KTM reliability

[DirtnStreet]

I've been looking at the KTM dual sports, but one of my friends used to run enduros late 80's, early 90's on KTM's and keeps blasting them for being very expensive to maintain. I've always had Hondas with a couple of Suzuki and Yamaha products along the way. Would I experience much higher maintenance and cost to keep the bike running? I'm looking for answers from KTM owners pro or con. Thanks

 

[WA-Rider]

If you don't luck out here with input I've had valuable info from "The" KTM site.

www.ktmtalk.com

A wealth of info about KTM's

 

[agitt73]

the late 80's early 90's ktms were junk the new stuff is alot better
and the parts prices are not hardly much more the the jap bikes
for oem and the same for after market and on the maintaining thing
no worse then a jap bike

 

[Moteaux]

You are probably going to get the same type responses as the "Ford vs. Chevy" with this, but I have owned just about all the brands in recent years and the ktm is as reliable as anything else out there.  Except maybe a KDX, I don't think a 500 lb gorrilla could tear one of those up with a sledge hammer.  Course somebody will post shortly about the 600 lb gorrilla that did it with a wooden mallet.

KTMs... good stuff! :thumb:

 

[jns]

I saw in a recent magazine "shootout comparison"of the Big 5 and at the end it showed various replacement costs on each bike.The KTMs actually had comparable and cheaper prices.The yamaha has outrageous replacement prices!

 

[ktm033]

jns, saw the same article in Dirt Rider I think, and you are right, it always kills me when my riding buddies who have not yet come to the Orange Light talk about how expensive KTM's are, they are not in fact a case can be made, a very good case that they are actually cheaper. I have two riding partners that are riding CRF's one an '02 and one an '03, both spend more time wrenching and replacing then do I with my katoom.

 

[Derhntr]

I love my KTM but for DS get the DRZ400 IMHO

Brian

 

[HiG4s]

Originally posted by agitt73
the late 80's early 90's ktms were junk the new stuff is alot better
and the parts prices are not hardly much more the the jap bikes
for oem and the same for after market and on the maintaining thing
no worse then a jap bike

 

Crap????? I wish I still had my 89 250 KTM EXC, the best bike I ever owned. And they should never have taken the kick starter off the left side, now any wimp can start a KTM.

 

[agitt73]

the 89 might have been alright but 90-91 models fried coils left and right
now the cagiva was a hot bike in the 80's

 

[MWEISSEN]

As others have said, I've found that my KTM is at least as reliable as the Hondas and Yamahas I've owned before it. The part quality is better as well.
The only thing I've had go "wrong" with my KTM is I lost a couple of fender bolts, and probably I forgot to tighten them back down after working on the bike.

Another important consideration for KTM is that, in my experience anyway, the dealers have the parts you need in stock. With the japanese bikes, I almost always had to order the parts, necessitating two trips and a few days delay. KTM used to have a problem with spare parts, but with their new parts warehouse they put up a couple years ago, those days seem to be over.

 

[RMrider]

:flame: I just sold my 90 KTM 250mx and it was an incredible bike. I dont know where you get the fact that they are junk. Maybe if you actually owned one you would realise what a great bike they are. Yeah they had ignition problems but there are aftermarket fixes out there. Its not like everything today is perfect as far as reliability (kdx 220 grenading pistons for example). I had a pvl ignition system in mine and had zero trouble from that bike. Moral of the sory is, don't knock it unless you have owned it. :moon: HiG4s and I will vouch for these machines all day long because we know first hand that they were good bikes. :thumb:

 

[agitt73]

back in the day all you could get was stock parts for the ignition the fix
came a little to late for ktm to stay reliabe as today

 

[lawman]

late 80s/early 90s? oh please. the co. had different ownership then. modern ktms are at least as reliable as anything out there, parts prices are comparable (esp considering the extra quality) & i never wait on parts. i think they take a lot less maintenance than japanese bikes, with side access airbox, no bad airbox seal like a honda, no bad woodruff key like the '03 yzf, no linkage to grease, parts not made of pizza cheese, etc. etc.

