Thanks for watching our deep dive into the top 5 most unreliable motorcycles! 🏍 If you've had any personal experiences with these models or if there's a bike you think should be on this list, please share your thoughts in the comments. Your feedback is invaluable and helps others make informed decisions. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this video to keep the community informed and engaged. Ride safe, choose wisely!
Both I and my wife ride. Several of our friends ride as well. So I've gotten to see many makes and models in action - HD, Honda, Yamaha, BMW, Suzuki, etc... The '71 BMW and '94 Honda 1100 Spirit (4 pin balanced crank) seemed to have little to no issue. The HD 1340cc never let its rider down either. Most of the others I've watched over time need more maintenence and repairs.
There are only 4 motorcycle brands worldwide for durability longevity being reliable and even cheaper they are as follows HONDA YAMAHA SUZUKI and KAWASAKI forget all other brands
I have had my Sportster 25 years and 400,000 miles and 38 back tires and 17 front ones and 3 belts in 25 years. My Sportster has outlasted all of my Honda's put together.
@@Peter-km7hb l get 10,000miles out of a back tire. Add it up. It's an EVOLUTION motored Sportster not an ironhead. Not 1960's technology a 1999 with soft cams so it runs cool 200* in Florida in the summer 🌞⛱️. Many get over250 K worth of miles on them. So l am not alone in haveing so many miles on the original engine. Now that she is 25 years old nobody wants to work on her. I run a quart of oil extra so she has more oil to lube and cool the engine. I have no reason to lie about it. I just redid the front end with new fork seals and front brakes and new tire. Spent $800 on her so the front end is good 😊👍 for another 10 years outside of tires. Outlasted all of my Honda's put together. I will have the bike for another 25 years. Commuted on the bike for 15 years. Now I do get out of the house rides 3X a week that are 200+ miles. Doesn't smoke or burn oil. Original clutch and primary as well. Very proud of her.
The main thing to having a good solid reliable vehicle of any type road or off road 2 or 4 wheels is regular maintenance especially regular oil changes and properly allowing the drive line to warm up and cool down. Once a machine is at normal operating temp go like a bat out of hell, and before shutting down go easy on it for a few minutes to allow a proper cool down before the shut down.
Absolutely! Regular maintenance, especially timely oil changes, is crucial for any vehicle's longevity and reliability. Allowing the engine to warm up and cool down properly makes a significant difference in performance and durability. Once everything is at the right temperature, enjoy the ride to the fullest, but remember to cool down before shutting off. Great advice for keeping any machine running smoothly! Ride safe!
If a machine has any of the following: poor engineering, poor components, poor construction all the regular maintenance in the world is not going to make it into a better machine. The Japanese consistency in producing quality machines has made them the benchmark. Even the Germans can’t match Japanese quality. The Americans build a machine down to a price point. The Japanese build a machine up to a reputation.
I've bought a 2003 dyna superglide brand new in... 2003. Rode it for 11 years and put over 100k miles on it without ever going into the engine other than to change out the cam chain tensioners for maintenance reasons. The crank runout didn't become an issue until the mid to late 2000's when for some reason the motor company decided to up the tolerances; causing a lot of oil pump failures.
It's no wonder with a failure rate of 36%, the highest failure rate in motorcycle manufacturing that Harley Davidson is at the top of the list. Willy G has done a spectacular job of marketing, branding and merchandising to the effect that many people will spend their last dollar just to say they ride a Harley. I know riders personally who have experienced catastrophic engine failure on a brand new Harley, turned right around and bought another one. I know guys personally that have had reoccurring issues with their Harleys. They've taken them back to the dealership multiple times and either the techs couldn't solve the problem or the bike would work fine after the repair and break down again. These are not people I know on social media these are people I know personally who I ride with. With a failure rate of 36% it doesn't matter if one or two people chime in on every comment thread saying how reliable their Harley is. For every 2 comments in a comment thread that valiantly defend HD there are 10 other guys suffering in silence twitling their thumbs wondering when the shop is going to call them and let them know their bike is ready a month after they turned it in for service. Some people may actually have had a good experience with their Harley albeit they had to perfectly maintain their bikes and ride it with care like it was made of tinfoil. With that being said, anything that has been meticulously maintained and cared for like a human being should last a long time. However, some of those people can be disingenuous. Reliability means all you have to do is perform routine maintenance of wearable items like tires, oil, air filter, etc. otherwise the bike runs perfectly on every startup, and be trouble free no matter how many thousands of miles is put on the bike. Harley owners try to conflate routine maintenance with repairs--They are not the same. If you have to open an engine to replace mechanical parts like a crankshaft, timing chain, pistons, rods, heads, jugs, lifters, cam plate etc. that is NOT routine maintenance. Others try to conflate preventative maintenance with modification. Upgrading to better cams, cam plate, polished heads, truing a crankshaft or buying a trued crankshaft etc. because the factory part(s) failed does not equate to preventative maintenance. Those are preventative repairs. I'm not a Harley hater or a hater of any motorcycle manufacturer. I love all brands of motorcycles. I just believe in telling the truth and being real over being loyal to a brand.
@@fifthgearfoodie5272 Seriously. Get a life. My twin cam has had no engine issues in the 5 years and 21k miles I've run so far. You really wrote all that to cry into the void about people who don't care about your opinion. Don't like Harley? Ride something else. No one cares.
Times are changing and so is the motorcycle industry. Royal Enfield used to be a so so brand but since the introduction of robots and quality manufacturing upgrades and design changes they are now competing with the best bikes in the world.
Lol try again no one touches the big jap 4 for reliable fast safe and great. They been doing it right for 50 yrs, new comers have no chance in 5 or 10 yrs to out pace them. Try again
I've read a lot of complaints about KTM, but my experience could not have been better. I first bought a second hand Duke 690 with 7000 km for a bit more than 5000 euros and brought it to the service to be checked where they discovered that it was due for a warranty operation at no cost. Then I rode it for 50.000 km very hard with no problem, although the screaming big single seemed to be ready to blow at any moment. I made round trips of 5000 km to go to rock festivals with the bike loaded to the max. Finally, I changed it for a new Duke 890 R that until now has given me the same as the first, including another warranty operation that I found due to the *smell* (cooling liquid) with no problems. At 71, I've had all kinds of bikes, and the 2 KTM I've had are among those with the least problems: none...
Have had 6 Harley’s over the years - exactly zero issues. Not uncommon to get 80-100k miles. Most people riding other brands never see those kinds of miles like a lot of Harley riders do.
2003 Harley Softail Heritage with 130,000 miles. Updated the can chain tensioners and have only had to replace oil, tires, batteries, and brakes. It don’t owe me a thing…
I replaced a perfectly good battery because the connections needed cleaning, they were fitted with flat washers instead of crinkle type. Should have checked before ordering, symptom was poor starting hot.
I had a 2015 Multistrada which was unreliable, untrustworthy and cost me a fortune. I replaced it with a 2020 1290 SAS which so far has only needed a replacement battery. I did keep my 2005 FJR1300 to ensure that I have something to ride.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It’s frustrating when a bike doesn’t live up to expectations, especially with the costs involved. Glad to hear your 2020 1290 SAS has been more reliable for you. Keeping the 2005 FJR1300 sounds like a smart move to ensure you always have a trustworthy ride. Ride safe and enjoy the road!
I've been kicking myself ever since I traded my 2013 FJR. I love my Triumph's too but as long as the basic maintenance was done, I could ride that FJR anywhere with no worries.
