Camshaft fail - Honda Vs KTM - Who was right?

[@Motoeuro]

Such brilliant comments on this, thank you guys! 🤟So sorry I cannot answer all personally, just too many! Cheers for watching, your support and taking the time to add your thoughts. Motoeuro.

[@BlazinBlades]

Look at ‘one old man riding’s new 790 video…oh man 🤪🤪

[@nickcalnephone]

​@BlazinBlades it is brutal.

[@G58]

4:19 That looks like there was no lubrication reaching the cams. If that’s the case (and I have no idea if it is) just a quick inspection should reveal the facts. Either way, I’ve never been convinced by the KTM hype. And when I heard people saying that KTM stands for Keep Taking Money, I immediately understood that their bikes were for those who’re impressed by iconic brands whose status is perhaps not deserved.

[@mosa4688]

@@G58 There are ALOT of people who own one who don't need or know how to ride one to it's full potential, who were taken in by the hype. BUT the bike is a great bike (yeah I own one - first one I have had) but read/watch all the reviews. These are not people who are impressed by hype or iconic brands. The status of being a great bike is deserved. If these reliability issues had not surfaced, it would have been a game changer in the Adventure bike segment. And that is a shame because it would drive the other manufacturers to improve. It already forced Yamaha to release an improved T7 (World Raid) with lower slung tanks and better suspension because the KTM was selling like hotcakes (before the cam issue surfaced) and Yamaha had spent sooooooo looooong getting the T7 out that they thought they would be the all conquering seller. With the cam issue now front of mind of every potential buyer, causing the sales slump, the other brands MAY not be so responsive to the Adventure market?????

[@0trov_]

In late August 2022, I embarked on a journey to Irkutsk, deep in Russia, on my 890ADV bike. The trip was roughly 10-12k kilometers each way. Little did I know, there would be no return. (ON that bike at least...) Around the Belarus entry border, I experienced an issue I hadn’t encountered in the previous 15k kilometers with the bike. Upshifting from second to third required significant force, a problem that worsened as I continued. In Moscow, the KTM dealership told me not to worry, suggesting I turn off the rally mode. They offered an inspection that would take five working days and cost 1.3k euros, which I refused. For the next 10 days, things were mostly okay. Then, near Omsk, oil started leaking from the gasket valve cover. The closest KTM dealer was in Moscow, so I broke the warranty and had it fixed at a local shop. Not even 200km away from Omsk, my KTM died again after a torrential rain. The bike wouldn’t start, and the battery was fine. It was just dead. I had enough. I booked a hotel and spent the next 10 days organizing transport back home to Serbia. 31 days spent. More money than I’m willing to admit. Stress, ruined adventure, and disappointment. Now, two years later, my only regret is not burning the fucking thing on the spot. Taking the fuel out and burning it, then taking a plane back home, would have cost me less-WAY less. Of course, I sold the bike and got myself an Africa Twin ATAS 2018. 40k trouble-free kilometers! I took trips to Greece and Turkey through serious dusty, sandy off-roads, mud, and creek crossings. All I did was change the air filter and perform regular oil changes. Long story short, I will never spend a dime on anything KTM has to offer. I wouldn’t even buy a jersey they sell.

[@Motoeuro]

Wow! This is so upsetting, so you did what the bike was intended for and it massively let you down. How can KTM even all these bikes ‘adventure’. ADV bikes must be reliable, you simply don’t need the stress. Thanks for such a brilliant comment, this really sums the whole KTM experience up very well. Cheers and enjoy your AT.

[@roelfkromhout]

I’ve been burned so badly by this brand that I truly hope they go under. Awful company.

[@Motoeuro]

Sorry to hear that, we're in the same boat. If I can prevent just ONE person from buying KTM I'll be happy.

[@OtisFlint]

The interesting thing to me is their MX, XC, and Enduro bikes are most reliable in class. Their adventure bikes and street bikes are junk.

[@FraxeroneMemone]

me too, my 390 duke is full of problems

[@truantray]

​​​@@OtisFlint it comes down to inconsistency, and too many design errors. Either they lack engineering expertise or they don't care, neither answer is acceptable. People will point to Indian manufacturing, but the problems always come down to poor design.

[@pauln6803]

​@@Motoeuro That's not a clever statement. Advocating for a company to change its attitude towards their customers, improve their products (from a quality and reliability perspective) is a noble thing, wishing for a company to go under, reducing consumer choice, market competition and for hundreds, if not thousands - when you consider the knock on effect for dealers - of jobs is petty and immature. Consider the wider picture.

[@scottaubrey8392]

I refuse to support any bike brand that requires a $1500 payment to pay for a features on a bike that are already there but need a software upgrade…what’s next? A monthly subscription to get the ABS to function?? No thanks

[@cpuuk]

Actually that is the long term goal- monthly sub. BMW already do it on some of their cars.

[@clintbuhs7708]

You and all the other whiners out there have this completely bass ackwards. It costs a ton of money to develop those features, and you get to play with them for free. That's a win, not a scam. If it was set up the other way around you'd be whining that you have to pay for something you won't use. At least this way you have options.

[@scannorse]

@@clintbuhs7708 It is already payd for by the manufacturer, build into the motorcycle, but cannot be used by the driver…..Who wins ? NOBODY ! And the manufacturer just get a bad reputation.

[@scannorse]

Honda did the right ? Ehhh….still ? What about all the Honda recalls lately ? Sounds like people are buying into bad quality, or Honda release bikes before proper validation ?

[@clintbuhs7708]

​@@scannorsesee there you go with backward thinking again. Many businesses, most in fact, build products in a speculative manner. That means they have to sell them to pay for them. Maybe get a little more life experience before saying ridiculous things like that.

[@windinthewillows6248]

Sadly my brother and I learnt the hard way, when we bought the Norden 901’s. They were so full of problems, I got rid of mine and my brother got a full refund in the end from Husqvarna, as it spent more time in the dealers, than ridden by him and they couldn’t solve the top end noise issue, that his bike had! Never again will a Pierre mobility AG product be bought by our family. Back on a Honda and happy.

[@Motoeuro]

Good lord, thats terrible. I’m in your camp, once bitten, twice shy with KTM. Cheers for watching.

[@malone-np3ip]

Stick to the Honda great bikes I got nine started at 15 45 years later still riding strong

[@ronlawson5819]

Makes the African Twin and the Tenere look even better

[@petertrout7866]

OMG! This videos timing is perfect. I was just about to pull the trigger on a 890 but now I think I’m going to rethink the Honda and Yamaha. Thank!!!

[@Titan500J]

Great timing.

[@MrHellga]

Go and get a Husqvarna Norden Expedition MY 24. I am loving mine after 10 000 km. No problems at all and the Camshaft issue is solved for this model.

