KTM 890 - Worth the HEADACHES? 

I owned a 2017 1090R that was flawless, traded in for a 2022 890R, had a tiny water pump leak fixed on warranty and a few weeks ago had the immobilizer warning but didn’t prevent the bike to start, and it went away after a few minutes. Comparing brands to me is sometimes challenging considering how much a typical KTM is ridden and abused, relative to other less off road oriented bikes. Having said that, quality is always something we will want in any bike.

I traded a 2022 Tiger 900 Rally Pro (took it to Baja and hated it) for a 2023 890R last June just as the Writer's and Actor's strikes put all of us crew out of work. Immediately took it for a 4 month, 10,000 mile camping trip from New Mexico, the COBDR up to Wyoming and Montana, through Idaho and Washington to the Pacific, down to California and then back through Nevada, all over Utah, especially the Uinta Mountains with the Mosko Moto crew, two weeks in Moab, then down through Arizona and into Mexico. Hit parts of the other BDR's along the way. The issues I had were: The immobilizer issue. I diverted off the COBDR to Colorado Springs because I was freaked out I might get stranded on a 12,000 foot mountain pass. Apex Sports pulled me in right away and read the codes while I cleaned and oiled my air filters. They reprogrammed the keys and reset the ECU but the immobilizer message would still pop up randomly. The bike never left me stranded. It would go away with a key cycle but it was always in the back of my mind. I documented the issue during the trip, taking a photo each time. It happened about 12 times. After I got back to Brooklyn, NY I swapped the battery for an Anti-Gravity and I no longer have the issue. During some crazy heavy summer thunderstorms from Wyoming into Idaho, I had the turn signal failure message on my screen at the end of a long day. After the bike dried out, it has never popped up again. After getting home I opened the cluster and put dielectric grease on the connections just in case. I started having the cold start issues at about 1,000 miles. It would come and go during my whole trip. I started to avoid 93/91 octane and that seemed to help. Getting gas from a Top Tier station also helped. Now with the lithium battery swap, I have no cold start issues at all. I still avoid the 93 octane though and just get mid grade. One thing every 890 owner should do though, is get a kickstand bypass dongle either from Rottweiler (easy relocation kit) or Vanasche (you have to remove the tank to plug in the dongle). The kickstand can come down from either a jump or g-out coming down sandstone steps and cause the engine to turn off (like other bikes). I bent my kickstand in the Grand Tetons and some nice folks at Ace hardware in Jackson helped me with a blow torch in their workshop on a Sunday. I didn't realize the side stand switch uses a magnet, which fell out when we melted the epoxy it was held on by. Fortunately I found the tiny magnet on the floor and was able to glue it back in so I could get back to my campsite. Get a cheap dongle and never be stranded because of a kickstand switch! I have taken this bike places that were incredibly challenging, with and without my camping gear on the back and have crashed it numerous times. Escpecially when leaving my luggage in a bear locker to go riding with small dual sports in the Colorado and Utah mountains. The AXP skid plate and the Cycra hand guards have a small amount of trail rash but that's it. It wears it's weight down low and I don't need crash bars or fear breaking something if I drop it. The bike is an absolute ripper and I'm glad I was able to resolve the issues with a simple battery swap for the most part. I can't wait to get back out west this fall to keep having a blast on this beast! Whatever you ride, get out there and have some fun. We're lucky to have such a big and beautiful world to ride in... shop.rottweilerperformance.com/rottweiler-performance-kickstand-sensor-relocator/ vanaschemotorsports.com/products/pnp-side-stand-bypass-dongle-790-890?_pos=3&_sid=1e38b392a&_ss=r

The best headache ever! Had 2 790R's and my current 890R. Issues I have had with the 3 bikes are: Steering head bearings on all 3 need tightening up before the 1000km service. All bikes were really squirrely on the road after purchase, but after tightening, rock solid. My 2nd 790 after around 13000km started leaking coolant. Was a hose clamp that was not tight enough. Have heard this from a few of my peers, and its a poor effort from KTM, something so basic. On the starting issue, my 1st 790 did have this problem, starting, 1 cylinder, then dying. I live in a hot climate so not cold induced. Seems the last 2 bikes have been fine though. As for electronic glitches, had a immobilizer glitch a few times, and it typically happens when I stall the bike. Simply turning it off and leaving it for 10 minutes cleared the error. Never affected the riding of the bike at all, just a display warning. Heard people whine about the clutch problems, but they are 99% the same people that have the clutch lever fully tensioned. Leave some play, my dad told me that 30 years ago on my 50cc. Never had the issue myself as always play in the lever. Love the bikes, love the power and fun they are to ride, always exciting and never boring. So with 3 of these bikes and maybe 150k kms, no headaches worth spitting the dummy over. Edit: Had a cruise control issue on my 890, also a brake sensor. This was my most serious issue as it was a new bike and I almost got tail ended in traffic, only to figure out the rear brake light was not working, and as the sensor was not working so to was the cruise control. All fixed immediately by the dealer.