I've had alot of bikes, sold my last bike, Goldwing, and bought a VERY good running 2004 sportster and set it up for longer rides. 10-12 hours easily done, i do 1500 mile rides no problem. I will NEVER sell this bike. Completely reliable, gas, tires, and oil, period. no longer interested in any Japanese bike. This bike will be running long after those that generally are worn out and worth 500 bucks at 40k mark. I do have have respect for the goldwing tho, great bike.
39 bikes in 45 years of riding - 3 of which were Harleys, which were the biggest POSs - EVER! My Goldwing now has 307,000 miles on it and counting without a single issue! F Harley!
I have had sportsters 2 883s one 1200 they always ran great. And so easy to work on. Not like my K75 just changing the air filter is a pain. Change one of those you will love sportsters.
I'm adding this as a reply, I ride all year in Florida, better in the cool morning's. Bikes will have issues and being able to fix on the road is a good thing. But the main reason for loving sportsters is you can let them sit over winter and the clutch will be free and not stuck together. Like some bikes I've owned.
Thanks for sharing your experience with Sportsters! It's great to hear they’ve been reliable and easy to work on for you. Riding all year in Florida must be fantastic, especially those cool mornings. Being able to fix issues on the road is definitely a big plus. The point about the clutch not sticking together over the winter is really valuable too. Sportsters definitely have their unique advantages! Ride safe and enjoy the year-round riding weather!
I currently own a dyna and 2 softails from the era you descibe,and l have never had a breakdown.My bikes have always delivered exactly what they are designed to do.They are excellent bikes and the only brand i will buy for the rest of my days
Most problems are from poor maintenance. Plastics don't like fuel in the oil, I have a '99 Harley 'FXDL twin cam. I don't think anyone who doesn't know the first thing about maintenance should own one. 25 years old and 25k miles. I'd set out on a 5k road trip tomorrow and be very surprised if anything let me down. Cam tensioners need inspection every 10k. I undid the 10 small bolts and checked. Yep, they are still good for another 10k. I lost an indicator lens screw once that hadn't been done up properly. Goes nicely with my 25 year old jaguar S type 4.0 that are supposed to have similar issues. There are upgrade kits that are cheaper than replacing the car or bike if it's something you really like.
When I was bike shopping in 2005, the Big Twin fans were all over the Internet complaining about serious engine problems. The Sportster fans weren't complaining about anything. I chose a new 1200 Roadster and haven't regretted it, 84,000 miles later.
The comment of the narrator allone is already hilarious, mentioning H-D upgraded to hydraulic lifters....yeah the did....back in 1948 already. Twinky A series motor where not the best indeed, Timing chain tensioner's were a problem, but easy fixable. Still would not ride one, i prefer Shovel's and Evo's
A lot of Harley guys don't care because they don't mind turning a wrench to install good aftermarket parts. These are not hard engines to work on. That's why people liked them.
I bought a 2000 Wideglide in 2001 with 4500 miles on it from a local rider.He had to sell due to divorce.I put 48000 miles on it before I traded it for a 2015 Street Glide Special that I still ride.Only thing that broke was the shift linkage which I replaced.I would recommend replacing that one piece on all Harleys because sooner or later it will break from what I hear from other Harley riders.Other than that just regular maintenance like All bikes.
Thanks for the comment! You're absolutely right about the hydraulic lifters upgrade dating back to 1948-that's a great historical catch. The Twinkies had their issues, but as you mentioned, those timing chain tensioners were fixable. Shovelheads and Evos definitely have their own unique charm and reliability. Thanks for sharing your insights and preferences! Keep the discussion going and ride safe.
@@honestlion17 well sir, have know reason not to tell my truth of MY bike. By the way I still own it. It’s now my backup to my 07 ultra with 62,000 miles. Never touched the engine. Leaving for street vibrations with it next week.
@andrewlittle6174 Well, that's an anomaly. I worked in the motorcycle industry for many years and have many friends and acquaintances. that rode Harley Davidson's, and they were nothing but trouble, and that is a fact. Congratulations on your 🦄
BS, from the mouth of an ignorant moped riders. Some Dana Guide have over 80,000 miles on the clock with no issues. Several seniors in the group I meet with have Harley Road Guides with 170,000 miles. I'll not go through the bikes listed, but motorcycles are killed by age more often then millage. I owned a Honda CB500X until I totaled in on dirt/gravel road. There were CB500s with over 240,000 miles on them with minimal repairs. I stuck with Honda bought Transalp 750. There are counties where motorcycles are the main transportation and haulers.
you forgot to mention the Suzuki savage 650 single. I had one , and it shook itself apart; righthand side footpeg fell off, lefthand side cover fell off , carburetor issues, engine died all the time especially in the worst places like during a turn and I had to keep the engine revved up coming to a stop or it would die out. the brakes took awhile to grab, so I had to clamp down real hard. I finally got rid of it and bought me a 2013 gsxr 750.
Let’s face it , motorbikes are a sinkhole no matter the brand, from the price of tyres to price of servicing and spares, it’s not a cheap mode of transport. We ride for the thrill and passion
I've been riding HD's over 33 years, 12 different bikes, and have never been left on the side of the road over 300,000 miles. I also keep up with preventative maintenance and care for my bike(s).
I've heard the Can Am Spyders from 2013 have a bad reputation. The Yamaha XJ 900 Diversion is bike that you never got in the states that was very reliable and well worth having if you can buy one. There have been reports of them getting over 400,000 miles from a motor. They are great bikes.
Had a 01 dyna which was one of the best bikes I have ever owned. Some did have issues with bearing pre 2000 but cam chain tensioners are a common issue with all twin cams. As long as you maintain it properly it will last you a lifetime of fun
@Fastlanetv14 and everyone watching this video. I have 126000 my miles on my 1994 Electra Glide classic. The bikes is all original. It has never been torn down. It does not leak or burn oil. It have very good compression and makes good power. It has no reliability issues. It is my daily mode of transportation all year long unless it rains.
HD M8 and Revolution Engined Bikes, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Husq and KTM Street Bikes, MV Augusta, BMW Sub 1100cc Models, Indian, Royal Enfield, all Chinese Junk.
I have a 2017 Ktm 690 enduro r and it’s been a very reliable bike for me. I rode it to work today. I change the oil every 3000 miles instead of the 6200 that Ktm recommends and keep an eye on the level in between. Do valve checks at 6000 and that’s about it. It’s been a fun bike both on road and off.
In the early 2000 Harley had basically just four motors. Sportster, V-Rod, Softail and the Dyna/Touring motor. The Softail had a direct to frame motor so it had a counter balancer in the engine to reduce vibration. The Dyna/Touring motor did not have the counter balancer but a rubber mounter motor. How can you say the Dyna had a bad motor and not say the Roadglide, Streetglide and Roadking where not bad as well, I have a 2003 Dyna Superglide and the only issue was the sliders on the cam chain. I upgraded to the newer model kit and have over 100,000 miles on the motor now.
Video obviously made by a Harley hater since you have Harley and Buell as your top two. I have a friend with a 2002 Softail with almost 40,000 miles on it and has never had to do anything but change the oils every 5000 miles. I have a 1995 Harley Electra Glide with 102,000 miles on it and it has never given me any trouble. The Buell's brakes weren't poorly designed either. They were lightyears ahead of the competition. Eric Buell was a racer for Harley and an innovative designer. Get your facts straight!
