1988 four storke ktm maybe

[riddlez510]

just bought 600 ktm fourbanger it runs but a basket case ya i know its not vintage but will be a classic one day want to know what year hasnt got plate on it but it has got ktm580 stamped on headers told its late 80s any ideas thanks

[holeshot buddy]

should be able to tell buy
engine no

[squirtmoto]

Yeh rusty's right the first number denotes the year
*8  1978-88-98-08
*9  1979-89-99-09 ect
try this site to decode it
http://www.motoverse.com/tools/vin/ktm.asp

Big Bill.

[riddlez510]

thanks heaps turns out to be a 92 model just want know if the motors are the same as the early ones

[LWC82PE]

the early ones are Rotax. they kept with the same generation motor you have up intil late 90's/early 2000 roughly when the second generation KTM 4T motors came out eg 520/525 400/450

[squirtmoto]

Hate to step on your toes LWC, but KTM ditched the rotax engines in 1985
They went to their own design in 1987 with a limited production run (none in Aust)
then in 1988 they went into full production, I don't think we got many here in Aust
I had one which I rode for the Vic KTM team with Bruce Bolton and Craig Harris. Jim Richards (v8 Supercar fame) also had one
The thing was a weapon, it was a modified one with factory head, cam, pipe and trick bits galore
I had retired from MX the previous year and still trained on a CR500. The first time I rode the thing I was blown away with how powerful and light it was.  I had mixed results on it however, being a factory modified production bike it had it's flaws. The very first outing was at the Vic 2 day enduro at "ERICA".  I had the fastest special test times overall and had cleared trail time until the last section when I lost drive to discover the rear sprocket had disintergrated leaving 2-3 teeth on each bolt   To add insult to injury the sweep riders in thier wisdom decided not to sweep the last stage thinking that all riders had cleared it!!  I had to walk 5km to where the MX pecial test was, to catch the last guy leaving "Phew"  I got to the car park at 8.30p.m. Mine was the only one left!!  "NOT HAPPY JANICE"

[squirtmoto]

Here's a pic of the old girl!! 

[LWC82PE]

yes i knew that! i didnt explain my post properly! i know they had Rotax up to 85 then had their own motor from a few yrs later till what was it 2000 or there abouts. what i was trying to say is that riddlez510 had KTM's own first generation and before that was the Rotax.

ive got a photo in a late 80's AMCN and they showed a prototype of the KTM's own 4T they look quite different to the current ones.

[squirtmoto]

Alls cool man!
Simon Healey knows of the where abouts of my old bike I think a mate of his has it in Melbourne
I sold it through Boltons to a guy in Bendigo, then Simons mate bought it!!