KTM Camshaft Issues and Complete Engine Replacements

[@aromaticsnail]

KTM is really embracing their chinesium ambitious

[@anxiousappliance]

Full Austrian - they have never been able to manufacture up to modern standards.

[@showmytime9177]

CfMoto does not have engine problems, using the same engines as KTM, with simmilar power output, but using real quality parts at very good prices. if a CfMoto part cost 1$ to manufacture and sells for 5$, the same desing part but from KTM costs 0.99$ to manufacture but sels for 100$. That 1 cent in difference is the metal hardening.

[@anxiousappliance]

@@showmytime9177 I'd like to see some numbers on this, but you are describing my thesis. The Chinese know how to build things. If given the leeway to do their own quality control, both in sourcing parts and manufacture, they will build it better than KTM.

[@crozwayne]

That’s a bit of a racist remark from a white supremacist

[@kkhalifah1019]

@@showmytime9177 I've been quite curious about this coz both the CFmoto 800MT and the KTM790 share the same engine. Maybe the CFmoto 800MT is still relatively new in the market for the problem to show up in sufficient volume. Or they have a different production line altogether. Has anybody tried fitting the CFmoto camshaft into the KTM engine?

[@ianhalliwell8604]

In all my decades of buying and riding motorcycles I've never owned a KTM and after hearing all these stories it's obvious i never will.

[@sambagogo777]

KTM's website: "The KTM 790 DUKE has a reputation." Indeed it does!

[@jamescampbell4334]

@sambagogo777 I have two buddies who picked them up used at an awesome price. Time/mileage will tell if those were wise purchases. 🤔

[@rlw85]

I was thinking about a KTM 790 adventure for work but I watched some KZbin videos for reviews and I came across the cam shaft videos. It’s put me off buying one.

[@tomg6284]

I have a 390, I was thinking about 1290. Now selling 390 and going to yamaha tracer9

[@douglasalexander4348]

@@tomg6284 👍 Had mine since 2017, ride through winter, zero issues. Best tyres on it have been road 5.

[@richymoto]

Last year i was inches away from buying a Norden 901 Expedition ... until the 790 of a friend ran into that camshaft problem and he was left alone by KTM, because it was out of warranty. I would not want to worry about camshafts, when forking out that kind of money. Adventure bikes should have engines with a bulletproof reputation.

[@k1200ltse]

I know 4 people who've had KTM'S & all have had problems with them, mostly electrics but one with a failed engine, the oldest being a 2021. The latest being a 1290 Super Duke bought 2nd hand from a dealer, which had an electrics failure of epic proportions. Heard many other stories as well, including poor dealer support.

[@Achilles22]

I’m an ex KTM service manager, they still haven’t sorted their bikes. I had to deal,with various issues from irate customers who needed recovering , after breaking down. There mates of course winding them up! There is a good video regarding KTM camshafts on YT. The Various issues, are electrics, software, and camshafts. They’re exciting to ride when they work. However I would, never ever own one. Some buyers obviously know more than me as KTM are still selling! Good luck with the reliability!😮

[@user-sg6xv2kb8s]

Wasn't there an issue 10 years ago like this too?

[@valebliz]

Owned a 690 Duke from 2012 and a 1290 SD-R from 2018. Won’t ever buy another KTM tbh, fun bikes but shit reliability and even shittier materials sold at premium prices. They’re good if you ride a few thousands kms every season max, swap bikes every 2 years and need someone to show at the pub more than ride.

[@majormassenspektrometer]

I worked for a KTM dealership. KTM needed years to fix the leaking clutch slave cylinders. Great bikes but have shitty quality and are overpriced.

[@glasshopper2010]

Hi Freddie. I don't know how KTM get away with it! They used to excuse their poor warranty on the basis of them being competition machines. That certainly doesn't apply to Adventure Bikes.

[@showmytime9177]

they get away it it by replacing parts in USA and Schengen EU for free, while giving the finger to the rest of the world.

[@gzk6nk]

Freddie, the KTM camshaft fiasco looks like a re-run of Piaggio / Moto Guzzi washing their hands of major cam problems on early 8 valve Grisos some years ago. They went on to change the design to roller cams for this engine, but those of us with an early bike were left out in the cold. All Piaggio would offer was that if your bike had a full MG dealer service history AND had suffered cam failure, they would provide new cam / follower parts to repair it - but would not pay for labour. Since cam failure means there will be metallic debris throughout the engine, a full engine strip and rebuild would be required which Piaggio would expect the owner to pay for. The UK Moto Guzzi club took Piaggio to court under 'not fit for purpose', but Piaggio pointed out that they could afford far bigger lawyers than the MG club could fund, and that if the MG club lost, Piaggio would press for massive costs against them, not least for those very expensive lawyer fees. MG club could not risk that and had to back down. Needless to say I will not touch any Piaggio product to this day. Vince

[@andrewhayes4246]

Even the great Honda made a bike with chocolate cams, but it is so 'last millenium' to not fix it free & fast.