Wow, your Harley and Buell stories are impressive! Thanks for sharing your positive experiences with these bikes. Keep on riding and enjoying the road!
Had a Ktm 390 2016 model for five years, no a single problem, oh dorry had to change the battery. After that a Ducati 62, again no issues, i loved that bike 😊
I have a 2017 KTM 1290 super Duke I got it new have 10’000 miles on it so far no issues ! I’ve owned about 25 motorcycles in my life and I can say this one is the most fun of them all !
I have a kawa vn2000 2005 model with just 30000 miles. It uses 1 liter of oil every 300 miles. But the oil light never comes on, it doesn’t smoke and it doesn’t leak.
If there is something wrong with your bike, this can happen. It is the service you get that makes the brand trustworthy or not. And not only during your warranty time but also after. If you run in trouble and the manufacturer takes his responsibility due to design faults and it is repaired and improved, for me it is no problem. Trust comes walking and it goes on a horse.
Have a 2004 Harley Heritage Softail, and it’s a cracking bike, it was my weapon of choice after having a couple of Japanese equivalents, had no issues with it bar couple of punctures which is a nuisance with spoked wheels.. have it 17 years, and won’t be letting go👍.
My 2012 Aprilia Tuono V4 has been a big disappointment. Bought new in 2012. Stator needing replacing at 4500 miles. Almost unrideable in slow traffic due to overheating, the dash lights and head lights are not currently functioning, plastic elbow in the coolant piping broke and spewed hot coolant on me on the interstate. Stills runs well but the nearest dealer is about 135 miles away. Oh, and after 12+ years of ownership it has 6500 miles on it.
The Honda I had never once let me down in the five years I had it before someone thought they would steal it, it might of only been a 125 but the V twin engine it had was by far the best on the market the only fault I would say it had was the price. Mine was the Varadero 125 and at the time of purchase it was a thousand pound dearer than any other model, the one thing I would say though is even though I had it for five years it never dropped a penny in value I’ve even seen them sell for more than what they cost from new now that’s not a bad investment.
Those Harleys, if you know about that tensioner, you fix it before it breaks. I had one, I know. The KTM's are great bikes that require that little extra from the owner. I had severals, I know. As several have commented, it's not just the bike, it's the owner. Take care of the bike and it will last longer. And remember, some people consider a bike to be bad just because there's a small issue. Like the famous coolant problem on KTM 790/890 Duke's. Some of the bikes do have these issues, but it only takes an extra turn on the hoseclamp at the engine to fix. For me, a bad bike is the bike that doesn't take you home.
He got it from a VERY reliable source... Anyone's who's owned anything else! I've had 39 bikes in 45 years of riding - 3 of which were Harleys, which were the BIGGEST pieces of shit - EVER! My Goldwing now has 307,000 miles on it and counting without a single issue!!
@@seanoleary1979 I had a Goldwing...the stator needed replacing...major job and expense...was also blowing oil from leaking valve seals on start up...starter motor would spin without engaging...never had any of those problems with any of my Harley's lol. Guess it's luck of the draw...Wing gave me nothing but problems.
Serious and casual bikers we all want a reliable byke low maintenance, reasonably priced parts, honest dealers. Regardless of brand . I'm very allergic to brands that gloat and exploit their shallow heritage or pedigree.
In the early 90’s when Harley couldn’t keep up with demand every pop up motorbike company that built knock off types built junk. I worked in a bike shop, we avoided any repairs on that crap. By now you don’t see many of them on the street.
The new honda cbr1000rrr recall on con rods oil coolers ,frying oil lines melting ecu frying , massive inherent overheating problem blowing up thousands of engines
Correct me if im wrong but the dyna having cam chains and tensioners. I thought all Harleys used pushrods. Also at .40 on video talking about the dyna but showing an inline 4 engine.
My 1994 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic with a carbureted Evolution engine has 126,696 miles on it. It is all original. It has good compression, makes good power, and stops and rides well. The bike is so reliable that it is my daily driver unless it rains. I shall ride her until I die.
The Harley cam chain hydraulic shoe tensioner issue was specific to the earlier Twin-cam 88 models, (02-06 if I remember correctly) and is easy enough to avoid by replacing the hydraulic shoes with new and better quality ones. Or converting to gear driven cams which is not a difficult task either.
Actually the hydraulic was the upgrade fix for the spring loaded tensioners that were famous for suddenly going out & turning the engine into a $5000 boat anchor. I went hydraulic at about 20k miles & she's been nothing but reliable since Has about 70k on it now. As for the Dyna, it has nothing to do with that Model, all about that same cam chain tensioner issue. Once the hydraulic upgrade is done, these are a good, reliable engine. (H-D changed the tensioner set up when they went to 96" in 2007)
@@kl2297 ... Same with me. I went ahead and converted my entire cam chest with Fueling cam plate, hydraulic tensioner, shoes and high capacity oil pump. I also added S&S 510 cams. I did this three years ago and never looked back. She still runs like new and I can cruise along freeway speeds just fine. I could have went with the gear conversion kit since I was in spec but I decided to stick with hydraulic since that was the original intent for this engine. Be safe brother!
@@wingandhog I also went with the full fueling cam chest, with 525 reaper cams, lol.... of course I added a few other things. ;) not only reliable, but gets out into traffic a lot better too
I bought a 2015 KTM RC 390 Brand New. It has never gone Wrong, but I don't Thrash it !!! It has an annoying sidestand that works loose, and the headlight switch had some thick grease on the switch !!! I easily fixed it. It's a lovely looking White Racing Bike !!! It's really fast around town, but I don't break the Speed Limit !!! The KTM dealers near Where I live Would always forget to fill the Engine with Oil, and they were Useless at Servicing KTMs. They have lost their Dealership. I did the First Service Myself !!! The Bike is 9 yrs old now and it Doesn't Overheat !!!
@@FASTLANETV14 I've never paid to have any Work Done on a Motorbike. I've just finished fixing Eight Electrical Faults and put new forks on my 24 yr old Honda CG 125. I welded a Side Stand on it, bcause Honda never fitted one on it in the First Place. I fitted a Lithium Ion Battery Also. I learnt how to fix Motorbikes because years ago I could never afford to pay a Garage to do it.
@@FASTLANETV14 The only thing I can't do is Reset the Time or Reset The Service Interval. The Electronics are Complicated but there's nothing I can't Fix on it. It's just an Oil Change at 8, 000 miles and Chain Adjust, brakes etc. I did have an electrical fault in the Handlebar Unit Switch, which I fixed. Where I bought the Bike the Mechanics were Useless. The Dealer Lost the Dealership with KTM and Royal Enfield. On the First Service they completely messed up the Bikes on the First Service and had to get KTM to come and fix the Bikes. Who needs a Dealership when they don't know what they are Doing ???
He got it from a VERY reliable source... Anyone's who's owned anything else! I've had 39 bikes in 45 years of riding - 3 of which were Harleys, which were the BIGGEST pieces of shit - EVER! My Goldwing now has 307,000 miles on it and counting without a single issue! F Harley!
You invested so much into this video that you couldn’t even show actual footage of the bikes you were condemning. Next time don’t use computer voice guy. As soon as I hear that voice I think someone is trying to sell me the latest gimmick on the internet. Take care and stay safe.
