If I “is it your fault“ you mean, “is it your fault that KTM sold me a bike with shitty cams that wrecked my engine, then lied to me about it, and then told me it wasn’t a warranty issue because I didn’t service the bike properly- I did - made me fix it on my own dime, then sell it at a loss, then admit three months later that it was their fucking problem all along“ Then the answer is yes. This is totally my fault.
I was a KTM fan and have owned many of them, but because of so many issues lately and their complete denial to help like the person above, I will never touch one again.
There's a huge difference between a RUclipsr test riding a bike for an hour or a week or even a month for FREE and an actual paying customer who has to weigh up the real world issues of build quality, reliability record, dealer network and depreciation. This is something these 'testers' have never seemed to fully grasp.
It also gets grating (Not Tim Rodie's channel) seeing youtubers treated to a paid for holiday where they get wined and dined then barely have anything critical or negative to say about the bikes they review. Just feels fake.
Firstly - I've owned a KTM for 2 years and reported on it. Bought it with my own money and as I said - it didn't go wrong. That said, my local KTM dealer has just shut down which shaked my confidence a bit. And I got stung by the depreciation! Secondly, @zodd67 - I agree. I see a lot of influencers spending as much time reviewing the 5* hotel as they do the bike. And the only content they produce from it is just slow-mo shows of them cornering... oh god now I sound like a grumpy old man
@@franklinsaltchuck2455 how many of them have been turned away though? KTM had tendency to blame riders for the bikes' faults for a long time, well before LC8c, it was just the last straw, IMO.
@@franklinsaltchuck2455 Simply not the case. The facebook group gathered over 10k members in less than 6 months. Obviously not all of them have had the issue but to say 3 issues on the entire east coast is either a lie or not many people ride KTMs there.
KTM killed themselves by not understanding that brand loyalty is important in the world of motorcycles and you aren't going to generate repeat custom by consistantly making half developed bikes out of chocolate. Ready to race... once
I think their reputation for reliability, charging people to activate things already on the bike, and their polarizing looks are keeping their sales down. Many simply hate orange. I wish they would break out of that mold and have more color options
I agree. For me KTM are a Marmite bike and no matter how good the bikes perform, I would never even consider buying one based on their looks and styling.
It’s never a good look when you start being in denial about some genuine warranty issues. Fixing genuine problems under warranty or at least as a gesture of good will goes a long way 👍
KTM brought this onto themselves. They spent money buying brands they didn't need, duplicating product offerings , and fielding high profile race teams that are/were redundant. All this on cheap financing and capital. They didn't bring in new customers or grow the market to support this spending and now have deep sixed themselves now that sales have declined and borrowing is no longer cheap. I explained to my wife , who knows nothing about morotcycles ,that KTM has three brands offering essentially the same line of offroad bikes, and three full factory MX/Supercross teams in America. You know what she said upon hearing this ? I quote " Why? That doesn't seem to make sense." Their products are good enough. Dodgy reliability , iffy styling and suspect practices when it come to features aren't the main drivers for their coming demise. As an example, people in North America still buy BMW's, Audi's , Mercedes and Tesla's by the boat load, despite the fact that these brands have a repuation of terrible longterm reliabilty. KTM just spent too much money on other things.
I ride a 2021 BMWR1250R and love the bike, still have it after 4 summers of riding. It was delivered to me brand new after a test ride. No hidden surprises. I did consider a Superduke, but things expense started to stack up, not that the BM is a cheap bike. Also read to many sob stories on RUclips about it reliability.
The exact reason I never bought an 890 when they came out. Having to pay for the extras already on the bike (didn't have to on the 790) and even my local dealer admitted the iffy reliability on the 790's. Kept my cash and went Japanese.
You wanted first hand experience - ok here goes. 2019 790 with 13000 miles - tft replaced twice - still kept misting up. Gearshift countershaft continually leaking oil. Brake reservoir countershaft leaking. Mechanics changing like the wind in our local KTM dealer - and stripping screws whilst in for a service. Top end getting very noisy so it was time to go. No support or backup from the dealer so I'll never have another one. Pity because it was the most exciting bike I've ever ridden.
They're too expensive new, too unreliable. Their customer service sucks so much. The customer is never put first and it always feels like you're being scammed with all the extra cost for having to unlock power and options that already exist on the bike. They need to understand that the customer should be their priority.
Notorious KTM RC390. Fuel tank leak, after 1 week, head gasket gone after 3 weeks. KTM refused to take the bike back or even get me a loaner. It took 3 weeks to fix. WP suspension collapse after 8 months, Again another 7 weeks for a repair, no loan. That was it. Luckily KTM finance agreed I could return it. I know loads of people who have had zero issues with KTMs but I think I know more people that have had multiple issues with theirs. I'd love a 1390 SDR but TBH the ownership experience scares the shit out of me :D Oh and an ECU bracket that broke during that time, not sure when, so my ECU was flapping about in the wind.....No one wants that.
BBS is gone ,Recaro gone, VW group on the brink, Jaguar not building cars, Japan losing 30% in there stockmarket, woke EU is destroying there own economy. EV and emissions standards as most of the the world has none.
@freecanadaplease. Wow , I’ve been saying for two years that VW is fucked ! (After owning an ID3 and subsequently closely investigating their finances) Yours is the first post I’ve seen that says the same thing ! Best wishes sir. I think you have delivered an accurate post there!
@Jim-hm7fb no innovation in offroad/adv bikes, 30 year old bikes. They use the automotive section to keep them afloat, which is failing. Emissions on motorcycles while everyone driving diesel cars. USA CIA has been using Japanese economy to launder money since WW2 but that's a whole other can of worms.
@maxflight777 when vw offers Golf R at 0% financing, you know there in trouble. Never got iD3 here, seen ID4 at dealer but not on the road. Fuel is cheap here, so SUV and trucks are most common.
The engine on my new 1290 SAS lasted 400 miles before the motor failed (gearbox) & was replaced under warranty. It doesn't take many claims like that to cancel the profit from dozens of other bikes manufactured. The rear shock started leaking just after the warranty expired (£400 for repair). The last straw was the keyless ignition intermittently not recognising the fob. I didn't fancy another KTM after that...I traded it in against a new MT10SP which has been problem free.
Nothing so bad as a new engine, but MT-10 ownership isn't perfect. I've had Cruise control issues, rectified with a recall. The coolant fixing on the front of the block is known to fail, mine did, cost several hundred to fix. The 3-4th gear change is notchy as hell both up and down shifting I started it once and the throttle didn't work, restarted and it worked, but then had to get the engine light reset at £30-40 The brake discs are warped. (only bike it's ever happened to me on) The wheel paint is as tough as tissue paper. maybe not so bad for 8 yrs of ownership, but I had an early model VTR1000F and had fewer problems on a bike many times its age
FYI, my friend had to wait almost 6 months for a small washer for his 790 engine, that had to be imported from Austria, for a part MADE IN INDIA, at a factory within 100kms from his home. A part that was missing from factory. That made his shift shaft go in and out. But he persevered. Because he loves the bike and it's truly special. But seriously, stuff like this hurts people and hurt people lash out
If KTM are to survive they need to offload all the additional brands that they have accumulated, concentrate on the better selling models, most grown men don’t want orange bikes or to pay extra to activate all the toys already fitted. Stop having BOGOF sales every winter and most importantly accept accountability and sort out problems. Look after your customers and they will keep returning 👍 nice one Mr Rodie.
I have owned 4 KTMs. A Superduke GT, a 1290 SAS, a 390 ADV and now 790 ADV. All excellent. Never had a single problem with any of them. Customer service at Springwood KTM in Queensland Australia is excellent.
Plenty of "My KTM was totally reliable" comments. Other brands get similar comments. What other brands don't get is thousands of comments about problems with their bikes and dealers. Any brand can manufacture the odd lemon. KTM seems to have planted an industrially scaled lemon orchard!
I have a 2020 790 Duke and initially I loved it. I always serviced it at a dealer that was very rarely less than £350 but after 1 year started to get the coolant leak and oil leaking from the head. I paid over £200. To get the coolant leak sorted with samco hoses but when I picked it up from it was still leaking. Asked them to look at it again at the next service, picked the bike up again and they said they didn’t have time to sort it out. 2 years later and I was planning on making sure they sort it at the valve clearance service but last week it just would not start so now I have to pay to get it transported for its service (haven’t checked the price yet) and I’m worried I will be left with a bill running into the thousands. Lot of owners have had the issue and been posting pics of their worn cams and the average bill to fix the problem was over £2k. I love the bike but would never buy KTM again.
A story we hard so often by now, a story which has simply tarnished KTM's reputation and eventually (and that were the true loss of the cash-stripped company comes in), the (betrayed) customer's TRUST - so sorry for all the employees made redunant on the back of (strategic) mistakes the Management made...
sad, I really wanted a KTM until I test rode a 1090 and broke down on the test ride, took that as an omen and had a feeling the reliability issues were true so bought a Tiger 900 instead
@@Ni3K In South Africa where I live KTMs are crazy money even used so the price difference between a lower milage 1090 and a 2021 Tiger 900 was not too much at all
Owned a 21 model year 125 duke. The most unreliable bike ever, engine blew twice and a slew of electric problems, brought it new and only managed to do 6k miles in 2 years. Bike was in garage for 5 months. Sold it after warranty expired
Let's not forget about the subscription feature gambit. Also, the Japanese big 4 aren't having financial problems because of reliability rumors. That's because they're actually reliable.
@@paulv22 remind me again how that’s a subscription? You aren’t subscribing to anything! It’s a one off payment for features that were never included in the original price. You get to trial them and if you like them you can purchase them. Some people don’t want all those features so they just pay the sticker price. It’s not that hard to grasp.
@@fearme46 so where is the module required for those features? Have you noticed the car market, where the base price of a car nowadays is the full feature price form a couple of years ago, but then you get to unlock all the premium features for just few kidneys more?
