This is very helpful. I am looking into buying a 2016 right now. It will be my 3rd KTM. I like how easy they are to maintain and work on. My former bikes were a 690 SMC and an SD R 990. Both crazy bikes and super engaging. Thanks for all the info!
congratulations. We have a 1290 super adventure T in Colombia with 133 thousand kms and we are happy with it ... it is a tremendous machine ... forever KTM
Awesome and congratulations. Just at 4 years and18k on my 1090 . My butt loves the seat and I'm too afraid to buy another bike because previous bikes i couldn't get comfortable on. Your videos are helping me see a long term is possible.
Congrats mate on the big 50!! Sept 2016 I was just coming off another Euro ride around with my Cagiva Gran Canyon and even though cool bike I needed to treat myself to something new. It was between the GS, Multistrada and KTM SA. On doing some research I came across your video of the Powerpart liners and have watched every video since. You helped with my choice and in 2017 (it took sometime to make a decision, didn’t want to rush) I bought my KTM SA T. Since then I’ve thought of up grading but I’m with you, I prefer the spokes and generally a bigger presence with the tank. I looked at the SAS in 2019 but it didn’t touch the T and again this year spent some time with the new 21 model. Yep it’s more nimble around the twisty parts of the UK and an amazing new TFT screen and of course you feel the difference with the new saddle bag fuel tank system but naaaaa I’ll stick with the T for another couple of years I think. Fully loaded and twos up it easily tackles the TET (Trans European Transit) and blew my mind this year when crossing the Pyrenees. Two years late but next (let’s not mention the C word!!) it will be heading for the artic circle and black sea and I can’t wait. Thanks again for the help back in 2016/17 and thanks for the great videos. P.s Noah is still riding right, hope he’s well.
Congrats on the 50K goal. I had the same issue you had with the fuel probe, thanks for that video, that was right after I bought the bike used on 2020. Love the bike, great power, all the features I was looking on a bike and more, cruise control, great suspension, heated grips/seat, tire pressure monitor. For the fuel pump, I’m planning to buy one and keep it on the saddlebag just in case. Other than that, I do believe the bike is super reliable.
My fuel pump started going out on a trip coming home from a trip TX, CO , UT, NV,CA, Az, NM about 40 miles from home but made it home…Warranty replacement. Replaced front fork seals (KTM shop) otherwise chains, guides, sprockets, rear brakes and lots of tires. These things eat tires, chains and sprockets because they’re badass.
Mario, you bastard, I was really afraid that you say, you are about to sell the bike at 8:09! 😂👍🏻 Congrats to the mileage! I bought mine 1,5 year ago - 2016 version with 14K km and so far only the fuc*ing fuel pump sucked as the bike was staying in the garage for two years almost without riding! Otherwise, I just love it! Cheers from Czech Republic
Great summation of your ownership, I bought my 16 model way down here in Tasmania based on your videos. Australia got some new 16s in 2018 and with an $8000 discount it was time to trade my trusty 990, same model that you own (only issue ever with that bike was a stepper motor failure). My go to tyre is the Mitas E-07 Dakar because of the amount of dirt roads we have where I live. Absolutely happy with the bike and agree that KTM doesn't make a comparable model now. KTM unreliability stories are allways good for a laugh, this is my ninth and have only had one fail and that was a machine we bought second hand for my son to race. After a rebuild it went on to be as reliable as a house brick despite the flogging that it got.
We just got home with this exact bike and are so excited. Great review. Very thorough. Was very glad to hear what Kristen thought because that was our main concern as well.
Awesome and congrats on reaching that milestone. I have a 2019 1290 SAS. Have done the airbox delete, quickshift. Performed the maint myself @ the 650 mile range. Lots of tech to this bike. All is needed is a long cross-country to really break her in.
