Why KTM motorcycles are ruining off-road motorcycle riding

[FORMA MOTO]

This current fad of people going all ga-ga over KTM motorcyles is hilarious.

 

Over priced, under engineered 'fashion' statement motorcycles are duping people left and right into this fake engineering game.

 

Iv'e seen this same thing before with cars: Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Maserati, Ferrari, Fiat, Lamborghit, etc, etc.

 

Create a really stunning 'hook' of a machine, that everyone wants to own, then sell enough to figure out how to keep them from blowing up, and falling apart, hopefully by the next model year or two.

 

Oh, don't get me wrong....Mercedes does make some really great cars. But MOST of the cars they make are not so hot.  They are poorly designed, over priced, and un-reliable.  Same with the other euro manufactuers. Fiat make several really great cars, like the 500. But all the rest are just garbage commerce.

 

This is EXACTLY what KTM is doing. 

 

Throw 15 different models on the market, all based on old technology, but with shiny billet parts, or ultra-impressive specs, and see what happens.

 

KTM is providing their customers with sub-standard quality and engineering on dozens of levels, selling it as 'high-tech' and then ignoring all the issues with oil starvation, throttle bodies, frames, triple clamps, shock mounts, CDI's, bars, brakes, rims, hubs, all failing, braking wearing out extremely fast, or in the case of motor internals, make them to such terrible tolerances that you cannot change broken parts with new parts, unless you buy the matching case it was machined to.

 

I have never seen or experienced such CRAP sold as a premium brand in my life, accept Audi in the 90's and Maico in the 80's. 

 

I've owned (2) 2012 KTM's that both failed on several levels, that the KTM factory, KTM usa and my dealer could not resolve. 

I even had KTM USA tell me 'that's just the way it is with new bikes sometimes. We don't have an answer to your problem, sorry". 

 

My dealer was so frustrated that they now refuse to work on any KTM that has been modifed in the suspension, electronics, or motor, period, even out of warranty.

They also will not replace any internal motor parts below the piston without replacing the entire motor, no exceptions.

 

Yeah I know: ..... " My KTM is great, I've never had a problem with it" .  Well good for you. You are in the 50% that actually get a 'good' one.

 

Did you know that until recently  (2010) KTM would and did make as many as 6 different gasket sets for one model of motor, depending on what portion of the year it was made? They actually look up gasket kits by serial number, because the factory produced a motor with so many flaws and failures that they had to upgrade the motor in the production line 6 times in one year....rather than just get it right and then push it on the general public. 

 

I talked to an KTM partially sponsered Enduro team at a D36 race in 2012 about KTM reliability, and this is what they told me:

 

" Oh, we get 50-75 hours out of the factory motor, no problem. They run great, most of the time. Not quite as long as the Yamaha we used to run, but they are Ok. The real problem comes when we try to rebuild them. We cannot get a rebuilt motor to last 1/2 as long as a new one, because there are so many parts in the KTM motors that are stressed at 100% from day one, that the whole motor, not just the top end, wears out very fast". We try not to rebuild the motors, we just sell off the whole bike and start over with a new one."

 

Hopefully, honest, non-Germanic companies like Beta and Sherco will take some of KTM's market share away.

 

Long die KTM.

 

 

 

 

[Hans Schmid]

Waaaaaaaaaa

[mec500]

Thing I wanted and or needed in a bike

Plate

Light weight

Six speed

E start

Lots of aftermarket parts available

Warranty

Local dealers

I looked at all other makes ktm was the only option and after several years I'm still stoked .

[Willix]

You want some French cries with that?

[handreasen]

Wow, amazing based on your knowledge and experience it"s quite amazing all those car manufacturers are still in busines. Funny I have done rebuilds on many KTMs and never noticed what you have , and in reference to your very knowledgable race team members, I am quite shocked at their opinion. But of coarse I spoke with some one the other day and they told me the world was flat!!!!!!!

[Qqqqqqqqqqqq]

Nice post

No KTM's for me either

[thebob_za]

Not to mention the gearbox issues with the 2012/13 models and the condensation in the motors after the bench run in Austria and not to mention the water pump gasket issue identified by Slavens racing!

Edited August 25, 2013 by thebob_za

[Qqqqqqqqqqqq]

Look this is opinion based , if you like the brand .. Then great , i choose not to buy them .

What continues to surprise me is the amount of recalls they have , even on the very latest models . Cant they get it right ?

Other brands have issues too , but with Ktm it is ongoing .

A simple google search will confirm recalls

[Leroyracing]

Well when the big 4 start making 2 stokes again. I mean big 3 Yamaha makes a 250 2-stroke but why buy a new 9 year old bike. Atleast ktm is giving us options.

[thestuz]

all brands have there flaws... but at least ktm warranties there bikes and actually makes updates and fixes the problem instead of denying there are problems.

[cdc351jeferson]

Just saw an 04 ktm 250exc triple clamp disintegrate after landing a double . My 300+ lb friend on a yz450f jumped same speed and distance the ktm guy did. Ktm guy was prolly 150lbs soaking wet with gear on . They went over the jump at the same time . Dudes bike is trashed triple clamp is shredded

[Shhhh]

I raced my first enduro in May, out of 166 bikes probably 120 of them were KTM. Ranging from 2013 to the 73? Penton that went flying by me during the race. Must be marketing...

[poconovfr]

I owned a KTM................once.

[Qqqqqqqqqqqq]

The factory has not addressed the E start issues with the 300 2t ( which is a very good bike )

It's gives work to company's like Slavens Racing to come up with solutions .

[DEMI]

be happy that you have a choice not to ride KTM... you can be the guy that goes against the orange tide then. Hooray for variety.

[Honda-Man-610]

The orange bikes are great, when they are running

[OkieTwister]

 ktm + 2 stroke = win.....

[scottiesbe]

I raced my first enduro in May, out of 166 bikes probably 120 of them were KTM. Ranging from 2013 to the 73? Penton that went flying by me during the race. Must be marketing...

& how many crf450Xs were there?

[Jarrett H]

lol @ this thread. There are horror stories from all manufactures. 

[orangyktmthing]

Wow, talk about being whiney! If you don't like them, don't buy them. Have you ever heard the saying "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."? If you have had so many issues with a certain bike manufacturer, don't sign up for another one, it is as simple at that. Don't expect an emotional agreement when YOU were the one that bought two bikes with issues, just go back with your previous bike and stop complaining. I haven't had issues with any of my ktms, so I will continue to buy them.