KTMs are an absolute riot to ride, anyone questioning that never tried one, period, end of story. However... there's a lot of other issues to consider. They charge a premium (yet some models are made India), aesthetics are very polarizing and share a very similar style language, the reliability reputation is undeniable, customer service when faced with issues is documented all over the Internet and well known, (oh, but I never had any problems - well, good for you, tons of people did and were left hanging) and for me personally, the "pay extra for something already installed" is grade A BS; it's like fucking micro-transactions in video games with the exception bikes don't cost 60 quid. KTM makes great bikes, but they need to get their shit together.
They were selling off bikes at the U.K. bike show at big discounts. £3K off if you ordered at the show, with every extra and delivered to your home. Clearing the stock at a discount isn’t a good sign. I hope that the new buyers get their bikes before 💥
The KTM LC8c parallel-twin camshaft complaints are well founded. KTM had to produce a replacement cylinderhead with a new oil way to remediate the oil starvation issue, along with new cams and wider cam followers. The models affected are 790 and 890s, as well as Husqvarna’s Norden 901, mostly up to 2020, but some later models have also suffered from camshaft failures.
Tim,im a few minutes in and i think its time we all acccepted that ktm's downfall is their woefull customer service!i had a used sdr,18months old from a dealer,sold to me with remaining warranty etc.i had an engine light come on en route to its service.the dealer fixed it under warranty,but informed me ktm had decided to remove my remaining warranty due to them saying it had missed its 1st service.even though it was on the ktm system as have being done.no way i was keeping a ktm with no warranty,just constant anxiety about it shitting itself and a huge bill to fix it. I now have a tiger 900 and its had a few 'teething' problems,but triumph have been spot on and fixed everything no quibble.we can accept bikes go wrong,but its how that is dealt with that keeps us buying the brand!love your vids though,and your honesty!
KTM went into the summer with over ambitious sales projections, made the stock to meet the projections but sales fell- major liquidity problem. They will have to liquidate their stock of these new bikes and this will destroy residuals for those who already have them.
A friend of mine swore by his 1290SAS and as I was coming off the back of 2 Multistrada's (1200&1260) I took the plunge on a change and went for a 1290SAS that was a nightmare from day 7. Constant warning messages and quickshfter failures, then it left me at the side of the road twice with electical issues so lasted a whole 8 weeks of ownership before moving back to a 1260S again and then finally a V4 Multi that has been flawless. What really grated was the dealer service, it was dreadfull from first call to eventually taking my bike back off them unfixed as I had zero trust. As for KTM, the markets will decide it's fate but the perceived reputation of the bikes is in no small part harming it's efforts to turnaround the sales figures. What this admin will allow it to do is shed workforce cheaper than it normally could oweing to the power of the unions in Austria hoping that will entice an investor in but with China now taking aim at the western motorbike industry I think KTM is heading the way of the Dodo unfortuntely or bought up by China where they already make the engines.
I’m very sad about this not just because I have a 690 Enduro, 890 Adventure and 701 Husky Enduro. I do have camshaft issues on the 890 but I’m told are within tolerance (they would say that etc) and a starting problem put down to chemicals in the new tank (replaced under warranty) which has affected the injectors. Net result: it’s been laid up since July and still not back. I missed a firm sale offer due to this so,less than chuffed all round. Their woes are self inflicted by farming our to their parters/competitors in China. Not the only ones of course. They need to focus on reliability and customer service now to bring back the disaffected. Maybe a shares issue?
As a bystander, I have no horse in this race. I never owned a KTM , although I briefly considered one two years ago. But I pay attention to the industry and it seems to me that attributing KTM's current state mostly to overheated internet hysteria is a tad reductive. It's seems the brand had several issues bubbling from well before the camshaft scandal really snowballed. And how they initially handled that problem--or didn't--might have been an indication that all was not rosy financially for quite some time.
RUclips has become very toxic of late. Really have to carefully pick & choose who i wish to watch for good ‘ol entertainment! I sincerely hope KTM survive. I have owned a 690 Duke & 890 Duke R & both had no issues, apart from making me laugh every time i rode them. If you ever are feeling your are losing your mojo, ride a KTM ! 🍊🧡 ( but more colour options would be welcome).
Same, I've had 2 1290's and a 690 over 6 years, never even had so much as a drop of oil leak. Know multiple people that have had KTM's, never an issue. Obviously the bikes with issues are the vast minority, but their owners are, logically, the most vocal. Most other bikes just feel so boring compared to the KTM's I hope they survive and come back better.
In the last 11 years, 2x 1190 ADV, 1x 1290 ADV, 1x SDR, 2x GT, over 120k miles, 2 fork seals, 1 centre stand spring, 1 cam cover gasket and the odd spurious warning light (on-off cures). You only hear the bad, all manafacturers have recalls etc.
IMO KTM has been trying to charge Ducati/BMW prices with Chinese build quality, Aprilia dealer network, and Kawasaki looks. I appreciate their aggressiveness trying to build market share with expanded product lines and acquiring brands. The motorcycling world is better with KTM around, but I worry the fallout of this may be GasGas/Husky/MV go the way of Husaberg into oblivion. The optional charges to unlock existing electronics crap on the bike is infuriating (also BMW). The parallel twins have been a disaster for their reputation, and knowing much of their stuff is now made in Asia (as is many brands) does not help with their "cachet"
I’m on my third KTM. Still riding my 2005 Super Duke 990, had a 2016 SMC-R that I traded in for the 1290 SAS in 2022. On the Super Duke the slave cylinder of the clutch failed me when she was out of warranty for quiet some time. No problems with the Supermoto. I had a warped disc on the front of the SAS, KTM changed two discs and the brake pads under warranty. I paid one disc, because she had already 20000km on the clock. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one. They do produce really special bikes, but they are not to everyone’s taste.
My 2019 1290 SAS had a few warranty issues that had me a little worried keeping it out of warranty. However, the dealer and KTM were great, so I bought a 2021 Duke 890 R. Only issues in 14k miles were thermostat housing leak and cam cover leak. I just took care of them myself as they were cheap and easy fixes. I still have the bike, and the cams looked great at 9k miles. I would not hesitate to buy a KTM or any other brand of modern bike despite what the internet commenters think.
I do hope that KTM do survive. As a 890 Duke R owner I can report that my bike has been problem free, it's got 12000 miles on it and is a hoot to ride. I gave a friend a go on it a few months go, and within days he bought one for himself. Regardless of whether the brand pulls through, they still have amazing bikes. Just buy the bike, ride and enjoy. Probably a few bargains to be had soon, but I'll be keeping mine thanks!
@@rogerelwynjones1366 I'm not saying it's good (or bad). I'm stating that I have had no reliability problems with the bike. I'm hoping for many more problem free miles. 👍
I think the entire motorcycle industry it’s all disconnected their pricing is way off adding tech that nobody ask for and jacking up prices a 20k usd bike is outrageous you can buy a car with that money. I think they need to start making sensible bike I don’t wheelie bikes why I am paying for wheeling control something Ill never use ridiculous.
I totally agree with your statement. I don't want and never asked for all this electronic gimmicky shit and my older bikes ride perfectly well without them and less to go wrong.
Bajal, Indian manufacturer owns 49.9% of Pierer Group. I would bet they end up owning the brand, design and development in Austria and manufacture India and or China.
Poor quality and availability of parts and high prices - this is the problem. When it comes to Japanese motorcycles, even 20 years old can be easily repaired due to the availability of parts. When it comes to KTM, there is a problem with several year old motorcycles. I hope that KTM will think about it and will not make similar mistakes in the future because they can make great motorcycles.
partially thanks to old Tim here , I went and bought an 890 duke r without so much as a test ride..it's awesome and if it breaks ( which it hasn't yet) I'll fix it..
Its there reliabilty issues. i have had 2 issues with them and two superduke R'S which i ended up having to refuse and send back to get refunds with terrible electrical issues and there pure greed with the tech packs to unlock items already on the bikes.
As an ex-KTM owner and current Husqvarna 501 owner they did this to themselves. Yes, they make exciting bikes. Their problem has been the fact that the buy-in is expensive but the company and dealerships have horrible customer service. It’s like we should be ecstatic that we were allowed to shell out the money to own their eccentricities. I’ll give you a for instance, my 890 Adventure’s dash went completely black on a ride shortly after buying it. The dash came back on after filling it with fuel at the station. The bike kept running which was a positive. I went in to the dealership and told the guy I bought the bike from and the service department and the first words out of the guy’s mouth was “Did you buy the extended warranty?” My reply was that he wasn’t giving me confidence in their product and that the 2-year warranty should take care of the issue. I put 11,000 miles on it in 10 months. Took it to my local shop and had the 11k service done and specified that I wanted the cam situation checked out. Checked out good and I sold it. Would ai buy another KTM? I love my T7, so I doubt that I’ll be tempted unless it would be to trade the 501 for a 690. I don’t see that happening though.
I have had a few KTM's and no issues at all, but the trickle of customers reporting issues does start to have an affect. For me they seemed to update models too quickly and not allowing them to 'mature' and iron out any problems. What next? Maybe they will go bust and CFMoto take over the brand name. or they will dump the non core brands and concentrate on a few high end bikes. Remember when Honda had the same chocolate cam issue with the V4? Can happen to the best, but Honda dealt with it by creating the VFR750, an over engineered cam driven piece of art which rumours say was sold at a loss.. KTM dragged their feet for ages before taken action.
There's a KTM dealer in Croydon: InMoto on St James's Road. Anyone making a 125cc bike that does less than 90mpg is churning out bikes destined for the warehouse. You can get 400-450cc bikes (not from KTM) that do that much. People buy 125s as learners, city commuters and deliveroo riders, not as toys.
Ah yes I forgot about InMoto! I test rode an 1190 Adv from there years ago when I lived near Wimbledon. Oddly, leaving a KTM outside in Croydon felt like a very risky move at the time 😂
@@timrodierides That shop is round the corner from where I used to live, and it was always quite a safe area. They also sell Ducati and Aprilia bikes there. Croydon's town centre is definitely very rundown (thanks to online shopping becoming popular just after the over-expansion of retail space) but the area's reputation for crime is exaggerated.