Is this data compiled from owners that have owned a few different bikes and put in some serious miles in all weather's? I have owned 7 harleys over the years no breaking down issues. Just for record i am not a huge harley fan i get why people like them. Perfect bike for bringing your partner along with you
It varies for me. I’ve had many brands but as of late HD. I’ve had some very reliable and others not so much. Currently bought older one and got rid of newer one. Older one, 2012, is way more reliable than newer one I had.
Aprilia Mana 850/850 GT should also be on this list of bikes to avoid as finding someone to work on them is like finding chicken teeth and when something does go wrong like the belt driven CV gearbox needs changing every 20,000 kms and when dreaded gear error shows up at 50,000+kms there is no easy fix and the bike becomes worthless as I should know I bought the GT version second hand and when the motorcycle hit 57,500 kms the gear box error hit locking the bike in limp mode which is first gear and after taking it to my nearest approve Aprilia dealership to get it fixed back in 2020 as far as I know it is still there to this day 4 years later and they don't know how to fix it
Thank you for sharing your story about the challenges you faced with the Aprilia Mana 850/850 GT. Your experience will definitely help others avoid similar pitfalls.
I’ve owned a lot of bikes including Russian Chinese and India made bikes but the absolute worst bike I ever owned was the Buell Blast!!! That bike was an absolute disaster!!!
Instead of saying early 2000's dyna you should say 88ci, however the cam chain tensioner an easy fix before it ruins the bike at around 40,000 miles and that's if you're unlucky because they don't all fail. There are plenty 88's still out there Buell blast....handling problems ??¿???? Only thing bad about the Blast is lack of passing power I hear the M8's are doing real good and I wouldn't own one Don't know anything about the others Somebody mentioned about Sportsters being great bikes.....they are
There is only one of these bikes I feel I can contribute something. The Harley two cam. Hang on and aI will try to make this clear . First came the Evo, and most of the riders from old school Pans and shovels swiched over . And with them they brought the knowledge and mechanical skills that they learned running those old irons The Evos still need attention and most of the guys I knew at the time said they were easy to maintain. So this is good and Evos got a good rep. But somewhere with the late Evos and early two cams, the people who bought these werent mechanically inclined, and even simple maintenance got poor attention. Harley Shops and mechanics cost good size bucks. Bucks that these owners aren't willing to pay. So you have a bunch of over chromed under maintained motorcycles. I ride bought new a 1975 Fl. I can completely rebuild that bike every last nut and bolt. It does not break done. My involvement in this motorcycle has always been whether wrenching or riding I totally enjoy my motor cycle. Now I'm not saying everyone needs to be a nut case like me, but I am saying that the longevity of those engines is directly connected to the maintenance put in to it. That My take
Eric Buel motorcycles ALL have some kind of major catastrophe waiting to happen. That’s why Harley dropped them like a hot potato. They were losing millions doing warranty work on those two wheeled catastrophes. These Buell motorcycles may actually become collectors items for that reason.. along with the Edsel. They are the perfect example of a company putting products out on the market when they are just “good enough.”, Which obviously is not good enough
do not agree on the harley. harley fixed the issue and the dynas were popular for comfortable ride and good looks. as others mentioned any mainstream oem bike will last if properly maintained. my last harley a 95 year had 142,000 miles on it. now the blast didn’t market well as a starter bike. it was sensible but ugly with no resale value. you could easily buy a better looking small twin or v-twin, learn to ride then sell it fairly quickly so you could move up to your dream bike.
I am, loyal to the BMW brand. I've never owned an, American car or motorcycle. I've been treated like a second class person at most dealerships. Plus German quality is still the standard in the manufacturing world. I ride Bmw R9t racer, with, 105,000 miles.
Thanks for watching our deep dive into the top 5 most unreliable motorcycles! 🏍 If you've had any personal experiences with these models or if there's a bike you think should be on this list, please share your thoughts in the comments. Your feedback is invaluable and helps others make informed decisions. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this video to keep the community informed and engaged. Ride safe, choose wisely!
Get a real life
Both I and my wife ride. Several of our friends ride as well. So I've gotten to see many makes and models in action - HD, Honda, Yamaha, BMW, Suzuki, etc... The '71 BMW and '94 Honda 1100 Spirit (4 pin balanced crank) seemed to have little to no issue. The HD 1340cc never let its rider down either. Most of the others I've watched over time need more maintenence and repairs.
There are only 4 motorcycle brands worldwide for durability longevity being reliable and even cheaper they are as follows HONDA YAMAHA SUZUKI and KAWASAKI forget all other brands
And BMW or Agusta?
@@carlosalbertopugliese1889 Or Triumph ?
Honda
Honda
Agree, no issue at all for my Yamaha bike, and previously Honda
I have had my Sportster 25 years and 400,000 miles and 38 back tires and 17 front ones and 3 belts in 25 years. My Sportster has outlasted all of my Honda's put together.
How many engines
@@Peter-km7hb Still on original engine with all those miles. Many Sportsters rack up250 K miles+. HD's best engine.
@@Peter-km7hbcomes with one 😅
A air-cooled V-Twin with 1960s technology has 400,000 miles on it yeah okay
@@Peter-km7hb l get 10,000miles out of a back tire. Add it up. It's an EVOLUTION motored Sportster not an ironhead. Not 1960's technology a 1999 with soft cams so it runs cool 200* in Florida in the summer 🌞⛱️. Many get over250 K worth of miles on them. So l am not alone in haveing so many miles on the original engine. Now that she is 25 years old nobody wants to work on her. I run a quart of oil extra so she has more oil to lube and cool the engine. I have no reason to lie about it. I just redid the front end with new fork seals and front brakes and new tire. Spent $800 on her so the front end is good 😊👍 for another 10 years outside of tires. Outlasted all of my Honda's put together. I will have the bike for another 25 years. Commuted on the bike for 15 years. Now I do get out of the house rides 3X a week that are 200+ miles. Doesn't smoke or burn oil. Original clutch and primary as well. Very proud of her.
The main thing to having a good solid reliable vehicle of any type road or off road 2 or 4 wheels is regular maintenance especially regular oil changes and properly allowing the drive line to warm up and cool down. Once a machine is at normal operating temp go like a bat out of hell, and before shutting down go easy on it for a few minutes to allow a proper cool down before the shut down.
Absolutely! Regular maintenance, especially timely oil changes, is crucial for any vehicle's longevity and reliability. Allowing the engine to warm up and cool down properly makes a significant difference in performance and durability. Once everything is at the right temperature, enjoy the ride to the fullest, but remember to cool down before shutting off. Great advice for keeping any machine running smoothly! Ride safe!
If a machine has any of the following: poor engineering, poor components, poor construction all the regular maintenance in the world is not going to make it into a better machine. The Japanese consistency in producing quality machines has made them the benchmark. Even the Germans can’t match Japanese quality. The Americans build a machine down to a price point. The Japanese build a machine up to a reputation.
I've bought a 2003 dyna superglide brand new in... 2003. Rode it for 11 years and put over 100k miles on it without ever going into the engine other than to change out the cam chain tensioners for maintenance reasons. The crank runout didn't become an issue until the mid to late 2000's when for some reason the motor company decided to up the tolerances; causing a lot of oil pump failures.
Thank you for sharing your experience and insights with us. It's valuable to learn from real riders like you.
