Im a mod on a 690 group with allmost 7k people, I have never seen this issue. feels bad man but at least they will fix it for you, and you are OK which is the most important. Get them to also get you a test bike as a replacement so you can enjoy two wheels !
See if they will throw a 1390 super duke r my way 😈 haha that would be sweet! But I don’t want to scare anyone but definitely want everyone to be available, I hope it doesn’t happen to you or anyone in the group!
Sorry to hear that man! I've got a '23 at 3.6k miles and it's been solid so far. I'll check these bolts when I do the valve checks at 6k, but hopefully KTM fixed this issue on the newer model years.
I believe they did, I’m thinking I either got the “last of the bad batch” but it dosent seem to have happen to any 22+ bikes, at least that I have seen..
Nice KTM covered it with a warranty, but honestly I feel that KTM only did that cause of your RUclips channel and how transparent your vids are. I’m glad it’s getting fixed on KTM’s dime and not yours dude. Looking forward to your next bike and more awesome vids! Best wishes brother!
@@LifeWellRidden Yeah dude! I hope KTM is watching this. I hope they diagnose it and provide some details as to why it happened. I wonder if that mechanism can be deleted?
@@frostygonz That's what I was thinking?? Like if its such an issue can I just take it off?? But that is far past my knowledge.. hopefully it has been fixed with the right parts so I wont have to worry, if it does it again then I will for sure try and "delete" it
KTM 690 SMC-R 2019 with 25600 miles = 1 broken piston, 1 broken clutch basket , 2 clucth plates broken, Clutch steel disc bent , 1 cracked radiator, 1 fissure on the cylinder head, 1 coolant tube leaking, bunch of seals that failed and gaskets... The KTM 690 is a really fun bike but really sensible. Best thing to do is to have 2 bikes to have one to ride while the KTM is being fixed. I am planning in to buy a MT-07 to ride too and let the KTM rest more times.
@@rodstawaa Nop. I use Motorex Synt 4. My friend as a 701 with 6000 miles and as seals leaking problems too. The clutch basket happened to other bikes too. This bikes dont like clutch up wheelies. The outer clutch disc is shorter in height and break and cause the basket to break. The piston broken suspected of too much RPM . For a bike of this price we should expect more strenght. The bike had a fissure on the cylinder head and made coolant spill from the reservoir. The radiator cracked too and the bike never crashed... The radiator tube was leaking and not from a puncture but the core of the fibers.
I've seen it mentioned on the KTM subreddits too. I hope my 2023 doesn't do this. Only at 1k miles now. Oil changed at 600 miles and may do it now too.
Ya man that sucks. I did a ton of research before I bought my 21 a month ago with 1,200 miles on it and I never heard of this issue until your video came across my feed. I know these engines are pretty rock solid but good to know to check when I do my first valve check.
They are great engines but for some reason I am getting all of the failures.. I would check when you do the valves, I wouldn't even know the right torque spec??
Dang man sorry to hear. I might sell mine and get out while the getting is good. lol I'm sticking with my 2019 YZ450FX supermoto, which I have not done anything but oil changes since 2018.
What’s up CycleCruza!! Damn I’ve been watching your channel for years!! Crazy hahah but I hope it dosent for you either, this could be a 1 off deal but still.. they are great bikes I just hate that they have this as a possibility. The Yamahas and almost all Japanese bikes are the most reliable things ever man that 450 will treat you right!!
@@LifeWellRidden check out .. shred stone adventures...she will show you the longer bolt and spacer for the rear speed sensor.....best hack I've done in a while
Early recalls were not sufficient, then people got cams replaced after failures, but 2021 I am really curious what cam part # was in your bike. I did 4 oil changes after cam replacement and 2k miles later, going strong! Thanks for the mention.
as a owner of the 2017 690 DUKE R with currently 7500 Km you make me wonder - but my engine have a different style decompression system (no bolts it is secure by seeger ring in a camshaft) so i am good :D - hopefully your bike will be back soon
@@hmikelb depending on the dealer but when I broke down the cost it was like $287 in fluids/shop supplies and like $1,100 in man hours.. so they claimed to be looking at the bike for a full day almost 8h.. 🙃 how much of that that I believe.. idk
Bro i feel your pain.... i had a 2020 701. I had so many issues and ive dumped soooo much money in mods like u have. I gave up on my 701, sold it and bought a suzuki gsxs 1000.... and feels nice to ride a smooth bike with ZERO issues.
I have a 2020 and I ride it hard it’s luck of the draw it’s a big single cylinder a major service should be 450 but some people get serious issues I’ve had 3 of these bikes and never had a issue once by 3 I mean 1 stolen 1 sold due to finance diffcultys now a 2020 and it’s the best bike I’ve ever had
Dude that’s what I hear!! Either you have a perfect bike for years or you have a problem child like mine.. just inconsistent and 50/50 on what yours will do..
2023 690 R with 1500 miles, Eletrical failure… ( no water involved) at the dealer for 3 weeks at the dealer waiting to rear from KTM USA ! stranded in woods, thanks for friends towing me out! Will be hard to trust the bike from here out… 🤬😤
It's so depressing.. like how could this thing do this to me!!? I hope you don't have any issues with your 701 and sounds like you will be doing pretty good!
Dude.. what. the. actual. f’ happened hahah you have like a billion miles on yours?!? Whyyyy mine 🤬 but I’m glad KTM is being cool about it but still.. seems sketchy to just cover it up by a “yeah we’ll cover it”
@@LifeWellRidden yeah bro I was thinking of this the other day. It seems really weird that right after they had the motor apart for a service that it grenades within a few hundred miles and they are quick to say NP we got it covered! Maybe mine lasting this long because I never took mine for that service 🤷
@@22smcrrider96 maybe?? That’s what had me scratching my head.. first time the original seals have been broken free for service, the bike blows up.. weird like someone lost a 10mm socket in there 🤣
KTM needs to move production to Japan in order to address quality control issues. For some reason the company seems incapable of getting a handle on these ridiculous problems. I had a couple of 690 SMs and was considering a 690 Enduro, but I think you just convinced me I don't really want one.
moving there will solve nothing but increasing the price that is already high. The problem with brands like KTM is their culture and scale. The "Ready to race" line already tell. You can see the aggressive, high performance and styling on their bike but not reliability, that's not what they looking at when producing product like this. Any European brands have this in their mind and it won't change, it might get better but it will never be the safe choice as Japanese.