I don't see many of them on the road, although I'm not really looking out for them as I don't like how they look. The reviews are always good, and they seem like great bikes, but the colours and design choices are limiting their sales in my opinion
Pointy, orange, mega-bucks. That last aspect most of all is a tough thing to be in the mid-2020’s. The cam thing didn’t help, but surely not the cause of this latest sad news.
The thing is most people only comment on negatives. Yes there are some lemons but look at ALL automotive manufacturers they all at some point build a troublesome bike or car. I own 2 KTM bikes. 1290 SDR and 690 SMCR with no issues apart from the switch cube on the 1290 crap itself when it got wet. Swapped out for an upgraded part and all has been good. Speaking to the tech at my local dealer about the cam issue and he’s not seen many. Plenty of quite rightly worried customers wanting their bikes checked but few and far between have been bad. I don’t believe they will go bust. Plenty of Indian and Chinese money to carry them.
I had a ktm and it was truly atrocious, the dealer was atrocious and it put me off for life . Shame as I’d say ktm are my favourite bikes , a genuine specialness about them . Liked the superbike factory quip about prepping. I took a chance with them a month ago and bike turned up running on one cylinder!
No sympathy. Bike parked in two wheels motorcycles in Dublin for 8 weeks after engine went on fire. Waiting for a wiring loom and to be told by Darren Cahill that it never went on fire and was never any problem with it. Service manager and the service guys ran me around for weeks. Got no satisifaion from Two wheels or KTM. Customer care from two wheels and KTM was deplorable and was told to remove the bike or they were going to charge me 30 euro a day for storage. Stay away from two wheels and KTM..😡😡
I am not surprised to be honest. I live in Bavaria, just newly acquired my license and would like to buy a "local" bike. But then I read a lot about there camshaft issues and how (bad) they and their dealers dealt with it. Then I think most of their bikes look awful - the "cheapest" one I find ok lookswise is the new RC 990, but this will be way to expensive for me as a first bike. In combination this is just not attractive and I would not consider one. I guess many people will think similarly. I think their optics mainly cater to very young people, while most of their motorbikes are way too expensive for young people. Not an understandable strategy.
Yes I agree, whoever designed those headlights should be held personally responsible for KTM going bust, I hired an 890 and apart from the engine sounding like a bucket of bolts, I could only bring myself to look at it from the rear.
@@silverdale3207 Problem is, with this new headlight design from the 990, that now trickles down to the other models it only got worse. No idea what they are smoking
@ I used to feel like that about the looks on the Katana when it came out in the early 80’s. I now own one and think it looks cool. I think my SDGT looks like it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. I don’t have to look at it while riding😉 Most of the young women I know think it looks cool. Its looks are slowly starting to appeal to me. The chassis and engine are phenomenal. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad🤣
KTM could convert the camshaft issue to positive vibe, by openly accepting and correcting it, like Aprilia did with the first 660. They will survive though. Can't wait to get a KTM.
Is it my fault I didn't buy expensive hideous bikes in terrible colours that have a reputation for unreliability? Tough one. The only manufacturer in MotoGP that doesn't make a sportsbike because the company thinks we can't be trusted with them. Into the bin KTM.
I have a 2019 1290 SAS and it is brilliant. I intend to keep it for many years ( I am 70 now) and if they go bust I think it will be worth a fortune when my heirs come to sell it.
An interesting take Tim, thanks for that. I’m one of those KTM owners who never really had a problem with my bike. 2019 790 Adventure covered 25k miles with no issues, took me fully loaded on a 10 day trip to Poland in mostly foul autumn weather. Maybe the ageing biker population, and I include myself if that, aren’t actually ready to race? Add to that the reliability reputation, deserved or not and the multi brand madness and it’s clear something needs to happen. I looked at a 790 duke a few weeks ago at my local dealer which I could have grabbed for under £6.5k brand new. I may go back in a few weeks given the news…and hope they have some non orange ones in stock!
You're not old! Just broken. Well, less broken now. Good point about the ready to race thing. I wonder what the GS marketing tagline should be… ready to flipfront?
I have test ridden a couple of KTM's and enjoyed them but didn't buy mainly because I knew if I waited the price would drop, and then while waiting I bought something else. In terms of reliability, they are not alone, BMW have their own Friday afternoon bikes and I sent £20k on one (1250RT), and then my Honda Goldwing at £25k rusted like a 1970's Fiat and Honda could not have cared less. With the price of bikes rising, and lots of tech that actually doesn't do much (hill hold?) and poor reliability across the brands, it is hard to justify handing over £25k for a bike that could easily fail. My answer was to buy a good used BMW GSA1250, 4 years old with 5k miles, 2 year BMW warranty, serviced and MOT's, for £13k. Personally I wouldn't buy any new bike again, the risk is too high and manufacturers don't really want to know. I am be a loner but if there are a few other people like me sales of new bikes will fall dramatically.
Haha I realise this video has brought in lots of new viewers! I owned a KTM 1290 SAS a few years back. I currently have an MT10 SP. I’m a car and bike journalist who reviews things with wheels - I just happened to be on the new BMW GSA when filming this… apt I know 😂
I have had 2 new KTM's. Both were a disaster. 1st one cut out all the time randomly. Went in to the dealer several times with no fix available. So that had to go. Couple years later they brought out a facelifted model. So I thought I'll give them a second chance. Bought it. After 500 miles the clutch went. At 700 miles the oil light came on and left me stranded for hours. Turned out to be a software issue! So that one had to go too. After that I have always said I will never buy KTM again. From what I've heard first hand and not the internet is, the bikes do have reliability issues.
Reputations take years to build and moments to lose. Reliability has been …..questionable at best and that puts customers off. I would never buy one no matter how much they are promoted by RUclipsrs (that rarely if ever own them).
Had a high end KTM recently from the main dealer in Northern Ireland. After sales service was the worst Ive ever experienced. Often 2 month backlog for service, weeks wait for recall , not preordering parts, etc. Couldnt wait to get rid of it. Never again.
I’ve owned 14 KTM’s over many years, and admittedly I’m a glutton for punishment, because 8 of them have had problems that required multiple trips back to the dealer, calls and emails to the US importer, and not all of the problems reconciled, forcing me to pan them off on some other poor sucker when the warranty was up. Thankfully I got rid of my 890 Adventure just before the camshaft issue exploded because now none of my local dealerships will take one in on trade….including the KTM dealer 😳 because their resale value is 💩. If KTM is able to “restructure” I hope it’s with a new focus on quality control and customer satisfaction. That said, of the two bikes sitting in my garage right now, one of them is a KTM. (The very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results…….guilty 🤪.)
It sure isn't the consumer's fault. Pierer bunged up hard purchasing too many companies. Combine that with shoddy quality, shady moves like paywalling features, and pricing their models super high, they had it coming.
For me it's the price of bikes now - I don't think it is just a KTM issue - I love KTM bikes.The issue is the insane prices for road bikes now, 18k+ for a decent spec bike is silly money to me. Roads and insurance costs are another factor. I ditched all my bikes this year as the cost per ride was stupid when you put everything together and work out how many times you use it - Just couldn't justify it.
Residual value is not there because no one who rides a motorcycle has any confidence in a KTM motorcycle that has no warranty left on it...I did own a KTM 1290 Superduke R, and yes it broke down after having it for 500 miles, I had to get the bike picked up as it failed at work. The warranty was out by three days and the dealer luckily picked the bike up and gave my money back as I lost all confidence in its reliability. This is the reason there going to go bust as so many people have lost faith in them, so they have bought other brands instead, and their customer service is shocking etc
Not allowed to fail. Too many great things coming, need that 1390 gt/smt/r, rc990r, 990smt. Still bleeeing a mix of orange and whatever-aprilia-color-is on my v4 pikes peak. KTM chocolate cams people just do it for the memes and to be annoying, most of them likely don't own a ktm or even ride.
@@timrodierides same as the last time, running out of ground clearance after newfound confidence and capability from 200/60 rear which puts more weight on the front and makes it less twitchy. I barely rode it this year after injuring my abs.
I do hope they survive they are big enough. Another reason why sales are bad is KTM’s in my opinion are a marmite bike, love them or don’t like them. My issue is they are mostly orange not everyone wants orange. Each of their bikes look the same too! If they only went down the road of different genres of bikes like example Triumph. Yes they have touring and super nakeds etc but they all look the same. The camshaft issues hasn’t helped either. The pricing also! Any way hope things get sorted
I test rode a KTM super adventure, new with 10 miles on it and shat down in the middle of the highway. scarry moment for me, almost shit my pants there. The dealership sent recovery and I turned my back to KTM and by the look of it I dodged a bigger bullet.
1290 Superduke gt 2020 model, it’s been the most fun and capable bike I’ve had for years, touring with a bottomless tank range, comfort and power, a track day demon and I’ve never had any issues apart from some spurious warning lights that seemed to sort themselves out after a stop or switch off/on again! Hopefully that hasn’t jinxed it
I've only ridden a friend's 1190 Super Adventure - stocking machine - totally mad! Great fun though. By the way, on the BMW, after activating hill hold control, you can press the brake (foot or lever) again to release it, or drive away on the throttle to release it. I find that using the throttle is slightly jerky whereas the brake release method is lovely and smooth.
And Yes social media blows these things out of proportion. People repeat comments they read on other videos even though they know nothing about the bikes. I still think they should re-think their relationship with CFmoto which will just steal their tech.
KTM are reaping what they have sowed. They sold products not fit for purpose then didn’t support the customers who had bought their flawed products. Any company that doesn’t treat their customers well don’t deserve to do well.
They sell a lot of KTM 390 back here in India. But with the new gen it has take a hit here as well. I own a 2nd gen 390 and this is a very good bike. Hope they will recover. They have also started in bringing big bikes here in India. But they are CBU units and are very expensive compared to global market.
