Are new KTM's (2014-up) reliable bikes ??? If I buy a 1190 or 1290 or 990 am I going to be on the side of the road waiting for help?

[mitchntx]

Turned over 20K miles during this trip to the Texas hill country after 16 months of ownership.
She's a beast and about ready for yet another set of tires and a chain/sprocket replacement.

In my 60 years, I've never owned a single motorcycle this long or put on this many miles.
I've owned RTs, GSs, Stroms, VTXs, Voyagers, XRs ... none come close. And I don't see that changing anytime soon.

I rented a LC GS while visiting my daughter in Seattle.
I was disappointed, even though I owned an OC GS at the time.
It was cramped. I felt as the the tank was a bulging pimple sitting in my lap.
It was, however, a very refined ride. Smooth, predictable, balanced ...

The KTM is all of those things but with the addition of a rush!
Sometimes I like to have my heart beat elevated too high, have the livin bejeebus scared out of me and question whether getting out of bed was a good idea.
With all the refinement, that just doesn't happen.

What an amazing bike.

 

[Tx Rider]

I've owned KTM bikes for 21 years, LC4 based.. I have few complaints. Their suspension quality isn't what it used to be when they used Marchetti and Ohlins, and the maintenance is a bit tedious.. That's about it. In fact I still have a 21 year old KTM in the garage.. I'm getting too old to kick start it these days. My biggest issues back in the 90's was the total lack of KTM dealerships.

 

[Johnf3]

I've owned KTM bikes for 21 years, LC4 based.. I have few complaints. Their suspension quality isn't what it used to be when they used Marchetti and Ohlins, and the maintenance is a bit tedious.. That's about it. In fact I still have a 21 year old KTM in the garage.. I'm getting too old to kick start it these days. My biggest issues back in the 90's was the total lack of KTM dealerships.

There is no such suspension company named Marchetti. There is a suspension company named Marzocchi. KTM did spec it on a few bikes back in the mid to late 90's. It was as bad as anything KTM has ever used, and that is a pretty universal opinion. My first KTM ride was a 1989 125 and it had WP suspension (back then it was still called White Power) stock. Same company that KTM uses (and now owns) today.

I have never seen a modern (last 20-25 years) KTM come stock with Ohlins suspension. Maybe some of the mid-90's MX bikes had an Ohlins option? (when KTMs were purple) Ohlins does offer aftermarket suspension components for KTM but with the selection of WP suspension upgrades that KTM offer through their factory Power Parts program, no one that I know runs Ohlins on a KTM.

KTM has had their share of issues with suspension over the years, but I can't think of anyone that would say current KTM suspension is not what it used to be as far as quality. It is light years better in quality now. I have only been into about 20 different sets of KTM suspension though. The internal coating used now are far superior, the materials used are more durable (less oil contamination) and the overall spec is much much more precise and built to much higher tolerances.

I have been lucky enough to ride KTM cone valve forks ($4.5K) and the matching factory Trax shock and nothing Ohlins makes compares. KTM has missed the mark some years on overall settings but that is not quality-related.

 

[bwdmax]

View attachment 231440

The KTM is all of those things but with the addition of a rush!
Sometimes I like to have my heart beat elevated too high, have the livin bejeebus scared out of me and question whether getting out of bed was a good idea.
With all the refinement, that just doesn't happen.

That's the way I like them too. I ride them all but the ones that have the potential to scare me always put the biggest smile on my face.

 

[Tx Rider]

There is no such suspension company named Marchetti. There is a suspension company named Marzocchi. KTM did spec it on a few bikes back in the mid to late 90's.

I have never seen a modern (last 20-25 years) KTM come stock with Ohlins suspension. Maybe some of the mid-90's MX bikes had an Ohlins option? (when KTMs were purple) Ohlins does offer aftermarket suspension components for KTM but with the selection of WP suspension upgrades that KTM offer through their factory Power Parts program, no one that I know runs Ohlins on a KTM.

I'm talking stock suspension, if you spend thousands on racing upgrades of course it had better be better than stock.

The bike in my profile pic, a '96 620 RXC came stock with Marzocchi forks and Ohlins rear.. My last LC4, an '04 625 SXC with all WP susension that I used parts from Europ to make street legal and put together a supermoto kit for was not as quite good in my opinion.. It was a **** of a hooligan bike though and fun to ride on those sport bike wheels around town.

And after all, this is all down to opinion. Depending on the kind riding your doing.. Miles ahead of any other bike I had ridden back in '96, coming from Hondas, and I still prefer it.. I just have a real rough time kicking that beast into life these days, no electric start, magneto ignition and all. Sucks getting old. I've ridden that thing everywhere from the Smokies, to the Ozarks, to Colorado and Wyoming to Big Bend..

Haven't tried the newer non LC4 KTM's, but it seems people like em and they appear to hold up well enough. But I'm not a huge fan of the WP suspension they put on the SXC, dunno if the newer bikes have gotten better.. Still probably a step above the other stock bikes out there though.

 

[Johnf3]

I'm talking stock suspension, if you spend thousands on racing upgrades of course it had better be better than stock.

The bike in my profile pic, a '96 620 RXC came stock with Marzocchi forks and Ohlins rear.. My last LC4, an '04 625 SXC with all WP susension that I used parts from Europ to make street legal and put together a supermoto kit for was not as quite good in my opinion.. It was a **** of a hooligan bike though and fun to ride on those sport bike wheels around town.

And after all, this is all down to opinion. Depending on the kind riding your doing.. Miles ahead of any other bike I had ridden back in '96, coming from Hondas, and I still prefer it.. I just have a real rough time kicking that beast into life these days, no electric start, magneto ignition and all. Sucks getting old. I've ridden that thing everywhere from the Smokies, to the Ozarks, to Colorado and Wyoming to Big Bend..

