


That is the one I use and I will link some pictures below to show you it working.


https://i.ibb.co/7Nph034y/Screenshot-2024-10-30-08-25-37-70-1c4cade50911c4021d022fd7fc21ca47.jpg (https://ibb.co/DgMdjBpK)
https://i.ibb.co/21WWzWKm/Screenshot-2024-10-30-08-27-59-24-1c4cade50911c4021d022fd7fc21ca47.jpg (https://ibb.co/tTQQ0QCk)
https://i.ibb.co/pvhYGHqL/Screenshot-2024-10-30-08-30-48-85-1c4cade50911c4021d022fd7fc21ca47.jpg (https://ibb.co/MDBFWzdC)
https://i.ibb.co/b5mP2FnN/Screenshot-2024-10-30-08-31-51-63-1c4cade50911c4021d022fd7fc21ca47.jpg (https://ibb.co/3md7MvHS)

[dashideler]

That is the one I use and I will link some pictures below to show you it working.


I’ll have to try that one out before giving up on it. It’s a lot cheaper that the one I bought anyway.

[LightSmith88]

It was brought to my attention that a couple more of the stupid ebay links won't work. Here are a couple of pics of what is needed....32985
And here....32986 honestly, ebay might not have the lowest prices for these things anyway. It's best to do a Google search of the part numbers to get the best price. Cheers! :tup:

[OldGuy]

Today is going to be busy! I installed the Tusk handguards & will play with different mounting positions for the panniers to see what is least intrusive while riding. I may make a temp heat shield over the exhaust so the bags can sit a little further back. I don't know about route information for the MMM rides, I have an older LG phone that I use for a music player (their old system w/ quad DACs has superb sound & can produce more volume; there are incredible 'ChiFi' headsets in the $25 range, but phones don't have 1/8"jacks anymore hence my love for the LG) - I'll try loading some navigation apps to try.

Why the concern for footpegs? Stock seem fine to me. Thanks for the further info on the tank, I really need to do that mod. Sure wish I had it now, but no time now. Now I just need suspension & engine tuning, it seems most everything else is sorted out.

Anyway I need to get the toy hauler ready as well - leave tomorrow for 11 days, so lots of planning & packing. Still figuring out (and modifying) the toy hauler as it is as new to me as is the Paladin! Actually 'farkling' it as well! Part of the process is figuring out some equipment to workout on the road! Can't exactly take a squat rack, but I am putting mounting a pull-up bar inside. 1 legged squats on the camper steps will have to suffice. Adjustable kettlebell too! Let this be my STRONG recommendation to you young guys - STAY IN SHAPE! When people ask me about my conditioning/training, I point out that I never let myself get OUT of shape in past years - it just takes more consistency w/ aging to maintain. Depending on the riding, I anticipate a bit of soreness due to the extended saddle hours. Hmmm, I suppose old cycling shorts w/ chamois might help. Anyway, I digress!

I will be in TN for this festival, then back to WNC for more volunteer work next week. They passed HB47 last week which not only provides funding for recovery efforts (although I am fully self-supporting in this work) but a provision in there will give me at least another four months of authority for the work I am doing. The Paladin has been my local transportation up there, and I have had a few conversations with other riders about the bike. Several guys have showed disbelief about the cost of the bike until I actually sent them to the PowersportsMax website - and for those truly interested, I've sent them here to show EXACTLY what has been figured out thus far!

If anyone has a good relationship with the company, I would LOVE to know what their sales numbers look like. One guy I talked to said he was looking at a little Honda but it was overpriced for what it was. Offered him a ride but he was delivering fresh food to a distribution center. May reach out this next week & repeat the offer.

[OldGuy]

So, reading back through this (and I really shouldn't be taking the time, I need to get ready for my trip!), to do the gas tank requires:
1- IMS 2.9 gal tank
2- KTM clone fuel pump - 78107088300 & equivalents
3- KTM fuel pump connector - 77707988017

4- KTM gasket set - I am uncertain about this. The link you tried to post back on page 4 produces this (just cut & paste "ebay.com/itm/145856591465" but it is for 2012-18 bikes. Or do we just need the above three items.

Info is scattered around a little, and I appreciate you adding the pics to clarify the pump & connector. Guess the only question IS about gaskets. Thanks for clarifying! I would add that the way your earlier posts have pics & links, it is a bit hard to follow. You have done GREAT work to help us all, and I thought just a short, bullet point would help for others following. I realize you have purchased unneeded things along the way, that is my assumption about #4 on my list.

Carrying spare fuel bottles on this trip will be a necessity, but hopefully an option for future riding. A true 2.9 gal means somewhere near 150 miles which is more than enough.

Other than that, moving the voltage reg & adding a bit of tape (I would think self-adhesive silicone would do well here) for the damper/roller. Info is scattered through various posts, I want to get things together.