My son bought a pre CF moto 790 Duke, nothing but trouble since the day he picked it up,the last straw was picking it up from the dealer after another warranty fix,a 100 yards down the road noticing they'd cracked the tft. He went back and they said he couldn't prove they'd done it! He part ex'd it soon after,now he'd never buy another KTM,I wouldn't and hopefully anyone he told wouldn't either. Shit reliability, terrible customer service and don't start me off about the oil feed /camshaft,debacle. They also love to bend customers over for a software update too while other manufacturers don't. They made their bed, now they get to lie in it.
The one fact that baffles me is why they bought MV Agusta if they had a cash flow issue? Not sure how much it cost but it would possibly close to the financial bailout they’re looking for now. I hope they don’t go under but they clearly need to change tack in a big way.
I’ve owned my SD GT for 4 years, taken it on 3 tours and it’s been absolutely phenomenal. I’m hoping to buy an SAS next week. Fingers crossed they will keep going a bit longer
My 15 KTM 1190 adventure r was great ,44000 miles no issues when I sold it. Bought the 19 1290 super adventure s ,still have today , 27000 miles on her no issues. Change the oil , did the maintenance schedule. Just drained and refilled both brakes reservoirs . On my 2 pair of brake pads. Had one recall and all it was was a software update . Great bike hauls ass .
So, as someone who just bought an MT09 SP new, and could have chosen a 990 Duke, loves the weird KTM look, and used to have a 390 Duke in Singapore.... I avoided the 990 mainly because it was more expensive and because of the pay-to-unlock-features payment model. The Yamaha was just much better value. Plus I really like the people at Yamaha in Warsaw and I don't really like the guys at KTM, although that's obviously a personal issue rather than a wider point. I hope they survive, though. The motorbike world is better for their existence.
I own three KTM's. All three are of the LC8 variety. One 990 , and two a1290s. I have had zero issues, even though I drive very hard. All of my KTM have a minimum of 20,000 miles. I do all of my own work, Oil changes, valve adjustments and filter changes, etc. They have been as reliable as my 1994 Honda XR650L, practically bullet proof. I'm looking forward to getting a new 1390!
I loved my Duke 890. Sure It had a few foibles that’s were mostly covered under warranty - clutch switch, oil leaks, warped brake discs (£600!). But soon forgotten as its was a sensory punch in the chops when ridden like a knob. I went all sensible and purchased a GS but weirdly am looking at purchasing a 790 or a 690 for back road honing. Come on fingers crossed 🤞 they get through this. The biking world will be a poorer place if they don’t sort this.
I owned, in order: a 1290GT, a 1290SD and a 1290 SAS. The GT ate its starter motor sprag clutch, and was plagued by electronic gremlins. The SD was perfect - BUT I fitted a healtech exhaust flapper valve eliminator. The SAS had the occasional electrical gremlin and ate its rear shock after 13000 km. Were they an absolute hoot to ride? Yes. Would I buy another one? No. The CEO needs to go into the room of mirrors to find the problem....
Having had three trouble free KTMs before, I was going to buy a new ‘23 model 1290SAS for a great price last month and the dealer warned me not to. Says something about confidence in the brand to me. I’m just happy to have an honest dealer and not someone wanting to flog off old stock. Yes, I bought another brand from the same dealer.
Interesting. Many years ago I test rode a 950 SM and fell in love. A brilliant device. Found used low miles one for decent money in a big dealership. The salesman actually advised me to walk away because KTMs were such a nightmare they were actively trying to dump them to make their lives easier due to mountains of warranty work. Took his advice and walked away. Similar attitude from Aprilia dealer around sahe time; bike broke down on test ride - 1/2 day wasted - dealer casually said 'yeah the ride-by-wire packs up everytime!' Beautiful soulful bike instantly off the list. Different attitudes from different dealers. Former still going - latter long since defunct. If the bikes aren't good and neither are the dealers the brand us doomed.....QED
They've grown too fast whilst not employing Toyota-like manufacturing quality control. I imagine the rate of failure is the same as it was back in 2010, but they are mass producing bikes that get used as every day as commuters such as 890adv rather than toys that never saw rain like their old pre-insectoid Dukes and Super Adventures, or off road bikes that get top end rebuild every few thousand miles. Should have stuck to their base as a premium brand
I for one would hate to see KTM go under, it would be a huge loss for both the motorcycle industry and bikers alike , personally I'm confident KTM will bounce back and will put their current financial woes behind them , as for the bikes themselves , I've owned KTM's since the early 90's and have never had any reliability issues with them, would I buy one now , absolutely , if I can get a good deal on a 1290 Super Adventure R then it may well be my next bike.
In USA, AUS and NZ, KTM sell thousands of off road bikes. Road bikes are a rarity.... you speak from a Uk perspective. I hope KTM will survive. I have a 1290SAS and love it. Hope they do well. They deserve it.
Yah, I mean it's complicated. The CEO is one of the richest Austrians (was top 10 last year), has lots of different companies (electric bicycles), and yes, I am not that worried that KTM will vanish in the near future. Our local newspapers write that KTM workers wont get their last 2 monthly payments, or atleast not from KTM, but from the state. Either way, it's a shit situation for a lot of people.
I have owned at least a dozen KTMs, all new. To be fair, most have been terrific, and outstanding performers, but 3 had QC problems. One of those was pretty severe, a 890 ADV-R with a failed cam chain tensioner and no replacements available. Had to trade it off to a sympathetic dealer for a significant loss.
I loved my 890R, but had I known the steering damper was useless out of the factory - it would still be here; alas it was written off after an immediate and violent tank slapper. My bike was one owner from new with less than 2k on the clock, but i was blown away by just how much corrosion there was! Fork stanchions were putted and had rust spots. The paint on the water pump was coming off, pretty much in one chunk. As was the paint on the underside of the engine near the lowest part of the exhaust... exhaust header bolts were a rotten mess, the swingarm had spots of paint missing... Such a shame, as to ride it was a riot - especially with the end cam/decat pipe! But the cam rattle was getting worse and worse, and it developed an odd surge when shifting up with the QS
I think customers would be very wise to hold off from buying any new "expensive" bike at the moment and that includes the "laughably ugly GSA". Maybe a bubble is about to burst, prices have been creeping up, if buying on a PCP prices are even higher, in the UK many dealerships are closing, if one part of the industry get a cold, everything else sneezes.
the comments online have amplified the problem with a small amount of bikes, I trust my KTM dealer when he said that sees hundreds of 890s and 790s and only ever seen one problem, a few individuals online can cause a lot of noise, and I doubt that some of them even owned an 790/890.
had a 1290 SDR, SAS and GT. Other than the occasional error message that came up, which went with just switch on/off, they were all super reliable and full of character.
No, I don't think the internet trolls killed it, KTM made mistakes, and the current economic climate doesn't allow for a series of mistakes. I have owned several bikes from just about all the major manufacturers and have always had a lingering KTM itch, which I am not keen on scratching anymore because of too many first-hand reports of issues in the biking world. The uncertainty of their future will deter more buyers because of resale value - and parts availability concerns. The snowball is getting bigger and picking up speed.
If I “is it your fault“ you mean, “is it your fault that KTM sold me a bike with shitty cams that wrecked my engine, then lied to me about it, and then told me it wasn’t a warranty issue because I didn’t service the bike properly- I did - made me fix it on my own dime, then sell it at a loss, then admit three months later that it was their fucking problem all along“ Then the answer is yes. This is totally my fault.
Strong argument!
Did they end up compensating you? that's awful
I was a KTM fan and have owned many of them, but because of so many issues lately and their complete denial to help like the person above, I will never touch one again.
You were not listening to the video he was talking about people who experienced the cam problems but the internet troll ktm haters
@@seanfarley8382 I don't care. I'm stating my opinion and experiences.
There's a huge difference between a RUclipsr test riding a bike for an hour or a week or even a month for FREE and an actual paying customer who has to weigh up the real world issues of build quality, reliability record, dealer network and depreciation.
This is something these 'testers' have never seemed to fully grasp.
Exactly
100% right. Most of these bike vloggers have no idea
@@T3-RIDER I think they do but paying the rent is far more important.
It also gets grating (Not Tim Rodie's channel) seeing youtubers treated to a paid for holiday where they get wined and dined then barely have anything critical or negative to say about the bikes they review. Just feels fake.
Firstly - I've owned a KTM for 2 years and reported on it. Bought it with my own money and as I said - it didn't go wrong. That said, my local KTM dealer has just shut down which shaked my confidence a bit. And I got stung by the depreciation! Secondly, @zodd67 - I agree. I see a lot of influencers spending as much time reviewing the 5* hotel as they do the bike. And the only content they produce from it is just slow-mo shows of them cornering... oh god now I sound like a grumpy old man
Once your reputation is shot it’s the end. The whole camshaft issue and lack of acknowledgement haven’t helped .
The camshaft issue is overblown (pun intended). There have been only 3 issues reported on the entire East Coast of The USA.
@@franklinsaltchuck2455 how many of them have been turned away though? KTM had tendency to blame riders for the bikes' faults for a long time, well before LC8c, it was just the last straw, IMO.
@@franklinsaltchuck2455 Simply not the case. The facebook group gathered over 10k members in less than 6 months. Obviously not all of them have had the issue but to say 3 issues on the entire east coast is either a lie or not many people ride KTMs there.
KTM killed themselves by not understanding that brand loyalty is important in the world of motorcycles and you aren't going to generate repeat custom by consistantly making half developed bikes out of chocolate. Ready to race... once
I think their reputation for reliability, charging people to activate things already on the bike, and their polarizing looks are keeping their sales down. Many simply hate orange. I wish they would break out of that mold and have more color options
I agree. For me KTM are a Marmite bike and no matter how good the bikes perform, I would never even consider buying one based on their looks and styling.
It’s never a good look when you start being in denial about some genuine warranty issues. Fixing genuine problems under warranty or at least as a gesture of good will goes a long way 👍
KTM brought this onto themselves. They spent money buying brands they didn't need, duplicating product offerings , and fielding high profile race teams that are/were redundant. All this on cheap financing and capital. They didn't bring in new customers or grow the market to support this spending and now have deep sixed themselves now that sales have declined and borrowing is no longer cheap.
