Such brilliant comments on this, thank you guys! 🤟So sorry I cannot answer all personally, just too many! Cheers for watching, your support and taking the time to add your thoughts. Motoeuro.
4:19 That looks like there was no lubrication reaching the cams. If that’s the case (and I have no idea if it is) just a quick inspection should reveal the facts. Either way, I’ve never been convinced by the KTM hype. And when I heard people saying that KTM stands for Keep Taking Money, I immediately understood that their bikes were for those who’re impressed by iconic brands whose status is perhaps not deserved.
@@G58 There are ALOT of people who own one who don't need or know how to ride one to it's full potential, who were taken in by the hype. BUT the bike is a great bike (yeah I own one - first one I have had) but read/watch all the reviews. These are not people who are impressed by hype or iconic brands. The status of being a great bike is deserved. If these reliability issues had not surfaced, it would have been a game changer in the Adventure bike segment. And that is a shame because it would drive the other manufacturers to improve. It already forced Yamaha to release an improved T7 (World Raid) with lower slung tanks and better suspension because the KTM was selling like hotcakes (before the cam issue surfaced) and Yamaha had spent sooooooo looooong getting the T7 out that they thought they would be the all conquering seller. With the cam issue now front of mind of every potential buyer, causing the sales slump, the other brands MAY not be so responsive to the Adventure market?????
In late August 2022, I embarked on a journey to Irkutsk, deep in Russia, on my 890ADV bike. The trip was roughly 10-12k kilometers each way. Little did I know, there would be no return. (ON that bike at least...) Around the Belarus entry border, I experienced an issue I hadn’t encountered in the previous 15k kilometers with the bike. Upshifting from second to third required significant force, a problem that worsened as I continued. In Moscow, the KTM dealership told me not to worry, suggesting I turn off the rally mode. They offered an inspection that would take five working days and cost 1.3k euros, which I refused. For the next 10 days, things were mostly okay. Then, near Omsk, oil started leaking from the gasket valve cover. The closest KTM dealer was in Moscow, so I broke the warranty and had it fixed at a local shop. Not even 200km away from Omsk, my KTM died again after a torrential rain. The bike wouldn’t start, and the battery was fine. It was just dead. I had enough. I booked a hotel and spent the next 10 days organizing transport back home to Serbia. 31 days spent. More money than I’m willing to admit. Stress, ruined adventure, and disappointment. Now, two years later, my only regret is not burning the fucking thing on the spot. Taking the fuel out and burning it, then taking a plane back home, would have cost me less-WAY less. Of course, I sold the bike and got myself an Africa Twin ATAS 2018. 40k trouble-free kilometers! I took trips to Greece and Turkey through serious dusty, sandy off-roads, mud, and creek crossings. All I did was change the air filter and perform regular oil changes. Long story short, I will never spend a dime on anything KTM has to offer. I wouldn’t even buy a jersey they sell.
Wow! This is so upsetting, so you did what the bike was intended for and it massively let you down. How can KTM even all these bikes ‘adventure’. ADV bikes must be reliable, you simply don’t need the stress. Thanks for such a brilliant comment, this really sums the whole KTM experience up very well. Cheers and enjoy your AT.
@@OtisFlint it comes down to inconsistency, and too many design errors. Either they lack engineering expertise or they don't care, neither answer is acceptable. People will point to Indian manufacturing, but the problems always come down to poor design.
@@Motoeuro That's not a clever statement. Advocating for a company to change its attitude towards their customers, improve their products (from a quality and reliability perspective) is a noble thing, wishing for a company to go under, reducing consumer choice, market competition and for hundreds, if not thousands - when you consider the knock on effect for dealers - of jobs is petty and immature. Consider the wider picture.
Sadly my brother and I learnt the hard way, when we bought the Norden 901’s. They were so full of problems, I got rid of mine and my brother got a full refund in the end from Husqvarna, as it spent more time in the dealers, than ridden by him and they couldn’t solve the top end noise issue, that his bike had! Never again will a Pierre mobility AG product be bought by our family. Back on a Honda and happy.
@@MrHellga How can you be sure the camshaft problem is solved? I got a 2023 790 ADV, I receivede the e-mail by KTM, but not sure I can trust in them...
@@maurop8684 I have a 2023 790 duke, I haven't heard of any lc8 owners yet having the issue but I suspect its due to the fact they haven't been used enough yet
In Australia. For a slightly different perspective. 28K hard Klms on my 2019 790 ADV. No symptoms or issues, but was going on a trip into the Outback and wanted the 30K service done early. Note, this was only the second time the bike had been to them for a service, first one after purchase and this 30K service as it is the most complex and IMHO the most important. I change the oil etc every 5000ks and all the other stuff myself. Had the cams checked and there was just burnishing on the lobes, no grooves, wear or dip. Dealer showed me photo's, as I requested, and I could have lived with what I saw. But dealer said they had opened a case with KTM anyway to see what they say. Next day I get a phone call - KTM have instructed them to remove the cams, polish and inspect - if they think they need to be replaced, replace them. Also instructed to replace ALL the cam followers. Will have to wait 2 weeks for the parts. All to be done under "Goodwill".
They quietly changed the head, likely to increase oil flow. And say they’ve changed the followers to make them wider. I’m wondering if they don’t have a production problem that isn’t getting the hardening on the parts right. So many are failing so quickly they would have known about problems in testing. Can’t imagine they’d go into full on production knowing the high failure rate.
@@NBSV1 The channel BAREBONESMC has a video titled "KTM - Cheese Cams Whistleblowers and Corporate Greed" (start around the 14th minute). It makes a good case that a cross-drilled oil passage clogs up. The new heads probably address this issue.
I refuse to support any bike brand that requires a $1500 payment to pay for a features on a bike that are already there but need a software upgrade…what’s next? A monthly subscription to get the ABS to function?? No thanks
You and all the other whiners out there have this completely bass ackwards. It costs a ton of money to develop those features, and you get to play with them for free. That's a win, not a scam. If it was set up the other way around you'd be whining that you have to pay for something you won't use. At least this way you have options.
@@clintbuhs7708 It is already payd for by the manufacturer, build into the motorcycle, but cannot be used by the driver…..Who wins ? NOBODY ! And the manufacturer just get a bad reputation.
Honda did the right ? Ehhh….still ? What about all the Honda recalls lately ? Sounds like people are buying into bad quality, or Honda release bikes before proper validation ?
@@scannorsesee there you go with backward thinking again. Many businesses, most in fact, build products in a speculative manner. That means they have to sell them to pay for them. Maybe get a little more life experience before saying ridiculous things like that.
I just couldn't own a KTM after our local dealer saying total brake failure and then all the oil leaving dad's 390 was normal. I immediately sold my 690 and could never buy a ktm or one of its siblings... Let them go down, it's their own fault...
Ever since KTM went to India things have gone to S*hit. I still love the older bikes, I have a 2006 990 superduke with 50000km.(I have ridden 32000 of those myself). Its been amazing. And still pumps out 128hp/109Nm on the dyno. I also have a 701 Vitpilen, because the LC4 is so know by now. It have had some small issues, but they are small fixed under warranty. Also loved my 950SM and 990 Adventure R. But I will not get a new one, probably never. The horror stories my mechanic have told me about the 790/890s are crazy. A bloody shame because the 890 SMT is everything I want from a bike, but the value of these bikes are about to go down, HARD.
A good analysis. When I heard of these KTM cam problems, I, too, thought of the early Honda V4s. I had a VF750F and VF1000 and lovely engines they were, too. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, they had inherent cam wear problems. There was a combination of problems causing this. They ran forked rocker arms, which made it easy to get the wrong clearances, as the arm would tilt when adjusting individual valves. The cam to bearing clearances were inconsistent due to manufacturing errors. The cams themselves were not properly hardened. There was insufficient oil pressure below about 3,500 rpm, which meant the cams lacked adequate lubrication. Of course, as you observed, "it's an ill wind" because the upshot of all this was that Honda felt compelled to produce the excellent VFR750 to restore its reputation. I had one of those too - and it was superb! Whether or not KTMs have an inherent design fault seems immaterial at this point, the main damage to their reputation has been done by their poor response to the problem and lacklustre customer service. I think it's going to take a lot more than a new model design to restore faith in the brand.
KTMs like - what's the problem? Here, look at this sexy and super fast new 1490 adv ! KTM new models go brrrr every year new POS toy with close to zero r&d 😅
Honda in the 70's & 80's had a string of models with camshaft/timing chain/tensioner problems. e.g. CX500/650 and the CB750/900 were famous for it. Difference is that Honda handled it well and although people remember it, it didn't permanently tarnish the brand name.
Triumph had a problem with the head on 1200 Explorer when it was first released and they issued a recall notice to get everything fixed. They did the right thing.
Stopped buying ktm/Husq competition bikes six years ago. Year on year, I could see the quality fading away, silly faults occurring, crazy parts prices, all while paying a premium purchase price for a boutique brand which no longer represents high end quality.
Local dealer, sold 14 of the 2021 KTM 890R's, same year I bought mine there. He has sold a number of the 790's each year, and 890's quite a few every year up to today. In that time one 790 needed a valve adj. His shop inspected many of the bikes, no bad cams, no others needed a valve adjustment done. Mine has 20,000 miles and runs perfect same as new. Cams are great. The internet has blown this up to where ALL 790's and 890's are F'd. Its internet panic hype and bull$hit. They dont all have problems.
Brilliant, and to the point. I run an independent motorcycle dealership and underwrite trade ins for other dealers, and I can tell you I and many of my colleagues won't even take a ktm parallel twin in part exchange due to risk of expensive failure. This is driving the used market price down which is sad because the caveat is that the adventure r series bikes are some of the best to ride in the world. Please KTM be responsible and re instill some brand faith.
