My buddy just picked up an old 81, 82, or 83 two stroke ktm dirt bike for 200 bucks.

The guy he bought it off of said it was a 500cc motor but the only 500cc motor I can referance on the web is a 4 stroke.
Any idea what it could be.

It runs but needs some work.
I need to find out exactly what year it is.
I looked all over the bike and couldn't find a badge with the year on it.

Brief description

Single rear shock
drum brakes front and rear
air cooled 2-stroke.
Loud as hell

It needs a new petcock valve for the gas tank.
It needs the rubber manifold thing that connects the carb to the cylinder. (it's cracked a little.)
also the kick started is a little worn out but it still works.
Might need a new carb too. can't tell yet because I have a feeling the petcock valve is sucking in alot of air.

Can any one help me figure out what year size and model this thing is?
Any one know of any good online ktm resources for older bikes?

ok im trying to think and it hurts but i had an 81 and it was a 420 i had an 83 and it was a 495 but i cant remember if it had a disc up front the 420 was dual shock so that eliminates it so i say 82 or 83 495

i just reread your post, petcocks dont suck air they leak gas, the manifold being cracked will lean out the engine so you dont need a carb unless its so cruddy you cant clean it or so much dirt passed thru the thing that its worn out in which case the engine would be toast.

This petcok sucks air...
I pulled it off the tank cleaned it off real well and I was able to blow air through the part were the lever turns to close the valve.
The valve doesn't work at all

Air and gas leaf through what I guess used to be a gasket theat kept the gass from leaking out.

I'm thinking this would suck in alot of air and starve the carb of gas. which seems like what is happening.

id ask here and post what parts you need, someone may be able to help you out
motorcycle swap meet (http://www.rollanet.org/~spencer/jeff/buysell.html) <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

ive got an 82 or so ktm 250 and i just had to buy a new kickstarter, it cost $125 and took almost two monthes to get, so ktm's suck to get parts for, especially the old ones

Sounds like a nightmare.

Any one have any idea what year this bike might be?

http://www.ktm495.co.uk/

WOW I was just looking at that site.
Then I dcided to chech to see if any one posted anything in here and here is the link I was just at.

Geez Toad, the petcock CANT suck air, it has the head pressure from the fuel tank running into it, even if it did get air in it would all even out in the float bowl. The cracked intake is most likely the reason for it running crappy (besides it being a KaTooM from the 80's). Lean fuel mixture plays hell on 2-strokes.

I have a gallon of gas and a match that will fix his bike right up.:flipoff2:

And the worn out kick starter tells you sumthin' about this bike.

(Man I sound like a d1ck bagging on Justins bike)