It's no wonder with a failure rate of 36%, the highest failure rate in motorcycle manufacturing that Harley Davidson is at the top of the list. Willy G has done a spectacular job of marketing, branding and merchandising to the effect that many people will spend their last dollar just to say they ride a Harley. I know riders personally who have experienced catastrophic engine failure on a brand new Harley, turned right around and bought another one. I know guys personally that have had reoccurring issues with their Harleys. They've taken them back to the dealership multiple times and either the techs couldn't solve the problem or the bike would work fine after the repair and break down again. These are not people I know on social media these are people I know personally who I ride with.
With a failure rate of 36% it doesn't matter if one or two people chime in on every comment thread saying how reliable their Harley is. For every 2 comments in a comment thread that valiantly defend HD there are 10 other guys suffering in silence twitling their thumbs wondering when the shop is going to call them and let them know their bike is ready a month after they turned it in for service. Some people may actually have had a good experience with their Harley albeit they had to perfectly maintain their bikes and ride it with care like it was made of tinfoil. With that being said, anything that has been meticulously maintained and cared for like a human being should last a long time. However, some of those people can be disingenuous. Reliability means all you have to do is perform routine maintenance of wearable items like tires, oil, air filter, etc. otherwise the bike runs perfectly on every startup, and be trouble free no matter how many thousands of miles is put on the bike.
Harley owners try to conflate routine maintenance with repairs--They are not the same. If you have to open an engine to replace mechanical parts like a crankshaft, timing chain, pistons, rods, heads, jugs, lifters, cam plate etc. that is NOT routine maintenance. Others try to conflate preventative maintenance with modification. Upgrading to better cams, cam plate, polished heads, truing a crankshaft or buying a trued crankshaft etc. because the factory part(s) failed does not equate to preventative maintenance. Those are preventative repairs. I'm not a Harley hater or a hater of any motorcycle manufacturer. I love all brands of motorcycles. I just believe in telling the truth and being real over being loyal to a brand.
Jesus dude, get a life
@@Brian-zg9ff find an intellect.
@@fifthgearfoodie5272 Seriously. Get a life. My twin cam has had no engine issues in the 5 years and 21k miles I've run so far. You really wrote all that to cry into the void about people who don't care about your opinion. Don't like Harley? Ride something else. No one cares.
I ain't reading all that 😂
@@Jesse_E5150 Nobody asked you to. Mind your business.
Times are changing and so is the motorcycle industry. Royal Enfield used to be a so so brand but since the introduction of robots and quality manufacturing upgrades and design changes they are now competing with the best bikes in the world.
Lol try again no one touches the big jap 4 for reliable fast safe and great. They been doing it right for 50 yrs, new comers have no chance in 5 or 10 yrs to out pace them. Try again
Manufactured ? Not in England .
Ride a Harley, ride the best. Ride one mile and walk the rest!
Brilliant
😂
True 👍
Too funny! I used to get a kick out of used ads that say for sale 10,000 miles with a fresh top end. What? This was back in the evolution era.
Haha. Good one!
I have a 2004 Softail, 230,000 kms and not one drama
Any bikes that came from China should be on the top of the list.
I've read a lot of complaints about KTM, but my experience could not have been better. I first bought a second hand Duke 690 with 7000 km for a bit more than 5000 euros and brought it to the service to be checked where they discovered that it was due for a warranty operation at no cost. Then I rode it for 50.000 km very hard with no problem, although the screaming big single seemed to be ready to blow at any moment. I made round trips of 5000 km to go to rock festivals with the bike loaded to the max. Finally, I changed it for a new Duke 890 R that until now has given me the same as the first, including another warranty operation that I found due to the *smell* (cooling liquid) with no problems.
At 71, I've had all kinds of bikes, and the 2 KTM I've had are among those with the least problems: none...
Have had 6 Harley’s over the years - exactly zero issues. Not uncommon to get 80-100k miles. Most people riding other brands never see those kinds of miles like a lot of Harley riders do.
I see you didn't mention the fact that your harleys were in a box in your front room all winter......... Just like every harley ever made
@@sketch6995 average 15,000 miles per year
I ride my Harley all year, including the cold midwest winters. I see alot more Harleys in the winter than sport bikes
Honda Goldwing anybody?
@@DORSIAKILL a much better bike than a chunk of shit harley.
The Honda Goldwing is an electrical nightmare. I know of a dozen just sitting collecting dust due to electrical problems.
The Goldwing might need a new motto: "Riding on sparks of hope."
2003 Harley Softail Heritage with 130,000 miles. Updated the can chain tensioners and have only had to replace oil, tires, batteries, and brakes. It don’t owe me a thing…
Your Harley has seen more road than some people! It's like the Energizer Bunny of motorcycles.
I replaced a perfectly good battery because the connections needed cleaning, they were fitted with flat washers instead of crinkle type. Should have checked before ordering, symptom was poor starting hot.
Got an 05...same...updated hydraulic cam chain tensioner and no problems.
I had a 2015 Multistrada which was unreliable, untrustworthy and cost me a fortune. I replaced it with a 2020 1290 SAS which so far has only needed a replacement battery. I did keep my 2005 FJR1300 to ensure that I have something to ride.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It’s frustrating when a bike doesn’t live up to expectations, especially with the costs involved. Glad to hear your 2020 1290 SAS has been more reliable for you. Keeping the 2005 FJR1300 sounds like a smart move to ensure you always have a trustworthy ride. Ride safe and enjoy the road!
I've been kicking myself ever since I traded my 2013 FJR. I love my Triumph's too but as long as the basic maintenance was done, I could ride that FJR anywhere with no worries.
I've owned 2 early 2000 dyna's and road the crap out of them. Bought them both used and NEVER had any problems! This is ridiculous!
I've had alot of bikes, sold my last bike, Goldwing, and bought a VERY good running 2004 sportster and set it up for longer rides. 10-12 hours easily done, i do 1500 mile rides no problem. I will NEVER sell this bike. Completely reliable, gas, tires, and oil, period. no longer interested in any Japanese bike. This bike will be running long after those that generally are worn out and worth 500 bucks at 40k mark. I do have have respect for the goldwing tho, great bike.
Your Sportster seems like it's in for the long haul, unlike those Japanese bikes at the 40k mark. Long live the Sportster!
@@FASTLANETV14It's been awesome, I'd ride it anywhere! Well, 120 miles at a time..lol
Wow, what are you smoking 😂
39 bikes in 45 years of riding - 3 of which were Harleys, which were the biggest POSs - EVER! My Goldwing now has 307,000 miles on it and counting without a single issue! F Harley!
"...gas, tires, and oil, period" right, no brakes.
I have had sportsters 2 883s one 1200 they always ran great. And so easy to work on. Not like my K75 just changing the air filter is a pain. Change one of those you will love sportsters.
I'm adding this as a reply, I ride all year in Florida, better in the cool morning's. Bikes will have issues and being able to fix on the road is a good thing. But the main reason for loving sportsters is you can let them sit over winter and the clutch will be free and not stuck together. Like some bikes I've owned.
Thanks for sharing your experience with Sportsters! It's great to hear they’ve been reliable and easy to work on for you. Riding all year in Florida must be fantastic, especially those cool mornings. Being able to fix issues on the road is definitely a big plus. The point about the clutch not sticking together over the winter is really valuable too. Sportsters definitely have their unique advantages! Ride safe and enjoy the year-round riding weather!
I currently own a dyna and 2 softails from the era you descibe,and l have never had a breakdown.My bikes have always delivered exactly what they are designed to do.They are excellent bikes and the only brand i will buy for the rest of my days
42 yrs riding Honda's,"Still Happy",Love all motorcycle's,Spazz in Cali.