Brilliant comment, thank you so much. Dealers cannot indemnify against such a huge risk of engine failure. No warranty would cover re-drilling oilways and replacing pumps. I love my 790, its a mental case, but would never buy KTM again. Such a shame. Once bitten…..
KTM is not doing anything because they can't afford to. Sales have tanked because the cams are just the last in a long list of problems. It all comes down toa poor engineering and poor testing. Basically, they are behaving like German auto manufacturers.
I was very close to buy a KTM890,at the end I choosed a T7 cause I ride off road and remote places and didnt want any suprises,cam problems where not known at the time.I feel vry lucky and also satisfied with my yamie
@@Rosbif06600 to be fair mine was a brand new model (675 Daytona in 2006), and it was an electric wiring alignment issue so I guess it may just have been a one-off. Whatever problems I’ve had with bikes or cars have always been with newly introduced models so I guess there’s a lesson to be learned there.
Having had an 1190,1290,890 and about to get my second 890 I don’t know what all the fuss is about. They have acknowledged there is a problem and are resolving any issues under warranty. KTM aren’t going anywhere. The facebook group has 10,000 members but hardly any people on there suffering with an actual issue. I’d rather have a KTM with potential issues than a boring T7, Africa twin or V strom.
Thanks for the video. I have almost 15,000 miles on my Norden 901 Expedition and this has me concerned the last few months after knowingly taking a risk venturing away from my always trusty Hondas. Appreciate the info and efforts. Pray for me and my mighty Norden🙏🏽 🏍️💨
Jim over here in America. I recently bought a 2023 KTM 890 adventure S. The bike has 2800 miles on it, and I’ve had nothing but problems with the bike. Everything they say on RUclips is 100% true…. It is the poorest running, Unreliable bike on the market. I truly made a mistake buying this bike and I can’t wait to get rid of it and go back to the standard that stands the test of time the Japanese brand of motorcycles. I fully believe there should be a class action lawsuit against KTM in America, and overseas,,when my bike is running correctly, all bikers then I come across and want to know about the KTM brand motorcycles, I flat out tell them all do not buy this brand of motorcycles because more unlikely you’ll get burnt in the end!!
@@jameslee5428 Sad news Jim, I do agree class action worldwide is needed to show KTM they are not the ‘ready to race’ brand they claim. Good luck Jim, all the best from the UK 👍
I’ve been fortunate that I’ve only had a throttle body failure a few hard starts, and a turn signal glitch on my Norden 901 in 14,000 miles, but I’m always waiting for something to fail. My Tenere 700 has 27,000 miles and the thought of it breaking down doesn’t even cross my mind. No excuse in this day and age for widespread unreliability on a motorcycle. Very discouraging!!
I learnt my lesson many years ago with a KTM 990 SMT. Wouldn't have another KTM. Dealer support was poor and the bike was not robust. They market themselves as a brand to compete with the best from Europe and Japan but the quality simply isn't there. Dealer tried to tell me that a top end rebuild at 15k miles was entirely normal because it was a 'thoroughbred' that needed extra care.
Yep had a 2011 model myself. Cheap enough to buy, given the spec. Absolutely brilliant to ride; probably the best riding bike I've ever owned. But, and it's a BIG BUT, horrendously expensive to service & repair. I saw the writing on the wall quite early on and got rid of it, buying an early water cooled GS1200. Long before this camshaft issue arose, I was doing my best to talk others out of their prospective KTM purchase...
990 with 15k miles necessity for top end rebuild sounds like an extremely rare case to me. My first 990 adventure was sold with 70K miles and no top end rebuild and I'm on my second one now with 25K miles and no such issues.
Have owned two KTM over the last 6 years and apart from a couple of recalls with the 690 I have really enjoyed owning. Was looking at the 890 but won’t be buying anything from KTM after following how they treat their customers.
I own a tiger 900 with only 15k km (less than 10k miles) on it. Gearbox failed. Second gear started falling off. When they checked the gearbox they found that the pans also require replacement. 3 months my bike has been at the service. I'm buying Honda.
Good video and more balanced than others I've seen. Here's one non-disgruntled. yet (ex) KTM owner. Done in excess of 80.000 kilometers on two Austrian Oranges. None of which showed any sign of wear at time of trade. A 2019 1290 Super Adventure S first. At 60.000 kilometers the engine was thoroughly inspected. I also paid extra for an oil sample analysis. No signs of any wear at all. Shortly after the service the starter clutch began to moan and whimper occasionally on start. It was replaced under warranty while the motorcycle was 3.5yrs old. My dealer warned me that KTM might not approve it, but they did. AFAIK the last of its generation, the 2020 model, supposedly have a modified/improved starter clutch. To those who still, after your video, would consider to buy a KTM, this is the one to be had (of its series). I traded in the 1290SAS at 65000 kilometers. Decided to downscale ordered a new 2023 890 Adventure. At 25.000 kilometers it was checked thoroughly and again I paid extra because I wanted to be sure. No sign of any cam wear at all. None. The only issue I had with the 890 motorcycle in my ownership was one intermittent software issue (bike died while riding offroad). Cold boot, and it was back. The error never happened again. The second was switchgear (on the front break side). One of the plastic screw fittings cracked. Honestly think I could get better switchgear on AliExpress. June 2024 I decided to trade it in, for practical reasons (wanted something more long distance touring friendly). I've talked to several 890 owners and none have had any issues with theirs. Be it cam, camshaft or anything else. However, I am appalled by the arrogance of KTM. And how they treat customers as well as their trusted dealers. Who actually risk their own reputation by being KTM dealers, all while the factory gives a flying F about the damages of reputation and ecosystem. Just needed to point this out. What might put me off vs a future Orange acquisition is the company attitude and how they treat customers and cases with excessive wear issues. Ready To Race should be exchanged with Ready To Serve as a slogan. Maybe then they can rebuild their reputation. Time will show.
The frame of my KTM 690 Enduro broke while riding, I was lucky no being injured, but the bike was scrap. Of course KTM didn't want to help me at all, they didn't even ask if I'm ok. Bought a Tenere700 and will never go back to any brand owned by Pierer.
We very much enjoy your content. This was a very solid point. No company can hide this kind of fault , pretending it was not a problem may just destroy what was left of an already questionable reputation. As a twenty year bike tech I could not agree more.
I'm going to sell my Husqvarna Norden 901, because of that. I've exchanged some emails with ktm/husqvarna representing company in Portugal, and I've received basically the same answer. Great bike, bad customer service. Can't wait to buy a Japanese bike again.😢
Loved the thumbnail. Look how good looking the VF750 still is. The KTM should be off anyone’s list because of its looks. The camshaft issues are just another reason
In the USA, at least a couple years ago, the KTM warranty didn't cover anything except the frame, engine, and swing arm. That told me that they didn't have any confidence that the electronics and everything else would last even a year.
Not true, Honda has always addressed those items and made replacement parts available to dealers. It were the crummy dealers that didn't inform the customers because they didn't want to do the work involved.
Having worked at a KTM dealer as a technician, I haven’t seen this failure. I’ve seen airbox failures but no camshaft failures. My theory is that their recommended service intervals is to blame. I recommend 3,000 mile services not 9,000miles. The 790/890s that were serviced at the dealer I worked at recommended as much.
My guess is that the service intervals had to do with EPA here in the US and the equivalent in Europe. It looks good on paper to reduce pollutants but in reality it screws the owner of the vehicle.
I had and I do mean had been looking at the KTM 890 but concluded I would end up with sleepless nights even if it didn't have the issue. So I'm heading back to Triumph or possibly Ducati. Hope your bike is safe.
Good comparison w/Honda. I have a 2019 KTM 790R that experienced the camshaft issue and am now on my 2nd engine. There are competing theories on the cause of the LC8c engine cam wear problem, e.g., the camshaft followers [too narrow], the camshaft [too soft], and the oil delivery system. I put the odds at 80% on the oil delivery system. As such it would have been nice if you had described Honda's camshaft problem and what it did with its later models to address the problem.
Didn't want to make this a 30 minute video! Honda found the issue - The first thought was that the issue was heat related, but after further investigation the real problem was discovered - there was too much clearance in the camshaft bearings. Honda fixed this by changing all the camshafts with new components. Cheers
Strong words there my man. I have to agree, I've bought my last KTM, it's a 2018 1290 SAS and it's been pretty reliable. In my opinion what has ruined KTM isn't buying multipul brand names, it's motogp. I mean why? They don't have a super sport bike. I pitty those that have the effected motors and I'm dissapointed KTM aren't doing more to sort this out. How can it be small numbers affected when it's a batch machining issue?
How can? That's because u use rational thinking, that doesn't work for corporations like peirer. They only understand numbers. $$$ numbers to be exact. All they see is - we admit issue - money go down. We pretend there's no issue and lie like mad? Maybe money no go down 😂 It's literally like showing banana to monkey
Thank you for stepping in. All the bigger RUclipsrs should be ashamed of themselves. They only jumped on the bandwagon, after the claim were undeniable.