[@avalanx]

Agreed, it's not the issue but the response that is concerning. Blatant corporate greed. The accountants are making decisions without regard for brand and community.

[@andrewhayes4246]

@@avalanx absolutely. I hate 'bean counters'!

[@jayceebee]

Freddie, it's coincidental that you bought the KTM up but up until last week I had a duke 790. For a while I really wanted to switch over to a triumph Speed Twin, some big factors was watching your bonnie get rebuilt and wanting something similar myself, but hearing the rumours about the camshaft issues and having some horrific customer service with a KTM dealer myself (they are not all that bad - honest!) it finally pushed me over the edge. Despite taking a loss on the bike, I decided to sink the extra money into a triumph. I do not regret this decision but it was only these factors that forced me into it. I'm witnessing within my KTM groups of a high number of people also trading their bikes in at alarming rates so I'm not alone in my decision to change. Ps. Been loving your euro tour on the rebuild triumph and is inspiring me to do the same on my newly procured speed twin. Jordan Cambridge

[@Engineersoldinterstingstuff]

The colour of the fairing meets our specification. The wheels are more round than squared. Hence sadly no warranty can be given.

[@Angry-Lynx]

And you changed tire pressure on your own, therefore voiding warranty!

[@capybara931]

KTM do the right thing and recall and fix, no questions asked

[@sproutandkidneysoup2296]

I started biking in 1974, and apart from one time, I've always bought Japanese bikes. Not one Japanese machine has ever given me any problems. They have always started on the button and run flawlessly. I watched a youtube video a while ago between two vloggers, and they started talking about the comments they receive after showing their road test videos. They concurred that after showing videos of Japanese bikes, the comments were overwhelmingly positive and owners were satisfied with their bikes. In contrast, when they ran videos of European bikes, the comments were far less favourable with plenty of owners expressing their dissatisfaction. The one European bike I've owned was a complete nightmare reliability wise. I never knew if it would start, fuses blew on a whim, and I had to go around it with a spanner every week tightening up nuts that had worked loose. I've never experienced anything like that with any Yamaha, Honda, or Kawasaki I've owned.

[@anchinkan]

Hi Freddie, cheers for reporting Sher´s Email/insights. The bike in question (790AdvS) was actually mine and it worked fine the whole time. Didn´t notice any loss in power nor did I notice a strange noise from the engine. Then, I sold it and the poor next owner was very unlucky with what you can see on the picture. I felt really bad, but I just didn´t notice before. What I´m trying to say is that the LC8 engine is on one side a great engine regarding to power, fuel consumption, etc. but at the same time it seems to be a time-bomb as well. After the 790AdvS I had an 890 AdvR which also performed super well but had its break rotors at its limit after only 15.000kms (which I´ve been told by the dealer that´ll be normal...). Well, I had it done and sold it right away and got myself a Transalp. Perhaps, not as sexy as the KTM Adv but since I do quite a lot of miles/kms I feel a lot better and safer on it. Suspension is changed to high-quality Wilbers suspension front & rear and since then, the nimble TA is way enough for me😃

[@JohnnyXoz]

I wouldn't buy a KTM now, with them having that attitude on their own products quality or lack thereof

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

The Chinese will rebrand anything “ if they get a good brand name to put on it “ will even sell to other manufacturers so they put their name on . In Australia we got all the SWM RS 650 ( that were Euro 3 ) around 5 years back , they are an enduro bike - like a KTM 690 . Italian made in old Italian Husky factory. As Australia doesn’t have the same emissions regulations like the EU and some other parts of the world. We are more concerned with safety issues like ABS . And the KTM 790 issue my mate bike was out of action for 8 months due to the cams. I will give BMW full credit for after sales service and warranty ( and recalls ) they have even been replacing shafts of GS1200 / 1250 of even 2 and 3rd owners. And I’m not a BMW fan boy but will give credit we’re credit is due .

[@roadstrom]

KTM Sunday ATM Monday

[@RohanSanjith]

Should've changed the oil in Saturday

[@Jonathan-L]

ATM = At The Mechanic's.

