Hi mate, I will keep it short and sweet. If you need a reliable daily for 3 years and your going to be doing 15-18k go Japanese.

 

Or have a cheaper back up bike for just in case (or money ready to buy one if you need to), though I think I would try to have a lower cost Jap bike to commute on and then the SDGT for fun times & touring.

 

Depends how handy you are. Generally, KTM are up there as very reliable - but some gross exceptions (parallel twin anyone?). But they do have known faults that can get ya. That is why this forum is so strong with old-timers.

Yeah, a Japanese 4 will be more reliable, especially if the top brands, but the KTM V-Twin: the soul, and the performance of a big KTM is unreal.

Test rides are your friend.

 

Depends how handy you are. Generally, KTM are up there as very reliable - but some gross exceptions (parallel twin anyone?). But they do have known faults that can get ya. That is why this forum is so strong with old-timers.

Yeah, a Japanese 4 will be more reliable, especially if the top brands, but the VKTM -Twin: the soul, and the performance of a big V-twin KTM is unreal.

Test rides are your friend.

I’m pretty handy. Rebuilt the second Hayabusa from the remains after the accident and I couldn’t even walk at that point, so I can manage most things. My electronics ability is patchy, but mechanicals I’ll have a go. Swapped the belts on my Ducati and that’s still going so I can’t have cocked it up too badly!

I’m looking at about £7k from the insurance so that gives me £10k in total so a Superduke and a CB500 or similar looks realistic. That may be the route I go down. I’m sure my wife will be ecstatic to have 2 bikes on the drive!

 

Had a reliable daily that was German and did that, and a couple of Japanese too. Even an Italian for a year, that ended messily.

An FJ12, FJR1300, Hayabusa, Multistrada, Hayabusa, R1200GS Adventure, and, most recently and just stolen, Tracer 900GT.

I’d get another ‘busa but got knocked off the last one and broke my back, so I can’t get into that riding position anymore. Believe me, I’ve tried. The GS, irritatingly, was brilliant and I miss it like crazy, but I refuse to become a GS person or a BMW person, so it needs to be different.

The Tracer was too small and buzzy, I need a “donk”, but I also need a “braaaaap”, so the Superduke looks ideal. It just needs to be reliable! Alternatively I get one anyway and a cheap japanese bike for work.

 

Not related to reliability, but the only thing that annoyed me about my Gen 1 ('16) SDGT was that the cruise controls are on the R bar and very awkward to use without disturbing the throttle, and small movements of that have an effect! Moved to the L bar with Gen 2, which means I use it much more. 1st world problem, I suppose, but still.

 

Just reach over with left hand to set, once on easy to increase/decrease with right thumb

 

I’ve been using a Tracer 900GT for the last couple of years. All the tft controls are on the right bar and you have to go to the right screen, hold down the button for exactly the right amount of time, then turn on/off the heated grips.

Same again to turn them up/off. Indescribably annoying. This sounds fine!

 

Not heard of or had any issues with head bearings or ABS unit. MTC failure/limp mode from exhaust valve being "out of spec" is very common, removal and Healtec ESE solves it.
What mileage bike are you looking for? I'm selling my GT, '16 with low miles '18 engine fitted after gearbox failure, ESE, new (few k miles ago) rad and brand new front discs not yet bedded in. Can link FB ad if interested has more info.

 

Yeah, send me the link and I’ll have a look. I’m still waiting on the insurance money to hit my bank account, so there won’t be an immediate move on anything, but I’ll have a look.

 

FB market farce ad linky here . . . .
Marketplace – 2016 KTM superduke 1290 gt | Facebook

 

I bought a 2018 plate SDGT two weeks ago and we are currently heading back from 11 days in the Black Forrest and Voge. The discs appeared warped so the dealer sent me new ones which I fitted the day we left. However I'll be having a careful look on my return because they look a lot like the old Aprilia discs that used to appear warped if you didn't regularly clean the bobbins. I fitted a 16T spocket a rack and made a rear mudguard (it covers itself in crap in the rain) before I set off and it hasn't missed a beat. The cruise system is ergonomically dismal and it accelerates up to speed in a "driving miss daisy" fashion, but it is usable on the motorway. The whole bike comes alive when you ride it hard, we had to take a day off from the black forest as my pillion needed arm and grip recovery, but it's nothing like as nice going slower! Going slow, the quickshifter is best avoided as are the top 2 gears! 2 up It isn't nearly as good at mountain hairpins as you might expect!

 

No longer a prospective owner, I bought one and I love it! This is at the top of the Cat & Fiddle. She’s got full service history from the first owner, and the second owner included a spreadsheet in the bikes pack of everything they did, so that’s full service history, as far as I’m concerned!

 

I had a 2016 gen 1 SDR and had absolutely no issues at all over 25,000 miles except the leaky radiator thing which is a well-known problem due to a design fault. But it's easily and cheaply fixed by a radiator specialist and doesn't show up on every bike.

The headstock bearings came loose on mine causing a knock on acceleration and braking but there was nothing inherently amiss with the bearings themselves and once tightened it never did it again.

Actually, there was one issue, which I'd forgotten about. The clutch MC was a pig for going spongy and needed frequent bleeding. I think there was a recall about it. My local dealer prevaricated over fixing it until the bike bike was out of warranty, the bastards.

 

Actually, there was one issue, which I'd forgotten about. The clutch MC was a pig for going spongy and needed frequent bleeding. I think there was a recall about it. My local dealer prevaricated over fixing it until the bike bike was out of warranty, the bastards.

The spongy clutch issue is the (well-known and documented) stock slave cylinder, easily fixed by replacing it with an Oberon unit - end of problem

 

Got home from a ride today and my clutch master cylinder reservoir was bone dry. WTH?

 

I'd suggest you have a leak . . . . . . .