Interesting comments on KTM reliability. I've just broken down 90 kms north of León Spain. Immobiliser has shxt itself mobilising the bike! It's now in KTM workshop in León, estimated repair time 4 weeks! Not only my trip (group leader) but 3 other riders trip ruined. Thankfully I had the bike serviced before leaving by my local KTM dealer which gave me a 12 month euro wide recovery service. "Ready to repair" about sums these bikes up! Great vid as always
I once worked on a 790 ADV where the clutch basket retaining nut came loose while the customer had taken it on a vacation trip he rode it with barely any clutch to speak of No damage had occurred thankfully I could also tell that the bike hadn't been worked on since the factory terrible workmanship
KTM has never ever been interested in their customers. 3:56 You forgot Husaberg whose name was unceremoniously dumped over night when PM/KTM bought the Husqvarna name. Owners of Husaberg and the red and white Husqvarna bikes suddenly found themselves with no supply chain and no warranty or dealer network. Not to mention the100s of employees from Husaberg, Husqvarna and Gas Gas who were shown the door upon these takeovers. Shareholder figures are all that PM look for, so it is very amusing to me to see the big orange giant begin to fall 👌
It breaks my heart this. I still love the older bikes, I have a 2006 990 superduke with 50000km.(I have ridden 32000 of those myself). Its been amazing. And still pumps out 128hp/109Nm on the dyno. I also have a 2018 701 Vitpilen, because the LC4 is so known by now. It had some issues, but they are small fixed under warranty. Also loved my 950SM and 990 Adventure R. But I will not get a new one, probably never. The horror stories my mechanic have told me about the 790/890s are crazy. A bloody shame because the 890 SMT is everything I want from a bike, but the value of these bikes are about to go down, HARD.
While riding from the US to Chile I saw multiple KTM 690's have rocker arm failure while my 85,000 mile vstrom (now 125,000) kept chugging along. Later while riding it in Death Valley, a 1090 failed to start, later diagnosed with low compression at 11,000 miles due to the airbox not sealing. Lastly I towed a 990 out of the Alvord Desert with my vstrom as his fuel pump had failed. They've been making unreliable bikes for decades. I actually own a 2008 450XCF that I recently bought cheap because the top end had failed. After tearing it down I found the cause to be the CCT had allowed the timing chain to skip. The hydraulic CCT failed because he PLASTIC oil pumps failed (that are now discontinued). What a joke.
What very much concerned me with Charlie's situation was that his bike had been in for the valve check, yet nothing was found, yet only a couple Ks later (outside warranty) the bike went lame. This raises the obvious question about what dealers are really doing during the service. Are there no honest dealers out there?
A: For the same reason they dump cold oil from your bike , thus leaving half the sludge in the sump when they do so, They'll generally take 15 minutes doing the job and move on to the next bike. From that 15 minute cold oil dump / oil change...., they'll still book out the whole hour to the customer, without spending the next 45 minutes doing other TLC things to the bike , as you would do when you change your own oil.
I've had 3 black and orange toys,a 950,690 and now 790 they've all worked well, taking me all over Europe and the states, but customer service is absolutely shite. They cancelled my warranty because I changed my own oil, ( with OEM parts from a dealer). And this new buy a bike and then pay more for it all work scam (common in the car world I'm told, BMW are apparently considering it) means I probably won't buy another one, but.. It's such a good bike.
Thats so shocking, you love your bikes and would do a better job than the dealers! Cancelled warranty is truly a ba*tards trick. Just say no to KTM, they'll get the message in the bankruptcy courts. 😠
@@Motoeuro if KTM did go bankrupt, who is going to keep up the supply chain network for the spare parts for our KTM's ? .., ( it is guaranteed we'll all be needing those spare parts) 😖
The Hemi V8 engine had a similar cam wearing issue that was many times larger than KTMs. Nothing was done by Mopar / Stellantis and their sales are even better today.
@@Jt-nu3em after the well documented Hemi tick / cam wear issue they consistently sell ~ 600,000 Ram trucks per year in the US. The issue is far larger than the KTM cam issue. I'm not supporting either. I have a Ram Hemi and a 790 Adventure
I had a VF750 Sabre in the early 90s (bought second hand of course), camshafts knackered on that, sounded just like the Vauxhall Astra and Cavalier 1.3/1.6 chocolate camshafts of the time as well :D Later (much later - like 2017) I had a VFR RC36 750 with 52k miles, ran like a sewing machine, went like new........I now have a KTM 690 - as a second bike thankfully, but now I am scared.
@Motoeuro they had some issues on the bearings on the end of the cams in the early 690s AFAIK, but the cam itself I think is OK, fingers tightly crossed for sure.
Suzuki’s 2 v-twin engines in the VStrom 650 and 1050 are probably among the strongest, most durable motorbike engines you can have. I had a KTM Freeride once, lovely off road but the reliability made me vow never to buy a KTM again…
Plus the Suzuki after sales service is vastly better. They'll recall bikes over minor things to make sure your experience isn't ruined by unexpected breakdowns. My 650 was recalled for a stator, though hardly any had gone bad and it wasn't really a safety issue. All free, and an oil change thrown in.
In Australia there are consumer protection laws enforced which cover even out of warranty products ; ie " not fit for purpose " . My local KTM / Harley dealer no longer sells the former ( or spares ) for some reason The expression " Tearing a new one " strangely comes to mind . KTM will not get a hall pass here ...
I'm surprised that everyone is surprised. KTM has always refused to stand by their bikes during warranty. I've seen a 3 week old EXC shit itself in spectacular fashion. KTM refused everything. In the end the shop that sold it did the work for free and the owner paid for parts, which at the time were about 10% of the value of the new bike.
Honda’s problem was the cam chain tensioners not so much the cams on VF750s , so they developed gear driven cams for the VFR750’s instead of cam chains.
I actually came on here looking for information on the KTM300 EXC-F as a second bike. I'm so.. glad I did. Reading comments and hearing what's been said I won't be buying a KTM after all! Another Honda then👍
The cure for lusting after a new KTM was fixing a KTM 950 Adventure and a 450 EXC for a friend who had picked them up cheap. I did ground up rebuilds. Would NEVER own a KTM now. The Austrian bikes are what you'd get if a German tried to make a Japanese copy using British parts with Italian electrics.
@@C_R_O_M________ water pumps (known issue), oil pumps (known issue), cam chain tensioners failures (known issue), radiator failures (known issue), stator failure (known issue), coil failure, control wiring issues due to cracked wiring (lots of them suffer it, in fact out of 3 complete looms I purchased from low km bikes, all of them had varying degrees of damage, and I basically cut and shut multiple looms into one function loom. Sub frame cracks (bought 3 and they were all cracked) it goes on and on, and frankly after dealing with owners who start the "I had one and it was perfect" I just can't be bothered. They were some of the shittest bikes I ever worked on. Ask my cousin with his $150K worth of newer KTMs. The cams in his top of the line Rally version factory spec 890 are eating themselves. $42K invested. Waste of time and money. If I was given one for free it'd be going straight to eBay.
Till now after 14..000Km ( with 6 track day's) with my 2023 Duke 890R no problems with the camshaft (or any other problems) so did they solve it for the 2023 890R ?
Truly shocking from KTM. I was considering a KTM 790, or a Cfmoto. Not now, and probably never. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the end of Pierer Mobility.
I've decided not to pre-order and put down my deposit for an MV 921s with a Jan 2026 delivery. God knows what Pierer Mobility will have done internally at MV by that point. 😢
I like to rent ktm for hard enduro , it is superb on terrain and very fun bike. Currently for adventure, own old Tenere, and plan is next year continue for new T700. Ktm only for rent.
To be fair to KTM, you cannot expect them to pay for everyone to have there 790/890 engine checked just in case there is cam wear. ADV Charlie was experiencing no issues with his bike, he was going on a long trip and asked the dealer to check everything before he set off. At this point KTM should have stepped in and paid for the repair, silly them. What they should do is say they are now offering a 60/70/80 thousand mile (pick which you prefer) warranty on cam wear as long as the bike has been serviced by KTM, this would help their reputation a bit, and help secondhand residuals a bit. Instead they just keep denying there is a problem whilst saying they have fixed the problem. Not sure why you showed a CF Moto 450MT, my understanding is the engine in that is a CF Moto design nothing to do with KTM.
Hey David, thank you for such a good comment. Firstly KTM should have handled this very differently. I agree with you, a 18k check with valve clearances should include a camshaft check. But Charlie has not fixed the problem, replacement camshafts are not the issue, the oil ways and pumps should be inspected. It’s oil starvation that’s killing the cams. (Lots of reasons for that). I love the CF Moto 450 MT, but my trust has failed with any company connect with KTM. I am on the receiving end of this, and it hurts.
@@Motoeuro I totally sympathise with everyone effected, I like the fact that you are using your YT voice to add to the overwhelming fact that the 790 and possibly the 890 engine has an inherent fault that KTM should fix, I might be wrong, but doesn't the Consumer Rights Act 2015 give 6 years to make a claim about satisfactory quality, you would hope a firm of Solicitors would jump at the chance to represent so many potential claimants. I love your KNT sticker by the way, you should sell them. I love my 450MT, someone has already done almost 14000 miles on one and another 10000km mainly off road with no issues, but only time will tell how reliable they are.
it would be interesting to know what the actual failure rate is, the internet makes it look like its every other bike. But in reality it might be something like 1/50 to 1/500 ? How common is this actually ?
@@davidz8 Hey David, again great comment thank you. I don’t know about consumer rights, and I bought my 790 used from another dealer so KTM are not interested at all. If I got it new from KTM they seem to pay more attention, but only a little. Ha ha!!! So pleased someone noticed that sticker!!! Cheers! I saw Luke’s video after 10k, very encouraging, I feel the MT is actually fantastic, but my woes with KTM just make me feel like avoiding anything to do with them! It’ll pass I guess….. Cheers!
I am so sorry to hear that. I am T7 owner. 3 years in row - just a pure joy. I tried 1290 Superadventure My ass was burning (hot summer day) but moreover I was shocked - just a small but visible oil leakage on the test machine. Statistics is cruel here. KTMs are really unreliable bikes.
