Hi DG matey!

I was looking at a bit of this stuff over on advrider, but the fanboys tend to bury any naysayers pretty quickly over there. Can't help but remember the pre-2015 690 cam followers that were made of cheese.

I'm not sure you are better off with 1290/1390 either. My money went (back) to a 990, and the 1190s are also rock solid (and often cheaper than a nice 990 too).

BK

 

Hi DG matey!

I was looking at a bit of this stuff over on advrider, but the fanboys tend to bury any naysayers pretty quickly over there. Can't help but remember the pre-2015 690 cam followers that were made of cheese.

I'm not sure you are better off with 1290/1390 either. My money went (back) to a 990, and the 1190s are also rock solid (and often cheaper than a nice 990 too).

BK

Eyup Matey!
Really disheartening tbh, as I love the bike, ticks all the boxes and I’ve even managed to get out and get on the lanes, we took it abroad last year, but had it on the back of the camper and therefore didn’t rack many miles up on the bike. We’re planning to go away on the bike this year, but I’m now in a limbo as to go back to the 1190 like you say or stick with the 890 and get rid when we come back as there’s some military roads I want to ride in the Alps, be much more manageable on the 890, but after reading the issues with the cams and KTM burying their heads in the sand and trying to squirm their way out of owning up to the problem it’s really left a bitter taste in the mouth.
Only other option would be to go for the Dessert X, but I’d have to try one 2 up first as it doesn’t look that roomy.
Gutted!

 

Yes saw it a few years ago on a 790, Heat treating them in a wok is not really working! As ever ktm will duck and dive out of as many warranty claims as they can.

 

That’s frigin crazy!
Should have got a Honda 😂😂

 

Is this helped by the leaky airbox?
I remember years ago in SA there was plenty 1090's I think getting engine damage from the same issue.
Imagine how pissed I was to learn all these years later I've got to sort my 901's airbox with a £17 plate & foam from ali express or would this be a getout for ktm if cam issue arose in the future

 

Is this helped by the leaky airbox?
I remember years ago in SA there was plenty 1090's I think getting engine damage from the same issue.
Imagine how pissed I was to learn all these years later I've got to sort my 901's airbox with a £17 plate & foam from ali express or would this be a getout for ktm if cam issue arose in the future

A few lads who have returned the bikes to dealers are reporting that they have found dirt/dust on the throttle bodies and said as a result they can’t honour any warranty.

 

Crap and depressing that KTM can churn out new bikes which seem to fail more than older bikes.
I shall be keeping my 990 till petrol runs out then.
Even if old models had issues, you would imagine that they would improve with newer models - both mechanically and electronically we seem to be at best standing still, but in a lot of cases worse off.

 

It's a shift cam... its shifted off 🤨

 

I don’t think I am likely to see 18k with the mileage I do.

 

Some have failed sooner than 18k
Timebomb

 

Same as David. It would take me 10years to rack up 18k

 

My bikes been ok, but not had the covers off , my mate sent me a link about it a few weeks ago, not on cuntbook

And people say they wouldn't buy a Chinese bike

 

Dust getting past the airfilter will wear the rings and bores and might wear valve guides - but by the time it got into the oil enough to take out cam lobes it would have to ruin: rings, pistons, bores, oilpump (and probably big ends & mains) before it wore 2-4mm out of a cam lobe.
from all that i have read the most likely culprits are
1) cams hardened to a very low price
2) badly designed oil jets

In view of the proven existence of cost-accountancy 1) is most likely

Hoping mine was accidentally hardened properly

 

Heard a few horror stories online about these, I also know quite a few people who the 790/890 bikes but don't actually know anyone in person who has had this issue.

Anyone know the cost of actually replacing the cam for a new one ?

I wouldn't worry Gav. Nearly all bikes these days have an issue of some sort. I think due to its popularity you will hear more about the KTM failures

 

Your bike looks so nicely setup DG that can't you just increase the maintenance a bit (check under the tappet covers every 7.5k or something) and forget about it?
No bike is 100% reliable. And with my monkey-level mechanics - if the cams do wear I don't think that itself hurts anything down below, or even the valves - just means you have to replace those cams...? And it'd start to run rough as buggery, tough starting, etc.?
The picture that is weird is the worn shell - that is 100% oil starvation in my book. Maybe they have soft cams, but maybe of those some people didn't fill up oil level correctly etc..
Pyndon toured the world on a soft-as-cheese-tappet 690, and he just replaced them as service parts every few oil changes.