Wow, 42 years of riding Hondas? That's awesome! Keep on spazzing in Cali and loving those motorcycles!
Well, i knew Honda was Not going to be on the list 😅😅😅
My 1986 Honda Magna VF700C is still going strong.
Most problems are from poor maintenance. Plastics don't like fuel in the oil, I have a '99 Harley 'FXDL twin cam. I don't think anyone who doesn't know the first thing about maintenance should own one. 25 years old and 25k miles.
I'd set out on a 5k road trip tomorrow and be very surprised if anything let me down. Cam tensioners need inspection every 10k. I undid the 10 small bolts and checked. Yep, they are still good for another 10k.
I lost an indicator lens screw once that hadn't been done up properly. Goes nicely with my 25 year old jaguar S type 4.0 that are supposed to have similar issues.
There are upgrade kits that are cheaper than replacing the car or bike if it's something you really like.
Very good accurate review. The Harley guys won’t admit but they know it’s true, especially with the Dyna’s.
When I was bike shopping in 2005, the Big Twin fans were all over the Internet complaining about serious engine problems. The Sportster fans weren't complaining about anything. I chose a new 1200 Roadster and haven't regretted it, 84,000 miles later.
The comment of the narrator allone is already hilarious, mentioning H-D upgraded to hydraulic lifters....yeah the did....back in 1948 already.
Twinky A series motor where not the best indeed,
Timing chain tensioner's were a problem, but easy fixable.
Still would not ride one, i prefer Shovel's and Evo's
A lot of Harley guys don't care because they don't mind turning a wrench to install good aftermarket parts. These are not hard engines to work on. That's why people liked them.
I bought a 2000 Wideglide in 2001 with 4500 miles on it from a local rider.He had to sell due to divorce.I put 48000 miles on it before I traded it for a 2015 Street Glide Special that I still ride.Only thing that broke was the shift linkage which I replaced.I would recommend replacing that one piece on all Harleys because sooner or later it will break from what I hear from other Harley riders.Other than that just regular maintenance like All bikes.
Thanks for the comment! You're absolutely right about the hydraulic lifters upgrade dating back to 1948-that's a great historical catch. The Twinkies had their issues, but as you mentioned, those timing chain tensioners were fixable. Shovelheads and Evos definitely have their own unique charm and reliability. Thanks for sharing your insights and preferences! Keep the discussion going and ride safe.
Had a dyna WG 2001. ran it for 22 years and sold it. Ran great. You just need to maintain it like anything else.
Crap, I put 110,000 miles on my 2001 wide glide. 1 stator, two batteries,
I will try to be as civil and respectful as I can. No way you got 110,000 miles.
@@honestlion17 well sir, have know reason not to tell my truth of MY bike. By the way I still own it. It’s now my backup to my 07 ultra with 62,000 miles. Never touched the engine. Leaving for street vibrations with it next week.
@andrewlittle6174 Well, that's an anomaly. I worked in the motorcycle industry for many years and have many friends and acquaintances.
that rode Harley Davidson's, and they were nothing but trouble, and that is a fact. Congratulations on your 🦄
@@honestlion17 not an anomaly. My riding brothers have put so many miles on. All I can say is maintenance maintenance.
Glad you didn't mention my much loved GS 😁
BS, from the mouth of an ignorant moped riders. Some Dana Guide have over 80,000 miles on the clock with no issues. Several seniors in the group I meet with have Harley Road Guides with 170,000 miles. I'll not go through the bikes listed, but motorcycles are killed by age more often then millage. I owned a Honda CB500X until I totaled in on dirt/gravel road. There were CB500s with over 240,000 miles on them with minimal repairs. I stuck with Honda bought Transalp 750. There are counties where motorcycles are the main transportation and haulers.
That's some impressive mileage on those bikes! Keep on riding and sharing your adventures with us!
you forgot to mention the Suzuki savage 650 single. I had one , and it shook itself apart; righthand side footpeg fell off, lefthand side cover fell off , carburetor issues, engine died all the time especially in the worst places like during a turn and I had to keep the engine revved up coming to a stop or it would die out. the brakes took awhile to grab, so I had to clamp down real hard. I finally got rid of it and bought me a 2013 gsxr 750.
Let’s face it , motorbikes are a sinkhole no matter the brand, from the price of tyres to price of servicing and spares, it’s not a cheap mode of transport.
We ride for the thrill and passion
Triumph mechanics in Australia $150 an hr . What an insult !
I've been riding HD's over 33 years, 12 different bikes, and have never been left on the side of the road over 300,000 miles. I also keep up with preventative maintenance and care for my bike(s).
I've heard the Can Am Spyders from 2013 have a bad reputation. The Yamaha XJ 900 Diversion is bike that you never got in the states that was very reliable and well worth having if you can buy one. There have been reports of them getting over 400,000 miles from a motor. They are great bikes.
Ive had 2 harley Davidsons and surprisingly ive had no problems whatsoever, very dependable, I've been very impressed. 😊
Had a 01 dyna which was one of the best bikes I have ever owned. Some did have issues with bearing pre 2000 but cam chain tensioners are a common issue with all twin cams. As long as you maintain it properly it will last you a lifetime of fun
That is why I only bought Hondas through the years. One Ducati was enough for me. They have never let me down. Great dealer support as well.
Had 6 Harley. None in shop for any reason. But no older ones, they are a pain. Wouldn’t buy one now, company went woke.
What a crock. Dismiss this CGI junk.
@Fastlanetv14 and everyone watching this video. I have 126000 my miles on my 1994 Electra Glide classic. The bikes is all original. It has never been torn down. It does not leak or burn oil. It have very good compression and makes good power. It has no reliability issues. It is my daily mode of transportation all year long unless it rains.
HD M8 and Revolution Engined Bikes, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Husq and KTM Street Bikes, MV Augusta, BMW Sub 1100cc Models, Indian, Royal Enfield, all Chinese Junk.
The M8 is made in Wisconsin. WTF are you smoking? 🖕🖕🖕🖕
I have a 2017 Ktm 690 enduro r and it’s been a very reliable bike for me. I rode it to work today. I change the oil every 3000 miles instead of the 6200 that Ktm recommends and keep an eye on the level in between. Do valve checks at 6000 and that’s about it. It’s been a fun bike both on road and off.
In the early 2000 Harley had basically just four motors. Sportster, V-Rod, Softail and the Dyna/Touring motor. The Softail had a direct to frame motor so it had a counter balancer in the engine to reduce vibration. The Dyna/Touring motor did not have the counter balancer but a rubber mounter motor.
How can you say the Dyna had a bad motor and not say the Roadglide, Streetglide and Roadking where not bad as well, I have a 2003 Dyna Superglide and the only issue was the sliders on the cam chain. I upgraded to the newer model kit and have over 100,000 miles on the motor now.
@@rogerbrassard This video is just BS clickbait. You’re absolutely correct about the Harley early 2000 motor lineup.
I had a Harley softail.150,000 miles
Sold it still running
So what do you know about bikes
Ducati 620 scrambler, what model is that?
Video obviously made by a Harley hater since you have Harley and Buell as your top two. I have a friend with a 2002 Softail with almost 40,000 miles on it and has never had to do anything but change the oils every 5000 miles. I have a 1995 Harley Electra Glide with 102,000 miles on it and it has never given me any trouble. The Buell's brakes weren't poorly designed either. They were lightyears ahead of the competition. Eric Buell was a racer for Harley and an innovative designer. Get your facts straight!