@@Motoeuro and you mate. And I know the coverage is good but I do wish 2 certain other channels I won’t mention were as gracious as you. One I expect no better from but I was disappointed in the other. I’m out at minute but remind me tomorrow and I’ll put a link up to your video 😊 together we are stronger 😊
@@barebonesmc so sorry to hear that, your contribution to this topic has been amazing and so informative. On behalf of all those worried and affected, we appreciate your work. We all must shame KTM, if just one person decides not to buy KTM I’m a little happier. Cheers 👍
@@Motoeuro I’m just good at digging 😊 and have been talking about PMG for longer than this. I do have serious concerns regarding MV long term too. PMG are just asset strippers imo. And not good for the industry. But bajaj I feel are the ones winning now.
Just a note StateSide a year or too ago Honda pulled all their push mowers off the showrooms due to a camshaft issue...they seemed to handle it well...I just got a 300L and I expect good service from her and Honda. I never expected that from KTM to be honest and im not surprised by the way things went down. Sorry to hear riders are the ones holding the bill.
I would like to say - thankyou for having the guts to make this video. I know that you will have thought long and hard and if we ever meet I will buy you a pint. The Foggster
Those who wants reliable orange bike should buy 1290 bikes with legendary lc8 without any issues. Mine 1290 SA from 2015 year have already 100K km and camshaft are still in good conditions.
790 owner here, I got screwed. I contacted KTM when my cams went bad at 8k miles. They told me there was not a known problem. I fixed it on my own dime. Later the same year, 2024, they admitted to a problem, but would not reimburse me for the parts. I have receipts, pictures, and the old parts. The worst part is, the technical explanation they provide makes no sense to me, so I assume the valvetrain will fail again.
Would use of a lighter weight oil allow the oil to reach the cams providing sufficient lubricants?. I realize this could increase wear in other areas but maybe this extends the current lifespan of the motorcycle
I owned a vf750fd. Best sounding bike I've ever heard. The cam situation and the 16 inch front rim let it down a bit, but was otherwise an awesome bike.
I bought a brand new 2018 1090r, did 11700 miles up to 1st mot, it failed on the rear suspension & front discs, tried to talk to KTM to see if they could shed any light on it? All I got was it's out of warranty, I didn't want anything from them but i had not even took it off road?
Hi phillip, am interested what EXACTLY was the reason the front discs failed the MOT. they must tell you by law.The "minimum thickness"printed on the side of the disc has no basis in law.The disc must not flex(by hand movement) or cracked warped split big lip or loose.Thats it. Also rear shock,no leaks and no freeplay with wheel moved up and down with the tyre in the air.Thats it. All this is rather odd at 11700 miles ?cheers
The Ktm has filosophy of printing new bike every couple of Years instead of perfecting existing model. You had a video about the problems with aprilia but I cannot find it on the channel any more. Would be nice to hear Your opinion on reliability and build quality.
Few years? It's new model literally every year. And people still buy into that crap..... It's obvious you can't do proper rnd and develop new bike in such time
Agreed on buy Japanese, which is why I still have my Africa Twin I told you of a couple of years back that looks exactly like the one you had and it will still be mine for many years to hope God willing.
I owned a gen KTM1290 SDR for 18 months. For the first 12 months it was a brilliant bike and I was very impressed. Then the electrical gremlins began, all random at first, some annoying, but, ultimately the refusal to start without reason. I didn't even bother with going back to KTM, with 2 of their more local dealerships going out of business, so, I p'ex'd for a Japanese bike.
I’m amazed how this issue has picked up pace. I can only see a lot of brand and customer loyalty damage for KTM unless they do the right thing and issue a recall. Right now I see the KTM like an Alfa Romeo, I love the ability and design but would I really want to own one……naaaa….
4:19 That looks like there was no lubrication reaching the cams. If that’s the case (and I have no idea if it is) just a quick inspection should reveal the facts. Either way, I’ve never been convinced by the KTM hype. And when I heard people saying that KTM stands for Keep Taking Money, I immediately understood that their bikes were for those who’re impressed by iconic brands whose status is perhaps not deserved.
KTM, yes I would get one, now with the faulty cams. If it is expensive, I don't think companies want to do a recall, especially if it is not immediately fatal. I have a Harley Davidson 2022 Pan America, it developed a stalling problem, turns out there was a loose magnet in the alternator. The dealer fitted the 2024 alternator upgrade kit under warranty, kit cost $4,000AUD. I have heard of others having the motor cut out, for no reason. The alternator was probably the fault causing the problem. I think it should be a recall and all 2021 to 2023 biked upgraded, this would be very expensive for Harley Davidson, which is why I assume they are not doing the recall.
One RUclipsr owns a CFMOTO CL700 with an engine that grenaded itself after over 10k miles. 4mths later CFMoto just replaced his engine per warranty, dealer was nice AF. Hold on to their words for quality, I am going for a Zontes 350R1 in that spirit. Their 310R and T before that had some quirky electronics that still carried over the new 350cc platform, yet they never turned down complains and suggestions to improve them.
I've had 28 bikes and all but two were Japanese, (one a BMW and a Ducati). I CONSIDERED a KTM 890 Duke R recently; now I'm sure glad I went in another direction. The ONLY Euro brand I MIGHT consider is Triumph.. but probably not.
Such brilliant comments on this, thank you guys! 🤟So sorry I cannot answer all personally, just too many! Cheers for watching, your support and taking the time to add your thoughts. Motoeuro.
Look at ‘one old man riding’s new 790 video…oh man 🤪🤪
@BlazinBlades it is brutal.
4:19 That looks like there was no lubrication reaching the cams. If that’s the case (and I have no idea if it is) just a quick inspection should reveal the facts.
Either way, I’ve never been convinced by the KTM hype. And when I heard people saying that KTM stands for Keep Taking Money, I immediately understood that their bikes were for those who’re impressed by iconic brands whose status is perhaps not deserved.
@@G58 There are ALOT of people who own one who don't need or know how to ride one to it's full potential, who were taken in by the hype. BUT the bike is a great bike (yeah I own one - first one I have had) but read/watch all the reviews. These are not people who are impressed by hype or iconic brands. The status of being a great bike is deserved. If these reliability issues had not surfaced, it would have been a game changer in the Adventure bike segment. And that is a shame because it would drive the other manufacturers to improve. It already forced Yamaha to release an improved T7 (World Raid) with lower slung tanks and better suspension because the KTM was selling like hotcakes (before the cam issue surfaced) and Yamaha had spent sooooooo looooong getting the T7 out that they thought they would be the all conquering seller. With the cam issue now front of mind of every potential buyer, causing the sales slump, the other brands MAY not be so responsive to the Adventure market?????
In late August 2022, I embarked on a journey to Irkutsk, deep in Russia, on my 890ADV bike. The trip was roughly 10-12k kilometers each way. Little did I know, there would be no return. (ON that bike at least...)
Around the Belarus entry border, I experienced an issue I hadn’t encountered in the previous 15k kilometers with the bike. Upshifting from second to third required significant force, a problem that worsened as I continued. In Moscow, the KTM dealership told me not to worry, suggesting I turn off the rally mode. They offered an inspection that would take five working days and cost 1.3k euros, which I refused.
For the next 10 days, things were mostly okay. Then, near Omsk, oil started leaking from the gasket valve cover. The closest KTM dealer was in Moscow, so I broke the warranty and had it fixed at a local shop. Not even 200km away from Omsk, my KTM died again after a torrential rain. The bike wouldn’t start, and the battery was fine. It was just dead. I had enough. I booked a hotel and spent the next 10 days organizing transport back home to Serbia.
31 days spent.
More money than I’m willing to admit.
Stress, ruined adventure, and disappointment.
Now, two years later, my only regret is not burning the fucking thing on the spot. Taking the fuel out and burning it, then taking a plane back home, would have cost me less-WAY less.
Of course, I sold the bike and got myself an Africa Twin ATAS 2018. 40k trouble-free kilometers! I took trips to Greece and Turkey through serious dusty, sandy off-roads, mud, and creek crossings. All I did was change the air filter and perform regular oil changes.
Long story short, I will never spend a dime on anything KTM has to offer. I wouldn’t even buy a jersey they sell.
Wow! This is so upsetting, so you did what the bike was intended for and it massively let you down. How can KTM even all these bikes ‘adventure’. ADV bikes must be reliable, you simply don’t need the stress. Thanks for such a brilliant comment, this really sums the whole KTM experience up very well. Cheers and enjoy your AT.
I’ve been burned so badly by this brand that I truly hope they go under. Awful company.
Sorry to hear that, we're in the same boat. If I can prevent just ONE person from buying KTM I'll be happy.
The interesting thing to me is their MX, XC, and Enduro bikes are most reliable in class. Their adventure bikes and street bikes are junk.
me too, my 390 duke is full of problems
@@OtisFlint it comes down to inconsistency, and too many design errors. Either they lack engineering expertise or they don't care, neither answer is acceptable. People will point to Indian manufacturing, but the problems always come down to poor design.
@@Motoeuro
That's not a clever statement.
Advocating for a company to change its attitude towards their customers, improve their products (from a quality and reliability perspective) is a noble thing, wishing for a company to go under, reducing consumer choice, market competition and for hundreds, if not thousands - when you consider the knock on effect for dealers - of jobs is petty and immature.
Consider the wider picture.
Sadly my brother and I learnt the hard way, when we bought the Norden 901’s. They were so full of problems, I got rid of mine and my brother got a full refund in the end from Husqvarna, as it spent more time in the dealers, than ridden by him and they couldn’t solve the top end noise issue, that his bike had! Never again will a Pierre mobility AG product be bought by our family.
Back on a Honda and happy.
Good lord, thats terrible. I’m in your camp, once bitten, twice shy with KTM. Cheers for watching.
Stick to the Honda great bikes I got nine started at 15 45 years later still riding strong
OMG! This videos timing is perfect. I was just about to pull the trigger on a 890 but now I think I’m going to rethink the Honda and Yamaha. Thank!!!
Great timing.