I explained to my wife , who knows nothing about morotcycles ,that KTM has three brands offering essentially the same line of offroad bikes, and three full factory MX/Supercross teams in America. You know what she said upon hearing this ? I quote " Why? That doesn't seem to make sense."
Their products are good enough. Dodgy reliability , iffy styling and suspect practices when it come to features aren't the main drivers for their coming demise. As an example, people in North America still buy BMW's, Audi's , Mercedes and Tesla's by the boat load, despite the fact that these brands have a repuation of terrible longterm reliabilty. KTM just spent too much money on other things.
I ride a 2021 BMWR1250R and love the bike, still have it after 4 summers of riding. It was delivered to me brand new after a test ride. No hidden surprises. I did consider a Superduke, but things expense started to stack up, not that the BM is a cheap bike. Also read to many sob stories on RUclips about it reliability.
The exact reason I never bought an 890 when they came out. Having to pay for the extras already on the bike (didn't have to on the 790) and even my local dealer admitted the iffy reliability on the 790's. Kept my cash and went Japanese.
You wanted first hand experience - ok here goes. 2019 790 with 13000 miles - tft replaced twice - still kept misting up. Gearshift countershaft continually leaking oil. Brake reservoir countershaft leaking. Mechanics changing like the wind in our local KTM dealer - and stripping screws whilst in for a service. Top end getting very noisy so it was time to go. No support or backup from the dealer so I'll never have another one. Pity because it was the most exciting bike I've ever ridden.
Blimey. I'd heard that era of 790 was about the nadir of KTM ownership and it looks like you've proved us right!
790 Made In China. Should have bought an 890.
They're too expensive new, too unreliable. Their customer service sucks so much. The customer is never put first and it always feels like you're being scammed with all the extra cost for having to unlock power and options that already exist on the bike. They need to understand that the customer should be their priority.
Can you share what problems you've had specifically?
I've abused a 620 200 & 300exc and a 690 EnduroR never had a single problem.
Notorious KTM RC390. Fuel tank leak, after 1 week, head gasket gone after 3 weeks. KTM refused to take the bike back or even get me a loaner. It took 3 weeks to fix. WP suspension collapse after 8 months, Again another 7 weeks for a repair, no loan. That was it. Luckily KTM finance agreed I could return it. I know loads of people who have had zero issues with KTMs but I think I know more people that have had multiple issues with theirs. I'd love a 1390 SDR but TBH the ownership experience scares the shit out of me :D Oh and an ECU bracket that broke during that time, not sure when, so my ECU was flapping about in the wind.....No one wants that.
@@Fluppatron Excellent. I had a Tuono 11 factory that aparently was the devil incarnate but didn't have a single issue in 15k miles.
BBS is gone ,Recaro gone, VW group on the brink, Jaguar not building cars, Japan losing 30% in there stockmarket, woke EU is destroying there own economy. EV and emissions standards as most of the the world has none.
What's Japan go to do with anything? Besides the Nikkei is up 64% over the last five years.
@freecanadaplease. Wow , I’ve been saying for two years that VW is fucked ! (After owning an ID3 and subsequently closely investigating their finances)
Yours is the first post I’ve seen that says the same thing !
Best wishes sir. I think you have delivered an accurate post there!
@@Jim-hm7fbNo it’s not ! Not in USD terms !! Its performance, once currency adjusted, is only average !
@Jim-hm7fb no innovation in offroad/adv bikes, 30 year old bikes. They use the automotive section to keep them afloat, which is failing. Emissions on motorcycles while everyone driving diesel cars. USA CIA has been using Japanese economy to launder money since WW2 but that's a whole other can of worms.
@maxflight777 when vw offers Golf R at 0% financing, you know there in trouble. Never got iD3 here, seen ID4 at dealer but not on the road. Fuel is cheap here, so SUV and trucks are most common.
The engine on my new 1290 SAS lasted 400 miles before the motor failed (gearbox) & was replaced under warranty. It doesn't take many claims like that to cancel the profit from dozens of other bikes manufactured. The rear shock started leaking just after the warranty expired (£400 for repair). The last straw was the keyless ignition intermittently not recognising the fob. I didn't fancy another KTM after that...I traded it in against a new MT10SP which has been problem free.
Done 40,000 miles over 8 years on my MT10 with no issues. You made a good move to Yamaha
@@Banditmanuk 70'000 fuss-free kms on my 2020 MT09 SP - guess what my next bike will be: A 2026 gen4 MT09 SP 😅✌
Smart move, congrats!
Nothing so bad as a new engine, but MT-10 ownership isn't perfect.
I've had Cruise control issues, rectified with a recall.
The coolant fixing on the front of the block is known to fail, mine did, cost several hundred to fix.
The 3-4th gear change is notchy as hell both up and down shifting
I started it once and the throttle didn't work, restarted and it worked, but then had to get the engine light reset at £30-40
The brake discs are warped. (only bike it's ever happened to me on)
The wheel paint is as tough as tissue paper.
maybe not so bad for 8 yrs of ownership, but I had an early model VTR1000F and had fewer problems on a bike many times its age
@
Peanuts compared to KTM‘s chocolate camshaft failures 😅✌️
The Yamaha MT range really has eaten their lunch over the past decade. You can have 9 and a half 10ths the KTM equivalent and treat it like a Corolla.
I didn't get, elaborate
@same4047 The new Yamaha Mt09 is every bit as good as the KTM but it won't break if you change the oil basically
Totally different to ride. I much prefer a KTM.
FYI, my friend had to wait almost 6 months for a small washer for his 790 engine, that had to be imported from Austria, for a part MADE IN INDIA, at a factory within 100kms from his home. A part that was missing from factory. That made his shift shaft go in and out. But he persevered. Because he loves the bike and it's truly special. But seriously, stuff like this hurts people and hurt people lash out
If KTM are to survive they need to offload all the additional brands that they have accumulated, concentrate on the better selling models, most grown men don’t want orange bikes or to pay extra to activate all the toys already fitted. Stop having BOGOF sales every winter and most importantly accept accountability and sort out problems. Look after your customers and they will keep returning 👍 nice one Mr Rodie.
I have owned 4 KTMs. A Superduke GT, a 1290 SAS, a 390 ADV and now 790 ADV. All excellent. Never had a single problem with any of them. Customer service at Springwood KTM in Queensland Australia is excellent.
Your luckt😂
Plenty of "My KTM was totally reliable" comments. Other brands get similar comments. What other brands don't get is thousands of comments about problems with their bikes and dealers. Any brand can manufacture the odd lemon. KTM seems to have planted an industrially scaled lemon orchard!
Nope
@maxflight777 Nope what?
I have a 2020 790 Duke and initially I loved it. I always serviced it at a dealer that was very rarely less than £350 but after 1 year started to get the coolant leak and oil leaking from the head. I paid over £200. To get the coolant leak sorted with samco hoses but when I picked it up from it was still leaking. Asked them to look at it again at the next service, picked the bike up again and they said they didn’t have time to sort it out. 2 years later and I was planning on making sure they sort it at the valve clearance service but last week it just would not start so now I have to pay to get it transported for its service (haven’t checked the price yet) and I’m worried I will be left with a bill running into the thousands. Lot of owners have had the issue and been posting pics of their worn cams and the average bill to fix the problem was over £2k. I love the bike but would never buy KTM again.
A story we hard so often by now, a story which has simply tarnished KTM's reputation and eventually (and that were the true loss of the cash-stripped company comes in), the (betrayed) customer's TRUST - so sorry for all the employees made redunant on the back of (strategic) mistakes the Management made...
sad, I really wanted a KTM until I test rode a 1090 and broke down on the test ride, took that as an omen and had a feeling the reliability issues were true so bought a Tiger 900 instead
Can’t go wrong with Tiger 900 great bikes
How come, those bikes are model years apart?
@@Ni3K In South Africa where I live KTMs are crazy money even used so the price difference between a lower milage 1090 and a 2021 Tiger 900 was not too much at all
haha classic
Owned a 21 model year 125 duke.
The most unreliable bike ever, engine blew twice and a slew of electric problems, brought it new and only managed to do 6k miles in 2 years. Bike was in garage for 5 months. Sold it after warranty expired
Let's not forget about the subscription feature gambit. Also, the Japanese big 4 aren't having financial problems because of reliability rumors. That's because they're actually reliable.
It’s not a subscription feature! wtf are you talking about?
@@fearme46 DId you miss where KTM requires extra payment to unlock features already built into the bike?
@@paulv22 remind me again how that’s a subscription? You aren’t subscribing to anything! It’s a one off payment for features that were never included in the original price. You get to trial them and if you like them you can purchase them. Some people don’t want all those features so they just pay the sticker price. It’s not that hard to grasp.
Yes it was@@fearme46
@@fearme46 so where is the module required for those features?
Have you noticed the car market, where the base price of a car nowadays is the full feature price form a couple of years ago, but then you get to unlock all the premium features for just few kidneys more?
KTMs are an absolute riot to ride, anyone questioning that never tried one, period, end of story.
However... there's a lot of other issues to consider. They charge a premium (yet some models are made India), aesthetics are very polarizing and share a very similar style language, the reliability reputation is undeniable, customer service when faced with issues is documented all over the Internet and well known, (oh, but I never had any problems - well, good for you, tons of people did and were left hanging) and for me personally, the "pay extra for something already installed" is grade A BS; it's like fucking micro-transactions in video games with the exception bikes don't cost 60 quid.
KTM makes great bikes, but they need to get their shit together.
They were selling off bikes at the U.K. bike show at big discounts. £3K off if you ordered at the show, with every extra and delivered to your home. Clearing the stock at a discount isn’t a good sign. I hope that the new buyers get their bikes before 💥
The KTM LC8c parallel-twin camshaft complaints are well founded.
KTM had to produce a replacement cylinderhead with a new oil way to remediate the oil starvation issue, along with new cams and wider cam followers.
The models affected are 790 and 890s, as well as Husqvarna’s Norden 901, mostly up to 2020, but some later models have also suffered from camshaft failures.
