The last thing I expected from a Ktm was to be comfortable… Test drove the 790 duke and fell in love with the suspension and riding position.. sold my cb650 immediately and got a 790
Thank you for your review! It's really great hearing from someone that actually owns the motorcycle and not someone that has a press bike for a couple of days! I'm really set on the 790 Duke because it really suits my current riding needs and sounds like heaps of fun! I was considering the 890R first but the 890 is really out of my league price wise. Ride safe and have fun!
You're welcome Stefan! It is definitly heaps of fun. You can find second hand offers at very attractive prices. At the dealer you should be able to get a 500 to 1000 euro discount.
Not sure if some has already mentioned it. I'm sure you've noticed by now your bike is missing the passenger grab rail. I have a solo seat-cowl, tail tidy and removed the passenger pegs, but I kept the grab rail for moving the bike around.
Okay so, about the warped front brake rotors. I know exactly what you're talking about when you explained what you were feeling when using the front brake. I had the exact same issue and thought that something was wrong. I tried a lot of things and struggled with it for a year. Thankfully I managed to fix it by myself, because when I asked the dealer they didn't find anything wrong with it. I've got the rough details listen below but it's a long read so I'll just leave it over there for whoever finds it helpfull. It's a very detailfull proces and will take a significant amount of time for you to actually do all the steps. The issue is actually the allignment of the front tire/ forks/ brake calipers. If you change the front tire and don't put everything back as stated in the owners manual (or shop manual for the more advanced home mechanics), then the result could be that the brake callipers are misalligned with the brake rotors. You always have to put the front wheel back in the order they specify in the manual to make sure the allignment is correct. Next to that the torque specs must be on point. So it's a very delicate job that you have to do at all costs! Now to resolve the issue. It's actually quite stupid and simple, but you need some good tools like a torque wrench and a front wheel lifting stand. You can also look up on youtube "how to allign the front wheel of a motorcycle". Most of the videos show the exact procedure and you can then adapt that to the KTM whilst following the manual. You first losen all the bolt on the front forks except the top triple clamp. Those bolts stay tight to hold the forks in position. All the other bolts, including brake calipers and front fender have to be losend. Next step is to spin the wheel and see if it spins freely. If that's true you follow-up with getting on the bike and pomping the from above the forks directly down. This alligns the forks and front wheel correctly. Afterwards you have to spin the wheel a couple times and pump the brake lever until it catches on the wheel. This is to make the calipers alligned correctly with the brake rotors. When the brakes catch onto the rottors correctly and you can still spin the wheel freely when letting of the brake, you can continue but holding the brake lever and tighting all the bolts as said in the manual. If done correctly the brake issue you had should have been resolved.
@MacMillanDAN: Thank you for sharing this information. Anyhow if it is so "quite stupid and simple" I wounder that the KTM service does not know about it. I have had my KTM 790 Duke already several times in the service garage for that and the issue re-appears again and again. As commented from the last repair I had it lasted only about 5000km and I have the problem again. I will check with my KTM service your information and check what they say ...
Good of you! On thing I learned from my 690 Duke is that the pistons may operate differently. Due to wear and tear this will/can happen at some point. So off the caliper goes, give them a good clean, operate the brakelever, and look if that's the case. You will see them pistons move differently to one another. If so, just press them back and operate the brake lever again. Repeat this process till the move simultaneously. Worked for me!
Hey quick heads up! 2:19 it wont shift smoothly because you're riding the 790 incorrectly. As manual says, you only up-quickshift when accelerating, steady speed is not accelerating and KTM also suggests how much RPM difference should be for each up/down shifts. If you run the bike as manual suggest your shifts will be seamless. Cheers!
Thank you! Yes it comes standard with the 790 Duke😁. If you pause on 10:00 - 10:01 you can see below the right front fork a light grey piece. That is the steering damper!
I still hear the same engine leak problems coming back with the 890R though. I'm pretty sure they introduced the 890 because of Euro 5 emission standards.
@@selcouthworld1824 I thought all these issues would have been resolved, That's why I listen to my mechanic before anything, the problem is motorcycle magazines just tell you its amazing and that's it.
I work at a Ktm dealership and I’m actually thinking about getting this bike, there are only 3-4 problems but they get fixed under warranty so ima probably just pull the trigger
Nice video! I have the bike for only one month now, already 3000km. Im loving it. Only problem so far is that after a rainy day, i found scraches on the black plastic where the legs touch. Did you have similar problem? Is it really so fragile?
3000km in 1 month that's very nice! Depending on the lighting you can see some scratches on the black plastic but it's not that bad. You could use tank pads. This will also give you extra grip when braking hard or leaning over in corners. I just left it like it is.