[@maurop8684]

@@MrHellga How can you be sure the camshaft problem is solved? I got a 2023 790 ADV, I receivede the e-mail by KTM, but not sure I can trust in them...

[@peeperpawsmcgee]

@@maurop8684 I have a 2023 790 duke, I haven't heard of any lc8 owners yet having the issue but I suspect its due to the fact they haven't been used enough yet

[@noneofyourbusiness5433]

Stay away from KTM until this plays out a bit. One T7 owner has got 170k miles on his with no issues at all. Look it up on here

[@brianfinch1087]

And all of that ground up camshaft is destroying the rest of the engine

[@mykheaton]

I just couldn't own a KTM after our local dealer saying total brake failure and then all the oil leaving dad's 390 was normal. I immediately sold my 690 and could never buy a ktm or one of its siblings... Let them go down, it's their own fault...

[@Motoeuro]

I hear ya! Cheers :D

[@Angry-Lynx]

Brake failure normal? Dude should probably be in jail for even saying that lol

[@MrHellga]

But the 690 is the best bike in the whole KTM range for many years.I think you made a mistake. Best 1 cylinder these days!

[@chrisalexandersb1748]

Ever since KTM went to India things have gone to S*hit. I still love the older bikes, I have a 2006 990 superduke with 50000km.(I have ridden 32000 of those myself). Its been amazing. And still pumps out 128hp/109Nm on the dyno. I also have a 701 Vitpilen, because the LC4 is so know by now. It have had some small issues, but they are small fixed under warranty. Also loved my 950SM and 990 Adventure R. But I will not get a new one, probably never. The horror stories my mechanic have told me about the 790/890s are crazy. A bloody shame because the 890 SMT is everything I want from a bike, but the value of these bikes are about to go down, HARD.

[@runeagnarhjorrh906]

@@Angry-Lynx Nope, its standard KTM practice. (I'm former KTM MC Tech) IF you find a problem with the brakes during a service, you are told to "don't go looking for problems" if you try and make a warranty claim for KTM, they only accept the warranty, if it's the customer who brought it up. I Sh*t you not... Soooo... don't trust the dealer to find dangerous faults on your bike, if its still under warranty. I personally would tell the customer, to go to the front desk, and make a claim, about the problem, that was the only way KTM would accept a warranty claim. That's just wrong on soooo many levels. If KTM dies as a brand, so be it, they love to make customers betatest a "premium" brand.

[@posteroonie]

Unless the underlying oiling problem is resolved, new cams will have a short life.

[@kevinthompson9151]

Evidently a new head came out

[@Motoeuro]

Replacing the cam is just a sticking plaster, does not solve the problem. Thanks 👍

[@NBSV1]

They quietly changed the head, likely to increase oil flow. And say they’ve changed the followers to make them wider. I’m wondering if they don’t have a production problem that isn’t getting the hardening on the parts right. So many are failing so quickly they would have known about problems in testing. Can’t imagine they’d go into full on production knowing the high failure rate.

[@posteroonie]

@@NBSV1 The channel BAREBONESMC has a video titled "KTM - Cheese Cams Whistleblowers and Corporate Greed" (start around the 14th minute). It makes a good case that a cross-drilled oil passage clogs up. The new heads probably address this issue.

[@lestersmyth692]

Dealers are still struggling to shift 2023 stock 790 Adventure models at the silly reduced price of 8k here in the UK, I wonder why 🫣???

[@luddite6239]

A good analysis. When I heard of these KTM cam problems, I, too, thought of the early Honda V4s. I had a VF750F and VF1000 and lovely engines they were, too. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, they had inherent cam wear problems. There was a combination of problems causing this. They ran forked rocker arms, which made it easy to get the wrong clearances, as the arm would tilt when adjusting individual valves. The cam to bearing clearances were inconsistent due to manufacturing errors. The cams themselves were not properly hardened. There was insufficient oil pressure below about 3,500 rpm, which meant the cams lacked adequate lubrication. Of course, as you observed, "it's an ill wind" because the upshot of all this was that Honda felt compelled to produce the excellent VFR750 to restore its reputation. I had one of those too - and it was superb! Whether or not KTMs have an inherent design fault seems immaterial at this point, the main damage to their reputation has been done by their poor response to the problem and lacklustre customer service. I think it's going to take a lot more than a new model design to restore faith in the brand.

[@Angry-Lynx]

KTMs like - what's the problem? Here, look at this sexy and super fast new 1490 adv ! KTM new models go brrrr every year new POS toy with close to zero r&d 😅

[@redbear1935]

Not sufficient lubrication was biggest problem for Hondas V4

[@Motoeuro]

Cheers, sorry you had issues, such a shame with the VF, thanks for commenting 👍

[@dutchsailor6620]

Honda in the 70's & 80's had a string of models with camshaft/timing chain/tensioner problems. e.g. CX500/650 and the CB750/900 were famous for it. Difference is that Honda handled it well and although people remember it, it didn't permanently tarnish the brand name.

[@simonbarrow479]

Triumph had a problem with the head on 1200 Explorer when it was first released and they issued a recall notice to get everything fixed. They did the right thing.

[@mosa4688]

In Australia. For a slightly different perspective. 28K hard Klms on my 2019 790 ADV. No symptoms or issues, but was going on a trip into the Outback and wanted the 30K service done early. Note, this was only the second time the bike had been to them for a service, first one after purchase and this 30K service as it is the most complex and IMHO the most important. I change the oil etc every 5000ks and all the other stuff myself. Had the cams checked and there was just burnishing on the lobes, no grooves, wear or dip. Dealer showed me photo's, as I requested, and I could have lived with what I saw. But dealer said they had opened a case with KTM anyway to see what they say. Next day I get a phone call - KTM have instructed them to remove the cams, polish and inspect - if they think they need to be replaced, replace them. Also instructed to replace ALL the cam followers. Will have to wait 2 weeks for the parts. All to be done under "Goodwill".

[@MrKips1]

Stopped buying ktm/Husq competition bikes six years ago. Year on year, I could see the quality fading away, silly faults occurring, crazy parts prices, all while paying a premium purchase price for a boutique brand which no longer represents high end quality.

[@MrSTAdventures]

This is one of the reasons that when my heart begs me to buy a KTM my head says nooooooo.

[@Motoeuro]

Yup. Their EXC's are awesome, but anything with more than one cylinder, don't do it! 'Ready to Repair'....

[@reiayanami6946]

@@Motoeuro how abt the LC4 690 SMC R ?

[@C_R_O_M________]

@@Motoeuro Not true. The older LC8s were and are superb motors and bikes. Very reliable as well.