Hi Mario, good to hear you have hit the 50000miles with bugger all issues,I have a 2017 1190S, love the thing definitely a keeper.Have just ticked over 50000km only issue ,the rear shock dropped its oil one a trip around sth island in New zealand, supposedly not repairable but we have a guy in NZ that specializes in WP suspension that overhauled it re gased it etc for $350 NZ,chuffed as it would have been $4500 + to replace. No other issues,apart from chain and sprockets at 43000km and regular servicing, changing oil and filters at 10000km intervals. Looking forward to seeing your front fork service video if and when you get around to it. Also have a 1999 Aprilia RSV Mille , 82000km so far with no issues , hasn't even needed a valve shim yet,and runs like a clock and still puts a smile on the face everytime it is ridden, it will go down the hole with me,68 years young! Keep safe .
Dave, glad to hear it's been good for you. We plan to do something similar with the rear shock to "make it serviceable." My suspension guy has been in contact with WP and they said his solution should work. I'm happy with the shock but we all know it isn't really "lifetime." I plan to service my forks over the winter (overdue at this point) and preventatively change out all the bearings. Glad to hear the Aprilia is holding up great too!
We’re people say they are unreliable this just shows they are a great bike . In fairness most of the complaints here in the UK are electronic ones ,keep safe looking forward to seeing some back in the garage videos. 👍👍👍
Looking forward to the wheels bearings & suspension service videos. Here in france, I own a 2014 Ktm 1190 adv s & In 5 years riding you beat me by over 31000 miles. Good job & Congrats.
Bought my 2015 about two months ago from a guy. Excellent condition. Just had the fuel float sticking on me for the first time yesterday. Filled it up and it was stuck on half. It eventually corrected itself after a few bumps on the road but I guess I will have to take a look at fixing it. Watched your vid on how you dealt with it. Looks simple enough. What a machine.. 💪
Impressive. All you usually hear about is how KTM's always break down. Hasn't been the case for me and it's been very reliable except for a fuel tank leak which KTM took care of even after it was out of warranty. Here's to another 50,000.
Have a 2017 with 30,000 miles on it. No major issues so far, fuel sensor replaced under warranty, also had radiator replaced under warranty (thank goodness that would have been an expensive fix!), .....glad to hear yours made to 50,000 with out any major problems.....I have a fuel pump on my bench standing by, I should just go ahead and replace it.
Congratulations on the 50k mark. Dang, I thought my 950 Super Enduro was the P.I.T.A. in terms of the fuel pump. I have about 21k miles on my 2015 S.A. and have had no issues with its fuel pump. Since three of us are planning a second trip to Alaska this July, maybe I had better think about a spare pump! If you get back to Montana and/or up to Kalispell, look us up. All Moto Tire.
Hey Mario, my good riding buddy has a 2015 1190 R with I think 120,000 KMs / 75,000 miles with no major issues, with good maintenance they seem to last along time.
Mario I am glad you keeping the motorcycle! ! I have the same exact model (2016) and it has been a blast 💥 riding it ! Keep posting your videos you have helped me a lot with your maintenance videos. Maybe one day I ll see you on the road ( I will invite you for a beer) Thanks !
Great review Mario!....mine is just 16.000 km. (close to 10.000 miles), hope I'll survive until 50 k.!, until now I love the bike, I use it mostly on road, but I have about 10 miles of dirt road to get in & out of my house, and I know is very capable offroad too (with a good pilot). After watching your fuel pump failure video, I have one on my luggage too!...😂
Mine has 93000 kms (cca 57000 miles) only problems was wobble (solved with precise front wheel spokes balance) and tyre pressure sensors. Other than that, KTM is great.
Congrats on the mileage! I have 124K on my Yamaha, but that took about thirty years (and a LOT of work). I'm only at around 40K on the Daytona, just over 30 on the Bonnie.
Good info Mario ! My 2017 has been great, but only 11k on it right now, I run the TKC tires and really like them. I agree with you on gas tank, I love the large volume it holds. FYI I put a R&G chain cover on mine, I had a strap work loose travelling and stock chain cover did not keep strap from getting snagged, it wrapped around my front sprocket until it broke clutch slave cylinder out of side of case. definitely was down and out for little bit after that. Sometimes I think about selling it then I go for a ride and remember how much fun it is to ride !! I do have a couple Harleys and Motoguzzi, as well, I really like how the HD Pan-American lowers when it comes to a stop but I haven't ridden one yet. Keep Ridin safe SIR....