 

Your bike looks so nicely setup DG that can't you just increase the maintenance a bit (check under the tappet covers every 7.5k or something) and forget about it?
No bike is 100% reliable. And with my monkey-level mechanics - if the cams do wear I don't think that itself hurts anything down below, or even the valves - just means you have to replace those cams...? And it'd start to run rough as buggery, tough starting, etc.?
The picture that is weird is the worn shell - that is 100% oil starvation in my book. Maybe they have soft cams, but maybe of those some people didn't fill up oil level correctly etc..
Pyndon toured the world on a soft-as-cheese-tappet 690, and he just replaced them as service parts every few oil changes.

Could increase the service intervals, some folks have done that and still had failings.
one of the guys who’s clued up has also said that the jets are not good, 37mm away from the followers and oil jet facing upwards, whereas he said better design should be above so any surplus oil would drip into the cams/followers.
I’ll put some serious thought into what I’m going to do re trip this year and I’ll keep you all posted. Plus any more findings.

on another note it’s good to see some of the old faces are still around 👍🏼👍🏼

 

Next time you do a oil change drop some viagra in the oil to harden those cams up..🤣

 

What’s the fix? Buy cams and have them hardened? (If you can reharden what I assume is a case hardened part)

seems your happy with the bike barring this one issue.

much like the 950/990 water pump shafts/ clutch slave? A known issue but better an issue you know instead of random stuff?

 

What’s the fix? Buy cams and have them hardened? (If you can reharden what I assume is a case hardened part)

seems your happy with the bike barring this one issue.

much like the 950/990 water pump shafts/ clutch slave? A known issue but better an issue you know instead of random stuff?

Cams are a bit different to the water pump and clutch slave mate, they should last the lifetime of the bike and guessing they’re a few more quid than a water pump shaft and seal kit. It’s also the fact that they’re cutting corners with production/materials.

 

That picture of the bearing journal is dirt in the oil or more likely lack of oil by the gauling.

Doesn’t matter so much if those parts are hard I’d not, they should run on film of oil.
think about it, plain bearings are really soft material they rely on the lube

 

I did the valve check at 18000 miles myself as the dealer had a 6 week book in . I now have 21000 on t no worries. I wonder wether it was just one batch

 

What model and year have you got Steve?

 

These have been hardened to perfection

 

Close but no cigar. That was a hand pallet truck which doesn't need hardened forks, so no surprise that they didn't put up any resistance.

 

View attachment 61748

View attachment 61747

Not being funny like, but who can run a bike and not hear that going on, long before it gets to that level of ferked?

 

Sad state of affairs if you spend £12-14k on a new bike and you get engine problems like this on a so called premium brand
KTM aren’t alone though
Where has the premium manufacturing gone
A friend showed me his 50 year old (unrestored) BMW R90s on Saturday and fired it up
Even after 90k miles the engine was sweet as sweet

 

A forum acquaintance’s £50k+ Audi RSQ3 ate its engine top end after two years.
After a couple of goes to ‘fix’ it they finally agreed to give him a new engine. That lot cost Audi £17k.
These things happen everywhere. Better than having your EV catch fire!

 

These things happen everywhere. Better than having your EV catch fire!

I think that's the best thing to happen to any EV and anyone who bought one believing they are saving the planet and holier than though deserve to go up in smoke with the fucking thing.

 

I shouldn't be really reading this, considering l am picking my 890smt on the 5th April.
I might just cancel my order and keep the 950sm

 

Didn't the 950's also suffer from flaking cam lobes?

 

😳😳😳😳😳

 

It’s all a load of bollocks this and typical forum hysteria. I did over 34 miles on my 890 and never had a single issue

 

I'm having serious doubts about buying a used 890 in the future.

 

Watched that earlier, £2.5k for new cam and heads!

 

I think I'd be talking to trading standards with a view to calling on the Sale of Goods Act as the cams were clearly not fit for purpose.
No idea how far that would get you but if enough owners did it then they'd probably do something about it.