[@Motoeuro]

@@C_R_O_M________ Fair play, getting carried away now. Lets get back on topic with the LC8c, cheers :D

[@M3ANDER]

@@C_R_O_M________ That's right ... a friend owns a 950SM that now has about 100.000km on the clock with no major problems

[@davidmallia628]

Honda did the right thing. If KTM don't do the same, they will go under.

[@daimonmt]

KTM are already going under, thanks to their parent company.

[@nkolchenko]

we don't need these down under )

[@ogasi1798]

they will not go under - dont be daft

[@simoncullum5019]

Honda sorted the problem and came up with the bulletproof VFR

[@truantray]

KTM is not doing anything because they can't afford to. Sales have tanked because the cams are just the last in a long list of problems. It all comes down toa poor engineering and poor testing. Basically, they are behaving like German auto manufacturers.

[@dskoufas]

I was very close to buy a KTM890,at the end I choosed a T7 cause I ride off road and remote places and didnt want any suprises,cam problems where not known at the time.I feel vry lucky and also satisfied with my yamie

[@noneofyourbusiness5433]

Bloke in the US has 170k miles on his T7 with no issues............it's on YT

[@danlove4270]

I dont remember a recall of the VF750F or 700. I do remember how the VFR fixed a lot of the engineering issues which saved their reputation but they never had a recall for my VF700. Honda blamed me for my cam problems saying it was due to riding at red line too much

[@michaelbdoherty]

The Japanese business mentality is completely different than the Austrian/ Chinese

[@shershot]

Yup, dodged a bullet and went w a xsr700 best bike I've owned aside couple of gixxers. Worst bike I've owned is aprilia rsv4

[@ianrivers3955]

Brilliant, and to the point. I run an independent motorcycle dealership and underwrite trade ins for other dealers, and I can tell you I and many of my colleagues won't even take a ktm parallel twin in part exchange due to risk of expensive failure. This is driving the used market price down which is sad because the caveat is that the adventure r series bikes are some of the best to ride in the world. Please KTM be responsible and re instill some brand faith.

[@Motoeuro]

Brilliant comment, thank you so much. Dealers cannot indemnify against such a huge risk of engine failure. No warranty would cover re-drilling oilways and replacing pumps. I love my 790, its a mental case, but would never buy KTM again. Such a shame. Once bitten…..

[@kenwise4596]

I started bike mechanic career in 1990 and worked in several dealerships and can say from the service departments side we wanted warranty claims approved and happy customers. There was no up side for us if it was rejected.

[@bradsanders6954]

Local dealer, sold 14 of the 2021 KTM 890R's, same year I bought mine there. He has sold a number of the 790's each year, and 890's quite a few every year up to today. In that time one 790 needed a valve adj. His shop inspected many of the bikes, no bad cams, no others needed a valve adjustment done. Mine has 20,000 miles and runs perfect same as new. Cams are great. The internet has blown this up to where ALL 790's and 890's are F'd. Its internet panic hype and bull$hit. They dont all have problems.

[@ronnie.b31]

T7, transalph 750, klr650, Suzuki dre800 the Japanese dual sport/ adv jewels

[@horizontal120]

buy Japanese has always bean the mantra to follow ...

[@garysmith70]

Always had yamaha.but I do fancy a triumph

[@SteveInskip]

@@garysmith70I had a one problem with my Triumph and and they did sort it out quickly and efficiently. With Honda I don’t have a problem.

[@Rosbif06600]

I've had a 2011 Tiger 800 since 2013. It's been all over Europe several times. Never has it missed a beat.

[@SteveInskip]

@@Rosbif06600 to be fair mine was a brand new model (675 Daytona in 2006), and it was an electric wiring alignment issue so I guess it may just have been a one-off. Whatever problems I’ve had with bikes or cars have always been with newly introduced models so I guess there’s a lesson to be learned there.

[@GhettoSuguru]

Mr bean?

[@lukefish7562]

Thanks for the video. I have almost 15,000 miles on my Norden 901 Expedition and this has me concerned the last few months after knowingly taking a risk venturing away from my always trusty Hondas. Appreciate the info and efforts. Pray for me and my mighty Norden🙏🏽 🏍️💨

[@Motoeuro]

I feel your pain. Good luck and fingers crossed. Thank you for commenting 👍

[@joshdoddadbod]

There are a lot of issues in numerous industries due to this profit over all else attitude.

[@Angry-Lynx]

Yes the core issue is this sick unbelievable greed that overtook world after 2020, especially from the rich and corporations, not from working people

[@theadventurecooperative]

We very much enjoy your content. This was a very solid point. No company can hide this kind of fault , pretending it was not a problem may just destroy what was left of an already questionable reputation. As a twenty year bike tech I could not agree more.

[@Motoeuro]

Cheers for the comment and for watching :D

[@Herbster71]

I learnt my lesson many years ago with a KTM 990 SMT. Wouldn't have another KTM. Dealer support was poor and the bike was not robust. They market themselves as a brand to compete with the best from Europe and Japan but the quality simply isn't there. Dealer tried to tell me that a top end rebuild at 15k miles was entirely normal because it was a 'thoroughbred' that needed extra care.

[@Motoeuro]

Really? Absolute rubbish from KTM. Thanks for the comment and for watching.

[@rdc3397]

Yep had a 2011 model myself. Cheap enough to buy, given the spec. Absolutely brilliant to ride; probably the best riding bike I've ever owned. But, and it's a BIG BUT, horrendously expensive to service & repair. I saw the writing on the wall quite early on and got rid of it, buying an early water cooled GS1200. Long before this camshaft issue arose, I was doing my best to talk others out of their prospective KTM purchase...

[@C_R_O_M________]

990 with 15k miles necessity for top end rebuild sounds like an extremely rare case to me. My first 990 adventure was sold with 70K miles and no top end rebuild and I'm on my second one now with 25K miles and no such issues.

[@dirtrider17]

I owned the Honda back in the day and the 790 adventure. The Honda had been repaired before I owned it and was a great bike for the time I owned it. So was my 790 ADV. Until the clutch dried up and it needed a new clutch shaft as the one way valve had stuck. They rebuilt the whole motor under the good will scheme, but I lost an entire season on the bike waiting for parts. Sold it and bought a 1290 and am enjoying that with an old 690 I picked up while the 790 was in the shop. . I do miss the 790 though.

[@S_fromm43]

Having worked at a KTM dealer as a technician, I haven’t seen this failure. I’ve seen airbox failures but no camshaft failures. My theory is that their recommended service intervals is to blame. I recommend 3,000 mile services not 9,000miles. The 790/890s that were serviced at the dealer I worked at recommended as much.

[@Titan500J]

My guess is that the service intervals had to do with EPA here in the US and the equivalent in Europe. It looks good on paper to reduce pollutants but in reality it screws the owner of the vehicle.