Going in for the tank recall on a 2015, but they said it's not a whole new tank, rather some sort of gasket underneath the tank. Either way, glad to hear you've been mostly trouble free! Anything powered by the LC8 is just beastly. Love mine, I agree that nobody really makes a similar bike nowadays, though Ducati almost took double the money for their Multistrada Enduro over the KTM I found locally. I'll be cheering for your 100k+ miles!
So it was the grommet around the bottom screw (crotch area). Some they retrofitted with the grommet. Those leaking, like mine, got a new tank. Then again, that was a couple years ago so perhaps only a retro fit now. We actually fixed mine (not pretty) and I'm sure it would still be holding today. That said, happy to have a new, upgraded tank on the bike.
@@2WR Gotcha! Makes sense. Yeah mine doesn't seem to be leaking but who knows. I just know it's taking forever to get whatever parts they ordered. Maybe a new tank?!
Congratulations on a great mileage ride. May the motorcycle continue to serve well. I'm going to buy a new 1290 Super Adventure 2021. Maybe I'll be so happy too :-)
awesome video Mario... I guess i missed this one last year. Mine is still going good and no major issues. Only thing I had at the end of the season was the right fork seal was leaking a bit. Bought new seals but I saw allot of riders do the Sealmate clean to remove dirt or debris in the seal. Did that over the winter and seal is not leaking anymore but going to see if it holds when we start back our new ridding season in the next month or so. Hope it did the job. If not, i'll have to get the seals changed.
Had 2 of them on the last 5 years. Amazing bike. Recently Swap for 1290r 2017. A All different bike. Great review I agree with the most of it. They got issues with the main dashboard had to change mine ( water problem) known issue. Keep it dry. A rather big and expensive issue. And with the rubber heated grips because of the heat climate here in Israel. Try the pirelli scorpion str. Amazing on the road and good off road. Try to replace the exhaust sleeve.
Yeah man!! Do not sell the big girl!!! Nothing like it (like u said) in the market. Totally awesome machine!! BTW, thanks for sharing your research about what spare fuel pump was worth to buy! Ride safe Mario! Keep that Orsini power running!!! Greetings from California!
Really like your videos, thanks. Not sure if you've done a video on this yet but what are your thoughts on say a 2015 1190 Adventure vs. a 2015 Super Adventure? I think you're the only channel that has both. I've been a KTM fanboy since I got a 990 SMT two years ago and would like to stick with KTMs for long distance/dirt work. Seems like I'll need to keep a spare fuel pump for both.
Hey, love your videos have used quite a few when it comes to my 1190r.... So question for you, little off topic but I live on the east coast at sea level. My girl and I are out in Colorado right now an heading to Utah. I have a 15 1190r an my girl has a 08 990......did you find a significant power decrease in the bikes at the elevation out here? If so did you find a way to correct it as in maybe sport mode on my 1190? Of course my girls doesn't have that option lol but anyway great videos!!!! Keep up the awesome work!!!!!!
You're gonna notice a power drop off and there isn't much you can do about it. It's not just these bikes but any engine. We talked about it on a recent podcast. When I rode my FJR to the top of Pikes Peak....she didn't feel like the same bike as we continued to climb in elevation. While a Power Commander/Auto Tune, new mapping etc may help...less dense air is always going to mean less HP.
Good stuff!I'm actually suprised its only about 50k...with all the trips I figured you'd be well beyond that on there. :-) How many miles did you put on the FJR?
Would've been higher but 2019 was on a rental in Europe which took up a lot of my vacation time so my bike didn't get ridden quite as much that year. As for the FJR...I don't remember but sure bought it with about 25k on it and sold it with around 55k on the odo
I have a 2020 SAS, but I kept my 2005 FJR just in case. Have to say the KTM has been flawless and is great fun to ride, but I look on the FJR as insurance to ensure I have something to ride. This after a 2015 Multistrada which was a POS.