Following up on my lighting: I could not be more pleased! They are absolutely great - very inexpensive, and even on back country mountain roads at night, they were fine as fast as I wanted to ride. Even more comforting having brighter lights when I ran out of gas!

[LightSmith88]

For the gasket kit. Keep in mind that the fuel pump configuration is the current one used by GasGas, but it is an older generation to KTM. The new style of KTM sits in the center of the tank and draws from the top. The gasket kit is correct for the pump we are using. Now, I will say that I did not use all of the gaskets in the kit. The main one that I was concerned about was the main hexagon-shaped gasket that the pump assembly uses as it sits against the tank. I could not tell if that one came with fuel pump or not. It turns out it did come with one but I used the KTM one just to be safe (it seemed to be a better material). there were a couple of 0-rings in the kit that were needed. I imagine that you could use a kit of fuel-rated 0-rings to make something work for that. I would say that if time is no factor, then just go without the gasket kit until you get the pump and then see what you are missing. I ordered this stuff all at the same time so it showed up all at once. The only parts I had left over were the original fuel pump outlet that goes straight down (replaced by the 90-degree connector I mentioned) and a couple of gaskets in the set. Dashideler was able to complete the entire tank swap process without much more direction than what was in my write-up. Hopefully, he can weigh in on the installation and whether the kit is needed.

[LightSmith88]

Also, now that I know how to insert pics into the middle of a sentence, I might go back and edit the write-up to make it easier to follow. At the time I did not know how to do that so I had to use the "first pic, second pic....." thing to get my point across. I do appreciate the constructive criticism. I am always trying to improve how I can be useful to the community here.

[dashideler]

So, reading back through this (and I really shouldn't be taking the time, I need to get ready for my trip!), to do the gas tank requires:
1- IMS 2.9 gal tank
2- KTM clone fuel pump - 78107088300 & equivalents
3- KTM fuel pump connector - 77707988017

4- KTM gasket set - I am uncertain about this. The link you tried to post back on page 4 produces this (just cut & paste "ebay.com/itm/145856591465" but it is for 2012-18 bikes. Or do we just need the above three items.



I can only speak to my experience installing the tank but I ordered just what you’ve got listed here. As far as the gasket kit, I didn’t end up needing that. Between the fuel pump I bought off AliExpress and the 90° connector kit I had all the gaskets and O rings I needed. I’m sure your experience might vary based on which seller you use on the pump.

I believe I could have even gotten away without buying the 90° connector kit. Without it the fuel line would have come straight out the bottom of the tank and would have had a little goofy of a loop in it. It’s definitely positioned better with the connector.

One thing you missed on your list is the electric connector. You’ll have to splice into the existing 2 wires feeding the stock fuel pump and add the appropriate connector for the new pump.

I ended up buying this kit off Amazon that LightSmith suggested. It was cheap enough and I’m always needing stuff like this.

https://a.co/d/9AsITE9

https://i.ibb.co/Z6MXWZQ2/IMG-0676.jpg (https://ibb.co/Gv5pchZH)

This is the pump I purchased on AliExpress. It did take a little while to get to me so if you’re in a hurry, I wouldn’t order this one.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtIPUzt

https://i.ibb.co/hRCYqm5K/IMG-0675.jpg (https://ibb.co/rGvdWwPZ)

[OldGuy]

Thanks guys! Just wanted to clarify.


@LightSmith88 - I realize I am sitting on the strap for the Tusk panniers, which sucks. I am considering trying to route them under the seat instead. Have you been riding and what has been your experience? The bags are great but I need to make it more comfortable or it seems they won't be good for long rides (when they are needed!).


Okay, off to the store to get some food, etc!

[LightSmith88]

Yup, you got it. They just expect you to sit on the straps. I was actually looking at something that goes over the seat, like a padded seat cover, to remedy this for longer rides. On trail stuff, I am mostly standing the entire time anyway, so it's no big deal there. I actually ordered one pad that I saw a guy use on a KLX300, and it works, but it's a little too big for my liking. There is one more that I am considering trying out. I don't want to give a link yet because I want to find something that works well first. I am open to suggestions as well. If you find that you can get them to work going under the seat, let me know! In the meantime, I will continue to use mine the way they are. In the small bit of weather-permitted riding I have been able to do, they haven't really bothered me much. Here is the one I tried https://a.co/d/5yhovwj maybe it will work for someone else.

[LightSmith88]

The 21/22 EC300 should fit, the 24 will not. You can get these for $10 on Aliexpress, NICENCNC will ship items from China to the USA without telling you it's coming from China.


https://i.ibb.co/v6psCJDY/IMG20250323160508-Copy.jpg (https://ibb.co/67zvc4NB)


I haven't put any on my K8 models yet.