My 2004 950A has over 225,000kms on it. It's been reliable but I look after it properly. I now have an 890AR as well. I couldn't resist it and breaking down doesn't frighten me, so I'm comfortable with the risk. Every other bike in the sector feels heavy and top-heavy after the 890. It's just the best. Rain got into the headlamp which caused condensation. KTM replaced it without fuss. The headlamp is made in Italy, so it's hardly surprising that it failed. Most European bikes use the same brand of lamps.

I'm comin into 2024 hot with a Norden 901 Expedition🤙🏼... was lent it in October and loved it enough to buy it. See what happens, hoping for little to no issues

Cold start: I was told by the dealer to turn the key on and wait until after I hear the fuel pump get done cycling. Haven’t had that problem since.

Great synopsis very honest observations it all depends on what kind of riding we are talking about. Yes if you are looking for performance and excitement there is nothing like it. But the ready to race is exactly their problem the unreliability is there in spades despite what people say. To be honest I would be happier with their bikes were 10 kg heavier weighed 10 kg more and were much more reliable. It is not just the electrical problems and the infuriating difficulty inbuilt that just does not allow you to bypass them. The bike is built as light as possible and they do break. Here in Australia we do massive distances on our bikes autonomy needed on fully loaded bikes can be up to 1000klm this kind of riding changes once perception. I am not a master mechanic and I want to ride not tinker. After many years of persuasion I relented and got a KTM. Well lesson learned not going to repeat that mistake. It was the most stressful and expensive two years I ever had.Again this is for adv riding with huge miles. For single track and other styles of riding yes I would be very happy with one.

I bought my 2020 KTM 790R NEW from the dealership. I've had no electrical issues to Date. Love my 790R! After 20 years riding my ole reliable DR650, I was concerned about all the electrical high tech of the 790R. But,, so far so good! HAPPY TRAILS!!

It's my opinion that when buying a new KTM it is the ultimate gamble. In my experience, not all KTMs have problems. It only seems to be 10% or so which have continued issues or phantom problems. A consumer might get lucky and not get one with lemon traits, or the same person might get one with problem after problem. The 790/890 platform is very popular bc it makes a beginner feel more comfortable and confident. A 'D" level rider is instantly a 'C/B' level rider when on one. They're easier to ride fast on. They handle better. Their suspension is unmatched. Aftermarket support is insane. If their reliability and electronics issues were as good as the Japanese bikes, they would rule the roost.

I'm currently on a 22 890 I think about The possibility for electrical issues or cams none of these have shown up yet 12,000 miles . The grin Factor on this bike just blows my mind I can't believe what I can do on it it's just so well engineered to be a hooligan and to hit dirt and for that matter rail through the twisties even on knobbies. I'm just going to ride it out and that's it I love it

Had one when they first came out. I did 3000 mile on it and sold it for two reasons, I kept getting an immobiliser antenna fault. (Usually in the middle of nowhere). Secondly the engine sounded broken from day one, to the point it was embarrassing starting it in front of people. I’ve had a husky 701 since and currently have a Tenere 700 extreme on order.

I have 3419 miles on my 22 890 adv standard. The way to make it start on both cylinders every time is turn the key on and wait for the click under the seat. crack and hold throttle 1/4 open. It will then start on both cylinders. hold the rpm around 2k for a few seconds. I have had an immobilizer failure warning come up two times. It seems to be linked to starting the bike. It did not impact the bike at all and went away on the next start. I now hold down the start button until the engine is running and that seems to have stopped the error message. I also have a 21 500excf. The 890 feels a tad more stable riding through deep sand and slick mud. I run steering stabilizers on both bikes. I definitely love the cruise control! The S model suspension is pretty good and a lot better than I expected.