[@appymarley]

Very original

[@motozz8258]

Know The Mechanic , or you will ktm life

[@pinkiewerewolf]

I sold my 22’ 890 Adventure (after having it checked at the dealership) because of the cam issue that had been reported by many other owners. I was a member of the FB page. It was a shame because the bike fit me very well and I had 10 months of great riding. In the end I decided that it wasn’t worth worrying about “when” the cams might fail. I bought a Yamaha Tenere 700 for that great Yamaha reliability. I have multiple bikes in the garage but my ADV bike tends to be the bike that gets the highest mileage in the past few years, reliability is important to us as buyers. I’ll hang on to my Husqvarna 501 but I doubt that I buy any more products from the conglomerate because of the attitude of the dealership where I bought the 890, and the reports of the company fighting warranty claims so stubbornly.

[@jamesmuller4232]

Thanks for the video Freddie, I love my KTM's, their motors have sooo much character.

[@639viablecarrot]

KTM are off my list 😮

[@stephencharles1398]

I have a 2016 690 duke which does everything I need it to and more, long live its camshaft (hopefully)!

[@796andy2]

690 smcr , only 2k on it so far . soo much fun !!! fingers crossed 😂

[@MotoGoato]

Yeah the KTM cam shaft issue is a bit of a dire situation .. I managed to get out before it all became too public and got a decent trade in price for my 790 Duke a few months ago. A lot of dealerships wont even take them on trade in now and those that will certainly wont pay much for them. KTMs attitude towards it all isn't helping either, distinct lack of respect for their customers that are experiencing cam shaft issues 😕

[@andrewhayes4246]

That Morbidelli V8 should have sold like hot cakes! Fascinating story Freddie.

[@cp4512]

Reliability issues, and a company about to go bankrupt so no one left to honour a warranty claim, what could possibly go wrong! 😂

[@jamescampbell4334]

I was looking at KTM and Norden 901 last year. Ended up with a Ducati DesertX. Got the Ducati 5 year unlimited mileage warranty. Already have 16k miles on it in 14 months. Say what you will about DESMO, the cams have nearly zero stress and sap almost NO power from the engine.

[@valebliz]

I owned a 1290 LC8, in theory one of the more reliable KTM engines, and the bike still managed to put me off the brand for as long as I can tbh.

[@desertedcake]

That's not a defect, but a feature!

[@martinlye7111]

Back in the 80s ie Vf750 chocolate camms. Honda offered repair for everyone or exchange for cbx 750. Proper company.!!! My mate changed to cbx and kept it 20years.

[@luddite6239]

There is no dateline for any new Euro 6 limits for motorcycles. Indeed, Euro 5 for motorcycles is different from Euro 5 for cars and the motorcycle Euro 5 limits essentially match the Euro 6 limits for cars in terms of CO, HC and NOx. If dealers are worried their machines won't meet the next Euro limits, they're probably talking about Euro 5+, which requires OBD-II emissions monitoring. I don't think there will be a Euro 6 for bikes before 2030.

[@ukaszusielski3606]

I am a member of the group KTM Failed Camshaft when there were only 300 of us. Until today, there has been almost 8500 members, and there was no mandatory survey regarding this issue. With such a large number of people, it would be clear what percentage of cases the defect applies to

[@Snoozzzzzze]

Seems that it’s time for a law firm to start a class action lawsuit against KTM.

[@DiscoFang]

That Euro 6 email you read is hilarious. There's no information about it anywhere, no one else is talking about it but "I heard it from a motorbike mechanic in a pub so it must be true"

[@jakelowe8583]

Indeed, there is nothing in the pipeline that I could find on EURLEX either

[@thisisabsolutelystup]

Actually I heard the same thing from a dealer direct, as the reason why CFmoto had slashed their prices on some models.

[@DiscoFang]

@@thisisabsolutelystupAnd you’d trust a salesman when their lips are moving?

[@davidphillips7255]

Engineer brother has a KTM 890 which calls for 15000 km oil changes. In his words such extended oil change intervals are 'moronic'. He rides his KTM alot and changes his oil with the exact specified oil at 5000 km intervals. " Oils cheap, engines aren't".

[@RohanSanjith]

Scotty Kilmer reference

[@Jonathan-L]

Manufacturers don't want owners to look after their engines, hence they use long service intervals as a selling point. It's false economy.

[@davidphillips7255]

@@RohanSanjith Navy Chief Engineer father was telling us this when we were teenagers more than 50 years ago; long before Scotty. When I bought my first car as a clueless 16 year old teen; his advice was:" If you do nothing else, change your oil".

