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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?

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2WheelNut said:
I've got a BMW, 2 KTMs, 2 Hondas, and 1 Yamaha in the garage right now and I've had lots of different manufacturers over the years.

I think BMW and KTM make great performing bikes but the idea that BMW is somehow more reliable than KTM is humorous. I've owned 4 BMW's in my life and had significant issues that caused significant cost to fix or inconvenience to me with all of them. In contrast, I've owned 3 KTM's and the biggest issue I had was the foot knob on the sidestand broke off and it was covered by a recall.

As of this moment, my gas gauge on the BMW doesn't work and the dealer will fix it but it will go out again in a few months. They don't have a fix other than replacing the same old failed part. Additionally, I just replaced a blown front shock. This GS has a whopping 10K miles on it. I'm really worried about the final drive on it after hearing one horror story after another and especially since they don't even have a drain / fill plug in the 2007 GSA because the final drive is supposed to be "a lifetime unit" without need for service. HA.

Anyway....I love the GS and am glad to have it....but if I was really worried about reliability, I'd pick the KTM over the BMW all day every day. (of course neither of them are in the same universe of reliabiilty as my Honda Goldwing)

All I know is I wiped out and dropped my used 2007 KTM 450 XC-W off a 20 foot cliff and I scrambled to the bottom....picked it up, started it and rode it back up to the trail and finished. I bought it used and abused that bike for 300 hours and a season of XC racing and aside from regular oil and air filter changes, the only engine maintenance was the valves needed to be adjusted one time at about 200 hours and clutch gasket leaked a bit and had to be replaced. (and I probably did fork seals about 5 times too)

That bike was one of the best performing motorcycles I've ever owned.....if that's the kind of "high maintenance" that you get from a KTM bike because it's so high performing....I think it's well worth it.

Oh...and I have to admit my Super Duke is excessively bad about eating tires. It's hard to get much more than 3500 miles out of a rear.
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I appreciate your viewpoint as much as any as you have the skills and the variety in your garage to know! Thanks for sharing.
 
No true answer to this thread, just fun
228246
I bet thats his brand of motor oil in that pot too.
 
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Go ride all the bike you're interested in. See what "Feels" right to YOU! Seat height, feet on the ground, comfort and how easy it is to ride.
All bikes are different. KTM's are typically a little more Performance oriented compared with the others. KTM has some great rebates going on now. I took $4k off a new 1290.
 
If he'd ever ridden one he'd have already been hooked and wouldn't have needed to post this question.

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dirtryder said:
There is a reason they rebate them. You ever rode one?
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Joe, he probably rides his bikes . unlike you , just have a bunch in the shop to look at . You big dummy



WFO75080
Forum Supporter
JoinedNov 26, 2009Messages17LocationGreenville
Friday at 10:33 AM
Go ride all the bike you're interested in. See what "Feels" right to YOU! Seat height, feet on the ground, comfort and how easy it is to ride.
All bikes are different. KTM's are typically a little more Performance oriented compared with the others. KTM has some great rebates going on now. I took $4k off a new 1290.

2009 Harley CVO Fat Bob
2008 Suzuki B King
2017 KTM 250 XCF
2017 KTM 300 Six Days
2018 KTM 500 EXC
2019 KTM 300 Six Days
2019 KTM 1290 R
 
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Yeah. I should have said dirtyjoedirt dirtyrider. LOL

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KTMs 790 owners are flooding forums with bike leaking oil during break in period


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LOL. My wife sent me that the other day. [emoji23][emoji1787][emoji23]
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Stickers ??? We don't need no stinking STICKERS !
 
With wives like this , who needs girlfriends ??? LOL

Stickers ??? We don't need no stinking STICKERS !
 
I have to admit. My KTM failed me this weekend. It's 3 year old stock battery wouldn't start the bike on a 40 degree morning so I set it on fire and walked home with the dog.

Seriously.... it was a pain....but I got a jump from another KTM and got her going. Once it was started and warmed up, she started fine the rest of the day and on the 300 mile ride home from Strom a Thon. Replacement battery is on order.
 
RobFelicci said:
I am torn about buying a reliable good used bike. I am between the Honda Africa Twin, a BMW 800GS or a KTM adventure 1090 or 1190. They seem to dominate the conversation when considering a GOOD bike that performs. But are the KTM's reliable bikes? do you have to know lots of mechanical troubleshooting in order to own one? What is your opinion on reliability?
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Did you ever decide on something, or did the shenanigans run you off?

I picked up a 2018 SAR in November, and now have right at 3k miles on it. The only issue needing shop time was the fuel gauge which has a service bulletin and new part. The main detractor I have about the bike is the heat the engine puts off, and unlike most it really only bothers me at 70+ mph (which I do a lot of going back and forth to work on the toll (75mph speed limit).
 
2WheelNut said:
I have to admit. My KTM failed me this weekend. It's 3 year old stock battery wouldn't start the bike on a 40 degree morning so I set it on fire and walked home with the dog.

Seriously.... it was a pain....but I got a jump from another KTM and got her going. Once it was started and warmed up, she started fine the rest of the day and on the 300 mile ride home from Strom a Thon. Replacement battery is on order.
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You said it was cranking but not starting. Guess not enough juice left for the fuel pump. That's pretty good for a battery in texas heat , on borrowed time much after that.
 
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