Hi, In 2018 I rode 30,000km around New Zealand and Australia. I did my best to edit my trip into 50 parts for you to enjoy. Now, I ride a KTM 790 Adventure S, which I have modified a lot. I'm now on a trip from the top of Alaska to the bottom of South America. I hope to upload a video here on RU-vid once a week and post to Instagram almost daily. Why not subscribe and follow me on this epic adventure.
No it's oil feed are crossed drilled and holes are not lined up correctly it's got oil jets and partly blocked any cam will wear if hasint got good oil system .then it's metal on metal contact
Yeah these 790’s are riddled with basic issues. Idk if in Europe you get the overheating issue that we get in Australia? This aside from the oiling issues, poor quality like this will kill the brand. Fun fact, Harley is now the 5th most reliable motorcycle brands since the M8 engines came out (according to the DOT stats).
I wonder will the cfmoto 800mt have this problem eventually 😢, i bought a new one around 8 weeks ago, 3200 kms up now its a great bike so far but early days 🤔
I would definitely take them to court. It's a known problem. I was getting ready to purchase a Norden 901 and decided to not get it after seeing KTM is not standing by it's warranty. If you have had two services done and you did the third with KTM original parts and proved it, definitely start making some social media noise. Google review them. Go on there media pages and warn people. I worked at a Ford dealership and we have to warranty this kind of problem
I'm looking to buy an adventure bike early 2025. It's a real toss up between this 790 and something like the Honda Transalp. They are so close to price that I can't leave the 790 alone. I've been told by current owners that the camshaft issue was resolved around 2022 and the 22 and later models aren't having issues. I'd love some current owners feedback on that if you're out there reading this. I just want them to be reliable solid bikes lolol.
The 790 is a way better bike than the Transalp I have been told the issue was fixed in 2021 meaning 22 models should be fine. I’m almost due to check my new cams
KTM are having financial problems currently, and have laid off staff. If they didn't invest all their money in buying other companies and instead invested it in proper design and testing, they might have more sales. Just saying.....
Imagine the resale value of all these affected models. Simple answer buy a yamaha Tenere 700 . There's a guy in the states that does long distance charity rides on one that's done 130,000 miles with no issues . SHAME ON KTM !
it may have been an idea to have found a Metallurgical assessment company. They would have been able to have told you why the failure occurred. Unfortunately it is just more expense. It would have been their report that would have been the basis of your claim. I can't do it for you because I no longer work in a laboratory with all the test equipment. If others are having similar issues and the cause was component failure then you could have taken out a group or class action claim. Contact me or leave reply here if you need anymore advice.
I got a 390 last january 2022 as a gift to myself since I just graduated from college, On the span of 23 months, I have replaced my cams twice. First is for the intake cams, next is for the exhaust cams. This only happened on a 4 months interval. The final blow was the head gasket leaking oil last december 2023. I sold the 390 last december 2023. I was planning to get an adventure 390 this 2024 but I saw this video and reminded me not to get a KTM. Yeah some would say KTM is a reliable brand, but from my experience I would personally stay away from this brand. Spent almost 1600 usd on the bike and I'm still having problems. Note** The bike was used @8k KM and was a 2020 model. First cam replacement was at 24k and the second was at 27k (Rocker arms and other parts also added on the cost). It was a daily driven bike (88km/day 5 days a week, excluding weekend rides).oil change almost every 2500-3000km (I personally do the oil change). But compared to my honda (bike I rode to the university) it is sitting at 65k km, I never had an issue. I only need to replace the tires, brakes, oil, chain and sprocket. I'm looking forward to get a japanese bike this 2024. I love KTMs handling and performance, but these are the things that made me stay away from the brand. I'm looking forward to them sorting this out, but not until that time comes, I'm staying away from the brand.
Sorry but you have allowed KTM to walk away and not pay up. If you enforce your statutory rights it is clear there cams have a manufacturing fault. They are not of sufficient quality or durability. You are NOT the only owner who has suffered because the shit materials their parts are made from. You need to sue them for the cost you paid the dealer to fix the bike which they should have paid and other associated costs and your loss of use whilst your bike was at the dealers waiting to be repaired. This is a DISGUSTING response from KTM. They are crooks. The rubbish about them not actually carrying our the service despite you buying all the service parts from KTM and doing it yourself is BS. You need to get a motorcycle engineer metallurgist to inspect those cams and and I suspect they would only confirm what you already have suspected. I nearly bought a KTM 790 Adventure. So glad I didn't as I now realised I dodged a bullet given by all the bikes with cams failing. Shame as really liked it. They are a crap bike manufacturer who shits on their customers. Sue them.