[@ianchivers585]

Have owned two KTM over the last 6 years and apart from a couple of recalls with the 690 I have really enjoyed owning. Was looking at the 890 but won’t be buying anything from KTM after following how they treat their customers.

[@mikeisland7382]

I imagine that all the guys that dressed up 690's instead of getting a 790/890 are feeling pretty good about that decision right now.

[@hass13ful]

Yes they only have to change rocker arms 😂

[@gasdive]

​@@hass13ful and fuel pumps

[@donkeizluv]

@@gasdive and clutch slave but luckily all of those are fixed in 2019-2022

[@literal_lee]

What about Honda's failing cam chain tensioners though the 90's and early 2000's that Honda never acknowledged as a common problem ?

[@dutchsailor6620]

Not true, Honda has always addressed those items and made replacement parts available to dealers. It were the crummy dealers that didn't inform the customers because they didn't want to do the work involved.

[@literal_lee]

@@dutchsailor6620 Got a link to substantiate your claim ? There were no callbacks or service upgrades, were there ?

[@jameslee5428]

Jim over here in America. I recently bought a 2023 KTM 890 adventure S. The bike has 2800 miles on it, and I’ve had nothing but problems with the bike. Everything they say on KZbin is 100% true…. It is the poorest running, Unreliable bike on the market. I truly made a mistake buying this bike and I can’t wait to get rid of it and go back to the standard that stands the test of time the Japanese brand of motorcycles. I fully believe there should be a class action lawsuit against KTM in America, and overseas,,when my bike is running correctly, all bikers then I come across and want to know about the KTM brand motorcycles, I flat out tell them all do not buy this brand of motorcycles because more unlikely you’ll get burnt in the end!!

[@Motoeuro]

@@jameslee5428 Sad news Jim, I do agree class action worldwide is needed to show KTM they are not the ‘ready to race’ brand they claim. Good luck Jim, all the best from the UK 👍

[@TerrySylvester-ip9on]

I’ve been fortunate that I’ve only had a throttle body failure a few hard starts, and a turn signal glitch on my Norden 901 in 14,000 miles, but I’m always waiting for something to fail. My Tenere 700 has 27,000 miles and the thought of it breaking down doesn’t even cross my mind. No excuse in this day and age for widespread unreliability on a motorcycle. Very discouraging!!

[@aluisious]

In the USA, at least a couple years ago, the KTM warranty didn't cover anything except the frame, engine, and swing arm. That told me that they didn't have any confidence that the electronics and everything else would last even a year.

[@johncunliffe9780]

I had and I do mean had been looking at the KTM 890 but concluded I would end up with sleepless nights even if it didn't have the issue. So I'm heading back to Triumph or possibly Ducati. Hope your bike is safe.

[@Motoeuro]

Cheers, get yourself a Trumpet, you'll be fine, cheers :D

[@chriswest2290]

Same here. Triumph 765 or the 2024 mt09sp for me

[@tam410]

The frame of my KTM 690 Enduro broke while riding, I was lucky no being injured, but the bike was scrap. Of course KTM didn't want to help me at all, they didn't even ask if I'm ok. Bought a Tenere700 and will never go back to any brand owned by Pierer.

[@Angry-Lynx]

Right on 👍🏿🦄

[@TheFoxyt2]

Totally agree. Any ktm bigger than 500 is a lemon. I’ve got 33000 miles on my tenere 700. Never been to a mechanic

[@SherKhan-b1kes]

Pierer Immobility

[@Motoeuro]

Madness, KTM should have been right on this. Shameful.

[@gasdive]

​@@TheFoxyt2the problems don't start at 500cc. The warranty for smaller bikes is equally useless.

[@supergnorf]

Good video and more balanced than others I've seen. Here's one non-disgruntled. yet (ex) KTM owner. Done in excess of 80.000 kilometers on two Austrian Oranges. None of which showed any sign of wear at time of trade. A 2019 1290 Super Adventure S first. At 60.000 kilometers the engine was thoroughly inspected. I also paid extra for an oil sample analysis. No signs of any wear at all. Shortly after the service the starter clutch began to moan and whimper occasionally on start. It was replaced under warranty while the motorcycle was 3.5yrs old. My dealer warned me that KTM might not approve it, but they did. AFAIK the last of its generation, the 2020 model, supposedly have a modified/improved starter clutch. To those who still, after your video, would consider to buy a KTM, this is the one to be had (of its series). I traded in the 1290SAS at 65000 kilometers. Decided to downscale ordered a new 2023 890 Adventure. At 25.000 kilometers it was checked thoroughly and again I paid extra because I wanted to be sure. No sign of any cam wear at all. None. The only issue I had with the 890 motorcycle in my ownership was one intermittent software issue (bike died while riding offroad). Cold boot, and it was back. The error never happened again. The second was switchgear (on the front break side). One of the plastic screw fittings cracked. Honestly think I could get better switchgear on AliExpress. June 2024 I decided to trade it in, for practical reasons (wanted something more long distance touring friendly). I've talked to several 890 owners and none have had any issues with theirs. Be it cam, camshaft or anything else. However, I am appalled by the arrogance of KTM. And how they treat customers as well as their trusted dealers. Who actually risk their own reputation by being KTM dealers, all while the factory gives a flying F about the damages of reputation and ecosystem. Just needed to point this out. What might put me off vs a future Orange acquisition is the company attitude and how they treat customers and cases with excessive wear issues. Ready To Race should be exchanged with Ready To Serve as a slogan. Maybe then they can rebuild their reputation. Time will show.

[@Motoeuro]

Great comment thank you so much for this :D

[@davidmallia628]

Greedy board of directors and shareholders. They will pay!

[@Motoeuro]

We can hope. Thank you for the support.

[@nawnaw4709]

they will not sadly (they will just walk away with millions) ...the employees on the other hand will feel it.

[@davidmallia628]

@@nawnaw4709 Sadly, yes.

[@DatBoiOrly]

Sadly they won't, like with Harley it's the workers that'll suffer the full brunt of this

[@patrickchristen1169]

Can’t blame shareholders, it’s all part of management’s responsibility’s .

[@timdobby5365]

Suzuki’s 2 v-twin engines in the VStrom 650 and 1050 are probably among the strongest, most durable motorbike engines you can have. I had a KTM Freeride once, lovely off road but the reliability made me vow never to buy a KTM again…

[@gasdive]

Plus the Suzuki after sales service is vastly better. They'll recall bikes over minor things to make sure your experience isn't ruined by unexpected breakdowns. My 650 was recalled for a stator, though hardly any had gone bad and it wasn't really a safety issue. All free, and an oil change thrown in.