Mumen! more info on this beast please! can you start a thread about it? Is this one of the 450s? when did you get it? etc...?????

[Mumen Rider]

I sent you a PM with more information, I don't want to derail your thread here.

[LightSmith88]

This is a quick test (and preview of an upcoming write-up). ;) I am trying out something that Dashideler was kind enough to make a video about for me. Thanks, man!
https://i.ibb.co/C5VRpzrm/20250322-160254.jpg (https://ibb.co/TBP9DkCY)

[dashideler]

This is a quick test (and preview of an upcoming write-up). ;) I am trying out something that Dashideler was kind enough to make a video about for me. Thanks, man!
https://i.ibb.co/C5VRpzrm/20250322-160254.jpg (https://ibb.co/TBP9DkCY)

Steering Stabilizer. Nice!

[LightSmith88]

Ok, I've teased it long enough. Here it is. Cadillac smooth steering for our Paladins! This one took a bunch of research and, even then, a couple of giant leaps of faith. You can only imagine that doing something as model-specific as this was challenging. In case you are wondering, this part of the bike is not the same as KTM, GASGAS, or Kawasaki. In fact, this is one of the only things that seems to be specific to Chinese bikes. I would bet (but could not verify) that this triple tree section of the bike is shared with the templar X. It is the same bolt-through two-cone bushing setup as a Honda CRF 300. In fact, I almost bought that kit, but after some measuring, the dimensions are slightly off on both the width between the handlebar mounts and the diameter of the tube on the end of the frame that houses the bearing races. Here is what I ended up with...
https://i.ibb.co/Wv7r45x5/20250322-103543.jpg (https://ibb.co/GQGZ4pxp)

[LightSmith88]

Ultimately, it took two kits, both from Aliexpress, to accomplish this mod. Both (as I'm sure you guessed) require some slight modification to work. Honestly, it's not too bad for this one, though. The first part is the mount. This part offers four additional neoprene bushings to help isolate the handlebars from the frame. This, on top of the bolt-through two rubber cone configuration, makes for vibration-free turning! That is even before the stabilizer comes into play. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804229394582.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_l ist_main.64.29211802HeYikQ&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa
This comes in either orange or black. If you line this up over the holes for the handlebar mounts, you can see them, but they are both slightly inset toward the middle.
https://i.ibb.co/N2Fx1TWQ/20250331-130340.jpg (https://ibb.co/Jjcnx3r0)
I hope this makes sense. Unfortunately, I did not get pictures of this part of the process.
https://i.ibb.co/YFkNqnhY/20250331-130325.jpg (https://ibb.co/Rk0gVrcZ)
Once you have the new handlebar mount in your hands and the old ones off, this will all make perfect sense. The big takeaway is that this "modification" process took about 10 minutes and a half-round file to accomplish. Here is what you end up with.
https://i.ibb.co/WpcKm7J6/20250302-114913.jpg (https://ibb.co/JFzkD8JK)

[LightSmith88]

Keep in mind, the handlebar mounts that I listed above will raise the handlebars about 1/2" to 3/4" above their current position. Not a deal breaker for me because I like a taller handlebar anyway. If it is a big deal, Pro taper makes a low rise bar that should counter this effect Here...https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806134044876.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_l ist_main.29.29211802HeYikQ&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa
I have a set on order but I don't if know if I will like it better with it or with the stock one. So for the next part of the setup, you will need this kit here...
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804630011451.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_l ist_main.52.29211802HeYikQ&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa
This one, I took a big chance on. I was betting on the fact that KTM, GASGAS and husky (exc,ec,te) all share the same frame. It worked! so the stabilizer in this kit is great, and the mount that attaches to the frame is a must. the handlebar risers that come with this kit will not work with our bike and with the mount I mentioned above, are not needed. here it is....
https://i.ibb.co/jvdfVPH8/20250322-134620.jpg (https://ibb.co/TBZ2Kxrw)

[LightSmith88]

There is only one part that you must modify for this setup to work with the mount from above. You can see here that the post that connects the handlebar mount to the frame adapter is too short.
https://i.ibb.co/1JzW10Jy/20250322-103600.jpg (https://ibb.co/n8PJ9w8d)
I made a new one. It really was not as bad as I thought it might be. I wanted to use stainless material for this. I found that the shank of a 3" 5/16ths stainless bolt was the perfect length and diameter once I cut off the threaded section and the head. A little time with the grinding wheel and presto!
https://i.ibb.co/Xk4nfY7X/20250322-151258.jpg (https://ibb.co/BKPhHnyL)
front veiw
https://i.ibb.co/YF3Mhzy2/20250322-151243.jpg (https://ibb.co/HfVsqWx7)

[LightSmith88]