My 2017 701 had a new head when I got it from the 1st owner, don't know what happened to it. Got it from the 2nd owner who had only ridden it a couple times in a year. Had a stuck de compressor so it was really hard to start, broken Dirt Tricks cam chain tentioner, super stiction in the forks and seized lower shock bearing all easy fixes. After 3 months 4-5000km the water pump seals moved outwards into the back of the impeller and counter balancer bearing, had to strip the motor and replace counter balancer bearings + full gasket set, it's been good since.
Ktm, loctite and a torque wrench are your friends. Nice of KTM to step up. If it were a Ducati, you'd still be bargaining/arguing with the service manager.
I have heard about their issues with Ducati and in my opinion that is to be expected. It is a brand new production motor by Ducati and I don't expect it to be perfect. I never buy "first edition" vehicles because of the possibility of failures. I usually wait until late 2nd edition or 3rd editions. Not to take anything away from Ducati but I also feel like the aftermarket world is late in getting stuff out for that bike while KTM has had (people like me) buy/making/reviewing products for YEARS to show the true effects and if they are worth wild. When it comes to the new KTM 690.. Well I am leaning towards the "yes they will" since these bikes are almost never on the showroom floor for more than a week but then again they could just keep making the same thing and changing the color hahaha "don't fix what ain't broken"
I wouldn’t be too scared but well.. Hell it could happen. This may be a rare thing but I would have or check the bolts whenever you do the next major servicing
It was done by my dealer, I didn't have to do a thing. I did call their office in Ohio which was like their "Midwest Support Center" just to see what this issue could have possibly stemmed from but no luck.. I'm sure they keep the true problem solves away from the public and only to the dealer network.
Wow, that sucks. I had a '97 TL1000S, which was a flawed but seriously fun motorcycle. A common mod on that bike was to remove the auto decompressors as they occasionally failed. The bike would start fine without them if it had a good battery.
That's what I don't get.. I feel like the 690 would start just fine with an electric start.. kicking on the other hand would be a more difficult story...
@@LifeWellRidden Ya, no kidding. It would be interesting to see if a 690 would start OK without the decompressor. That is a big piston and 12.75:1 compression though. The TL had 11.3:1 compression, so quite a bit lower.
@@craighoffman6876 something I almost don’t want to try haha I feel with your stated ratios that would be a tall order to fire this puppy up without it..
Well, US owners still have the outdated, older version of the bike even in 2024. I have 10k miles on my 2021 including plenty of winter and track riding, no problems. Sorry, but I laughed at your valve check service for 1400 usd, huuuge ripoff.
It is a total rip to go to a dealer now a days.. it’s just sad that they are willing to take advantage of us like that, but sounds like you got a different version of the engine overseas??
Well KTM stepped in and will cover it, not the dealer.. I think KTM knows they f’d up.. but I do have PCV on there an no issue since I believe this is a “major” issue that could cause harm to an individual so they will cover it haha but as far as the wheelies.. well I can’t 🙃 working on it! But still can’t..
Sorry for hearing that. Just made a valve check. And it seems the valve cover needs to be opened once again to take a look at those bolts ( What about my issues with 690 the biggest was after 6k I noticed metal chips of any kind of spring on oil screen. Thanks God i made it myself so could notice it clearly (don’t know if the dealer would pay much attention to it or just clean and it’s done). So it was a parts of a valve stem seal which broke BECAUSE they installed 2 seals on one valve instead of one! So they were smashing each other and finally broke. Just one case of million BUT it happened to me)
Freakin crazy.. how does this happen like I feel like their production standards are getting worse and their dealer network is also getting worse.. It seems to be cost cutting in many areas.. But I think at the end of the day, if you are going to won a KTM then you need to be your own mechanic because only you care more about your bike.. But I'm glad you check and caught the issue!!
These things happen. I just did a full service on my DRZ400 only to find previous owner stripped a thread and I leaked out $70 worth of oil. I have a Ninja 650 that's also in the garage at the moment because I won't ride it until I get a new chain and do a wheel alignment. The SMC R is a great bike but you better be confident checking and maintaining all parts of the bike and ride it regularly. Even then they fail often and parts aren't cheap. You could try the Ducati SM or try your luck with your smcr when you get it back and hopefully forget about this. Japan needs to produce competitors their parts are cheap as fuck.
I hate to say it but I’m learning a lot, I’ve never put this much work into a bike so I’m getting there.. but I agree with you that the Japanese manufacturers should start to run with the rest, maybe a Yamaha 700SM? That would be sweet!!
I’m feeling a similar pain to you brother. On Saturday my chain broke and bound up in my front sprocket, cracking my LC4 cover and blew up my trans💔🥲 my KTM dealer quoted me $4,300 to repair. I also have a 2021
Sorry about the 690. I guess it’s a positive that they are fixing it even though you have so many mods. Mine is a 23 and I gotta say the bike makes me nervous for some reason. It’s so much fun to ride, but the engine just sounds odd. I had the first service done and the oil filler cap leaks a tiny bit after long rides. Seems like they over filled it? Anyway, kind of wish I would’ve gone with another trusty Japanese sport bike.
@@d17a2dude I have a ‘23 and it too leaked a tiny bit of oil at the filler cap. I pulled off the o-ring on the cap and clean it up real good, reinstalled and it seems to have solved the concern. I’d check and see if there is any sediment keeping from a proper seal.