[@MLoms]

I own a tiger 900 with only 15k km (less than 10k miles) on it. Gearbox failed. Second gear started falling off. When they checked the gearbox they found that the pans also require replacement. 3 months my bike has been at the service. I'm buying Honda.

[@Motoeuro]

WTF??? Really??? Thats madness. Sorry to hear that, good luck with H, they're not perfect but a much safer bet! Thanks for the comment.

[@kingsfpa]

Having had an 1190,1290,890 and about to get my second 890 I don’t know what all the fuss is about. They have acknowledged there is a problem and are resolving any issues under warranty. KTM aren’t going anywhere. The facebook group has 10,000 members but hardly any people on there suffering with an actual issue. I’d rather have a KTM with potential issues than a boring T7, Africa twin or V strom.

[@truantray]

Funny how these bikes are so great but you already had to buy a second 890. Thank you for the comment, KTM intern.

[@Quetzcacoatl_Tezcatlipoca1234]

Indeed my Honda NC750x is the most boring Bike in the world. However, I am riding by far more km than I did when I Had Cool Bikes.

[@pkaramer]

Good luck then,you'll need it😂

[@TerrySylvester-ip9on]

“Boring” T7? Ha ha ha! I love my T7 and have a Norden 901, too.

[@paulmorris7836]

And the reason why I bought a Honda CRF1000 rather than a KTM 890

[@youtubehooked7170]

Crf or cbr 1000?

[@paulmorris7836]

@@youtubehooked7170 Africa Twin...a little heavy on the trails, when picking it up, but more than capable

[@TelmoBarbosa]

I'm going to sell my Husqvarna Norden 901, because of that. I've exchanged some emails with ktm/husqvarna representing company in Portugal, and I've received basically the same answer. Great bike, bad customer service. Can't wait to buy a Japanese bike again.😢

[@Motoeuro]

I hear ya, could do without the damn worry!

[@gamingwithjoe9351]

I came to that conclusion a few years a go, with any of the euro brands you take a risk, shame but true

[@Paulk950]

I've had 3 black and orange toys,a 950,690 and now 790 they've all worked well, taking me all over Europe and the states, but customer service is absolutely shite. They cancelled my warranty because I changed my own oil, ( with OEM parts from a dealer). And this new buy a bike and then pay more for it all work scam (common in the car world I'm told, BMW are apparently considering it) means I probably won't buy another one, but.. It's such a good bike.

[@Motoeuro]

Thats so shocking, you love your bikes and would do a better job than the dealers! Cancelled warranty is truly a ba*tards trick. Just say no to KTM, they'll get the message in the bankruptcy courts. 😠

[@islanddreaming8591]

@@Motoeuro if KTM did go bankrupt, who is going to keep up the supply chain network for the spare parts for our KTM's ? .., ( it is guaranteed we'll all be needing those spare parts) 😖

[@MrHellga]

@@Motoeuro Any other brand would do the same if you make an oil change by yourself. Thats normal when it is about warranty.

[@TerrySylvester-ip9on]

That can’t pull that crap in the USA-I change my own oil on all my bikes !

[@PhantomMark]

I had a VF750 Sabre in the early 90s (bought second hand of course), camshafts knackered on that, sounded just like the Vauxhall Astra and Cavalier 1.3/1.6 chocolate camshafts of the time as well :D Later (much later - like 2017) I had a VFR RC36 750 with 52k miles, ran like a sewing machine, went like new........I now have a KTM 690 - as a second bike thankfully, but now I am scared.

[@Motoeuro]

@@PhantomMark not sure the 690 suffered this as it was the LC8c lump that has failed. Best of luck 👍

[@PhantomMark]

@Motoeuro they had some issues on the bearings on the end of the cams in the early 690s AFAIK, but the cam itself I think is OK, fingers tightly crossed for sure.

[@Motoeuro]

@@PhantomMark If it helps, I havent heard much about the 690, but very best of luck! Cheers :D

[@dwb3450]

Good comparison w/Honda. I have a 2019 KTM 790R that experienced the camshaft issue and am now on my 2nd engine. There are competing theories on the cause of the LC8c engine cam wear problem, e.g., the camshaft followers [too narrow], the camshaft [too soft], and the oil delivery system. I put the odds at 80% on the oil delivery system. As such it would have been nice if you had described Honda's camshaft problem and what it did with its later models to address the problem.

[@Motoeuro]

Didn't want to make this a 30 minute video! Honda found the issue - The first thought was that the issue was heat related, but after further investigation the real problem was discovered - there was too much clearance in the camshaft bearings. Honda fixed this by changing all the camshafts with new components. Cheers

[@cpuuk]

What very much concerned me with Charlie's situation was that his bike had been in for the valve check, yet nothing was found, yet only a couple Ks later (outside warranty) the bike went lame. This raises the obvious question about what dealers are really doing during the service. Are there no honest dealers out there?

[@Motoeuro]

Good and fair point thank you

[@islanddreaming8591]

A: For the same reason they dump cold oil from your bike , thus leaving half the sludge in the sump when they do so, They'll generally take 15 minutes doing the job and move on to the next bike. From that 15 minute cold oil dump / oil change...., they'll still book out the whole hour to the customer, without spending the next 45 minutes doing other TLC things to the bike , as you would do when you change your own oil.

[@emptymannull]

I've decided not to pre-order and put down my deposit for an MV 921s with a Jan 2026 delivery. God knows what Pierer Mobility will have done internally at MV by that point. 😢

[@jeffwhite9392]

In Australia there are consumer protection laws enforced which cover even out of warranty products ; ie " not fit for purpose " . My local KTM / Harley dealer no longer sells the former ( or spares ) for some reason The expression " Tearing a new one " strangely comes to mind . KTM will not get a hall pass here ...

[@timshaw8187]

Love my KTMs but decided to take a new Honda CRF 250 rally 2017 after 1000 miles running it in carefully and upgrading suspension, bars, sump guard, etc set of from Kent to Cape Town via the west coast of Africa, got as far as Zaragoza the engine seized due to top end oil starvation, Honda Dover didn’t want to know as I had broken the warranty by servicing it myself, so had to fly in a used eBay 2016 engine that got me all the way, so it’s not only limited to the orange

[@Akbar_Friendly_in_Cherno]

The Hemi V8 engine had a similar cam wearing issue that was many times larger than KTMs. Nothing was done by Mopar / Stellantis and their sales are even better today.

[@otlndsh]

was the social media blowback as big as this?

[@Jt-nu3em]

Stellantis is about to go bankrupt. What are you talking about??