I loved some of the features but the headaches are not worthy to me. Since I switched to the T7 I had zero issues as of now with 150k miles only oil, filters and a clutch service and I was surprised how much better is off road and I am not missing anything. No need to upsale complex features if the geometry is the right one. Makers need to make bikes simpler and specially lighter and with that will come more reliability, less maintenance and less cost that is a waste of dollars in the end.

I had a 790R for only 2500 km and then the engine broke (balance shaft bearing). It was sitting at the KTM dealer for 3.5 months until I got it back cause they had to fix the whole engine which was for sure more expensive than just to swap it for a new one (but hey that´s their rules) after only another 800 km the gearbox lost some teeths. They fixes it again for 2 months! Sold it straight away! (the new owner also had problems) Now on a Tenere 700 with zero problems since 10.000 km. Changed the springs front and rear for stiffer ones so they suit my weight. I have some KTM friends and I had the chance to ride a 790, 790R, 890R and even a 890 R RALLY. I still prefer my T7 and with all the mods it´s still cheaper compared to a 890 R. The only thing I miss on the streets is the power (but I´m doing 70% offroad so I dont care). I rather squeeze the last bit out of a YAMAHA engine without any thoughts of breaking down than worrying all the time that the engine goes BOOM. -> nice video thought!!! :-)

nice video. I have the 2023 890 and have zero issues so far. All my other ktms in the past have been flawless as well as my current ktm 350 excf. hopefully ktm will stop the cfmoto realtionship in the near future. I will not purchase an premium motorcyle and have people built it that havent designed it or have much experience in these types of motorcycles.

Definitely an immediate no when they want to charge for features already present in the bike that’s absolutely insane I’m surprised you didn’t talk about that more

I put 10K miles on an 890 R and the only issue was defective OEM battery. It was more bike that I wanted at 72 ;) KTM bikes have more issues than Japanese bikes, but issues get all the press where the majority don't have problems!

Man, I feel like having to pay to unlock drive modes is a new low. But I guess when you're King of the hill, you can get away with anything.

"where you have to live after paying to unlock rally mode" 😂

I'm in the same boat. I love/hate my 890... it is such a beast of a bike and performs so good out of the box but I have trust issues taking it on longer trips. I know that you always read the worst stories on forums and not the good ones but I haven's seen much bad stories pop up of the t7. Seeing all the cam/crank issue of engines beeing destroyed it get's me worried. A tenere with some good upgrades is just way more reliable for longer travels I thinks...

Funny enough, last weekend I was in the KTM dealer buying my 690 Enduro R. and a friend of a friend of mine turned up, I think he had a 1290? previously when I last saw him a few months back, he's bought an 890 and he was visiting to get an electrical gremlin fixed - engine light on, power restricted etc.........not good.

Emily is the reason I have subscribed 😂🎉❤

Living life led by the fear of what ifs is certainly never going to result in any true enjoyment of any steed. It sounds like he needs to let go of the idea that things could fail as they can happen on any make or model and do. I had a 2021 890R and other than the cold start issue which was remedied with the use of mid-grade gas, I didn't have a single issue. I sold mine after an injury that pushed me into smaller, lighter bikes for a while but if I am being honest with myself I wish I had kept it. I have considered moving to a GSA multiple times in order to improve in one area where I felt like the 890 came up short and that's on the highway and subsequent wind protection but the added cost, weight and reduced off-road capability don't really add up to an improvement overall. I don't do nor do I plan to do any large cross country trips where the improved on-road long-range capabilities of the GSA make for a better choice. At the end of the day, the older I get the more I want smaller and lighter and for now my BDR focused 500 build is doing everything I am asking of it. I am still considering adding another 890 R back to my stable but I need to do so before they are likely made entirely in India or China or wherever they are outsourcing it to. IMHO it's still far and away the best overall middleweight ADV bike on the market with the Ducati DesertX nipping at its heels in second place. Improved quality and reliability is something every manufacturer should always be striving for but when tech and performance lead the way for a brand like KTM those become secondary by their very nature. Lets be honest here, we don't buy KTM's because we want the bike that never needs maintenance, we buy them because they overwhelmingly outperform the rest of the field when it comes to the fun factor.

Omg, way too many possibility for issues for my taste....went with a T7WR, couldnt be happier..

Amazing capabilities of AI these days. Thanks for sharing!