@@d17a2dudeyeah dude I sometimes get that weird clattering on start up, and the motor will just sound weird sometimes. And I have a 24 with 2k miles. This video is making me super fucking nervous lol. Especially because I’m taking it to the dealer today because my quickshifyer has been acting up
Damn that sucks. Got me worried about my Husky 2017 SM now although it appears it says it's from 2018 but idk. Think I'm gonna have to open up that valve cover again sooner than I thought I'm now on 20k km and no failures
I have had KTM’s, they just aren’t on par with a Kawasaki!!! My 1290-SDR would blow slave cylinders, and kick stand bolts would randomly fall out. The ZX-10-RR hasn’t had any issues.
Damn that sucks man, you have had insanely bad luck with your bike. My 2016 hasnt had a single problem during its 18K miles. It sounds like the new gen bikes has some wierd new issues that weren't present in the older generation
I’ve had one hell of a good time haha this is the most crap I have ever dealt with while owning a bike.. it’s sorta bad luck but it’s so hard when you love the damn thing so much!!
What are the requirements for recall on motorcycles? It must not be the same as cars because if brand new cars were doing this the feds would gave sued for a recall to protect consumers. These 690 engines have had rocker arm problems, cam problems, and i have seen main cap failures too. I think the only way KTM would fix them is if they are sued and forced to repair all of them the same as ford with the triton motors and the head problems those had. Now i know the 790/890 has problems too. But the government is supposed to protect consumers from companies knowingly selling defective products.
I have no idea for the recall requirements, this is a first for me but there hasn't been a recall for my specific year (2021). KTM just "did the right thing" and fixed it for me.. but as of the latest news over the last few weeks, seems they are in deeeeeeep sh!$ hahaha
Kawasaki barako mk2 had same like problem with the decompression weighs, coz they moved the manufacturer and built in India.... The weight where made from 3 individual piece's like a sandwich, which exploded and locked up the engine..... Replace the weight from the mk 1 engine then no more problems... So you're right all have problems coz the bike's are made in other countries using poor quality parts
@@donkeizluv U think? U forgot they are manufacturing in China also.... Am a Scottish motor tech, here in south east Asia... That's how companies save money by producing in cheap labour countries... Example Samsung south Korea.... Yes! They make their phone's in Vietnam.... Motorcycle been doing that for years here
@@les062 I know they make some models in China, India, Philippines. But this 690 platform has always been built in Austria. The only explanation is bad qc on production line and parts.
Sorry man but that 6kmiles service u mentioned is totally a ripoff and they broke the bolt of the oil filter cover cos it's made of cheese and any fb group knows that so surely dealer should, I do not even try to torque it and do by hand cos of all times I saw ppl in pics with that happen. Anyway, I had valve clearance done here in EU at probably one of the most important dealers in the world and they charged me 280 euros including a dyno run. My bike (2021 701) has now 30K kms and not a single issue which means that I am feeling lucky or happy or whatever. Just don't pay those prices. I do an oil change every 5K kms and filters every 10K kms. I have heard that the 790 and 890 have serious issues but not these. Maybe the dude who did the valve checks unscrewed something/did not check stuff visually or maybe some ktm assembly wolly forgot to torque em...u will never know but warantee will sort u out. Ps mine is the enduro model. All the best.
A lot of great insight here.. I love in the US getting blamed for thing's the dealer did like that bolt.. I know I didn't break it, I've done 6 oil changes for far on this bike and no issue?? But anyway.. it is a rip, it just seems to be the norm around me since we have such a limited selection of dealers so I'm sorta screwed. I'm glad KTM covered the big auto-decomp failure for me but that still doesn't help my wallet on the 6k service.. Keep riding man and get even more than that 30k!!
Wow… that really sucks dude… and it’s not even a mechanical/bike issue but what it really boils down do lack of attention and real customer service… if it was “their” bike they might have cared… I took my dirt bike in for the works… new tires, oil change, you name it… I pick my bike up drive 2 hours out of the city to our provincial sand pits… go to do my warm up lap on my bike and I look down… NO FUCKING OIL PLUG
How has the 07' been treating you?? And I agree.. it's a little bit of "hot water" for them right now and I still haven't seen a whif of the new 2025 690 SMCR anywhere.. should get interesting!
@@LifeWellRidden good. Vibrates like an old harley over 4k rpms but it's been solid and fun for me so far. The age makes aftermarket a pain in the ass. Limited options if any and expensive.
You have a very very good point there, never owned a LC8 but have had a few 2-smokers and they were SOLID.. I may need to turn to the LC8 now.. Engine swap anyone? Hahaha
@@LifeWellRidden my 701 is in the shop getting the master cylinder and decompression system recalls done on KTMs dime rn and it's a 2018. Make sure you're not getting ripped off bro!
@@LifeWellRidden just under 13k. under federal law Husqvarna has to cover any safety related recalls, which both the master brake cylinder and the decompression system fall under :)
just leave the motor at stock and not making it over-act with power commander etc. its not build for it. too much pressure on the engine. so the drama leads to you in my opinion.
I could agree with that, messing with anything from the factory can cause issues BUT I didn't have this thing set to kill, I don't have the hottest map on here or even a custom tune and a majority of the mods that can be done are simple bolt-ons that MAYBE add 4-5 hp.. if a motor cant handle that then I question what really goes on for a "ready to race" bike. At the end of the day it seems like an engineering failure regardless of the power but then again who knows..
@@LifeWellRidden guaranteed all they did was an oil change, and a valve check and possible adjustment. maybe they changed / cleaned air filter. Should just be the cost of the oil and filter(s), plus like an hour of labor. I'm in Lagrange i would do that for ya no problem, but you can definitely also do it your self
@@hosh710 Oh man don’t tempt me 🤣 I’ll drop it off with some cash and beer and we can learn hahah but I’ve never done valves and I wonder why I’m so scared..
I just got 690 KTM smc r 2024 gave me lots of problems . Unlock the Bike the sensor keeps turn off the bike I regret I should wait to get a super moto 2025 Suzuki ! KTM sucks !!! Sensitive bike and high maintenance !!!mecanic in Hawaii don’t like working in KTM !!! Good thing is my second bike . Sucks because I put lots of money in the moods now I try to keep . Next problems I will fix and try sale ! No recommended his bike for any new customers!!!