[@Akbar_Friendly_in_Cherno]

@@Jt-nu3em after the well documented Hemi tick / cam wear issue they consistently sell ~ 600,000 Ram trucks per year in the US. The issue is far larger than the KTM cam issue. I'm not supporting either. I have a Ram Hemi and a 790 Adventure

[@Akbar_Friendly_in_Cherno]

@@otlndsh probably not as there were no Facebook groups when it was happening. Mostly was discussed in forums

[@GaryBickley]

Interesting comments on KTM reliability. I've just broken down 90 kms north of León Spain. Immobiliser has shxt itself mobilising the bike! It's now in KTM workshop in León, estimated repair time 4 weeks! Not only my trip (group leader) but 3 other riders trip ruined. Thankfully I had the bike serviced before leaving by my local KTM dealer which gave me a 12 month euro wide recovery service. "Ready to repair" about sums these bikes up! Great vid as always

[@Motoeuro]

Christ! Best of luck to you all. Nightmare

[@phillipgarfoot9867]

I bought a brand new 2018 1090r, did 11700 miles up to 1st mot, it failed on the rear suspension & front discs, tried to talk to KTM to see if they could shed any light on it? All I got was it's out of warranty, I didn't want anything from them but i had not even took it off road?

[@nickg2431]

Hi phillip, am interested what EXACTLY was the reason the front discs failed the MOT. they must tell you by law.The "minimum thickness"printed on the side of the disc has no basis in law.The disc must not flex(by hand movement) or cracked warped split big lip or loose.Thats it. Also rear shock,no leaks and no freeplay with wheel moved up and down with the tyre in the air.Thats it. All this is rather odd at 11700 miles ?cheers

[@tymobyrne4451]

Just a note StateSide a year or too ago Honda pulled all their push mowers off the showrooms due to a camshaft issue...they seemed to handle it well...I just got a 300L and I expect good service from her and Honda. I never expected that from KTM to be honest and im not surprised by the way things went down. Sorry to hear riders are the ones holding the bill.

[@queenslander954]

Honda’s problem was the cam chain tensioners not so much the cams on VF750s , so they developed gear driven cams for the VFR750’s instead of cam chains.

[@dutchsailor6620]

Honda's Achilles heel from the 80's &90's (CX500/650)

[@P6_7R_Nick]

Strong words there my man. I have to agree, I've bought my last KTM, it's a 2018 1290 SAS and it's been pretty reliable. In my opinion what has ruined KTM isn't buying multipul brand names, it's motogp. I mean why? They don't have a super sport bike. I pitty those that have the effected motors and I'm dissapointed KTM aren't doing more to sort this out. How can it be small numbers affected when it's a batch machining issue?

[@Motoeuro]

Exactly. Thank you, great comment. Don’t get me started on MotoGP, I’ll literally blow a fuse! Cheers :D

[@Angry-Lynx]

How can? That's because u use rational thinking, that doesn't work for corporations like peirer. They only understand numbers. $$$ numbers to be exact. All they see is - we admit issue - money go down. We pretend there's no issue and lie like mad? Maybe money no go down 😂 It's literally like showing banana to monkey

[@wetleyrocks3092]

I love my 1st ever KTM, the 2018 450EXCF Six Days I wanted the 890 ADV R as an addition I'm so glad I've waited Wil KTM do a VFR750 rebirth?...

[@s.a.f.r.a6403]

I once worked on a 790 ADV where the clutch basket retaining nut came loose while the customer had taken it on a vacation trip he rode it with barely any clutch to speak of No damage had occurred thankfully I could also tell that the bike hadn't been worked on since the factory terrible workmanship

[@pjm204]

While riding from the US to Chile I saw multiple KTM 690's have rocker arm failure while my 85,000 mile vstrom (now 125,000) kept chugging along. Later while riding it in Death Valley, a 1090 failed to start, later diagnosed with low compression at 11,000 miles due to the airbox not sealing. Lastly I towed a 990 out of the Alvord Desert with my vstrom as his fuel pump had failed. They've been making unreliable bikes for decades. I actually own a 2008 450XCF that I recently bought cheap because the top end had failed. After tearing it down I found the cause to be the CCT had allowed the timing chain to skip. The hydraulic CCT failed because he PLASTIC oil pumps failed (that are now discontinued). What a joke.

[@morri03]

Loved the thumbnail. Look how good looking the VF750 still is. The KTM should be off anyone’s list because of its looks. The camshaft issues are just another reason

[@chrisalexandersb1748]

It breaks my heart this. I still love the older bikes, I have a 2006 990 superduke with 50000km.(I have ridden 32000 of those myself). Its been amazing. And still pumps out 128hp/109Nm on the dyno. I also have a 2018 701 Vitpilen, because the LC4 is so known by now. It had some issues, but they are small fixed under warranty. Also loved my 950SM and 990 Adventure R. But I will not get a new one, probably never. The horror stories my mechanic have told me about the 790/890s are crazy. A bloody shame because the 890 SMT is everything I want from a bike, but the value of these bikes are about to go down, HARD.

[@buzzsp1]

at the start of this year my 790 had its 18,000 mile service . 1 cam shaft was showing signs of wear and needed replacing . initially I was given an estimated price. also I was given an estimated time of when the camshaft will arrive in the UK (some 3 months) .. for me that's fine as I have other bikes to ride. 3 months later all repairs were covered by ktm 1 new cam shaft and 8 new followers on both cams .. i didn't have to ask they told me its free ... i have no problems on how I was treated by KTM ..

[@Danger_mouse]

KTM has never ever been interested in their customers. 3:56 You forgot Husaberg whose name was unceremoniously dumped over night when PM/KTM bought the Husqvarna name. Owners of Husaberg and the red and white Husqvarna bikes suddenly found themselves with no supply chain and no warranty or dealer network. Not to mention the100s of employees from Husaberg, Husqvarna and Gas Gas who were shown the door upon these takeovers. Shareholder figures are all that PM look for, so it is very amusing to me to see the big orange giant begin to fall 👌

[@danielpospisil1192]

I'm glad my premonition came true! Sometime in 2002 I had the opportunity to repair a few new KTM engines and some design details did not seem good and reliable to me. Their advertising campaigns never appealed to me either. The best KTM is SUZUKI, personal 35 years of experience :) This fall awaits some European manufacturers as well. Thank you for the excellent report💛

[@keithkeeble7483]

From the guys on the kove stand at the abr the head was reworked in the USA so may not have the same problem only time will tell

[@G58]

4:19 That looks like there was no lubrication reaching the cams. If that’s the case (and I have no idea if it is) just a quick inspection should reveal the facts. Either way, I’ve never been convinced by the KTM hype. And when I heard people saying that KTM stands for Keep Taking Money, I immediately understood that their bikes were for those who’re impressed by iconic brands whose status is perhaps not deserved.