Go and get a Husqvarna Norden Expedition MY 24. I am loving mine after 10 000 km. No problems at all and the Camshaft issue is solved for this model.
@@MrHellga How can you be sure the camshaft problem is solved? I got a 2023 790 ADV, I receivede the e-mail by KTM, but not sure I can trust in them...
@@maurop8684 I have a 2023 790 duke, I haven't heard of any lc8 owners yet having the issue but I suspect its due to the fact they haven't been used enough yet
Stay away from KTM until this plays out a bit. One T7 owner has got 170k miles on his with no issues at all. Look it up on here
In Australia. For a slightly different perspective.
28K hard Klms on my 2019 790 ADV. No symptoms or issues, but was going on a trip into the Outback and wanted the 30K service done early. Note, this was only the second time the bike had been to them for a service, first one after purchase and this 30K service as it is the most complex and IMHO the most important. I change the oil etc every 5000ks and all the other stuff myself.
Had the cams checked and there was just burnishing on the lobes, no grooves, wear or dip. Dealer showed me photo's, as I requested, and I could have lived with what I saw. But dealer said they had opened a case with KTM anyway to see what they say. Next day I get a phone call - KTM have instructed them to remove the cams, polish and inspect - if they think they need to be replaced, replace them. Also instructed to replace ALL the cam followers. Will have to wait 2 weeks for the parts. All to be done under "Goodwill".
Makes the African Twin and the Tenere look even better
And all of that ground up camshaft is destroying the rest of the engine
Unless the underlying oiling problem is resolved, new cams will have a short life.
Evidently a new head came out
Replacing the cam is just a sticking plaster, does not solve the problem. Thanks 👍
They quietly changed the head, likely to increase oil flow. And say they’ve changed the followers to make them wider.
I’m wondering if they don’t have a production problem that isn’t getting the hardening on the parts right. So many are failing so quickly they would have known about problems in testing. Can’t imagine they’d go into full on production knowing the high failure rate.
@@NBSV1 The channel BAREBONESMC has a video titled "KTM - Cheese Cams Whistleblowers and Corporate Greed" (start around the 14th minute). It makes a good case that a cross-drilled oil passage clogs up. The new heads probably address this issue.
Dealers are still struggling to shift 2023 stock 790 Adventure models at the silly reduced price of 8k here in the UK, I wonder why 🫣???
I refuse to support any bike brand that requires a $1500 payment to pay for a features on a bike that are already there but need a software upgrade…what’s next? A monthly subscription to get the ABS to function?? No thanks
Actually that is the long term goal- monthly sub. BMW already do it on some of their cars.
You and all the other whiners out there have this completely bass ackwards. It costs a ton of money to develop those features, and you get to play with them for free. That's a win, not a scam.
If it was set up the other way around you'd be whining that you have to pay for something you won't use. At least this way you have options.
@@clintbuhs7708 It is already payd for by the manufacturer, build into the motorcycle, but cannot be used by the driver…..Who wins ? NOBODY ! And the manufacturer just get a bad reputation.
Honda did the right ? Ehhh….still ? What about all the Honda recalls lately ? Sounds like people are buying into bad quality, or Honda release bikes before proper validation ?
@@scannorsesee there you go with backward thinking again. Many businesses, most in fact, build products in a speculative manner. That means they have to sell them to pay for them. Maybe get a little more life experience before saying ridiculous things like that.
I just couldn't own a KTM after our local dealer saying total brake failure and then all the oil leaving dad's 390 was normal. I immediately sold my 690 and could never buy a ktm or one of its siblings...
Let them go down, it's their own fault...
I hear ya! Cheers :D
Brake failure normal? Dude should probably be in jail for even saying that lol
But the 690 is the best bike in the whole KTM range for many years.I think you made a mistake. Best 1 cylinder these days!
Ever since KTM went to India things have gone to S*hit. I still love the older bikes, I have a 2006 990 superduke with 50000km.(I have ridden 32000 of those myself). Its been amazing. And still pumps out 128hp/109Nm on the dyno. I also have a 701 Vitpilen, because the LC4 is so know by now. It have had some small issues, but they are small fixed under warranty.
Also loved my 950SM and 990 Adventure R.
But I will not get a new one, probably never. The horror stories my mechanic have told me about the 790/890s are crazy. A bloody shame because the 890 SMT is everything I want from a bike, but the value of these bikes are about to go down, HARD.
A good analysis. When I heard of these KTM cam problems, I, too, thought of the early Honda V4s. I had a VF750F and VF1000 and lovely engines they were, too. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, they had inherent cam wear problems. There was a combination of problems causing this.
They ran forked rocker arms, which made it easy to get the wrong clearances, as the arm would tilt when adjusting individual valves.
The cam to bearing clearances were inconsistent due to manufacturing errors.
The cams themselves were not properly hardened.
There was insufficient oil pressure below about 3,500 rpm, which meant the cams lacked adequate lubrication.
Of course, as you observed, "it's an ill wind" because the upshot of all this was that Honda felt compelled to produce the excellent VFR750 to restore its reputation. I had one of those too - and it was superb!
Whether or not KTMs have an inherent design fault seems immaterial at this point, the main damage to their reputation has been done by their poor response to the problem and lacklustre customer service. I think it's going to take a lot more than a new model design to restore faith in the brand.
KTMs like - what's the problem?
Here, look at this sexy and super fast new 1490 adv ! KTM new models go brrrr every year new POS toy with close to zero r&d 😅
Not sufficient lubrication was biggest problem for Hondas V4
Cheers, sorry you had issues, such a shame with the VF, thanks for commenting 👍
Honda in the 70's & 80's had a string of models with camshaft/timing chain/tensioner problems. e.g. CX500/650 and the CB750/900 were famous for it. Difference is that Honda handled it well and although people remember it, it didn't permanently tarnish the brand name.
Triumph had a problem with the head on 1200 Explorer when it was first released and they issued a recall notice to get everything fixed. They did the right thing.
Stopped buying ktm/Husq competition bikes six years ago. Year on year, I could see the quality fading away, silly faults occurring, crazy parts prices, all while paying a premium purchase price for a boutique brand which no longer represents high end quality.
Local dealer, sold 14 of the 2021 KTM 890R's, same year I bought mine there.
He has sold a number of the 790's each year, and 890's quite a few every year up to today.
In that time one 790 needed a valve adj. His shop inspected many of the bikes, no bad cams, no others needed a valve adjustment done. Mine has 20,000 miles and runs perfect same as new. Cams are great.
The internet has blown this up to where ALL 790's and 890's are F'd. Its internet panic hype and bull$hit.
They dont all have problems.
The Japanese business mentality is completely different than the Austrian/ Chinese
This is one of the reasons that when my heart begs me to buy a KTM my head says nooooooo.
Yup. Their EXC's are awesome, but anything with more than one cylinder, don't do it! 'Ready to Repair'....
@@Motoeuro how abt the LC4 690 SMC R ?
@@Motoeuro Not true. The older LC8s were and are superb motors and bikes. Very reliable as well.
@@C_R_O_M________ Fair play, getting carried away now. Lets get back on topic with the LC8c, cheers :D
@@C_R_O_M________
That's right ... a friend owns a 950SM that now has about 100.000km on the clock with no major problems
Brilliant, and to the point.
I run an independent motorcycle dealership and underwrite trade ins for other dealers, and I can tell you I and many of my colleagues won't even take a ktm parallel twin in part exchange due to risk of expensive failure. This is driving the used market price down which is sad because the caveat is that the adventure r series bikes are some of the best to ride in the world.
Please KTM be responsible and re instill some brand faith.
Brilliant comment, thank you so much. Dealers cannot indemnify against such a huge risk of engine failure. No warranty would cover re-drilling oilways and replacing pumps. I love my 790, its a mental case, but would never buy KTM again. Such a shame. Once bitten…..
T7, transalph 750, klr650, Suzuki dre800 the Japanese dual sport/ adv jewels
Honda did the right thing. If KTM don't do the same, they will go under.
KTM are already going under, thanks to their parent company.
we don't need these down under )
they will not go under - dont be daft
Honda sorted the problem and came up with the bulletproof VFR
KTM is not doing anything because they can't afford to. Sales have tanked because the cams are just the last in a long list of problems. It all comes down toa poor engineering and poor testing. Basically, they are behaving like German auto manufacturers.
I was very close to buy a KTM890,at the end I choosed a T7 cause I ride off road and remote places and didnt want any suprises,cam problems where not known at the time.I feel vry lucky and also satisfied with my yamie
Bloke in the US has 170k miles on his T7 with no issues............it's on YT
buy Japanese has always bean the mantra to follow ...
Always had yamaha.but I do fancy a triumph
@@garysmith70I had a one problem with my Triumph and and they did sort it out quickly and efficiently. With Honda I don’t have a problem.
I've had a 2011 Tiger 800 since 2013. It's been all over Europe several times. Never has it missed a beat.
@@Rosbif06600 to be fair mine was a brand new model (675 Daytona in 2006), and it was an electric wiring alignment issue so I guess it may just have been a one-off. Whatever problems I’ve had with bikes or cars have always been with newly introduced models so I guess there’s a lesson to be learned there.
Mr bean?
Having had an 1190,1290,890 and about to get my second 890 I don’t know what all the fuss is about. They have acknowledged there is a problem and are resolving any issues under warranty. KTM aren’t going anywhere. The facebook group has 10,000 members but hardly any people on there suffering with an actual issue. I’d rather have a KTM with potential issues than a boring T7, Africa twin or V strom.
Funny how these bikes are so great but you already had to buy a second 890. Thank you for the comment, KTM intern.
Indeed my Honda NC750x is the most boring Bike in the world. However, I am riding by far more km than I did when I Had Cool Bikes.