Here is the result of that!
https://i.ibb.co/yFpzTw9m/20250322-134557.jpg (https://ibb.co/7tQ3cwfx)
It works great. there is a great little instruction manual that you can find online for this thing. This sums it up though...
https://i.ibb.co/wNLccqQm/Screenshot-20250226-184652-Ali-Express.jpg (https://ibb.co/ynR44Ckj)

[LightSmith88]

They even have a KKE one of these! They are all knock-offs of Scotts steering damper though. After watching a YouTube review on a couple of cheapos, it seemed like the Savage (the kit I linked) was the best bet. Here is the finished product once I carved out the bar pad to fit it and installed it and my phone holder with zip ties.
https://i.ibb.co/MxRTJSRH/20250323-104428.jpg (https://ibb.co/JwzLStzT)
(Yes I did trim the zip ties after this photo!) The keen eye might notice that I replaced the two center screws on the frame-mount with self tapping screws. This is not necessary but I just did not want that thing coming loss. It did feel really solid without it though and it probably would have been fine. I would (and did) put lock-tight on the small allen screws holding the frame mount in place though no matter what. High strength steel frame? well, those self tappers went in pretty easy.....just sayin.

[LightSmith88]

Here is a little more detail on the bolt that I used....https://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-5-16-in-18-x-3-in-Grade-304-Stainless-Steel-Hex-Bolts-25-Pack-9059222/310465166#overlay This will help...
https://i.ibb.co/RG4mVr0g/Screenshot-2025-03-31-at-14-01-19-Search-Results-for-5-16th-stainless-bolt-3-quot-at-The-Home-Depot.png (https://imgbb.com/)

[LightSmith88]

One more thing to add to this. There are a few videos on this type of steering damper on YouTube. If you are going to do this mod, I would highly recommend watching them to get an Idea of what this thing is for and what to expect out of it. It will also give you an idea of how to set it. I have mine set up right about in the middle to start with. I will adjust it from there. You want it to help reduce arm fatigue, not to promote it. If you have it set too stiff, it will make it harder to steer. That is counter to the point of it.

[OldGuy]

One more thing to add to this. There are a few videos on this type of steering damper on YouTube. If you are going to do this mod, I would highly recommend watching them to get an Idea of what this thing is for and what to expect out of it. It will also give you an idea of how to set it. I have mine set up right about in the middle to start with. I will adjust it from there. You want it to help reduce arm fatigue, not to promote it. If you have it set too stiff, it will make it harder to steer. That is counter to the point of it.


Interesting ... steering dampers came along after my time w/ dirt bikes. I don't see the need for singletrack riding. Desert blasts - YES! In my write-up of the MMM (LINK (https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=35302)) I commented on the amazing fatigue I experienced, but mostly it was a combo of throttle - brake - controlling bike. I haven't had any real sense of 'twisty issues' that played a part. I am curious if people doing Eastern singletrack woods riding often use these. Road bikes = absolutely! The original FJ-09s like mine (2015) can get into the wobbles @ 80 mph with a bigger windshield (which most of us need). I have thought about one there ... but not for technical trails. Perhaps a bit more research is in order.


I will say that I have NEVER understood the tiny handgrips that we always had on the MX bikes. I add Grip Puppies to my bikes. The 60+ y/o racer guy that was with us on Friday's ride @ MMM was in front of me at times, and I would see him shaking his throttle hand at the side (as I do!) for numbness. When we stopped at the Bald, I mentioned the Grip Puppies & he really liked the feel on mine.

[OldGuy]

I posted this same photos in the MMM thread but here they are. The bags look MUCH better with the cheesy badges removed. Just get a 'thread picker' (sewing implement) and carefully cut the stitching on the inside. If you've never done this before, after you get a few together cut, you can often tug & tear more out, rinse & repeat.


https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=33011&d=1743510323


https://www.chinariders.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=33010&d=1743510323

[LightSmith88]

Interesting ... steering dampers came along after my time w/ dirt bikes. I don't see the need for singletrack riding. Desert blasts - YES! In my write-up of the MMM (LINK (https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=35302)) I commented on the amazing fatigue I experienced, but mostly it was a combo of throttle - brake - controlling bike. I haven't had any real sense of 'twisty issues' that played a part. I am curious if people doing Eastern singletrack woods riding often use these. Road bikes = absolutely! The original FJ-09s like mine (2015) can get into the wobbles @ 80 mph with a bigger windshield (which most of us need). I have thought about one there ... but not for technical trails. Perhaps a bit more research is in order.


I will say that I have NEVER understood the tiny handgrips that we always had on the MX bikes. I add Grip Puppies to my bikes. The 60+ y/o racer guy that was with us on Friday's ride @ MMM was in front of me at times, and I would see him shaking his throttle hand at the side (as I do!) for numbness. When we stopped at the Bald, I mentioned the Grip Puppies & he really liked the feel on mine.