My buddy got our KTM dealer to install the updated part # camshaft because that’s the actual way to fix it correctly. The tapped holes are bigger for bigger better bolts to resolve the issue.
tbh they have their own market and till more brands join I think they still gonna sell. Famous for their big single and 2cylinder and not many of their kind on the market. Japanese basically stopped making supermoto
Thats actually quite a lot of miles for a super moto. They are made to race on a track. Not made for commuting to work every day😂 but hey we live and learn👍🏼
Who is the service manager you spoke with at MCC definitely wanna get mine checked when I do the 6k service as well I bought my 22 not to far off when you bought yours rather me safe the sorry 😅
Good choice! And I have been dealing with Rex but for some reason a woman has been answering handling all the calls now and I don’t know if he is still there??
These LC4 engines sound like a bucket of bolts at the best of times so it's hard to know when the engine is in good shape or about to grenade.
Yep. There's no telling when it happens.
The good ol’ “marbles in a can” sound 😵💫 hahah
That is... an accurate sound description...
Im a mod on a 690 group with allmost 7k people, I have never seen this issue. feels bad man but at least they will fix it for you, and you are OK which is the most important.
Get them to also get you a test bike as a replacement so you can enjoy two wheels !
See if they will throw a 1390 super duke r my way 😈 haha that would be sweet! But I don’t want to scare anyone but definitely want everyone to be available, I hope it doesn’t happen to you or anyone in the group!
Sorry to hear that man! I've got a '23 at 3.6k miles and it's been solid so far. I'll check these bolts when I do the valve checks at 6k, but hopefully KTM fixed this issue on the newer model years.
I believe they did, I’m thinking I either got the “last of the bad batch” but it dosent seem to have happen to any 22+ bikes, at least that I have seen..
You just ruined Cycle Cruza ‘s sleep😂
🤣 this dude will panic now hahaha
Nice KTM covered it with a warranty, but honestly I feel that KTM only did that cause of your RUclips channel and how transparent your vids are.
I’m glad it’s getting fixed on KTM’s dime and not yours dude.
Looking forward to your next bike and more awesome vids! Best wishes brother!
Thanks man! I wonder if they are watching right now.. haha I wonder how hey feel about it??
@@LifeWellRidden Yeah dude! I hope KTM is watching this. I hope they diagnose it and provide some details as to why it happened. I wonder if that mechanism can be deleted?
@@frostygonz That's what I was thinking?? Like if its such an issue can I just take it off?? But that is far past my knowledge.. hopefully it has been fixed with the right parts so I wont have to worry, if it does it again then I will for sure try and "delete" it
I bought a new 2023 690 enduro r was in the shop 3 times in 9 months for a total of 5 months in the shop, first and last ktm
Jesus 😡 why does this happen to the KTM’s?? They are such good bikes but damn
KTM 690 SMC-R 2019 with 25600 miles = 1 broken piston, 1 broken clutch basket , 2 clucth plates broken, Clutch steel disc bent , 1 cracked radiator, 1 fissure on the cylinder head, 1 coolant tube leaking, bunch of seals that failed and gaskets...
The KTM 690 is a really fun bike but really sensible. Best thing to do is to have 2 bikes to have one to ride while the KTM is being fixed.
I am planning in to buy a MT-07 to ride too and let the KTM rest more times.
@@rodstawaa Nop. I use Motorex Synt 4. My friend as a 701 with 6000 miles and as seals leaking problems too. The clutch basket happened to other bikes too. This bikes dont like clutch up wheelies. The outer clutch disc is shorter in height and break and cause the basket to break. The piston broken suspected of too much RPM . For a bike of this price we should expect more strenght. The bike had a fissure on the cylinder head and made coolant spill from the reservoir. The radiator cracked too and the bike never crashed...
The radiator tube was leaking and not from a puncture but the core of the fibers.
Good ole ktm quality
106,000 miles on a r6 never had any of those issues. I did have to replace the fork seals once thou
Just reading this list 😳 my god man what the hell!! That’s insane to me how many issues these have!!
Same, '19 clutch basket torn
@@munjevitijuric9622 😳
Thanks for your video, I have just Cancelled My Ordered.
I've seen it mentioned on the KTM subreddits too. I hope my 2023 doesn't do this. Only at 1k miles now. Oil changed at 600 miles and may do it now too.
Sorry this happened to you dude, but thank you for educating the rest of us through your adventures!
Haha at least I can try and help someone else!! I appreciate the support man and I hope it gets fixed soon!
Ya man that sucks. I did a ton of research before I bought my 21 a month ago with 1,200 miles on it and I never heard of this issue until your video came across my feed. I know these engines are pretty rock solid but good to know to check when I do my first valve check.
They are great engines but for some reason I am getting all of the failures.. I would check when you do the valves, I wouldn't even know the right torque spec??
Dang man sorry to hear. I might sell mine and get out while the getting is good. lol I'm sticking with my 2019 YZ450FX supermoto, which I have not done anything but oil changes since 2018.
What’s up CycleCruza!! Damn I’ve been watching your channel for years!! Crazy hahah but I hope it dosent for you either, this could be a 1 off deal but still.. they are great bikes I just hate that they have this as a possibility. The Yamahas and almost all Japanese bikes are the most reliable things ever man that 450 will treat you right!!
Let me know if you'd like the traction control disable trick for the KTM
@@markbaum9615 say whaaaa?? Yes please! So like it is always off correct??
@@LifeWellRidden check out ..
shred stone adventures...she will show you the longer bolt and spacer for the rear speed sensor.....best hack I've done in a while
@@LifeWellRidden shred stone adventures
She will show you the best 690 hack
Early recalls were not sufficient, then people got cams replaced after failures, but 2021 I am really curious what cam part # was in your bike. I did 4 oil changes after cam replacement and 2k miles later, going strong! Thanks for the mention.