 

[ktmrandy]

I now have a 2000 300exc which after the initial purchase has averaged $500 a month in maintenance for the last three years. Before the KTM I had a 1997 Honda XR 400 which also averaged $500 a month until I bought the KTM. I ride around 400 miles a month. My KTM has gone through 7 pistons, 1 cracked cylinder and 2 sets of crank bearings, second and third transmission gears. In the same time frame the Honda went through 7 pistons 2 complete crankshafts and second and third gears. The Honda takes longer to perform overhauls and needs more parts replaced, but the overall costs were about the same.

 

[CAB]

How come they can't put fork seals on the bike that won't leak after two rides? Seems a bit much to shell out 7 or 8 K for a new KTM and then have to replace fork seals every five or six rides. I know this is a big problem on the 03's.

 

[Tahuya Rat]

Originally posted by CAB
How come they can't put fork seals on the bike that won't leak after two rides? Seems a bit much to shell out 7 or 8 K for a new KTM and then have to replace fork seals every five or six rides. I know this is a big problem on the 03's.

That's a new one on me. Haven't read that anywhere, nor seen it, and there is alot of orange in these woods. Where'd you hear that?

 

[agitt73]

there is one thing some people dont realizes you have to bleed the
forks after every ride

 

[ktm033]

2nd year riding and racing my '02, never had that problem, one of my riding buddies bought my '01 katoom, rides and races it, no problem either......hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?????

 

[Gardener]

I ride my 00 300 about 400 miles per month, albeit for only seven months of the year, and it's still on the original top end and fork seals. My compression is 180#s. I'm no squid either. In Europe, 300 excs are commonly dual sported and rack up high miles before they're touched. If I spend $500.00 a year on maintence items, that would be a stretch.

 

[CR Swade]

Go to a KTM forum, or even our local race BB and you will find plenty about leaking 03 seals. Mine leaked on its break-in ride. Seal savers seem to help to most, as do KYB seals, or even shortening the spring on the wiper as it doesn't have much tension keeping the wiper on the tube. They don't fail, the wipers just don't do much in keeping out the gunk.

 

[beer_stud_76]

leaking fork seals hasn't been an issue since the 1998 model year.

as for shelling out 7 or 8 grand for a bike, i guarantee that if honda made a full blown high performance enduro bike (like the EXCs), it would cost very nearly what KTMs cost. if you haven't noticed the price tag on the new WRs, notice them.

KTM MX bikes are priced very competitively with the japanese brands.

KTMs are only expensive if you compare apples to oranges.


jeremiah

 

[ktm033]

beer stud, my racing buddy, who rides an '02 crf 450 had a cam chain derail this weekend resulting it catastrophic engine failure. on the way back from the race we were talking about what he would have to do if he bought a new jap bike to replace his CRF for the rest of the harescramble season. No matter what great deal we knew about on an '03 jap mx bike after you replaced the tank, bars, chain, sprockets he would still have more $ into the jap bike than an equal KTM MXC or EXC and still not have a hydraulic clutch! No comparison............pretty sure he will be a pumpkin patch convert this week!

 

[PICOTTE]

Originally posted by ktm033
2nd year riding and racing my '02, never had that problem, one of my riding buddies bought my '01 katoom, rides and races it, no problem either......hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?????

 

[94ruck]

I have owned 2 ktm 300 exc's(01 models) and 1 03 300 exc. All have had leakiny fork seals. the 43 mm forks took longer to begin leaking but i replaced seal several times. the 03 leaked on its first ride in 30 minutes in no mud. There has been much talk on the ktmtalk site in the suspension catagory. It peeves me a little but i did pay lees for my 03 ktm than I did for my 98 kx250...and I got lights, good bars and chain, etc. I haven't spent 500 bucks a year on any of these bikes.Chain, sprockets, heim joints and brakes!

 

[94ruck]

and several sets of fork seals!