Good luck then,you'll need it😂
“Boring” T7? Ha ha ha! I love my T7 and have a Norden 901, too.
Thanks for the video.
I have almost 15,000 miles on my Norden 901 Expedition and this has me concerned the last few months after knowingly taking a risk venturing away from my always trusty Hondas.
Appreciate the info and efforts.
Pray for me and my mighty Norden🙏🏽
🏍️💨
I feel your pain. Good luck and fingers crossed. Thank you for commenting 👍
I imagine that all the guys that dressed up 690's instead of getting a 790/890 are feeling pretty good about that decision right now.
Yes they only have to change rocker arms 😂
@@hass13ful and fuel pumps
@@gasdive and clutch slave but luckily all of those are fixed in 2019-2022
Jim over here in America. I recently bought a 2023 KTM 890 adventure S. The bike has 2800 miles on it, and I’ve had nothing but problems with the bike. Everything they say on RUclips is 100% true…. It is the poorest running, Unreliable bike on the market. I truly made a mistake buying this bike and I can’t wait to get rid of it and go back to the standard that stands the test of time the Japanese brand of motorcycles. I fully believe there should be a class action lawsuit against KTM in America, and overseas,,when my bike is running correctly, all bikers then I come across and want to know about the KTM brand motorcycles, I flat out tell them all do not buy this brand of motorcycles because more unlikely you’ll get burnt in the end!!
@@jameslee5428 Sad news Jim, I do agree class action worldwide is needed to show KTM they are not the ‘ready to race’ brand they claim. Good luck Jim, all the best from the UK 👍
I’ve been fortunate that I’ve only had a throttle body failure a few hard starts, and a turn signal glitch on my Norden 901 in 14,000 miles, but I’m always waiting for something to fail. My Tenere 700 has 27,000 miles and the thought of it breaking down doesn’t even cross my mind. No excuse in this day and age for widespread unreliability on a motorcycle. Very discouraging!!
I learnt my lesson many years ago with a KTM 990 SMT. Wouldn't have another KTM. Dealer support was poor and the bike was not robust. They market themselves as a brand to compete with the best from Europe and Japan but the quality simply isn't there. Dealer tried to tell me that a top end rebuild at 15k miles was entirely normal because it was a 'thoroughbred' that needed extra care.
Really? Absolute rubbish from KTM. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Yep had a 2011 model myself. Cheap enough to buy, given the spec. Absolutely brilliant to ride; probably the best riding bike I've ever owned. But, and it's a BIG BUT, horrendously expensive to service & repair.
I saw the writing on the wall quite early on and got rid of it, buying an early water cooled GS1200.
Long before this camshaft issue arose, I was doing my best to talk others out of their prospective KTM purchase...
990 with 15k miles necessity for top end rebuild sounds like an extremely rare case to me. My first 990 adventure was sold with 70K miles and no top end rebuild and I'm on my second one now with 25K miles and no such issues.
There are a lot of issues in numerous industries due to this profit over all else attitude.
Yes the core issue is this sick unbelievable greed that overtook world after 2020, especially from the rich and corporations, not from working people
Have owned two KTM over the last 6 years and apart from a couple of recalls with the 690 I have really enjoyed owning. Was looking at the 890 but won’t be buying anything from KTM after following how they treat their customers.
And the reason why I bought a Honda CRF1000 rather than a KTM 890
Crf or cbr 1000?
@@youtubehooked7170 Africa Twin...a little heavy on the trails, when picking it up, but more than capable
I own a tiger 900 with only 15k km (less than 10k miles) on it. Gearbox failed. Second gear started falling off. When they checked the gearbox they found that the pans also require replacement. 3 months my bike has been at the service. I'm buying Honda.
WTF??? Really??? Thats madness. Sorry to hear that, good luck with H, they're not perfect but a much safer bet! Thanks for the comment.
Good video and more balanced than others I've seen. Here's one non-disgruntled. yet (ex) KTM owner. Done in excess of 80.000 kilometers on two Austrian Oranges. None of which showed any sign of wear at time of trade. A 2019 1290 Super Adventure S first. At 60.000 kilometers the engine was thoroughly inspected. I also paid extra for an oil sample analysis.
No signs of any wear at all. Shortly after the service the starter clutch began to moan and whimper occasionally on start. It was replaced under warranty while the motorcycle was 3.5yrs old. My dealer warned me that KTM might not approve it, but they did. AFAIK the last of its generation, the 2020 model, supposedly have a modified/improved starter clutch. To those who still, after your video, would consider to buy a KTM, this is the one to be had (of its series).
I traded in the 1290SAS at 65000 kilometers. Decided to downscale ordered a new 2023 890 Adventure. At 25.000 kilometers it was checked thoroughly and again I paid extra because I wanted to be sure. No sign of any cam wear at all. None. The only issue I had with the 890 motorcycle in my ownership was one intermittent software issue (bike died while riding offroad). Cold boot, and it was back. The error never happened again.
The second was switchgear (on the front break side). One of the plastic screw fittings cracked. Honestly think I could get better switchgear on AliExpress. June 2024 I decided to trade it in, for practical reasons (wanted something more long distance touring friendly).
I've talked to several 890 owners and none have had any issues with theirs. Be it cam, camshaft or anything else. However, I am appalled by the arrogance of KTM. And how they treat customers as well as their trusted dealers. Who actually risk their own reputation by being KTM dealers, all while the factory gives a flying F about the damages of reputation and ecosystem.
Just needed to point this out. What might put me off vs a future Orange acquisition is the company attitude and how they treat customers and cases with excessive wear issues. Ready To Race should be exchanged with Ready To Serve as a slogan. Maybe then they can rebuild their reputation. Time will show.
Great comment thank you so much for this :D
Austrian prices with chinese build quality is the fastest recipe for bankruptcy i can think of
The frame of my KTM 690 Enduro broke while riding, I was lucky no being injured, but the bike was scrap. Of course KTM didn't want to help me at all, they didn't even ask if I'm ok. Bought a Tenere700 and will never go back to any brand owned by Pierer.
Right on 👍🏿🦄
Totally agree. Any ktm bigger than 500 is a lemon. I’ve got 33000 miles on my tenere 700. Never been to a mechanic
Pierer Immobility
Madness, KTM should have been right on this. Shameful.
@@TheFoxyt2the problems don't start at 500cc. The warranty for smaller bikes is equally useless.
We very much enjoy your content. This was a very solid point. No company can hide this kind of fault , pretending it was not a problem may just destroy what was left of an already questionable reputation. As a twenty year bike tech I could not agree more.
Cheers for the comment and for watching :D
Greedy board of directors and shareholders. They will pay!
We can hope. Thank you for the support.
they will not sadly (they will just walk away with millions) ...the employees on the other hand will feel it.
@@nawnaw4709 Sadly, yes.
Sadly they won't, like with Harley it's the workers that'll suffer the full brunt of this
Can’t blame shareholders, it’s all part of management’s responsibility’s .
I'm going to sell my Husqvarna Norden 901, because of that.
I've exchanged some emails with ktm/husqvarna representing company in Portugal, and I've received basically the same answer.
Great bike, bad customer service.
Can't wait to buy a Japanese bike again.😢
I hear ya, could do without the damn worry!
Loved the thumbnail. Look how good looking the VF750 still is. The KTM should be off anyone’s list because of its looks. The camshaft issues are just another reason
In the USA, at least a couple years ago, the KTM warranty didn't cover anything except the frame, engine, and swing arm. That told me that they didn't have any confidence that the electronics and everything else would last even a year.
What about Honda's failing cam chain tensioners though the 90's and early 2000's that Honda never acknowledged as a common problem ?
Not true, Honda has always addressed those items and made replacement parts available to dealers. It were the crummy dealers that didn't inform the customers because they didn't want to do the work involved.
@@dutchsailor6620 Got a link to substantiate your claim ? There were no callbacks or service upgrades, were there ?
I came to that conclusion a few years a go, with any of the euro brands you take a risk, shame but true
Having worked at a KTM dealer as a technician, I haven’t seen this failure. I’ve seen airbox failures but no camshaft failures. My theory is that their recommended service intervals is to blame. I recommend 3,000 mile services not 9,000miles. The 790/890s that were serviced at the dealer I worked at recommended as much.
My guess is that the service intervals had to do with EPA here in the US and the equivalent in Europe. It looks good on paper to reduce pollutants but in reality it screws the owner of the vehicle.
I had and I do mean had been looking at the KTM 890 but concluded I would end up with sleepless nights even if it didn't have the issue. So I'm heading back to Triumph or possibly Ducati.
Hope your bike is safe.
Cheers, get yourself a Trumpet, you'll be fine, cheers :D
Same here. Triumph 765 or the 2024 mt09sp for me
Good comparison w/Honda. I have a 2019 KTM 790R that experienced the camshaft issue and am now on my 2nd engine. There are competing theories on the cause of the LC8c engine cam wear problem, e.g., the camshaft followers [too narrow], the camshaft [too soft], and the oil delivery system. I put the odds at 80% on the oil delivery system. As such it would have been nice if you had described Honda's camshaft problem and what it did with its later models to address the problem.
Didn't want to make this a 30 minute video! Honda found the issue - The first thought was that the issue was heat related, but after further investigation the real problem was discovered - there was too much clearance in the camshaft bearings. Honda fixed this by changing all the camshafts with new components. Cheers
Strong words there my man. I have to agree, I've bought my last KTM, it's a 2018 1290 SAS and it's been pretty reliable.
In my opinion what has ruined KTM isn't buying multipul brand names, it's motogp. I mean why? They don't have a super sport bike.
I pitty those that have the effected motors and I'm dissapointed KTM aren't doing more to sort this out. How can it be small numbers affected when it's a batch machining issue?