[@johnwood4448]

My advice to Etienne's enquiry as to what bike to buy:- Look no further than the Honda CB500X a peach of a bike that will do everything and anything the new rider asks of it and return 85+mpg imperial.

[@AshTek_Biker]

I agree. Also have CB500x as my current bike.

[@Achilles22]

@@johnwood4448 but boring to ride!

[@appymarley]

500x has to win the dullest bike award

[@johnwood4448]

@@appymarley how many miles have you ridden one? For the record I've owned two for over 35,000miles and can honestly say what you say is nonsense.The CB500X is light,comfortable,handles well enough,has enough power to cruise at UK motorway speeds all day long and have fun in the twisties,yet won't frighten a new rider.There are many long term road tests to confirm what say. Admittedly the suspension could be a little better but that can be said for the vast majority of bikes in the same class and price bracket and many more in a much higher bracket and price.It's anything but boring

[@johnwood4448]

@@Achilles22 nonsense!

[@devilsreject320]

@7min mark. If someone gives you a gold nugget of information. Please keep it to yourself and not drop them in the 💩.

[@MrDEANOSCOOLVIDS]

He's such a donkey

[@otlndsh]

I own a KTM, and have had some issues with it. However, even if i had no issues with it, I'd never buy another as long as ktm support continues to show so little respect and urgency to legit problems.

[@columbmurray]

Ktm problems brings me back to problems I had with my Kawasaki ER6 bought new. After seven years and only 7 K kilometers ( I'm retired ) the wiring harness melted. This happened again and twice more. Kawasaki denied any problem yet all over the world riders were having this problem . Despite denying any problem they sent out an amendment to their work manual for servicing to clean the contacts on the regulator. This was not a solution and didn't solve anything. The problem , as my electrical engineering friend found , was cheap wiring. Kawasaki ( France) had the effrontery to say the bike was old at 7 years and not serviced.(Untrue) .I would never ever touch Kawasaki again because of their blatant denial - because of consumer laws in America they replaced the harness so they knew full well.

[@CulturedGrug90]

Ive had no issues with my KTM, sounds rare though!

[@Bandy64]

Just had my ‘20 790adv r camshaft replaced at Ktms cost. Never had any problems with it and brought it in for valve adjustment. So now it feels awesome. Smoother power, quieter, quite nice actually. But… is it going to happen again? Was it a poor cam? Was it an oil issue? What needs to be replaced to make that engine reliable? In another 19000 kms do I do this all over again? Wonder what resale value will be now?

[@paulgibson490]

Don't think the dropped valve on that KTM was anything to do with the cams more like too many revs or faulty valve or keeper?

[@LiviuXSA]

this guy speaks at a perfect pace for 2x video speed

[@kebmel8668]

1.5x works for me 😉

[@Jonathan-L]

And he always ends his statments by talking as if there's a full stop at the end. Of. Each. Spoken. Word.

[@arnoldmiga5689]

And that is why I tune in every week and listen at normal speed as we are not racing anywhere. No mumbling, clear pronounciation, no thick accent. Not all UK people speak the same, I speak English fluently yet I struggle to understand Scottish, Northern Irish or people from Liverpool etc etc

[@ProphetAndLoss]

John at 16:20 good on him, a lovely journey!

[@OurManInCumbria]

Cheers mate, that’s really appreciated

[@FourIntoOne]

That Morbidelli is drop dead gorgeous compared to the new BMW GSA 1300

[@AaaaandAction]

Probably doesn’t look any worse than the Moto Guzzi V100 either.

[@Jonathan-L]

All Morbidelli needed to do was paint the tank, mudgards & fairing black, but that wouldn't be very Italian would it? I can think of other ugly bikes of recent times that are much worse.

[@AaaaandAction]

@@Jonathan-L Honda CX500 for one, Honda Bros 650, gen 1 GoldWing. Many fugly bikes

[@Jonathan-L]

@@AaaaandAction The fugliest prize of modern bikes would go to the Harley Davidson Sportster S. The only thing that makes it look like a motorcycle is the tyres and brakes.

[@AaaaandAction]

@@Jonathan-L yeah, looks like a cartoon bike out of Ogri strip

[@crankybear1236]

KTM is messed up for not fixing problems they already know about. I have a 21 year old Honda 919, that does not have any engine issues whatsoever. KTM should be ashamed

[@AshTek_Biker]

The CFMoto 800Mt seems to be getting this camshaft issue also. Only few reports though. The bike is using the same engine from KTM.

[@allanhughes7859]

Here again on a Tuesday I like the look of the bike is it me or is it me ???????????? Honestly do like it !!