I’m riding a DR650 I have the urge to buy something more modern T7 ,Kim 890,transalp 750,🤷🏻‍♂️ probably gonna end up with the tenere 700 just because it’s simple. What do you think?

I sold my Tenere 700, considering the 890.

What about 2023 and newer?

Needed this in my life RN

4K. Zero issues except the single cylinder issue. That issue is very well known. It will always start. It's annoying. It shouldn't be a thing. But in no way a deal breaker.

I had 790r and clutch died with 1000km replaced it and second showed wear after 700km. Then sold it.

Cool 👍👀 great area for testing Adventure. Thanks for the video. Greetings and have a nice day

Your electrical issues that you described aren't really electrical issues they are computer software issues which is why restarting reboots the computer and makes it work. Kind of like Windows 95.

1090 adventure r 63,456 miles with not one problem. 2018 KTM 350 XC-F 200 hours not one problem. 2023 KTM 890 Adventure R 23,045 miles not one issue. All riden hard offroad and on road.

Well I was hoping for a more firm confirmation that there were no more of the silly little issues on the new 2024 model....still have me sitting on the fence....Come on KTM lets hear the real dope on the new model. What are the current Known issues....if any. Cheers

Is this Brooks area?? Miss riding this type of terrain!

And all that tech is what scares me to stay with a carb bike.

There's nothing this bike has that competitors don't do not sure about THE MOST CAPABLE part.

Is the whole vid shoot at Badlands AB ? if so are you avle to provide location of that road in 0.12s of your vid ?

IMO if you cant depend on a bike, it's not an adventure bike. Don't get me wrong, I love KTM's they are beautiful, powerful but don't like the risk of getting stranded.

9:02 😂 Gold Unconscionable extortion for no reason

I don't get why KTM can't get their shit together with respect to wiring. I have 2019 690 Enduro R and am on my third or 4th gremlin. Will never by another orange bike again.

Yep, KTM poor reliability and poor customer service experience of my friends still stops me from buying one.

The 890 has the same power of the CRF 1100, not the same power to weight ratio.

A whole 26 minutes ? Try the Tuareg. You'll only need 5

It's that hot girl, who is nothing but trouble.

KTM is in deep shit financially , DONT BUY ONE !!!

Wow. How far the KTM brand has fallen. Really great bike but unreliable is a deal breaker. A bike has to make out and back first and foremost.

KTMs are amazing, until they aren't. Meanwhile my T7 has 50,000+ miles without a single issue.

I rode a 2020 790R for 4 years 30000 km and since May an 890R for 10000 km. No problems only incredible performance.

The coolant leaks, rear shock failures and small electrical bugs i can get over, but the camshaft failures i cant.. its been recorded on 100's of these engines many with low miles and serviced correctly. When i dropped the oil on my unabused R model with 5000km for its second service and got loads of metal fillings stuck to the drain plug thats when i decided to sell it. Apparently metal filings are normal on these for the first and second service but you wont see it on a Japanese engine. Ridiculous build quality for nearly the most expensive bike in its class. These bikess will never do high mileage without major repairs and are essentially a disposable item in my eyes

It's my opinion that when buying a new KTM it is the ultimate gamble. In my experience, not all KTMs have problems. It only seems to be 10% or so which have continued issues or phantom problems. A consumer might get lucky and not get one with lemon traits, or the same person might get one with problem after problem. The 790/890 platform is very popular bc it makes a beginner feel more comfortable and confident. A 'D" level rider is instantly a 'C/B' level rider when on one. They're easier to ride fast on. They handle better. Their suspension is unmatched. Aftermarket support is insane. If their reliability and electronics issues were as good as the Japanese bikes, they would rule the roost.

I have a 2023 890 Adv R with about 2800 miles on it. It's been pretty good for me. Only issues I've had is cruise control was buggy when I first got it. Was fixed under warranty, the front brake sensor was messed up and was not allowing the cruise control to work. I've heard Honda's having this issue as well so seems somewhat common. Also I crashed on a trail and the turn signal switch stopped working for signaling right, and KTM fixed under warranty even though it was my fault. Otherwise everything has been gravy. The dealer asked me about any cold start issues as they are aware of the issue, and also the single cylinder starts, but I haven't had those problems. It's been a ripper, such a smooth and stable ride.

I took my 21 890 on a 42000 KM adventure last year and it was undoubtably the best bike for the task.