Exactly. Thank you, great comment. Don’t get me started on MotoGP, I’ll literally blow a fuse! Cheers :D
How can? That's because u use rational thinking, that doesn't work for corporations like peirer.
They only understand numbers. $$$ numbers to be exact. All they see is - we admit issue - money go down. We pretend there's no issue and lie like mad? Maybe money no go down 😂
It's literally like showing banana to monkey
Thank you for stepping in. All the bigger RUclipsrs should be ashamed of themselves. They only jumped on the bandwagon, after the claim were undeniable.
All of the Japanese bikes I owned had one feature rhat I loved. Every time I pushed the start button it went varoom. Amazing!
Interesting comments on KTM reliability. I've just broken down 90 kms north of León Spain. Immobiliser has shxt itself mobilising the bike! It's now in KTM workshop in León, estimated repair time 4 weeks! Not only my trip (group leader) but 3 other riders trip ruined. Thankfully I had the bike serviced before leaving by my local KTM dealer which gave me a 12 month euro wide recovery service. "Ready to repair" about sums these bikes up!
Great vid as always
Christ! Best of luck to you all. Nightmare
I once worked on a 790 ADV where the clutch basket retaining nut came loose while the customer had taken it on a vacation trip he rode it with barely any clutch to speak of No damage had occurred thankfully I could also tell that the bike hadn't been worked on since the factory terrible workmanship
KTM has never ever been interested in their customers.
3:56 You forgot Husaberg whose name was unceremoniously dumped over night when PM/KTM bought the Husqvarna name.
Owners of Husaberg and the red and white Husqvarna bikes suddenly found themselves with no supply chain and no warranty or dealer network.
Not to mention the100s of employees from Husaberg, Husqvarna and Gas Gas who were shown the door upon these takeovers.
Shareholder figures are all that PM look for, so it is very amusing to me to see the big orange giant begin to fall 👌
It breaks my heart this.
I still love the older bikes, I have a 2006 990 superduke with 50000km.(I have ridden 32000 of those myself). Its been amazing. And still pumps out 128hp/109Nm on the dyno. I also have a 2018 701 Vitpilen, because the LC4 is so known by now. It had some issues, but they are small fixed under warranty.
Also loved my 950SM and 990 Adventure R.
But I will not get a new one, probably never. The horror stories my mechanic have told me about the 790/890s are crazy. A bloody shame because the 890 SMT is everything I want from a bike, but the value of these bikes are about to go down, HARD.
My 250TPI is a great bike! 7 years old, never missed a beat and is abused a lot.
Their dirt bikes are excellent.
While riding from the US to Chile I saw multiple KTM 690's have rocker arm failure while my 85,000 mile vstrom (now 125,000) kept chugging along. Later while riding it in Death Valley, a 1090 failed to start, later diagnosed with low compression at 11,000 miles due to the airbox not sealing. Lastly I towed a 990 out of the Alvord Desert with my vstrom as his fuel pump had failed. They've been making unreliable bikes for decades. I actually own a 2008 450XCF that I recently bought cheap because the top end had failed. After tearing it down I found the cause to be the CCT had allowed the timing chain to skip. The hydraulic CCT failed because he PLASTIC oil pumps failed (that are now discontinued). What a joke.
What very much concerned me with Charlie's situation was that his bike had been in for the valve check, yet nothing was found, yet only a couple Ks later (outside warranty) the bike went lame. This raises the obvious question about what dealers are really doing during the service. Are there no honest dealers out there?
Good and fair point thank you
A: For the same reason they dump cold oil from your bike , thus leaving half the sludge in the sump when they do so, They'll generally take 15 minutes doing the job and move on to the next bike.
From that 15 minute cold oil dump / oil change...., they'll still book out the whole hour to the customer, without spending the next 45 minutes doing other TLC things to the bike , as you would do when you change your own oil.
Think I will stay with my DRZ400e 🤔😁
Haha that wont work for everyone unfortunately but i hear you living the simple life has minimal risk.
@@billyarsenault1970 I am a simple man 🤣 👍🏻
@@jefftaswelder9154 yeah you are madman. ✌🏻
There’s a new fuel injection DRZ in the works (Suzuki applied for patents recently) ….maybe even a 6th gear….?!
I've had 3 black and orange toys,a 950,690 and now 790 they've all worked well, taking me all over Europe and the states, but customer service is absolutely shite. They cancelled my warranty because I changed my own oil, ( with OEM parts from a dealer). And this new buy a bike and then pay more for it all work scam (common in the car world I'm told, BMW are apparently considering it) means I probably won't buy another one, but.. It's such a good bike.
Thats so shocking, you love your bikes and would do a better job than the dealers! Cancelled warranty is truly a ba*tards trick. Just say no to KTM, they'll get the message in the bankruptcy courts. 😠
@@Motoeuro if KTM did go bankrupt, who is going to keep up the supply chain network for the spare parts for our KTM's ? .., ( it is guaranteed we'll all be needing those spare parts) 😖
@@Motoeuro Any other brand would do the same if you make an oil change by yourself. Thats normal when it is about warranty.
That can’t pull that crap in the USA-I change my own oil on all my bikes !
The Hemi V8 engine had a similar cam wearing issue that was many times larger than KTMs. Nothing was done by Mopar / Stellantis and their sales are even better today.
was the social media blowback as big as this?
Stellantis is about to go bankrupt. What are you talking about??
@@Jt-nu3em after the well documented Hemi tick / cam wear issue they consistently sell ~ 600,000 Ram trucks per year in the US. The issue is far larger than the KTM cam issue. I'm not supporting either. I have a Ram Hemi and a 790 Adventure
@@otlndsh probably not as there were no Facebook groups when it was happening. Mostly was discussed in forums
I had a VF750 Sabre in the early 90s (bought second hand of course), camshafts knackered on that, sounded just like the Vauxhall Astra and Cavalier 1.3/1.6 chocolate camshafts of the time as well :D
Later (much later - like 2017) I had a VFR RC36 750 with 52k miles, ran like a sewing machine, went like new........I now have a KTM 690 - as a second bike thankfully, but now I am scared.
@@PhantomMark not sure the 690 suffered this as it was the LC8c lump that has failed. Best of luck 👍
@Motoeuro they had some issues on the bearings on the end of the cams in the early 690s AFAIK, but the cam itself I think is OK, fingers tightly crossed for sure.
@@PhantomMark If it helps, I havent heard much about the 690, but very best of luck! Cheers :D
Suzuki’s 2 v-twin engines in the VStrom 650 and 1050 are probably among the strongest, most durable motorbike engines you can have. I had a KTM Freeride once, lovely off road but the reliability made me vow never to buy a KTM again…
Plus the Suzuki after sales service is vastly better. They'll recall bikes over minor things to make sure your experience isn't ruined by unexpected breakdowns. My 650 was recalled for a stator, though hardly any had gone bad and it wasn't really a safety issue. All free, and an oil change thrown in.
In Australia there are consumer protection laws enforced which cover even out of warranty products ; ie " not fit for purpose " .
My local KTM / Harley dealer no longer sells the former ( or spares ) for some reason
The expression " Tearing a new one " strangely comes to mind .
KTM will not get a hall pass here ...
I'm surprised that everyone is surprised. KTM has always refused to stand by their bikes during warranty.
I've seen a 3 week old EXC shit itself in spectacular fashion. KTM refused everything. In the end the shop that sold it did the work for free and the owner paid for parts, which at the time were about 10% of the value of the new bike.
Honda’s problem was the cam chain tensioners not so much the cams on VF750s ,
so they developed gear driven cams for the VFR750’s instead of cam chains.
Honda's Achilles heel from the 80's &90's (CX500/650)
I actually came on here looking for information on the KTM300 EXC-F
as a second bike. I'm so.. glad I did.
Reading comments and hearing what's been said I won't be buying a KTM after all!
Another Honda then👍
Looking at some comments, I thought it was the LC8c lump, but so many have had issues with their KTM's, never again for me! Thanks for watching :D
The cure for lusting after a new KTM was fixing a KTM 950 Adventure and a 450 EXC for a friend who had picked them up cheap. I did ground up rebuilds. Would NEVER own a KTM now. The Austrian bikes are what you'd get if a German tried to make a Japanese copy using British parts with Italian electrics.
What problems did you have because I have none (and I own a 990 and a 500 atm)?
@@C_R_O_M________ My 950 is also solid.
@@C_R_O_M________ water pumps (known issue), oil pumps (known issue), cam chain tensioners failures (known issue), radiator failures (known issue), stator failure (known issue), coil failure, control wiring issues due to cracked wiring (lots of them suffer it, in fact out of 3 complete looms I purchased from low km bikes, all of them had varying degrees of damage, and I basically cut and shut multiple looms into one function loom. Sub frame cracks (bought 3 and they were all cracked) it goes on and on, and frankly after dealing with owners who start the "I had one and it was perfect" I just can't be bothered. They were some of the shittest bikes I ever worked on. Ask my cousin with his $150K worth of newer KTMs. The cams in his top of the line Rally version factory spec 890 are eating themselves. $42K invested. Waste of time and money. If I was given one for free it'd be going straight to eBay.
This comes after the anti-friction coating / oil incompatibility issues, as well. Buy a KTM? No chance!
Right on buddy!!
I ride a Honda and drive a Toyota. Reliably should be first and foremost when purchasing anything imo.
Love your videos, especialy the kind of humor in it !
Till now after 14..000Km ( with 6 track day's) with my 2023 Duke 890R no problems with the camshaft (or any other problems) so did they solve it for the 2023 890R ?
Truly shocking from KTM. I was considering a KTM 790, or a Cfmoto. Not now, and probably never. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the end of Pierer Mobility.
