Named after The internationally renowned Six Days Enduro, the KTM 500 EXC Six Days is one of the best enduro racing bikes money can buy. Highlights include the 510cc single cylinder engine, light chrome frame, WP Suspension components and a dry weight of 246 lbs.
It’s a business too — if modern mountain bikes are your thing, of course. Most people probably wouldn’t choose it as a sponsor for a retro style rival. But Aussie Dan Mickan did it and ended up with this synergy on the KTM 500.
Dan from Brisbane has been obsessed with motorcycles since he started driving at the age of 10. Deus ex Machina and Ellaspede. So it was only a matter of time before he started building his own.
The idea of customizing KTM came up a few years ago, while Dan was trying to cure a very specific itch. “I was looking to buy a second hand Honda XR600R,” he told us, “because I wanted a classic motocross or enduro bike to ride at events like Ellaspede’s Dust Hustle or some event. local ‘vinduro’.”
“At the same time, I also have this 2015 KTM 500 Six Days sitting in my garage. I think if I buy a second-hand XR, all I’ll do is drive it, throw money at it to improve suspension and engine performance, and never drive my KTM 500 again. “.
“I was really blown away by Roland Sands ‘Kurt Caselli’ built, which basically introduced me to the idea that you could customize a dirt bike – something that, up until then, I had never even thought of. With that in mind, my plan was to build a vintage 1980s-style enduro machine using my KTM 500 as a base. Then I would have a bike that has a classic enduro look, but all with modern engine performance, reliability, and suspension technology.”
Dan started the design process by printing out a series of photos of vintage motorcycles, custom builds, and fuel tank options. Then he took scissors and cut and glued the pieces together, until he had a clear direction in mind.
Next, Dan stripped the 500 EXC to the bone and began hunting down local crafters and crafting shops to help him make his vision a reality. “I know how to get around the workshop, but I’m not a particularly talented builder,” he admits. “I also have three young children, so finding the time to dedicate to building bikes is a challenge.”
Luckily, Dan is extremely good at one particular thing: project management, because that’s what he does for a living. So he made a list and started figuring out the hard work.
For the subframe, Dan built a model using plastic tubing — then gave it and a detailed engineering drawing to a local builder. He returned a precisely colored steel replica, bolted straight to the 500’s frame with minimal editing. Extra care has been taken to maintain the KTM’s strong ergonomics, because the aim is to drive it as it was designed to be driven.
Next, Dan must find a small, but important part of the building: the fuel tank. “It was probably the design element that the whole building revolved around the most,” he said. “It was an early 80s Honda XL 185, and I liked it for its boxy lines and small size.”
Dan again enlisted a local craftsman to modify the tank to fit the EXC subframe. He also faced the bigger challenge of squeezing the OEM fuel pump into it, but in the end, it all worked out.
Next, Dan made the cubic chair to match the contours of the tank. Repainting it in blue like the early ’80s KTM motorcycles was an easy decision and ultimately informed the rest of the bike’s paint job.
To keep things super realistic, the battery case and OEM battery case have also been modified so that they can still fit inside the new subframe. For the exhaust, a DanMoto silencer has been combined with a modified KTM header.
The fenders and headlight brackets are both made of standard Acerbis plastic. Dan chose these because they were era-appropriate, but also easy to replace if he accidentally threw his bike down a hillside. The side covers are custom pieces.
Dan’s final hurdle was getting livery just right. Working with a designer, he ended up with 1980s-inspired graphics that kept some elements of the original bike design. The 2015 model’s decals celebrate the Argentinian version of ISDE, so that’s done too.
Another reason Dan sought out individual jobs on this project, was because he didn’t have the budget to dump the bike at a top custom shop to get it done in one go. Ultimately, those time and cost constraints meant that construction took nearly three and a half years to complete.
Dan says: “On the way, I contacted many people to come up with ideas and ask them for design advice. “The local Brisbane cycling community is really full of great people. The final product wouldn’t have been possible without the input of these people — they all know who they are.”
So is all that time, money and effort worth it? We say yes. If this great classic enduro doesn’t make your heart skip a beat, you probably don’t.
Photo of Gabriel Veit