The want (not need) for this arose from our type of trails in the PNW. our single track trails (on this side of the mountains, eastern Washington is high desert mostly) is full of roots and rocks. Basically things that are constantly trying to rip the handlebars out of your hands. A friend that I ride with uses one on our trails to great effect. There are a couple of trail ride with stabilizer videos that illustrate this point very well. For sure not something that anyone needs. Its just nice to have.

[LightSmith88]

So, I just got my order from PSM for the "original" factory graphics kit. At the moment, I do not intend to install them on my bike. I just got them to keep around in case I ever wanted to go "back to factory" with this bike. Well, I am a little confused but pleasantly surprised! At first, they look the same. At least, the same pattern and text configuration was used. But.....as soon as you start to look closer..... Well for this one, a picture is truly worth a thousand words. I will let you be the judge....
https://i.ibb.co/8g2PWRk2/20250402-161110.jpg (https://ibb.co/0yZYgW5Z)
https://i.ibb.co/DH0MS3Md/20250402-161058.jpg (https://ibb.co/tTV2Wy2R)
https://i.ibb.co/Lz1cST1N/20250402-161351.jpg (https://ibb.co/VWTzVFTw)
https://i.ibb.co/bj0T29nW/20250402-161345.jpg (https://ibb.co/SDjbdCps)

[LightSmith88]

Now, don't worry about the air bubbles. There is a protective film over each piece (which I appreciate) that I intend on leaving until I actually install them. But, look at the colors....
https://i.ibb.co/Lz1cST1N/20250402-161351.jpg (https://ibb.co/VWTzVFTw)
https://i.ibb.co/7d5CjrQL/20250402-161358.jpg (https://ibb.co/G4LpnC9N)
Here. I did some closeups from different angles so that you can get the full effect....
https://i.ibb.co/jkwr9FLK/20250402-161237.jpg (https://ibb.co/1GXmYx9V)
https://i.ibb.co/1tqwhhSH/20250402-161248.jpg (https://ibb.co/bMB8qqfp)
https://i.ibb.co/Kc5jL30s/20250402-161303.jpg (https://ibb.co/vCcxQKwd)
https://i.ibb.co/LDzQPJ58/20250402-161257.jpg (https://ibb.co/ZR6HJYmV)

[LightSmith88]

the graphics now have this silver metallic look to them. They also seem thicker and slightly better quality material. Here I will do some side-by-side comparisons so you can really see the difference....

https://i.ibb.co/S4cVpYZJ/20250402-162535.jpg (https://ibb.co/G49CjYrF)
https://i.ibb.co/XfVmqnc5/20250402-162547.jpg (https://ibb.co/GfFgqZzM)
https://i.ibb.co/mr97Yz4G/20250402-162553.jpg (https://ibb.co/qLNw41pd)
https://i.ibb.co/Mx0zZbbg/20250402-162601.jpg (https://ibb.co/xtTnXyy2)

[LightSmith88]

A couple more (these didn't load the first time)
https://i.ibb.co/wNrBff8d/20250402-162908.jpg (https://ibb.co/Y7TPxxJN)
https://i.ibb.co/S4cVpYZJ/20250402-162535.jpg (https://ibb.co/G49CjYrF)

[LightSmith88]

The other thing that I noticed was that the color (green in my case) was a little bit lighter. that actually made it even closer to my frame color. It was already pretty close but now it is right on!
https://i.ibb.co/vxrRsMxG/20250402-162944.jpg (https://ibb.co/jvxsVjv2)
https://i.ibb.co/qFC4TsSb/20250402-162934.jpg (https://ibb.co/dJt382Tn)

[LightSmith88]

Anyway, here it is, a side-by-side comparison of what to expect if you order a new set of graphics from PSM. On a side note, they did come in a Zuumav package. I wish they would make some of the Zuumav graphics available to us. They have some pretty cool designs. These will still look great on black plastics, but I might even throw them on a set of white plastics and see how they look. You almost have to see it in person, but they do have a really cool pearlescent effect where the silver turns to black as you turn them. I guess the biggest takeaway here is that if you buy this kit ($49 from PowerSports Max), you won't be able to just use it to fill in a piece at a time. It will not match the original stuff. You would have to replace the entire graphics set to get a consistent look.

[LightSmith88]

Hey all! Well, I did a little "tinkering" this weekend in preparation for the riding season (which appears to be approaching rapidly in the PNW). I made a few small steps forward and one giant LEAP backward. I changed the oil. coated the rest of my side cover pieces.
Chain cover....
https://i.ibb.co/xKFJ3Jbf/20250405-165342.jpg (https://ibb.co/vCXZDZWQ)
https://i.ibb.co/5gNtqCWS/20250405-165329.jpg (https://ibb.co/jPcB7qvQ)
Starter gear and oil filter cover...
https://i.ibb.co/KzmFWz5k/20250405-165356.jpg (https://ibb.co/rfv4HfQS)https://i.ibb.co/KzmFWz5k/20250405-165356.jpg (https://ibb.co/rfv4HfQS)
https://i.ibb.co/hxhN7y9D/20250405-165416.jpg (https://ibb.co/KcRg0XhF)
So far so good...but then....