I've decided not to pre-order and put down my deposit for an MV 921s with a Jan 2026 delivery. God knows what Pierer Mobility will have done internally at MV by that point. 😢
I never owned a KTM, 2 Hondas 1 yamaha and I'm a happy man. Thanks for the video.
I like to rent ktm for hard enduro , it is superb on terrain and very fun bike.
Currently for adventure, own old Tenere, and plan is next year continue for new T700.
Ktm only for rent.
Will follow your advice mate.
Japanese manufacturers make there's motors optimal HP from the size and you get reliability. KTM makes lots of power but :)))))
To be fair to KTM, you cannot expect them to pay for everyone to have there 790/890 engine checked just in case there is cam wear. ADV Charlie was experiencing no issues with his bike, he was going on a long trip and asked the dealer to check everything before he set off. At this point KTM should have stepped in and paid for the repair, silly them. What they should do is say they are now offering a 60/70/80 thousand mile (pick which you prefer) warranty on cam wear as long as the bike has been serviced by KTM, this would help their reputation a bit, and help secondhand residuals a bit. Instead they just keep denying there is a problem whilst saying they have fixed the problem. Not sure why you showed a CF Moto 450MT, my understanding is the engine in that is a CF Moto design nothing to do with KTM.
Hey David, thank you for such a good comment. Firstly KTM should have handled this very differently. I agree with you, a 18k check with valve clearances should include a camshaft check. But Charlie has not fixed the problem, replacement camshafts are not the issue, the oil ways and pumps should be inspected. It’s oil starvation that’s killing the cams. (Lots of reasons for that).
I love the CF Moto 450 MT, but my trust has failed with any company connect with KTM. I am on the receiving end of this, and it hurts.
@@Motoeuro I totally sympathise with everyone effected, I like the fact that you are using your YT voice to add to the overwhelming fact that the 790 and possibly the 890 engine has an inherent fault that KTM should fix, I might be wrong, but doesn't the Consumer Rights Act 2015 give 6 years to make a claim about satisfactory quality, you would hope a firm of Solicitors would jump at the chance to represent so many potential claimants. I love your KNT sticker by the way, you should sell them. I love my 450MT, someone has already done almost 14000 miles on one and another 10000km mainly off road with no issues, but only time will tell how reliable they are.
it would be interesting to know what the actual failure rate is, the internet makes it look like its every other bike. But in reality it might be something like 1/50 to 1/500 ? How common is this actually ?
I’ve heard of an Internet forum with over 9,000 affected riders and constantly growing.
That was roughly some 2 - 3 months ago.
@@davidz8 Hey David, again great comment thank you. I don’t know about consumer rights, and I bought my 790 used from another dealer so KTM are not interested at all. If I got it new from KTM they seem to pay more attention, but only a little.
Ha ha!!! So pleased someone noticed that sticker!!! Cheers!
I saw Luke’s video after 10k, very encouraging, I feel the MT is actually fantastic, but my woes with KTM just make me feel like avoiding anything to do with them! It’ll pass I guess….. Cheers!
I am so sorry to hear that. I am T7 owner. 3 years in row - just a pure joy. I tried 1290 Superadventure My ass was burning (hot summer day) but moreover I was shocked - just a small but visible oil leakage on the test machine. Statistics is cruel here. KTMs are really unreliable bikes.
Cheers for the credit. Much appreciated. And well done. And good luck with the bike
Pleasure, thanks for your in-depth look at this issue, cheers for being part of this madness! 👍
@@Motoeuro and you mate. And I know the coverage is good but I do wish 2 certain other channels I won’t mention were as gracious as you. One I expect no better from but I was disappointed in the other. I’m out at minute but remind me tomorrow and I’ll put a link up to your video 😊 together we are stronger 😊
@@barebonesmc so sorry to hear that, your contribution to this topic has been amazing and so informative. On behalf of all those worried and affected, we appreciate your work. We all must shame KTM, if just one person decides not to buy KTM I’m a little happier. Cheers 👍
@@Motoeuro I’m just good at digging 😊 and have been talking about PMG for longer than this. I do have serious concerns regarding MV long term too. PMG are just asset strippers imo. And not good for the industry. But bajaj I feel are the ones winning now.
@@barebonesmc wise words 👍
Just a note StateSide a year or too ago Honda pulled all their push mowers off the showrooms due to a camshaft issue...they seemed to handle it well...I just got a 300L and I expect good service from her and Honda. I never expected that from KTM to be honest and im not surprised by the way things went down. Sorry to hear riders are the ones holding the bill.
I would like to say - thankyou for having the guts to make this video. I know that you will have thought long and hard and if we ever meet I will buy you a pint. The Foggster
Cheers for that, very kind. Look forward to thant pint Foggster 😀 All the best!
It will be my pleasure. Be high speed and low drag brother !!!
From the guys on the kove stand at the abr the head was reworked in the USA so may not have the same problem only time will tell
well said, that's why I own only KTM dirt bikes which are actually very good. Wouldn't buy their AV bikes though.
KTM dirt bikes are actually excellent. Stick at what you’re good at. Cheers for watching :D
Those who wants reliable orange bike should buy 1290 bikes with legendary lc8 without any issues. Mine 1290 SA from 2015 year have already 100K km and camshaft are still in good conditions.
790 owner here, I got screwed. I contacted KTM when my cams went bad at 8k miles. They told me there was not a known problem. I fixed it on my own dime. Later the same year, 2024, they admitted to a problem, but would not reimburse me for the parts. I have receipts, pictures, and the old parts. The worst part is, the technical explanation they provide makes no sense to me, so I assume the valvetrain will fail again.
Take it further, legal or the Ombudsman
Would use of a lighter weight oil allow the oil to reach the cams providing sufficient lubricants?. I realize this could increase wear in other areas but maybe this extends the current lifespan of the motorcycle
I owned a vf750fd. Best sounding bike I've ever heard. The cam situation and the 16 inch front rim let it down a bit, but was otherwise an awesome bike.
Superb presentation of the KTM camahaft issue, well balanced and interesting video covering the corporate business aspects behind this fault.
Cheers for that, thanks for watching 👍
Had my old VF750 engine rebuilt under warranty. Beautiful afterwards.
I bought a brand new 2018 1090r, did 11700 miles up to 1st mot, it failed on the rear suspension & front discs, tried to talk to KTM to see if they could shed any light on it? All I got was it's out of warranty, I didn't want anything from them but i had not even took it off road?
Hi phillip, am interested what EXACTLY was the reason the front discs failed the MOT. they must tell you by law.The "minimum thickness"printed on the side of the disc has no basis in law.The disc must not flex(by hand movement) or cracked warped split big lip or loose.Thats it.
Also rear shock,no leaks and no freeplay with wheel moved up and down with the tyre in the air.Thats it.
All this is rather odd at 11700 miles ?cheers
The Ktm has filosophy of printing new bike every couple of Years instead of perfecting existing model. You had a video about the problems with aprilia but I cannot find it on the channel any more. Would be nice to hear Your opinion on reliability and build quality.
Few years? It's new model literally every year.
And people still buy into that crap.....
It's obvious you can't do proper rnd and develop new bike in such time
Agreed on buy Japanese, which is why I still have my Africa Twin I told you of a couple of years back that looks exactly like the one you had and it will still be mine for many years to hope God willing.
And it will. Cheers
I owned a gen KTM1290 SDR for 18 months. For the first 12 months it was a brilliant bike and I was very impressed. Then the electrical gremlins began, all random at first, some annoying, but, ultimately the refusal to start without reason. I didn't even bother with going back to KTM, with 2 of their more local dealerships going out of business, so, I p'ex'd for a Japanese bike.
I’m amazed how this issue has picked up pace. I can only see a lot of brand and customer loyalty damage for KTM unless they do the right thing and issue a recall.
Right now I see the KTM like an Alfa Romeo, I love the ability and design but would I really want to own one……naaaa….
4:19 That looks like there was no lubrication reaching the cams. If that’s the case (and I have no idea if it is) just a quick inspection should reveal the facts.
Either way, I’ve never been convinced by the KTM hype. And when I heard people saying that KTM stands for Keep Taking Money, I immediately understood that their bikes were for those who’re impressed by iconic brands whose status is perhaps not deserved.
KTM, yes I would get one, now with the faulty cams. If it is expensive, I don't think companies want to do a recall, especially if it is not immediately fatal. I have a Harley Davidson 2022 Pan America, it developed a stalling problem, turns out there was a loose magnet in the alternator. The dealer fitted the 2024 alternator upgrade kit under warranty, kit cost $4,000AUD. I have heard of others having the motor cut out, for no reason. The alternator was probably the fault causing the problem. I think it should be a recall and all 2021 to 2023 biked upgraded, this would be very expensive for Harley Davidson, which is why I assume they are not doing the recall.
65 and loving my 701. But, it’s my last KTM product. Makes me sick how they operate their business.
Keep
The
Money
Had a Vf400f back in the day and that had cam issues..... Still wouldn't deal with a company treating customers like KTM have.
We will see if Kove 800x pro have the same problem, engine is very similar but not the same, and also the intervals maintenance are less aggressive.
I hope. Thank you.
Maybe it was all sabotage by cfmoto 😂
One RUclipsr owns a CFMOTO CL700 with an engine that grenaded itself after over 10k miles. 4mths later CFMoto just replaced his engine per warranty, dealer was nice AF. Hold on to their words for quality, I am going for a Zontes 350R1 in that spirit. Their 310R and T before that had some quirky electronics that still carried over the new 350cc platform, yet they never turned down complains and suggestions to improve them.
I've had 28 bikes and all but two were Japanese, (one a BMW and a Ducati). I CONSIDERED a KTM 890 Duke R recently; now I'm sure glad I went in another direction. The ONLY Euro brand I MIGHT consider is Triumph.. but probably not.