[@TheOliveradams]

Till now after 14..000Km ( with 6 track day's) with my 2023 Duke 890R no problems with the camshaft (or any other problems) so did they solve it for the 2023 890R ?

[@motolover5697]

My 250TPI is a great bike! 7 years old, never missed a beat and is abused a lot.

[@OtisFlint]

Their dirt bikes are excellent.

[@thomasdoe6768]

Thank you for stepping in. All the bigger KZbinrs should be ashamed of themselves. They only jumped on the bandwagon, after the claim were undeniable.

[@Titan500J]

All of the Japanese bikes I owned had one feature rhat I loved. Every time I pushed the start button it went varoom. Amazing!

[@josephreisinger33]

Yes as for Honda at enormous expense they also fixed all the GL1800 frame welding problems FOR FREE. As for me, I contemplated getting a KTM or A Husqvarna but I bought something I know very well. My second XR650L. Yes, it's old school but it's been in production for 32 years. If it isn't broke, I won't need to fix it.

[@Coldestaevadoit]

Would use of a lighter weight oil allow the oil to reach the cams providing sufficient lubricants?. I realize this could increase wear in other areas but maybe this extends the current lifespan of the motorcycle

[@myles-v1h]

The Ktm has filosophy of printing new bike every couple of Years instead of perfecting existing model. You had a video about the problems with aprilia but I cannot find it on the channel any more. Would be nice to hear Your opinion on reliability and build quality.

[@Angry-Lynx]

Few years? It's new model literally every year. And people still buy into that crap..... It's obvious you can't do proper rnd and develop new bike in such time

[@jefftaswelder9154]

Think I will stay with my DRZ400e 🤔😁

[@billyarsenault1970]

Haha that wont work for everyone unfortunately but i hear you living the simple life has minimal risk.

[@jefftaswelder9154]

@@billyarsenault1970 I am a simple man 🤣 👍🏻

[@billyarsenault1970]

@@jefftaswelder9154 yeah you are madman. ✌🏻

[@jokermtb]

There’s a new fuel injection DRZ in the works (Suzuki applied for patents recently) ….maybe even a 6th gear….?!

[@fizzy49cc]

I was going to get a cheap high mileage 790 on fleabay (ironically there was no camshaft issue at 40k miles). Then thought about the CFmoto 800. But decided to keep my old bike. Oh yes it's a 70000mile VFR750 ('91) that has lost a little top speed but is otherwise faultless. Think I'll buy a new shock, check valve clearances & go for 100k.

[@Motoeuro]

Wise man. NEVER let her go..... 🤟

[@constantinosschinas4503]

3:20 Kove 800c pro engine is NOT a direct copy. They clearly say that it is an 790 engine with reworked head and no ride by wire. CFMoto 800MT must have been also altered because no issues are reported there too. I was joking in a comment many months ago that i trust the chinese more than the austrians and that KTM could be improved by china and we may have actually ended up at this very point.

[@Motoeuro]

Thanks for this, I took the word of MCN in the UK on this, they said... "Powered by a 799cc parallel twin motor which is a direct copy of the KTM 790 motor it has a claimed 94bhp at the crank, a figure that translated to 81bhp at the rear wheel when we tested it on the dyno. Another stand out figure is the weight, or lack of it, topping MCN’s digital scales at 196kg with it’s 20 litre tank brimmed with fuel." Hope this helps, cheers.

[@dragoclarke9497]

Truly shocking from KTM. I was considering a KTM 790, or a Cfmoto. Not now, and probably never. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the end of Pierer Mobility.

[@maximusmiles8435]

When they say "starting issue". Are they referring to cold, or warm start issue? My 790, while it has low miles. It has always been cold blooded to start.

[@Motoeuro]

Sorry, I dont know much about the starting issue, best of luck

[@gasdive]

I'm surprised that everyone is surprised. KTM has always refused to stand by their bikes during warranty. I've seen a 3 week old EXC shit itself in spectacular fashion. KTM refused everything. In the end the shop that sold it did the work for free and the owner paid for parts, which at the time were about 10% of the value of the new bike.

[@knightghost534]

what are the views on duke 390 im plnning on buying one pls reply

[@Motoeuro]

@@knightghost534 the 390 is not effected as far as I know. It’s the twin bikes that suffer. Good luck 🤞

[@knightghost534]

@@Motoeuro thanks bro

[@marcutrillogibert9154]

We will see if Kove 800x pro have the same problem, engine is very similar but not the same, and also the intervals maintenance are less aggressive.

[@Motoeuro]

I hope. Thank you.

[@Angry-Lynx]

Maybe it was all sabotage by cfmoto 😂

[@Snowy-r6r]

The cure for lusting after a new KTM was fixing a KTM 950 Adventure and a 450 EXC for a friend who had picked them up cheap. I did ground up rebuilds. Would NEVER own a KTM now. The Austrian bikes are what you'd get if a German tried to make a Japanese copy using British parts with Italian electrics.

[@C_R_O_M________]

What problems did you have because I have none (and I own a 990 and a 500 atm)?

[@sinki19841984]

@@C_R_O_M________ My 950 is also solid.

[@Snowy-r6r]

@@C_R_O_M________ water pumps (known issue), oil pumps (known issue), cam chain tensioners failures (known issue), radiator failures (known issue), stator failure (known issue), coil failure, control wiring issues due to cracked wiring (lots of them suffer it, in fact out of 3 complete looms I purchased from low km bikes, all of them had varying degrees of damage, and I basically cut and shut multiple looms into one function loom. Sub frame cracks (bought 3 and they were all cracked) it goes on and on, and frankly after dealing with owners who start the "I had one and it was perfect" I just can't be bothered. They were some of the shittest bikes I ever worked on. Ask my cousin with his $150K worth of newer KTMs. The cams in his top of the line Rally version factory spec 890 are eating themselves. $42K invested. Waste of time and money. If I was given one for free it'd be going straight to eBay.

[@Amerigo73]

At 02:20 You think a workshop will open up engines just for the sake of your curiosity, and do it free of charge? This sounds very naive. This will take until someone manages a recall in the US, that's usually when things start moving. The best they can do is include a check for the camshaft when the timing has to be checked anyway (at 18'000 km?), and be very cooperative with replacements. Lack of communication is usually not helping at all.

[@Motoeuro]

Cheers for the comment. I'm not expecting that, my point was - a dealer under pressure from KTM may not be as sympathetic as they could be and I could be the one left with a £1,200 bill from a strip down by KTM at £90 p/h. Too much of a gamble as I dont trust KTM. I agree a check with valves would be good. Cheers for watching!

