Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1445637
February 2022 17 Power Intake Tube The 2017-22 EXC's, XCFW / FE-S and FE's are fit- ted with a reed valve assembly from the 2-Stroke models in the intake tract. The purpose is to reduce intake noise, but it also kills power. Just removing the reeds isn't enough as the so air boot sucks in on itself and causes hesita ons in power. BDS claims the Power Intake Tube delivers an addi onal 2-3 HP and quicker thro le response. Installa on requires increasing the fueling, either with their programmer or 02 delete/booster plug kit h ps://www.bestdualsportbikes.com/prod- uct-page/power-intake-tube-2017-20-exc- fe-450-500-501 Installa on of all components was handled in an easy a ernoon while hanging out in a buddy's garage. There were no special tools required, and in the end, the bike lost a few pounds. We're told these mods are for closed course compe on only. Removal of all the emissions components might not be technically legal so do at your own risk. Fortunately, we've not had to deal with emissions tes ng for motorcycles yet. Andrew is pleased with the increase in performance. His big 500 feels more nimble, and the front end can be lo ed at will. Log crossings are no longer a concern as flame-out was pre y much eliminated. Gone is the rather numb feel, and with the exhaust and intake opened up, the bike now has an authorita ve bark. Also gone is the delay in thro le response when lugging in a higher gear searching for trac on. Another bonus is the bike seems to run much cooler since the fan is not turning on as o en. I'm sure a good part of the increase in snappiness was due to regearing the bike. Out of the crate, Andrew's 500 had 14/48 sprockets. Since off-road use was more of a priority than pavement, Andrew opted for the most popu- lar KTM combina on of 13/50. In reality, not a bad compromise as it's s ll got long legs for road use given the fact that it's a six-speed. Was it worth it? Oh yes, no regrets. We like to nker here at Trail Rider, and in the never-ending hunt for perfec on, this exercise was well worth it. Spending an a ernoon in the shop with a few buds on a cold a ernoon isn't too bad either. Are we done with this one? Heck no. The next order of business will be a GET ECU package with Wi-Fi-ca- pable tuning. Given the fact that the ECU tune is unchanged from stock, we're confident there's more power to unlock by adding more fuel. Stay tuned!