[@David-jv9gk]

Me too

[@whollymindless]

On the A2 bike issue, budget 500 for a full service and checkup by your new best friend, your mechanic. Use them to validate that your bike is good to go with all the reliability with the thought that you're just keeping it for a few years before handing it off to the next person. Your first bike is probably not your forever bike, why pay the "tax" for taking a new bike off the lot?

[@Khox19]

Great video Freddy 👍

[@nicodiaz627]

Does anyone know how the Svartpilen 801 is performing in this regard? I wanted to pull the trigger on the 801 but these past issues kept me from it.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

Grand Prix levels of horsepower require Grand Prix levels of maintenance. No if ands or buts. This is what happens when you buy a race bike with turn signals to make it street legal. My highest horsepower bike doesn't make half the horsepower made by that bike but then they don't require expensive servicing either

[@Crust2013]

1090R all good?

[@MV-XD2]

Euro6: that’s not how it works. If Euro6 does come in for bikes it won’t be until 1st Jan 2026 at the earliest. No regulatory mention of Euro6 for bikes has even been announced. More likely the dealer can’t shift the BSAs for love nor money. KTM: ready to race? Ready for the scrapyard 😂

[@jimtitt3571]

If Mr Dobbs extended his research past the first hit on Google he would know the change from Euro 5 to Euro 6 has no effect on petrol vehicles, it changes the NOx emissions from diesels but for a motorcycle there's nothing of interest.

[@c.g.c2067]

The Motbidelli is bad but the Guzzi v100 Mandello is the most beautiful motorcycle on the market at the moment😄

[@nic7nic]

This KTM nonsense but also the Triumph Dash issue you mentioned last week is exactly why I prefer a Japanse motorcycle.

[@AshTek_Biker]

I surprised KTM has not issued a recall on this issue.

[@davidrobinson8740]

Does that mean the CF Moto versions have the same issues with the KTM camshaft issues?

[@Jonathan-L]

We'll have to wait & see on that one.

[@BS-jw7nf]

There is no Euro 6, he probably was referring to the extended Euro 5b or 5+ that comes out in 2024. It’s a slight extension on the Euro 5 spec.

[@carltontweedle5724]

Freddie need to talk to the Bingley Wheeler he got a CFMOTO 800 a month or so ago. If CF are using the same cams this will destroy sales.

[@yorkchris10]

Replacing driveshafts that last only 40 km.'s don't seem as comparable. German reunification had engines in America being reunited with Berlin. But even this was a known VIN.

[@etiennecapliez8132]

Thanks Freddie and to all you guys in the comments for your advices ! I will now look for the perfect middle ground, i’ll keep you posted once it is in my garage Regards, Etienne

[@arnoldmiga5689]

I started with a yamaha xj6, a 600 cc 4 cylinder naked bike. From early 2010s, it did 4500 kms in its first 10 years. Engine had reduced power to 35kW so good for A- licence. I did 9000kms in the last two years, all of them in the swiss Jura mountains. I passed my licence on it. Not a best bike but easy to live with and it needed absolutely nothing except of religious oil changes every year same as previous owner who was a motorbike guy and bought my bike for his girlfriend who had it a couple of years then did not pass the licence and later decided to sell it to me. Motorbike was and is like brand new. Moving to MV Agusta Brutale when full 2 years passes so I get my full A licence. But I'll keep the yamaha as it's too cheap to sell and it's good as a normal bike.

[@francomartini4328]

Freddy, manufacturers warranties are only valid if they _exceed_ the statutory rights guaranteed by law. In the UK, this means the Consumer Rights Act 2015. It is not consumers that are bound by manufacturers warranties but manufacturers who are bound by the legislation of the countries that they operate in, assuming they want to continue selling their products in those countries. KTM are treading on very thin ice here and frankly I don't think they have a leg to stand on if this issue ends up in court.

[@67daltonknox]

I have been riding a 2020 1290 SAS from new and apart from its eating batteries, have had no problems, but when a friend told me he was considering a 790, I begged him not to.

[@blowduke]

Most bikes these days are made cheap and priced high ,got a 690 ktm as long as you inspect the rocker arms and timing chain tension,and oil change every 5,000 mile you should be ok most dealers won’t do that .

[@spartanx169x]

3,000 should be the standard, particularly for KTMs because people buy them for their performance, so the expectation is they will be ridden hard.

[@Dailyrider94]

how does this compare to the Husky 901's? Are there any issues with?

[@pinkiewerewolf]

They have the same engine and the same issues.