Wow, your Harley and Buell stories are impressive! Thanks for sharing your positive experiences with these bikes. Keep on riding and enjoying the road!
Had a Ktm 390 2016 model for five years, no a single problem, oh dorry had to change the battery. After that a Ducati 62, again no issues, i loved that bike 😊
Thank you for sharing your experience! It's awesome to hear about trouble-free rides with your bikes.
I have a 2017 KTM 1290 super Duke I got it new have 10’000 miles on it so far no issues ! I’ve owned about 25 motorcycles in my life and I can say this one is the most fun of them all !
The number one rule for beginners is SAFETY FIRST! Those beginner bikes must incorporate that concept.
I've had several Harleys that don't include the ones in this video and I haven't had any issues with any of them.
Had a dyna wg 2001, needed to change rocker gastkets and thats it. ran well for 23 years
I have a kawa vn2000 2005 model with just 30000 miles. It uses 1 liter of oil every 300 miles. But the oil light never comes on, it doesn’t smoke and it doesn’t leak.
If there is something wrong with your bike, this can happen.
It is the service you get that makes the brand trustworthy or not.
And not only during your warranty time but also after.
If you run in trouble and the manufacturer takes his responsibility due to design faults and it is repaired and improved, for me it is no problem.
Trust comes walking and it goes on a horse.
Totally agree! Good service makes all the difference, especially when it comes to bikes. Keep cruising!
Have a 2004 Harley Heritage Softail, and it’s a cracking bike, it was my weapon of choice after having a couple of Japanese equivalents, had no issues with it bar couple of punctures which is a nuisance with spoked wheels.. have it 17 years, and won’t be letting go👍.
My friend had serious problems with his moto guzzi. He was horrified.
2015/2016 yamaha r1..... tens of thousands of blown engines and transmissions . Yamaha had bad crank bearings
Triumph triple. Greatest engine ever made. The 1050 is the sweet spot.
My 2012 Aprilia Tuono V4 has been a big disappointment. Bought new in 2012. Stator needing replacing at 4500 miles. Almost unrideable in slow traffic due to overheating, the dash lights and head lights are not currently functioning, plastic elbow in the coolant piping broke and spewed hot coolant on me on the interstate. Stills runs well but the nearest dealer is about 135 miles away. Oh, and after 12+ years of ownership it has 6500 miles on it.
The Honda I had never once let me down in the five years I had it before someone thought they would steal it, it might of only been a 125 but the V twin engine it had was by far the best on the market the only fault I would say it had was the price. Mine was the Varadero 125 and at the time of purchase it was a thousand pound dearer than any other model, the one thing I would say though is even though I had it for five years it never dropped a penny in value I’ve even seen them sell for more than what they cost from new now that’s not a bad investment.
Those Harleys, if you know about that tensioner, you fix it before it breaks. I had one, I know.
The KTM's are great bikes that require that little extra from the owner. I had severals, I know.
As several have commented, it's not just the bike, it's the owner. Take care of the bike and it will last longer. And remember, some people consider a bike to be bad just because there's a small issue. Like the famous coolant problem on KTM 790/890 Duke's. Some of the bikes do have these issues, but it only takes an extra turn on the hoseclamp at the engine to fix. For me, a bad bike is the bike that doesn't take you home.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's always valuable to hear from someone who's been there.
I had one of those Harleys and put 100 thousand trouble free kilometres on it lol. Just regular maintenance.
Same
He got it from a VERY reliable source... Anyone's who's owned anything else! I've had 39 bikes in 45 years of riding - 3 of which were Harleys, which were the BIGGEST pieces of shit - EVER! My Goldwing now has 307,000 miles on it and counting without a single issue!!
@@seanoleary1979 I had a Goldwing...the stator needed replacing...major job and expense...was also blowing oil from leaking valve seals on start up...starter motor would spin without engaging...never had any of those problems with any of my Harley's lol. Guess it's luck of the draw...Wing gave me nothing but problems.
Serious and casual bikers we all want a reliable byke low maintenance, reasonably priced parts, honest dealers. Regardless of brand .
I'm very allergic to brands that gloat and exploit their shallow heritage or pedigree.
Thanks for sharing your perspective! It's refreshing to hear from someone who values practicality over brand names.
In the early 90’s when Harley couldn’t keep up with demand every pop up motorbike company that built knock off types built junk. I worked in a bike shop, we avoided any repairs on that crap. By now you don’t see many of them on the street.
The new honda cbr1000rrr recall on con rods oil coolers ,frying oil lines melting ecu frying , massive inherent overheating problem blowing up thousands of engines
even post 2018 duke/rc still plague with reliability issues
Correct me if im wrong but the dyna having cam chains and tensioners. I thought all Harleys used pushrods. Also at .40 on video talking about the dyna but showing an inline 4 engine.
My 1994 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic with a carbureted Evolution engine has 126,696 miles on it. It is all original. It has good compression, makes good power, and stops and rides well. The bike is so reliable that it is my daily driver unless it rains. I shall ride her until I die.
The Harley cam chain hydraulic shoe tensioner issue was specific to the earlier Twin-cam 88 models, (02-06 if I remember correctly) and is easy enough to avoid by replacing the hydraulic shoes with new and better quality ones. Or converting to gear driven cams which is not a difficult task either.
Looks like those earlier Twin-cam 88 models had a little tension in their lives! Time for an upgrade to keep things running smoothly.
Actually the hydraulic was the upgrade fix for the spring loaded tensioners that were famous for suddenly going out & turning the engine into a $5000 boat anchor. I went hydraulic at about 20k miles & she's been nothing but reliable since Has about 70k on it now.
As for the Dyna, it has nothing to do with that Model, all about that same cam chain tensioner issue. Once the hydraulic upgrade is done, these are a good, reliable engine. (H-D changed the tensioner set up when they went to 96" in 2007)
@@kl2297 ... Same with me. I went ahead and converted my entire cam chest with Fueling cam plate, hydraulic tensioner, shoes and high capacity oil pump. I also added S&S 510 cams. I did this three years ago and never looked back. She still runs like new and I can cruise along freeway speeds just fine. I could have went with the gear conversion kit since I was in spec but I decided to stick with hydraulic since that was the original intent for this engine. Be safe brother!
@@wingandhog I also went with the full fueling cam chest, with 525 reaper cams, lol.... of course I added a few other things. ;) not only reliable, but gets out into traffic a lot better too
My Royal Enfield Bullet breaks down a lot. But I always get it going.
Great video...I was actually looking at a pre 2018 ktm . Your video probably saved from a money pit!!
I bought a 2015 KTM RC 390 Brand New. It has never gone Wrong, but I don't Thrash it !!! It has an annoying sidestand that works loose, and the headlight switch had some thick grease on the switch !!! I easily fixed it. It's a lovely looking White Racing Bike !!! It's really fast around town, but I don't break the Speed Limit !!! The KTM dealers near Where I live Would always forget to fill the Engine with Oil, and they were Useless at Servicing KTMs. They have lost their Dealership. I did the First Service Myself !!! The Bike is 9 yrs old now and it Doesn't Overheat !!!
Sounds like you've become quite the DIY mechanic with your KTM! Who needs dealerships when you can do it all yourself, right?
@@FASTLANETV14 I've never paid to have any Work Done on a Motorbike. I've just finished fixing Eight Electrical Faults and put new forks on my 24 yr old Honda CG 125. I welded a Side Stand on it, bcause Honda never fitted one on it in the First Place. I fitted a Lithium Ion Battery Also. I learnt how to fix Motorbikes because years ago I could never afford to pay a Garage to do it.