Well you can easily upgrade the Tenere 700 suspension if that is a concern and you get the reliability and a nice torky engine in the lows. You get less power which is good for off-road scenarios and city commuting and a high center of gravity which is not so good. After some thought and owning a KTM EXC - 300 and a Duke I thing I ll just get a CF Moto MT 450 or in the worst case the new Ktm Adventure 390 when will be released. 90% will be the MT 450 though. Imho the KTM 890 is a waay to powerfull bike and heavy for more than gravel stuff and large trails. For the great outdoors like shown in your amazing filming would be perfect, or in Australia like environement. In Europe I don't see a use of it on the smaller planes and with all traffic regulations. For highway 90% of the market are BMW 1250Gs's and for national roads a 50HP bike will do just fine. Cheers for the non-biased review of the issues from a KTM owner!

I own an 890 ADV R and I love it. I have owned a lot of bikes, all of them have some kind of problem you need to work with. So far my 890 has not had any issues. The only thing I have done to it is make it more offroad worthy, different skit plate, shark fin for the rear disk, a Scotts steering damper, a Magura hydraulic clutch, different gas cap, two finder Wild@Heart levers, stuff like that. The immobilizer issue has to do with the battery, changing the stock battery for a lithium battery fixes the problem. One think I did do was to get rid of the kick stand safety switch, I didn't have problems with it but it was an issue with several other bikes and knew that was a weak point. Only time will tell if it continues to perform well, but from the work I have done so far I like how the bike is engineered, how it is put together, and how easy it is to remove panels, remove the gas tank, and how easy it is to get aftermarket parts and accessories for it. We do live in the internet age, that has make getting parts and helping yourself so much easier. Experience tells me that any bike, vehicle, or aircraft can leave you stranded. Nothing is perfect no matter how hard some people will argue their so in so has always gotten them home or never broke down. There is no such thing as "Always" and "Never", that is just a fact of life. I am a firm believer is Murphys Law which states "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." We overcome this with knowledge and respect. So I say figure out the problem and fix it for yourself. I have paying some A-Hole money to fix something that makes more money if something else breaks. At least I know the bike manufacture made the best product they could under whatever limitations they had at the time, they are there to make money and Crap doesn't sell unless you are farming.🤨

The turn signal issue may be due to the faulty left switch gear. A lot of them had a shorted wire inside the controls. Immobilizer happens from time to time but take it in to the dealer, I think they usually just rebind the bike to the key. The single cylinder start issue is emissions related. It’s a “feature” not a “bug”. Don’t blame folks for selling them, I’ve had plenty of issues with my ‘23 months in the shop but sorted now.

Good stuff It's hard to enjoy yourself out in the middle of nowhere, wondering if your bike is going to start. This has been going on for years with ktm with all their models. It's such a shame when running there, so awesome

Many of the electrical problems and gremlins with the 890 comes from the battery. Swap the normal battery to a Lithium one and Most people never again hat a Immobilizer failure 👍🏻

I've had the TFT turn off on my 790R but the bike kept running, I've seen a few sensor messages but key off-on and its sorted......but then there's the cam issue. 31,000km, twice the required services and yet still the camshafts, followers and valves needed to be replaced a 31,000km, 3 years old, 85% road use, bike is in very good, well kept condition. These engines are a liability, poor design coupled with poor materials is a recipe for failure. The camshaft lobe is 10.6mm wide, the follower is 7.5mm wide, the heat treatment is poor, the nearest oil squirter is 30mm + away and the cam lobe design means the cam endures twice the valve spring pressure due to mechanical advantage. They're a failure waiting to happen.

YeeHaww this video is AWESOME Blake!! That was such a fun day riding with you 🤗

I sold my 2023 890 and bought a Tenere 700.

The 890R is a badass bike. I have had a few minor incidents you’re talking about but no way are they worth selling the bike 😂 hell no. Nothing touches this bike, it’s not even close. The minor quirks all have easy fixes too. Selling it for a TW200?!?! Seriously? 😂 your pulling my leg

Emily has a really nice mustache. Far better than anything I can grow. Jealous!

This sounds more like a dilemma of capitalism rather than a dilemma of bike. People used to take Sportsters and TR6R’s off-road without even second guessing. I think in 2024 we are suffering from excess of options rather than excess of obstacles.