[@allanhughes7859]

K.T.M. are no different to the others these days they simple seem to just not care B.M.W are the same ??All I can say is good luck with the future as Chinese and Japanese take over the bike industry yet again and to be honest I wish them well because they have the right attitude and do want to help in my humble opinion!!!!

[@fishmaster1960]

Freddie any bikes they don't sell by a certain date will have to be registered by the dealer's effectively making them secondhand bike's which they will then have to sell at reduced prices.....this could be a good thing if you want a bargain

[@535832]

Are the v twins unaffected

[@pauln6803]

They seem to be largely unaffected. All KTM models have their niggles, but the camshaft disaster is very much an LC8c parallel twin problem and not an LC8 V engine issue.

[@Fiatmannen1]

So I gott mentiond by Dobbs!❤🎉

[@hectorshouse7348]

How many miles are these KTM’s tending to do before the camshaft wears out?

[@marksimpson5218]

I don’t know, but you will need 10+ KTM bikes to cover the same mileage as 1 Yamaha Tenere.

[@SherKhan-b1kes]

It was something below 30,000Km‘s and had all the service intervals done.

[@ampelec]

Pretty sure it's the 10k-12k miles mark

[@pinkiewerewolf]

Anywhere from 12,000 miles and above was what I noticed while I was in the group and owned an 890.

[@RohanSanjith]

Don't do 10,000km oil changes

[@monkeyzx9]

When a new Euro comes out the dealers have to pre-register the current bikes and sell them at massive discount. They end up with shop full of discount bikes.

[@BlackdogADV]

I took a trip from Portland to Ushuaia on a 2013 KTM 690 and the engine failed in Antofagasta Chile. It was a rocker arm bearing, a common issue back then before they improved the cylinder head in 2019. Im still a KTM fan and currently ride a Husqvarna 701 with 21,000 miles and it’s been solid. I almost bought a 901 Norden a while back, glad I didn’t. Being on an unreliable bike thousands of miles from home kinda ruins the trip. Will KTM fix the issue? Probably not.

[@RohanSanjith]

Isn't it a bucket tappet?

[@RohanSanjith]

Don't change the oil at 10k kms

[@valebliz]

21k miles is nothing.

[@michaeltelemachus5112]

You mention CF Moto in your piece about KTM are KTM using camshafts made in China?

[@stephenbaron5681]

It sounds like a issue with the oil not keeping the cam protected. Low emissions have caused oil to drop the ZDDP levels. I would by Castrol Classic which has high ZDDP that will protect the cam and maybe shorten cat life from 150,000 miles to 100,000. The other option is a class action law suit.

[@kalaharimine]

What does this mean for CF Moto who use KTM based engines?

[@RogeyRD250DX]

They likely have the same problem. NO-very likely!

[@Teesside_Biker]

KTM cam shaft issues - is this why CF Moto have just slashed the price of the 800MT Sport which has a version of the KTM 790 engine?? CFM have made these engines for KTM for quite a few years now. I really like what CFM and others like Voge from China are doing in the bike market but this is worrying. Is it a KTM problem or as a result of contracting out manufacture to sub-contractors in other countries?

[@SherKhan-b1kes]

We estimated a lack of quality control which was where they saved money.

[@cp4512]

Yep, I suspect so! ‘Made in China’ is not a watchword for high quality! 😂

[@navi0062]

I dont think that's the reason. Also the 800 MT and NK seemingly are not affected by this, not at present at least. i'm a member of a few cf moto groups and no one ever brought this up.

[@cp4512]

@@navi0062 You’ll be fine while the bike is in warranty as you can get it fixed. The issue seems to be occurring after a couple of years of use and just outside warranty so maybe too early to tell on your CFMoto bike with similar engine. It won’t help residual values of the bike though.

[@navi0062]

@@cp4512 the 800 mt is out since 2022 and a great deal of people exceeded 50K kms on it. As I said, no one ever brought this up.

[@warrenr4]

The affected KTM engines, 790 & 890, are built by CF MOTO. The same manufacturer of the new MT450 that KZbinr bike reviewers are wetting their pants over.

[@navi0062]

The affected KTM engines started to seize in 2018 when they were manufactured in Austria by KTM. Then they moved the production in China around 2020. Cf moto has nothing to do with it, if anything, the issue is very rare with current models. Earlier models (2018-20) were the most affected.

[@HW-kf7hi]

No Euro 6 but we have Euro 5 'plus' now don't we? Something to do with the catalysts having to be effective for longer?