Thank you for this review which in many of your concerns correlates with my experience of a KTM 790 Duke with a bit over 30000km and three years old. I had 3 times oil leakages, 2 times cooling leakages and in the mean time 3 times the disk brake problems you experienced as well. Horrible vibrations, especially when one is braking before entering a curve fast. Also when braking in slow speed one has a strange feeling since as you say it feels that it is braking and at the next moment it appears as if the brake is slippery. Fortunately up to now everything was repaired under warranty. Anyhow right now I have the brake issue again and I will see how KTM will handle problem this time. The disk brakes did not lasted more then 5000km since the last repair. KTM Mobility Service worked fine when I needed it and the only reason that I stayed with KTM was the very good service I have got from my dealer...
Some dealers especially the ones selling multi brands are sometimes not familiar with the process of registering the bike to KTM’s system. It will cause many issues down the road buy nothing that cannot be sorted. I suggest that you try to get help from a full KTM dealer in your area. In my country in the Philippines they have a factory here and dealers are doing a stellar job. They also have roadside assistance and fuel card discounts from Caltex.
Thank you for your input Allan. This dealer was selling multi brands (KTM, Ducati and Kawasaki), but on the KTM website they are stated as an official ktm dealer. Their explanation was that in the past they didn’t have to actively register a new bike (automaticly registrered), but now they do and they didn’t know that. True or not, not my fault ofcourse and they need to take responsibility. But they didn’t want to. I was able to recover the money but they threw me a lot of unnecessary hoops. Great to hear you’re enjoying stellar service in the Philippines :) I will definitely go there one day.
This is exactly the review I have been looking for. A real owners review. Thank you.
You're welcome Sam.
The last thing I expected from a Ktm was to be comfortable… Test drove the 790 duke and fell in love with the suspension and riding position.. sold my cb650 immediately and got a 790
Thank you for your review! It's really great hearing from someone that actually owns the motorcycle and not someone that has a press bike for a couple of days!
I'm really set on the 790 Duke because it really suits my current riding needs and sounds like heaps of fun! I was considering the 890R first but the 890 is really out of my league price wise. Ride safe and have fun!
You're welcome Stefan! It is definitly heaps of fun. You can find second hand offers at very attractive prices. At the dealer you should be able to get a 500 to 1000 euro discount.
Not sure if some has already mentioned it. I'm sure you've noticed by now your bike is missing the passenger grab rail. I have a solo seat-cowl, tail tidy and removed the passenger pegs, but I kept the grab rail for moving the bike around.
Awesome review!
Okay so, about the warped front brake rotors. I know exactly what you're talking about when you explained what you were feeling when using the front brake. I had the exact same issue and thought that something was wrong. I tried a lot of things and struggled with it for a year. Thankfully I managed to fix it by myself, because when I asked the dealer they didn't find anything wrong with it.
I've got the rough details listen below but it's a long read so I'll just leave it over there for whoever finds it helpfull. It's a very detailfull proces and will take a significant amount of time for you to actually do all the steps.
The issue is actually the allignment of the front tire/ forks/ brake calipers. If you change the front tire and don't put everything back as stated in the owners manual (or shop manual for the more advanced home mechanics), then the result could be that the brake callipers are misalligned with the brake rotors. You always have to put the front wheel back in the order they specify in the manual to make sure the allignment is correct. Next to that the torque specs must be on point. So it's a very delicate job that you have to do at all costs!
Now to resolve the issue. It's actually quite stupid and simple, but you need some good tools like a torque wrench and a front wheel lifting stand. You can also look up on youtube "how to allign the front wheel of a motorcycle". Most of the videos show the exact procedure and you can then adapt that to the KTM whilst following the manual.
You first losen all the bolt on the front forks except the top triple clamp. Those bolts stay tight to hold the forks in position. All the other bolts, including brake calipers and front fender have to be losend.
Next step is to spin the wheel and see if it spins freely. If that's true you follow-up with getting on the bike and pomping the from above the forks directly down. This alligns the forks and front wheel correctly.
Afterwards you have to spin the wheel a couple times and pump the brake lever until it catches on the wheel. This is to make the calipers alligned correctly with the brake rotors. When the brakes catch onto the rottors correctly and you can still spin the wheel freely when letting of the brake, you can continue but holding the brake lever and tighting all the bolts as said in the manual.
If done correctly the brake issue you had should have been resolved.
Thank you for sharing this valuable information.
@MacMillanDAN: Thank you for sharing this information. Anyhow if it is so "quite stupid and simple" I wounder that the KTM service does not know about it. I have had my KTM 790 Duke already several times in the service garage for that and the issue re-appears again and again. As commented from the last repair I had it lasted only about 5000km and I have the problem again. I will check with my KTM service your information and check what they say ...
Good of you! On thing I learned from my 690 Duke is that the pistons may operate differently. Due to wear and tear this will/can happen at some point.
So off the caliper goes, give them a good clean, operate the brakelever, and look if that's the case. You will see them pistons move differently to one another. If so, just press them back and operate the brake lever again. Repeat this process till the move simultaneously.
Worked for me!
your video is the deciding factor am gonna get the 790 duke thanks for the real world review am also a new rider
Glad I could help you make a decision Alex. Enjoy your new bike!
How tall are you in mtrs.? Nice video.👍🏼🇳🇱
Great review buddy 👌🏻🏍
Thank you Edward! More is coming this month.