Tim,im a few minutes in and i think its time we all acccepted that ktm's downfall is their woefull customer service!i had a used sdr,18months old from a dealer,sold to me with remaining warranty etc.i had an engine light come on en route to its service.the dealer fixed it under warranty,but informed me ktm had decided to remove my remaining warranty due to them saying it had missed its 1st service.even though it was on the ktm system as have being done.no way i was keeping a ktm with no warranty,just constant anxiety about it shitting itself and a huge bill to fix it.
I now have a tiger 900 and its had a few 'teething' problems,but triumph have been spot on and fixed everything no quibble.we can accept bikes go wrong,but its how that is dealt with that keeps us buying the brand!love your vids though,and your honesty!
Ill be honest they doomed themselves after Long Way Round
Woah that's a deep grudge to bear. I think that helped BMW a fair bit!
@timrodierides honestly its deep, how the turntables... etc
Agreed, goodbye KTM
KTM went into the summer with over ambitious sales projections, made the stock to meet the projections but sales fell- major liquidity problem.
They will have to liquidate their stock of these new bikes and this will destroy residuals for those who already have them.
A friend of mine swore by his 1290SAS and as I was coming off the back of 2 Multistrada's (1200&1260) I took the plunge on a change and went for a 1290SAS that was a nightmare from day 7. Constant warning messages and quickshfter failures, then it left me at the side of the road twice with electical issues so lasted a whole 8 weeks of ownership before moving back to a 1260S again and then finally a V4 Multi that has been flawless. What really grated was the dealer service, it was dreadfull from first call to eventually taking my bike back off them unfixed as I had zero trust. As for KTM, the markets will decide it's fate but the perceived reputation of the bikes is in no small part harming it's efforts to turnaround the sales figures. What this admin will allow it to do is shed workforce cheaper than it normally could oweing to the power of the unions in Austria hoping that will entice an investor in but with China now taking aim at the western motorbike industry I think KTM is heading the way of the Dodo unfortuntely or bought up by China where they already make the engines.
I’m very sad about this not just because I have a 690 Enduro, 890 Adventure and 701 Husky Enduro. I do have camshaft issues on the 890 but I’m told are within tolerance (they would say that etc) and a starting problem put down to chemicals in the new tank (replaced under warranty) which has affected the injectors. Net result: it’s been laid up since July and still not back. I missed a firm sale offer due to this so,less than chuffed all round. Their woes are self inflicted by farming our to their parters/competitors in China. Not the only ones of course. They need to focus on reliability and customer service now to bring back the disaffected. Maybe a shares issue?
As a bystander, I have no horse in this race. I never owned a KTM , although I briefly considered one two years ago. But I pay attention to the industry and it seems to me that attributing KTM's current state mostly to overheated internet hysteria is a tad reductive.
It's seems the brand had several issues bubbling from well before the camshaft scandal really snowballed. And how they initially handled that problem--or didn't--might have been an indication that all was not rosy financially for quite some time.
RUclips has become very toxic of late. Really have to carefully pick & choose who i wish to watch for good ‘ol entertainment! I sincerely hope KTM survive. I have owned a 690 Duke & 890 Duke R & both had no issues, apart from making me laugh every time i rode them. If you ever are feeling your are losing your mojo, ride a KTM ! 🍊🧡 ( but more colour options would be welcome).
Same, I've had 2 1290's and a 690 over 6 years, never even had so much as a drop of oil leak. Know multiple people that have had KTM's, never an issue. Obviously the bikes with issues are the vast minority, but their owners are, logically, the most vocal. Most other bikes just feel so boring compared to the KTM's I hope they survive and come back better.
In the last 11 years, 2x 1190 ADV, 1x 1290 ADV, 1x SDR, 2x GT, over 120k miles, 2 fork seals, 1 centre stand spring, 1 cam cover gasket and the odd spurious warning light (on-off cures). You only hear the bad, all manafacturers have recalls etc.
Why do you keep replacing the bikes if they don't have any problems? Just curious
@@amococ2487 I like a change and I can, 25k maintains some px value (except the SDR, didn't gel, 5k was enough)
@ChrisLewis-g3j OK. Fair enough. If you like a change, why are they all so similar? Or do you have other bikes aswell?
@@amococ2487 I do have other bikes (dirt, retro) but there is no logic to it, bikes are emotional things, logically, we would not ride them 😁
@@ChrisLewis-g3j Yep, very true.
IMO KTM has been trying to charge Ducati/BMW prices with Chinese build quality, Aprilia dealer network, and Kawasaki looks. I appreciate their aggressiveness trying to build market share with expanded product lines and acquiring brands. The motorcycling world is better with KTM around, but I worry the fallout of this may be GasGas/Husky/MV go the way of Husaberg into oblivion.
The optional charges to unlock existing electronics crap on the bike is infuriating (also BMW). The parallel twins have been a disaster for their reputation, and knowing much of their stuff is now made in Asia (as is many brands) does not help with their "cachet"
Nothing wrong with bikes made in Asia, provided it’s Japan.
I’m on my third KTM. Still riding my 2005 Super Duke 990, had a 2016 SMC-R that I traded in for the 1290 SAS in 2022. On the Super Duke the slave cylinder of the clutch failed me when she was out of warranty for quiet some time. No problems with the Supermoto. I had a warped disc on the front of the SAS, KTM changed two discs and the brake pads under warranty. I paid one disc, because she had already 20000km on the clock. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one. They do produce really special bikes, but they are not to everyone’s taste.
My 2019 1290 SAS had a few warranty issues that had me a little worried keeping it out of warranty. However, the dealer and KTM were great, so I bought a 2021 Duke 890 R. Only issues in 14k miles were thermostat housing leak and cam cover leak. I just took care of them myself as they were cheap and easy fixes. I still have the bike, and the cams looked great at 9k miles. I would not hesitate to buy a KTM or any other brand of modern bike despite what the internet commenters think.
I do hope that KTM do survive. As a 890 Duke R owner I can report that my bike has been problem free, it's got 12000 miles on it and is a hoot to ride.
I gave a friend a go on it a few months go, and within days he bought one for himself. Regardless of whether the brand pulls through, they still have amazing bikes.
Just buy the bike, ride and enjoy. Probably a few bargains to be had soon, but I'll be keeping mine thanks!
The 890R is such a good bike - I've got high hopes for the 990R!
12,000 miles and you think that’s good? My 2004 Honda pan European had 64,000 miles on it when I sold it. Just buy a Honda!
@@rogerelwynjones1366 I'm not saying it's good (or bad). I'm stating that I have had no reliability problems with the bike. I'm hoping for many more problem free miles. 👍
@@rogerelwynjones1366 I ride 25k miles a year on my ktm 1290. Lots of days with 600 to 700 miles a day. not a sweat!
I think the entire motorcycle industry it’s all disconnected their pricing is way off adding tech that nobody ask for and jacking up prices a 20k usd bike is outrageous you can buy a car with that money. I think they need to start making sensible bike I don’t wheelie bikes why I am paying for wheeling control something Ill never use ridiculous.
I totally agree with your statement. I don't want and never asked for all this electronic gimmicky shit and my older bikes ride perfectly well without them and less to go wrong.
I deactivated the Hill Start function on my 1250GS after the first near disaster and it's only now you mentioned it that I remembered it's an option!
I'm still trying to work out which three-letter abbreviation it is in the menus so I can deactivate it haha
Bajal, Indian manufacturer owns 49.9% of Pierer Group. I would bet they end up owning the brand, design and development in Austria and manufacture India and or China.
Also means that Bajaj owns 49.9% of KTM‘s debt.
Poor quality and availability of parts and high prices - this is the problem. When it comes to Japanese motorcycles, even 20 years old can be easily repaired due to the availability of parts. When it comes to KTM, there is a problem with several year old motorcycles. I hope that KTM will think about it and will not make similar mistakes in the future because they can make great motorcycles.
partially thanks to old Tim here , I went and bought an 890 duke r without so much as a test ride..it's awesome and if it breaks ( which it hasn't yet) I'll fix it..
Hooray - glad it's serving you well. I have very fond memories of filming my video on that bike...
Its there reliabilty issues. i have had 2 issues with them and two superduke R'S which i ended up having to refuse and send back to get refunds with terrible electrical issues and there pure greed with the tech packs to unlock items already on the bikes.
As an ex-KTM owner and current Husqvarna 501 owner they did this to themselves.
Yes, they make exciting bikes. Their problem has been the fact that the buy-in is expensive but the company and dealerships have horrible customer service. It’s like we should be ecstatic that we were allowed to shell out the money to own their eccentricities.
I’ll give you a for instance, my 890 Adventure’s dash went completely black on a ride shortly after buying it. The dash came back on after filling it with fuel at the station. The bike kept running which was a positive. I went in to the dealership and told the guy I bought the bike from and the service department and the first words out of the guy’s mouth was “Did you buy the extended warranty?” My reply was that he wasn’t giving me confidence in their product and that the 2-year warranty should take care of the issue.
I put 11,000 miles on it in 10 months. Took it to my local shop and had the 11k service done and specified that I wanted the cam situation checked out. Checked out good and I sold it.
Would ai buy another KTM? I love my T7, so I doubt that I’ll be tempted unless it would be to trade the 501 for a 690. I don’t see that happening though.
I have had a few KTM's and no issues at all, but the trickle of customers reporting issues does start to have an affect. For me they seemed to update models too quickly and not allowing them to 'mature' and iron out any problems. What next? Maybe they will go bust and CFMoto take over the brand name. or they will dump the non core brands and concentrate on a few high end bikes.
Remember when Honda had the same chocolate cam issue with the V4? Can happen to the best, but Honda dealt with it by creating the VFR750, an over engineered cam driven piece of art which rumours say was sold at a loss.. KTM dragged their feet for ages before taken action.
There's a KTM dealer in Croydon: InMoto on St James's Road.
Anyone making a 125cc bike that does less than 90mpg is churning out bikes destined for the warehouse. You can get 400-450cc bikes (not from KTM) that do that much. People buy 125s as learners, city commuters and deliveroo riders, not as toys.