No problem man!! But I will be doing another oil change in about 100 miles and do at least 1 more. The dealer did 2 before they gave it back..
as a owner of the 2017 690 DUKE R with currently 7500 Km you make me wonder - but my engine have a different style decompression system (no bolts it is secure by seeger ring in a camshaft) so i am good :D - hopefully your bike will be back soon
Interesting.. I wonder why they didn't continue to use that system??
Damn that sucks..
If you payed 1400$ for the 6000 mile service you got ripped off hard...
In Sweden we pay 350$ for this service.
Switch dealer
Yeah I definitely got a hurting on that one.. I won’t be going back to any dealer for servicings.. you’re lucky with those prices!!
@@LifeWellRiddenI was quoted $900 for the major service on a Duke 390. At $350 I can't imagine they're doing the whole checklist (with valves?)
@@hmikelb depending on the dealer but when I broke down the cost it was like $287 in fluids/shop supplies and like $1,100 in man hours.. so they claimed to be looking at the bike for a full day almost 8h.. 🙃 how much of that that I believe.. idk
I removed that whole part from the camshaft on my 2019 klx250. It’s not needed anymore with a good electric start.
DUUUUDE I'm tempted.... I wonder how that would be tho with a 443cc difference.. That would need to be one hell of a starter hahaha
Bro i feel your pain.... i had a 2020 701. I had so many issues and ive dumped soooo much money in mods like u have. I gave up on my 701, sold it and bought a suzuki gsxs 1000.... and feels nice to ride a smooth bike with ZERO issues.
Dammit man! I hate you went through this and hearing it.. makes me re-consider keeping the damn thing but my god when it works it’s AMAZING!!
I have a 2020 and I ride it hard it’s luck of the draw it’s a big single cylinder a major service should be 450 but some people get serious issues I’ve had 3 of these bikes and never had a issue once by 3 I mean 1 stolen 1 sold due to finance diffcultys now a 2020 and it’s the best bike I’ve ever had
Dude that’s what I hear!! Either you have a perfect bike for years or you have a problem child like mine.. just inconsistent and 50/50 on what yours will do..
2023 690 R with 1500 miles, Eletrical failure… ( no water involved)
at the dealer for 3 weeks at the dealer waiting to rear from KTM USA ! stranded in woods, thanks for friends towing me out!
Will be hard to trust the bike from here out…
🤬😤
Dang man I'm sorry to hear about the issue!! It seems KTM is having a lot of problems lately but seem more "self inflicted" than anything..
I have a Husky 701 and I abuse the crap out of it. I have had no issues. That really sucks man, but not the norm for sure.
It's so depressing.. like how could this thing do this to me!!? I hope you don't have any issues with your 701 and sounds like you will be doing pretty good!
Wow that's crazy! I will check mine next valve inspection. Well, maybe better do it today!
Haha be sure to check em at some point!! It's crazy this can happen..
😳🤯
Bro that's insane hopefully they get it all fixed for you! I am a lil shocked KTN covered it but beyond happy they did
Dude.. what. the. actual. f’ happened hahah you have like a billion miles on yours?!? Whyyyy mine 🤬 but I’m glad KTM is being cool about it but still.. seems sketchy to just cover it up by a “yeah we’ll cover it”
@@LifeWellRidden yea something seems off with how easily they decided to cover it!
Right mine just rolled 20K not long ago bro!
@@22smcrrider96 20k congrats!! And yeah it seems odd.. like they covering something up?? I wonder if they will see this video 😳
@@LifeWellRidden yeah bro I was thinking of this the other day. It seems really weird that right after they had the motor apart for a service that it grenades within a few hundred miles and they are quick to say NP we got it covered!
Maybe mine lasting this long because I never took mine for that service 🤷
@@22smcrrider96 maybe?? That’s what had me scratching my head.. first time the original seals have been broken free for service, the bike blows up.. weird like someone lost a 10mm socket in there 🤣
KTM needs to move production to Japan in order to address quality control issues. For some reason the company seems incapable of getting a handle on these ridiculous problems. I had a couple of 690 SMs and was considering a 690 Enduro, but I think you just convinced me I don't really want one.
moving there will solve nothing but increasing the price that is already high. The problem with brands like KTM is their culture and scale. The "Ready to race" line already tell. You can see the aggressive, high performance and styling on their bike but not reliability, that's not what they looking at when producing product like this. Any European brands have this in their mind and it won't change, it might get better but it will never be the safe choice as Japanese.
Love the editing style in this video! Made a very unfortunate situation quite entertaining and funny to watch!
My 2017 701 had a new head when I got it from the 1st owner, don't know what happened to it. Got it from the 2nd owner who had only ridden it a couple times in a year. Had a stuck de compressor so it was really hard to start, broken Dirt Tricks cam chain tentioner, super stiction in the forks and seized lower shock bearing all easy fixes. After 3 months 4-5000km the water pump seals moved outwards into the back of the impeller and counter balancer bearing, had to strip the motor and replace counter balancer bearings + full gasket set, it's been good since.
But still a ton of work! Damn!! At least it’s going good now!
Ktm, loctite and a torque wrench are your friends. Nice of KTM to step up. If it were a Ducati, you'd still be bargaining/arguing with the service manager.
I could only imagine with Ducati.. I would need to take lessons in Italian to fly my ass over there and speak to headquarters hahahah
There is someone selling a 690 from 2009, are they reliable? Looking to buy it.
No experience but I think those would be solid, same era as the 990 and that series built like a champ, again I would consult someone who owns haha
I hear there are issues with the Ducutti supermoto too. Whats your opinion of this and do you think we will get a new KTM 690 for 2015>
I have heard about their issues with Ducati and in my opinion that is to be expected. It is a brand new production motor by Ducati and I don't expect it to be perfect. I never buy "first edition" vehicles because of the possibility of failures. I usually wait until late 2nd edition or 3rd editions. Not to take anything away from Ducati but I also feel like the aftermarket world is late in getting stuff out for that bike while KTM has had (people like me) buy/making/reviewing products for YEARS to show the true effects and if they are worth wild.