[LightSmith88]

Disaster strikes! (any Busta Ryhmes fans out there...NO?) I thought it would be and easy thing to simply remove my clutch and front brake levers and lube up the cables. They were bone dry and so I would highly recommend doing this. However, while working on the clutch cable I found where they were hiding the Chinesium!
https://i.ibb.co/67XRm6xm/20250407-205937.jpg (https://ibb.co/KpKjXCkX)
Wait for it......
https://i.ibb.co/ZRJwg32b/20250407-210006.jpg (https://ibb.co/HL2MP0h9)
Yup, there it is. Nice right!? Riding plans for the day are canceled! The solid "aluminum" tensioner literally folded in on itself. Then, trying to extract that part after it broke off, the threaded part that holds the whole tensioner snapped off. The thing that really sucks about it, is this is one part that I actually wanted to keep! I got a set of cheesy Amazon levers in the meantime, but I hate the way they look and feel. By sight, this lever setup had the look and feel of the Honda and Yamaha bikes I have ridden in the past. I like this traditional style lever and I love the formed dust covers. In my research to find a reasonable replacement, I did come across some hydraulic clutch conversion parts that I intend to get (I will do a write-up on that when the time comes), so it's not a total loss. I also reached out to PSM to see if they could send me some replacement parts. I actually want to put this part back to stock, so if I can, I will. I will just be more gentle with these parts from now on. They got back to me and told me to send some pictures of what broke. I am still waiting on their reply. I will say this: none of the damage that you see took much force. The tensioner folded like a pop can, which caused the whole mess. It seems like such an easy part to make out of a better material.

[LightSmith88]

Okay. I have to say that in this situation, PSM has been really good to me. They got back to me almost immediately with the cost for replacement parts ($38 for the cable and entire clutch lever assembly—not bad!). I paid them, and they sent it all by two-day air right away. It is supposed to be here tomorrow! That is pretty cool of them. I will be extra careful with this new set, and I have the "full-wrap" bark busters, so they shouldn't take any direct hits. I then decided to ask them about the possibility of getting some of the Zuumav graphics that are out there for these bikes. That was a NO-GO....oh well, worth a shot. It is a shame because if you look at the Zuumav section on Alibaba you will see a really cool tail rack for this model and a few really cool graphic sets. I wish I could order that stuff from them, but I think you have to come through with a large quantity order to even talk to them about it.

[LightSmith88]

Well, PSM delivered on their promise. They got me the replacement parts lickity split! Here they are...
https://i.ibb.co/hxszjBPs/20250411-125408.jpg (https://ibb.co/ym0j16w0)
The cable
https://i.ibb.co/6RXQtH43/20250411-125417.jpg (https://ibb.co/WWVCzkcb)
And the entire clutch lever assembly, sensor and all!
https://i.ibb.co/WWtSyy0Y/20250411-125427.jpg (https://ibb.co/7J47WWQ6)
$38 to my door in three days. Not bad....not bad at all!

[dashideler]

Well, PSM delivered on their promise. They got me the replacement parts lickity split! Here they are...


Very nice! Meanwhile i'm still waiting on a lower shock mount bolt. I did make something work from the hardware store but i haven't heard from them since Zora wanted pictures of the bolt.

[LightSmith88]

Yeah. Judging by the nicely packaged items I received and how fast I got them, I would guess that it depends solely on what they happen to have on their shelves. The graphics kit came pretty quickly, but the fuel pump took a little while to get. I am guessing that they don't have your shock bolt on hand. Sburk is waiting on his new engine. I am really curious to see how long that is going to take to get. It would be crazy if they took 3 months to get it to him because then anything after that would be out of warranty! He can't exactly test the bike for flaws with no engine now, can he?.....interesting. On that note, here's a bit of advice (that I'm sure others know, but I had to figure it out the hard way). If you live in an area where you can't ride for half the year, don't buy a bike in January. Now that the weather is finally nice enough to ride more often, my bike is beyond its warranty.:doh: I really did not think that one through. I was thinking that it would give me enough garage time to get it ready for the riding season. That it did. But man, I wish I had thought about the warranty thing.

[dashideler]

I ordered my bike November 29 2024 and they are still sending me warranty parts. We'll see how long it lasts.