Ah yes I forgot about InMoto! I test rode an 1190 Adv from there years ago when I lived near Wimbledon. Oddly, leaving a KTM outside in Croydon felt like a very risky move at the time 😂
@@timrodierides That shop is round the corner from where I used to live, and it was always quite a safe area. They also sell Ducati and Aprilia bikes there. Croydon's town centre is definitely very rundown (thanks to online shopping becoming popular just after the over-expansion of retail space) but the area's reputation for crime is exaggerated.
I don't see many of them on the road, although I'm not really looking out for them as I don't like how they look. The reviews are always good, and they seem like great bikes, but the colours and design choices are limiting their sales in my opinion
Pointy, orange, mega-bucks. That last aspect most of all is a tough thing to be in the mid-2020’s. The cam thing didn’t help, but surely not the cause of this latest sad news.
The thing is most people only comment on negatives. Yes there are some lemons but look at ALL automotive manufacturers they all at some point build a troublesome bike or car.
I own 2 KTM bikes. 1290 SDR and 690 SMCR with no issues apart from the switch cube on the 1290 crap itself when it got wet.
Swapped out for an upgraded part and all has been good.
Speaking to the tech at my local dealer about the cam issue and he’s not seen many. Plenty of quite rightly worried customers wanting their bikes checked but few and far between have been bad.
I don’t believe they will go bust. Plenty of Indian and Chinese money to carry them.
Let's hope so. And let's hear from more people whose KTMs haven't gone wrong!
I had a ktm and it was truly atrocious, the dealer was atrocious and it put me off for life . Shame as I’d say ktm are my favourite bikes , a genuine specialness about them . Liked the superbike factory quip about prepping. I took a chance with them a month ago and bike turned up running on one cylinder!
No sympathy.
Bike parked in two wheels motorcycles in Dublin for 8 weeks after engine went on fire. Waiting for a wiring loom and to be told by Darren Cahill that it never went on fire and was never any problem with it. Service manager and the service guys ran me around for weeks. Got no satisifaion from Two wheels or KTM. Customer care from two wheels and KTM was deplorable and was told to remove the bike or they were going to charge me 30 euro a day for storage. Stay away from two wheels and KTM..😡😡
What bike was it out of interest? That's terrible
@@timrodierides It was a 141 1290 Super Adventure..
141 or 241?
Sorry 241.. brand new over 23,000
I am not surprised to be honest. I live in Bavaria, just newly acquired my license and would like to buy a "local" bike. But then I read a lot about there camshaft issues and how (bad) they and their dealers dealt with it. Then I think most of their bikes look awful - the "cheapest" one I find ok lookswise is the new RC 990, but this will be way to expensive for me as a first bike. In combination this is just not attractive and I would not consider one. I guess many people will think similarly.
I think their optics mainly cater to very young people, while most of their motorbikes are way too expensive for young people. Not an understandable strategy.
Seeling premium at chinese level quality will get you there. Honestly, I'm surprised people still buy into their cash grabbing methodology.
A perceptive comment about the optics apparent target market when set against price and the financial resources of that market.
Yes I agree, whoever designed those headlights should be held personally responsible for KTM going bust, I hired an 890 and apart from the engine sounding like a bucket of bolts, I could only bring myself to look at it from the rear.
@@silverdale3207 Problem is, with this new headlight design from the 990, that now trickles down to the other models it only got worse. No idea what they are smoking
@ I used to feel like that about the looks on the Katana when it came out in the early 80’s. I now own one and think it looks cool. I think my SDGT looks like it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. I don’t have to look at it while riding😉 Most of the young women I know think it looks cool. Its looks are slowly starting to appeal to me. The chassis and engine are phenomenal. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad🤣
KTM could convert the camshaft issue to positive vibe, by openly accepting and correcting it, like Aprilia did with the first 660. They will survive though. Can't wait to get a KTM.
Is it my fault I didn't buy expensive hideous bikes in terrible colours that have a reputation for unreliability? Tough one. The only manufacturer in MotoGP that doesn't make a sportsbike because the company thinks we can't be trusted with them. Into the bin KTM.
The problem is if you become too big when the going gets tough your not agile enough to pivot.. I think they will probably get funding from China..
I have a 2019 1290 SAS and it is brilliant. I intend to keep it for many years ( I am 70 now) and if they go bust I think it will be worth a fortune when my heirs come to sell it.
An interesting take Tim, thanks for that. I’m one of those KTM owners who never really had a problem with my bike. 2019 790 Adventure covered 25k miles with no issues, took me fully loaded on a 10 day trip to Poland in mostly foul autumn weather. Maybe the ageing biker population, and I include myself if that, aren’t actually ready to race? Add to that the reliability reputation, deserved or not and the multi brand madness and it’s clear something needs to happen. I looked at a 790 duke a few weeks ago at my local dealer which I could have grabbed for under £6.5k brand new. I may go back in a few weeks given the news…and hope they have some non orange ones in stock!
You're not old! Just broken. Well, less broken now. Good point about the ready to race thing. I wonder what the GS marketing tagline should be… ready to flipfront?
I have test ridden a couple of KTM's and enjoyed them but didn't buy mainly because I knew if I waited the price would drop, and then while waiting I bought something else. In terms of reliability, they are not alone, BMW have their own Friday afternoon bikes and I sent £20k on one (1250RT), and then my Honda Goldwing at £25k rusted like a 1970's Fiat and Honda could not have cared less. With the price of bikes rising, and lots of tech that actually doesn't do much (hill hold?) and poor reliability across the brands, it is hard to justify handing over £25k for a bike that could easily fail. My answer was to buy a good used BMW GSA1250, 4 years old with 5k miles, 2 year BMW warranty, serviced and MOT's, for £13k. Personally I wouldn't buy any new bike again, the risk is too high and manufacturers don't really want to know. I am be a loner but if there are a few other people like me sales of new bikes will fall dramatically.
This while riding a BMW? Was the KTM at the shop? 🙂
Haha I realise this video has brought in lots of new viewers! I owned a KTM 1290 SAS a few years back. I currently have an MT10 SP. I’m a car and bike journalist who reviews things with wheels - I just happened to be on the new BMW GSA when filming this… apt I know 😂
@@timrodierides In jest 🙂
I have had 2 new KTM's. Both were a disaster. 1st one cut out all the time randomly. Went in to the dealer several times with no fix available. So that had to go. Couple years later they brought out a facelifted model. So I thought I'll give them a second chance. Bought it. After 500 miles the clutch went. At 700 miles the oil light came on and left me stranded for hours. Turned out to be a software issue! So that one had to go too. After that I have always said I will never buy KTM again. From what I've heard first hand and not the internet is, the bikes do have reliability issues.
Which ones were these? Just out of interest
Great, they finally come out with the 990 RCR and now they going to go broke?
Implications for their MotoGP team..?
It must be haemorrhaging cash that they clearly don’t have 😞
Step one: stop any sponsorship deals (contracted or not) immediately.
Reputations take years to build and moments to lose. Reliability has been …..questionable at best and that puts customers off. I would never buy one no matter how much they are promoted by RUclipsrs (that rarely if ever own them).
Time to look for a KTM 2nd hand bargain...
Should be lots for sale, some of them even runners
Had a high end KTM recently from the main dealer in Northern Ireland. After sales service was the worst Ive ever experienced. Often 2 month backlog for service, weeks wait for recall , not preordering parts, etc. Couldnt wait to get rid of it. Never again.
I’ve owned 14 KTM’s over many years, and admittedly I’m a glutton for punishment, because 8 of them have had problems that required multiple trips back to the dealer, calls and emails to the US importer, and not all of the problems reconciled, forcing me to pan them off on some other poor sucker when the warranty was up. Thankfully I got rid of my 890 Adventure just before the camshaft issue exploded because now none of my local dealerships will take one in on trade….including the KTM dealer 😳 because their resale value is 💩. If KTM is able to “restructure” I hope it’s with a new focus on quality control and customer satisfaction. That said, of the two bikes sitting in my garage right now, one of them is a KTM. (The very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results…….guilty 🤪.)
It sure isn't the consumer's fault. Pierer bunged up hard purchasing too many companies. Combine that with shoddy quality, shady moves like paywalling features, and pricing their models super high, they had it coming.
I still don't know what their plan was with half the brands. What are they going to do with MV Agusta?
@timrodierides my fear is MV will go under or get bought up by China or India.
For me it's the price of bikes now - I don't think it is just a KTM issue - I love KTM bikes.The issue is the insane prices for road bikes now, 18k+ for a decent spec bike is silly money to me. Roads and insurance costs are another factor. I ditched all my bikes this year as the cost per ride was stupid when you put everything together and work out how many times you use it - Just couldn't justify it.
Residual value is not there because no one who rides a motorcycle has any confidence in a KTM motorcycle that has no warranty left on it...I did own a KTM 1290 Superduke R, and yes it broke down after having it for 500 miles, I had to get the bike picked up as it failed at work. The warranty was out by three days and the dealer luckily picked the bike up and gave my money back as I lost all confidence in its reliability. This is the reason there going to go bust as so many people have lost faith in them, so they have bought other brands instead, and their customer service is shocking etc
Not allowed to fail. Too many great things coming, need that 1390 gt/smt/r, rc990r, 990smt. Still bleeeing a mix of orange and whatever-aprilia-color-is on my v4 pikes peak.
KTM chocolate cams people just do it for the memes and to be annoying, most of them likely don't own a ktm or even ride.
Agreed on both fronts! How's the Pikes Peak treating you?
@@timrodierides I want an updated 690 SMCR, which I thought was due out for 25 but it's been crickets!
@@timrodierides same as the last time, running out of ground clearance after newfound confidence and capability from 200/60 rear which puts more weight on the front and makes it less twitchy. I barely rode it this year after injuring my abs.
Their financial situation goes someways to explaining the reluctance to acknowledge the soft cam problems. Regardless I hope they pull through..
Like a lot of companies, if there is an issue with their products, they have to be dragged kicking and screaming to admit they have a problem.