When it comes to the new KTM 690.. Well I am leaning towards the "yes they will" since these bikes are almost never on the showroom floor for more than a week but then again they could just keep making the same thing and changing the color hahaha "don't fix what ain't broken"
This makes me so scared about my 24 690💔 I knew I should’ve gone with a Japanese bike
I wouldn’t be too scared but well.. Hell it could happen. This may be a rare thing but I would have or check the bolts whenever you do the next major servicing
@@LifeWellRidden yeah will do bro thanks !👍
Looks like someone forgot to put blue bolt fixator in that place..
im so happy for having ditched my 2020 husky 701sm couple years ago, it's obvious not a well-built or reliable motorcycle
It sucks because they are so so good when they are running..
Mass production product. You’re always gonna get a lemon. Unfortunately, you got a lemon 🍋
😭 noooo… I hate to think that..
i don't understand the point of this bike, if you change the oil that often just get an actual sumo bro ... its soooooo much better
😈 hmmmm I think I listed to this comment all too well.. I have an announcement coming 😎
Im sry about your bike! But i want to tell you that i love your videos! Just got myself a 690 2021 and ive had lots of help from you! Keep going!
Thank you!! It’s a sad couple weeks but I’m hoping it’s back soon.. but congrats on the new bike!! You’ll love it!! Just keep up on maintenance hahaha
How did you go about contacting KTM to get this problem fixed?
It was done by my dealer, I didn't have to do a thing. I did call their office in Ohio which was like their "Midwest Support Center" just to see what this issue could have possibly stemmed from but no luck.. I'm sure they keep the true problem solves away from the public and only to the dealer network.
@LifeWellRidden I want one, but I'm hesitating because of all the videos I see :/ worried the engine night go on me.
I wonder if the decomp cam allows ktm to put a lighter starter motor on the bike? I have the excf 500 and I’m blown away how little that bike weighs.
Maybe?? I’m not even sure, I wish they didn’t have it 🥲
Wow, that sucks.
I had a '97 TL1000S, which was a flawed but seriously fun motorcycle. A common mod on that bike was to remove the auto decompressors as they occasionally failed. The bike would start fine without them if it had a good battery.
That's what I don't get.. I feel like the 690 would start just fine with an electric start.. kicking on the other hand would be a more difficult story...
@@LifeWellRidden Ya, no kidding. It would be interesting to see if a 690 would start OK without the decompressor. That is a big piston and 12.75:1 compression though. The TL had 11.3:1 compression, so quite a bit lower.
@@craighoffman6876 something I almost don’t want to try haha I feel with your stated ratios that would be a tall order to fire this puppy up without it..
Well, US owners still have the outdated, older version of the bike even in 2024. I have 10k miles on my 2021 including plenty of winter and track riding, no problems. Sorry, but I laughed at your valve check service for 1400 usd, huuuge ripoff.
It is a total rip to go to a dealer now a days.. it’s just sad that they are willing to take advantage of us like that, but sounds like you got a different version of the engine overseas??
Are they only fixing it for free because you paid for that 1400$ service? Do you have a power commander and do you wheelie the bike alot?
Well KTM stepped in and will cover it, not the dealer.. I think KTM knows they f’d up.. but I do have PCV on there an no issue since I believe this is a “major” issue that could cause harm to an individual so they will cover it haha but as far as the wheelies.. well I can’t 🙃 working on it! But still can’t..
Sorry for hearing that. Just made a valve check. And it seems the valve cover needs to be opened once again to take a look at those bolts (
What about my issues with 690 the biggest was after 6k I noticed metal chips of any kind of spring on oil screen. Thanks God i made it myself so could notice it clearly (don’t know if the dealer would pay much attention to it or just clean and it’s done). So it was a parts of a valve stem seal which broke BECAUSE they installed 2 seals on one valve instead of one! So they were smashing each other and finally broke.
Just one case of million BUT it happened to me)
Freakin crazy.. how does this happen like I feel like their production standards are getting worse and their dealer network is also getting worse.. It seems to be cost cutting in many areas.. But I think at the end of the day, if you are going to won a KTM then you need to be your own mechanic because only you care more about your bike.. But I'm glad you check and caught the issue!!
thinking of this and an good old DR650 supermoto conversion. This might make me reconsider. Although cannot lie this bike looks beautiful
It's definitely a looker but as of late it's not a rider..
These things happen. I just did a full service on my DRZ400 only to find previous owner stripped a thread and I leaked out $70 worth of oil. I have a Ninja 650 that's also in the garage at the moment because I won't ride it until I get a new chain and do a wheel alignment.
The SMC R is a great bike but you better be confident checking and maintaining all parts of the bike and ride it regularly. Even then they fail often and parts aren't cheap. You could try the Ducati SM or try your luck with your smcr when you get it back and hopefully forget about this.
Japan needs to produce competitors their parts are cheap as fuck.
I hate to say it but I’m learning a lot, I’ve never put this much work into a bike so I’m getting there.. but I agree with you that the Japanese manufacturers should start to run with the rest, maybe a Yamaha 700SM? That would be sweet!!
7500km on my 21 smcr zero issues🤞 sold it though bought a mt09sp no regrets
What do you think of the mt09sp?? I hear they have come up with a solid formula now..
Try bump starting one of these big thumpers, even with automatic decompression, lol.
Sorry to hear they are still blowing up. I can relate.
Hahah it's a love hate relationship with auto decompression..
I’m feeling a similar pain to you brother. On Saturday my chain broke and bound up in my front sprocket, cracking my LC4 cover and blew up my trans💔🥲 my KTM dealer quoted me $4,300 to repair. I also have a 2021
Do you have a warranty?
Duuuuuudeeee 😭 that sucks my god I’m so sorry to hear that!! It’s never fun to hear that! What are you gunna do??