[sburk]

I messaged Zora last night just to see if they had any new on my order . I'll let you guys now what he/she says they were waiting for the next ship to come over. So I'm curious what oil are you guys running. This bike claims to ships with 15w40.mi e sure didn't seem that thick but that's what I put in to it. I'm just wondering if that to thick and that's why I'm blowing my seal out

[LightSmith88]

I ordered my bike November 29 2024 and they are still sending me warranty parts. We'll see how long it lasts.
Well crap. Now I feel like I got screwed. My bike showed up with all kinds of damage which they only gave me $50 for (in the form of a helmet and some gloves that i didn't need). Then they have charged me for every part I asked for since then. They even said the fuel pump was a warranty claim but they still charged me $75....WTF?

[LightSmith88]

Good morning, all! If you watched my YouTube walk-around video, you may remember that I mentioned something about the skid plate. I wasn't entirely happy with the fit or something like that. Well, I decided to try a couple of different options. Before I continue, let me say that after a bunch of trying things the hard way, I have to admit that our factory skid plate is actually really a very nice product. With some slight modifications, it is likely the one that will live on the bike permanently. That said, I bought an after-market one, will make one from scratch (more on that later), and did some modifications to the factory one. The write-up that follows will be on the factory one. The after-market one I bought (for $158... don't bother) was just not going to work. I had to cut open the "welds" at the corners and cut a couple more grooves in it just to get it to bend around our frame in the right places. After all of that, it didn't even cover the things that I wanted it to cover. Meaning to say that even for the bike it was made, I don't think it would have been very good. Here it is after I cut it to fit...
https://i.ibb.co/k2XSWJfc/20250412-234618.jpg (https://ibb.co/N2KyHrPY)
It is a Moose product (but make by AXP) that is made entirely out of HDPE material. The material is about 3/8" thick.

[LightSmith88]

I didn't get a picture of it on the bike because it was not there long. Once I put it up to the bike, I saw that it left the water pump housing on one side and the engine case on the other exposed. I am slightly more concerned about those two things taking on a rock than the frame. I have to say that it would have done a good job protecting the frame, though. My plan with that one is to use my new handy dandy plastic welder and "weld" it back into a shape that will work on our bike. It does offer a very sleek, low-profile look, so if I ever planned to supermoto the bike and keep it for on-road only, I would use it. For the woods? NO GO. This experiment showed me two things. One, I could make my own skid from scratch with a sheet of HDPE. And two, I could add some HDPE to our factory skid to get the performance I wanted from it. So, I started with the latter....
https://i.ibb.co/SDrkhvwt/20250413-155656.jpg (https://ibb.co/Q7dW2mvP)
Yup! Link protection, full-frame coverage, counter sunk stainless screws, and the smooth sliding properties of HDPE. What follows will be a step-by-step.

[LightSmith88]

I started out with some 8"x12"x1/4" thick sheets of HDPE from Amazon https://a.co/d/iiBv7kU. In hindsight, I should have gone for the 12"x24" sheets to avoid the seam. At the time, I wasn't really sure how I was going to do this. Anyway, that, the skid, a ruler, a blue sharpie and I was ready to start.
https://i.ibb.co/99nCnYR6/20250412-234544.jpg (https://ibb.co/WWnYnKSZ)
I measured up the initial bend, clamped down the material, and got out the heat gun. (I later opted for a full-size heat gun; it was the better way to go)
https://i.ibb.co/BVYvgRgh/20250412-234540.jpg (https://ibb.co/4Z0Cjxjb)
I began the heating process to make the first bend. Here was the result.
https://i.ibb.co/CpdQTs5Z/20250413-002714.jpg (https://ibb.co/ZRsxk16P)
The next step was to trim it down, mark out the mounting holes, countersink the holes in the HDPE, and then drill and tap the #8x32 holes into the aluminum skid plate.
https://i.ibb.co/s9hqSF7P/20250413-121706.jpg (https://ibb.co/602Fh4QZ)
I also had to drill (x4) relief holes in the material for the heads of the existing alan head bolts holding the aluminum plate together, as seen here.
https://i.ibb.co/YTTtTBPs/20250413-121714.jpg (https://ibb.co/h11K1FLz)

[LightSmith88]

The next step was to mark out the extension covering the rest of the frame and the linkage. This ended up being slightly shorter overall than I wanted it to be because I was limited by the dimensions of the material. This is why I would have used 12"x24" material if I had to do it again. I had to cut off about 3 inches of material from the first piece because I wanted the second piece to overlap the aluminum base at least that much.
https://i.ibb.co/CpdchrDz/20250413-003707.jpg (https://ibb.co/35X3BJQ7)
After marking, the second piece was cut on the band saw and then bent using the same method as the first piece. On this one I used the full-size heat gun and it went a lot faster. I drilled, tapped, and countersunk the holes as on the first piece.
https://i.ibb.co/9kHTGdJD/20250413-155649.jpg (https://ibb.co/xtqj3ryk)
After this was done, I did the first test fit on the bike...
https://i.ibb.co/VYbczM8z/20250413-160811.jpg (https://ibb.co/1GBtPRxP)
I liked it, but I wanted to make a few more alterations. I wanted to add one more bend toward the back to make it follow the frame more closely and get closer to the linkage. I also wanted to cut the vent holes in the front like the aluminum one had.