[@Amerigo73]

@@Motoeuro Yes - from a dealer's point of view, they are also KTM's customer and they will for sure tell KTM what they think of such behaviour. Anyway, the regular service intervals will be kept and of course the good workshops will look at the crankshaft when opening up the engine for valve timing service. But anything that happens before will just be a case of warranty. I guess the failure rate isn't too bad, only KTM has the real numbers. Don't fall into the trap of anecdotal evidence just because you are focused on this one issue. You know the phenomenon: once you gain interest in something, you start to see it everywhere.

[@Motoeuro]

@@Amerigo73 Wise words. Cheers

[@bumpkinrocks]

I actually came on here looking for information on the KTM300 EXC-F as a second bike. I'm so.. glad I did. Reading comments and hearing what's been said I won't be buying a KTM after all! Another Honda then👍

[@Motoeuro]

Looking at some comments, I thought it was the LC8c lump, but so many have had issues with their KTM's, never again for me! Thanks for watching :D

[@rokoradic5728]

I like to rent ktm for hard enduro , it is superb on terrain and very fun bike. Currently for adventure, own old Tenere, and plan is next year continue for new T700. Ktm only for rent.

[@davidrochow9382]

I have an 83 VF750 Magna and the motors just fine. Mind you it's only done about 28,000 miles( 45,000 kms). It was an American import back in 2011( I'm in Oz) and their bike always seem to have very low mileage on them. When I got it back in 2020 it only had about 13,000 miles( 21,000 kms) on the clock. Besides from the motor, shaft and transmission I've had to replace a lot of other stuff but after nearly 42 years that's to be expected.

[@Motoeuro]

Lovely V4 lump, pleased she was good to you. 👍

[@JPalazzolo31]

The 1290 doesn’t have the same issues, does it?

[@Motoeuro]

No.Not that I am aware of. Cheers

[@ChrisinHove]

This comes after the anti-friction coating / oil incompatibility issues, as well. Buy a KTM? No chance!

[@timkis64]

one thing you need to remember.in the 80s honda problem, soichiro honda himself was still active in his company.it was a matter of honor & personal responsability to correct the issue.how many global companies nowdays are still run by the man who BEGAN the company.VERY FEW.its merely their job to be a CEO. they didnt struggle to make the company survive. MR.HONDA DID!!!!!!

[@johngittins6244]

I’m amazed how this issue has picked up pace. I can only see a lot of brand and customer loyalty damage for KTM unless they do the right thing and issue a recall. Right now I see the KTM like an Alfa Romeo, I love the ability and design but would I really want to own one……naaaa….

[@Photonoggin1]

Had my old VF750 engine rebuilt under warranty. Beautiful afterwards.

[@MAGIKru]

Those who wants reliable orange bike should buy 1290 bikes with legendary lc8 without any issues. Mine 1290 SA from 2015 year have already 100K km and camshaft are still in good conditions.

[@mattevans5812]

Austrian prices with chinese build quality is the fastest recipe for bankruptcy i can think of

[@Danitro_21]

i just wish somebody other than ktm and ducati would produce lightweight, single cylinder 45hp+ supermotos

[@mikegregory472]

Ducati are launching a 698 Hypermotard single, it's one cylinder off the Panigale 1285 Vtwin

[@mikegregory472]

659cc 77hp and 63nm torque, guaranteed to lose your lisence

[@davidz8]

To be fair to KTM, you cannot expect them to pay for everyone to have there 790/890 engine checked just in case there is cam wear. ADV Charlie was experiencing no issues with his bike, he was going on a long trip and asked the dealer to check everything before he set off. At this point KTM should have stepped in and paid for the repair, silly them. What they should do is say they are now offering a 60/70/80 thousand mile (pick which you prefer) warranty on cam wear as long as the bike has been serviced by KTM, this would help their reputation a bit, and help secondhand residuals a bit. Instead they just keep denying there is a problem whilst saying they have fixed the problem. Not sure why you showed a CF Moto 450MT, my understanding is the engine in that is a CF Moto design nothing to do with KTM.

[@Motoeuro]

Hey David, thank you for such a good comment. Firstly KTM should have handled this very differently. I agree with you, a 18k check with valve clearances should include a camshaft check. But Charlie has not fixed the problem, replacement camshafts are not the issue, the oil ways and pumps should be inspected. It’s oil starvation that’s killing the cams. (Lots of reasons for that). I love the CF Moto 450 MT, but my trust has failed with any company connect with KTM. I am on the receiving end of this, and it hurts.

[@davidz8]

​@@Motoeuro I totally sympathise with everyone effected, I like the fact that you are using your YT voice to add to the overwhelming fact that the 790 and possibly the 890 engine has an inherent fault that KTM should fix, I might be wrong, but doesn't the Consumer Rights Act 2015 give 6 years to make a claim about satisfactory quality, you would hope a firm of Solicitors would jump at the chance to represent so many potential claimants. I love your KNT sticker by the way, you should sell them. I love my 450MT, someone has already done almost 14000 miles on one and another 10000km mainly off road with no issues, but only time will tell how reliable they are.

[@akerlie123]

it would be interesting to know what the actual failure rate is, the internet makes it look like its every other bike. But in reality it might be something like 1/50 to 1/500 ? How common is this actually ?

[@SherKhan-b1kes]

I’ve heard of an Internet forum with over 9,000 affected riders and constantly growing. That was roughly some 2 - 3 months ago.

[@Motoeuro]

@@davidz8 Hey David, again great comment thank you. I don’t know about consumer rights, and I bought my 790 used from another dealer so KTM are not interested at all. If I got it new from KTM they seem to pay more attention, but only a little. Ha ha!!! So pleased someone noticed that sticker!!! Cheers! I saw Luke’s video after 10k, very encouraging, I feel the MT is actually fantastic, but my woes with KTM just make me feel like avoiding anything to do with them! It’ll pass I guess….. Cheers!

[@MikeMike-er7kn]

I owned a vf750fd. Best sounding bike I've ever heard. The cam situation and the 16 inch front rim let it down a bit, but was otherwise an awesome bike.

[@RatBike750]

790 owner here, I got screwed. I contacted KTM when my cams went bad at 8k miles. They told me there was not a known problem. I fixed it on my own dime. Later the same year, 2024, they admitted to a problem, but would not reimburse me for the parts. I have receipts, pictures, and the old parts. The worst part is, the technical explanation they provide makes no sense to me, so I assume the valvetrain will fail again.

[@mikegregory472]

Take it further, legal or the Ombudsman

[@stuartlloyd8276]

I would like to say - thankyou for having the guts to make this video. I know that you will have thought long and hard and if we ever meet I will buy you a pint. The Foggster

[@Motoeuro]

Cheers for that, very kind. Look forward to thant pint Foggster 😀 All the best!

[@stuartlloyd8276]

It will be my pleasure. Be high speed and low drag brother !!!