Haven't tried the newer non LC4 KTM's, but it seems people like em and they appear to hold up well enough. But I'm not a huge fan of the WP suspension they put on the SXC, dunno if the newer bikes have gotten better.. Still probably a step above the other stock bikes out there though.

Wow, you have a unicorn there! I forgot about the LC4-based RXC, and even then I did not realize it had an Ohlins shock stock. Those bikes are why KTM bought Husaberg--so they could quickly develop a four stroke that was competitive. What resulted from the Husaberg purchase back in 1995 was the venerable RFS engine ( a close copy of the Husaberg four stroke at that time), which really ushered KTM into the realm of public acceptance because the bikes were far more mainstream than something like the RXC. If I remember, the RXC had some type of Edlebrock Quicksilver carb that never really worked, among some of the other things you already mentioned.

That is cool that you have gotten so much great use out of yours. The LC4 made a great dual sport engine if you could stand the vibration. Basing an opinion of modern WP suspension from a 2004 is a little tough though. The triple bushing forks and the shock with the top out spring that KTM used in 2003 and 2004 were particularly bad (they can be fixed though). I would basically consider that stuff obsolete against anything put on a KTM, or most other manufacturers in the last few years. And, you are absolutely correct, my perspective is different than yours--sounds like you have gotten some serious dual sport miles in with your RXC. My perspective is racing and trail riding--which is basically racing too considering my riding buddies, ha.

 

[Tx Rider]

Wow, you have a unicorn there! I forgot about the LC4-based RXC, and even then I did not realize it had an Ohlins shock stock. Those bikes are why KTM bought Husaberg--so they could quickly develop a four stroke that was competitive. What resulted from the Husaberg purchase back in 1995 was the venerable RFS engine ( a close copy of the Husaberg four stroke at that time), which really ushered KTM into the realm of public acceptance because the bikes were far more mainstream than something like the RXC. If I remember, the RXC had some type of Edlebrock Quicksilver carb that never really worked, among some of the other things you already mentioned.

That is cool that you have gotten so much great use out of yours. The LC4 made a great dual sport engine if you could stand the vibration. Basing an opinion of modern WP suspension from a 2004 is a little tough though. The triple bushing forks and the shock with the top out spring that KTM used in 2003 and 2004 were particularly bad (they can be fixed though). I would basically consider that stuff obsolete against anything put on a KTM, or most other manufacturers in the last few years. And, you are absolutely correct, my perspective is different than yours--sounds like you have gotten some serious dual sport miles in with your RXC. My perspective is racing and trail riding--which is basically racing too considering my riding buddies, ha.

Seemed to me most any KTM sold in the U.S. was a unicorn back then.. I have seen another KTM with the same stock suspension on a TWT ride in Arkansas.. Was basically the same as my RXC but a 400 or 450 I believe. Poor guy lost a bolt on the front caliper locking his front wheel up on a gravel road in front of me and went flying. It's the only other one I have seen like it.

And yeah I didn't much care for the quicksilver carb, great idea but bad execution. I had too many hot start issues with it. I swapped out for a Del Orto for a few years but eventually settled on a FCR-MX that's still on it. It also had California compliant emissions with a carbon canister I also ditched. I do love the forks on that bike, saved my butt a few times dropping down ledges that turned out to be 4-5 feet higher than I was expecting. Miles above the Honda dual sports I rode since the 70's. Munn racing and their online catalog was a godsend for that old bike even though parts are drying up. It also came stock with a supertrapp exhaust that is tunable, quiet and forest service legal. It's probably my favorite bike of the bikes I have owned onroad and off.

Good to hear the WP suspension on the '04 SXC was just a bad phase, It was decent, don't get me wrong, but I was a bit disappointed. The SXC made up for it with more power and electric start, but much more vibration where the RXC is a lot smoother. Sold that bike a little while back to a wheelie king type, who I hear put himself in the hospital on it a couple months later. I kinda regret selling it, but I had 4 bikes in the garage and needed the cash.

The LC4 bikes got my attention because I'm 6'4, 200lbs and those tall bikes with great LC4 grunt fit me like a glove. Most bikes just feel physically too small. That RXC was the first KTM I had seen in person back in '96, I was about to buy a Honda but saw the RXC in another Honda showroom and I wrote the dealer a check right on the spot, never regretted it.

 

[Tourmeister]

I have seen another KTM with the same stock suspension on a TWT ride in Arkansas.. Was basically the same as my RXC but a 400 or 450 I believe. Poor guy lost a bolt on the front caliper locking his front wheel up on a gravel road in front of me and went flying. It's the only other one I have seen like it.

That was Nate... Tough guy!

 

[woodsguy]

KTM= Keep taking money
HONDA= Keep Taking Money
SUZUKI =Keep Taking Money
If ya think abt it, they're all ktm' s just different colors

 

[Jarrett]

It seems like all the bikes made in the last few years from the big names are fairly reliable, minus a couple of things they will fix under warranty if it pops up.

If KTM had a DCT option (that was proven reliable) I'd probably be riding one. Til then just going to stick with Honda and Zero.

 

[woodsguy]

It seems like all the bikes made in the last few years from the big names are fairly reliable, minus a couple of things they will fix under warranty if it pops up.

If KTM had a DCT option (that was proven reliable) I'd probably be riding one. Til then just going to stick with Honda and Zero.

It seems like all the bikes made in the last few years from the big names are fairly reliable, minus a couple of things they will fix under warranty if it pops up.

If KTM had a DCT option (that was proven reliable) I'd probably be riding one. Til then just going to stick with Honda and Zero.

exactly