Thanks for this!
A quick question - What phone mounting is that in the middle of the handlebars?
Great job! Very nice and informative video ! Do you remember the mileage at which you noticed the oil leak?
Great review, thank you!
Any updates? Did you get your next bike?
Hey quick heads up! 2:19 it wont shift smoothly because you're riding the 790 incorrectly. As manual says, you only up-quickshift when accelerating, steady speed is not accelerating and KTM also suggests how much RPM difference should be for each up/down shifts. If you run the bike as manual suggest your shifts will be seamless. Cheers!
Yes I agree! But you normally don’t read the manual before buying the bike. So it is good to know for interested people what they can expect :)
great review!
Though I didnt know the 790 duke came with stock steering damper.
If it does, may i ask where is it located?
Thank you! Yes it comes standard with the 790 Duke😁. If you pause on 10:00 - 10:01 you can see below the right front fork a light grey piece. That is the steering damper!
Thanks man! I appreciate it. Looking forward to more videos of your 790 duke. Cheers!!
Sorry was too quick. 1:80 Mtrs. 😄
Nope not if you are buying a 2018 model, cracked engines, rattles, so many recalls they just stopped making it after 1 year and moved to the 890.
I still hear the same engine leak problems coming back with the 890R though. I'm pretty sure they introduced the 890 because of Euro 5 emission standards.
@@selcouthworld1824 I thought all these issues would have been resolved,
That's why I listen to my mechanic before anything, the problem is motorcycle magazines just tell you its amazing and that's it.
I work at a Ktm dealership and I’m actually thinking about getting this bike, there are only 3-4 problems but they get fixed under warranty so ima probably just pull the trigger
It's great to hear that someone working at a KTM delearship would actually buy the bike for personal use. Enjoy ✌️
What are the most common problem on these things? Because i’m about to buy one in 2 months😀
Check 12:14. The most common problem seems to be the engine leaks.
You said this is your first bike? First bike you ever rode or owned? I’m new and trying to see if it’s too much power for a beginner
First bike I ever rode. Not too much power if you respect the bike. Testride a few bikes to feel if you like it. Try other brands too.
Selcouth World Thanks for the reply!
Nice video! I have the bike for only one month now, already 3000km. Im loving it. Only problem so far is that after a rainy day, i found scraches on the black plastic where the legs touch. Did you have similar problem? Is it really so fragile?
3000km in 1 month that's very nice! Depending on the lighting you can see some scratches on the black plastic but it's not that bad. You could use tank pads. This will also give you extra grip when braking hard or leaning over in corners. I just left it like it is.
Hey davide, you still own it? Any problems?
@@Charmarque hello! For now, 13.000km, i fixed the usual oil leak and the screen. Both under warranty. So no serious problems for now!
Fijne video! Veronderstel dat je dealer Hautekiet is?
Dankjewel! Klopt.
Thank you for this review which in many of your concerns correlates with my experience of a KTM 790 Duke with a bit over 30000km and three years old. I had 3 times oil leakages, 2 times cooling leakages and in the mean time 3 times the disk brake problems you experienced as well. Horrible vibrations, especially when one is braking before entering a curve fast. Also when braking in slow speed one has a strange feeling since as you say it feels that it is braking and at the next moment it appears as if the brake is slippery. Fortunately up to now everything was repaired under warranty. Anyhow right now I have the brake issue again and I will see how KTM will handle problem this time. The disk brakes did not lasted more then 5000km since the last repair. KTM Mobility Service worked fine when I needed it and the only reason that I stayed with KTM was the very good service I have got from my dealer...
Still no tail tidy? Looks soooo much better with a tail tidy :)
Some dealers especially the ones selling multi brands are sometimes not familiar with the process of registering the bike to KTM’s system. It will cause many issues down the road buy nothing that cannot be sorted. I suggest that you try to get help from a full KTM dealer in your area. In my country in the Philippines they have a factory here and dealers are doing a stellar job. They also have roadside assistance and fuel card discounts from Caltex.
Thank you for your input Allan. This dealer was selling multi brands (KTM, Ducati and Kawasaki), but on the KTM website they are stated as an official ktm dealer. Their explanation was that in the past they didn’t have to actively register a new bike (automaticly registrered), but now they do and they didn’t know that. True or not, not my fault ofcourse and they need to take responsibility. But they didn’t want to. I was able to recover the money but they threw me a lot of unnecessary hoops. Great to hear you’re enjoying stellar service in the Philippines :) I will definitely go there one day.
As other said, a true owner experience is very useful, thanks
You're welcome PAD
why u dont change anyhting on ur bike?
To me the most important thing is the riding itself. So instead of spending time changing parts I use my time to enjoy riding the bike :)
No issues since?
I made this review a few days before I sold the bike. So it's hard to say ;)
Pity they never start first or second time
It's a small detail I never mentioned but to my surprise the engine ignites quicker than any other bike I tried.
breaking lmao...
Very good video, i really enjoyed. great presentation.
Thank you, you're welcome! Which naked bike would you like to see next?