Take some time and get dirty with it and put a wrench to it. I just picked up an 08 KTM 690 Enduro. Low miles, really good condition fires right up, runs well - great! As part of my 'getting to know you' I started pulling things off the orange devil to see what's what, clean a bit and generally muck about.

Pull the seat - dusty! Not a shock as it came from the desert. Also all the PO registration and such was under there. Ooops
Pull the airbox lid - Huh, that's not a factory paper filter. Bonus, it's a cotton gauze one... with a plastic bag. A very light weight bit of bag or wrapping had gotten sucked in and it was residing in the filter box. Obviously stopped, so no real harm but god knows what effects it was having on the fueling.

So if you buy a used bike, even one in good repair and that runs well - it never hurts to do some down and dirty work of your own to make sure it's tip-top.

If you plan on using it in the dirt, you may want to replace that gauze filter with a more effective paper filter.

Yeah I pondered that. Gotta get a few supplies for it might as well add that in.

K&N filters well when mud-encrusted. K&N used to say, even better! 

Quote from: Sad Panda on February 23, 2012, 09:16:46 AM
Yeah I pondered that. Gotta get a few supplies for it might as well add that in.

According to my tech, paper filters flow plenty of air. If there's a restriction it's typically the airbox.

He keeps telling me to get rid of my K&N because he can look through it and knows from experience the type of damage that can happen.

Quote from: Curmudgeon on February 23, 2012, 09:26:45 AM
K&N filters well when mud-encrusted. K&N used to say, even better! 

That's absolutely correct. The premise of contaminant filtration was discovered by Donaldson way back in the day.

Here was my 'getting to know you' moment

dam, looks almost like the 900 I bought for the wife.  weeks cleaning out stuff like that shit.

Quote from: ducpainter on February 23, 2012, 09:28:01 AM
According to my tech, paper filters flow plenty of air. If there's a restriction it's typically the airbox.

He keeps telling me to get rid of my K&N because he can look through it and knows from experience the type of damage that can happen.
That's absolutely correct. The premise of contaminant filtration was discovered by Donaldson way back in the day.

Nate's tech and I seem to be amongst the few who agree on this point.The only reason to ditch the paper filter is if you are running an open air box since paper does not tolerate water.  I use a Piper Cross foam filter.

Quote from: seevtsaab on February 23, 2012, 02:37:31 PM
Here was my 'getting to know you' moment

What are those things?

Quote from: howie on February 23, 2012, 08:47:41 PM
Nate's tech and I seem to be amongst the few who agree on this point.The only reason to ditch the paper filter is if you are running an open air box since paper does not tolerate water.  I use a Piper Cross foam filter.

What are those things?

NUT HULLS!  LOL.. FUKKIN SQUIRRELS!

Squirrels must give a huge increase in power over hamsters?

Quote from: cyberswine on February 23, 2012, 11:25:20 PM
Squirrels must give a huge increase in power over hamsters?

hamsters go in the tailpipe

Quote from: ducatiz on February 24, 2012, 05:03:17 AM
hamsters go in the tailpipe

or gerbils....depending on tailpipe size...just ask Richard Gere !!

Back on topic - it never hurts to check various bolts and such. Noticed that the chain was too slack - got out the big tools to loosen the big rear axle nut, and nearly fell on my fact when it let got with almost no force on the breaker bar. Torque spec is 90 Nm on that.. sure wasn't.