[LightSmith88]

Here is the result of the final adjustments that I made.
https://i.ibb.co/nNGGdbGp/20250413-164338.jpg (https://ibb.co/wFkkGRkt)
https://i.ibb.co/q32TVjJN/20250413-164335.jpg (https://ibb.co/fzTjLFDk)
And finally, here it is installed on the bike....
https://i.ibb.co/5XrmvkMZ/20250413-164816.jpg (https://ibb.co/LDxm6rkK)
https://i.ibb.co/qYckn82b/20250413-164823.jpg (https://ibb.co/xqBJsbrV)
https://i.ibb.co/R44ZyqsK/20250413-164837.jpg (https://ibb.co/TqqpLs7G)
https://i.ibb.co/fYxdJdXD/20250413-164905.jpg (https://ibb.co/XZCxHxWY)
https://i.ibb.co/LDG0tL5Y/20250413-164910.jpg (https://ibb.co/zWkmRyJQ)

[LightSmith88]

We will see how well it holds up! This is the prettiest that this thing will ever be. I plan on getting out to the trail this weekend. I did get the template made for the one I am going to make from scratch...
https://i.ibb.co/ymBqzsbS/20250412-234609.jpg (https://ibb.co/Y4Th5jqZ)
I will do a write-up on that one once I finish it and it is on the bike. What I learned from this so far is that our frame below the engine is entirely original and does not share anything but the width between the rails with the KTM or gas gas bikes.

[OldGuy]

Interesting work, I suspect even 1/8" HDPE over AL would be sufficient for your purposes, but the unsupported extension does need the thicker material. Is there any way for a bit of bracing to the back? I haven't pondered the 'underneath' to consider such things. I KNOW that the slick bottom would be just the ticket for some of the more crazy, technical sections one can find.


We REALLY need tuning for these bikes: both engine as well as suspension. The little farkles are fun, but improving these 2 aspects is where I'd like to invest a bit of effort. When I get some time I'll take my forks down & assess the internals. Are the same forks are used on any other bikes, and has anyone done a teardown? That is what I really want to see.


I actually did a suspension teardown on an EUC to clarify an issue of springing. I need to get back to that arena, but have so much more time & experience on 2 wheels it's been easier to focus on the Paladin. Today I've got some work to do on my Yamaha ... and I did happen to go by the dealer to ask about an R9. They have one on order, but ship date has been pushed back... just as well! Don't need another bike just yet!

[LightSmith88]

Hey gang, I started a new thread that is dedicated to the gas tank swap process. I figured it would be easier to find that way and hopefully easier to understand. I was able to insert full sized pictures as I explained it this time. https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=35346

[LightSmith88]

You could also just search (https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=35346) X-Pro Paladin 300 gas tank swap process (https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=35346) and you would find it that way. Cheers!

[Mumen Rider]

Hey gang, I started a new thread that is dedicated to the gas tank swap process. I figured it would be easier to find that way and hopefully easier to understand. I was able to insert full sized pictures as I explained it this time. https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=35346 Check it out and let me know if it helps.


Edit your post and use "https://www.chinariders.net/showpost.php?p=417238&postcount=1"

[LightSmith88]

Trying something. click HERE (https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=35346). The word here should take you to the Gas tank thread I was talking about. It's my first attempt at a Hyperlink. We will see how it goes.

[LightSmith88]

Trail riding trip was a success!
Hey all! I did go out to the trails with the Brozz and Paladin this weekend. It went great! All of the mods did there jobs! I have to edit all of the video and put it together. I will post a link to it here once I have it together. Coming soon....
https://i.ibb.co/MDPCn8pg/thumbnail-for-trail-riding-third-attempt.jpg (https://ibb.co/hR2msXHg)
before we go
https://i.ibb.co/5xcV6BYP/20250419-180626.jpg (https://ibb.co/rfyJm4bV)
truck loaded
https://i.ibb.co/qY0v6gM9/20250420-100038.jpg (https://ibb.co/WvDLCzWF)
Bike did great!
https://i.ibb.co/nNLf1Phd/20250420-144425.jpg (https://ibb.co/bMKLvbpw)
Made it home safe and sound!
https://i.ibb.co/5hqZqN6D/20250420-192520.jpg (https://ibb.co/yFL2LwXT)
I have a lot more pictures so I am going to start a thread for this trip in the riding section of this forum. I will put a link to it on here.
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[LightSmith88]

So I did a write up on the trip to Walker Valley ORV that can be viewed here https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=35366 Feel free to check it out!