[@RogeyRD250DX]

Read my comment I just left. I think I'm right. Eu 5 for bikes currently. Eu6 for cars currently. Eu7 for cars July 2025. Does NOT include bikes. And probably no Eu 6 recommendations will materialise for bikes. We'll jump straight to Eu7 but will be some time yet. And with imminent 2035 B.Sh. around a couple of corners,they may not even feel a need to update bikes at all as by then all will be lekkie bikes.

[@julesbaird]

Viewed at 1.25 speed. The slowing down at the end.....of.......each.........sentence is less frustrating.

[@PAD32]

Everyone bashing ktm in the comments, yet we see those bikes everywhere. You know why? Because they're amazing actually.. I bet that most of the people who write those comments never owned one, and base their opinions on what they saw on social medias. The problem with social medias : you see the 0,1% of people complaining, but not the vast majority of people just enjoying their bikes. Btw, of all the bikes I owned, my KTM is (by far) the most fun to ride. Just for that reason I will buy again. Even if I had some minor quality issues with it.. bikes are for fun, if you want an utility vehicle, there are cheap, reliable (and boring) options. Ktm is not one of those.

[@JustSleepin61]

The front view of that Morbidelli looks like a Minion with a stetson hat! lol

[@Jonathan-L]

Now you've said it, I cannot 'unsee' it :)

[@jimtitt3571]

The Stella Alpina was cancelled because the organisers were unwilling to provide insurance cover for emergency, rescue and other services provided by the commune. Blaming it on " Nimbys" is just stupid. The organiser wished to continue in the spirit of the originator of the rally and charge no entry fee but on the other hand had developed the rally from a few riders in the know into a huge event, widely marketed and served by a large number of commercial tour providers, basically he screwed it himself. The local commune are required by law to provide essential services and for organised events are also obliged to ensure these costs are either covered by direct payment or by appropriate insurance cover. It's simple.

[@twothen]

Euro 6 emission levels for cars, does this mean Motorcycles are also included? Carbon monoxide: 1.0g/km Total hydrocarbons: 0.10g/km Non-methane hydrocarbons: 0.068g/km Nitrogen oxides: 0.06g/km Particulate matter: 0.005g/km Particulate number: 6.0×10 ^11/km

[@drewiediggler1]

That cylinder head problem appears to be caused by a dropped exhaust valve (or the valve head has broken off) The gouges are either caused by the valve head or the piston shattering. Definitely not the camshaft but still a catastrophic engine failure nonetheless. I've seen it occur before after a missed gear change at very high revs. It still shouldn't happen although to be fair other brands occasionally do the same.

[@cliveomahoney4096]

Hello Freddie, a topic for your next vid: I am trying to put my, almost new, Honda Hornet for sale. The first place I thought of was MCN; trusted and respected. I can't go wrong, I thought. When I opened their selling page, there was a stark disclaimer: We only advertised trade bikes. If you're a private seller.....tough. Bike purchase is in terminal decline, it seems to me. Surely, the impossibility of selling bikes, that is, not being royally ripped off by dealers, has to be a factor in their current unpopularity. Where can you safely sell/buy a bike now in the UK? I'd love to know MCN's reason(s) for betraying bikers. It seems to me, if you don't want to trade in your bike, just sell it, there's no easy way to do it. Even if you want to trade in your bike, the dealers, knowing you've nowhere to go, offer a pittance. MCN, like everyone else in the bike world, is after bikers' money. The rest is irrelevant. It's a parlous situation, and very bad for everyone who rides, or depends on the idiots that choose to do so, in the long run.

[@kevindarkstar]

14:25 I saw a guy who thought that this failure was because the cam was not properly case hardened 🤔

[@cp4512]

KTMs already had bad reputation for reliability. I don’t think their closer relationship with, and production of some product in China has helped either! You’d have to brave to buy a KTM out of warranty… 🤔

[@mysterybiker1717]

Not to mention ktm electronics always failing. Steer well clear.

[@RohanSanjith]

Keeping up BMW's failing electronics

[@TubedTalk]

In reality only 0.5% of 790/890 had issues. I do feel bad for those who had issues, but KTM will cover that under goodwill. I never had any issues with my 790 Duke, and I just enjoy driving it I had plenty of bikes and KTM is no more or less reliable then any other brand. I get the feeling that most people writing against KTM don’t even own a KTM.

[@mrcintheuk4641]

I don't think anyone is surprised about KTM reliability. It'll be interesting now Yamaha has a deal with a Chinese manufacturer to build their engines. One might say BMW are similar with their shaft drives. I understand old ones will now be fixed free but new ones are now classified as a service item!

[@luddite6239]

The "WierdBike" channel did a good five minute review of the Morbidelli V8 two months ago.