I do hope they survive they are big enough. Another reason why sales are bad is KTM’s in my opinion are a marmite bike, love them or don’t like them. My issue is they are mostly orange not everyone wants orange. Each of their bikes look the same too! If they only went down the road of different genres of bikes like example Triumph. Yes they have touring and super nakeds etc but they all look the same. The camshaft issues hasn’t helped either. The pricing also! Any way hope things get sorted
I'm just hoping for a Tracer 10 one day 😥.
I've given up waiting which is why I'm just making my own at this point 😂
I test rode a KTM super adventure, new with 10 miles on it and shat down in the middle of the highway. scarry moment for me, almost shit my pants there. The dealership sent recovery and I turned my back to KTM and by the look of it I dodged a bigger bullet.
I'd go out and buy one tomorrow, but my local dealer closed. Nearest one is now 60 ish miles away.
1290 Superduke gt 2020 model, it’s been the most fun and capable bike I’ve had for years, touring with a bottomless tank range, comfort and power, a track day demon and I’ve never had any issues apart from some spurious warning lights that seemed to sort themselves out after a stop or switch off/on again! Hopefully that hasn’t jinxed it
I've only ridden a friend's 1190 Super Adventure - stocking machine - totally mad! Great fun though. By the way, on the BMW, after activating hill hold control, you can press the brake (foot or lever) again to release it, or drive away on the throttle to release it. I find that using the throttle is slightly jerky whereas the brake release method is lovely and smooth.
And Yes social media blows these things out of proportion. People repeat comments they read on other videos even though they know nothing about the bikes. I still think they should re-think their relationship with CFmoto which will just steal their tech.
KTM are reaping what they have sowed. They sold products not fit for purpose then didn’t support the customers who had bought their flawed products. Any company that doesn’t treat their customers well don’t deserve to do well.
They sell a lot of KTM 390 back here in India. But with the new gen it has take a hit here as well. I own a 2nd gen 390 and this is a very good bike. Hope they will recover. They have also started in bringing big bikes here in India. But they are CBU units and are very expensive compared to global market.
My son bought a pre CF moto 790 Duke, nothing but trouble since the day he picked it up,the last straw was picking it up from the dealer after another warranty fix,a 100 yards down the road noticing they'd cracked the tft. He went back and they said he couldn't prove they'd done it!
He part ex'd it soon after,now he'd never buy another KTM,I wouldn't and hopefully anyone he told wouldn't either.
Shit reliability, terrible customer service and don't start me off about the oil feed /camshaft,debacle. They also love to bend customers over for a software update too while other manufacturers don't.
They made their bed, now they get to lie in it.
The one fact that baffles me is why they bought MV Agusta if they had a cash flow issue? Not sure how much it cost but it would possibly close to the financial bailout they’re looking for now. I hope they don’t go under but they clearly need to change tack in a big way.
I know! MV has always felt like an absolute money sink of a business (from what very little I know).
I’ve owned my SD GT for 4 years, taken it on 3 tours and it’s been absolutely phenomenal. I’m hoping to buy an SAS next week. Fingers crossed they will keep going a bit longer
My 15 KTM 1190 adventure r was great ,44000 miles no issues when I sold it. Bought the 19 1290 super adventure s ,still have today , 27000 miles on her no issues. Change the oil , did the maintenance schedule. Just drained and refilled both brakes reservoirs . On my 2 pair of brake pads. Had one recall and all it was was a software update . Great bike hauls ass .
The KTM 500 EXC is the best dirt bike that is street legal.
So, as someone who just bought an MT09 SP new, and could have chosen a 990 Duke, loves the weird KTM look, and used to have a 390 Duke in Singapore....
I avoided the 990 mainly because it was more expensive and because of the pay-to-unlock-features payment model. The Yamaha was just much better value. Plus I really like the people at Yamaha in Warsaw and I don't really like the guys at KTM, although that's obviously a personal issue rather than a wider point.
I hope they survive, though. The motorbike world is better for their existence.
I own three KTM's. All three are of the LC8 variety. One 990 , and two a1290s. I have had zero issues, even though I drive very hard. All of my KTM have a minimum of 20,000 miles. I do all of my own work,
Oil changes, valve adjustments and filter changes, etc. They have been as reliable as my 1994 Honda XR650L, practically bullet proof. I'm looking forward to getting a new 1390!
It seems mad the disparity in these comments - proves that there are good bikes from KTM and some proper lemons. I think I was lucky with my 1290 SAS!
I loved my Duke 890. Sure It had a few foibles that’s were mostly covered under warranty - clutch switch, oil leaks, warped brake discs (£600!). But soon forgotten as its was a sensory punch in the chops when ridden like a knob.
I went all sensible and purchased a GS but weirdly am looking at purchasing a 790 or a 690 for back road honing. Come on fingers crossed 🤞 they get through this. The biking world will be a poorer place if they don’t sort this.
I owned, in order: a 1290GT, a 1290SD and a 1290 SAS.
The GT ate its starter motor sprag clutch, and was plagued by electronic gremlins.
The SD was perfect - BUT I fitted a healtech exhaust flapper valve eliminator.
The SAS had the occasional electrical gremlin and ate its rear shock after 13000 km.
Were they an absolute hoot to ride? Yes.
Would I buy another one? No.
The CEO needs to go into the room of mirrors to find the problem....
Having had three trouble free KTMs before, I was going to buy a new ‘23 model 1290SAS for a great price last month and the dealer warned me not to.
Says something about confidence in the brand to me.
I’m just happy to have an honest dealer and not someone wanting to flog off old stock.
Yes, I bought another brand from the same dealer.
Interesting! Thanks for the comment. What did you end up buying?
Interesting. Many years ago I test rode a 950 SM and fell in love. A brilliant device. Found used low miles one for decent money in a big dealership. The salesman actually advised me to walk away because KTMs were such a nightmare they were actively trying to dump them to make their lives easier due to mountains of warranty work. Took his advice and walked away. Similar attitude from Aprilia dealer around sahe time; bike broke down on test ride - 1/2 day wasted - dealer casually said 'yeah the ride-by-wire packs up everytime!' Beautiful soulful bike instantly off the list. Different attitudes from different dealers. Former still going - latter long since defunct. If the bikes aren't good and neither are the dealers the brand us doomed.....QED
They may have made some great bikes, they just didn't make bikes the majority of us wanted.
They've grown too fast whilst not employing Toyota-like manufacturing quality control. I imagine the rate of failure is the same as it was back in 2010, but they are mass producing bikes that get used as every day as commuters such as 890adv rather than toys that never saw rain like their old pre-insectoid Dukes and Super Adventures, or off road bikes that get top end rebuild every few thousand miles.
Should have stuck to their base as a premium brand
I for one would hate to see KTM go under, it would be a huge loss for both the motorcycle industry and bikers alike , personally I'm confident KTM will bounce back and will put their current financial woes behind them , as for the bikes themselves , I've owned KTM's since the early 90's and have never had any reliability issues with them, would I buy one now , absolutely , if I can get a good deal on a 1290 Super Adventure R then it may well be my next bike.
KTM has only one way left to survive: the entire corporation must change and implement DEI and all employees must meet LGBTQIA+ standards.
Oh don't be one of those people
In USA, AUS and NZ, KTM sell thousands of off road bikes. Road bikes are a rarity.... you speak from a Uk perspective. I hope KTM will survive. I have a 1290SAS and love it. Hope they do well. They deserve it.
Yah, I mean it's complicated. The CEO is one of the richest Austrians (was top 10 last year), has lots of different companies (electric bicycles), and yes, I am not that worried that KTM will vanish in the near future. Our local newspapers write that KTM workers wont get their last 2 monthly payments, or atleast not from KTM, but from the state. Either way, it's a shit situation for a lot of people.
I have owned at least a dozen KTMs, all new. To be fair, most have been terrific, and outstanding performers, but 3 had QC problems. One of those was pretty severe, a 890 ADV-R with a failed cam chain tensioner and no replacements available. Had to trade it off to a sympathetic dealer for a significant loss.
I loved my 890R, but had I known the steering damper was useless out of the factory - it would still be here; alas it was written off after an immediate and violent tank slapper.
My bike was one owner from new with less than 2k on the clock, but i was blown away by just how much corrosion there was! Fork stanchions were putted and had rust spots. The paint on the water pump was coming off, pretty much in one chunk. As was the paint on the underside of the engine near the lowest part of the exhaust... exhaust header bolts were a rotten mess, the swingarm had spots of paint missing...
Such a shame, as to ride it was a riot - especially with the end cam/decat pipe! But the cam rattle was getting worse and worse, and it developed an odd surge when shifting up with the QS
I think customers would be very wise to hold off from buying any new "expensive" bike at the moment and that includes the "laughably ugly GSA". Maybe a bubble is about to burst, prices have been creeping up, if buying on a PCP prices are even higher, in the UK many dealerships are closing, if one part of the industry get a cold, everything else sneezes.
the comments online have amplified the problem with a small amount of bikes, I trust my KTM dealer when he said that sees hundreds of 890s and 790s and only ever seen one problem, a few individuals online can cause a lot of noise, and I doubt that some of them even owned an 790/890.
My brand new 890 adventure tft went on the blink just as the warranty was running out . 3k for a new one. Bye bye KTM bike.
Jesus!
Bikes with issues yours and you say bye bye KTM who buys them off you
had a 1290 SDR, SAS and GT. Other than the occasional error message that came up, which went with just switch on/off, they were all super reliable and full of character.
Good to hear. I do miss my 1290 SAS...
Same, I’ve had a brand new GT a couple of years ago and recently an SAS and they were perfectly reliable and characterful.
No, I don't think the internet trolls killed it, KTM made mistakes, and the current economic climate doesn't allow for a series of mistakes. I have owned several bikes from just about all the major manufacturers and have always had a lingering KTM itch, which I am not keen on scratching anymore because of too many first-hand reports of issues in the biking world. The uncertainty of their future will deter more buyers because of resale value - and parts availability concerns. The snowball is getting bigger and picking up speed.