I was looking to buy a 790Duke , ebay seems to be littered with really nice one's going "cheap". After ggoleing and finding this and other videos on this subject, I'll look for something else.......
@@Adv_Charlie not by much. Also given that most KTMs by volume might be made by CF Moto and the 2 companies having joint venture (with KTM having 49% stake) there is more in common than different. Main bit (the engine) in both cases is made by CF Moto. In case of 450 i wonder where they copied most of it.
1) What’s that got to do with anything. 2) The service intervals on this bike are 9,300 miles. 3) this fault was not caused by oil type or frequency of changes.
@@Adv_Charlie I wouldn't trust any oil to last that long, service intervals depends on a lot of factors. an air filter may last 15000km in a clean weather but won't last 5000km in a dusty one. same with oil, I call their 15000KM oil change interval BS, motorex won't even last 3000km in a hot summer.
This is shameful of KTM. I was shopping their 790 Adventure, but having second thoughts when hearing all the horror stories of them weaseling out of repairing what is clearly defective product.
You’re certainly taking this way better than I would! I know your hands are tied but…. Personally I would’ve put the repair money into a T7 or an AT especially with your big trip coming up. Safe travels!
I’d make pay KTM pay for it. It’s their heads or bad oil restriction in their head. Designs is causing your problem is a good video out that shows what’s going on take it to KTM and show the video it will happen again it’s funny that they made you buy a new head. Maybe the one sold you is the updated fixed one and they made you pay for it. Nice company
You’re a little behind on this story buddy, I made this video first then sent the parts to matt I have also contacted KTM since and i’ll have an update video coming once I have everything I need
I guess you don’t ride a KTM in the dirt because you’re getting dirt to your air cleaner and they’re telling you that it’s wearing your cams out it’s an oiling issue in your head and KTM knows what’s causing it there oiling ports in the head or out of alignment and it’s causing restriction. That’s why you have it look OK and once it looked terrible oil goes the least restriction. There’s a good video out showing you with the problem is.
@@Adv_Charlie please report your findings. My bike is currently at the shop with the same issue. Would be nice to see if the repair is a lasting solution. Really enjoying your videos, keep it up 👍
Awesome views! Montana is spectacular. I will be taking my 790 across the US in a few weeks. I however, won’t have enough time to see bear tooth pass on my journey.
Thanks for this upload and sorry to hear about the problem. I hear many others have also been affected. These are the Chinese made bikes and its a good reason to avoid KTM. I wonder if the V twin engines also have problems?
KTM need to sell a RR version that lubricate engine and another R that has 2 more mm of fork travel and another R that activate 2 more mm of sidestand, sooo you have KTM RRRR boss… this ia ao stupid and ppl. need to buy something elese to wake up this money makers.
Hey Charlie, you've got me worried now about my 2021 890R. It's sitting in Panama with 19,000k's on it and I'll get serviced in Bogota in December when I return to collect it from NZ. Will it last until Ushuaia?? What are you like at towing? :) I had a problem in Baja with one of my brake discs coming loose on the riviets and really didn't want to travel further south without a new one. KTM quoted me 3 months for a replacement! So I ended paying for a new disc myself direct from the USA. Then, KTM USA are not allowed to ship to Mexico so I had to pull some real strings and have it sent to place where I stayed in Palm Springs where they were kind enough to send it to Mexico. I wrote a very similar letter to KTM (whilst I was sitting on a Mexican beach for 3 weeks :) ) asking whether they should market their bikes as 'Adventure' when the basic parts supply to overseas adventurers is pretty much non existent. Guess what? no reply :) I run a large BMW Motorrad workshop in Auckland and have always been a KTM man BUT sometimes I wish I had a GS of some sort waiting for me as the BMW aftersales is exceptional. It's just that their bikes are a little boring! Cheers James
Not all bikes have the issue. But I agree KTM have miss sold these are as travel bikes. Yet we take them anyway. I hope to fully check my bike before I enter South America