My 2019 790 has been a nightmare. It’s had every issue on the list including new frame and latest being top end with cams, valves and cylinder head needing replacing. Replaced it with a DesertX. I would of traded for a brand new 2024 but every issue has been a struggle with KTM warranty and the same issues on the very first 2019 modems appear two generations later on the new 2024’s…immobiliser antenna, swing arm bolts not torqued from factory so dropping off on the road, other hoses not torqued, new electrical issues. It is the best bike in the category for performance but i won’t be giving KTM my money again unless the reputation significantly changes. People keep buying them and paying for repairs out of pocket so guess KTM has no incentives to improve as people keep throwing money at them.

T7 EXSTREM sorts suspension out. i have done 40ft jumps on my stock T7 with a revalve and harder springs . you have to decat and put a race exhaust on . but off road its as good as a 890r after. my mate has both bikes elctorn450. he is faster on his T7. he has ohlins 48mm forks and ttx rear on his T7. i can tell you i can keep up with him on his 890r on his T7 he leaves me. when you sort suspesion out the T7 gets very good. we both have 4 year old T7 abused off road nothing has gone wrong except i drown my bike in a river and the lambada sencer broke. ktm890r has had loads of broblems sean has had three 890r because they all have gone wrong. ask him.

One thing about ktm is they charge a premium because it’s got magura this and brembo that but when you actually own a ktm you soon realise that there the lower end of mass produced junk that these manufacturers sell to ktm for peanuts don’t be fooled it’s definitely not bling that ktm make you think it is

Great to see TW200 there. Smaller bikes are underrated. I downsized to Yamaha XT250 and I'm loving every moment of riding it. Great video man! It takes time to make for sure, but the result is great.

Sold my 790 adv r last year. It's sure is a great bike, but it is unstable when it comes to the electronics. Now I have a 701 rally kitted, it only has abs, nothing else and I prefer that. The 790/890s have genius tech to help you handle a bike that can do 200 km/h on the highway in offroad situations. But I constantly found myself second guessing my settings and wondering about the reliability, and I much prefer a simpler bike. I only wish the track record for the 701 was better for reliability. I will probably get a T7 when my boy is big enough to on overnight trips with the tent. Great video, thanks alot!

One of the greatest bikes ever made. Ruined by screens tech sensors and traction control. So its a pass for me. Same story with the new transalp. They put too many junk features on motorcycles now. It wont be long until you have all the nonsense on UTVs too.

I have a 23 Norden 901 and have had all of the same issues. The immobilizer fault did almost leave me stranded a couple of times. someone suggested turn the key off the back way back to the lock position. That seem to work.

Or Buy a tenere 700 and spend the money you save on the suspension.

Great video , I actually own 4 new KTM and havent had any issues with any of them ,I was going to add the 2024 adventure 890 R but just to many reviews on it that arent good. Think going to keep my hands off this one !

Some high quality filming going on here, bravo!

An old KTM wisdom: mount all screws with loctite. Greetings from 🇦🇹

As a KTM 890 Adventure owner, I can totally relate. My 890 is sitting in my local KTM shop waiting for coolant leak fix. Apparently warped thermostat housing. After two years of synching hose clamps, I replaced all coolant hoses hoses and clamps with Samco. But, looks like leak was from thermostat housing all along. I also have all the other issues like cold start and front rotor warp at 8K. I have a second KTM to ride in meantime. I guess that's price of owning the brand....you need a spare. Great video. Thanks. I just hope KTM is watching.

I traded up to an 2023 890R from an 2021 790S. As far as rideability it shines. What doesn't shine is it burning through 4 clutches in 12,000 miles. I constantly monitored the clutch freeplay. I use the clutch the same as my 790 and 1290R. This even includes upgrading to a Recluse Torque Drive manual clutch. Hats off to Recluse to replacing the clutch after it burned out after 2000 miles. Shame on KTM to have to carry a spare clutch pack as a spare tube. Bye bye 890 to a T&7. My KTM 300 and 350 have been rock solid. Shame on KTM for their inconsistent quality control where some owners have no problems where others like me have problems from the start that they will not warranty.

Very good video, cinematic shots and well put for what the bike is. Agree 100% and I’m keeping mine. I’ve had small electric issues (turn signal yellow alert is still popping up intermittently), and the front rim came out of true from factory. Nothing that stopped the bike though. It is good on and off the pavement. It keeps up with my friends’ sport bikes easily. I don’t have full confidence on reliability but that’s more from other people’s stories. Bike has been good for me. I would like the suspension to be a bit softer and more comfortable but that is the compromise for the incredible off road capability.