Sorry about the 690. I guess it’s a positive that they are fixing it even though you have so many mods. Mine is a 23 and I gotta say the bike makes me nervous for some reason. It’s so much fun to ride, but the engine just sounds odd. I had the first service done and the oil filler cap leaks a tiny bit after long rides. Seems like they over filled it? Anyway, kind of wish I would’ve gone with another trusty Japanese sport bike.
I have a 23 also and mine has oil residue around the filler cap after every ride. It also sounds like cam chatter after hot starts.
@@d17a2dude
I have a ‘23 and it too leaked a tiny bit of oil at the filler cap. I pulled off the o-ring on the cap and clean it up real good, reinstalled and it seems to have solved the concern. I’d check and see if there is any sediment keeping from a proper seal.
@@davidk5937 I have ‘21 and did the same thing.
Change the shitty plastic one for a proper metal one you have to buy a lot of after market parts to make this bike better
@@d17a2dudeyeah dude I sometimes get that weird clattering on start up, and the motor will just sound weird sometimes. And I have a 24 with 2k miles. This video is making me super fucking nervous lol. Especially because I’m taking it to the dealer today because my quickshifyer has been acting up
Lol other KTM owners "He DoSent Do ReGuLaR MaInTeNaNcE"
🤣
Just finding out about this and I’d be frustrated as hell. At least KTM is fixing this which is good.
That's the small glimmer of hope in this, I couldn't imagine the cost if I did it on my own..
Damn that sucks. Got me worried about my Husky 2017 SM now although it appears it says it's from 2018 but idk.
Think I'm gonna have to open up that valve cover again sooner than I thought
I'm now on 20k km and no failures
Hell if you have made it that far then (I would think) you should be good.. then again I would always check..
No way I would keep that thing (or any other vehicle) after a dealer cracks it open.
I have had KTM’s, they just aren’t on par with a Kawasaki!!! My 1290-SDR would blow slave cylinders, and kick stand bolts would randomly fall out. The ZX-10-RR hasn’t had any issues.
This makes me tempted to leave KTM..
Looks like your dealer is a rip-off and your bike a ..... ktm..
Damn that sucks man, you have had insanely bad luck with your bike. My 2016 hasnt had a single problem during its 18K miles. It sounds like the new gen bikes has some wierd new issues that weren't present in the older generation
I’ve had one hell of a good time haha this is the most crap I have ever dealt with while owning a bike.. it’s sorta bad luck but it’s so hard when you love the damn thing so much!!
What are the requirements for recall on motorcycles? It must not be the same as cars because if brand new cars were doing this the feds would gave sued for a recall to protect consumers.
These 690 engines have had rocker arm problems, cam problems, and i have seen main cap failures too. I think the only way KTM would fix them is if they are sued and forced to repair all of them the same as ford with the triton motors and the head problems those had.
Now i know the 790/890 has problems too. But the government is supposed to protect consumers from companies knowingly selling defective products.
I have no idea for the recall requirements, this is a first for me but there hasn't been a recall for my specific year (2021). KTM just "did the right thing" and fixed it for me.. but as of the latest news over the last few weeks, seems they are in deeeeeeep sh!$ hahaha
Kawasaki barako mk2 had same like problem with the decompression weighs, coz they moved the manufacturer and built in India.... The weight where made from 3 individual piece's like a sandwich, which exploded and locked up the engine..... Replace the weight from the mk 1 engine then no more problems...
So you're right all have problems coz the bike's are made in other countries using poor quality parts
Its built in Austria
@@donkeizluv U think? U forgot they are manufacturing in China also....
Am a Scottish motor tech, here in south east Asia...
That's how companies save money by producing in cheap labour countries...
Example Samsung south Korea.... Yes! They make their phone's in Vietnam....
Motorcycle been doing that for years here
@@les062 I know they make some models in China, India, Philippines. But this 690 platform has always been built in Austria. The only explanation is bad qc on production line and parts.
Sorry man but that 6kmiles service u mentioned is totally a ripoff and they broke the bolt of the oil filter cover cos it's made of cheese and any fb group knows that so surely dealer should, I do not even try to torque it and do by hand cos of all times I saw ppl in pics with that happen. Anyway, I had valve clearance done here in EU at probably one of the most important dealers in the world and they charged me 280 euros including a dyno run. My bike (2021 701) has now 30K kms and not a single issue which means that I am feeling lucky or happy or whatever. Just don't pay those prices. I do an oil change every 5K kms and filters every 10K kms. I have heard that the 790 and 890 have serious issues but not these. Maybe the dude who did the valve checks unscrewed something/did not check stuff visually or maybe some ktm assembly wolly forgot to torque em...u will never know but warantee will sort u out. Ps mine is the enduro model. All the best.
A lot of great insight here.. I love in the US getting blamed for thing's the dealer did like that bolt.. I know I didn't break it, I've done 6 oil changes for far on this bike and no issue?? But anyway.. it is a rip, it just seems to be the norm around me since we have such a limited selection of dealers so I'm sorta screwed. I'm glad KTM covered the big auto-decomp failure for me but that still doesn't help my wallet on the 6k service.. Keep riding man and get even more than that 30k!!
Wow… that really sucks dude… and it’s not even a mechanical/bike issue but what it really boils down do lack of attention and real customer service… if it was “their” bike they might have cared…
I took my dirt bike in for the works… new tires, oil change, you name it…
I pick my bike up drive 2 hours out of the city to our provincial sand pits… go to do my warm up lap on my bike and I look down…
NO FUCKING OIL PLUG
DUDE WHAT???? At MCC?!!
Cycle cruza ain’t gonna like this
Time to sell... 😂
I have a 2007 lc4. With all that is happening woth ktm idk how i can justify buying another one. Its just a really expensive gamble.
How has the 07' been treating you?? And I agree.. it's a little bit of "hot water" for them right now and I still haven't seen a whif of the new 2025 690 SMCR anywhere.. should get interesting!
@@LifeWellRidden good. Vibrates like an old harley over 4k rpms but it's been solid and fun for me so far. The age makes aftermarket a pain in the ass. Limited options if any and expensive.