[@othgmark1]

Not even close to the ugliest bike. Look at the 1300gsa.

[@raygunn812]

MBP logo was next to Morbidelli on their page.

[@MotoRiderTube]

"2024 - After the Keeway Group acquired the brand, MBP was renamed and introduced the new Morbidelli emblem, inspired by its rich racing heritage."

[@Dino-l4e]

20.000km in 12 months on my 2023 smt, camshafts looking ok, no wear...

[@richardyardley5127]

Euro 6?!! Blimey, we thought Euro 5 bikes were more difficult to modify. Christ knows how restrictive a Euro 6 bike will be. It'll probably go into limp mode if you put a better spark plug in it!!

[@avalanx]

As a life long KTM fan and owner, I must say this smells of corporate greed. They aren't doing anything about it because they know they can get away with it.

[@jefflambert8603]

I Have not Heard of any Problems So Far .. with the CF Moto Branded 800 but I will follow the Bingley Wheeler with Interest as He Has Brought a C-F Moto 800 & Has Nothing but Praise For it So Far .I know C-F Moto Also Manufacturer The KTM Bikes I assume Under KTM Specifications are they. more Highly Tuned Mabe,?

[@pinkiewerewolf]

I like the Bingley Wheeler but don’t look to his channel for issues as he doesn’t put on the mileage to find this out. My 890’s cams were OK putting on 11k in 10 months and I changed the oil every 3000-3500 miles. Sold it and bought a Yamaha Tenere 700. The affected bikes tend to get into the 12,000-20,000 mile mark when they have issues and I suspect that they are following KTM’s recommendation of 6000 mile oil changes while riding them a bit harder than most. The Bingley Wheeler tends to ride gently (not a dig but he isn’t hammering bikes off road, or racing around like he’s running in the Isle of Man TT) and stays up on his maintenance.

[@pauln6803]

​@@pinkiewerewolf 6000 shouldn't be that big of an issue with modern manufacturing and oil technology. As the saying goes, shit happens. KTM claims to have revised the timing system of the LC8c parallel twin engines, yet are denying any problems with the older version? Hmm... Obviously we don't yet know if the problem was a design or manufacturing issue. Matt Hudson, AKA dirty garage guy (why he changed the channel name from "The Workshop" to that ridiculous thing...?) has got a hold of someone's top end and has sent it away for failure analysis. He had performed a basic hardness test on the cam lobes himself, finding that they seem to be what you'd expect (ie not dog shite soft) and that he has a theory, but is waiting for the analysis results before he posts anything further.

[@pinkiewerewolf]

@@pauln6803 6000 on a bike ridden at high revs in the dirt is asking for trouble, and I think we've seen that played out through the FB page. Mine were OK at 11,000 miles but I changed mine at 3-3.5000 miles and didn't ride it in rough terrain clutching and revving the engine for days on end. I'd caution potential buyers about looking at an example of one or two. Other changes KTM has made is to the oil delivery and screen. Then we could talk about the electronics, like the TFT displays and their issues. All in all, I'm relieved to have sold mine and be back on Yamaha again.

[@AbzScotland]

Don't know if it is true, but I've heard that exhaust emissions are currently less that the tyre/road emissions cause by petrol cars. Is this an urban myth? This is one of the reasons EVs are no longer considered Zero emission in use? I'd have thought bikes would have a very small tyre effect?

[@thebikegeekandmore2448]

Hi Freddie, Could you please make a episode about diesel bikes? Honda used to be a overenginered with deadreliable engines but are they still overenginered and deadreliable? I think Honda is not what it used to be.

[@lcmattern]

If they dont want to service the engine with or without warranty or even without service history, they will be sued. They need to fix any engine that comes in with this issue as it is their fault, not the consumer. Can't really do a recall since they don't have components to replace permanently.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

The camshaft on my 1965 Triumph TR6 lasted 50 years in service before they wore out. How to split the cases to replace them. Replace any parts that were questionable for the new slush trap in her and she was good to go for another 50 years. And people used to call British motorcycles junk hahaha. KTM has motors made of Chinese yum and wonder why they mess up.

[@marco.8113]

The Motors with cam issues are made in Austria, not in China

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

@@marco.8113 the only makes a big motors in Austria everything else they make in China

[@paulprosser4108]

In the off road world K.T.M are known as 'Keep Taking Money' Never ending buying of failed components most unreliable off road bike I had ever owned. Personally I wouldn't even consider a road version of their motorcycles. As for the Morbidelli V8 is it really any more (ugly) than a B.M.W GS which is no oil painting!