@@FASTLANETV14 The only thing I can't do is Reset the Time or Reset The Service Interval. The Electronics are Complicated but there's nothing I can't Fix on it. It's just an Oil Change at 8, 000 miles and Chain Adjust, brakes etc. I did have an electrical fault in the Handlebar Unit Switch, which I fixed. Where I bought the Bike the Mechanics were Useless. The Dealer Lost the Dealership with KTM and Royal Enfield. On the First Service they completely messed up the Bikes on the First Service and had to get KTM to come and fix the Bikes. Who needs a Dealership when they don't know what they are Doing ???
I still ride my 36000 mile HD, and just now had to change out my fuel pump housing, and a battery. Where do you get your info?
He got it from a VERY reliable source... Anyone's who's owned anything else! I've had 39 bikes in 45 years of riding - 3 of which were Harleys, which were the BIGGEST pieces of shit - EVER! My Goldwing now has 307,000 miles on it and counting without a single issue! F Harley!
KTM were unreliable before 2018 and nothing has changed since then. The 790's engine is made in China - just Google camshaft problems.
Thanks for the heads up! It's always good to be aware of potential issues before investing in a bike.
My main bike is a '78 SR500. Almost 50 trouble free years.
My first bike was a BSA. I spent more time pushing it than riding it.
You invested so much into this video that you couldn’t even show actual footage of the bikes you were condemning. Next time don’t use computer voice guy. As soon as I hear that voice I think someone is trying to sell me the latest gimmick on the internet. Take care and stay safe.
Looks like the computer voice guy needs a vacation! I'll make sure to give him a break in the next video.
I have a 1995 FXDWG 80CID EVO great bike still. All O.E. plenty of get up and go
Your bike sounds like it has more energy than some newer models! Old but gold, right?
Moto Guzzi Quota, Excelsior-Henderson Super-X. Worst motorcycles I've ever owned.
Both my 34 VL and my 53 Panhead never give me trouble.
Is this data compiled from owners that have owned a few different bikes and put in some serious miles in all weather's? I have owned 7 harleys over the years no breaking down issues. Just for record i am not a huge harley fan i get why people like them. Perfect bike for bringing your partner along with you
7 Harleys? You must have a Harley parking lot at home!
It varies for me. I’ve had many brands but as of late HD. I’ve had some very reliable and others not so much. Currently bought older one and got rid of newer one. Older one, 2012, is way more reliable than newer one I had.
Looks like you've been through a rollercoaster of brands! Maybe the older one is like fine wine - it gets better with age.
I love my BMW r1250RS. 2020 w/ 20k miles (12k just this year), so far no issues.
Aprilia Mana 850/850 GT should also be on this list of bikes to avoid as finding someone to work on them is like finding chicken teeth and when something does go wrong like the belt driven CV gearbox needs changing every 20,000 kms and when dreaded gear error shows up at 50,000+kms there is no easy fix and the bike becomes worthless as I should know I bought the GT version second hand and when the motorcycle hit 57,500 kms the gear box error hit locking the bike in limp mode which is first gear and after taking it to my nearest approve Aprilia dealership to get it fixed back in 2020 as far as I know it is still there to this day 4 years later and they don't know how to fix it
Thank you for sharing your story about the challenges you faced with the Aprilia Mana 850/850 GT. Your experience will definitely help others avoid similar pitfalls.
I’ve owned a lot of bikes including Russian Chinese and India made bikes but the absolute worst bike I ever owned was the Buell Blast!!! That bike was an absolute disaster!!!
All brands will have a lemon somewhere. That goes for bikes, cars and trucks.
All of the AMF Harleys should be on the list.
Not so, I had a 1980 XLCH that ran trouble free for years.
Instead of saying early 2000's dyna you should say 88ci, however the cam chain tensioner an easy fix before it ruins the bike at around 40,000 miles and that's if you're unlucky because they don't all fail. There are plenty 88's still out there
Buell blast....handling problems ??¿????
Only thing bad about the Blast is lack of passing power
I hear the M8's are doing real good and I wouldn't own one
Don't know anything about the others
Somebody mentioned about Sportsters being great bikes.....they are
There is only one of these bikes I feel I can contribute something. The Harley two cam. Hang on and aI will try to make this clear . First came the Evo, and most of the riders from old school Pans and shovels swiched over . And with them they brought the knowledge and mechanical skills that they learned running those old irons The Evos still need attention and most of the guys I knew at the time said they were easy to maintain. So this is good and Evos got a good rep. But somewhere with the late Evos and early two cams, the people who bought these werent mechanically inclined, and even simple maintenance got poor attention. Harley Shops and mechanics cost good size bucks. Bucks that these owners aren't willing to pay. So you have a bunch of over chromed under maintained motorcycles. I ride bought new a 1975 Fl. I can completely rebuild that bike every last nut and bolt. It does not break done. My involvement in this motorcycle has always been whether wrenching or riding I totally enjoy my motor cycle. Now I'm not saying everyone needs to be a nut case like me, but I am saying that the longevity of those engines is directly connected to the maintenance put in to it. That My take
Those KTMSs, wanna give em a shot, but they always pop up on these types of lists.
I've been riding ktm with little to no problems ,I think most of the bad publicity is from people who are envious of ktm riders @@elwalker9034
Eric Buel motorcycles ALL have some kind of major catastrophe waiting to happen. That’s why Harley dropped them like a hot potato. They were losing millions doing warranty work on those two wheeled catastrophes. These Buell motorcycles may actually become collectors items for that reason.. along with the Edsel. They are the perfect example of a company putting products out on the market when they are just “good enough.”, Which obviously is not good enough
Awesome video - thank you!
Thank you for watching and appreciating the content!
I have a Harley Davidson which I bought brand new and a mechanical nightmare from the beginning. On the other hand my suzuki never fails
Your take on UM Renegade Commando, please?
The added annoying music/noise is a large take away from the intended aim.
do not agree on the harley. harley fixed the issue and the dynas were popular for comfortable ride and good looks. as others mentioned any mainstream oem bike will last if properly maintained. my last harley a 95 year had 142,000 miles on it. now the blast didn’t market well as a starter bike. it was sensible but ugly with no resale value. you could easily buy a better looking small twin or v-twin, learn to ride then sell it fairly quickly so you could move up to your dream bike.
Lucky was looking at the Ducati scrambler
Thanks for sharing! I appreciate you watching Lucky's adventures.
I am, loyal to the BMW brand. I've never owned an, American car or motorcycle. I've been treated like a second class person at most dealerships. Plus German quality is still the standard in the manufacturing world. I ride Bmw R9t racer, with, 105,000 miles.
The only problem l have had over the years with the harleys
I have owned or the other drivers on the highways who
Dont care or pay attention.
KTM=Keep Throwing Money. Super Duke 1290R. Don’t ask how I know 😖 .
Bought a yamaha dog, way back in 1972, never bought one since
I have a tramp rocket three roadster 2012 best motorcycle I’ve ever ever owned most reliable fastest and comfortable
It’s not the bike ,it’s the owner.
@@RobertTrombley-g6l NO NO ITS DEFINITELY THE BIKE, when parts manufactured without a care it's bound to go bust.
MOTORCYCLISTS: Buckle-up......helps keep the body parts in one place.