Wonder if the new S model is a worthwhile upgrade? Awesome to hear how the bike has held up after 50K and 5 years. KTM gets a ton of bad press regarding reliability and at least your experience counters that.
The reliability issue is actually mostly from smaller displacement one (390 - 790), but the 1190 and 1290 reliability has been spot on from anyone who owned them that I know of. Some electronics here and there but mostly minor issue, the engine might be as reliable as a GS I recon from my personal experience
I'm not seeing any "how to' videos on the 1290 in your video lists, is it just me? would like to see the videos on the mods u did as well as some links to all? Thanks
I just bought a used 2016 with 13,000 kms. I'd be interested to know how the unserviceable shock can be serviced. Im short in the inseam so was wanting to have a spacer installed in the shock but the shop said no. any help would be appreciated..
Hey brother. Awesome channel! Happily SUBSCRIBED. I have a 2017 KTM 1290, and I'm currently in Central America on a Round the World tour. Heading to South American a few months. Let me know where you were located, and if you want to collaborate on some RU-vid videos together. I have some ideas that might interest you. Thanks. All the best. Ascanio
I don't mean to be critical here but I do have to wonder why you would tolerate a vehicle that needs such a large amount of maintenance and / or technical problems over such a short total distance. I can understand adventure bikes if you go offroad (and I know you do) but for long distance touring on major roads, there are loads of models by other manufacturers that will go 100K without any kind of major problems. I know that everyone has their personal choices of motorcycles, and I have had models from Yamaha (Venture with 300K on it ) and Honda (Goldwing with 100K on it) with zero problems after 5 or 6 times crossing the continent and in 67 years of driving. When I am 1000 miles from home, I don't want any problems cropping up that keep me from progressing. Personally, I want a bike that is as reliable as a modern car. However, having now stuck my foot in my mouth, I do enjoy your videos which remind me of what I have done when younger (now 80 and can't do this anymore). A loyal subscriber here.....
I mean, aside done losing 3 days waiting on a fuel pump, what downside has there been in now 60k miles? GW may require less scheduled maintenance but a RAV4 requires less than a G-Wagon but who cares? I’ve been to the west coast and back twice, Alaska and back and Tijuana and back and aside from regular maintenance, it cost me a $120 (with filters) fuel pump that I could change on a hotel parking lot. Also the GW ain’t going off-road in Moab or RockyMountain National Park. 😁
@@2WR True enough, a touring bike for the highway is far less versatile than a combination off road and on road bike. Guess at 80, I'm getting too old to go with anything less than major comfort and reliability. Over 67 years, I've owned 33 bikes on two different continents, from a 1953 Harley (junk) to an old Jawa (also junk) and pretty much anything in between. I spent more of my youth fixing bikes than riding bikes, until one day I bought a 305 Honda Dream back in the '60's and discovered what reliability was all about....kinda spoiled me for anything less. But if I was young again, I would probably do it all over again with a more versatile adventure bike like you and your sister drive (although honestly, I have never driven "off road" in my life ). From age 40 through 70, I became adverse to having to mess with things like chains and sprockets, and on the road repairs, which is something all bikers seem to have to contend with, to a lesser or greater degree depending upon the bike model. The GW sofa and my old Venture have spoiled me over the decades I guess with their ultra reliability and shaft drive... Anyway, just love your videos and keep 'em coming.
Typically 9,000-9,500 miles between changes but sometimes before that so I don’t have to change it during a big trip. Haven’t ever had to add any between changes.
Ever had any issues with the starter? I've got a 1290 SuperAdventure from the same year as yours. And occasionally it just get stuck "due to high compression?" but then I try to start again and it starts without issues. Do you think I need to replace the starter or is it just a common problem with twin cylinders?
I have a 2015 model...... complete garbage it leaves me stranded all the time... fueling issues.. one thing after another. Afraid to ride alone. Every KTM I have owned has been a pile, I will never buy another one. I'm going to get a Yamaha because they do not break down