@@nicholasbaker2904 dang that sounds like fun machine tho, can’t complain with the reliability but aftermarket would suck
wtf !? glad ktm stepped up tho ...
my '23 so far so good 😅
Me too! But still.. Jesus hahah you should be good tho!!
I'm convinced that the only good KTM engines are the LC8 V twin and the two stoke dirt bike engines.
You have a very very good point there, never owned a LC8 but have had a few 2-smokers and they were SOLID.. I may need to turn to the LC8 now.. Engine swap anyone? Hahaha
sorry buddy... that sucks.
Thanks man, it’s tough but hell I guess with KTM covering it this isn’t terrible, just sucks I can’t ride
Theyre supposed to check your recalls when they do that $1400 service
That’s what I thought too 🙃 I guess since the recall is so old that it dosent fit..
@@LifeWellRidden my 701 is in the shop getting the master cylinder and decompression system recalls done on KTMs dime rn and it's a 2018. Make sure you're not getting ripped off bro!
@@Merc399 dude insane!! How many miles ya got??
@@LifeWellRidden just under 13k. under federal law Husqvarna has to cover any safety related recalls, which both the master brake cylinder and the decompression system fall under :)
@@Merc399 crazy! Hahah what happens with the master cylinder??
Change oil every 1500 miles????? Thats an eternity for a dirt bike.
Manual for this 690 recommends every 6k miles or year.. 🤣
just leave the motor at stock and not making it over-act with power commander etc. its not build for it. too much pressure on the engine. so the drama leads to you in my opinion.
I could agree with that, messing with anything from the factory can cause issues BUT I didn't have this thing set to kill, I don't have the hottest map on here or even a custom tune and a majority of the mods that can be done are simple bolt-ons that MAYBE add 4-5 hp.. if a motor cant handle that then I question what really goes on for a "ready to race" bike. At the end of the day it seems like an engineering failure regardless of the power but then again who knows..
sounds like you went to the wrong shop
I agree.. I don't trust MCC in IL anymore..
mcc in villa park is a scam, i would do that $1400 service for you for 1/4 of that and still feel greedy
Be careful what you wish for 🤣 I’ll drop this thing off in 4 months for the next one hahaha
@@LifeWellRidden guaranteed all they did was an oil change, and a valve check and possible adjustment. maybe they changed / cleaned air filter. Should just be the cost of the oil and filter(s), plus like an hour of labor.
I'm in Lagrange i would do that for ya no problem, but you can definitely also do it your self
@@hosh710 Oh man don’t tempt me 🤣 I’ll drop it off with some cash and beer and we can learn hahah but I’ve never done valves and I wonder why I’m so scared..
I have a 2021 at 4500 miles
Now I am in fear 😨
I did break that same oil filter bolt
Oh no.. You may be good.. BUT who knows.. I may just have the rare case but I would double check these bolts during your valve adjustment at 6k!
@@LifeWellRidden definitely bro
Sorry about your trouble man! Appreciate you making these videos!
@@Alex-vq8tp I hope someone can learn from my mistakes! Or at least be prepared for the experiences I have had hahah
I just got 690 KTM smc r 2024 gave me lots of problems . Unlock the Bike the sensor keeps turn off the bike I regret I should wait to get a super moto 2025 Suzuki ! KTM sucks !!! Sensitive bike and high maintenance !!!mecanic in Hawaii don’t like working in KTM !!! Good thing is my second bike . Sucks because I put lots of money in the moods now I try to keep . Next problems I will fix and try sale ! No recommended his bike for any new customers!!!
It's my second bullet proof ktm.
I had a 620 from 94 and currently own a 19 smcr with 6000 miles on the ⏰.
No worries whatsoever.
Holy smokes that sounds like a huge headache on a brand new bike?! Lemon maybe? Try and get some money back from KTM
Time for a new bike maybe... You're always having problems with this one
Dude seriously 😕 I think I have an idea of how not to have so many issues with this one but I can’t give it up?? It’s too good hahah
Got to work on your own bike
I agree.. I need to man up and learn how to do the hard things..
My buddy got our KTM dealer to install the updated part # camshaft because that’s the actual way to fix it correctly. The tapped holes are bigger for bigger better bolts to resolve the issue.
I believe that’s what KTM is doing.. maybe..
I always laugh when I see videos with KTM and issues... And I ask always the same question... Why do you still buy their overpriced crap?
The cult following 🤪 they used to be good.. USED to but now I’m re-considering my options
tbh they have their own market and till more brands join I think they still gonna sell. Famous for their big single and 2cylinder and not many of their kind on the market. Japanese basically stopped making supermoto
@@reiayanami6946 That's why I made a Supermoto out of my Tenere. Even better because more comfortable over longer trips.
@@majormassenspektrometer the lightweight is tempting tho. But this will make me reconsider of my next supermoto purchase
@@reiayanami6946 it’s so sad I hate when it turns into such a monopoly.. hoping someone from that are starts making some!
Never, ever, EVER see anything like that on a HONDA XR650R...
EVER. And they're lighter. 277#
Those are indestructible!! Maybe my next pick..
@@LifeWellRidden I know they're not as powerful but man, they do everything very, very well 💪😀
@@johndunn9819 at this point that’s all I need hahah just something that runs and won’t break!
Thats actually quite a lot of miles for a super moto. They are made to race on a track. Not made for commuting to work every day😂 but hey we live and learn👍🏼
Ah…
You are absolutely clueless on the 690/701.
True but the 690/701/700 platform is meant for a “streetable daily” sumo version but it seems mine prefers the ol’ 450 treatment haha
Like locktight is too expensive or somthin
KTM would charge $4 per drop hahah (just kidding but wouldn't be surprised..)
Who is the service manager you spoke with at MCC definitely wanna get mine checked when I do the 6k service as well I bought my 22 not to far off when you bought yours rather me safe the sorry 😅
Good choice! And I have been dealing with Rex but for some reason a woman has been answering handling all the calls now and I don’t know if he is still there??