Fascinating discussion.. personally for me, simplicity is king. I understand how people get excited about new tech though, which is pretty cool in it's own way, but as you concluded it can force you to compromise reliability. To each his own, different strokes for different folks. Much respect to you all for experimenting and trying new things out. Cheers.

This platform is like a box of chocolates. They all taste good, but you never know what your gonna get.

Add…..Cam Shaft followers and cam tensioners to the growing problems of the 890. I just had a friend phone me saying he’s facing down a $6k repair bill if it’s not covered by KTM. Doing a Google search myself, yup…..issues dating back to the Duke 790/890’s too. Great video……but I would have added, it’s cheaper to upgrade the suspension on a T7 then deal with reliability BS with KTM. 🖖

In my opinion, the KTMs are worth the headaches if you’re within cell phone range and close to your home. On the flip side, you want the T7 if you’re riding through Baja and beyond.

I own a tenere .. no problems. I owned a husky .. problems. I owned a Honda … no problems. I own a Ducati .. problems.

I’m 50/50 on buying the 2024 KTM 790 Adv or VStrom 800DE. You nailed it in the video performance vs reliability. My thought is the CFMoto produced bikes have to better, yet have no data to support that. What are your thoughts on it?

PS my TW200 now has a stablemate, a '23 Husky 401 Svartpilen. Let's see what Bajaj/KTM cooked up.

Owned one. No, no it wasn't. I have a T7 now and am WAY happier with it.

"mumbled a few words" - I need to add this understated comment to my vocabulary. tabar'n

Loved the badlands scenery , I think if you can afford to own and maintain a KTM you can afford to have a back up bike in the garage for when it breaks . I personally would have a hard time with trusting a bike that has gremlins guess that’s what the cel phone is for I guess lol

I have an 2021 890 R with around 44.000 km. Thereof 21.500 in a seven weeks solo trip (12-2023- 01-2024) around Chile/Argentina/Peru/Brasil. Never broke down, perfect on any type of gravel. If in doubt, gas it out. The bike gets more stable the faster it is ridden and the bike/suspension is really capable. It is a matter of trust and confidence in the bike and your own riding skills. (For the sake of clarity, I try not to ride above my skill level. I know that any high speed crash may be the last and even low speed accidents can be a painful experience) The main negative feature is the weight in comparison to my 2010 690 R. In technical sections, balance and momentum is everything. Crossing new river beds on Ruta 40 with ruts and loose wet gravel was my personal challenge. Proably would have worked better if done faster, but I just wasn't able to. If you ride solo and drop it, it is heavy, in my opinion. In such situation I rather had my 690. I'll work on my physical fitness, no blame on the 890. Or I will try to ride with a buddy. Overall the 890 R has proven to be capable and reliable. The only tool needed while traveling so far has been a tire plug. What more to expect from a real adventure bike.

Really nice video. I had a week with an 890 R in Utah and it was great all around. But its still a heavy bike. I've gone to lighter less powerful bikes and have found that I'm having more fun off road.

Unfortunately they are bound to suffer issues being part of the chicom company. CF moto builds junk and KTM will likely suffer the same fate.

KTM should be built in Wisconsin.... cheese... :)

Performs great (when it runs which is not all the time.) Here in Australia KTMs only have dealers in the capital cities which are on the coast. You would not take one into the outback. You could not risk crossing any desert unsupported. The fuel consumption is mediocre but you can accept that from a highly stressed engine. It uses about the same as a 1250 GS. The electronics etc would defeat any but the most advanced workshop. To do deserts here you need something stone reliable like the Suzuki DR650, the Desert Tractor.

I hate how good this dudes videos are.

Another great video man! I think all the Electrical problems would drive me crazy worrying about it on the trails.. but it does look like a blast to ride! you are keeping me primed for a new season of riding gravel roads, trials and more coming soon!! ready to make more km's disappear under the treads this year!!

Absolutely outstanding drone videography. That had to be a pro, thumbs up!!

performance its never my 1st priority, reliability and comfortability is so finding the sweetspot between comfy and reliable matters so if some 1 like performance i really think the headaches worth it :)

For the cold start issue, running on regular octaine fuel solved the issue for me.

Wait, when your friend sold it, did he seriously buy another 890?!? Or did he get a Tenere 700?? lol